In order to make long term progress with our strength goals,
we need to do the basics better and better over time. Simply lifting more
weight on the bar is not going to cut it, especially if there are underlying
factors that are constantly holding you back. Mobility and pain are 2 key areas
that need constant reassessment and without doing this, you are setting yourself
up for failure. Whether it be through video analysis or through a watchful
coaching eye, you need to care about how you lift as eagerly as how much you
lift. Within this blog I am going to touch on some key techniques which will
help you lift better, for longer.
Address the problem areas:
Through thorough movement screening and lifting technique analysis, you will be
able to find key areas in which you could improve your lifting techniques. Some
things may be easier to fix than others but either way, you need an
investigative approach to be leading the way for your program design. Get the
movement assessment, have your lifts looked at and go from there. Nobody is
ever going to be strong enough, and nobody is ever going to go through a
training session with faultless technique. We are all human and many factors
are at play here. You need to have some idea though, in order to guide your
decision making process when selecting exercises, intensity levels, correctives
and warm up routines.
Hammer the number 1 priority first:
In my opinion, in the early days of your training programs, you need to disproportionately
work on your weaknesses when compared to your strengths. Take a 2 thirds to 1
third approach with your problem areas compared to your strengths, whatever
they might be. Formulate an intervention that addresses the areas that are
holding you back the most, and then work forwards from there. Remember that you
are only as strong as your weakest link and that you don’t know what you don’t
know. Pain is not normal and if in order to be pain free for a session, you
need 10 minutes of foam rolling first, then get used to that foam roller loving
because you don’t want to end up making things worse. This goes for every
aspect of your training as everyone is different. Some people have mobility
issues, others have stability issues, some have no idea about technique and
others simply do not prioritise recovery. Whatever is holding you back needs to
be fixed first.
Track your progress:
All progress is good progress. When identifying your number 1 issue, you need
to work out a plan of attack to fix it and this needs to be measurable. You may
have extremely tight lats and upper back, which is ruining your barbell
position when squatting and dead lifting. A movement assessment for an issue
like this is simple, and progress photos are a great way to compare
improvements as well as repeating the initial assessment itself. If you aren’t
measuring it, you can’t be sure as to whether you are improving it or not. If
your technique is something that needs work, video analysis is a great tool to
implement. You can film a set per week and compare the weeks to see how you are
going. It sounds simple but I often find that people forget and just continue to
go by feel. You need to be as critical as possible if you want to see changes
long term.
Take your time:
Much like increasing the numbers on the barbell, your ability to improve
critical positions over time is going to take time. You need to be prepared to
assess and then reassess both through your own objective eye as well as through
the eye of a professional. You need to be willing to take steps backwards in
order to come forward. Mobility takes a very long time. Technique takes a very
long time. Improving asymmetry takes a very long time and getting strong takes
a very long time. Living with pain is not normal and getting out of pain will
take a lifelong approach. Rushing positions and being too eager to add weight
to movements which you are not competent at will lead to injury short term, and
disappointment long term. It’s simple really, just be patient and set realistic
goals with realistic time frames.
Drop the ego:
My biggest take home message here will be that your eg may be doing you more
harm than good. You may be stuck in a cycle of going into and out of pain and
it could be multifaceted, but often it is the need to drop the ego that will make
the biggest change. If your technique is bad, drop the weight and reset. If
your mobility is bad, do the necessary work regardless of how much it might
hurt. If your programs are too long and your recovery is bad, see somebody and
have the conversation. You can’t expect a different result from the same
approach. You need to own it and you need to be willing to make the change.
Living with pain is not normal and it is not fun, but it can be fixed and
should be your priority. Let go of the ego and watch everything change.