Specificity is one of the most important principles of strength training. The SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) states that, in short, you get what you train for. So if you want to get better at squatting, you’ve gotta squat. Same goes for any of the other competitive powerlifts. However, the longer I’ve trained …
Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, life has a way of cutting you down to size. That’s how I felt at last week’s IPL Drug Tested North American Championships in St. Louis. We took six lifters to this national-level meet and had a great showing, coming in second place in the …
Few things can derail a lifter’s progress and send motivation spiraling into the gutter like lower back pain. The nature of powerlifting places high amounts of stress on the spine. Even when technique is on point and weight selection is appropriate, it’s common for lifters to experience lower back fatigue, tightness and even pain. Because …
The Powerlifter’s Guide to Working Around Lower Back Pain Read More »
We can all agree that confidence is extremely important when lifting heavy weights. As the saying goes, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” When I’m coaching my powerlifters as they approach a competition, I try to do everything I can to help them build confidence. Mostly, this involves purposeful …
Who doesn’t love a good cliché? Here’s one: more isn’t better. Better is better. This certainly applies when it comes to training volume. Defined as sets multiplied by reps, volume is a gross measure of the overall work you perform during a given period of training, typically an individual training session. After intensity (weight on …
I had the pleasure of being a guest on The Strategy of Fitness podcast this week and they asked me a simple question: what are your top 3 favorite squat, bench and deadlift variations? In all the years I’ve been lifting and coaching, I don’t think I’d been asked that before. On-the-spot questions tend to …
My Top 3 Squat, Bench and Deadlift Variations to Maximize Strength Read More »
I was recently texting back and forth with an online client about his newest program. This lifter was shifting from a hypertrophy phase (focused on gaining muscle) to a strength phase (focused on increasing weight lifted in the 3-8 rep range). He raised a few concerns about losing muscle when transitioning to heavier training, which …
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. …
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 …
