The journey of experimentation

[osu122975]

I've only been at this for about 5 years. When I first started, my squat was 275, bench 235 and deadlift was 275. Fast forward 5 years and I'm at 465/375/500. Those are the "easy" gains done under experimentation of hunting and searching for what works and what doesn't.

At some point we all recognize that many of the proven methods and programs out there work. They've been tested and have shown improvement.

I recently read an article that talked about all of these proven programs working, but most lifters only make progress on a certain method of training. While they may switch it up for a couple weeks every now and again, they generally stick to a certain method or style of training and make small intensity or volume variations within that style or method.

Over the past 5 years I've done a lot of experimenting and at this point know what works for me and what is a waste of time.

I know heavy weight and low reps works for me. I know higher frequency works for me on the bench but not on the squat and deadlift. I know lots and lots of volume in one or two workouts per week does not help. However, spreading that volume over the course of multiple workouts does. I am still working on whether or not accessory work is valuable to me. The bands certainly help from a recovery/pump stand point and allows me to hit the accessory work without negatively affecting my recovery.

What I'm finding out is the gains are coming much much harder now. Little victories are the name of the game. 5-10lb PR's come at a premium. What I'm finding out is the longer you do this, the harder it gets. The risk of injury goes up trying to push more weight. The aches and pains, lack of mobility and flexibility (ok maybe that's becoming an age thing as well...) are all part of the process.

And the question that continues to come up.....Why do I keep doing this?

Honestly? Because I love it. I care about the process. The battle. The need to get stronger when no one else really cares how much you can lift (because most people could care less.). If I didn't compete, I'd still do this. I can't explain it. There's something about being male and the need to feel like a beast. For whatever reason, lifting weights does that.

For whatever reason, just felt like sharing this. Maybe you all have similar stories or completely different stories. Either way, we just wanna get strong, right?

[George]

I had to laugh. I entered this sport in 2007, and I'm a student to anything I'm interested in. I was lead into the gear world, and remember printing every article Louie Simmons or the Westside site had available along with elite fts and any blog or multiply lifters articles at the time and compiling a huge book of them. Then raw, from Sheiko, Korte, Smolov, 5x5, 5/3/1. In the end....I go by feel. Granted, I still love the buckeye routine to dial in my bench, but otherwise, I seriously throw out a goal at the end of one workout, for the next workout, and so on. I remember pounding accesory work like an animal, high volume was always my staple, now...if it werent for long breaks, my workouts would likely take 2-30 minutes, at two days a week, just benching and squatting once each day. I'm making more progress in short amounts of time that way than ever before.

The Marty Gallagher book "Purposeful Primitive" analyzed routines and methods of alot of top guys, some drastically different. I think it was Mark Chaillet he creditted for coming into the gym, lifting to a heavy single and leaving. Basically a Monday Squat to a heavy single, then Thursday a heavy bench. That's more or less what my programming has become due to life...not my choice. I'm hard wired to think you have to dig in and torture yourself. But, after a five month layoff, the appraoch for six weeks took me to a 70lb squat pr that even I dont understand. Currently, within a month after another five month hiatus due to school, I believe my squat maxe has already improved 50lbs. Its strange, I have no explanation, and I'm not arguing! lol.

So yes, its a journey. Perhaps layoffs keep me inspired and injury free. Maybe my lack of sleep wasn't allowing me to ever fully recover before, and these gains would have been bigger in the old system with less stress and more rest. Either way, my journey has lead me to being a minimalist right now.

[osu122975]

I think "feel" is a good word to use. My training partner always trains by feel. I guess what I keep coming back to is recovery. Maybe I/we under estimate the rigor our bodies go thru. We might "feel" recovered, but I wonder if we really are.

The human body is a mystery to me when it comes to training. There is no linear progression once you reach a certain point. There's just as you say, see how the weight feels; how its moving, etc. Let that dictate the day?

I think you're right tho. Taking time away might have some great benefits or even if its just cutting the volume and the intensity way back for a month or two.

Maybe just let the feel and movement of the weight dictate the day instead of forcing something - live to fight another day?

I also think the psychological approach plays a huge factor in what happens as well. Anytime I'm not feeling inspired to lift or my body feels beat up and so my mind is thinking - Really? This again? The motivation just isn't there because the body just isn't ready for more abuse. I haven't let my body and mind work together. Hmm....maybe I'm on to something. I'll have to think on this.

[JK-ice]

It's amazing to see how us powerlifters seem to seek out knowledge above all else, seemingly much more frequently than other sports. Something from what George has been saying stands out and aligns perfectly with what Chad Wesley Smith has said in a recent youtube video. Again, as powerlifters seek out knowledge and we sure produce a ton of it as well, and it can be hard to sift through. He says something along the lines that beginner lifters (such as myself) can withstand a ton more volume than an advanced lifter. With the poundages that you guys inflict upon yourself recovery seems to be the key. and less really is more as the PRs from George demonstrate.

Here's the youtube video - Adjusting Training for Beginner to Advanced Lifters-JTSstrength.com             www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAlyC-Dgdl0

And Eric it is unclear why it feels so good to powerlift even though nobody gives a Duckies about how strong we are, even though a 5-10 lbs PR means the world to us. The journey is tough, but too look back and think we could have done better is a far worse sentence.