Please enjoy this guest blog by Cypher member Rocky S.!
While we always try our best to complete each lift, every lift has its own story. Albeit enjoyable, successful lifts unfortunately do not teach us much. My final Deadlift in a recent meet was actually the most important lift of the day. It was important because I failed. What? Yes, a failed attempt, if handled correctly, can be more important than a successful one because of what you can learn.
I was as focused and confident about the last lift as any that day. I addressed the bar and went through my normal set-up process: feet in proper position, chalked-hands tightly wrapped around the bar; knees, hips, and back locked into place. A large breath fixed my core tight against the weight belt and, like a chain reaction, my back, lats, glutes, and hamstrings all became fully engaged. As the bar started to move up my shins, my mind seemed to go into auto-pilot. Time seemed to slow down and then much to my surprise, everything stopped. It took me a moment to fully appreciate just what had happened. Although every ounce of muscle fiber and all my mental focus were unified in the struggle, like a deep meditation, I was in a state of physical and mental stasis. I couldn’t move. Unfortunately, I came to the realization that the bar and my body were ever-so-slightly out of alignment. Muscles exhausted, the lift failed. In an instance of realization, I learned some important lessons. This epiphany taught me to take more time, perfectly align myself, and conduct perfect technique. I also instantly knew exactly what more work awaited me back in the gym. Failure, with useful introspection, can bring great value. So, take your time, pay attention to technique, properly analyze failed attempts, and then chalk it up and lift!
Rocky
