Lifting heavy is fun. It is literally my favorite thing to do. It’s what I teach people to do for a living. But within the greater realm of strength training, there are certain exercises that I simply don’t have people perform with heavy weights anymore. Whether it’s a skewed risk-to-reward ratio or the biomechanical nature …
When you’re new to lifting, making progress is simple. Start light, practice good form, and add a little bit of weight to the bar each time you train. Rinse and repeat. If you’re consistent, you can use this approach to milk your “newbie gains” for a LONG time. How long? It’s different for everyone, but …
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. …
Online coaching has been both a blessing and a curse for the fitness industry. On the plus side, it’s given lifters unprecedented access to fantastic coaches all over the world that they wouldn’t have been able to hire even just a few years ago. On the other hand, it’s made an already low-barrier-for-entry industry even …
Managing a strength training program is like steering a ship on the stormy sea. You may have a general idea of where you’re going, but sometimes the waves are wild, the wind is whipping and you get blown off course. The goal if for the coach and lifter to collaborate and make the best possible …
Supplementary exercises are movements that closely resemble the competition squat, bench press and deadlift, but with small changes that aim to target technical and/or muscular weak points. Examples include pause squats, close grip bench press, deficit deadlifts, etc. All these movements are 1-2 degrees separated from the main lifts, but are ultimately close relatives. We …
If you’re a regular visitor to this site, you know that I put out a ton of free training content. But did you know I also send out even MORE free stuff to my mailing list subscribers? And if you’re a subscriber, I’ve got something extra special for you. I’ve got a brand-new 12-part Level …
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 …
Beware the coach who relies on methods and not principles. A coach who relies on methods and not principles will change their entire approach each time a shiny new object appears. It could be a piece of equipment, something an influential lifter said or did, or a seminar they attended. On Monday morning, their entire …
When a powerlifter is successful, who should get the credit? The lifter, because they did all the work and lifted the weight? The coach, because they wrote the program and taught the lifter what to do? Clearly the credit is shared between the two sides, especially if the coach and lifter have established a trusting …
Collaborative Decision Making between Coaches and Lifters Read More »
