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Off-Topic What has Pavel/StrongFirst taught you?

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Adam R Mundorf

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Hello Everybody,

I was thinking this morning about influential people in my life. Pavel and StrongFirst came up numerous times in my head.

What has Pavel or StrongFirst taught you?

Pavel taught me that being big isn't necessary to be strong.

StrongFirst taught me that strength training doesn't have too be complicated.

Thank you, Adam
 
Pavel taught me that being big isn't necessary to be strong.

Seconded. In my twenties, I always wanted to be the biggest, strongest guy in the room - and I ate like it! In my thirties, I decided that I didn't need to be big anymore, and (unfortunately) also gave up on being strong - became a guy who likes to run and did a little strength training just to stay sharp. These days I'm trying to maximize "strength per pound", so to speak.

Another big one for me has been strength as a skill. When I was young, getting strong was all about what kind of overwhelming force I could produce with an all-out effort. These days, it's just as much about I can do easily without intensity; what can I do when it's time to just put in work.
 
a pull and a press.
Harald, I LOVE your Instagram posts. Your truly an inspiration.
Seconded. In my twenties, I always wanted to be the biggest, strongest guy in the room - and I ate like it! In my thirties, I decided that I didn't need to be big anymore, and (unfortunately) also gave up on being strong - became a guy who likes to run and did a little strength training just to stay sharp. These days I'm trying to maximize "strength per pound", so to speak.

Another big one for me has been strength as a skill. When I was young, getting strong was all about what kind of overwhelming force I could produce with an all-out effort. These days, it's just as much about I can do easily without intensity; what can I do when it's time to just put in work.
True that. I love the clock in method of StrongFirst. Just do what you can and leave a little in the tank to live life.
 
@Adam R Mundorf Good question. The first book I got from Pavel was The Naked Warrior and the line "... what you look like has no bearing on what you can do," really stuck with me. Power to the People shares much the same message.

Since I started training, competing in and following the sport of weightlifting I've seen this demonstrated time and time again by people doing things you wouldn't think were possible given their size and weight.

The other main thing I learned was from following Simple and Sinister, and that lesson was that consistency works in ways that nothing else does.
 
Pavel in Enter the Kettlebell taught me that to be strong can doesn’t have to involve multiple exercises to the point of hobbling out of a globo gym...

In line with that, Strongfirst has taught me that with an open mind and savvy approach to programming, I can progress with frequent volume AND not feel beat up on a daily basis. I focus on progressing on one, maybe two exercises. Coming from an endurance background, I like the versatility kettlebells offer in my training. Courtesy of this forum and Pavel, I’m no longer a slave to the numbers, instead, I leave the ego behind and a little in the tank, ready to go again the next day.
 
  • Don't brush off barely passable technique, continuously polish it
  • The Party is always right - Choose a program by its merits, and by the testimonials of a varied audience that have done the program. Then follow it to the letter.
  • Safety is part of the performance
  • Intelligent flexibility practices, eliminating the need to hold uncomfortable and/or dangerous stretches for ages
  • Maximise your potential at a given body weight (I say this with being wiry/gracile in mind, but it can apply in any case, I suppose)
  • The difference between training for strength and training for mass
 
I was already on the journey to simplicity when I picked up PTTP but that message that you could look good, feel good and be strong on two exercises performed frequently really resonated
 
Pavel has imparted much gold, some of my biggest takeaways:

-Inch wide, mile deep
-Have a goal, pursue a goal and avoid random acts of variety
-most exercises don’t matter, focus on the ones that do (to you)
-same but different
-perfect practice, avoid failure
-train for strength and health (not just abs)
 
Strength is not just limited to physical strength.

The strongfirst principles are also applicable to lots of real life situations

The strongfirst code is a daily challenge which requires a lot of practice for you to be able to become an embodiment of it
 
Reading Pavel's books gave me a whole new understanding of what strength training was, as I was previously of the belief that gaining strength meant numerous sets to failure, followed by five days of soreness and useless performance. It was really a game changer. The GTG paradigm has really influenced my whole understanding of effective training and physical learning.
 
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