Powerlifting

Technique Tuesday: How Deep Should You Squat? Part 4

Powerlifting, Technique Tuesdays / By

In the final installment of our How Deep Should You Squat? series of Technique Tuesday, I recruited fellow Cressey Sports Performance coach Miguel Aragoncillo to discuss his go-to assessments for evaluating an athlete’s ability to squat. Keep in mind, squatting requirements for powerlifters and athletes are drastically different. Powerlifters MUST squat in competition. Athletes don’t …

Technique Tuesday: How Deep Should You Squat? Part 4 Read More »

how deep should you squat

Technique Tuesday: How Deep Should You Squat? Part 2

Powerlifting, Technique Tuesdays / By

In part 1 of this multi-part series that answers the question, “How deep should you squat?” I discussed how your training goals will influence how deep you need to squat. This week’s Technique Tuesday dives further into the physical limitations that will determine how deep you can or should squat. Spoiler alert: good coaching is ALWAYS …

Technique Tuesday: How Deep Should You Squat? Part 2 Read More »

Technique Tuesday: 3 Common Deadlift Countermovement Mistakes

Powerlifting, Technique Tuesdays / By

The deadlift countermovement is an advanced lifting technique that can dramatically improve your speed off the floor and help you lift more weight. However, I see a lot of lifters making mistakes with their countermovement that actually hurt their deadlift form. In this week’s Technique Tuesday, I cover three common deadlift countermovement mistakes, WHY you’re …

Technique Tuesday: 3 Common Deadlift Countermovement Mistakes Read More »

Powerlifting Meet Recap: Elite Total at 2015 Gate City Gauntlet

Powerlifting, Training Log / By

Last Saturday, I earned my first elite powerlifting total by totaling 1500 to win the 198 open amateur raw modern division (in knee sleeves) at the 2015 RPS Gate City Gauntlet in Nashua, New Hampshire. I went 9-for-9 and squatted 540, bench pressed 385 and deadlifted 575. All lifts were all-time PRs and the total …

Powerlifting Meet Recap: Elite Total at 2015 Gate City Gauntlet Read More »

Technique Tuesday – Deadlift Setup: Top Down vs. Bottoms Up

Powerlifting, Technique Tuesdays / By

I’ve struggled with the deadlift for years, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned that’s helped me and my clients improve our deadlifts, it’s this: the deadlift succeeds or fails during the setup. There are plenty of ways to set up for the deadlift, but I group them into two approaches: top down and bottoms …

Technique Tuesday – Deadlift Setup: Top Down vs. Bottoms Up Read More »

Are These 6 Mental Crutches Hurting Your Lifting Performance?

Lists, Powerlifting, Rants / By

“Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.” -Yogi Berra Preparing athletes for the physical side of sports pays my bills, but for those athletes, it’s often the mental side of sports that makes the difference between success and failure. When it comes to fitness, your mental approach matters just as much as …

Are These 6 Mental Crutches Hurting Your Lifting Performance? Read More »

Technique Tuesday – 2 Quick Drills to Dial in Your Squat Technique

Powerlifting, Technique Tuesdays / By

Powerlifting is a journey. That’s probably a bit too profound of a statement, but becoming a better lifter takes time. Lots and lots of time and practice. But when I’m coaching clients and athletes, we don’t always have the luxury of taking tons of time to break apart a lifter’s technique. Sometimes I need to …

Technique Tuesday – 2 Quick Drills to Dial in Your Squat Technique Read More »