Unlock Your Gym Progress: The Power of Indicator Lifts
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” Bruce Lee
That’s right folks! I’m kicking off this blog with a Bruce Lee quote. It can only go down from here I know, but when Brendan Wang mentioned it in our recent chat… I couldn’t resist using it. I mean it’s Bruce Lee!
But in all seriousness, Bruce’s wisdom does actually apply to what we are going to be discussing. For we are talking all things Indicator Lifts. You know, the one or two lifts you need to do all this time. The time-honoured GOAT. The old school way. The grind. And if you don’t know what they are… well you better buckle up because Zap Fitness PT Brendan Wang and I are going break it down for your, right now.
According to Brendan, “Indicator Lifts are one of the best ways to measure your strength gains over a whole training period in order to monitor and assess your progress. In my opinion, the very best lifts to measure this are the Deadlift and the Back Squat. Secondary to that, the leg press is a good compound movement for beginners.”
As an experienced PT, Brendan certainly understands the value of getting results. A proven competitor himself in the Power Lifting world, Brendan has also racked up quite the collection of first place winners from within the Body Building arena. “I like to get people strong while keeping them light.” explains Brendan.
Despite having such a stellar reputation working with the professional athletes, Brendan admits that the strategy stays the same with any of his clients, “The way an advanced lifter builds muscle is the same as any beginner. Naturally there are tweaks to that person’s individual movement and of course the weights are different. But just like men and women are different, they can still train the same way and achieve amazing results.”
So how do we work Indicator Lifts into our training? According to Brendan, “I recommend seeing a trainer who understands strength and movement programming. If it were one of my clients, I would first assess their movement and figure what they can do well and what needs to be improved. My program would aim to be 12 weeks and include goals of adding numbers to their Deadlift and Squat.”
Segue… did you know that for every 40kgs added to a lift equates to around 5kgs of lean muscle mass on your body… mic drop! Yep, Brendan dropped that little knowledge bomb during our chat.
Back to it, and one must ask…why the Deadlift? Why the Back Squat? Brendan doesn’t hesitate in explaining that above all others, the deadlift (followed by the squat) are the finest compound movements the body can perform. “By far the deadlift is the most effective movement that is responsible for all over muscle recruitment, therefore making it the perfect indicator of strength and strength gain over time.”
In other words, get your deadlift and squat sorted and you will always have a proven record of your training progress.
Are you looking to lift your strength gains? Why not check in with Brendan at Zap Fitness Surrey Hills.
— Prue Houston
Contact Brendan Wang at Zap Fitness Surrey Hills
Phone: 0413 460 671
Instagram: thequadfatherbw
Facebook: Brendan Wan