High Achievers & Athletes,

"Feeling strong" is subjective - there is personal sensations, perceptions and emotions linked to each individual's experience. 

Having a 2.25x bodyweight Deadlift on the other side, is objective - weight is lifted from point A to point B. 

Question is:

- do we need to equate the word strong with an ideal set of lifting standards or is it a little bit more complex and subtle? 

- does someone that have a 2.25x bodyweight Deadlift should automatically be defined as "strong"?                                                                                                                                                                                       I believe that the way we use this term needs to be a bit more nuanced...

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If you have a look at the first Oxford Languages definition, it's mainly linked to physical capacities: 

Strong (/strɑːŋ/): 1. Having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks.

The way that I'd like to reframe this definition is by adding a few twists: 

Strong (/strɑːŋ/): Having the power to effectively move your body (& heavy weights) with deliberate intention at short and long ranges of motion or perform other physically demanding tasks while feeling supported, stable and safe. 

This is already much better. 

THE PHYSICAL STRENGTH

When we imagine a strong individual, I think we can all agree on that we automatically see someone that is physically fit. But just like we said earlier, being strong isn't just about the amount of weight you can lift. Rather, it's about how well you move that weight and how efficient you are on the specific exercice, movement, or skill we talk about. 

This week, I've posted on my story a video of my latest performance with the Cossack Squat - 32kg x 5 reps / side.

Well, this personal best made me "feel strong". 

With the complex component of hamstrings/groins flexibility & strength, trunk stability, and ankle dorsiflexion mobility, noticing my improvement in terms of weight, efficiency and specifically range of motion, allows me to have this strength satisfaction we are talking about since the beginning. 

See, in order to "feel strong", you need a little bit more than just a a 2.25x bodyweight deadlift. 

You need a thoughtful program that doesn’t beat you up and evolve progressively through the difficulties that YOU want to get better at. Because it's only though consistent effort and small wins that you can build this feeling of confidence, assurance and strength (in, and out of the gym)

It requires time, practice, and patience. 

EFFORT

When was the last time you felt like a beast and that you were proud of what you accomplished? I bet it was not this morning while eating your Sunday cinnamon roll with a hot chocolate. 

I bet that it was when you brought true, honest and raw effort. When you decided to persevere through a difficult situation and challenge you had to overcome. 

That type of effort, is also a key element for "feeling strong". Because your effort, is coming from within. It's coming from your ability to shut down the noise, your pain receptors and use the power of your mind to decide "I'm going to resist and keep pushing". 

Like we have already discussed, effort is a skill that is learnable. Your capacity to endure pain and effort is a result of physiological processes that have slowly been developed through repetitions & actions. Through daily steps and decisions to not stop once it's hard, but to continue through the adversity you are confronting. 

THE STRONG MIND

The beauty with training, consistency and daily physical activities, it's that it shapes your mind differently. The processes of decision making, your cognitive abilities, and your overall perception of the world differs when you overcome those physical barriers. It changes the way you think, the way you look at yourself, and in fine who you become. 

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With all of this discussed, I'd like to share my own definition of this very interesting word. 

Strong (/strɑːŋ/): 2. Having physical and mental capabilities for believing you can continuously persevere through adversity and to push things forward. 

There is no right or wrong definitions as this topic depends on a lot of different components that will differ for each and any one of us. But I hope that this discussion made you think on how you can reframe this feeling and act on it to truly "feeling strong" based on your own set of principles. 

What is your definition? Hit us up and share your thoughts!

Passionately, 

Max & Ben 

Written by Benjamin Desmet 

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