How
did you come to your conclusions about how to train? Did you
develop these beliefs in an unbiased environment, free of
pressures to conform to certain ways of thinking and doing? Or
did you develop your beliefs based on the influences and
pressures you have been exposed to? Have you ever stopped to
think about this? Why is it important? Do you have a choice as
to what to think and do? What’s the best way to think and to?
What is the price to pay if I am nothing more than a collection
of other people’s opinions?
These are the questions posed and answered in this ground
breaking program we have chosen to call ‘Barbells and Bullshit’.
The title was selected to ram home the point that quite simply
you are being exposed to a lot of bullshit, and too much of it
is being absorbed. Before you get concerned that this is coming
from a point of ‘holier than thou’ you will be quickly reminded
in this program that what you choose to think and do is your
truth, your reality. And that is respected. But is it really
you? Or is it, and therefore you, simply a collection of
thoughts and actions that are other people’s? Are you nothing
but yourself, or are you a collection of others? If that is so,
are you fulfilling your potential be being little more than a
collection of other people’s thinking?
In pursuing these questions and answers, we look into the way in
which you may be influenced in your thinking and doing, and why
these influences exist. We will talk about religion, science,
commercial gain, short-term cash flow and ego – because for
reasons such as these most of us, at some stage in our life and
maybe still today, have had our thinking shaped.
This program offers you a life-line to become more of yourself,
and to fulfill your innate potential. If that is what you want.
This is an important point because the easiest thing for you to
do is to be what others what you to be. To go with the flow, to
hide amongst the masses, not stand out in any way. It will take
a lot more effort to thing and do differently to the masses, and
different or even contrary to the dominant pressures and
influences in our industry, sub-culture and broader society.
It is a reflection of the broader choices in life we make
between what we may initially perceive as security versus
freedom. Those who seek the security of the masses may soon
learn that they really are not free – not free to think for
themselves, and not free to do what they believe is the way to
do things in training. And they may soon learn that this is also
not a secure position, for reasons including the continual
change of trends and therefore expectations on you to ‘be’ and
‘do’ continually changes things – at the whim of others. And
those who seek to be free face the reality that initially this
not at first feel secure, however as they progress in this
direction they may either flee back to their prior perception of
‘security’, or soldier on, finding that that they have more
security in this realm than those who they have left behind
have. The illusion of freedom and security may not be all you
initially think it is.
WARNING: Contains concepts & observations that challenge the
status quo and may be too challenging for some. One of those
books that some people are going to want you NOT TO read.
Only buy this book if:
• Fulfilling your potential is more important than conforming
• You are open to having your current beliefs challenged
• You are willing to detach from your reality long enough to
step outside it and view it from an objective position.
The Book is more than 140 pages in length and contains 30
chapters, including:
Acknowledgements
Preface
Chapter 1 Colates
Chapter 2 My Journey
Chapter 3 Those sayings look familiar
Chapter 4 Build 12” Guns
Chapter 5 Science is the new religion
Chapter 6 Those philosophies look familiar
Chapter 7 So you want to train athletes?
Chapter 8 Think for yourself
Chapter 9 Those concepts look familiar
Chapter 10 Meet Coach Fulla
Chapter 11 Who’s influencing you?
Chapter 12 Those definitions look familiar
Chapter 13 The greatest coach in the world Chapter 14
Gate-keepers of the truth
Chapter 15 Those exercise descriptions look familiar
Chapter 16 Tips and tricks of bullshit marketing
Chapter 17 Information vs. wisdom
Chapter 18 Bodyweight exercises, lies and videotapes
Chapter 19 Functional training
Chapter 20 Intended to impress
Chapter 21 Those principles look familiar
Chapter 22 Isn’t that interesting
Chapter 23 Copyright
Chapter 24 Those program design variables look familiar
Chapter 25 The 95% rule
Chapter 26 Labels and titles
Chapter 27 Those programs look familiar
Chapter 28 The fat loss phenomenon
Chapter 29 The new rules?
Chapter 30 For the good of all
References
To
listen to a short audio clip about the Barbells and Bullshit
program,
click here.
To order the
book [electronic or e-book version]
Add to Cart
What others
have said about 'Barbells & Bullshit'!
Ian,
Great book... ...keeping me up late. Very entertaining,
hilarious, gut-wrenching and scary as you unfold the
reality of this industry, while pairing it with guidance
to a conscious way of thriving in the field of physical
preparation and life.
Also, you have brilliantly made the book very
interactive, which I assume was done purposely, and adds
to the suspense and overall enjoyment.
Thank you once again! --Ryan
Barbells and Bullshit is a great series! Besides being
very funny, you demonstrate in a practical way what it
means to think about the decisions you make. I think
what makes your method unique is that you ask the
question ‘why do you think this way?’, rather than just
saying ‘think’, and that is a big question - one that
most people do not want to even fathom, let alone
tackle. So I was impressed about how far back in time
and how wide in society you were prepared to go to make
the point about where the influences on our thinking
come from. And one of the biggest influences that you
mentioned many times before and again in the Barbell &
Bullshit series is the dominance of scientific
empiricism, as opposed to intuition, in Western world
thinking. --George
Ian’s life-long commitment to building an unprecedented
physical development legacy shines like no other I have
seen. Years and years of passion, belief, focus and
commitment to producing the greatest physical results
with some of the most dedicated coaches and athletes
around who demand nothing but the best. From every
strength exercise you have performed, every stretch, or
injury you have or have had - the values and beliefs you
have developed toward the whole training triangle are
challenged to an extent that demands change. Thank you
Ian King and all involved in producing this content! --Anthony
I'm glad Ian released the Barbell & Barbell series. The
content is invaluable for anyone who wants to be a
critical thinker! --Andrew
Believe me there are so many subtle nuggets in between
the blunt, ‘in your face’ dialog! I greatly appreciate
the honest and original material you have developed and
continue to bring to the industry! --Mike Pimentel
