Strong

Strong isn’t just about numbers. It isn’t about records or medals. It isn’t about stacking plate after plate onto a bar. It isn’t about impressing the average gym goer. It isn’t about being asked how many sets you’ve got left and replying with, “Oh, I’m just warming up right now.”

Strong is about stepping to the bar every week. It’s warming the cold steel throughout the workout. It’s gritty. It’s daring. When your body says, “Quit…just quit…make the pain stop,” you say, “It’d be too easy to quit.”

Strong is the build-up. It’s chalk slowly floating through the air, a haze through the sunlight. It’s about the panicky anticipation of struggle. It’s the uncomfortable unknown. It’s the adrenal release, the goose bumps. It’s the decision to attack instead of flee.

Strong is focusing rage into steel. Strong is the deafening moment occurring during a maximal strain, an all-out effort. It’s the audacity to keep pushing when gravity says no. It’s ignoring the world closing on your senses. It’s the commitment to finish.

Strong is elation. It’s the release. It’s victory. It’s the feeling of staggering away from the bar, knowing that you gave everything. It’s the panting breath and the self-assurance. It’s knowing that you tried and never once thought about failing.

Strong is doing this every week, every month, every year.

Strong is 70’s Big.


62 thoughts on “Strong

  1. I have posted a few PRs, so I hit 460# squat on a deload week. Well, I deloaded everything but my squat for max workout. Oddly enough, after a week of lighter workouts and extra rest days, the max squat workout felt like hell and it took me totally out the following day — like hard to walk.
    I set a number of weights to hit for the year, and a 500# squat is one of them. On the right day, I am not far off (198 to 205# bw depending on the previous day’s eating). I feel that is pretty under control — my most difficult is going to be a body weight snatch as I did my first snatch in October and can still power a lot more than I can proper snatch.

  2. First rugby game today. I had some screw ups but did pretty well all things considered. I played on the equivalent of the JV squad but they want me to sub in as a prop for the A team.

  3. @captain ronn. Good work! most rugby teams are pretty trial by fire come gametime, and it appears you survived. Do they have you at tighthead or loosehead?

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  5. i wanna give a shoutout to rooster t. cockburn for joining us in the 70s big forum. he is a boss.

    on a side note, i am a teacher and in class i was talking about the representative in new york who got caught sending pictures with his shirt off. one of my students asked me, “is he big?” another student answered and said, “yeah he is big, he probably benches 200 lbs. he is bigger than you mr. stankrom.” both students were super cereal. they must’ve done it for the lulz.

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