Working with the flow

JT Scott | 09/19/2016 | 1

Situational awareness is important. Paying attention to what’s going on in your body on any given day will make sure that you’re matching your intensity to what’s best for you in that day’s training. There’s a school of thought in strength training that emphasizes this by using a “relative effort” scale to prescribe lift loads instead of the classic “% of max”; “Lift to a 7/10 effort for 5 reps, 5 sets” instead of “70% 1RM 5×5”.

I think both approaches have merit, but where the relative effort approach really shines is in two ways:

1) Being gentle with ourselves when we’re not at our best. Seriously, folks. Your coaches cringe when you beat yourselves up, especially when you are sick or dinged up. We’re looking for a long arc of improvement over a lifetime of training, NOT an unbroken string of PRs that marches inevitably towards becoming Thanos.

2) Finding ways to seize the moment. Maybe you’re having a great day, feeling awesome. Go harder! Maybe you’re awake early with stress dreams about the office; grab that 5:30am class and work through it! Maybe you’re just ready to burn it all down; take a long lunch and join the noon class.

Today is Kirstie’s return from vacation – over two weeks in Europe! We’re seizing the moment by using the time change to easy advantage… 5:30am doesn’t feel early for her today! (Mel’s back too, so basically the entire world is restored to order.)

STRENGTH:
Overhead Squat
5-5-5-5-5
* aim for sets across if experienced with lift

21-15-9
box jump (24/20)
toes to bar
DB Push Press (40/25 each hand)