Training Stop Signs 🛑 (11/01/2023)

Do you ever have a training session where you feel like you’re working too hard, or harder than you should be feeling? Maybe your heart rate won’t lower to a reasonable level to start the next set or round? Everything you pick up feels like it’s doubled in weight?

If you answered “yes” then you need to consider the stops signs facing you.

How do you know what a stop sign is? What if you don’t use a heart rate monitor or a wearable device that lets you know where you’re at?

First, the goal in training is to avoid the conditions that lead to failure and/or reduced performance.

When the heart works too hard and red lines too often or for too long, it is not able to keep up with the demands being placed on it.

When we don’t rest enough for our neuromuscular system to recover, our performance diminishes.

The misconceptions happen when hear things like “Go hard or go home,” “What does not kill me makes me stronger,” or as David Goggins says, “Stay hard motherfucker!”

People will push through their limits despite the stop signs warning them to pump the brakes.

In my world I have to be a present and supportive partner, play tag in the yard or wrestle with my kids at their request, perform in jiu jitsu, then wake up the next day and do it all over again. I want my exercise program to be progressive and move me closer to my goals, not fading away.

As much as we want to crush it, we have to respect the stops signs and where we’re at physically and mentally.  The goal is to be more effective in our everyday life.

How do you know when a stop sign is there or if you need to dial back your intensity?

When your heart rate is higher or you just finished a rigorous set, move around to help your heart pump blood to lower the beats per minute or shake your limbs “fast & loose” to release some of the built-up tension.

Stop continuously breaching the red zone of your heart rate monitor. Playing around in Zone 5 is not where you want to be for more than a moment or two. If you can’t get out of the red zone and your heart rate can’t recover, stop.

The talk test is the simplest tool. In one calm breath, state your full name, street address, city, state and zip code. If you can get that out without gasping for another breath, you’re ready for your next set of work.

Don’t run the talk test like an auctioneer.

If you can’t pass the talk test, rest more.

If your lifts are getting slower or your form is faltering, stop or dial the intensity down.

What I’m not saying is that every session should be casual and comfortable. You need to work hard, but you also need to pay attention to what’s going on with your body if you want to make progress on your performance goals.

Train with intent, watch for the stop signs, and pay attention when they’re in your face.

As Dr. Fred Hatfield (famous powerlifter and teacher) stated, “Train to succeed,” as opposed to failure.