Sophisticated Savagery

[Jay Nera]

Animals, my name is Jay Nera. I’m a sponsored Animal athlete and a top ranked powerlifter in the 220 lb weight class. I’m known for my intensity under the bar, tight technique, and philosophical rants. It’s a great privilege to be a part of Animal. I look forward to answering any questions you guys throw at me so ask away.

[Universal Rep]

How does ur readin of philosophy impact the way ya lift?

[Jay Nera]

How does ur readin of philosophy impact the way ya lift?

That is a very good, important, yet broad question since philosophy impacts every single way we interact with the world. In powerlifting, it can change many things...for one, it can define how we set our goals and measure our progress. For example, we can be subjective or objective in measuring progress.

Subjective- I moved X amount of weight faster or better than every before.
Objective- I moved X amount of weight which I have never moved before or for more reps than ever before.

I used to solely be an objective lifter focused on making objective gains. Injuries have forced me to slow down on aggressively searching for PR's day in and day out and I have learned to take a more subjective approach to training in the off-season. As I start peaking for a competition my training will become objective as ultimately in powerlifting your TOTAL is objective. Examples of each are Sam Byrd''s subjective approach to squatting CAT and Dan Green's objective approach to hitting Pr's. Both clearly work.

There are hundreds of other aspects...perhaps this will be a good article for me to post in the future.

[Animal]

That is a very good, important, yet broad question since philosophy impacts every single way we interact with the world. In powerlifting, it can change many things...for one, it can define how we set our goals and measure our progress. For example, we can be subjective or objective in measuring progress.

Subjective- I moved X amount of weight faster or better than every before.
Objective- I moved X amount of weight which I have never moved before or for more reps than ever before.

I used to solely be an objective lifter focused on making objective gains. Injuries have forced me to slow down on aggressively searching for PR's day in and day out and I have learned to take a more subjective approach to training in the off-season. As I start peaking for a competition my training will become objective as ultimately in powerlifting your TOTAL is objective. Examples of each are Sam Byrd''s subjective approach to squatting CAT and Dan Green's objective approach to hitting Pr's. Both clearly work.

There are hundreds of other aspects...perhaps this will be a good article for me to post in the future.

Interesting. Do you have a favorite philosopher or school of thought you subscribe to?

[Jay Nera]

Interesting. Do you have a favorite philosopher or school of thought you subscribe to?

Aristotle set the metaphysical framework down. I consider myself an Objectivist in the truest sense of the term. This is different than a Randist. My favourite philosophers, in no particular order are Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff, Stefan Molyneux, Nozick, Rothbard, Von Mises, to name a few (the last two are more considered to be economists). But in general, if the philosopher follows an aristotelian metaphysical approach I will be likely to agree with some things. If the philosopher has a platonian or a kantian approach..i will likely not even want to discuss/read anything unless the purpose is to understand and build my toolbox.

[Universal Rep]

That is a very good, important, yet broad question since philosophy impacts every single way we interact with the world. In powerlifting, it can change many things...for one, it can define how we set our goals and measure our progress. For example, we can be subjective or objective in measuring progress.

Subjective- I moved X amount of weight faster or better than every before.
Objective- I moved X amount of weight which I have never moved before or for more reps than ever before.

I used to solely be an objective lifter focused on making objective gains. Injuries have forced me to slow down on aggressively searching for PR's day in and day out and I have learned to take a more subjective approach to training in the off-season. As I start peaking for a competition my training will become objective as ultimately in powerlifting your TOTAL is objective. Examples of each are Sam Byrd''s subjective approach to squatting CAT and Dan Green's objective approach to hitting Pr's. Both clearly work.

There are hundreds of other aspects...perhaps this will be a good article for me to post in the future.

Thnx for the answer brotha. I understand ur trying to break BOSS' 220 record in Feb without wraps. Hows that goin?

[Jay Nera]

Thnx for the answer brotha. I understand ur trying to break BOSS' 220 record in Feb without wraps. Hows that goin?

Well, the leg injuries I have been dealing with for the past year and a bit have finally faded. I think if my training cycle goes as planned, surpassing that 2030 total is definitely in the cards. I have to consider that if Dan competes in the 220's at RUM he will be surpassing that number as well...and he is proudly aiming 'unreasonably' high. His unreasonably high is reasonable for him...if that makes sense. So my main focus is on simply putting together the best total I think I can achieve and I'll take it from there.

[AWARD]

Animals, my name is Jay Nera. I’m a sponsored Animal athlete and a top ranked powerlifter in the 220 lb weight class. I’m known for my intensity under the bar, tight technique, and philosophical rants. It’s a great privilege to be a part of Animal. I look forward to answering any questions you guys throw at me so ask away.

You forgot to mention you're Canadian, we gotta represent. I read on your blog that you had some injuries holding you back. I had some problems with my sciatic nerve a couple months ago and mentally it was extremely tough to back off and not pull for a while. How did you deal with injuries mentally when you had yours? Glad that they're healed so you can compete

[youngblood]

Hey Jay,

Youve got a very muscularture figure and seem to be fairly lean as well, what does a normal everyday diet look like for you? Do you stick to the same sort of meals day in day out? Do you ever relax from your diet and just eat/drink what you want? Would love to know your thoughts on diet and how someone should eat for maximum performance in the sport of powerlifting.

Cheers

[youngblood]

Hey Jay,

Youve got a very muscularture figure and seem to be fairly lean as well, what does a normal everyday diet look like for you? Do you stick to the same sort of meals day in day out? Do you ever relax from your diet and just eat/drink what you want? Would love to know your thoughts on diet and how someone should eat for maximum performance in the sport of powerlifting.

Cheers

Also would love to know your stance on an athlete hiring a successful coach for programming or doing their own programming to learn what works for them etc.

[Jay Nera]

You forgot to mention you're Canadian, we gotta represent. I read on your blog that you had some injuries holding you back. I had some problems with my sciatic nerve a couple months ago and mentally it was extremely tough to back off and not pull for a while. How did you deal with injuries mentally when you had yours? Glad that they're healed so you can compete

Where in Canada you from?
Man, learning to back off is the hardest thing for me. I've learned to do it well with regards to my squat but now I'm dealing with it with my forearm which has gotten to the point of not being able to hang from the pull up bar or make a strong fist. Mentally, it's tough,especially squatting because I feel that had I never hit those injuries I'd be squatting close to 800 by now...but at the same time its constantly wanting to squat more and more that caused the injuries so... I think mentally the best thing is not to get too far ahead of yourself and maintain integrity with your short-term goals while never losing sight of the long term ones. Sometimes you just have to accept that it may take 1 more meet to hit your goal or else it'll take many more meets to heal...this is something I say out of experience from Clash for Cash going into last RUM.... I should have competed in NEITHER. Both times I went into them not squatting for a month because of injuries... its fun and wild because you are attempting PR's with on pure aggression...but in the end...it's idiotic.
I hope you have the confidence I lacked to back off. The fun part is once you back off and try different exercises you get to set mini goals and mini prs etc....

[Robbatista]

Jay,

Do you do any prehab / rehab or injury prevention work on a regular basis? I'm 44 and have thankfully been injury free and want to keep it that way. I try to get therapeutic massage as often as possible to break up scar tissue but that's about it.

[AWARD]

Where in Canada you from?
Man, learning to back off is the hardest thing for me. I've learned to do it well with regards to my squat but now I'm dealing with it with my forearm which has gotten to the point of not being able to hang from the pull up bar or make a strong fist. Mentally, it's tough,especially squatting because I feel that had I never hit those injuries I'd be squatting close to 800 by now...but at the same time its constantly wanting to squat more and more that caused the injuries so... I think mentally the best thing is not to get too far ahead of yourself and maintain integrity with your short-term goals while never losing sight of the long term ones. Sometimes you just have to accept that it may take 1 more meet to hit your goal or else it'll take many more meets to heal...this is something I say out of experience from Clash for Cash going into last RUM.... I should have competed in NEITHER. Both times I went into them not squatting for a month because of injuries... its fun and wild because you are attempting PR's with on pure aggression...but in the end...it's idiotic.
I hope you have the confidence I lacked to back off. The fun part is once you back off and try different exercises you get to set mini goals and mini prs etc....

Great advice man, I'm from Toronto. We're also in need of a kick ass gym in the east end. I'll definitely take your advice, setting mini goals on other things helps a bunch. Thanks dude

[Jay Nera]

Hey Jay,

Youve got a very muscularture figure and seem to be fairly lean as well, what does a normal everyday diet look like for you? Do you stick to the same sort of meals day in day out? Do you ever relax from your diet and just eat/drink what you want? Would love to know your thoughts on diet and how someone should eat for maximum performance in the sport of powerlifting.

Cheers

Hey man,
Yeah, I am a pretty light 220 considering that i normally walk around at between 226-228 and guys like Sam Byrd and Dan Green walk around well above 240 and sometimes dabble in the 250's. This is something that I am actually modifying for my next meet. I am trying to gain weight right now.
For the past 3 years I have been eating a low/moderate carb intake (100-150g carbs a day) paleo-ish style of nutrition. All of my meals are almost always based off of animal meats, eggs, or fish(rarely). ANd then I throw in veggies. I don't say I'm paleo because I still take a lot of supplements. I use a lot of protein powders and branch chain amines like crazy. When I feel like it i'll eat the bread on burgers(i love burgers, double or triple burgers to be exact)...you can't really go to too many burger places in Ottawa where they don't know me as that guy who orders stacked up burgers. I also, eat a lot of cheese. Almost everyday in the evening I have some pressed cottage cheese and I also like to cook with butter.
I would moderate my carbs based off of my body weight, how I feel, and how my strength is feeling....
But now I am trying to gain some weight so what I have been doing is shooting for 300-400g of carbs a day(primarily post workout)...

[Jay Nera]

Also would love to know your stance on an athlete hiring a successful coach for programming or doing their own programming to learn what works for them etc.[/QUOTE]

I personally have never had a coach for programming. My entire athletic career has been self-coaching. This is unfortunate for me because I feel my athletic potential would have been expressed much earlier in life and the ceiling on my abilities much higher....for example... I didn't learn how to squat properly until I was 22. In Canada, if you are not playing hockey, most high school dont do jack for you.
I look at guys like my training partner who has a powerlifting age of 7 yrs and he's 23 versus me with a powerlifting age of 4 and Im 31.... his potential is crazy!! ie...Eric Lillibridge.

So given that I think I could have gained greatly in the past from having a coach. Do I think I would hire one now? I'm not sure. I dont think anyone would care about my training more than me so I'd have a hard time giving up the reigns on my PL career. But i would definitely seek help and advice. I think that the most important thing for people to grasp is the CONCEPTS behind different coaches programs, strategies, philosophies etc... sometimes I see some people dabbling in and out of methods and not understanding the concepts behind them. FOr example, how many people do 5-3-1 without the accessory work and then complain when they don't get results... or How many crossfitters out there are crossfitting and doing Smolov cycles...its idiotic...they might as well be running marathons too.

I think that the most important thing for people to understand is that there is not one program or method or whatever that will make them strong. It's an entire process that has to be embraced. It is important to realize that everyone is at a different area on their diminishing returns curves, at different plateaus, has different weaknesses to address etc.... so getting to know yourself as a puzzle is very important.

This doesn't go for weightlifting. But for powerlifting, one thing I have noticed in the raw world is that a lot of the guys moving huge numbers do their own things....and I bet if we could talk to each and everyone one of them for only 30 minutes we'd each learn something new or at least gain a new perspective.

[Jay Nera]

Jay,

Do you do any prehab / rehab or injury prevention work on a regular basis? I'm 44 and have thankfully been injury free and want to keep it that way. I try to get therapeutic massage as often as possible to break up scar tissue but that's about it.

Rob,
I do the AGILE 8 religiously and stretch my hip flexors out like crazy. On upper body days i go over the agile 8 smashing out any pain spots and on lower body days I do it fast and aggressively as part of my warm up.
The lacross ball is huge to use on the back, glutes and chest for me.

I have a lot of mobility issues, ie I cannot wash my back without a loofa on a stick, and this cannot be good for long term health.

I should be doing a lot more work. for example my front rack position is horrific so I should be trying to regain this. There is no doubt that improving T-spine mobility and shoulder mobility can improve the lifts.

[Chivalry]

That is a very good, important, yet broad question since philosophy impacts every single way we interact with the world. In powerlifting, it can change many things...for one, it can define how we set our goals and measure our progress. For example, we can be subjective or objective in measuring progress.

Hey Jay. Welcome to the Animal family.
It's pretty cool to see someone else who is interested in philosophy and even incorporates it into their life and lifting even. I've always had a very fond place for it.

Now, onto a question.

I widened my stance, just a little, in squatting several months back and now I've been having a pain in the upper part of my calf whenever I go down to parallel or below that's been affecting my depth/power out of the bottom. I have went back to feet just a little outside of shoulder width, but the pain is still there.
Do you happen to have any knowledge on what this might be or how I might help work that out?

I appreciate it man.

[Jay Nera]

Hey Jay. Welcome to the Animal family.
It's pretty cool to see someone else who is interested in philosophy and even incorporates it into their life and lifting even. I've always had a very fond place for it.

Now, onto a question.

I widened my stance, just a little, in squatting several months back and now I've been having a pain in the upper part of my calf whenever I go down to parallel or below that's been affecting my depth/power out of the bottom. I have went back to feet just a little outside of shoulder width, but the pain is still there.
Do you happen to have any knowledge on what this might be or how I might help work that out?

I appreciate it man.

I wish I could answer that question with absolute certainty but I cannot. Your calves could have been tight and widening of the stance shifts the lift from a more quad dominant to a more posterior chain dominant lift. Right around 90 your hamstrings are really stretched out and if your calves are very tight it could be pulling on them hard(specifically your gastronemius). I would try really rolling out your gastros and your hammies and also stretching them(not too vigorously and not at the same time). A good one to try is putting an oly bar on the safety pins of a squat rack at about hip level or below, place your calve on it and roll up and down that bar.....
I hope that these things help out but i have little experience with this pain. Of course its always a good idea to seek an expert in this field which is what I would do if the problem persists.

[Chivalry]

Thanks for the advice, Jay. I'll definitely give that stretch/rolling out a try and see if that'll help out with it.

[Universal Rep]

Can ya briefly summarize ur take on CAT?