Using the Melon

"If you're gonna be dumb, life is gonna hurt."

It sounds funny but there's truth here.

If you choose to be ignorant, life is so much harder. Seriously.

I'm not talking about intelligence: I don't care what your IQ is. Instead, I'm talking about the ability to assess what you're doing and make a smart decision.

Like if I tell you to run with a 300lb barbell, you better look at me and say, "No."

Or if I keep you on PVC cleans for 12 months, you better kick me in the shins and grab a barbell.

You have to use your melon. However big or small, you have to use it.

Some folks don't want to use their brains; that can be trouble. Some people only want to be told "do this, go here, watch this, get this result."

Well, it's not that simple.

I want you to use your brain. I'm going to train you ASSUMING that you will use your brain. So when I tell you to load more weight on that bar and fail, you need to use your brain.

• Does that mean I want you to round your back and hurt yourself? NO.

• Does that mean bad form is okay? NO.

• Does that mean that all that instruction about good form was bulls***? NO.

What it means is that I trust you enough to let you find your limits. To let you determine where your behavior turns from productive to stupid. But you have to figure that out, with my help when you need it.

Just like with my teenager: I can lock the doors and keep him in the house always so that he never gets a bad influence or hurts himself, or I can teach him and trust him to do good.

Same with you. I can bubblewrap my gym and keep you on PVC pipe only for a year, or I can teach you on PVC, then teach you on the bar, then add more weight when you're ready. And I'll watch you the entire time and offer advice and jump in when you need me to spot and save you.

The key factor here is YOU and your brain.

Be smart. You don't have to be a genius, just be smart enough to listen to me AND to listen to your body. Just like in life.

Your mom probably said this to you: "If everybody jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?"

What she really meant was "Use your melon."

Same goes here.