Thrilled & Ecstatic
In 2011, while training for football season, was the first time I ever squatted 405lbs. I remember it so well because of the energy in that moment- it was unlike any other. My friends and teammates were gathered all around the squat rack to cheer me on. Everyone was screaming, “Come on Jonas! You got this!” I felt a boost of strength from all of the encouragement. I put the weight on my back, got set, went down. I remember the struggle pushing up- maybe even stopping on the way up. But everyone yelled and screamed louder as I pushed through and celebrated when I finished. That memory will live with me forever but the motivation wouldn’t.
Back In My Day
Fast forward to the beginning of 2014- I had just finished my initial Army training and got stationed at my new duty station. For PT (Physical Training) one morning, we went to the gym and I decided I would do some squats for the first time in about three years. I started with a quick warm up and a few sets to regain some confidence. I wanted to see if I still had it, so I put on 315lbs and thought to myself, I can do this easy, I’ve done 405lbs before! I got set with the bar on my back, went down, came uppp… snap, crackle, POP! I pushed through and put the weight back on the rack. I stood there for a moment, trying to regain my breath, but I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. I was thinking, Nope, nope, nope… I’m done, as I put the weights back. I didn’t care about anything else at that point. I just got up and walked out. I was 19 years old the first time I threw my back out.
Redemption
It took me another two years before I tried squatting again. When I began to work out seriously in 2016, I promised myself I would go easy and work my way up. That is exactly what I did. I didn’t start going heavy until the beginning of this year. I made it a goal for myself to get back to 405lbs. And man, it’s been a struggle. I battled some knee problems for awhile but my biggest challenge was finding the right form. At one point, I began to plateau. I knew I was strong enough to push a lot of weight but after every leg session, my knees would ache. I could go past 90 degrees on every rep but that didn’t necessarily mean my technique was good. I was prioritizing power over technique but I was determined to reach my goal. I began researching and practicing every week. Bar position, feet position, hip movement, depth, breathing… It took a lot of time but I finally found my form. I can go low with a lot of weight and have no knee or back pain afterwards. I met my goal. Now, it’s time to surpass it.
This is what I would like for you to take from my story:
- When working towards any goal- no obstacle should overcome your will to succeed. Do whatever it takes to meet your goal. Research and practice. Most importantly, have patience.
- Technique > Power. You will never reach your full potential if you do not understand the proper way to do something.
- Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Especially in the gym. Many times, people will attempt to lift more than they are able to. Start small and work your way up.
- Just because you did something years ago, does not mean you can do it now. Once you stop training for a long period of time, you begin to lose what you gained.
- When life starts weighing you down- fight back. You can either allow the struggles of life to cripple you or you can stand up and let it make you stronger.
- Most of the time, people will not be around to cheer you on and celebrate your accomplishments. Many will not care and others will wish for you to quit. Either way, take pride in your victories- no matter how small.
And lastly,
Never stop growing and investing in yourself!
-Jonas Cardona