When Have You Made It In Lifting/Strength?
My uncle asked me an interesting question the other morning, “When will you feel you’ve made it in lifting”.
I’ve been lightly pondering this since.
When will I feel I’ve made it?
My Thoughts
Deadlift
The first thing that popped into mind the second I gave it any thought was an elite deadlift. Most pro strongman seem to hit 800+ here, and this would be past 3x bodyweight at my current weight of 245, and just shy of a 3x bodyweight pull at my lifetime 275lbs with abs goal(another lesser standard). So first would be a great deadlift, 800+lbs or 3x bodyweight, whichever is higher. Note that I want this fully raw, no straps, and no belt.
Old Time Pre-1972 Weightlifting Total
I think that pre-1972 weightlifting was better than post-1972 weightlifting, and also superior to powerlifting as a barbell performance metric. So add in the old time 3 lift (jerk,snatch,press) total looking for the impressive but doable 1000lb total. I fully intend to hit this in my lifetime with my terrible clean and snatch form.
Benching
Because I don’t give a shit about powerlifting, and despite the fact that I once wanted to get the 242 drug free squat world record, I’m not including the squat, but am including a bench metric. Two actually.
First for high end strength I want to be able to comfortably hit 405×5+ reps.
Secondly for more bodybuilder like properties I want to hit 315×20+ reps.
I’d say based on my endurance skew both of these would allow me around a 455 bench, and while I’d like a 500lb bench the above two rep metrics matter far more to me.
Note that I want to hit be able to hit the 405×5+ and 315×20+ with easy to moderate effort. I want them both to be something I can do at any given time, and comfortably without spotters.
Grip
495 overhand deadlift on an axle. Simple, not easy though.
Long way to go, bring it on.
Aesthetics
- 275lbs with abs. It’s a weight and leanness level I fully feel I will eventually hit naturally.
- 20 inch muscular neck- I think this is ridiculous, I was originally going to write 19 inch, but due to my neck not looking big at roughly 17-17.5, the fact it’s likely been 18 inches in the past, and the fact the one aesthetic I’ve ever cared about is neck size there it is. 20 inch muscular neck.
Bodyweight Performance
I’m only going to list one thing here:
To be able to do a one arm chin up.
I feel being able to do this, especially as a big guy will mean you’re completely covered on bodyweight ability.
I can comfortably do one arm pushups, and to hit the above pressing and bench metrics will have to be far stronger.
A one arm chin will give both rep pullup abilities and likely a strict muscle up as well.
It covers all the bodyweight bases.
Be Athletic
And hard to quantify, but to be athletic while doing all of the above. To be able to jump, run, sprint, walk, and play games comfortably. Basically to not be a gym rat, but an athlete. I’m looking to be able to do all of the above while being somewhere between a strongman, a linebacker, and while retaining some endurance.
The I’ve Made It Standards (Subject To Change)
- 800+lb deadlift raw/ 3x bodyweight, whichever is higher, no belt, no straps, actually raw.
- The Old Time Weightlifting 1000 lb 3 Lift Total (I’d like 405+ c+j,315+ snatch, 315+ press, so actually a 1035+ total)
- 405×5+and 315×20+ bench comfortably, ie safe with no spotter, low to medium effort
- 495 overhand axle/fat bar deadlift
- 275lbs with abs
- 20 inch muscular neck (seemingly ridiculous, but what I want)
- 1 arm chin
- Stay Athletic
And there it is, how I’d know I’ve made it in strength.
-J