I just did something very very fun at the gym; I attempted to do a micro squat of 540 pounds. And, it was a pretty transformative experience.

First of all, one transformative thought and life lesson:

If you attempt to lift a very very very very very heavyweight, something you have not attempted before, you should not record yourself.

Why is this? Because it will rob you of your focus. With danger requires focus. This is why I imagine that Indy or Formula One race car drivers probably don’t listen to music or podcasts when they are extreme racing. Because when it is a life or death matter, or when it is a very very dangerous matter, your supreme focus is key. Therefore, when I attempted this 540 pound squat, which is about 3.3x my body weight, no distractions. No music, no podcast, no headphones, no AirPods. No straps, no knee wraps, no wrist drafts, no belt, etc. All I used was some chalk, to chalk up my hands, and chalk up the bar. And I did it in a “back squat” form using a thumbless (“suicide”) grip.

So how did it go? Very well! This is how I would explain it:

First of all, today I felt in supreme health and vigor. I limited my coffee and caffeine intake before 11 AM, and in the evening, I eat all you can eat shabu shabu. Therefore, I slept very well.

Also, when going to the gym, I actually successfully deadlifted 540 pounds, about two or three days ago.

When going to the gym, I spend a lot of time warming up, stretching, doing dynamic exercises, etc. And then when it came to the squat, this was my progression:

1. First, just squatting the bar, ass to grass.
2. Then, adding a 25 kg plate to each side. The red one. Then squatting it ass to grass.
3. Then adding another 25 kg plate to each side, then squatting it ass to grass.
4. Then adding another 25kg plate to each side, then just doing a mini squat
5. Big break … and hype up.

The big kahuna

Then how did I finally do the big kahuna? This is how I would describe it:

First, I spend a really really long time trying to focus and hype myself up. This meant … walking around, staring into the distance, going to the bathroom several times, etc.

Then finally, when I felt like I was ready and maximally focused and hyped, I chalked up my hands (again) and slapped myself on the chest and thighs (HAKKA MAORI STYLE), then went to the bar.

Once at the bar, I grabbed the bar, and stared into it, and into the distance. I waited patiently for my energy to focus, and my mind to go blank. Then I started yelling really loud (power grunts, hype up words) and did some Ronnie Coleman quotes (“Lightweight baby, ain’t nothing but a peanut!”) And in my mind, I had the vision of the Farnese Hercules and his epic thighs in my mind.

Then, I yelled “KILL! POWER!!!” and attacked the bar, with my back squat form, then lifted the weight, walked back a few steps (felt the very heavy weight on my shoulders) and proceeded to do a micro-squat.

When I successfully was able to micro squat it (just a little downwards), then the fun part:

Walking it back to the bar, to re-rack it.

Squat as a weight bearing, and re-racking exercise?

Then, the fun part– walking back to re-rack it.

This is where things get interesting– because I thought:

Cool, I did a micro squat … now what?

Then the goal became to slowly, steadily, walk back towards the rack, and re-rack it.

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Slow and steady does it

Slow and steady is the best technique.

The thing I have never felt before was as I was walking, I could feel the weight (barbell) bouncing around, because the weight is so heavy (the barbell was bending; remember the Hugh Jackman Quote– ‘If it ain’t bendin, you pretendin’)

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I steadily walked back, confidently, but also knowing that if I took one wrong step or got distracted, I actually might not be able to successfully re-rack the weight. Here a small feeling of danger gave me additional focus.

Then, I re-racked the left side (carefully), and then felt the really really heavy weight on the right side (my wrist), but was also able to successfully re-rack the right side.

Mission accomplished.

The thing I never felt before like that– my wrists feeling that sore. So instead of being ‘greedy’ (I already did something insanely epic for myself) and instead of doing another floor bench press, or heavy dumbbell press, to not further bear any weight on my wrists, and to just go home.

And this was a good idea. Now as I’m typing this, my wrists feel great and fine!

So now what?