As I lift in the yard a few things are obvious.
•The cold affects your wind.
•Some days the bar just feels absurdly heavier than it should.
•There’s no need to rush.
Pacing between sets and longer rest periods come naturally. Less frequency. Volume whatever it ends up being.
I’ve been liking higher reps usually. It’s a very different approach for me.
Olys from the hang. No squat rack.
The work boots, and winter gloves add a bit of difficulty.
If one day 205 is hard, but I’ve recently hit 245 I know it’s just the cold playing it’s tricks on me.
I know that the yard always tacks on a roughly -20% overall to ability, Blame the aforementioned boots, gloves, cold, and bad footing.
I’ve never been more ok with using such light %s of 1rm.
I’m a lot stronger than what shows, and as these #s move up…
Maybe someday on swanky gym mat flooring and out of the cold this base will get to show.
(Hairy beast having come in from the out of doors, likely to partial front squat.)
Lord knows I keep lifting through this and I’ll have learned some serious drive. I doubt others would still be lifting even at this point.
I don’t have to worry about the olys. The winter can be a season for building horsepower. The sldl instead of the olys, and if I insist on keeping olying, to do so only from the hang, and progressing at sets of 5+. Low reps from the “floor” can be a bit risky some days.
(Though…see Bill Starr on York Exhibitions.)
I seem to be learning to train again. Getting away from testing.
I’m beginning to be part of this yard lifting. Why so serious?
P&T