Super Maximal Safety

As a strength and conditioning coach, it’s quite easy geek out on this stuff. One of my favorite fun facts of functional movements is one that might surprise you. Functional movements, which are by and large what we focus on at DEUCE, are safe at super maximal loads. In other words, one can safely attempt at a press, deadlift, front squat, etc at a weight that is physically impossibly heavy.

Take an athlete with a 250lb deadlift and put he/she on a 700lb barbell. Once he or she finds position, he/she can let it rip. The only consequence is that the bar doesn’t move. This isn’t true of non-functional movements, however.

Imagine an attempt at a non-functional movement like the dumbbell shoulder raise at super maximal loads. A human body with a maximum capacity to shoulder raise 35lbs make an attempt with 65lb dumbbells. Ouch!

Good thing our training, by definition, is made up of functional movements right at the intersection of big return on fitness and big safety.

 

Logan Gelbrich

@functionalcoach