From personal experience it is fun getting stronger. However, at the same time it does take some time and effort to get stronger.
One thing I found is that if you do the exercise right and progress in the proper manner, you will not get hurt. Sore perhaps but not hurt in terms of injury.
Here is some rules that you should follow in order to get stronger than today.
1. Master the Exercise
Whether it is squat, bench press, deadlift or overhead press, if you want to lift heavier to get stronger you have to learn the skill and then master it. Your movement should not change from when you are performing body weight squat or 300 lb squat. Do you know the proper positioning of your foot? Is your knees pushed forward without elevated heels? Is your back neutral with hinging forward from the hip? Are you looking up or down?
2. Strengthening the Weakness
The body has protective mechanism where it does not allow you to lift more than you capability. So if you are not able to lift double of your body weight in squat or deadlift, it is simply because you are not strong enough.
I had a challenge with Deadlift. I got stronger pretty quick and able to lift 315 lb at 150 lb body weight. Then I got stalled. I couldn't lift heavier. After checking my form and other lift, I soon realized that my upperbody was significantly weak. So I worked on improving my shoulder and back strength. Guess what, my deadlift improved to 345 lb.
Because my workout purpose was to improve my soccer performance and focused mainly on leg strength and didn't spent enough time training my upper body.
Find out your weakness.
3. Your Nutrition Matters
If you are not feeding yourself properly, don't worry about getting strong. Eating donuts and drinking latte most days of the week? Sorry, you won't get stronger than you should. I do cheat too but only on weekend.
As a trainer I need to practice what I preach.
4. Lifting heavy does not cause injury
If the lifting heavy with any exercise is causing an injury to you, then you must have not doing them right. Or you are trying to show off and add more weights to the bar than you should.
From my experience, lifting heavy does not cause injury. It is lack of patience in weight progression and lack of learning the skills that causing you pain.
Best solution is to keep an exercise log. Exercise log or workout journal will keep you honest and accountable.
5. Getting Stronger is Process
Getting stronger does take time and need planning. You will have to go through that process. There is no short cut and no easy way out.
By the way, if you are reading this and you are athlete wanting to get stronger, faster, and have more power, make sure to learn the proper technique and progression. If you have coach and not being coached on how to do proper squat, deadlift, bench press or overhead press, may be you should learn from someone else.
And if you are not learning to lift heavy, you will not be as strong as you could be. Which means you are missing out on your potential of faster and stronger in your sports.
Again, it is fun getting stronger!
Kota Shimada
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