Perception of strength

MagdaSea

I'm wondering if anyone else has encountered this. Sometimes I'll see a workout or an exercise and think 'wow, there's no way I can do that.' I'll try it out anyway and either barely be able to do it or not at all. But the ladies that I see doing the same exercise don't appear to be that fit. So I'll attempt it a few more times and all of a sudden, I can do it with ease. It makes me think that there are some moves out there which the body, although while strong enough, initially doesn't understand. And it doesn't help that your mind is telling you that you can't do it.

Example? Piston squats.

Dalker

Pull ups. I didn't dare attempt these, then I did, and now I can do a few and improving. I think a lot of bodyweight exercises look hard because there no easy option. Like not everyone can squat twice their bodyweight, but there's always a level you can go to from unweighted up to whatever level of weight you can manage.

Pistol squats look super hard, I've never tried them and I very much doubt I could do one, well done.

spicegeek

I was cheerfully working with 16kg kettle bell for 10 reps each arm snatch sets - 15 reps if I was pushing - for 3 sets when I got recruited onto a competition team - 3 weeks later I completed 136 reps no break in an event - it is about technique rather than strength in many cases

LifterDave

. But the ladies that I see doing the same exercise don't appear to be that fit.
Example? Piston squats.

This is your first mistake is observing others and just assuming you are more fit so should be able to do the same as them when in reality, unless they are well known to you, you have no earthly idea what their level of fitness may be.

Remember this, especially if you are into strength training, no matter how they appear to you, your max effort may just be that "unfit" persons warm up.

astronomicals

GHR... opposite.... looks simple and is freaking hard... i cant even do one glut ham raise.

Showcase_Brodown

I think partly was is going on is that when you do a new movement, you are going to have some neural adaptation that will help use your muscles more efficiently. You have to train your body to do a movement. So your body may not "understand" like you explain, but it will adapt as you teach it the new movement. The neurological component to training is a pretty big deal. It's going to be responsible for quite a few of your strength gains when you begin something new.

And also, you can be capable of a lot without actually looking that strong. Size and strength are not quite the same thing. Bodybuilders train to get big (higher reps), and power lifters train to get strong (lower reps). And certain people are just built with all the right dimensions and leverages to favor a certain movement.

MagdaSea

I think partly was is going on is that when you do a new movement, you are going to have some neural adaptation that will help use your muscles more efficiently. You have to train your body to do a movement. So your body may not "understand" like you explain, but it will adapt as you teach it the new movement. The neurological component to training is a pretty big deal. It's going to be responsible for quite a few of your strength gains when you begin something new.

And also, you can be capable of a lot without actually looking that strong. Size and strength are not quite the same thing. Bodybuilders train to get big (higher reps), and power lifters train to get strong (lower reps). And certain people are just built with all the right dimensions and leverages to favor a certain movement.

Right, this is what I suspected so it's nice to have it confirmed. There's nothing more discouraging than working your butt off and then not being able to do a workout which doesn't appear to require that much strength.

I think a lot of bodyweight exercises look hard because there no easy option. Like not everyone can squat twice their bodyweight, but there's always a level you can go to from unweighted up to whatever level of weight you can manage.

That's a really good point as well. There are some workouts which you either do or don't and there's not much you can try to worm up to them. As far as saying the ladies didn't look that fit I just meant that the exercise looked like it would require more muscle and sometimes the chick doing them just look like sticks.