Don't Chase Load. Chase Tension.

Make light weights feel heavy.

You're not weak because the weight is light.
You're weak because you can't make it feel heavy.

Strength isn't about numbers. It's about control.
And control begins with tension.

We Count the Wrong Things

“How heavy should I lift?”
I hear it all the time.

I always ask back:
“How much tension can you generate?”

A lighter bell, moved with full-body intent, beats a heavier one swung carelessly.

Photo by Sam Sabourin on Unsplash

We chase load and reps because they're easy to measure.
But your nervous system doesn't calculate - it senses.

Tension triggers adaptation.
Not work for the sake of it-but work that speaks the body's language.

I've Been That Guy

I chased numbers.
Hammered through brutal CrossFit WODs - 30 dips, 30 wall balls (amongst other things) round after round.

I ignored form. I raced to finish.
Wore my soreness like a trophy.
Kept grinding through mental fatigue.

But my nervous system buckled.
And it hit back.

Tightness. Injuries. Zero progress.
And a slow realisation:
This wasn't strength. It was self-inflicted damage.

Tension Isn't Maxed Out. It's Dialed In.

Oddly, I didn't learn tension during a heavy lift.
I found it in kettlebell swings.

Photo by Taco Fleur on Unsplash

Swings don't demand full tension.
They ask for the right amount - around 40%.
Rhythmic. Sharp. Snappy.
Tense. Relax. Tense. Relax. Tense. Relax.

That was harder to master.

It only clicked when I compared it to how I run-elastic, alive, responsive.
That's when I felt it.

The One-Inch Lesson

Bruce Lee could knock a man back with a one-inch punch.
Not because of size.
Because of precision.

He compressed total-body tension into a split-second strike.
Every muscle synced. Every breath intentional.
Skill, not strain. Control, not chaos.

That's what I teach now.
You don't need a bigger bell.
You need sharper intent. More ownership per rep.

Skill Has No Shortcuts

The hardstyle plank exposes you.
I've seen students hold it for 30 seconds, calm and still.

They weren't planking.
They were posing.

Pavel nails it when he says a hardstyle plank is tougher for experienced lifters.

Why?
Because they can summon more tension-and it drains you faster.

The more skilled you are, the better you do.
And better is not more.

The Progress You Can't Brag About

As I improved my ability to generate tension, the same weights felt heavier.
It confused me.

I was getting better - but had nothing to show for it.
No PRs. No flashy numbers.

Just deeper control.
Stronger connection.
And a quiet trust in the process.

But It Transformed Everything

Now I move with ease.
Recover faster.
Train without aches.

My students benefit too - especially those with limited equipment.
They don't need more tools.
They need better tools inside their own bodies.

Every Rep, a Signal

Each rep now teaches me something.
Each one carries more weight-without weighing me down.

When it's time to lift heavy?
I'm ready. My body locks in. Breath, tension, form-all align.

This is no longer about grinding through more.
It's about expressing mastery.

The Takeaway

Don't chase load.

Chase intent.

Chase the tension that turns 12kg into 24.

Because when you can make light weights feel heavy - you’ve levelled up.