I run my program based mostly on "Perceived Rates of Exertion".  That means on any given day, I'll ask how hard the effort was for an exercise on a scale of 1-10.

Often people have no idea when they start to train in this capacity what that means. I have heard a fella give me a "5" no matter what the weight was, as well as another telling me it was a "5" and absolutely get stapled by the weight (meaning it was an eleven).

Mostly, I like people to work between 7-9 or 70% to 90%.  Why not 100?  Ed Coan once told me that a PR in the gym is a wasted PR.  Really, I have a couple of real-life powerlifters, I have more "athletes" preparing for their particular sports and the rest want to look good naked, and I demand they work towards immortality!  Simple.

The question came up today, "what happens when we plateau?" This means to me when you temporarily hit a stumbling block.

Why?  Perhaps you went too heavy too soon?  Not enough refeed and rest?  Maybe your diet doesn't match the goals you've set.

I like to recommend conservative sets, reps, and weight when handing out individual workouts.  Yea, I know they might be able to do more, but always adding is way more satisfying than it is to stagnate or have to unload a bar.

The great Russian weightlifter, Vasily Ivanovich Alekseyev could always be found on Wide World of Sports on any given Saturday breaking his own World Record.  He would do it by the most minuscule amount, but he would still break it.

Why would a Legend not go for all the marbles and just smash the World Record and make it so no one could ever come close?

Simple (and it's the same reason I apply it to our training), Back when Russia was at the Cold War table with the USA mostly, they would give perks to their athletes.

Break a world record, they might give you a better apartment.

Do it again, they would give you a better car to drive.

Another WR?  Yea, this time they would take care of your parents or something like that.  But every time you broke a record there was an incentive and a reward.  Do it once was not a great idea.  Do it 30 times??? Now we are in hog heaven.

Small breakthroughs, every day! Find a weakness and make it stronger, guess what happens?  Yup, you just improved your strength.  It doesn't have to be in the big four lifts, it might be in an accessory exercise, but you still improved, and THAT is the incentive or the perk to the program.

Walking out satisfied that something improved is far better than dragging yourself out thinking you sucked!

 

 

Today's Training:

AirDyne: 30 mins

Meridian Stretch and SMR

Kneeling DB Lateral Raise/Push ups: 4x25

Don't put the DB's down.  Go from the LR right to the push up for four sets, no break

Use a lighter DB than you think.  I used 20's and it was supposed to be a warm-up.

Rear Delt Destroyer: 1X60-40-20X 36-28-18

Dynamic Effort Bench: 8x3x + 10 lbs more than last week

Banded Tricep Pushdown: 3x30

Side Bends: 3x30xheavy DB

Shrugs: 5x15x405