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Thread: Friend going into federal law enforcement won't do the program

  1. #1
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    Feb 2020
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    Default Friend going into federal law enforcement won't do the program

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    One of my best friends is finishing up a masters degree in criminal justice and he wants to work in federal law enforcement afterwards. I've been trying to talk him into doing the NLP but he's too caught up in "functional training" and preparing specifically for the physical assessments they do which involve pushups, sit-ups, and a timed run. He is under the misconception that in order to prepare for those he needs to just do those things as his workouts. I tried to explain to him that being stronger will help him do more pushups, situps, and run better as well as improve every aspect of his life. I also explained to him that the best way to get strong is to perform barbell exercises that use the most muscle mass over the longest effective range of motion. But for some reason he doesn't want to squat and he doesn't want to do the program. He said lifting 3x a week isn't doable with the additional sprint work, long runs, stretching, etc he wants to do. He just wants to continue that and for his lifts to do whatever "functional exercises" he's seen the functional fitness influencers doing for their latest workout on Youtube like split squats on a smith machine.

    I don't think I can explain to him more clearly why his thought process is wrong and I'm trying to figure out what the root of his pushback is. I don't know if he doesn't want to squat because it's hard, if it's because he's weak and embarrassed (I'm not sure he could even do 225 for a set of 5) so he just lives in denial and chalks it up to being "functionally fit", or if he has been utterly led astray and confused by the fitness BS out there. Maybe I haven't explained it clearly enough to him that he can get stronger and still have good cardiovascular conditioning...especially considering he's a novice and has never really lifted at all. I'm considering just recording myself doing the absolute joke of a physical fitness test that he is "training" for and maybe that will convince him? I have a powerlifting meet in 9 weeks so I'd rather not waste my time but I don't really know what to do at this point. I'm getting pretty frustrated that he just won't accept the simple logic I am laying out for him. He's been so brainwashed by the functional fitness community along with various military and federal agents he's talked to when it comes to fitness that nothing is getting through to him. It amazes me that we grew up together and he's watched me gain about 50lbs and get my squat and deadlift into the 500s and he still doesn't trust me for advice. He'd rather listen to someone in his career field who runs all the time and is built like a stick or his favorite fitness influencer. I don't know how much it's worth pushing him on this but it could potentially save his life one day. Any advice you would have for me?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    North Texas
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    53,559

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    I'd leave him alone. Sounds like he's the perfect candidate for federal law enforcement. He can be counted on to follow orders.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
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    604

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    Asking someone to switch fitness or diet structure without them looking to do so is like trying to convince someone to switch religions.

    I’ve found that you can explain the logic of the program to someone and they think it’s too simple and therefore doesn’t work. Again, it doesn’t involve Bosu balls, 6000 sq. ft. of isolation machines and $25k in personal equipment and gear. Clearly it’s a stupid program.

  4. #4
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    Aug 2020
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    Fredericton, NB, Canada
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    111

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    It's beyond your control, big guy.

    At the end of the day, you can only do you.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
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    499

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    Quote Originally Posted by mielkeman14 View Post
    One of my best friends is finishing up a masters degree in criminal justice and he wants to work in federal law enforcement afterwards. I've been trying to talk him into doing the NLP but he's too caught up in "functional training" and preparing specifically for the physical assessments they do which involve pushups, sit-ups, and a timed run. He is under the misconception that in order to prepare for those he needs to just do those things as his workouts. I tried to explain to him that being stronger will help him do more pushups, situps, and run better as well as improve every aspect of his life. I also explained to him that the best way to get strong is to perform barbell exercises that use the most muscle mass over the longest effective range of motion. But for some reason he doesn't want to squat and he doesn't want to do the program. He said lifting 3x a week isn't doable with the additional sprint work, long runs, stretching, etc he wants to do. He just wants to continue that and for his lifts to do whatever "functional exercises" he's seen the functional fitness influencers doing for their latest workout on Youtube like split squats on a smith machine.

    I don't think I can explain to him more clearly why his thought process is wrong and I'm trying to figure out what the root of his pushback is. I don't know if he doesn't want to squat because it's hard, if it's because he's weak and embarrassed (I'm not sure he could even do 225 for a set of 5) so he just lives in denial and chalks it up to being "functionally fit", or if he has been utterly led astray and confused by the fitness BS out there. Maybe I haven't explained it clearly enough to him that he can get stronger and still have good cardiovascular conditioning...especially considering he's a novice and has never really lifted at all. I'm considering just recording myself doing the absolute joke of a physical fitness test that he is "training" for and maybe that will convince him? I have a powerlifting meet in 9 weeks so I'd rather not waste my time but I don't really know what to do at this point. I'm getting pretty frustrated that he just won't accept the simple logic I am laying out for him. He's been so brainwashed by the functional fitness community along with various military and federal agents he's talked to when it comes to fitness that nothing is getting through to him. It amazes me that we grew up together and he's watched me gain about 50lbs and get my squat and deadlift into the 500s and he still doesn't trust me for advice. He'd rather listen to someone in his career field who runs all the time and is built like a stick or his favorite fitness influencer. I don't know how much it's worth pushing him on this but it could potentially save his life one day. Any advice you would have for me?
    He probably wouldn't be interested in this but it would illustrate your point. You could take him to a bjj class, it would open his eyes to what it is like trying to control another full grown man.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by mielkeman14 View Post
    One of my best friends is finishing up a masters degree in criminal justice and he wants to work in federal law enforcement afterwards. I've been trying to talk him into doing the NLP but he's too caught up in "functional training" and preparing specifically for the physical assessments they do which involve pushups, sit-ups, and a timed run. He is under the misconception that in order to prepare for those he needs to just do those things as his workouts. I tried to explain to him that being stronger will help him do more pushups, situps, and run better as well as improve every aspect of his life. I also explained to him that the best way to get strong is to perform barbell exercises that use the most muscle mass over the longest effective range of motion. But for some reason he doesn't want to squat and he doesn't want to do the program. He said lifting 3x a week isn't doable with the additional sprint work, long runs, stretching, etc he wants to do. He just wants to continue that and for his lifts to do whatever "functional exercises" he's seen the functional fitness influencers doing for their latest workout on Youtube like split squats on a smith machine.

    I don't think I can explain to him more clearly why his thought process is wrong and I'm trying to figure out what the root of his pushback is. I don't know if he doesn't want to squat because it's hard, if it's because he's weak and embarrassed (I'm not sure he could even do 225 for a set of 5) so he just lives in denial and chalks it up to being "functionally fit", or if he has been utterly led astray and confused by the fitness BS out there. Maybe I haven't explained it clearly enough to him that he can get stronger and still have good cardiovascular conditioning...especially considering he's a novice and has never really lifted at all. I'm considering just recording myself doing the absolute joke of a physical fitness test that he is "training" for and maybe that will convince him? I have a powerlifting meet in 9 weeks so I'd rather not waste my time but I don't really know what to do at this point. I'm getting pretty frustrated that he just won't accept the simple logic I am laying out for him. He's been so brainwashed by the functional fitness community along with various military and federal agents he's talked to when it comes to fitness that nothing is getting through to him. It amazes me that we grew up together and he's watched me gain about 50lbs and get my squat and deadlift into the 500s and he still doesn't trust me for advice. He'd rather listen to someone in his career field who runs all the time and is built like a stick or his favorite fitness influencer. I don't know how much it's worth pushing him on this but it could potentially save his life one day. Any advice you would have for me?
    Just came across this video I first watched when it was posted. If this doesn't convince your friend there might be something in barbell training I doubt you can convince him yourself. Get Strong First with Mark Rippetoe - YouTube

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