When I heard the message said in sincerity, I knew the fight against the negative connotations associated with strength training was far from over. The other day I heard a student in passing say, “I’d just rather jack my knee up on the slopes or surfing than in the gym, ya know?”
I’m not sure I do know, brother.
You see, this is the same thing I used say in jest about the logic of archaically minded leaders in Major League Baseball who believed it’s much more justifiable to ruin a pitcher’s arm forever on the pitching mound as long as it didn’t happen in the weightroom.
What is the result?
The norm was that the best throwers in the world become fragile, untrained athletes in the same of safety and, you guessed it, thousands of players get preventable surgeries each year in America. Furthermore, it’s chalked up as part of the game in an effort to guarantee that no player gets hurt in the weightroom. Seems odd, right? That’s because it’s completely illogical.
Let’s be clear. All injuries are unacceptable.
But, to make a case to stay fragile in the name of safety is an odd strategy. Getting strong doesn’t need to come with all the old wives tales of injury, folks. And, if you can’t get behind that fact, then I’ll have to give you the hard truth, which is that all of your favorite major sports have injury rates higher than that of weightlifting and powerlifting.
If you’re not willing to spread the rumor that pick up basketball is where middle aged knees go to die, then I won’t let you utter anything similar about training with the barbell. Fair is fair.
11/11/20 WOD
DEUCE ATHLETICS GPP
[Meet at Anderson Park]
DEUCE BACKLOT GPP
[Meet at Pan Pacific Park]
DEUCE GARAGE GPP
Complete 4 rounds for quality of:
8 DB Floor Presses
10 Banded Russian KB Swings
Then, complete 4 rounds for quality of:
10 Supine KB Pullovers
8 1-Arm DB Z Presses (ea)
Then, complete the following for time:
100 American KB Swings (53/35)
**Athletes perform 15 push-ups as a penalty with each break