Hercules at the Crossroads

During a visit last Saturday to the Smithsonian National Gallery of Art (I am lucky to live so close to the National Mall), I viewed for the first time Albrecht Durer’s enigmatic engraving, “Hercules at the Crossroads.”  In Durer’s 1498 piece (and in the story told by the Greek writer Xenophon), a youthful Hercules is forced to decide between the paths of Virtue and Pleasure.  As might be expected, the path of Virtue was a narrow pass marred by large stones and thorns, while the path of Pleasure was both wide and straight.  Legend claims that Hercules ultimately chose the more difficult path of Virtue, a decision that rewarded him with both glory and recognition for his amazing deeds.

The story of Hercules at the Crossroads is symbolic of the struggles we all face in daily life, weightlifter or “average Joe,” alike.  For athletes in the sport of weightlifting, the path of Virtue is littered with heavy squats and attempts at 90 percent or more while the path of Pleasure consists of “light days,” long rests, and needless accessory work.  Regardless of external factors (friends, family, coaches, etc.), each athlete must make their own decision, for he or she will stand alone at the time of competition.

Much like Hercules before them, champions (of all walks of life) understand that struggle precedes greatness.  As such, we are left with one question – when faced with the choice of two paths, did you choose Virtue or Pleasure?

Asking for Help: A Sign of Strength, Not Weakness

Even the lone wolf hunts in a pack.

"Lone wolf" weightlifters often encounter several problems their club-training peers do not, the biggest being a lack of technical feedback on their lifts. Without a qualified coach around, you simply cannot learn what you are doing wrong; after all, self-diagnosis is only so helpful.  I, myself, suffered far too long on certain plateaus solely because I did not fix the underlying technical problems. Fortunately my situation changed a few months ago when a young woman started training alongside me at the ungodly 6 a.m. hour. She immediately corrected my shoulder position in both the snatch and clean, bringing them farther over the bar; solidified my budding understanding of the double knee bend (thanks Shane) and the power position; and adjusted my squat stance, allowing me to take better advantage of my 6'3" frame. This experience has given me a new appreciation for high-quality training partners and a positive "work" environment. In our chalky corner of the gym, we watch one another's lifts; provide feedback when appropriate; and cheer for all new PRs, regardless of weight on the bar. Given the panoply of recent PRs, something is starting to take root.

 

Lesson Learned: Don't be afraid to ask a great lifter for advice (disclaimer: by "great" I mean a technically proficient lifter who demonstrates sound mechanics and exhibits proper mobility; this does not necessary include someone who just tosses up a lot of weight).