Think of one of your favourite exercises or activities. How well did you do the first time you tried them?

I remember the first time I tried bench pressing. I managed about 40 kg.

The first time I squatted deep was not much more.

During my first soccer practice, when I was 7, I could not even do a single sit up -even with my feet anchored.

First time I tried chins in University, no luck either.

So my starting point of those exercises were not very impressive, were they?

On the other hand, you have people bench pressing 150 kg the first time they try.

I have had a skinny athlete deadlift more than 100 kg in his first training session.

Those are more impressive starting points, right?

What is the point I am trying to make?

Consider this question:

What does the starting point say about an athlete's ultimate potential?

A high starting point in a given activity tells us that an athlete inherently has good potential to perform that activity.

If that athlete goes through years of proper training, he or she can likely become a world class athlete.

Is there a guarantee that a high starting point is turned into high levels of performance?

Absolutely not.

Those are the "wasted talents" that most of us have seen somewhere on the road.

On the other hand: What does a low starting point say about an athlete's ultimate potential?

In my opinion - NOTHING!

Granted, the odds are tougher, the road is longer - but it CAN be done. History has proven it over and over again.

I have experienced clinical nutritionists stating about an elite athlete that, "she probably is not genetically predisposed to be lean."

I have experienced an orthopedic surgeon stating about another elite athlete that, "he probably is not genetically predisposed for high volumes of sport specific training."

In  my mind, statements like that mean that those professionals are saying: "I do not have any strategies in my tool box that can help you. I do not know what to."

I do not know of any tests that can predict if an athlete has reached his or her "genetic potential" for getting lean or for tolerating high volumes of training.

Practitioners who blame "genetic potential" for lack of progress should not work with elite athletes - PERIOD!

It simply is not possible to blame lack of progress on "genetic potential", because there are no tests to predict if athletes have reached their genetic potential or not.

The second worst thing that can happen to an elite athlete is that HE OR SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO TO IMPROVE.

The worst thing that can happen is that he or she runs out of strategies.

I have never seen that happen in real life; there is always more that can be done.

Do whatever it takes to manifest your goals (within legal limits). Adjust your course as many times as needed until you get the desired results.

Read that again and embrace the totality of those statements: Do WHATEVER IT TAKES to manifest your goals. Adjust your course AS MANY TIMES AS NEEDED until you get the desired results.

Maybe right now you have applied everything you know and you need new strategies. If that is so, go to our products section and check out the carefully selected products that I have used to train world ranked athletes from 7 different sports.

Move with passion,
Karsten Jensen