Really pumped about this article today. Awesome article and idea.
Thanks for the edit Chris.
From the article:
Don’t be upset with the standards if you fail to make the grade. Standards should exist regardless of the social consequences. They don’t exist to make you sad, unhappy, or a victim.
I get seriously pissed with myself when I don’t hit a standard I’ve set, and I know it annoys and amuses people around me, but these lines are how I feel about most people around me: they would rather blame the standard than themselves. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about fitness or standard of living. The person who can’t run 1/4 mile up a hill without passing out is the same as the person who has a $50,000 vehicle on a $60,000 salary and bitches about their debt.
Really nice lines, Jim.
I also thought it was a great article.
I’ve often wondered what a decent standard for upper body power to shoot for would be?? It wasn’t mentioned in the article so I suppose that means it is not easily testable and a tough area to give a standard for.
I’d be very interested to hear Jim’s/Forum member’s thoughts on this one??
I think that a medicine ball, two handed chest throw or the shot put would be good power test. Maybe the keg toss, even though in strongman comps it involves a lot of leg drive.
Good addition, interested to hearing other ideas.
“Upper body power” is a myth. Don’t fall for it.
Because, power is rooted in the feet, developed in the legs, and directed by the hips?
Power is “everything” - you don’t jump without your arms, ya know?
Too many people divide this stuff up using “bodybuilder” mentality - upper body, lower body, etc. It is ONE body. We do medicine ball throws here, a lot of them. Our chest passes are very violent and our feet always leave the ground and move about a foot or so in distance. Our overhead work (forward/backward) are done with total body. Our box jumps are done with arms, as are the long jumps - watch anyone do a broad jump and watch their arms.
Training is so damn divided these days - it’s all part of one program, one body. That is why we program all the important shit and am striving to make everyone BETTER. Hell, I just wrote the 5/3/1 recovery protocol that is in line with the entire program and easy to program/follow and evaluate. Another essential part of training that is left out.
I blame Weider.
3 Likes
Thanks again Jim, very helpful
Fucking Weider.
Ditto on the thanks. Good info in here. Looking forward to the recovery protocol being released.
1 Like