Hey everyone! Today I want to talk about a less talked about
and more unknown topic. What is your genetic limit? Do you even have one? How
do we know what ours is? Chances are you don't know about any of those answers.
First and foremost, let's define what a "genetic
limit" is. A genetic limit is the maximum level one can achieve in a
certain characteristic (such as muscle size and strength, speed, vertical jumping
ability etc.) before his/her genetics don't allow it to improve any further.
Clearly genetics do play a factor when it comes to these things. A 5'5 135lb person will probably never be able to lift as much as Arnold Schwarzenegger or
get as big as Ronnie Coleman; their genetics just won't allow it. But how far
can you push the limits? And that right there is the golden question.
The human body is an adaptive machine. Every human being is
capable of changing their body in however way they desire, whether it be
gaining or losing weight/muscle, increasing/decreasing stamina and many others.
At the same time, every person has a starting position and a maximum position
in every changeable characteristic they possess. A good analogy to use (found
from this YouTube video) is that it's like a football field, where each person
starts at a certain distance in yardage on the field in every category (with
100 yards being the maximum possible level reached). Some may start at the 20
yard line in a specific category, where as another might naturally start at the
40 yard line. In addition, some may never be able to get passed the 70 yard
line in a specific category as another can get all the way to the 90 or
even the 100 yard line. The thing is that you can always move up or down the
field, and this happens with training/practice until you reach your maximum
limit.
So how do I know what my limit is? Chances are it's more
than you think. Very few people ever reach their maximum genetic limit in any
category. That's because it takes many, many years before anyone even comes
close to their limit. And even though your gains might have dramatically slowed
down, it doesn't mean that it isn't still improving; no matter how slow it may
be.
In my experiences, I've learned that genetics may limit you
in certain ways, but you should never let them stop you from achieving your
goals. You'll be surprised at how far you can go down that imaginary field. I
never had the best genetics and it seemed that everyone around me had more
naturally. I used that as motivation to not only match but surpass what others
have. Just like the saying goes: "Hard work beats talent when talent
doesn't work hard".
So don't use your genetics as an excuse when facing a
challenge, because you'll never know just how far you can go until you
try.
Now go out there and beat those odds!
I think that genes do play a part in your performance. I say this because you can't always run away from your genetic coding. With that said it will just be more difficult but in extreme cases it will severly limit your capabilities. Such is the case with Edward syndrome. A case where the body contains an extra eighteenth chromosome, it can cause heart defects, developemental problems. This would make it almost impossible to get over these effects.
ReplyDeleteMy parents were both athletes when they were young, my father was a football player and my mother played volleyball, although they stopped playing because they got married and found jobs they're genetic influences played a part in my athletic career, I play 3 sports soccer basketball and volleyball.
ReplyDeleteVery good blog. The Generic limit, That word means so much. Yes most people wont reach it but if they do there probably a professional athlete that only trains for one thing. But there are also ways to go past the genetic limit, using performance enhancing drugs is one of them. Micheal if a person takes the right course of action they can surpass what they think they can do.
ReplyDeleteAh, Alex at it again. I talk about the genetic limit in my posts as well. It is something that is difficult to reach and often misunderstood. When people begin to plateau in their training they often think its because they've hit their genetic limit but in reality their body has just gotten use the type of training the are doing. All that is needed is a new method of training to see new gains. When the genetic limit is reached though the only way to start seeing newfound gains is anabolic steroids. Steroids allow your body to break past all limits and push you to that next level.
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