Thursday, February 28, 2013

Chad Wesley Smith

I don't know Chad Wesley Smith at all, but I stumbled upon this video. In my opinion, it's outstanding. Content deals with squatting, "training transfer", strength, GPP, SPP, and proper programming. He talks about the importance of taking "a long-term approach, even in the short-term". If you have a chunk of time, take a listen.

Chad Wesley Smith
"You gotta think long term... develop people for the highest level of success right away... Don't sell yourself or your athletes short by trying to do something that's gonna yield you a fast result and success in 6 months... because you're still going to be better served to do things that will make you good in 10 years right now, than doing the things that will make you good in 6 months."


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Constant Competition

Competition considered as a main thing in life is too grim, too tenacious, too much a matter of taut muscles and intent will, to make a possible basis for more than one or two generations at most. After that length of time it must produce nervous fatigue, various phenomena of escape, a pursuit of pleasures as tense and as difficult as work (since relaxing has become impossible), and in the end a disappearance of the stock through sterility. It is not only work that is poisoned by the philosophy of competition; leisure is poisoned just as much. The kind of leisure which is quiet and restoring to the nerves comes to be felt boring. There is bound to be a continual acceleration of which the natural termination would be drugs and collapse. The cure for this lies in admitting the part of sane and quiet enjoyment in a balanced ideal of life.  
- The Conquest of Happiness (p. 47) by Bertrand Russell
Bertrand may look like a sourpuss, but he's surrounded by happy clouds

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE competition and, in correct doses, nothing is a better kick in the pants to your training than a contest. But competition, without frequent periods of repose, reflection, and recovery, is NOT any kind of fast ticket to grace and mastery. Competition is, as a teaching technique, wonderful; as a training approach, it is horrible. Constant competition is a fast road to fatigue, breakdown, and burnout.

Mastery and competition are not dichotomous terms, but they can be at odds with one another. Go to many gyms, and you will be able to very quickly discern if a mastery or competitive mindset is more prevalent.

MASTERY                 vs.                COMPETITION
qualitative                                       quantitative
calm                                               tense
autoregulatory                                 Smolov
tailored                                           cookie-Cutter
engaging                                         exciting
every rep perfect                             AMRAP
take your time                                 for time
purposeful                                       rushed
Let's turn off the music                   Let's crank up some 'Tool' for this set

Monday, February 11, 2013

Watching Some Instructional Videos...

it can be hard not to have this reaction...


Monday, February 4, 2013

Zero Tolerance

Nate: With this guy, with this much heat, you should pass.
Neil: It's worth the stretch.
Nate: This guy can hit or miss. You can't miss once. You sure?
Neil: I am sure.

Watch the rest of "Heat", and you'll know that it doesn't turn out well for Neil. 

When you're young and have a lot of time for training, being sidelined for a while with minor injuries isn't the end of the world because, well, you're young! You will heal. You have the motivation and time to rehab. You know you can come back and be better than ever.

On the other hand, injuries for older lifters are like previous convictions for criminals - you build up enough of them, and one more conviction may put you away for good... "You can't miss once."

Food for thought.