What NOT to Do

I took this video (link here: https://www.instagram.com/p/B6LW9Trjmj5/) Fall of 2018, because around the time I did the marathon I began to notice that certain movements at which I’d typically felt pretty skilled were getting erratic. I don’t know if I’m to attribute this to the marathon, the practice runs, that I was a lot lighter than usual, or the fact that I was just incredibly run down that time of year (my dad was dying at the time; I was performing about 65 hours of coaching per week; and I did get shingles shortly after this).

Nevertheless, I took this video to see if visually I could confirm what I was feeling: namely, that I couldn’t control muscles well at the time. For the layperson, this may be difficult to spot; but most advanced coaches in my peer group will see it right away. Every single rep is different. Things should NOT be this way. Unfortunately, it is common that people are very disconnected from the back and posterior chain in general, such that control and activation and sensation is really clumsy. The order of sequence is all over the place. Synergists are sometimes in place and other times not. Granted, I was playing with my kids that day (they’re goofing off in the background); but I was actually quite focused at the time and STILL each rep is different. Too different.

We all have asymmetries. This post isn’t about achieving an impossible symmetry in activation or development. Rather, what I want to call to your attention is the fact that even someone who studies this intently will be thrown off by emotion and physical run down. How much more so for the unskilled lifter?
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Don’t mindlessly blast through your sets all the time. Strength skill is a devotion, not a checklist. Try to connect as best you can with contracting the proper structures and in the proper sequences. And when you aren’t sure, film it, and/or hire a coach.