I trained to be strong! I mean Really Strong!
At 16 years old, I took my bench press from 225 to 285 lbs in a few months.
By my Senior year, I was deadlifting 550 lbs and pressing 340 on a bench.
At 20, I was benching 380 and hang power cleaning 300 lbs.
My only reason for doing this was because I didn't know what else I was supposed to be doing.
These things all came to a drastic halt after a series of injuries and re-injuries. I ended up having rotator cuff and meniscus and cartilage issues that each took a couple years to recover from.
When I started CrossFit, I was pleased by the idea that I could do the workouts due to the fact they were, by nature, light-weight movements and a whole lot of body weight exercises! (1st 6 CF Benchmarks - Angie, Barbara, Cindy, Diane, Elizabeth & Fran)
Since then, however, CrossFit and the CrossFit Games have continued to set new standards, and weights are getting heavier and heavier - now approaching loads equal to and greater than those I lifted back in my younger years!
This has many CrossFit athletes anxious to lift heavy and get stronger more than ever before. This has been great for the community of CrossFit but excellent for the strength gurus outside of CrossFit! I have revamped my own programming for more heavy training days which has been a fun treat!
Many years ago (before CrossFit), I was introduced to Zach Even-Esh "The Underground Strength Coach" and began reading his material and watching his videos. He became one of my early mentors. I never would have imagined having the opportunity to work with him professionally. This guy inspires people to become strong in every way! He breathes it into people and they blow up!
Last weekend I was privileged enough to travel to his Gym in New Jersey along side CrossFit Central Coaches Jen Cardella and Travis Holley to assist Zach E. during his weekend certification. This guy is a resource no athlete should be without! Check him out... Learn from him and apply what you learn to your training to get stronger now!
From the Blog of Zach Even-Esh - Underground Strength Training Log October 2011
"This past weekend we finished the final USC Cert of 2011.
Not sure how, but every crew excites me more and more than the last crew, each time, bringing greater energy and camaraderie to the table.
It always amazes me.
This cert was EXTRA special as I had 3 BadAss Coaches roll in from the #ATX.
This is their 3rd time going through the USC Cert and they LIVE the CODE!
They train hard, they live hard and they show others how to live the code as well."
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment