So you can run a marathon in 3 hrs…..
So you can Deadlift double bodyweight……
So you can do 200 Kettlebell Snatches in 10 minutes….
But are you really strong?
Or is there a weak link?
When I read powerlifting articles, they often talk about the ends of the chain, ie your hands. For them the grip is vital for lifting the huge weights they lift. But it’s not the only limiting factor.
What if you were to go through the chain link by link? What would you find?
More importantly, would you be willing to find it?
Are you willing to go through your ability and face your weak links?
It will mean spending time training the things you don’t like training, doing things you don’t enjoy. Do you suffer from back pain, maybe it’s time to learn the deadlift or the kettlebell swing. Do your shoulder hurt? Perhaps it’s time to steer away from then bench press and start pulling instead. Can you barely reach your feet to put your shoes on? Perhaps it’s time to engage in some mobility work. Are you tired and lethargic? Perhaps you need to put down the biscuits and reach for the fruit bowl.
Strength coach and T-Nation author, Chad Waterbury, once said in an article of his:
“A program that only ever trains our weaknesses may just about be the most beneficial program we can do, it’d also be the most boring”
And how true.
Currently I’m resting up my shoulder, so I’m not doing much upper body work. But to be fair, that’s not really my weakness anyhow. I am breaking out the Pilates though. I have been feeling very tight of late, mobility has become a weakness. Pilates will help with this while at the same time addressing a few core issues I have. My limit on the deadlift is reached when an old low back injury starts to send warning signals. Between the core stabilisation of Pilates and some other heavier core strength work I hope to bring my deadlift even further than it’s ever been pre injury.
It’s going to be dull, but so what. I’ll be stronger for it.
Now this weekend is a busy one for me, so I’ll not be able to meet for a saturday session. However, that doesn’t mean you all shouldn’t get off your backside and out in the fresh air. Saying that, I may head down to Ringsend park for a run.
Then on Sunday, you have the opportunity to come down to Wild Geese HQ for a Level 1 Kettlebell Lifting workshop. In aid of Little Lia, who just celebrated her 5th birthday.
See you Sunday
Dave