..............Ok, Ok love it is a bit of an embellishment, but despite the pain and disruption to my future training I don't HATE IT! No being hurt isn't "cool" or make me a "tough guy" but it does prove (to me) that I am pushing myself to the brink and even beyond!
When I was 15 years old I was fortunate enough to spend some time with Thomas Steven Platz. That time was life changing and without a doubt life and future shaping! I clearly remember Tom saying time and time again "the only way to be certain you did all you can do is to attempt the one(s) you can not do!". In context Tom was talking about training in general and sets of multi-reps for sure, but the mind set of acheiving failure to PROVE SUCCESS is one I came to hold very near and dear to my very way of life!
Though the career in bodybuilding I and many others thought I would peruse (at the time) didn't materialize, I took much if not all my guiding principles, thoughts and attitudes away from Tom and others in the bodybuilding world. Yes powerlifting and strength training are MUCH different than bodybuilding, but so much of the mental and even spiritual traits need to succeed are shared by all high level endeavors!
Tom and so many other bodybuilders from the late 70's and early 80's that inspired me, lived this attitude to the fullest every single day! They risked health and sanity with nutritional, pharmacological and training practices that bordered on pure madness but not because they wanted to but because they couldn't live with the failure of not trying!
With all of the above in mind I would like to point out that 10 min before the 495 bench press attempt that left me injured I did a life time best 455 Raw @235lb and 43 years of age!
Rest assured this time next year I will one again be staring down the bench at 5 plates (or more) and feeling fully justified and confident in my reckless abandon!
See you next year!
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