When I started lifting weights it was all about how much weight I could lift.
The goal? Build………..My ego.
As much muscle & weight as possible
As a kid this worked. Indestructible or at least I felt that way.
Even if I did get injured here and there, I could shake it off in a day or two.
Warm ups, stretching, mobility?
Yeah nah…
This only changed for me after I blew a few discs in my spine.
Not the first time either.
As soon as it was ‘better’ I’d go straight back to it.
Boom! There it would go again….. and again.
Smart hey!
My second wakeup was being introduced to anything remotely ‘functional’ like a squat. I was instantly slapped in the face with my incompetence.
I realised I could not move. Sure, I could do a great bicep curl, but a fat lot of good that was when trying to overhead squat.
This sparked a 20 year curiosity, passion for discovery and improvement.
Being a coach, I unfortunately see parents today, lifting with the same approach as 15 yr old me.
Unlikely for the same egotistical reasons as the boy discovering the powers of testosterone.
Yet likely due to the assumption that lifting heavier will make them stronger.
Here’s what they need to know:
You don’t need to work at max effort to get stronger. In fact, if you do, ESPECIALLY at our age you will actually go backwards. That’s if you don’t get injured first.
30 reps at a light weight is an effective for muscle growth tool
It’s ok to rest. In fact, you probably need to do it more often
Mobility – is STRENGH training. The reason you can’t move the way you’d like is often because of weakness. Not because you are tight.
There’s a reason you don’t like xyz exercise – what is it? Why? Become curious -explore and fix.
Form first. Take an exercise where form breaks down. The muscles you are targeting are not doing the work, something else is. Even though there’s more weight on the bar is that muscle really getting any stronger?
Sleep matters
Hydration matters
Nutrition matters
Don’t wait to be slapped in the face with an injury. Learn to improve your body.
Ater all what we really want is a strong functional body to carry us for years ahead.
Not have some random strong muscles working out of sync with the rest of the body & causing pain.
Don’t treat this improvement (flexibility, mobility, form, exploration, curiosity) as an afterthought. It’s like trying to make a car with a failed clutch go faster with a bigger turbo.