I created a new journaling document for our readers. It's a Strength Matrix. The table allows athletes to document certain lifts/movements according to 1/3/5 RMs.
To download or print the Strength Matrix, please click here. Sorry to those who have had trouble downloading off of Scribd in the past. Until I find another way to allow access to documents, we're stuck with Scribd. If you can't print it, send me an email, and I will send you the PDF of the same.
USING THE MATRIX: After you've at least reviewed the Strength Matrix, here's how I recommend using it: Keep this with your fitness journal. Whenever you do a strength workout that includes one of those lifts, document the 1, 3, or 5 RM (and the date too). Let's imagine that the workout calls for 5x5. If during the course of your last set you only manage to complete 3 reps, you can count that for a 3RM if you'd like! Our goal is to keep replacing previous entries with higher numbers! That's how we know we're getting stronger!!!!
Yes, I know the boxes are small. Write small. I wanted to get as much info on a single page. You want bigger boxes -- make your own.
I'm going to take this Strength Matrix and backfill it with as many previous 1/3/5 RMs as I can. If you look at this Matrix and tell yourself, "I can't fill in any of those boxes. That's not the stuff I do." Guess what? YOU AREN'T STRENGTH TRAINING!! Maybe you're doing resistance training. Or weight training. Or whatever the heck some fitness magazine calls it. But you are not doing strength training. Quit calling it that. You insult people who actually do strength work. It would be equivalent to going on a 3 mile walk and saying you're preparing for a marathon.
STRENGTH POSTS: If you click here, you will be taken to all of my recent posts regarding strength training (including this post). The posts include rants, insults, and challenges to our readers.
