I’m probably not the most “chatty” of people, but I’m always observing. I notice everything about our students. One of my observations is that there’s often an expectation of progress, specifically with regards to strength, that needs some calibration.
People make comments about things I, or other advanced students and coaches, do in the gym as if they are a display of talent. We’re talking about strength and conditioning here, guys. There’s no predisposition to thrusters. 2014 will be my tenth year of high level strength and conditioning. I remember standing in an NCAA weight room in 2004, being the only guy on the team that had never back squatted before.
It’s been a long road, y’all. I don’t “have a knack for power cleaning barbells,” for example, I’ve just been doing it for a decade.
As novice students, it’s common to get caught measuring your progress with a stopwatch when what you really need is a calendar. Especially when talking about strength, most students need to calibrate their scope. This doesn’t happen in a week or even over the course of a month; think years.
Don’t let this reality check discourage you, either. Your journey will be paved with literally countless triumphs, personal bests, and milestones. Take a step back and drink in the idea that you’re in this for the long haul.
Logan Gelbrich
@functionalcoach
1/31/14 WOD
Every 2 minutes for 30 minutes, perform:
3 Deadlifts (AHAP)
2 Cleans