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Strength is the ability to produce force to overcome resistance.
In the gym, the weight on the bar represents the resistance and strength is the ability to move it.
Someone who is stronger can produce more force and therefore move greater loads.
This is the perspective that most are familiar with.
But there is another way to conceptualise strength.
It is the ability to hold positions.
Think of a fortress with impregnable walls. Or unwavering willpower and mental fortitude.
These involve withstanding resistance; holding steadfast.
In the gym, there are examples:
Maintaining the position of the spine during a deadlift (versus rounding through the back).
Keeping weight evenly dispersed through the foot during a squat (as opposed to coming up onto the toes).
Pinning the shoulders down and back during a bench press (rather than letting them come forward).
These are examples of strength just as much as the ability to move the load itself.
Although these don’t predicate on maximal loads.
In the general paradigm of strength, more weight = more strength.
This is true, however, for some of us, it may not be the most effective way to develop it.
So instead of loading the bar excessively (because more = better; and it strokes the Ego), pay attention to how the weight moves.
Make your metric of focus not the total load, but how it moved; how well you maintained your position.
Because if you do this, you will get stronger.
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