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Push Your Limits
Posted by Connie K on
Some people that have very specific goals follow very rigid and specific training templates. Not every workout goes as planned—but that shouldn’t be a worry, it should be a positive thing.
Right now, the goal for me in my offseason is to add as much mass as I can before my next competition season in the summer of 2012. I’m lifting heavy with a good amount of volume. I’m tracking my workouts, numbers, and weights on my iphone but I’m also very fluid in the way I choose what to do during my workouts. If I feel like I need an extra set, I’ll throw it in there. If I need to tone down the weight, I’ll drop a plate and compensate for more reps. It’s a game of listening to your body while still pushing it to it’s limits. The video below is a prime example:
[[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxfff7tmCWc&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]
This is a video of one of my past leg workouts. I was doing front squats heavy that day and lighter back squats. At the end of what was “supposed” to be my last heavy set of front squats (275x8), I decided that my legs could handle another set, so unplanned, I threw on 5 on each side, making it 285lbs. I managed to crank out 5 reps, and failed on the 6th.
Failed. In the middle of my leg workout. Should I just leave? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
Many would see that 6th rep as a negative aspect, but it showed me two things:
1) I need to bump up my “heavy set” of 275 to atleast 285 next time around and 2) Next week, I need to get 285x6 atleast.
The safety bars are there for a reason, and you can ask for a spot if you need them! Learn to push yourself. Now I’m not saying just go and throw a ton of weight on the bar and get crushed after the first rep, but be smart and test your limits.
And a little tid-bit to sign off with and keep you motivated:
When Muhammad Ali was asked how many crunches he did, he responded “I don’t know—I don’t start counting until it hurts.”
Danny Quach is a senior at the University of Georgia and he’s studying Health Promotion and Behavior. He’s a powerlifter at heart and has done it for over six years. He just competed in his first bodybuilding show in Summer of 2011. For powerlifting, he holds some Georgia records. In his first bodybuilding competition, he placed 2nd in Novice in INBF Southern States. On his spare time he’s a part of the University of Georgia’s cheerleading co-ed squads; his favorite past-time? Throwing girls around and catching them.
Danny Quach is a senior at the University of Georgia and he’s studying Health Promotion and Behavior. He’s a powerlifter at heart and has done it for over six years. He just competed in his first bodybuilding show in Summer of 2011. For powerlifting, he holds some Georgia records. In his first bodybuilding competition, he placed 2nd in Novice in INBF Southern States. On his spare time he’s a part of the University of Georgia’s cheerleading co-ed squads; his favorite past-time? Throwing girls around and catching them.