My mouth surgery went charmingly yesterday.  I was told how bad it was going to hurt and I mentally prepared for the worse.  After waking up and downing a Choco-Peanutbutter Jamba Juice, I waited with "baited breath" for my old pal...PAIN.

My lower jaw in the front stayed numb for a good part of the day but it was swollen.  Not like Monkey Jaw, but more like I put a "Lipper" in the front and it brought back memories of "chewing".  (I gave that up on a Friday a decade and some change ago...for no particular reason)

I had been given an Rx for pain medication and I kept it on the ready. But it NEVER got that bad.  Now, I'm not trying to be macho...but when it comes to dealing with pain, I'm pretty tolerant of it.  April kept asking if I was doing alright, to which I answered..."well, yea!"

She asked "how does it feel?"  and I had to answer..."I don't know!...NOT bad"  (did want to jinx myself)

The periodontist told me that I should take caution on how hard I trained this morning.  I gave him my patented "look".  He agreed, I wasn't going to do that.

When I opened my eyes this morning, I didn't feel anything except the stitches, which felt like food chunks after a good meal.  I scraped my fangs gingerly, and rinsed.  THEN...I read my Facebook and twitter accounts and I saw Vincent "The Supple Rhino" Dizenzo's post about his bench press.

I had an "AH-HA" moment when Vinny made the  statement..." right now, I am ACCUMULATING strength, rather than TESTING that strength"  I was stymied by that.

Most people who go to the gym are probably NOT going to be stepping up on a platform or stage to compete.  MOST athletes don't lift to become better lifters, they lift to ACCUMULATE strength to demonstrate it in their increased prep for their particular SPORT.

It is during the TESTING of the strength that injury occurs (maybe).

A powerlifter stepping up for a PR on a Maximal Strength lift will falter in form to accomplish the objective which is THAT lift.  Out of position enough...BAM!  Something goes awry.

Cross fitters who are attempting a maximal amount of reps in a specific time (Strength-Endurance) will usually forgo form at the later stages in order to get the "good rep".  This too is where injury becomes a greater risk rather than benefit.

When I read...Accumulate strength, rather than test it , I found the definition of the way I've been training my charges for the last half decade.

I RARELY have one rep maxes programmed in.  Even 3 RM's are infrequent.  Mostly we have done the sub maximal lifting basing progressions on individuals PRE's.

When I hear the participant reaching 7,8,and 9's I typically will tell them..."GREAT! STAY THERE"  Under those numbers I will have them add according to HOW they came back with the answer.  If they say...10,11, 12...or look like the deer in the headlights, I'll have them drop weight. Doing it this way, everyone has been getting stronger, dialing in techniques, and staying injury free.

Hmmmm.  Interesting!

The ACCUMULATION of strength,  rather than the TESTING of strength is SOUND!  Unless, the goal is the performance of that particular lift!

Thank you Vinny.  Your statement HIT a home run in my gym!

Touchdown!

GOAL!

 

Today's training:

Dead Lift: 10 sets of 5 reps with the weight we did two reps last week.

 

Squat: 10 sets of 5 reps with 90% of the weight we did for TWO sets of 5 last week.

 

The volume was off the chart...so hungry!  No stitches were lost.  No bleeding from the mouth.

WE kicked it DOWN!