Stronger Than Pride

[Bouncer]

Every time I hit the weights I feel like I can move mountains and shake up the world!

I ask myself, “What's going to stop me? Who is going to stop me?”

Then it occurs to me, while I am trying to Rock the house as the Lone Ranger, there are thousands, maybe even millions of other people around the world thinking the same thing I am.

To be the best I can be!

To wake up each day and try to look better than yesterday. Pushing myself to limits I never thought I could and focusing on being a “Better” me!

However, there is always room for Seeds of Self Doubt.

It creeps into my head between sets and reps. They sneak up on me when I feel sluggish and it's cold outside or I'm aching all over. I have many things creeping into my mind at times, trying to side track me from my mission.

Self doubt can be a painful existence to be sure.

In the long run, somewhere deep down, where words can't even find the light of day to explain it, I know I have a job to do above everything else if I am to be truly happy with my existence here on planet Earth. My Pride will have to pull me through.

My Pride is what gets me through the day.

I take Pride in the fact that not everyone can do what I do.

I take Pride in knowing that the more I do, the better I will get!

The more weight, more Food, more Focus, more Intensity, more, Hunger, more, More, MORE! I need More of everything to be the best of everything!

It becomes an addiction. The strength, the size, the satisfaction.

My Pride will win the day when all else fails.

Add in some Passion and you have a lethal dose of ENERGY when it comes time for training! I become an Unstoppable Force of Nature that oozes confidence!

I need my Pride & my Passion for breakfast each day but I need More of Everything to get me through the day!

My Iron warriors out there no what I mean when I say, “MORE!”

More Chicken, More Steak, More Eggs, More Weight, More Reps, More Sets, More, More, MORE!

Sure, anyone can lift weights and look better than they did last month or even better than they did yesterday but how many of them can hang with this path of life day in and day out, month after month, year after year, Decade after DECADE?

Pride baby!

You have to love what you do like it is nobody's business! Each morning of every week, I get up and handle my business as if there will be no tomorrow. If tomorrow never came the one thing I'd be certain of is that I pursued my Passion with Pride and at the end of the day let it RIDE!

Sooner or later your going to have to ask yourself, “ Am I getting from my training what I am putting into it? Or am getting just enough to get by and wishing I had done more?
The difference in these two scenarios is PRIDE!

Making the commitment to put All that you have into what you are doing, regardless of the outcome. Laying it All on the line each time out of the box, to be the best you can be from Rep to Rep and Set to Set.

Why settle for anything less?
In Strength & Honor!



Peace,



Shawn Ray

[rock]

hey bounce, you should setup a motivational forum with all of these...

[BigSoda]

where do u get them from??good read

[Incredible Bulk]

Originally posted by rock
hey bounce, you should setup a motivational forum with all of these...

Good idea....I'll BUMP for that.

[Golden_Muscle]

Awsome bouncer. Im always hoping there is one of these to read on this forum. Great read!

[smalls]

I think this is the best one yet. Thanks bouncer, keep em coming.

[bigpetefox]

Preach on, brother!!

[Ranger]

DEADLIFT RANT



Deadlifts.

The sound of it alone brings a cringe to the hardcore lifters, the Brother's of Iron know this to be true.

Most never will.

Deadlifts.

The grunts, screams...the light-headed feeling on that last heavy set.

Deadlifts!

Stretch was doing deadlifts today, you know the spot....The one way in the back. Yeah, that's it.
The one where just a handful venture.
The spot where they come out looking half dead, bloody shins, the one where chalk dust and blood, stain the palms.....Yup, that's the spot!

Stretch was almost finished. His last set coming up. I have to admit, I love watching a man like Stretch push himself to the limits. To see those traps swell under the strain, the " Oh my God, a turtle just poked his head out of my shorts " look. That glazed look in the eyes of someone who is truly in the " Zone "!!

I love it!!

This young kid was sitting on the flat bench watching Stretch, nothing else, just watching. Maybe it was curiosity, perhaps awe. More than likely it was the look of watching a crazy man do something he had never seen.

He kept watching as Stretch put the belt on. He was watching as he tightened it down until he was a walking hourglass figure of a man....He kept watching.

So did I.

Stretch was panting now, the " Zone " coming up. Then he walked over to the kid. I listened in fascination, knowing now why I chose such a good workout partner.

"What are you lookin at"? Stretch panted between clenched teeth.

"You ain't never seen anyone doing deadlifts have you."

"You ain't never seen a set of bloody scarred shins attached to 245 pounds of maximum performance." Stretch growled on a roll.

"You still lookin? That's right son...Look"!

"You ain't never seen a BROTHER OF IRON. You ain't never seen a dude superset deadlifts into flat benches, all with weights that would make you cry! You ain't never seen a power rack at the gym you been working out at for the last 4 years"!

" You still look'in at me??!!"

"Maybe you should head back to your eliptical machine and take a pilates class with your fellow aerobaheads. Maybe you should stop lookin at Old Boy Stretch".

"You still lookin?!" Stretch asked flexing his traps.

"You probably never seen anyone throw up in a bucket after squatt'in either. You will never really know why they call them nosebreakers, will you? You will never need a spot at the bench because you will never tap into the beast who commands you to get the weight up by any means necessary!"

"Hey son, you still looking at me??!!"

" Oh , now you want to spot me? Sorry son, Old Boy Stretch ain't tak'in no spot from spandex boy!"

"Damn it Son! You still lookin??!!"

" I'll tell you what, when you stop ask'in that weak spot in your mind why I do this to myself, maybe i'll let you spot me. On second thought... Nah, Old Boy Stretch would rather let the weight cut me in two, rather than have spandex boy seen trying to hang with a BROTHER OF IRON. Of course, Stretch would get the weight up, so Old Boy Stretch is all right. And about the look'in thing, If you have to look, you would'nt get it anyway...Now would you?"

" Now, who is Old Boy Stretch? He asked the kid.

" I'm a nobody son. Yeah that's right, a nobody. A faceless name like a thousand others in the far back of every gym. I'm one of the nobody's whose workouts know grunts and pain through the chalky mists. I'm a nobody boy, and I share a thousand nights of no sleep due to sore muscles."

" Keep looking at Ole Boy Stretch son. Maybe one day you'll get it, maybe one day you'll earn the privilage....no, the HONOR of being a nobody like Ole Boy Stretch and the rest of the BROTHERS OF IRON!"

Stretch held out those scarred hands to the kid. " Ya see these hands son? Yeah, that's right boy, turn away. They're not pretty like yours, are they? These squared fingers have been mashed by weights too many times to count, they've picked up more IRON PIES than most will ever know, and yes son....they're callused. Ugly as Hell...Huh?"

" Ya see son, that's how you can tell a nobody from the other lifters. Yeah that's right boy. It's in the hands...always has been too!"

Stretch started to stagger to the bar, chalking his hands as he walked. As he bent down to grip the Iron Bar, he looked up at the kid one last time and held his bloody hands out for the kid to see.

" You see son, these hands are earned. You wanna get huge boy? There's no other way to do it, but earn it yourself. No one can do it for you! And maybe one day, if ya work real hard at it. A BROTHER OF IRON will look at those hands of yours and smile. Because he knows. He knows where you're coming from. He knows of the pain filled days and nights. He knows of the sweat, blood and tears that you have sacraficed on the GREAT ALTAR OF DESIRE. And if you're lucky to see such a smile boy, you've earned that ONE smile a million times over!"

I guess you could say I'm a nobody as well. But as Stretch pulled out a set of four, hard, grunt filled reps, I had to walk away. It must have been the chalk dust in my eyes, maybe not. That kid walked up to me, and he had chalk dust in his eyes as well.

He looked up at me shyly, " He's a rare piece of work ain't he Mister? "

Wiping the chalk dust from my eyes I replied, " Yes son, he certainly is at that! "


Ranger

[Ranger]

Sacrafice


It was the night before the contest,
the Iron Brother lived all alone.
In a one bedroom house,
made of plaster and stone.

The Iron God came to this home,
for dedication that the Iron Brother did give.
And to look upon the squaller,
where the Iron Brother did live.

He had scars and stretch marks,
sprains and strains of all kinds.
And one pensive thought,
came through the Iron God's mind.

The Iron Brother's house was different,
inside was dark and dreary.
He found the home of an Iron Worshipper,
at once, he could see this clearly.

The Iron Brother lay sleeping,
breathing softly...so silent and alone.
Curled up on the floor,
in this one bedroom home.

The Iron God realized,
of all the Brothers he saw this night.
They were all commited to the Iron Throne,
and the Iron Bar, they were willing to fight.

Iron Brothers around the world,
knew the price they had to pay.
They bleed their Iron through overtime,
and rarely enjoy the light of day.

They bypassed good times, and parties,
each day, every month of the year.
The Iron God felt a kinship,
to the Iron Brother laying here.

The Iron God couldn't help but wonder,
how many Brothers lay alone.
And bodies ached throughout the night,
in these small, one bedroom homes.

Just the very thought,
brought a tear to the Iron Gods eye.
He then dropped to his knees,
and the Iron God began to cry.

The Iron Brother awakened,
and croaked out in a rough voice.
Iron God don't cry,
this life is my choice.

I lift to feel the freedom,
and I do not ask for more.
My life is yours Iron God,
and my body, to it's very core.

The Iron Brother breathed deeply,
and then lay quite, in his eternal sleep.
The Iron God couldn't control it,
and he softly, continued to weep.

The Iron God sat watch,
so silent...and so still.
Until he began to shiver,
at the coldness, of this nights chill.

He didn't want to leave,
on that dark and dreary night.
For the Guardian of the Iron Throne,
lay in death, before the Iron God's sight.


Ranger

[Ranger]

Gods of Thunder


The Iron Brother stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to be.
He hoped his hands were callused enough,
So his spirit may be set free.

" Step to the Iron Throne, Brother,
How shall I deal with you?"
" Have you bled Iron daily,
To this throne have you been true?"

I give homage to this Iron Throne,
And at times my talk was tough.
Sometimes I've been violent,
Cause this life is fuck'in rough.

Yea, I never scammed a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep.
I pounded Iron through overtime,
When the gains came to steep.

I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times, I shook with fear.
And sometimes Iron God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I do not belong in this place,
Among the people down here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.

If you've a place for me here, Iron God,
It needn't be so grand.
I won't expect you to spot too much,
And if you don't, I'll understand.

There was silence around the Iron Bar Throne,
Where Iron Brothers had often trod.
As the Brother waited quietly,
For the judgement of his Iron God.

You do not belong down there,
With those who stare in wonder.
Your place is here, Brother,
Among the Gods of Thunder.

Step forward now, Brother,
You've lifted your burdens well.
Lift peacefully with your Iron Brothers,
You've done your time in HELL !!!


Ranger

[Ranger]

THE CONVERSATION

The young Brother walked forward,
His face sad and drawn.
He held out a callused hand,
And felt these scars were wrong.

The Iron God stepped up,
And smacked his hands with a clap,
And through the chalky mist, he said.
"Young Brother, what is this crap?"

The young Brother drew away and sniffed,
Hid his eyes while wiping a tear.
"I've given you my best Iron God,
And bled Iron for a solid year!"

"It seems that I make no gains,
There was a time, I thought I could.
And the pain is getting harder,
It causes more harm now…than good!"

The Iron God stood there staring,
Then locked on the young one's eyes.
He searched his mind from "Back in the Day",
And re-called something clever and wise.

" Your ashamed of those hands,
But wear those calluses with pride.
For many an Iron Brother,
With callused hands lay down and died."

"It's not how many sets,
Nor the exercise…now is it?
It's when you feel the pain,
And it makes you want to quit."

The young Brother hung his head,
And flexed those callused hands.
"But Iron God", he said so softly,
"You just don't understand."

"Down there we are out numbered,
And the common one's are the worst.
They look and stare…they use bad form,
And they say the Iron Brothers are cursed."

"They never hit the squat rack,
And sometimes I have fallen prey.
Then they leave, and I'm in the zone,
But they're back, the very next day."

The Iron God squared his jaw,
Then tapped a thick, scarred finger.
And on the young Brother's face,
His eyes did sadly linger.

"This Iron war is not won,
By those who just say,"Screw it",
It is won by the Iron Brother's,
Who decide they can do it!"

"But what about the common one's,
Who are misled in their lives.
They've never felt the pain I know,
I can see it in their eyes?"

"You cannot help them young Brother,
Nor dictate their sad chosen path.
You cannot stop their ignorance,
Nor heal their weekend wrath's."

"Bleed Iron at the Iron Bar Throne,
And the pain will someday cease.
Then return to your one room house,
If only for an hour…know your peace!"

"But Iron God", the young Brother started,
His heart heavy with lead.
"I know the common one's down there,
They wish that I were dead!"

"I feel their stares burning,
They laugh and fling their mud.
Yet, who is there to thank me?
When I sweat my Iron Blood?"

The Iron God pursed his lips,
His answer lay unknown.
For he to had felt the pain,
A pain that hurts to the bone.

"There are no easy answers,
For the ache that you feel.
But appreciation, and their praise,
I'm afraid ain't a part of the deal."

"The respect will come with gratitude,
And admiration from the Iron Brother's too!
But, it will not come from the common one's,
Who cannot do what we can do!"

The young Brother felt the tears,
And looked down at his callused hands.
He knew he could not quit,
As he had already planned.

For now, he saw those callused hands,
Not just as something he does.
They are not just a symbol,
IT MADE HIM WHAT HE WAS!

AN IRON BROTHER

RANGER

[Ranger]

Ah What the hell...maybe just one more for ya folks......




THE WAY WE LIVE OUR LIFE


The Iron Brother was getting old,
And his hair was falling fast.
He sat around the Iron Throne,
Telling stories of his past.

Of the Iron War he fought,
And the lifting deeds he had done.
In his exploits with his Iron Brothers,
They were Hero's…Every one.

And though sometimes unto his Brothers,
His tales became a joke.
All the Iron Brothers did listen,
For they knew whereof he spoke.

We shall hear our Brother no longer,
Our Iron Brother has passed away.
And the Iron World is somewhat poorer,
For an Iron Brother died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
One child and a wife.
Though he lived for the extra ordinary,
He led an uneventful life.

Held a job and raised a family,
And he lifted his own way.
The world won't note his passing,
For an Iron Brother died today.

When Politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state.
And the common ones note their passing,
While proclaiming, they were great.

They tell of their life stories,
As far back as when they were young.
But the passing of an Iron Brother,
Goes unnoticed and unsung.

His greatest contribution,
To those hard and callused hands.
Was when a Brother was scammed,
He backed his fellow man.

Yes, this is our Iron Brother,
Who lived his life with strife.
He served the Iron Throne,
And sacrificed his life.

It's so easy to forget them,
For "Back in the Day" was long ago.
But, our Iron Brother remained in the Game,
Though he was tired and had to go.

He was just an Iron Brother,
And our ranks are growing thin.
He is a symbol to remind us,
That we need his likes again.

If we cannot do him, honor,
Though he's not here to reap the praise.
Let's pay homage to the Iron Throne,
And the passing of his days.

Perhaps a simple grunt of pain,
That would somehow seem to say.
Our Brotherhood is in mourning,
For an Iron Brother passed away.


RANGER

[Bouncer]

Nice post bro. This isnt "The Ranger" from elite is it? I remember all the gym poems from back in the old days on elite.

[house1]

great stuff guys

[Ranger]

Yup...tis lil ole me my friend.....heh heh heh

Ranger