2-29-2008 Squats

2-24-2008 Squats

Squats=135 x 10, 185 x 8, 225 x 6, 245 x 6, 265 x 6, 280 x 6, 280 x 6, 280 x 6

Sandbag Shouldering Lifts= 3 lifts to each shoulder (L & R), 5 rounds

16" Box Step Ups= 140 x 5 each leg x 4 rounds

Late night getting started. Did good but could have done better if I had more time.

2-24-2008 Squats

2-24-2008 Squats

Squats=135 x 10, 185 x 8, 225 x 6, 245 x 6, 265 x 6, 295 x 6, 295 x 6, 295 x 6
Last 3 sets were alot tougher then I thought they would be. NOT FUN!!

Truck Push= 5 rounds, Push 200' each round

200lb. Sandbag Shouldering Lifts= 3 lifts to each shoulder (L & R), 4 rounds

16" Box Step Ups= 135 x 5 each leg x 4 rounds

That was ROUGH! Had a shake, a shower then went to HOOTERS. Chicken Wings BABY!!

2-23-2008 Bench Press

2-23-2008 Bench Press

Bench Press= 95 x 10, 115 x8, 135 x6, 155 x 6, 175 x6, 195 x 6, 195 x 6, 195 x6

DB Incline Bench Press=60 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 10

Seated DB + Light Band Shoulder Press= 20 x 10, 25 x10, 25 x 10, 30 x 10

DB + Light Band Lateral Raises= 20 x 10, 20 x 10, 25 x 10

DB Front Shoulder Raises= 20 x 10, 20 x 10, 25 x 10

20lb. Weighted Dips= 10 reps x 5 sets

Post-Workout Insulin Spikes

Post-Workout Insulin Spikes
By Justin Harris
For http://www.elitefts.com/

Many authorities speak of high glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates post-workout to spike insulin levels. One of the most common is 80–100 grams in the form of dextrose/maltodextrin. But what are the benefits of consuming carbohydrates post-workout to spike insulin and is this really necessary?

Insulin is often called the “most anabolic hormone in the body.” However, this is only partly true. Insulin is really mostly anabolic towards fat. Its anabolic effects on muscle come from its strong anti-catabolic effects. When insulin levels are elevated in the body, it is physiologically impossible to burn muscle for energy (on a cell to cell basis). So, by spiking insulin levels in the body, you stop muscle burning and allow the protein you eat to better be used for the synthesis of new muscle. The problem with dextrose and maltodextrin is that they have a relatively low molecular weight. This creates a low osmolality so there’s not much osmolalic pull for them to pass through the digestive tract. With an osmolality similar to blood, you essentially get an almost isotonic solution with those two products.

So, while they may spike insulin very rapidly once they enter the blood stream, they can take longer than you want to actually reach the small intestine where they can enter the blood stream. You can also notice “bloating” as water mixes with the dextrose and maltodextrin in the stomach.Personally, I take Waxy Maize (WM). It has a very high molecular weight and low osmolality, which creates an environment similar to a bowling ball through the digestive tract. The WM powers through the stomach and reaches the small intestine where the bulk of nutrient uptake occurs. Because it passes through the stomach so quickly, water doesn’t have time to pool there with the WM, and you don’t get that bloated feeling.

For a morning meal, try one cup of oats, one banana, a handful of cashews, two scoops of protein, and BCAAs (which are also very anti-catabolic). Mix in a blender for a minute or two until the oats are ground up completely. It takes about 30 seconds to drink and it shouldn’t make you bloated much at all.Essential amino acids (EAA) are important as well. They’re essential actually (hence the name).Your body can’t create these amino acids so they MUST be consumed in the diet. The problem is no American diet is likely to be short on EAA unless you’re a vegan. Meat, eggs, and most other common protein sources contain all of the EAA that your body needs. And most food combinations that don’t contain all of the EAA individually contain all of them when combined in a meal. For example, beans and rice separately don’t contain all of the EAA that you need. However, when combined in a meal, they do, which is probably why that dish came into prominence in the first place.As far as protein blends, egg whites are a very good protein in my opinion. They taste good too. I use Optimum Nutrition’s egg white chocolate. I love the taste of it. You can also try whey isolates. It has no lactose, fat, or carbs, which makes it superior to concentrate IMO. Whey hydrosylate is predigested so the amino chains are in smaller fragments. This causes a more rapid assimilation of the nutrients. I take a hydrosylate post-workout throughout the year and pre-workout and during the workout in the off-season.

As owner of Troponin Nutrition, and the reigning Jr. USA Super Heavyweight bodybuilding champion, Justin Harris has helped hundreds of athletes with individualized, sport specific diet and nutrition planning. His writing on nutrition and performance has been spotlighted in publications including Muscular Development and Ironman magazine and he has been featured on the cover of numerous others.

Justin holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Alma College and was a two-time division III all American in football. He also was 2000 Division III MVP/Player-of-the-year and was featured in Street and Smith’s as pre-season “Small College MVP.”

He recently achieved an elite total classification in the 275-pound weight class in his very first powerlifting contest. He squatted 876 pounds, bench pressed 573 pounds and deadlifted 700 pounds for a combined total of 2149 pounds.Elite Fitness Systems strives to be a recognized leader in the strength training industry by providing the highest quality strength training products and services while providing the highest level of customer service in the industry.

For the best training equipment, information, and accessories, visit us at www.EliteFTS.com.

2-22-2008 Deadlift

2-22-2008 Deadlift

Deadlift= 135 x10, 185 x 8, 225 x6, 250 x 6, 300 x 6, 320 x 6, 320 x 6, 320 x 6

Tire Flips= 10 flips x 5 sets

Kettle Bell Swings= 70 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 10

Hamstring Curls= 80 x 10 x 4

2-18-2008 Upper Body and Core Training

2-18-2008 Upper Body and Core Training

11:00am Morning Session
High Pulls=65 x 10, 95 x 10, 115 x 10, 135 x 10

Power Cleans=95 x 10, 115 x 10, 135 x 8

200lb. Bag Pulls (Left arm pulls down 30'--Right arm pulls back 30')=
4 pulls 30' each direction

DB Rows= 65 x 10, 75 x 10, 80 x 10

Lat Pull Downs=135 x 10, 155 x 10, 155 x 10

Shrugs=135 x 10, 135 x 10, 185 x 10, 185 x 10, 185 x 10

3:00pm Mid Day Session
DB Shoulder Presses=35 x 10, 40 x 10 50 x 10, 45 x 10

DB Lateral Raises= 20 x 10, 20 x 10, 20 x10

DB Bent Over Lateral Raises= 15 x 10 x 3

DB Biceps Curls=30 x 10, 35 x 10, 35 x 10, 30 x 10

20lb. Weighted Dips= 10 x 3

Pull UPs= 10 x 3

5:30pm Evening Session

Weighted Sit-Ups=25 x 10, 35 x 10, 45 x 10

KB Windmills= 30 x10 each side x 3

KB Side Bends= 30 x 25, 30 x 20, 30 x 15

Lying Leg raises= 25, 20, 15

Hyperextensions= 25, 20, 15

Rower=1500m.

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2-13-2008 Jeremy Barnett (My Dad) Posterior Chain Light Day

2-13-2008 Posterior Chain:

High Pulls=65 x 10 x 3 warm up

Hang Clean Squats= 65 x 8, 95 x 8, 145 x 6, 145 x 5, 185 x 3, 200 x 3

Sumo Deadlift=135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 5, 245 x 5, 265 x 5

Barbell Rows=145 x 10 x 3

Ring Pull Ups=10 x 3

Kettle Bell Curls=20 x 10, 30 x 10, 30 x 8, 40 x 8

Kettle Bell Hammer Curls=30 x 10 x 3

White Heavy Band Speed Curls= 10 x 5

Sit-Ups=50 x 2

Knees to Elbows=20 x 2

Hyperextensions=20 x 2

Practice Technique on Hang Snatch:
Bar Only x 10, 65 x 6, 95 x 5, 105 x 5, 115 x 3

Take a Break from Sweating and Shop til You Drop

Take a Break from Sweating & Shop 'til You Drop!

The CrossFit Store is NOW OPEN and offers over 150 products.

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CrossFit now offers:
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Tons of great CrossFit and (DB Powerlifting) logos and slogans to choose from.

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The funds from these items purchased will be utilized to purchase new CrossFit equipment and will also help to sponsor Darian Barnett (DB Powerlifting) with his competitions, gear, and travel expenses.

HURRY and get your CrossFit Gear Today and help support our CrossFit Thoroughbreds classes and Darian Barnett (DB Powerlifting).

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Thanks for your continued support,

Jeremy Barnett,CFT
CrossFit Thoroughbreds

2-10-2008 Squat and Assistance Work

2-10-2008 Squat and Assistance Work:

Squat=135 x 6, 185 x 6, 225 x5, 245 x 5, 300 x 3 (3 sec. hold top & bottom), 300 x 2 (3 sec. hold top & bottom)

Partial Rack Squats= 225 x 10, 275 x 10, 315 x 6, 365 x 6, 405 x 5, 455 x 5

Farmers Carry= 235 x 100' x 5 rounds

Chest and Accessory Exercises

2-9-08 Chest and Accessory Exercises:

Bench Press Chains= 176.5 x 6, 197.5 x 6, 207.5 x 5 x 3, 207.5 x 3 (2 sec. hold top & Bottom), 207.5 x 2 (2 sec. hold top & bottom)

DB Flat Bench Press= 80 x 5, 90 x 4, 90 x 3

BB Incl. Bench Press= 135 x 6, 155 x 6, 175 x 4, 165 x 2

Chest Fly Cables (low)= 20 x 10 x 3

Lat. Raises= 15 x 10, 20 x 10, 15 x 10

Front Raises= 15 x 10, 20 x 10, 20 x 10

Triceps Cable Press Downs= 60 x 10, 70 x 10, 60 x 10 x 3 (single pulley)

Deadlift and Accessory Exercises

2-8-08 Deadlift and Accessory Exercises:

Deadlift= 185 x 6, 225 x 6, 275 x 5, 300 x 5, 345 x 3 (3 sec. hold top), 365 x 2 (3 sec. hold top), 385 x 2 (3 sec. hold top)

Band Rack Pulls (Med. Green Bands)=
315 x 10, 365 x 6, 405 x 4, 425 x 3

KB Stiff Leg Deadlifts= 70 x 10 x 3

Single Leg Box Squats= 40 x 10 x 2 each leg

Barbell Calf Raises= 135 x 12 x 3

Jordan Dunn Squats 702 at age 16

Jordan Dunn Squats 702 at age 16

Barbie Barbell Squats 314 at the Arnold Sports Festival

Barbie Barbell Squats 314 at the Arnold Sports Festival

Back, Traps and Bi's Accessory Work

2-6-08 Back, Traps and Bi's Accessory Work

High Pulls=95 x 10, 115 x 10, 135 x 10

Power Cleans= 95 x 10, 115 x 5, 140, x 5, 165 x 3, 195 x 3, 215 x 1 (PR)

Lat Pull Downs=105 x 10, 120 x 10, 130 x 10

Seated Row= 105 x 10, 120 x 10, 130 x 10

Barbell Shrug= 145 x10, 195 x 10, 215 x 10, 215 x 10, 215 x 10, 215 x 10

Kettlebell Hammer Curls= 20 x 10, 30 x 10, 30 x 10

Barbell Curls= 70 x 10, 70 x 10, 70 x 10

Plate Pinch Grips= 25 lb plate x 60 sec. (hold L & R), 25 lb plate x 60 sec. (hold L & R)

The Road To THe 1000 lb Barrier

Andy Bolton Training

The Road to the Thousand Pound Barrier

Those of you who know your Greek mythology may remember the story of Atlas, God of lifting and all other heavy burdens, who was sentenced by Zeus to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders for all eternity. This legend has become the universal symbolization of strength and is depicted in various images throughout the world, including the official logo of the Worlds Strongest Man Contest. However, what many of you may not know about is the follow up stunt that Atlas tried to pull on Hercules by tricking him into "temporarily" taking over while he popped off to acquire the Golden Apples from the Hespiredes for him, -thereby fulfilling one of Hercules 12 labors. Without a history lesson, let's just say things didn't go quite to plan for poor (dumb) Atlas; upon his return, using the old "itchy back trick", Hercules soon had him holding the baby again. Unfortunately for Atlas, it would be at least another 3000 years before help was at hand, or November 4th 2006 AB (After Bolton) to be exact, -the date that Andy Bolton would deadlift over 1000lbs and transcend mere mortality to join the Gods! For sure, after the most gargantuan demonstration of back strength in history, Andy could tackle the favor with the same degree of difficulty one would experience holding a friend's beer while he visits the restroom.

Before I launch into the how and the why, I believe it's imperative to take on board the significance and magnitude of this historic feat. Since the late great Dan Wohleber became the first man to pull 900 in 1982 (it actually weighed out at 904lbs), there has seldom been more than one man on the planet capable of matching that weight in any one year. Some years would produce a real dealifting drought, with no chance of any such ponderous weight to be seen anywhere on the horizon. In fact, nearly four years would pass before Doyle Kenady would match this awesome number. Then, five years later, Ed Coan would be beamed to us from another planet and pull 902 at 220lbs bodyweight, -the first sign that we were not alone! A few other Super heavies notched up the numbers here and there, some under questionable circumstances, others through legitimate strength. When Andy Bolton first showed up on the international scene, his rawness would often leave him having to deadlift tactically in order to chase gold. But right from the get go, it was glaringly obvious that this guy had almost incalculable back strength. When the creases were ironed out, the records just kept falling; he would pull over 900lbs an astonishing fifteen times before he historically crashed that 1000lb barrier, -a line that most experts in the field predicted would not even be approached let alone crossed! But these "prophets of power" should not be mocked, like me, they've also been fortunate enough to know, work with and meet some of the strongest men that have ever lived. We all realize that the significance of this huge milestone is actually even harder to swallow when we review the list of awesome athletes that didn't quite reach (officially) the magic 900lbs. Consider Bill Kazmaier, O.D. Wilson or Gerritt Badenhorst, three incredibly powerful athletes that came within a whisker of the 900 mark. All three were accomplished winners and world record holders in powerlifting and international strongman competition (Kaz is a three-time winner of WSM). They were balanced all-rounders with no weak lifts or gimmicks, whatever they accomplished, they did so for one reason only; they were incredibly strong. I knew these guys well, witnessing many of their feats of strength, I can tell you that their overall strength was far more impressive than most members of "The 900lb club". But to think that some day a guy would come along and out lift them by over 100lbs in this the purest of lifts is almost inconceivable.

This view is shared by many of Andy's peers and strength statisticians the world over. Legendary strength coach Louie Simmons was on hand at the meet where history was made, on completion of the lift, he turned to me and said "I was there when Don Cundy pulled the first 800 deadlift. I was there when Danny Wohleber pulled the first official 900. He (Andy) just broke the 1000lb barrier and it's been an honor to be here to witness it". The great Eddy Coan, an icon who has become a good friend to Andy, phoned him the night before the meet to wish him all the best and foretell the obvious. His words always carry a lot of weight with Andy. On hearing the result, Eddy dropped me an e-mail which said the following. "I have seen Andy Bolton lift on a number of occasions. When Andy says," Load the weight on the bar", he will do it. The 1,003lb deadlift was a done deal before he even walked onto the platform. The man knows what he can do. He does not make promises he cannot keep. The moment he started the lift, you just knew he would get that lift. I have never seen an explosion of power off the floor like this Great Lifter exhibited that day." Awesome words from The Don.

Bolton; the Man

Originally hailing from Dewsbury, England, Andy (36) now lives and trains out of Leeds, -a few miles down the road, but still within the county of Yorkshire. This northern county is famous for producing great powerlifters and strength athletes, including former Worlds Strongest Man Jamie Reeves, a former training partner from whom Andy learned a great deal in the early days. With a successful background as a junior sprinter, but a predisposition to rapid growth, he became an ideal candidate for the bone-crunching sport of rugby league, which he went on to play at quite a high level. The required strength training would result in Andy being firmly bitten by the iron bug, a familiar story. In 1991, at age 21, he made the switch to powerlifting, pulling 330kg (727.5lbs) in his first meet. In 1992, he would give the ultimate demonstration that, when all else is even (diet, training, etc), great athletes are born and not made, when he pulled a staggering gym lift of 904lbs! Unfortunately, even with age on his side, employing traditional strength training methodology would often result in his best lifts being left in the gym. However, by the end of 1992, while still a junior, he would still pull an official 858lbs for a 275lb class senior World Record! In 1993, after only two years of competitive lifting, he won the WPC World Powerlifting Championships, in France. At this point, Andy hung up his belt and turned to strongman competition, lured by the greater exposure and financial promise of a game that was on the rise. Traditionally, great powerlifters had always done well in this game, Kaz, Jon Pall Sigmarsson and Magnus Ver Magnusson had won 11 WSM titles between them, -all three were world-class powerlifters. But the goal posts were moving, true strength athletes could no longer compete on an even playing field, a great traditional event was being replaced by entertainment. Like everything in entertainment, the face had to fit, favored athletes would be given inside information about the events and have access to the actual props to train on. Meanwhile, true strength athletes would be corralled into qualifying rounds which included a lot of cardiovascular events or that focused on the particular weakness of any athlete that had fallen out of favor. The format became so silly, it bordered on ludicrous, with many athletes being retired by dangerous events that included loading barrels out of water and tossing a car with no safety measures to stop the athlete being crushed if he slipped. Needless to say, Andy soon became disillusioned by the whole fiasco, after snapping a bicep tendon in a show in 1999 (the last of several injuries), he turned his back on strongman for good. Fortunately for me, I was at this show, I was in the process of scouting for our national powerlifting team and Andy, whose phenomenal record preceded him, was right at the top of my hot list. It didn't take much encouragement and in early 2000, he returned to his first love, -powerlifting competition. With his bicep tear rehabilitated and his reverse grip switched, he entered the WPC Worlds in Vegas in the (308lb) class, where pulled 407.5kg (898lbs) to take the great Gerritt Badenhorst's long-standing record. Andy has flatteringly gone on record to say that since he started working with me during his comeback, his lifting has gone from strength to strength. While I have worked with him extensively on various factors (diet, training, etc), I will still stand by my earlier statement that great athletes are born and not made.

Training philosophy

Andy's training schedule has him training just three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. This pretty much flies in the face of much of the conventional strength training protocols we are increasingly seeing being adapted from Eastern European methodology. This is not to say that science plays no part in Andy's training schedule, on the contrary, his periodized training is very much science-based. However, it's our general belief that much of the extremely high volume, multiple session programs that we hear being used by Eastern European athletes are adaptations from remnant Olympic lifting theory. This adaptation is a lot more complex than it seems, powerlifting involves a whole lot of muscle isolation, no matter how much pure power work may be involved (plyometrics, isokinetics, etc), this issue cannot be escaped. In weightlifting, you are striving for the extreme opposite, trying to get the body to work as a total unit. Ok, so why do we see so much phenomenal lifting coming from athletes that are apparently benching 2-3 times a week? The answer can be found in three things; their average age, the pre-existing training history even at that age and an overwhelming genetic pool of athletes which are easy to locate in a group of countries with such an extensive history of successful weightlifting. For example, the IPF Russian Nationals are known to take around a week to complete, giving you some idea of numbers involved and depth of quality. Much like Louie Simmons famous conjugate training, you will find much usable Olympic theory involved in Andy's approach. For most of the year, his training is comprised of a series of 6 week mesocycles, each focusing on ironing out technical errors and peaking in a variation of one or more lifts or assistance exercises, e.g. a deadlift or bench from a particular height block. Employing the supercompensation principle, they follow a pattern of four weeks heavy, one week light, with a new maximum being established in the sixth week. The exception here will be the last pre-competition mesocycle going into a meet, which will be an 8 week program. Eight weeks may not sound long, but the preceding shorter mesocycles are all structured with specific goals to form part of a much bigger macrocycle of about 6 months. Thus, there is no off-season and there is no period where he is more than 6-8 weeks from competition form.
The structure of Andy's training week is as follows:

Monday: Bench press and relevant assistance work (board presses, etc). Shoulder work, which will include some pressing up to around 8 weeks out, then heavy front and side raises. Assorted triceps work, with pressdowns forming the base.

Wednesday: Squat and deadlift, with both lifts being trained within the set percentage parameters required by each particular mesocycle. After deadlifts, very heavy leg presses and leg curls are performed for 6 sets of 8-10 reps. Heavy abdominal work concludes the workout.

Friday: This is reserved for upper back assistance work and will involve two forms of rowing, followed by one form of pulldowns. Heavy shrugs will be performed for six sets and some biceps work will wrap up the session.
I will cover Andy's precise training routines for his other lifts in a future issue, but for the time being, the question is where did that deadlift come from?

The phase that launched a thousand pounds!

The exact 8 week pre-competition mesocycle employed by Andy for the 1003lb pull is as follows. All deadlifts are pulled extremely explosively, this is the total focus of the movement.
Week 1. 70 x 5, 100 x 5, 140 x 5, 180 x 5, 200 x 5, 220 x 5, 180x3x3. No suit.
Week 2. 70 x 5, 120 x 5, 160 x 5, 200 x 5, 240 x 5, 190 x 3 x3. No suit.
Week 3. 70 x 5, 100,x 5, 140 x 5, 180 x 5, 220 x 5, 260 x 5, 200 x 3 x3. No suit.
Week 4. 70 x 5, 120 x 5, 160 x 5, 200 x 5, 240 x 3, 280 x 3, 210 x 3 x3. No suit.
Week 5. 70 x 5, 100 x 5, 140 x 5, 180 x 5, 220 x 5, 260 x 3, 300 x 3, 220 x 3 x 3. No suit.
Week 6. 70 x 5, 100 x 5, 140 x 5, 180 x 5, 220 x 3, 260 x 3, 290 x 3, 320 x 3. Suit down.
Week 7. 70 x 3, 120 x 3, 160 x 3, 200 x 3, 240 x 3, 270 x 3, 300 x 3, 340 x 3. Suit on, straps up.
Week 8. Competition. Bear in mind, Andy pulls on a Wednesday, but usually competes on a Saturday or Sunday. Thus, this equates to 10-11 days rest.
In his build up to this meet, he would follow up his squat/deadlift training with heavy leg presses (600kg x 10's) and leg curls.
His Friday upper back workout this time round comprised of the following:
Hammer Strength single arm rows, 5 sets, working up to 200kg each arm x 10. Low cable rows, 4-5 sets, 300lb x 10. Pulldowns, 4-5 sets of 10, 140kg (weight stack). Shrugs, 5-6 sets of 10, done very strict up to 380kg. Finally, ab work, including very heavy side bends, crunches and leg raises would be done.

In his preceding mesocycle, Andy worked up to 410kg x 3 and 362.5 x 8 in the partial deadlift (off a 4 inch block) with no straps.

Many will be surprised at the low percentages Andy actually works with in the deadlift, but he feels that this is central to his success. With optimum genetics for the lift, squatting over 900lbs in the same workout and working on explosiveness have kept him relatively injury free and still allowed room for progressive improvement. Talking about injuries, Andy suffered an IT band problem in this build up and had to hold right back on his squatting. He was understandably cautious here, he'd previously torn the quad during his strongman days. He feels that the lift would have been easier had this not been the case, the fact that he pulled 972 after a 1124lb squat at the Arnold indicates he was probably correct.

Diet

Andy is extremely conscientious about his diet, in much the same way as a competitive bodybuilder. He will consume around 2.5g/kg of protein, which for him equates to 400 grams per day, 50% of this coming from supplements (ProPeptide). A similar figure is reached in carbs, primarily low-glycemic. Around 20% of his calorific intake comes from fats, he consumes a high amount of omega 3's. For the last few months, he has been using 4.5-6g/day of beta-alanine (ProteinSLAM!, CNP Professional), scientifically proven to redress systemic acidosis, this product dramatically reduced muscle soreness and improved his recovery.

The future; where will the madness end?

Perhaps the most exciting thing about Andy is that he still appears to be on an upward curve. He is extremely "coachable" and always positive, performing at his best under pressure. He is that rare mix of genetic freakiness and limitless enthusiasm. However, breaking the 1000lb barrier really did take its toll on his mind and body for the first time. Never had he trained so obsessively for a lift, he was concerned by the fact that he had temporarily lost sight of everything else in his life, including his wife, Stacy, and beautiful baby daughter, Madison, - the most important people in his life. He will stop when his body tells him it's had enough. But for the mean time, his very realistic goals are winning the Arnold, squatting over 1200lbs, pulling even heavier and owning the total record by pushing it past the 3000lb mark!

Andy would like to thank the following people for their help and support in helping him achieve this momentous feat. Stacy and Madison, his friend and training partner, Dave "Bulldog" Beattie, John Inzer, Kerry Kayes, Phil Connolly and James Ernster (CNP Professional Ltd), Bill Crawford, Louie Simmons, Ed Coan and Jeff Everson.

Benefits of Olympic Weightlifting

Benefits of Olympic Weightlifting

You are probably wondering what makes Olympic Weightlifting a better choice for resistance training than others forms. Weightlifting offers many benefits over bodybuilding, powerlifting, and machines. However, the main reason people do not participate in weightlifting is because they are afraid of getting injury, however this is a false assumption that is easily discredited.

Safety and Injury Aspect of WeightliftingVarious studies were done showing Olympic weightlifting to be the safest form of resistance training there is. One study assessed the injury potential and safety aspects of weightlifting movements and Olympic weightlifting proved to be the safest (Stone, Injury). Another aspect that keeps many people away from weightlifting is the supposed fatal injury to the back. Again this is a false assumption spread through ignorance. A study was done comparing weightlifting to a control group of normal active men and their back pain was assessed. It turns out that only 23% of the weightlifters experienced back pain compared to 31% of the normal active men (Granhed). Another study was performed concerning the injury per 100 hours and yes again weightlifting faired better than other forms of resistance training. In fact, for weightlifters the injury rate was less than half of the other forms of weight training (Hamill). Weightlifting training and competitions together are much safer than other sports such as football, basketball, soccer, etc (Stone, Muscle). It is clear to see that Olympic weightlifting is an extremely safe form of resistance training and sport for people to participant in.

Body Composition EffectsAnother benefit of weightlifting is the amount of muscles used in the lifts. The Olympic lifts involve basically every muscle in the human body and this entails a great workout. Olympic weightlifting also forces stabilizer muscles to activate to secure the weight overhead in the lifts. For a recreational lifter Olympic weightlifting will cut down on the exercise time, allowing them to get done in 45 minutes to 1 hour what they used to do in "traditional splits" for 1.5 hours or more! In an 8 week Olympic weightlifting program study, participants lowered their resting heart rate by 8%, lean body weight increased by 4%, fat dropped 6%, and systolic blood pressure decreased by 4% (Stone, Cardiovascular). Not only is Olympic weightlifting safe it is a great way to stay in shape too!

Athletic AbilityAnother important benefit of Olympic weightlifting is it teaches the body to fire all the muscle fibers at once; to explode in a sense (not literally). An 8 week study was done showing the capability of the Olympic lifts to improve sport performance and vertical jump ability. A study was performed and a group of lifters did various Olympic lifts (High pulls, Power Clean, and Clean and Jerk), and were compared to a group using vertical jump exercises (Single and Double Leg Hurdles Hops, Alternated Single-leg Hurdle Hops, etc) and after the 8 weeks of training the Olympic weightlifting group had significantly increased their 10 meter sprint speed and their standing jump over the control group using standard vertical jump exercises (Tricoli). Similarly a 15 week study was also performed using football players and compared a powerlifting program to an Olympic weightlifting program for athletic performance. After the 15 week study was over the Olympic weightlifting group had a significant improvement in the vertical jump and 40 meter sprint over the powerlifting group (Hoffman JR). Clearly there are athletic benefits that come from incorporating weightlifting into a sport training program and similarly Olympic weightlifters are also known for developing great athletic ability.

Effect on Bone Mineral DensityOlympic weightlifting can also help prevent osteoporosis. To put it simply the greater the bone mineral density (BMD) the less chance of osteoporosis occurring. Bone mineral density measures the mineral density, such as calcium, in the bones. Calcium is also constantly being added and removed from bones and when it is removed faster than it is added then the bones become weaker and are more susceptible to fractures. Remember a solid dense bone is much better than one that looks like a honey comb! A study involving elite junior Olympic weightlifters compared their BMD, at the lower back and the neck of the femur, to an exact age group and an age group ranging from 20-39 year old men. The elite junior Olympic weightlifters BMD were found to be significantly greater then the age matched group and greater than the 20-39 year old men (Conroy). It is suggested that the high overloads of stress from Olympic weightlifting have a major influence on BMD. Again Olympic weightlifting has the ability to develop strong healthy bones that are resistant to fractures.

Enjoyment FactorOne aspect of Olympic weightlifting that people enjoy is the lifts themselves. People enjoy the feeling of the barbell being weightless as they drop underneath it or they enjoy the speed that it takes to complete the lift or maybe they just enjoy mastering a technical skill. For most people there is a larger sense of satisfaction that comes from successfully hitting a personal best in the snatch or clean and jerk than finally getting those 19 inch arms or something along those lines.

These are just some of the benefits a person can come to expect from participating in Olympic weightlifting throughout their life. Hopefully, this also cleared up the ignorance on the safety and injury aspect of Olympic weightlifting. Participating in Olympic weightlifting is a fun and enjoyable experience that everyone should get to know.

Olympic Weightlifting Resource





References:





Conroy, Bp, Wj Kraemer, Cm Maresh, Sj Fleck, Mh Stone, Ac Fry, Pd Miller, and Gp Dalsky. "Bone Mineral Density in Elite Junior Olympic Weightlifters." (1993): 1103-1109. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 25 (1993).
Granhed, H. et al. Low back pain among retired wrestlers and heavyweight lifters. The American Journal of Sports Medicine,16(5):530-533. 1988.
Hamill, B. Relative Safety of Weightlifting and Weight Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 8(1):53-57. 1994
Hoffman, Jr, J Cooper, M Wendell, and J Kang. "Comparison of Olympic Vs. Traditional Power Lifting Training Programs in Football Players." 18 (2004): 129-135. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 18 (2004).
Stone, M. H., A. C. Fry, M. Ritchie, L. Stoessel-Ross, and J. L. Marsit. Injury potential and safety aspects of weightlifting movements. Strength and Conditioning. June: 15-21. 1994.
Stone, M.H., et al. Cardiovascular Responses to Short-Term Olympic Style Weight-Training in Young Men. Can. J. Appl. Sport Sci. 8(3): 134-9.
Stone, M.H. Muscle conditioning and muscle injuries. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 22(4):457-462. 1990.
Tricoli, V, L Lamas, R Carnevale, and C Ugrinowitsch. "Short-Term Effects on Lower-Body Functional Power Development: Weightlifting Vs. Vertical Jump Training Programs." 19 (2005): 433-437. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 19 (2005).

Squating--To Be Explosive, Train Explosive

Squatting –To Be Explosive, Train Explosive

By Kenny Croxdale, BA, CSCS and Tom Morris MS, CSCS

Any questions about this article can be emailed to: KennyCrox@aol.com
Reprinted with the permission of the author and Mike Lambert - Powerlifting USA Magazine - 2005.

Powerlifting USA subscriptions are $31.95 a year for 12 issues - Call 1-800-448-7693 to order.

Squatting - To Be Explosive Training Explosively — In any field of endeavor, you want to use the right tool when completing a task. The best choice is a hammer and not a screwdriver when driving a nail into the wall. The same thing applies to training. You want to use the right training tool to invoke the desired results. Powerlifters should consider the tool of plyometric training to improve their power, which, in turn, will improve their 1RM.

To fully appreciate the value of plyometric training in the development of power, one must understand what power is and why it is important to powerlifters. As discussed in a previous article (Croxdale & Morris, 2002), power can be defined as force multiplied by distance divided by time. Since force is sometimes referred to as strength and distance divided by time is the same as speed, power, for the purpose of this article, can be defined as follows:
Power = Strength x Speed

Since strength and speed are components of power, increasing one while neglecting the other limits total power development. Unfortunately, many resistance trained athletes focus on strength because they are familiar with this traditional and well-established mode of training. Because strength and speed have a multiplicative impact on power, athletes can make greater gains if they develop both components. For example, if an arbitrary strength score for an athlete was 2, and the athlete's arbitrary speed score also was 2, the hypothetical power rating would be: 2 x 2 = 4
Doubling strength without altering speed would double power: 4 x 2 = 8
If the same athlete made only a 50 percent gain in strength and an equal gain in speed, the power rating would be: 3 x 3 = 9 (Brittenham, 1997)

All powerlifters understand what strength is. Strength is the ability to generate the maximal amount of force against an external resistance. The amount of time it takes to exert a maximal force in a strength movement like the squat is greater than one second; in contrast, "movement time during explosive activities is typically less than 300ms" (Robberds, 2001). Due to the time it takes to generate, apply and fully complete a maximal effort against a heavy object, typical strength movements are not considered speed movements. Research indicates that a heavy squat, even when performed in an explosive manner "is an insufficient stimulus for improvements in muscle power..." (McBride et. al., 2002).

The gap between one's maximum power (developed in milliseconds) and maximum strength (developed in a second or longer) is the Explosive Strength Deficit (ESD). "ESD shows the percentage of an athlete's strength potential that was not used in a given attempt." (Zatsiorsky, 1995). Think of the Explosive Strength Deficit as a car race. Both cars have top speeds of 100 mph (1RM). In a quarter mile race, car A is able to reach 65 mph (65% of 1RM). Car B is only able to reach 55 mph (55% of 1RM). Car A is able to generate more power than car B. Therefore, Car A's deficit is 35 % (100-65=35). Car B's deficit is 45% (100-55=45). Consequently, 35% of car A's potential was not used compared to 45% of car B's. The smaller the gap in one's Explosive Strength Deficit percentage, the greater one's explosive power.

The strength part of the power equation is where powerlifters excel. However, the majority of powerlifters lack speed. To close the Explosive Strength Deficit percentage gap, powerlifters need to implement more speed training...specifically plyometrics.

Plyometric exercises are characterized by a powerful, explosive muscular contraction in response to a prior, immediate, rapid dynamic loading of the involved muscles. Rapid loading of the muscles using either ones body weight and/or light load causes that muscle to undergo an aggressive stretch. In order to protect the stretched muscle from injury, that stretched muscle undergoes a reflexive contraction. This stretch reflex causes a proportional contraction of the stretched muscle thereby eliciting a more powerful contraction of that muscle compared to any contraction it could have generated had it not been previously stretched. It is the goal of plyometric exercise to utilize this stretch reflex in order to cause an even more powerful, explosive movement of the muscle...a form of sprint-assisted training.

Sprint assisted training involves overloading a muscle to cause a training effect by forcing the muscle to contract more powerfully than it would normally be capable of without the prior stretch. This pre-stretching produces a sling shot reaction. One has more firepower out of the hole, greater starting-strength.

As with all components of strength, the foundation of one strength level is built on another. "Starting strength is the underlying mechanism crucial for the display of acceleration-strength." (Siff and Verkhoshansky, 1998). "The higher the level to which starting-strength is developed, the faster acceleration-strength can be realized." (Verkhoshansky, 1977). In other words, the faster one moves from one part of the strength curve to the next, the faster one reaches the finish line or in this case locks the weight out. One might consider starting-strength as first gear on a car and acceleration-strength as second gear.

In order to generate a hypercontraction of the muscle, one must convert the eccentric movement of the loaded muscle to a concentric contraction as soon as possible. The time between the eccentric movement and the concentric contraction is referred to as the amortization phase. By decreasing the amortization phase, a more powerful, explosive movement is generated.

The amount of time spent in the amortization phase is the determining factor in a movement being plyometric or not. Research by Wilson et. al. (1990) examined different delay times in the bench press and showed that the benefits of prior stretch may endure for as long as 4 seconds, at which point it is suggested that all stored elastic energy is lost. This could lead one to believe that there is full retention of a stretch reflex if the amortization phase is 4 seconds or less. However, the stretch reflex begins to dissolve immediately. Even a short pause will negate the stretch reflex. Additional research indicates that "delays as short as .02 seconds are sufficient to dissipate the benefits of prior stretch", with up to 50% of the stretch reflex being lost in one second. (Siff and Verkhoshansky, 1998). Therefore, it can be concluded that the longer the pause, the less powerful the contraction. To put it simply, the longer it sits, the heavier it gets.
Plyometric training has the added benefit of allowing explosive power to be generated throughout the entire range of motion of a movement. Traditional barbell and dumbbell training actually causes one to actively decelerate the load during the later portion of the movement. The National Strength and Conditioning Association (2002) indicates that "performing speed repetitions as fast as possible with light weights (e.g., 30-44% of 1RM) in exercises in which the bar is held on to and must be decelerated at the end of the joint's range of motion (e.g., squat) to protect the joint does not produce power or speed training but rather teaches the body how to decelerate, or slow down. If the load can be released into the air (i.e., the bar can be let go at the end of the range of motion, making it ballistic), the negative effects are eliminated."

With this information in hand, the various method of developing squatting speed will be explored with the ultimate goal of increasing ones 1RM. The order in which the following methods are presented are from "easiest' to "hardest". The authors suggest that the athlete work his/her way sequentially from #1 to #5 over the course of their squat training program (based on Chu's periodization of plyometric training (1992)). This will allow the lifter to establish a base of plyometric conditioning and then progress up through the more difficult activities while minimizing the chance of injury and maximizing power. The following exercises are of a highly intense nature and extreme caution should be taken when performing them.

1) Barbell Quarter Jump Squats: Barbell Jump squats involve performing a quarter squat where the individual aggressively explodes up during the concentric phase of the lift. The powerful extension of the hips and knees should propel the lifter into the air as if they were performing a vertical jump. Upon landing one needs to stop the downward movement as quickly as possible. Then explode back into the air. Initially, the lifter should perform the exercise without weight just utilizing their body weight. As ones tolerance improves, external weight may be added. When performing non-resisted jump squats, the authors suggest using an aggressive arm swing as a form of sprint assisted training (over-speed training) to more fully exploit power output.

2) Barbell Non-Impact Plyometric (Siff and Verkhoshansky, 1998) Jump Squats: Same as the Barbell Quarter Jump Squats. However, instead of executing a quarter squat, one performs a powerlifting squat to parallel or just below. The lifter slowly lowers him/herself down to within two to four inches of the parallel. The lifter then quickly drops the last two to four inches, rebounding out of the hole and forcefully exploding up into the air.

3) Barbell Sub-Maximum Impact Plyometric (Siff and Verkhoshansky, 1998) Jump Box Squats: Same as the Barbell Non-Impact Plyometric Jumps Squats. Only the lifter slowly lowers him/herself to a box. Then the lifter executes a "touch and go" off the box and explodes up into the air. Contact time on the box must be kept to a minimum between the eccentric braking and concentric acceleration, the amortization phase. The shorter the amortization phase (transition between eccentric to concentric), the more power generated. This is a "touch and go" movement. The height of the box for powerlifters should be where the legs are parallel with the ground.
While performing a touch and go off the box increases power, it also amplifies the loading on the spine. Thus, EXTREME CAUTION should be taken with this exercise. Lifters concerned with the loads placed on the spine should eliminate Barbell Sub-Maximum Impact Jump Box Squats from their program.

4) Load Release Jumps (Siff and Verkhoshansky, 1998): Load release jumps are similar to jump squats. One can execute this from a quarter squat or parallel squat position, depending on the area in which one needs to build explosive force. Two of the methods that can be utilized are dumbbell release jumps squats and barbell jump squats with weight releasers attached to the bar.

Dumbbell release jumps squats involve a very sturdy, well built bench or box and a dumbbell. Place the bench or box in front of you. You will be jumping up on it. Get a dumbbell and hold it in front of you. Quickly drop into a squat. As you drop into a squat, the dumbbell will end up between your legs. Just prior to exploding up onto the bench, release the dumbbell. Wearing a weight vest can provide additional loading to this movement.
The second form of load release jumps is barbell jump squats with weight releasers. Weight Releasers are attached to the barbell. The weight releasers can be set to fall off the bar at a selected height, thus a load release effect is achieved. Once the load is released, the lifter explodes into the air in essence performing a vertical jump.

5) Depth Jumps: Depth jumps involve stepping off boxes of various heights and upon landing on the floor with both legs simultaneously, exploding vertically into he air...again aggressively using the arms the added power. "The average heights for depth jumps are 0.75-0.8 meters (27-30 inches). Athletes over 220 pounds should use heights of 0.5-0.75 meters (18-27 inches)." (Dassie, 1999).

If one wishes to add external weight, the recommended plyometric jump squat training percentages are 10-40% of 1RM of the squat (Lamont & Stone, 2001). Within this training range, 30% of 1RM of the squat has been indicated to be the most productive plyometric training percentage to increase force and power (Kaneko, et. al., 1983). Performing jump squats with 10-40% of ones squat 1RM is a potentially dangerous activity especially considering the load absorbed by the spine upon landing from the jump.

Sets and reps for these exercises should be the same as with strength training, 5-10 sets of 1-5 reps. Rest periods of one to three minutes between sets. The rest periods need to be long enough so that one is able exert maximal force in each of the movements. These power movements are performed first in any training program when one is fresh and can exert the most amount of force. Explosive training sessions should be performed once or twice a week.

Examples:
Barbell Quarter Jump Squats. Based on 500 lb quarter squat, no wraps or lifting suite. The top set of 150 lbs being 30% of
500 lbs, 1 RM.
45 lbs X 5
75 lbs X 5
100 lbs X 3
125 lbs X 3
150 lbs X 3

Barbell Non-Impact Plyometric Jump Squats and Barbell Sub-Maximum Impact Plyometric Jump Box Squats. Based on a 500 lb powerlifting squat, no wraps or lifting suit. The top set of 175 is 35% of 500 lbs, 1RM.
75 lbs X 5 reps
100 lbs X 5 reps
125 lbs X 3 reps
150 lbs X 3 reps
175 lbs X 3 reps

Dumbbell Load Release Jumps. Loads of up to 20% of 1RM or less usually work best. The top set of 100 lbs is 20% of a 500 squat, 1RM.
20 lbs X 3
40 lbs X 3
60 lbs X 3
80 lbs X 3
100 lbs X 3

Barbell Load Release Jumps Squats. The same percentages of 10-40% will apply to this exercise as it does to Barbell Jumps Squats. The total load of the barbell and weight releasers should not exceed 40% of 1RM with 30% of 1RM being the most effective. Thus, the total weight of the bar with weight releasers attached would be 150 lbs (30% of 1RM) for someone who is able to squat 500 lbs.

Here are some sample programs. Note that in all of these examples the total poundage with the weight releases is 150 lbs, 30% of 1RM.

50 lbs barbell X 5 sets of 1 rep with 100 lbs on the weight releasers
75 lbs barbell X 5 sets of 1 rep with 75 lbs on the weight releasers
100 lbs barbell X 5 sets of 1 rep with 50 lbs on the weight releasers
Depth Jumps. The distance one drops provided the loading in this movement. By varying the distance one will vary the load, impact force. 5-10 sets of 1-5 reps with the recommended box height.

The focus of these exercises is on speed. The movement must be explosive. One must generate enough power so that one's feet leave the ground. If not, then the load needs to be reduced. The goal is to be as explosive as one can with as much weight as one can use.

Since speed is not typically considered an important component of a strength program, the majority of powerlifters ignore this facet of training. Powerlifters need to appreciate the vital part speed plays in the quest for strength. Yes, strength is the most important component of powerlifting. However, in moving a heavy object up a mountain, power is essential. Power creates the momentum needed to slide through one's sticking point, outrunning gravity. Increasing speed through plyometrics magnifies ones power and strength. In a nutshell, you lift like you train. To be explosive, train explosive.

References

Brittenham, G. [http://www.avca.org/sportsmed/smpcarticles/smpcPHYSIOplyometrics.html] Volleyball Players' Guide to Safe Plyometrics: AVCA Online, 1997
Chu, D. Jumping into Plyometrics. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers. 1992.
Croxdale, K., and T. Morris. Plyometric bench press training for more strength and power. Powerlifting USA. 25(10): 6-7. 2002
Dassie, S., Plyometric Training For Sprinters: 1999.
Kaneko, M., T. Fuchimoto, and H. Toji. Training effects of different loads on the force velocity relationship and mechanical power output in human muscle. Scandinavian Journal of Sports Science. 5:50-55, 1983
Lamont, H. and M. Stone., Explosive Exercise: 2001
McBride, J. M., T. McBride, A. Davie, and R. U. Newton. The effect of heavy-vs. light-load jump squats on the development of strength, power, and speed. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: 16(1): 75-82. 2002.
Pearson, D., A. Faigenbaum, M. Conley and W. Kraemer. The National Strength and Conditioning Association's basic guidelines for the resistance training of athletes. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 22(4): 14-27. 2000.
Robberds, C. [http://www.faccioni.com/Reviews/powerdevelopment.htm] Power Development: February 23, 2001.
Siff, M, and Verkhoshansky, Y. Supertraining. Johannesburg: University of the Witwatersand. 1998.
Verkhoshansky, Y. The Fundamentals of Special Strength Training. Moscow: Fizkulturei Spovt Publishers. 1977.
Wilson G., B. Elliot, and G. Wood. The use of elastic energy in sport. Sports Coach. 13(3):8-10. 1990.
Zatsiorsky, V. M. Science and Practice of Strength Training. Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics. 1995.

450 lb. Deadlift at 143 lbs.

My training partner Robert Fay. 450 lb. Deadlift at 143 lbs.

Shoulder & Tri Work

2-5-08 Shoulder & Tri Work

Push Press= 95 x 6, 95 x 6, 95 x 6, 135 x 5, 155 x 5, 185 x 3, 205 x 3,
220 x 1, 240 x 1 (PR)

DB Lat. Raises= 15 x 10, 20 x 10, 25 x 10

Body Weight Dips= 4 x 10

Close Grip Bench Press (2 sec. Pause at bottom)= 95 x 10, 115 x 10,
135 x 6, 155 x 5, 175 x 4 (A little rough on the last rep but I made it)

Power by Pavel Newsletter
Issue 150, 02/04/08

Congratulations to Com. Donnie Thompson, RKC on breaking the All Time Historic Total Record —by 244 pounds —with 2,850 pounds!




Breaking the All-Time Powerlifting Total

By Donnie Thompson, RKC

Andy Bolton posted 2806 lbs total in March of 2007. Prior to that, the seven-year reign belonged to Big Garry Frank of Baton Rouge. Still going backwards, it was Ed Coan, Dave Pasanella, Anthony Clark, Bill Kazmaier, and the original record holder was Don Reinhoudt of the early seventies. That is a total of seven very strong men. I wanted to be number eight. At this point in my Powerlifting career, I am 43 years old, trying to figure out how to do this without falling apart. I tried in November of 2006, posting a 2770 lbs total. I felt crippled for two months afterwards. I tried again in Cincinnati Ohio, August of 2007. I bombed severely but did not get hurt. November rolled around again and I posted a 2775 lbs total in York, Pa. I was one lift away from the record but denied by simple mishaps. Now back to Columbus Ohio exactly two months later. I missed my first two squat attempts. Got it together and hammered my last attempt to stay in the meet. The bench went better than expected. I needed a 755 lb deadlift to break the record. Done. I pulled 795 lb for my second to get a rounded number of 2850lbs. My back was completely fried. I could not attempt my 835 third deadlift. So I decided to end the day. All my lifetime dreams were realized at that moment. It sort of left me depressed. Competition is the key ingredient to my soul. That is living to me. Boy, have I lived.

The key to my achieving this huge thing was my extra workouts. My training partners leave the gym after they do their main lift. So I usually train for another two hours once they are gone. They think I am nuts anyway. The days I train are Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I do recovery work on Tuesday and Thursday. Sometimes on Saturday too. It is not uncommon for me to train seven days a week. On Tuesday I start with the kettlebell one arm bar. That leads to a circuit of band training from foot stomps for my glutes to scissors and wishbone movements on the Jump Stretch board with bands. All this is done for one-minute sets. Lastly I do 4 x 10 RDL'S. Pavel told me last year that stretching my hamstrings and glutes with just bands will not even touch the muscle. I needed to do something drastic. The RDL's were the answer. I never miss them. I go only to 275 lbs for this. A quick drop and catch is all I need to stretch those stubborn posterior chain muscles.

Thursday is upper body sled day. I do five 200 ft. walks using two green rubber bands attached to the sled strap. I do flies, rear delt sides, overhead pulls, and iron crosses. Always hook up with training fanatics to do the sled. They will be there for you in July during the 115-degree heat. My training partners are nowhere to be found on sled day. Then I perform the KB one arm bars again.

You need very strong shoulders to hold up to the rigors of professional Powerlifting. I have incorporated the double KB military press for this. I do about five sets of twelve with the 40k's. On lower body speed day, I do my dead snatch for about five sets of five. I only use the Beast for this one.





This develops tremendous speed in your hips and lower body. On lower body max effort day, I do all my swings. Alternate one arm swings, one arm swings, double KB swings using a sumo stance and double KB swings outside the legs using a close stance. All are three sets of ten. I also like banding the Beast and doing double hand swings for power. Very fun. Every other week I do the twist deadlift with the Beast for added pleasure. I did cut out swing snatches for the last six months due to the fact that I felt I just overdid the exercise. Almost four years of them. My wrist and elbow thanked me for it. That decision led to an 80 lb increase in my world record bench. The key to being the best at any age is to put your time in. DO NOT skip the little things. They are the glue that holds you together. Anyone can do the big lifts. But what happens when something in your body suddenly snaps? I do not want to experience that. I am missing a lot of competition from men stronger than me because they are on the Internet too much when they could be training and they are lazy in training. They do a heavy single and go home, forsaking their assistance work. I am hating it for them. If you do not want to be a champion, you can bet I will be right there to claim it in your absence.

I work for Progressive Sports Physical Therapy in Columbia, South Carolina. I am in a training facility all day at work. The Compound is a warehouse I converted into a training facility and my residence. I live there with my English Bulldog and love it. My point is, I will do whatever it takes to be victorious. I will outlast, outlift, and outweigh anyone in front of me. It is shear determination to reach beyond my grasp that keeps me going. Being the best at what I do is my passion! It comes before family, job, and anything else. It is not a hobby or a lofty ambition. It is an obsession. I find God in my steel jungle. Not in a wooden steeple. I pray to him before I attempt a weight that will crush me. So you see, everything you really want in life has a price to pay. Are you willing to pay it?

The future for me and Powerlifting is simple. I will compete in England this summer against some top superheavyweights, Andy Bolton, Chad Aichs, Ano Turtanian, and Vlad the impaler. Then I will conclude my career in York, PA this November. Two more meets and out. Will the 3000 lb. barrier be met? Will I best my all-time total? I can promise you one thing, not many people care what we lift! But it sure is a lot of fun!





I train young athletes aspiring to go to college to play a sport. I develop them to be ready and also some may get Division I scholarships if they are prepared properly.

There are many people I would like to thank for my success in Powerlifting. One man is Mark Blackburg. He is owner/operator of Jungle Gym in West Columbia, SC. He has been a great sponsor and friend to me since my start in powerlifting. "Cool Breeze" from Lake City, SC. He kept me fed with the best steaks in the world from his Railway restaurant. Scotty Mills, owner of PASCO Sprinkling Systems. My Mom and Dad in Chapin, SC. Dave Tate with www.ELITEFTS.com for their sponsorship. Williams Strength in Columbia, SC for being an equipment company that gets it. Pavel, for single-handedly prolonging my lifting career.

Train The Deadlift

Article by Matt Gary, CSCS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Training the Deadlift - By Matt Gary, CSCS


How many times has some curious onlooker at your gym come over to and asked, "So, how much can you lift?" My stock reply is, "I can deadlift 639 pounds." (see picture to the right).


For a powerlifter, the deadlift is the purest test of total body strength. This is true for a myriad of reasons. Firstly, the deadlift recruits and utilizes as many muscles as any other exercise. The only exercise that rivals the deadlift, in muscle recruitment, is the squat. Secondly, the deadlift is unique in that it is truly a "lift-only" exercise. To perform a deadlift, you only perform a concentric contraction (upwards or positive motion) of the required muscles. Both the squat and bench press begin with an eccentric component (lowering or negative phase) prior to the actual lifting of the weight. Thirdly, because you don’t lower the weight first, it’s difficult to build and utilize any momentum in order to complete the lift. Additionally, powerlifting gear such as belts, suits, and wraps assist the deadlift the least. The lack of assistance from the gear forces you to do the work. When you’re on the platform readying for a deadlift attempt, it’s all you. You’re all alone on an island and you’re not getting help from anyone or anything else. Consequently, the deadlift is a totally different animal and should be treated as such.

How many times have you performed a set of deadlifts only to find that the second and third reps of the set were easier than the first? In all likelihood this happens more often than not. On numerous occasions I have seen lifters perform heavy triples in training with a certain weight and then barely be able to complete their attempt at the meet with that same weight. The second and third repetitions of a set of deadlifts are almost always easier than the first because you actually lower the weight first thereby building momentum via stored elastic energy. After the second and third reps, muscle fatigue sets in and the weight usually becomes heavier to the point where form and technique break down. At that point the set should be terminated because your risk of injury increases exponentially. Even if you perform your repetitions in a "dead-stop" fashion the successive reps are still easier because of the tension you’ve built on the eccentric phase of the preceding reps.
For these reasons, the deadlift should be trained with single repetitions. As powerlifters we all want to become stronger and lift more weight. We also want to get stronger as quickly and efficiently as possible. While there are in fact multiple ways to get strong and many lifters have had success training their deadlifts with multiple rep sets, why not take the shortest route? Performing deadlifts for repetitions are perfect for bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, and other strength athletes that want to put on some muscle. The constant muscle tension those multiple repetitions provide will certainly help your muscles grow. But the last time I checked, a powerlifter’s singular goal is to lift maximum weight. If maximum weight hoisted is your quest, singles are the answer.

Performing singles doesn’t mean that you come into the gym, load the bar to your maximum poundage, pull it once, and go home. That’s ludicrous and a sure-fire recipe for both injury and overtraining. Training the deadlift requires a systematic approach of using percentages for multiple singles and attacking the muscles that are germane to the lift itself. Fortunately, the deadlift mostly utilizes the same muscles as the squat. This leads to an overlap in training which can be beneficial because as you train one lift, the muscles required to perform the other lift are also being used. An additional benefit to training your deadlift with multiple singles is the fact that you get plenty of practice. Powerlifting may be the best example of a "practice like you play" sport. Lifters are always trying to simulate meet conditions in the gym and singles afford you that opportunity. The deadlift is the one powerlift where a lifter can actually get by with poor technique and still lift ponderous poundage. I’ve witnessed it more times than I can recall. A lifter walks up to the bar, bends over with hips high and a rounded back, and just yanks on it until it miraculously locks out to completion and the approval of the judges. Talk about ugly! If this is you, singles will help you practice and thereby improve your technique. And while it is true that you can get by with poor technique, the deadlift may also be the one lift where excellent technique helps the most. Training with singles allows you to treat each single as it’s very own unique attempt or set. You can practice visualization, set-up, breathing, and technique with each singular effort. With multiple rep sets, you only get a chance to practice on the first rep of each set.

Remember how we talked about momentum? It’s difficult to generate momentum in the deadlift. The deadlift requires us to overcome the laws of inertia on the bar. You’re not going to get a heavy weight moving from the floor by pulling it slowly. Accordingly, deadlifts need to be done explosively with a focus on technique and speed. Singles allow you to be explosive. Multiple repetitions do not allow the same velocity and bar speed. As the set continues, your velocity and bar speed decrease significantly with each repetition. Once you get into proper pulling position and take in a breath of air it’s important to tighten every muscle in the body just prior to breaking the bar from the floor. The mighty Ed Coan says that just prior to the initial pull he tries to contract every muscle in his body just as a bodybuilder might do on stage. He literally tries to make every single muscle hard and tight. This enables him to create tremendous tension on the bar. When Coan deadlifts, he’s like a time-bomb just waiting to explode!

A typical deadlift workout would include a sufficient dynamic warm-up to increase your body’s internal temperature and get the central nervous system firing correctly. I like to jump rope for a few minutes and follow that with some dynamic flexibility and mobility work that often includes medicine balls and leg swings. Save the static stretching for after your workout. Now on to the deadlift itself. The best way to approach your target weight or work sets is to work backwards. Let’s assume, for the sake of this conversation, that our lifter has a max deadlift of 500 pounds. Our lifter plans on working up to 70% of that max for 12 singles. Therefore the target weight for the work sets (singles) is 350 pounds. An appropriate warm-up sequence might look something like this: 135 x 5, 205 x 3, 265 x 1, 315 x 1. That would provide the lifter four sets to warm-up and become acclimated to pulling for the day. (Notice I recommended performing multiple repetitions on the first two warm-up sets.) It’s all right to perform a few reps on the first few lighter sets. This will improve your circulation, warm the body, and prime the muscles for the heavier weights to come. You’re not building any strength on the lighter warm-up sets anyway. That’s what the heavier weights and sets are for. After performing the warm-up sets, the lifter should be ready to perform the 12 singles. Now the lifter has 12 separate chances to work on form and perfect technique. This is more beneficial for central nervous system stimulation, strength development, and mastery of the skills required to deadlift. Performing the same training volume via 350 for 2 sets of 6 reps or even 350 pounds for 4 sets of 3 reps would be far less beneficial. Rest approximately one minute between singles. That affords you just enough time to step away from the bar, grab a sip of water, clear your head, chalk your hands, and ready yourself for the next single. Once the weights are above 80% of your max, longer rest periods may be necessary. I have performed singles with 90% and above and taken as much as five minutes between singles. This more closely resembles meet conditions.

The following is a sample six week deadlift cycle that I have used, with great success, on numerous occasions. The percentages listed represent the heaviest (work sets) singles for that day and do not include warm-ups.

Week 1 65% x 15 sets x 1 rep
Week 2 70% x 12 sets x 1 rep
Week 3 75% x 10 sets x 1 rep
Week 4 80% x 8 sets x 1 rep
Week 5 85% x 6 sets x 1 rep
Week 6 MAX

After performing the singles focus on assistance exercises for the deadlift and squat since they overlap. Do not choose an assistance exercise because some clown on the cover of your favorite powerlifting magazine told you to. Make your selections based upon your particular weaknesses and the muscles required to perform the actual lift. Exercises that most closely resemble the deadlift work best. I like deadlifts off of blocks, rack pulls, Romanian deadlifts, front squats, and high bar squats to name a few. The upper back is also important and can be trained with a variety of rowing and/or pull-down movements. A strong torso is absolutely imperative in a lifter’s domain. Don’t neglect any side of your torso. Train your lower back, obliques, hip flexors, and abdominals with weight or you’ll be sorry. Reverse hypers, 45 degrees back raise, good mornings, glute-ham raises, pull-throughs, sit-ups with weight, and pull-down abs work well. Leave the crunches and Bosu balls for the spandex crowd. The key to assistance work is to choose a few specific moves, hit them hard, and get out of the gym. Don’t get carried away. You’re not a bodybuilder. You’re a powerlifter.

So, the next time your deadlift has got you down just understand that less is actually more and single your way to your next PR!

Age 13 Darian Training

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Deadlift Day Light

2-2-08 Deadlift Day: (light)

Deadlift= 135 x 6, 185 x 6, 225 x 5, 275 x 5, 325 x 3 (2 sec. hold), 345 x 2 (2 sec. hold), 365 x 2 (2 sec. hold)

Lat PUll Downs= 105 x 10, 125 x 10, 135 x 10, 155 x 10

Seated Rows= 105 x 10, 125 x 10, 135 x 10, 155 x 10

Back Ext. 3 x 20 x 80 lb.

Biceps curls= 25 x 10, 30 x 10, 35 x 10

Hammer Curls= 25 x 10, 30 x 10, 35 x 10

Calf Raises= 175 x 10, 200 x 10, 215 x 10, 235 x 10, 250 x 10Sit Ups=5 x 20 x 45 lb.

Trunk Rotations= 3 x 20 x 10 lb.

Bench Day Moderate

2-1-08 Bench Day (Moderate)

Flat Bench BB= 95 x 10, 135 x 6, 185 x 5, 195 x 3, 205 x 2, 215 x 1 (needed a little help--Tired today)

Incl Bench DB= 55 x 5, 65 x 5, 75 x 5, 85 x 3

Shoulder Press DB= 25 x 10, 30 x 10, 35 x 10

Lat. & Front Shoulder raises= 3 x 10 x 20lb.

Weighted Push Ups & Dips 3 x 20 each

Squat Day Heavy

1-31-08 Squat Day: (Heavy)

Squat= 135 x10, 185 x 8, 195 x 6, 225 x 5, 275 x 5, 300 x 3 (2 sec. Hold Top & Bottom), 325 x 2 (2 sec. Hold Top & Bottom), 345 x 2 (2 sec. Hold Top & Bottom)

Leg Curls 3 x 10 x 90 lb.

KB Swings= 60x 10, 70 x 10, 80 x 10

Box Step Ups= 95 x 6 each leg, 135 x 6 each leg, 155 x 6 each leg

Overhead Squats light= 45 x 10, 65 x 10, 95 x 10

Squat Day Light

1-28-08 Squat Day: (Light)

Squat= 135 x10, 185 x 8, 195 x 6, 210 x 5, 215 x 5, 225 x 3 (2 sec. Hold Top & Bottom), 235 x 2 (2 sec. Hold Top & Bottom), 250 x 2 (2 sec. Hold Top & Bottom)

Leg Curls 3 x 10 x 90 lb.

KB Swings= 60x 10, 70 x 10, 80 x 10

Box Step Ups= 95 x 6 each leg, 135 x 6 each leg, 155 x 6 each leg

Overhead Squats light= 45 x 10, 65 x 10, 95 x 10

Bench Day Light

1-27-08 Bench day (light)

Flat Bench DB= 55 x 5, 65 x 5, 75 x 5, 85 x 3, 90 x 3

Incl Bench DB= 55 x 5, 65 x 5, 75 x 5, 85 x 3

Shoulder Press DB= 25 x 10, 30 x 10, 35 x 10

Lat. & Front Shoulder raises= 3 x 10 x 20lb.

Weighted Push Ups & Dips 3 x 20 each

Deadlift Day

1-26-08 Deadlift Day:

Deadlift=135 x 6, 185 x 6, 225 x 5, 275 x 5, 315 x 3 (2 sec. hold), 355 x 2 (2 sec. hold), 375 x 2 (2 sec. hold)

Accessory exercises and core work