Last week, I decided to test whether I could get a 135-pound bar off the squat rack in a front rack position. The heaviest bar I’d ever held in that position was 115 pounds, for a failed front squat.
To my surprise and delight, I was able to unrack the bar.
I held the bar for about 15 seconds before I slowly lowered it back to the j-hooks.
That was as far as I got; I didn’t even walk it back a step.
That simple exercise is now a new drill I’m incorporating into my training.
My goal isn’t to squat the 135 pound bar, or even to walk it back from the squat rack.
Rather, the goal for now is simply to hold bar for as long as I can. Over time, I’ll aim to hold it for a little longer each time. Eventually, I’ll practice taking a step back from the squat rack. And eventually, I’ll have the strength to squat it.
What’s the point of this drill?
For starters, it happens to be a great core exercise. Holding a heavy bar in the front rack position forces the core to engage naturally. I have to brace to avoid the feeling crushed by the weight of the bar.
But the real point is acclimation.
The Power of Acclimation
Create Nervous System Safety
Acclimation is a principle I first learned in my training on trampoline: it’s a way to acclimate the nervous system to an increased stimulus in a way that feels safe.
In trampoline, I practice bouncing higher so that I can get comfortable with increased heights. This eventually helps my body feel safe to do my tricks from higher bounces.
In this example, by holding a bar heavier than I can move, I give my nervous system exposure to feeling the heavier weight. Over time and practice, the nervous system will adapt to the load.
The increased stimulus helps my normal “heavy” range feel lighter, which helps me build confidence in my current heavy lifts.
Strengthen Foundations
In addition, holding the bar in the front rack position is a way to practice the first part of the movement of a front squat or an overhead press.
Before I can squat 135 pounds, my nervous system must feel safe holding that weight. I must be able to find my balance standing with the bar.
This drill has applications beyond the gym.
To Expand Your Capacity, Deconstruct Your Process
Any movement is a process that can be broken down into component parts.
When you’re familiar with a movement, you take for granted all the steps involved in it. For example, when you walk, you don’t think about finding your balance first; you just stand up and start walking. But if you watch a child who is learning to walk, you’ll notice that they steady themselves first; they need to find their balance.
When you first learn to drive, you focus on a list of individual steps: fasten your seatbelt, check your mirrors, press on the brake, start the ignition.
Eventually, the individual components of a process become unconscious. They merge into one action.
When we’re trying to learn a new skill, improve our technique in a skill, or expand our capacity in that skill, it helps to break down the skill into its component parts.
By working on each element independently, you can acclimate to heavier loads and establish a stronger foundation that will support your ability to handle more.
Where Do You Want to Expand Capacity?
You can do this with any process.
If you want to improve your content production, focus on ideation: challenge yourself to come up with 5–10 ideas per day. The point isn’t to turn them all into content. Simply build the capacity to generate ideas without worrying about viability.
Before I started publishing a blog, I had a daily practice of writing without worrying about publishing. I still come back to this sometimes to get out of my head about the end result.
If you want to improve your sales skills, increase your prospecting activities and the number of conversations you have. Even if you’re not focused on closing the sale, you’ll gain experience that helps you feel less afraid of the process.
Focus on Your First Step
By acclimating your nervous system to the first step of a process, you will build strength that helps you on your journey to improve your eventual results.
Think of any process you want to improve:
What’s the smallest increment you can practice?
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