There have been many times when I reminded myself that I don't have a choice. I am a robot and am programmed to lift. I will program myself to move better with every lift. I will do work.
That philosophy has gotten me started and through many a training session.
But, I also have the thought in my head and heart that we are better than robots. If you always push a machine slightly beyond its capacity with every use, it breaks.
Robots break.
Tough day of training...
We adapt.
So, when training finishes and I felt like crap or I feel beat up crawling out of bed in the morning, I know that my body is just adapting to that new capacity. I'll come back stronger. Call it super compensation or call it the strength of the human body. Call it what you want.
When I was first introduced to Weightlifting (or Olympic Weightlifting as some people call it), my favorite lift was the jerk. I could lift more than anyone (in my little pond) overhead, despite having one of the weakest presses in the gym, because I was efficient at launching the bar up and punching under it! At the time, I was jerking over 200# and pressing 125# at best.
As time went on and people with decent shoulder strength became better movers, my jerk started to lag behind not only others in the gym, but also my snatch and clean. Now, I love snatching. A perfect snatch feels weightless! Cleans are work and they're heavy, but as long as I keep squatting and practicing my pull, they have improved and I've cleaned 300# to date. My most recent power clean 1RM was 292.5, so I think I have more in me!
But, that jerk...
Progress has been so slow, and sometimes so frustrating. I've missed more jerks in practice and competition than I want to repeat. In fact, I don't plan to repeat.
So, today's 1% closer to goal was the jerk drills in the warm-up and the push press PR (4 reps at my previous 1RM!!). I think if I can improve my leg drive, upper body strength, and footwork for the split, I have a chance at becoming more consistent with weight. I plan to add some heaving snatch balances and jerk supports in too so I can get used to having heavier loads overhead, but not today.
But, I want to say that neither of those guys are my idol. It's not to insult either of them. It's to keep from insulting myself.
Calling someone your idol means that all you do is idolize/worship/deify them. Why would you do that to anyone? They're people, just like you, not gods. They got where they are somehow and so can you. So can I.
False Idol?
Enderton gives a lot of insight into how he became an Iowa State champion wrestler, an OTC trainee. a strongman competitor, and now a professional athlete for the NPGL.
Jared Enderton
North also gives insight to the mindset of an athlete; from the turbo button to writing "Shankle" on the floor. The guy has a way of tapping into the right side of his brain and going "Off Bucks".
His passion and work ethic have brought him success in weightlifting as a competitor, seminar coach, author, and starting his own federation. I expect he'll see results in bodybuilding too.
Jon North
Thanks to their insight and passion (from their podcasts and seminars), I can emulate the behaviors that led them to be successful in my sport/path. Enderton recently recommended that to achieve a goal, you have to first announce it (even if Chaos and Pain disagrees not WFS).
That's why I started this blog, to get these goals out there, public!
Next, to get 1% closer to those goals every day and post the evidence that the work is being done!
"Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day, But They Were Laying Bricks Every Hour."
