Mark Bell's Power Project Rolling the Dice in Training: When to Push, When to Pump the Brakes
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Jan 17, 2026 This conversation dives into the intricacies of training wisely. Mark reveals why sometimes less is more, discussing the balance between pushing limits and avoiding injury. He emphasizes the nervous system's role in strength and cautions against the risks of novel movements. By sharing stories of elite athletes, he highlights optimal training weights and the importance of smart recovery. With insights on mental training, intuitive decision-making, and creative ways to chase progress, it’s a guide to sustainable athletic growth.
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Strength Is Largely Electrical
- Strength is driven by the nervous system as much as by muscles, so training impacts electrical signals, not just tissues.
- Being precise with volume and intensity matters more than randomly "rolling the dice" in sessions.
Back Off On Novel Movements
- When a movement or modality is new, back off significantly and treat it as practice rather than max effort.
- Use low-risk sessions to learn limits until your intuition about that movement becomes reliable.
Donnie Thompson's Turning Point
- Donnie Thompson told Mark, “Just because you can doesn't mean you should,” which changed his approach to max effort work.
- Mark learned to prefer stimulation over annihilation during heavy training sessions.
