Raising the Bar: A Review
By
Steve Morris
Dave Tate’s first book,
Under the Bar, was billed as a book that
wasn’t about training but kind of was. It wasn’t about business but kind of was,
and it wasn’t about life but kind of was. His second book,
Raising the Bar,
is very similar but with a dark twist. See, in this one, we get an even more
candid Dave, one who shares some very deeply painful and life changing moments
and one who takes any and all sugar coating off of business, training, and life
(as if Dave could get any less sugar coated already).
As I read through Raising the Bar, I couldn’t help but think of some
of the similarities it shared with The Catcher in the Rye. Both star
young men who are put upon and through a traumatic event (Holden’s brother’s
death, Dave’s violent run-in with neighborhood bullies) begin to withdraw, grow
confused about where they fit into life, and eventually undertake a journey to
find their place and purpose in the world. (Stay with me here. I’ll get back to
the lifting stuff in a second.) Both break down and eventually begin to rebuild
their lives, finding solace in their new found interests.
The result is the same as well. Both stories have resulted in classic books
that transcend generations and social interests. The fact that both of the “bar”
books have been lent out to friends, teens, and people in their fifties who have
absolutely no interest in lifting weights yet have come back with rave reviews
says a lot about this book’s depth.
Two sections stand out as must-reads. In “Attitude,” Dave talks about how he
gets emails from people who are really down on their luck—no job, no money, no
love. Yet they are still asking questions about how to improve their bench
press! The situation is described as someone who is hanging on by a thread, and
this one activity may be all they have to hold on to.
“With luck, this one thread will lead to another, and they’ll eventually
get back on their feet. It’s a far darker thought to imagine what might have
happened if they stop asking questions and abandon their training altogether.”
This hit home for me in a very real way. Several years ago, I went through a
crippling depression that came seemingly out of nowhere. I stopped working,
eating well, and generally caring about anything. Yet even on the days when I
couldn’t have cared less about living or dying, I still did two things—I took
care of my dog (she can’t do it on her own, so that makes sense), and I dragged
my ass out to the garage and lifted.
Why the hell should I care if I got my deadlift when 10 minutes earlier I was
seriously not caring about living? I have no idea, but I’m pretty sure Dave’s
thread theory was hard at work. He’s absolutely right. It’s scary to think what
would’ve happened if I didn’t have lifting at that time.
The other must-read is “Lat pull-downs” (“Undaunted” chapter). I won’t go
into much detail and spoil it, but let’s just say that you should read this any
time you feel like cutting a workout short or skipping your training session for
whatever excuse you have. It’s a testament to insane willpower, dedication, and
old-fashioned balls. Any athlete or lifter should read this, commit it to
memory, and then go train.
Raising the Bar is a must-read for everyone—athletes, lifters,
bodybuilders, and the average Joe. It can be both depressing and uplifting,
inspiring and thought provoking. If you’ve hit a rut in life, business, or
sports, read this book now!
Steven Morris is a personal trainer and strength coach in the Philadelphia
and South Jersey areas and the owner of Explosive Football Training. He has been
lifting weights for over 15 years and has been helping people achieve their
fitness and strength goals for over a decade. Learn more about his methods and
services at
www.explosivefootballtraining.com. Check out his new training manual at
www.explosivefootballmanual.com.
Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength
training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products
and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the
industry. For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit
us at www.EliteFTS.com.
