How Heavy Is Too Heavy:When You Should Stop Adding Weights To The Bar?

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As I was just reaching to the door-knob of the gym, I heard some groaning and sighing from the other side of the door! I entered, and I saw the usual… a guy, that had loaded the bar, with more weights, than the iron could handle itself, trying to squat I guess? But it looked more like he was trying to injure himself!

I enjoy seeing people with proper technique, load the bar, and lift really heavy. But I never understand, people, that look more like warms, battling for their life, when they are under the heavy bar! That is why, today I will talk about how heavy is too heavy! Or in other words, how many bumper plates, should you add on the bar!

First of all, every time you walk in the gym I want you to do the following:

1.Check your ego at the door
2.Re-read the statement above, until you fully comprehend it and agree!

What is up, with trying to show off in the gym? Who are you trying to impress? Women? They don’t care how much you lift! Most of them are scared of weights, as the Devil is scared from the incense! And women that lift weights, wouldn’t be impressed by your terrible technique!

So after you left your ego, to rest at the door, you can go ahead and start working out. First, you need to perfect your form! After all in school, your English teacher, didn’t force you to write an essay, before you knew the alphabet? Am I right? Then why are you trying to lift all the weights available in the gym, when you can’t perform the movement, with perfect form?Take your time and do a lot of skill work! When you think you got it, do some more skill work!

Next, start loading the bar SLOWLY!!! Give your body some time to adapt to the movement! Your workout shouldn’t resemble a fight with the iron! Increase the weight, to the point where you can still do the movement, with proper technique! If you feel the slightest bending, bringing the knees inside, leaning forward, etc, then stick to that weight and do not add more plates!

Thus, over time, by slowly increasing the weight, you will stay injure free, you will improve your strength and athletic abilities!

Keep in mind, that it doesn’t matter who is in the gym, who is watching you and what other people will think of you! When you work out, the only person that matters is you! Everybody should work out, according to his own abilities! Because when you force yourself to go heavier than you can handle, you risk injuring yourself, and then you will be away from the gym for a long time. And people you were trying to impress…trust me they won’t even notice your absence! If we knew how rarely people think of us, we wouldn’t bother so much about their opinion! After all they are too busy thinking of themselves, to even care about us!

So, leave your ego at the door. Start from the basics. Use lighter weights, until you get the proper technique, and then slowly increase weight over time!

What is your opinion? How heavy is too heavy? Do you catch yourself loading the bar too much, because you are trying to impress somebody in the gym?

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