Dumb question

[tfranc]

Hello SS coaches,

I think I might be having a bad week or so, but I'm not sure. Lifts have been feeling a lot more challenging as of late and that seemed to come on suddenly within the last week. Eating and sleeping are pretty much on point, though I could probably be sleeping more if I'm honest. I'm a little less than 2 months into SS on paper (was injured a couple times). So far, I've got 145 on bench, 100 OHP, 210 squat, and 310 deadlift.

There's no way that at 6', 215 lbs, 20% bf and 2 months into training that I'm starting to peak out on my lifts, is there?

[Nick Delgadillo]

Lifts have been feeling a lot more challenging as of late

And this is the way it will be from now on. Pandora's box. It never get's easier. The problem is that we apply subjective "feelings" to something very objective. Some days will feel great, some days will suck, but it will always be hard.

There's no way that at 6', 215 lbs, 20% bf and 2 months into training that I'm starting to peak out on my lifts, is there?

Nope, but you know that. About two months in is where the guys who are going to quit, quit. Injuries, NDTP, excuses, etc.

The really easy gains are slowing down and it's time to start grinding through some work sets, but this is also the time where you figure out that what you think you can do is a lie (if you're up to the task). You have more in the tank.

[salvilla]

This is a great post Nick. It is so true. Glad you are on the forum.

[sbhikes]

And this is the way it will be from now on. Pandora's box. It never get's easier.

I remember the day early on when I realized that every workout was always going to be as hard and scary as the last one. Every workout was basically going to suck. I was so bummed out realizing this. But I got used to it. Still waiting to see what I'm capable of. Haven't got there yet. I'm still capable of more.

[David A. Rowe]

It amazed me the first time that, past a certain weight, it always felt like I was gonna get stapled to the floor when I unracked for a heavy squat set.

I drove down into the hole, shoved the knees out and ground out five reps, though. Somehow it came back up.

This is why they say you should build "confidence under the bar." You have to dare to try and have the fortitude to finish when it feels too heavy before you even start.

[Nick Delgadillo]

I remember the day early on when I realized that every workout was always going to be as hard and scary as the last one. Every workout was basically going to suck.

This is what differentiates you from your friends who go to bootcamp, zumba, crossfit, TRX, run, etc, etc, etc. All they have to do is show up and then they feel good about themselves. Performance is based on how they feel that day. People who are training, especially with barbells, have to perform if they're going to make progress and they have to do things outside of the gym to ensure that they can perform on the day they train. And even if outside the gym stuff is all in line, they sometimes have to overcome sleepiness, laziness, aches, or a shitty attitude.

This is something your pear-shaped, skinny-fat runner friend will never understand and it's what makes us judge a person's general opinion on all sorts of matters and worth in life on the all important question: Does he/she even lift?

[MBasic]

It amazed me the first time that, past a certain weight, it always felt like I was gonna get stapled to the floor when I unracked for a heavy squat set.

I drove down into the hole, shoved the knees out and ground out five reps, though. Somehow it came back up.

This is why they say you should build "confidence under the bar." You have to dare to try and have the fortitude to finish when it feels too heavy before you even start.

very well put ^.

Especially squats . . . what boggles my mind, I'll do the last heavy set of 5's . . .which felt like I almost died as it was happening. . . Then watch it on video, and it doesn't seem so bad on tape. The bar speed doesn't seem terribly slow on video, but fuck yeah felt like it almost stopped / slow motion thing. Only gets worse as time goes on, but looks about the same each week on tape . . . barring a 'bad day'. If someone saw it from a 'third-person-point-of-view' . . .they'd say "what's the big deal, didn't seem so hard for ya."

[Nick Delgadillo]

very well put ^.

Especially squats . . . what boggles my mind, I'll do the last heavy set of 5's . . .which felt like I almost died as it was happening. . . Then watch it on video, and it doesn't seem so bad on tape. The bar speed doesn't seem terribly slow on video, but fuck yeah felt like it almost stopped / slow motion thing. Only gets worse as time goes on, but looks about the same each week on tape . . . barring a 'bad day'. If someone saw it from a 'third-person-point-of-view' . . .they'd say "what's the big deal, didn't seem so hard for ya."

I've recently discovered the same thing. I video my work sets now.

[elVarouza]

It amazed me the first time that, past a certain weight, it always felt like I was gonna get stapled to the floor when I unracked for a heavy squat set.

I drove down into the hole, shoved the knees out and ground out five reps, though. Somehow it came back up.

This is why they say you should build "confidence under the bar." You have to dare to try and have the fortitude to finish when it feels too heavy before you even start.

Yep. I can't even count the number of squat reps where I've stood at the top thinking "if I squat down there's no way in hell I'm coming up" but somehow have.

[DonkeyLips]

Eating and sleeping are pretty much on point, though I could probably be sleeping more if I'm honest.

Is there a single soul who didn't try to cheat on sleep at some point during their SS progression? "I know the book says 8, but 7 isn't bad. That's like 90% of what I'm supposed to get. I'll be fine."