From the World of Bodybuilding

Two inspirational/thought-provoking quotations from the world of bodybuilding:

1. "Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder . . . but don't nobody wanna lift no heavy-ass weight." - Ronnie Coleman

This quote came to me through fellow bala student, Reggie Ross, who I met in New York. I think its message is obvious, and I agree with it, but juxtaposed with the next quote, it confounds me a bit.

2. "You're not just here lifting weights up and down." - A father to his son at the gym in my brother's apartment building

I might be forgetting or misrepresenting the source and the original wording, but this was the idea--and it's something Bruce spoke with me about years ago: If you practice just to fill your daily quota, and don't pay attention to what you're doing, you may end up doing more harm than good.

I guess the lesson to be learned from the two quotes taken together then is: work hard, practice often, but be thoughtful about what you do.