I read that Chuck Sipes was natty, and frankly I believe it.
He had a very quality physique, and to me it looks attainable.
Being listed at 5’9″ 220lbs surprised me, I figured him closer to 6′ in the 215-225 range.
He has the classic build in appearance we all can achieve, the look from bodybuilding of yesteryear, from the ages before steroids and when steroids were something you only ran briefly GAINING WEIGHT coming into a show.
Reading of him there are lessons to be gleaned.
He worked hard physically, not just in the gym, but with the gym as an addition to a physical lifestyle.
Time spent as a lumberjack, and a love for hiking lay a phenomenal base in which to bodybuild on.
It’s notable that he’d bring cables and do calisthenics when on long forays into the woods.
Even going for evening runs after hiking all day, and training with cables, and calisthenics.
It’s notable that he’d regularly train thrice daily. The man believed in putting in work.
His freakish strength is explained not only by shear volume, a dedication over years to being strong with work capacity, but the fact he did lots of heavy partials and supports which are like a cheat code for unlocking your body’s true power.
You can go as far as you’re willing to work for.
Don’t accept limits.
Someone like Sipes is considered a freak today, but if you were raised in Sparta BC he’d be par for the course.
The biggest battle, is the one in your mind, the battle between accepting limitations and going as far as you truly can.
You not only have to push physically, but more effort must be applied to pushing mentally, in being able to look at yourself and tell yourself you’re not even going hard, to tell yourself that you’re not getting nearly the results you could be, the ones that others are in worse circumstances with less than you.
Exceeding yourself by applying the beyond the extreme of outward results to the deepest level of your internal belief.
You can do more in every aspect a thousand fold.
Persistence & Tenacity