LIMITS – WHY WE HAVE TO BREAK

PART 2 – HOW TO SAFELY BREAK

 

FINDING YOUR LIMITS

As we learned last time, to become faster, stronger, and better we need to surpass our limitations, but, as we also learned last time, fining our limits can be a bit harder than we think.

But fret not my friends, for this post holds the key to helping you find those limits.

 

GOOD IDEA, BAD IDEA – “SAFETY FIRST PEOPLE!”

First and foremost, it is of upmost importance to be very clear about the dangers of finding one’s limits – as a matter of fact, it can be a very very dangerous thing to do.

So, before we begin, lets talk safety and common sense.

Finding your limits does not mean to go until you throw up, pass out, or break something.  Finding your limits means learning how hard you can truly push yourself WITHOUT injuring yourself.

This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT so let me repeat myself:

 

Finding your limits does not mean to go until you throw up, pass out, or break something.  Finding your limits means learning how hard you can truly push yourself WITHOUT injuring yourself.

 

When pushing your limits make sure to use COMMON SENSE AND RESTRAINT!!!!

Yeah, it is a bit of a contradiction, but it is crucial to stay alert, attentive, and in tune with your body as your teaching yourself to do the exact opposite…clear as day right?

The point here is to make sure, when trying to find and push your limits, you are in a safesecure, and appropriate scenario.

 

To help illustrate the point lets think Animaniacs….

GOOD IDEA / BAD IDEA

GOOD IDEA: Trying a new bench-press max with a friend as a spotter.

BAD IDEA: Trying a new bench-press max with gravity as a spotter.

GOOD IDEA: Attempting a new long jump record over grass or sand.

BAD IDEA: Attempting a new long jump record over a 100-foot ravine.

GOOD IDEA: Climbing a mountain.

BAD IDEA: Climbing a mountain lion.

 

Get the point…?

 

HOW TO SAFELY FIND YOUR LIMITS

For the most part, a good workout partner who knows how to spot you will be just what the doctor ordered when trying to safely find your limits.

But, if your workout partner is a stooge or you workout alone, finding your breaking point will be a bit trickier of a task.

So, if you are like me and, for the most part, workout alone you’ll have to get a bit more creative on how to find your breaking point AND much more in tune with your body before doing so.

“But, I am a beginner who works out alone…how am I supposed to safely find my bench-press, squat, power-cling max?”

Well, first and foremost, we need to start thinking outside the box.

Finding your limit (i.e., maxing out) on traditional-weight-training moves can most certainly lead to injury if done alone…so we need to think of other moves.

“What do you mean other moves? I want to test my strength limits? How can I do that if I don’t do the ‘traditional-weight-training moves’?

I said we have to think outside the box when trying to find our limits…and our limits are not limited to traditional-strength-training moves anyways…but more about this in the next post!

 

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

“So, if you find yourself working out solo there is no real way of safely finding and breaking you limits?”

Uhm…nope!

There are a thousand safe ways of finding and pushing your limits even if you do find yourself working out solo.

 

SAFELY FINDING YOUR LIMITS VIA GRAVITY!!!

BODY WEIGHT MAX REPS

Any exercise involving your own body weight, gravity, and repetitive motion (you can count) is a great tool for gaging and surpassing your limits when working out alone.

 

Example Body Weight Moves (just to list a few)

Max Pushups

Max Pull-ups

Max Single-Leg Squats

I.E., Max Whatever move you do that involves a repetitive motion with which you can count reps.

 

HOLDS – YOU + GRAVITY + TIME

Just to set the record straight, I can do about 1,000 more pull-ups than my little brother…but for some reason he is stronger than me when it comes to isolated/isometric moves…and life in general really…for some reason The Fatboy has always been, and probably always will be, stronger than me…but I can still do more pull-ups than he can damn it!

So, due to the fact that we have strength/fitness/who-is-the-more-awesome-brother challenges practically every time we get together, I find myself training a lot just to beat my little brother…and I find myself failing a lot…but it’s okay, because I can do about 1,000 more pull ups than he can. 

To train for our brotherly-love competitions I find myself pushing my limits all the time and there’s nothing quite like isometrics when finding and breaking one’s strength and, more importantly, mental limits.

To find one’s limit via isometric moves is quite simple really – all you need is your body, gravity, and time…3 things we all have.  Simply keep track of how long you can hold the isolated position and your limit will come the moment you can no longer hold the position.

 

Example Hold/Isometric Moves (just to list a few)

Plank (a.k.a. High Plank)

Sphinx Plank (a.k.a., Low Plank or some people simply call it Plank)

Chair Pose

Isolated Wall Squats

One-legged Isolated Wall Squats

Side-Arm Plank

Warrior 3 Hold

Superman Hold

I.E., Any position you can hold for a measured amount of time that requires the engagement of muscles…any muscles you are trying to develop

 

WEIGHTS, REPS, OR HOLDS…

…WHICH ONE IS BEST FOR ESTABLISHING NEW LIMITS?

So, now that you know how to safely find your limits (with or without a partner) you might be wondering which method is best for pushing past your limits – weights, reps, or holds?

Well my friends, for that you’ll have to stay tuned – we’ll find out next time!

What a cliff hanger no? I mean if this doesn’t get you to come back I don’t know what will.