Q: I'm an 18-year-old female who comes from a family of physical weaklings. I just started lifting weights at my gym but I wonder if I will really get stronger, considering the genetic pool I come from. Do some people have greater strength potential than others do? Am I deluding myself into thinking that I will become stronger? - M.G., Lansing, MI


A: There's no question that some people have greater strength potential than others do. That's a given, and there isn't much you can do about it. However, you do have control over your attitude and perceptions, and that counts for a lot. In fact, if you firmly believe that you won't make improvements in your training because you descended from a long line of physical weaklings, then you're wasting your time going to the gym. Think positive thoughts. Tell yourself that you are going to succeed, just as you have with other parts of your life. Although your grandmother or father, uncles or aunts didn't have the strength of King Kong, it doesn't mean that you won't be able to lift a lot of weight, shape and tone your body, and feel great. Keep training and you'll surprise yourself...and your relatives.

Source: fitlinxx.com