Powerlifting is an evolutionary process. Not in the clichéd sense of “only the strong survive,” but rather, natural selection. The longer you lift, the more your technique will change out of necessity. You’ll get to a certain level of strength with your current approach, but as they say, what got you HERE won’t get THERE. …
The fun part about strength training is that there’s no finish line. No matter how good you get, you can always get better – whatever better means to you. Stronger, faster, more muscular, and in the case of this article, more masterful in your technique. Powerlifting isn’t like a video game where you beat the …
Here’s the bad news: I had so many problems with my squat that I could break them into a 3-part article series (read part 1 and part 2 here). Here’s the good news: I fixed most of them and want to share the knowledge I gained along the way. After years of lifting and coaching, …
How I Cured My Squat Woes (so You Can Too) – Part 3 Read More »
In part 1 of this series, I talked about how correcting my hand position helped clean up my squat technique. Next, I’ll talk about my bracing strategy and how one subtle fix completely changed how tight I could get during my squat setup. TO ARCH OR NOT TO ARCH “Arch your back” and “keep your chest …
How I Cured My Squat Woes (so You Can Too) – Part 2 Read More »
As a powerlifter, progress comes in waves. The other day, I was telling one of my clients (who’s preparing for his first powerlifting meet) that, unless you’re a true beginner, you’ll rarely see all three lifts go up steadily at the same time. That’s why powerlifting takes patience and grit – you’re never met with …
How I Cured My Squat Woes (so You Can Too) – Part 1 Read More »
If you’re reading up on the bench press, you’re bound to come across a handful of consistent recommendations. If you want to press more weight, you have to do X, Y and Z. It almost sounds like there’s a one-size-fits-all solution for a handful of problems. Not true. Just like a baseball player’s swing or a …
Nothing is more frustrating for a lifter than a stubborn sticking point. And for the bench press, that’s almost always two to three inches off the chest. You bring the bar down and press it back up, only to hit an invisible brick wall and miss the lift. Before you throw a temper tantrum or abandon …
Get It Off Your Chest: 3 Tips to Shatter Your Bench Press Sticking Point Read More »
This weekend, I finally went to see Metallica: Through the Never, the band’s new 3D movie. Metallica’s been my favorite band since I was 12 years old and I’ve been hooked ever since I first heard the main riff to “Enter Sandman”. The movie had tons of moments that gave me chills, especially right before …
Deadlift Analysis – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Read More »
