Do PR’s really matter?
Everyone is ALWAYS posting on social media about their new “PR’s” (personal records A.K.A PB/Personal Best).
But do your PR’s really matter?
Well of course they do… to a certain extent. Hear me out.
If all you care about is getting a new PR in your workouts, it’s likely you’re neglecting other parts of training that is essential to having an overall strong, healthy physic.
For example, if you’re so locked into doing more weight on a squat, deadlift, or bench, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers and disregard the form and accessory muscles. Same applies for calisthenics. If you’re attempting skills like trying to hold a front lever for longer and all you do is attempts, you’re neglecting the progressions and not giving your body a chance to recover or build a better foundation for the movement. This will likely lead to overuse of certain muscles and possibly even injury which is the last thing we want.
So don’t get TOO caught up in your PR’s. Is it good to set a goal? Absolutely, and this is why PR’s can be great. Tracking how far you’ve come while staying hungry for more and having something to work towards is key. This is what can hold you accountable and keep you on track. However, don’t make this EVERYTHING. It’s not. It’s a good goal but at the end of the day it’s the process getting there that matters.
You want to make sure you’re training safe and effectively in order to hit that new PR. This means doing the proper progressions with good form that may help you get better at the movement. You may have to take a few steps back to take a big leap forward.
This also means listening to your body. You’re not always going to be able to just shoot for that PR. Some days your body will tell you “no”. It’s your job to realize when your body is more fatigued than usual. These are the days where it’s a good opportunity to work on fundamentals that may help get you closer to your goals.
Moral of this post, don’t get so caught up in the numbers. They’re just numbers. The way you feel every day is far more important than an ego boost because of a number. At the end of the day, most people don’t care anyway. Of course it’s good for you to care to keep track of progress, but it’s just one metric to work towards. Being a healthy, energetic individual daily is far more important and THAT is the true reason we workout in the first place.
You Got This!
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