This Week in the Gym - Weaknesses
May 16th, 2008Somewhere around our third set, Michelle said something about hating pushups.
This is what they call a “teaching moment,” one of those happy times when circumstances naturally lend themselves to communicating a hard-won life lesson. These moments, I believe, are the ones that really engrain truth in a person, far better than any kind of classroom or reading.
“The exercises you hate the most,” I said, “are the ones you need to work the hardest, because they show you where you’re weak.”
People naturally tend to gravitate toward their strengths. Last night, Jordan said he liked playing touch football, because it’s more about speed and skill than raw strength. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that he is light, fast, and agile. I hold the exact opposite opinion; I like tackle football, because while I am not particularly fast, nor particularly skilled, I hit like a truck and it generally takes three men to take me down.
This is true across disciplines. Gregarious people tend to find jobs where they get to interact with others, while the more cerebral types tend to thrive in more solitary positions, some people need rigid structure, while others find it stifling, and so on.
But in the gym, this mentality will hold you back, and can ultimately cause imbalance and injury. Mark told us once that he had a sore back because his abdominals were so much stronger than his posterior chain. Tons of people have shoulder pain because they spend all their gym time doing bench press and curls, and never do chins or rows. And don’t get me started on the people who are built like Adonis above the waist, but look like they’re standing on a chicken.
This week, I added two new exercises to my routine. The first is the Side Plank, where you lay on one side, prop yourself up on one hand, and tighten your obliques in order to keep your body straight. The second is an overhead lunge, where you press a bar overhead, lock out, and do a set of regular lunges with the weight in that position.
Both of these are phenomenal core exercises, and both of them are deceptively difficult. Especially in the midst of a MetCon workout, when you’re also doing chins, pushups, and dumbbell swings.
I actually had to stop for a minute after the third set of lunges, because they had taken so much out of me. Michelle finally asked if I was ready to go.
“No,” I said. “Those things suck.”
“The exercises you hate the most,” she said, “are the ones you need to work the hardest.”
Stupid girls.
Monday
Chins: 5
Dips: 20
Snatch: 5 @ 115 lbs.
Plyo Jump: 20
Pike: 20
5 circuits, 33 minutes
Tuesday
Military Press: 135×5, 145×5, 145×5, 155×5, 155×5
Seated Row: #14×4, 15×5, 16×5, 17×5, 18×5
Deadlift: 335, 15 singles
Lat. Raise: 10 sets of 10 @ 15 lbs.
Wednesday
Chins: 5
Pushups: 20
Swings: 20 @ 45 lbs.
Overhead Lunge: 5 per leg @ 45 lbs.
Side Plank: 30 seconds per side
5 circuits, 25ish minutes
I put the planks after the lunges because I wanted a rest between circuits. Also, because I am an idiot.
Thursday
Basketball, 1 hour
Ultimate Frisbee, umm… 2 hours?
Don’t underestimate how hard sports like this can work you, especially if you’re moving up and down the court on every play. All of those short sprints end up having the same effect as interval training.
Friday
Bench: 185×5, 195×5, 205×5, 215×5, 225×5
Wide Grip Chins: 10 assistance: 5 sets of 10
Overhead Lunge: 5 sets of 5 per leg, @ 45 lbs.
Lateral Raise: 5 sets of 5 @ 30 lbs.
