Based on Feel

What does it mean to train based on feel? Coach tells you to perform your snatches “based on feel” for the day. The intended stimulus is to start light and build to a “moderately heavy” double. What does that even mean? What is light and what is classifies as moderately heavy? Well here are some loose definitions of “feel” based off your one rep max:

Light = below 70%

Moderate = 70-80%

Moderately Heavy = 80-90%

Heavy = over 90%

Well, what if I don’t know my one rep max? Then that percentage is equal to your own perceived effort! From a training perspective, you should be aware of how hard you are pushing everyday? Do you know what that means and feels like to push the threshold of your limits? If on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being easy and 10 being just short of impossible, are you working out at a 9 or 10 everyday? That scale will change day to day based on your nutrition, recovery, stress, and sleep. Some days, you need to know how to train based on feel. It’s extremely important to recognize that there will be days where your “7” is going to feel like a 9 or 10. You need to know your threshold and the point at which it’s crossed. You should start to try to get in tune with what is light, moderate, or heavy for each of your lifts. The same should be known for your aerobic capacity in MetCons and conditioning pieces! Due to the nature of intensity of our training, it is important to listen to your body and sometimes work based on feel over hard set percentages sometimes!