This summer I have been moving slowly with my squatting.  I have been slowly building up how much weight I am using.  I have held back on trying to progress quickly.  I am doing 5 sets of 5 repetitions for my main squat work, if I feel good I do some heavier singles after this work.  Every time I do squats I have just been adding 5 pounds to the bar for my main sets.  Each workout progresses just 5 pounds, even though it’s been easy.  I’ve thought this is making me stronger.  The other day I tested the plan.

I started feeling a little wild the other day so I decided to test my squat a little bit.  I tossed on some weight and squatted, I lifted fairly heavy so I was pleased with the load I lifted.  My squat was much heavier than my main work sets.  In fact it was twice as much as my submaximal training weight.  I felt really good after going heavy, 4 days later I deadlifted rather heavy too, there was not a lot of fatigue.  The plan had worked.

The plan was the simplest plan ever for lifting weights.  I started light and have just been adding the lowest amount of weight possible every time I workout.  I resisted the urge to do deviate from the plan.  I trusted the plan.

For plans to work, they need to be trusted.  They need to be followed to some degree as well.  A plan must also be put to the test now and then. 

I have failed at really testing plans in the past.

I stuck with things way too long, thinking that in the end they would work.

I also have avoiding testing metrics that matter.  I like lifting weights in this regard.  When I test my lifting, I either got stronger or I didn’t.  Nothing else really matters.  In other parts of life, I know I’ve avoided testing the right metrics. 

Testing the plan correctly, that is where the magic lies.  Test frequent enough, and with the right metrics and growth can be constant.  If the test fails, then an adjustment is needed or a new plan.

In either event it’s good to know.  When we know the truth we avoid wasting time on a bad plan.  I’ve been there, and I don’t want to go back to trusting that bad plan, so now I test…

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

This is a really awesome guide on hook gripping, can be used for deadlifts as well as Olympic lifting.  https://chineseweightlifting.com/hook-grip/

What shoes should you squat in.  The answer is here.  Or at least a good place to start if not the answer for you.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJIBtAhVRPk

This article has a bunch of ways to get more work done in the gym in the same amount of time.  https://joshstrength.com/2021/09/increase-training-volume-decrease-training-time/

A strong case for using safety squat bars.  https://tonygentilcore.com/2021/09/the-bar-every-gym-should-have-safety-squat-bar/

I strained my chest earlier this summer doing a bench press.  Things felt weird, I called it quits.  A few weeks later I started to hurt more from whatever I did to myself.  There was no bruising or any pain when I strained whatever I did.  I’ve dug around in my pec with my fingers, it feels like everything is still attached.  The tendon is still there, so I am pretty chill about the current state of things.

It has been a few weeks since I have been able to train my upper body with any intensity.  I have a long list of things that ache in my right shoulder and arm.  My guess is that I have a case of tendonitis.  That means to me that rest is the remedy.  Sooner or later things will calm down in my arm and things will be back to normal.  I am mildly annoyed at the situation, but yeah my tendons are still attached everywhere they should be.

Working out hard right now might endanger one of those tendons and blow something off the bone.  So for now I am perfectly content to allow my body to mend.  I hang out in this state a lot more these days. 

My strength remains.  I am not getting that much weaker by just hanging out and resting. 

Strength is a resilient thing.  I know my strength is still there.  Strength needs not be displayed to exist.

I take a longer view of things than I used to.  I know my workouts are going to go up and down.  It doesn’t bother me much.  The strength is still there. 

I see younger guys testing their max lifts every week in the gym.  Every single workout they test and display their max strength.  They are young and will likely suffer no ill effects of this behavior.  They think for strength to exist, it needs to be displayed often.

I have grown past this kind of thinking.  It’s something everyone should grow past at some point.

Often I tell myself, if I need the strength it will be there. 

Sometimes I test that strength.  Sometimes I do some real stupid stuff and load up the bar.  I try to mitigate that urge to be stupid though.  I don’t do these things often. 

I have confidence my strength remains.  With this confidence I can be so much wiser.

I can take time off when I need to, as I am doing now.

I can take time away from heavy lifting to fix weaknesses.

I can take time away from a problem exercise to fix mobility and come back to it using much better body positioning in the future.

I am confident I will remain strong through these kind of things. 

Once you grow confident you will unlock these things too.

Every week I spend a lot of time reading and looking for new ways to get stronger, healthier and more awesome.  Here are some of the best things I have found this week.

Strength and Conditioning

Chris Duffin bringing a lot of deadlift knowledge in this video.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg4Y-f7rH_Y

This article gave some nice ways to make the bottom of lifts harder.  Really good to try if you get stuck in the bottom of movements.  http://bonvecstrength.com/2021/08/03/make-the-bottom-of-the-lift-harder/

A nice introduction to the Spoto Press.  https://tonygentilcore.com/2021/08/exercises-you-should-be-doing-spoto-press/

Mindset

This article got me thinking about fast decisions and overthinking.  https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-decide-quickly/