APAD: Pushing the envelope

Meaning:

Pushing any type of boundary.

 

Background:

This phrase comes from the aeronautical industry where the envelope refers to

the safe performance limits of an aircraft - the envelope is the collection of

curves that describe the maximum performance of an aircraft.

 

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To improve, one has to push the envelop. But there is a catch.

 

In deadlift, for example, one does not train to failure by shooting for a

personal record every day or even every week.

 

Just show up and lift with good form the amount of weight and

the number of reps, exactly as planned. Trust the process and keep the

discipline. The gains come quietly and one would enjoy their training and is

unlikely to get injured.

 

One pushes the envelop but takes care not to break it, and keeps on pushing.