Squat cycle Day 2 and "Walking around strong"...

Day 2 of the squat cycle - 5 sets of 5 reps at 315# and despite being quite sore from tuesday I hit all the sets easily and feel better after the fact. I am wearing a loose belt for my sets and trying to hit below PL depth for all the reps. This is the base building phase of the cycle and things will start to get tougher as the weeks go by. Good thing is the cycle is only 5 weeks long so the pain is brief.

"Walking around Strong..." This is a phrase we have used from time to time to describe how it feels to possess a confidence building level of strength. I was recently talking to a friend who has made some great progress over the last 6 months (more that in the previous years of training- thanks to KBs and PTP) and he was saying how much more confident he feels now that he is stronger. Cardio does not build this confidence - Strength builds this type of confidence.

This does not mean a cocky or flashy demeanor - This does not mean bragging or "using" your strength to intimidate - This should not have any negative meanings - although some will take it this way.

"Walking around strong" is an inner strength and confidence in your body and your self that allows you to be more relaxed and more confident. In our cores we know we want and need to be strong. It wasn't that long ago that we truly needed, respected and worked for this type of strength - physical labor used to develop it, hunting and gathering used to develop it but now we are reduced to a level of ease (for some not all) that allows us to be weak.

And weakness breeds insecurity.
Dogs on leashes are a perfect example - once on a leash a dog will be aggressive and mean because it realizes that it's ability to defend itself and it's owner is limited by the restraint of the leash. Once off the leash the dog is relaxed and more likely to be friendly because it knows all its strength is available to it off the leash.

We are not so different. We realize that if we are weak we must put on a front of aggressiveness and hope that no one calls the bluff. This is not true strength - it is weakness in action.

Walking around strong is to walk around with a quite confidence that allows you to help others. I have had the honor of meeting, training with and talking to some of the strongest people in the world and they are some of the nicest, calmest, and best people you would want to meet.

Unfortunately - there have been those that have been perceived as strong that have used their "strength" for "bad" reasons - intimidation, bullying, "power", etc... and now strong can have a negative meaning for people. But true strength is a well of calm and an ability to conquer challenges - not with bragging but with quite purposefulness.

And strength comes in many different forms - and that will be tomorrow's blog.

For now - Can you say that you "Walk around Strong"?