This article and many others can be found here.
http://bigworkoutplan.com/powerlifting-meet-training-preparation-peaking-cycle/
by Jonathan Byrd
This article and many others can be found here. http://bigworkoutplan.com/powerlifting-meet-training-preparation-peaking-cycle/
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by Jonathan Byrd This Article and others can be found here http://bigworkoutplan.com/average-lifter-elite/ What keeps an average lifter from being an elite lifter? I bet I see that question at least one time per week in some form on various message boards. Most of the time you get twenty people talking about how they need to adjust this or that, or that they should or shouldn’t be doing certain lifts. I am going to drop a bomb shell on you guys, it’s even more simple than that!
The difference comes down to two things, but both are forever connected. From Average To Elite#1 – Ability to Follow a Training ProgramThe first is your ability to follow a training program to the best of your ability. You must have a plan when you walk in the door. It also must be a logical plan that matches your goals. Your program must be inline with your overall and long term goals. The plan is just that, a plan, but the best plan in the world means nothing without the second part of reason number one,”the best of your ability.” Each person has a different skill set, but none of which will stop you from being the best you can personally be. I am not saying that every person can be an elite level lifter, but you can reach your own potential levels. I had a college football coach who preached “it takes no talent to give great effort.” The more I think back to that, the more I know he was right. I see it all the time with people I help train online. I can do my best to guide you through a good program, but most of the time it is their effort that is holding them back. #2 – Ability to Stay Injury FreeThe second reason is the ability to stay injury free. Like I said previously, these things are forever connected. Only you will know if it just muscle soreness or a pulled muscle. Only you will be able to know if you should stick to your program that day or just rest and let it heal. I know what some of you are thinking! Yes, I did just get done talking about maximizing your effort and selling out to your program. That does not change the fact that your potential level will drastically change with a major injury. To be an elite level lifter you must have the ability to listen to your body. What happens If you do not learn to pick up on the small cues your body gives you that it is worn down and a potential injury is near? You get injured! I say this because I a speaking from experience. I did not listen to my body and it cost me a year of training. It is obvious that the lack of ability to train will negatively effect your ability to be an elite lifter. Final ThoughtsSo from my perspective, the difference in average and elite is simple. One, follow a sound training program that matches your goals to best of your ability. Two, learn to listen to your body so that you can stay injury free. If you do those things you will reach your potential, whether that is an elite level is another topic for one on one discussion. This Article and others can be found here.http://bigworkoutplan.com/three-coaching-cues-bigger-squat/ Squats are probably the most complicated lift out of all the powerlifts. The smallest things in form can cause issues and even major injuries. For most lifters the squat requires a lot of coaching from an experienced lifter. Hopefully this article can help take some of the guess work out of the lift. First coaching cue I am going to give you is upper back tightness. This is one that I really have struggled with myself. As you get under the bar, you need to focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together. During this time you should be pushing your shoulders into the bar. A third part of upper back tightness is squeeze the bar down with your hands. If your are both pushing into the bar with your shoulders and attempting to bend it with your hands, there is no way to be loose. The second cue is that of core tightness. Most lifters know to get and hold their air in, that’s nothing new. What you should be looking for is where is the lifter holding the air? The air should be held in the stomach and not the chest. This is often a beginner mistake that can cause the lifter to be unstable. When watching you should visibly see the stomach fill with air, the chest should not move. You should use that air to press against your belt to help keep your core tightness and body stable. The third cue, “knees out” is an obvious one, but it is not as simple as it seems. Too often I see beginner lifters start to flare their knees out as soon as they start to squat. This is a mistake, and will cause you to bend and not reach depth. The knees should not start to flair until about midway down, and need to continue to stay out as you transition before the bottom of the lift upward. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between knee tracking and knees caving in. That is a topic for another article and a big reason that a knowledgeable coach is so important. To sum things up, the biggest coaching cues are sometimes this simple ones. Unfortunately I run into the above three issues all the time. If you are working on the above three cues you will be on the right track to solid squat form. I highly recommend buying this book to find tons of tips... Buy here http://www.ironaddicts.com/store/products/Iron-Addict%27s-Body-of-Work.html This is perhaps one of the most important articles I have written in a long time. It is about how to find the basic framework of routine structure that works best for YOU. As anyone that has been exposed to bodybuilding knows there are countless different training styles out there that all promise to give you the physique of your dreams. And they are all WRONG! And they are all CORRECT also. How can this be? Well what I meant by that is that they all work for some people at least some of the time. And MOST of them fail most of the people. Most bodybuilders continually sway back and forth, at least in their minds if not in the gym about how to train. They are lost in a sea of confusion about who is right and what the reality of effective training really is. Everyone has a very unique metabolism and what is pure magic for one person may be pure poison for another. Without going into too much detail I will just say that most guys out there in search that huge ripped physique just don’t have the genetics to make it happen. But…..almost everyone can build a physique that will impress about anyone except competitive level bodybuilders. How fast you get there, or if you ever get there at all depends on training and diet. Saving diet for another day lets discuss how to find an effective training protocol for you. In order to keep this from becoming the book it very well could be, we are going to keep the parameters limited. Instead of going into all the sub-categories of each basic training style we will just touch upon the “big picture” styles, because within them are the volume and frequency that is the guiding factor of whether progress is made or not. Once you understand your basic needs there will still be much work and experimentation to be done to fine tune everything to make it fit you. But at least you will be in a position to make gains while this occurs. Lets face it, MOST people out there pouring their heart and souls into training are making marginal at best gains. The categories to be covered here are: Volume Training, be that traditional or GVT 3 Day a week full body training Power style bodybuilding Hardgainer style training In order for this “experiment” to be effective and work for anyone out there that might be willing to try it I am going to establish some guidelines for each training protocol to be followed. I ABSOLUTELY KNOW that the guidelines will not stand-up to criticism from many proponents of each categories training style. SAVE IT GUYS! I know it’s not perfect, and if you have a training style that fits you well and is effective great. MANY, MANY people are absolutely lost, and this will help them find their way if they are willing to take the time and take some risks. Those risks being that they absolutely will do some training that doesn’t work well for them. My guess though is that the people that haven’t put the pieces of the growth puzzle together yet are already not making progress so they have nothing to lose. Lets also clear up something else to make sure the trainee is not spinning their wheels. The most perfect routine is WORTHLESS if rest and nutrition are not there to back things up. You need to be getting 1.5 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight EVERY DAY, 2 grams if “on”. Other basics required are: 1 mega-dose multi-vitamin and full spectrum mineral packs 2000 mgs vit C a day 300% calcium/magnesium/zinc a day 4-10 grams of fish oil Please understand this in the MINIMAL supps a trainee should take and far from optimal. THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDED SUPPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE, BUT I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT MANY LIFTERS TAKE NEXT TO NOTHING. This will provide a minimum base that most any lifter will do OK on. There are LOTS of other items that are both inexpensive, and result producing. But this is far better than most people do for themselves. I am also going to ask that the trainee attempting this does not try it while they are trying to reduce bodyfat. While I can honestly say that I do not have a single trainee I personal train that doesn’t build strength the whole time they are cutting I do know that most people simply just don’t know how to make this happen so don’t attempt this while cutting. Also if you are say, just starting a new physical labor job, or going out for a sport that requires large physical exertion expenditures this isn’t the best time to experiment. Try to keep all the variables to a minimum. OK lets start, here are the basic parameters of each training style to try. Volume training. Pick three exercises per body-part and do 4 sets each. This is 12 sets per body-part and while it isn’t as high as the 16-20 sets some volume trainers do, it’s still high enough to get an adequate growth response if volume training will work for you. These sets are not to be done to failure but they should be done fairly heavy. Keep the reps in the 8-12 range with 2 to 3 minutes rest per set (always time it so you are consistent). Train 4 days a week using a split that has you only hitting each muscle group once a week. And yes volume guys I know some of you hit muscles more frequently than that with good results, but this experiment is made to get the trainee there as soon as possible and once a week volume training works fine if volume training will work for you. This section is probably the easiest one to be listed because almost all trainees try volume training at some point in time. It does NOT work well for the majority of the trainees out there because it’s just too much to recover from, but for those it works good for nothing is better and they should be doing it! Something like this is a decent test. Monday Chest/Back DB Bench 4 x 6-10 DB Incline 3 x 6-10 Flys 3 x 12 Wide Grip Chins 4 x 5 Chest Supported Rows 4 x 8 Neutral Grip Pull-Downs 3 x 15 Tuesday Legs Squats 4 x 6 Hack Squat 3 x 10 Leg Press 2 x 20 Glute/Ham 3 x 10 Standing Calf Raise 4 x 8 Seated calf raise 3 x 10 Thursday Shoulders/Triceps Military Press 4 x 6-8 Lateral Raises 3 x 10 DB Upright rows 3 x 8 Weighted Dips 4 x 8 Skull-Crushers 4 x 10 Overhead Dumbbell Extensions 2 x 15 Weighted Abs 3 x 10 Friday Back Deadlift 4 x 6 Pull-Ups 2 sets un-weighted, 2 sets weighted, AMAP unweighted, 2 x 5 weighted Bent Row 4 x 8 Hammer Strength Pull-down 3 x 15 There can be a LOT of different variations on this, and as long as the volume is not much higher, this will be a decent test if you can recover enough for volume work. Full Body Routine 3 x a week This is simple enough to figure out, do starting strength if you are a beginner, or HST, or Bill Star’s 5 x 5. HST will be a better choice perhaps if you don’t want to do a core level of the workload doing 5 reps. Power Style training. Monday Squat or box squat 2-3 x 5 Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10 Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6 Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8 Calf Raises 3 x 15 Wednesday Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3 Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8 Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8 Skull Crushers 3 x 10 Ab work 3 x 10 Friday Deadlift or rack deadlift 2-3 x 5 Leg press 2 x 10 Chin or lat pull-down 4 x 6 Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8 Calf Raises 3 x 15 Monday Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3 Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8 Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8 Tricep pushdowns 3 x 10 Ab work 3 x 10 Monday FOR THOSE THAT ARE READING COMPREHENSION CHALLENGED THE SCHEDULE GOES LIKE THIS: 1st workout Monday Squat or box squat 2-3 x 5 Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs 3 x 10 Bent Row or Chest Supported row 4 x 6 Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8 Calf Raises 3 x 15 2nd workout 1 day later Wednesday Bench Press or low board press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3 Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8 Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8 Skull Crushers 3 x 10 Ab work 3 x 10 3rd workout 1 day later Friday Deadlift or rack deadlift 2-3 x 5 Leg press 2 x 10 Chin or lat pull-down 4 x 6 Barbell or Dumbbell Curl 3 x 8 Calf Raises 3 x 15 4th workout After TWO DAYS OFF Monday Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press 3 x 5, or 3 x 3 Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 8 Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press 3 x 8 Tricep pushdowns 3 x 10 Ab work 3 x 10 Monday next workout sequence repeat 1st through 4th workouts Sets are NOT taken to failure, at least 1 rep short, or to the point RIGHT before form starts to break down. If you do not recover well, reduce 1 set from each of the lifts. Rep cadence is explosive on the positive, controlled on the negative, no need to count cadence. After warm-ups use the same weight for all sets. If you cannot get all the sets with the same weight, the weight is too heavy. If you want to substitute something like dumbbell skull crushers for pushdowns, or hammer curls for barbell curls go ahead. DO NOT SUB OUT BIG COMPOUND MOVEMENTS FOR ISOLATION LIFTS. IF YOU CAN SQUAT AND DEADLIFT, DO THEM. THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFTS IN THE ROUTINE. Rotate the lifts to something else every 4-8 weeks or whenever a lift stalls. DELAOD BY DOING 1/2 THE SETS, OR 85% OF THE WEIGHT EVERY 4-8 WEEKS (4-5 WEEKS WORKS BEST FOR MOST PEOPLE. Suitable substitute lifts: Squat or box squat, you can front squat, or smith squat (smith ONLY if that is all you can do) You can leg press ONLY IF YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT DO REAGULAR SQUATS AND THE RESULTS WILL NOT BE AS GOOD. Glute/Ham Raises or pullthroughs Bent Row or Chest Supported row, you can dumbbell row or machine row Barbell or Dumbbell Curl, you can do any curl variation Calf Raises, you can do leg press calfs, standing barbell calf raises, or 1 arm, 1 leg dumbbell calf raises if you don't have a machine Bench Press or low board press, you can do dumbbell presses or dips Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, Dumbbell inclines, or smith inclines (use the SMITH ONLY IF THAT IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press, NO SUBS Skull Crushers, you can do dumbbell skull crushers, overhead tricep extensions with a bar or dumbbells, or tricep push-downs if any of these movements bother your elbows. Ab work, you can do a weighted sit-up, hanging leg raises, ab-wheel, or an ab machine Deadlift or rack deadlift, you can do romanian deadlifts, or good-mornings Leg press, you can front squat Chin or lat pull-down, NO SUBS Barbell or Dumbbell Curl, any curl variation Calf Raises, you can do leg press calfs, standing barbell calf raises, or 1 arm, 1 leg dumbbell calf raises if you don't have a machine Incline bench press or Incline Dumbbell Press, NO SUBS Dumbbell Bench Press, You can do dips Military or Dumbbell Shoulder Press, you can do upright rows Tricep pushdowns, you can do a skull crusher, or overhead tricep extension with a barbell or dumbbells Ab work 3 x 10, You can do a weighted sit-up, hanging leg raises, ab-wheel, or an ab machine If you can't sub any of these lifts figure it out yourself and quit asking endless questions about what you can sub. The sub list just posted was created after over 100 questions have been asked about "can I do lift B instead of lift A. Hardgainer Style Training. There are many people on these boards that have absolutely ZERO knowledge about this style of routine. And unfortunately they are most often the ones that spout off about how it could never work. One of the objections often quoted is “there is no way you could build a competitive physique with a routine like that”. To that I will say “no fucking duh”. No you are right you can’t build a competitive physique on a routine like this. But “duh Einstein” the VAST majority of the trainees out there will never build a competitive physique no matter what they do. That takes great genetics and unfortunately most people just have it. But with proper training most guys can get damn big and strong. Big enough to turn heads wherever they go. For MANY people out there Hardgainer style training is the one and only thing that will get them there. I can’t even count the number of trainees I have seen add 20-40 lbs in a few months after YEARS of making little or no gains. I know, I was one of them! I will make this category really simple on everyone. Do this: Split your routine up into 2 or 3 days and after warm-ups do: Bench Press or Dips 2 x 8-12 Bent Row or Pull-up 2 x 8-12 Military or Dumbell Press 2 x 8-12 Squat 2 x 8-12 Stiff Legged Deadlift 2 x 8-12 Weighted Abs 2 x 10 DON’T worry about detail here. The idea is to actually get brutally strong on a core group of lifts instead. Here is something I posted awhile back: For you people that are always concerned about balance and symmetry, yet don’t grow, yes, you guys.always doing 3-4 exercises per body-part to ensure “complete development” of all “aspects” of a muscle. What if all you did was: Squats 400 x 20 Stiff-legged deadlifts 375 x 15 Bench Press 315 x 12 Pull-Up with 100 lbs extra weight x 12 Military Press Body-Weight x 10 Calf-Raise 700 x 15 Weighted Sit-Up 175 x 12 How much bigger would you be than you are now, and what muscle would be under developed?!?!?!?!?!? What if that was ALL THE LIFTS YOU ACTUALLY DID ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS, BUT ACTUALLY DID THAT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT? AND SINCE THAT WAS ALL YOU DID YOU NEVER OVERTRAINED AND YOU WERE ALWAYS ABLE ADD A LITTLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT TO THE BAR. HOW MUCH FUCKING BIGGER WOULD YOU BE THAN YOU ARE NOW??????? Enough ranting about Hardgainer style training. Let me just add that if you have even a passing fancy about weight training and you have never read Stuart McRobert’s book “Brawn” you are really missing something. Well we have four basic categories and ways to go about testing them, and while admittedly the formats and methods of implementing them are far from perfect they will do for someone that is really determined to be successful at bodybuilding. So how to go about putting them to the test, and how to determine if they are working? Well, we could start at doing the volume training first and work down. But I will simply say this. On a percentile basis more people fail at volume training than succeed. Don’t believe me? Go to your gym and closely observe. MOST people there will be doing a volume routine. And most will be the little guys you see spinning their wheels looking the same month after month. Volume guys, don’t take this as a knock because as I stated volume works spectacularly for those it works for. If you are one of them count your blessings, but don’t get ruffled and say that if it doesn’t work for someone it’s because they are doing something wrong. Actually you are right in a way, what they are doing wrong is overtraining. In my opinion it would be best to start at the bottom and work your way up. The big problem here is 80% of the people that decide to try a Hardgainer routine add shit until it’s not a Hardgainer routine. LISTEN TO ME! THERE ARE VERY, VERY FEW PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WILL NOT MAKE GREAT PROGRESS ON A HARDGAINER STYLE ROUTINE, DON’T ADD A THING AND IF IT DOESN’T WORK YOU WILL AT LEAST KNOW IT DOESN’T WORK BECAUSE IT DOESN’T SUT YOU, NOT BECAUSE YOU BASTARDIZED IT. Everyone owes it to themselves to try a routine like this at least once in their lives to at least see what it can do for them. Why have I spent so much time and words about Hardgainer style training? Do I think it’s the best way to go? Absolutely not, but I do know that it is the most misunderstood, and least likely to be tried method. I also absolutely KNOW that for the extreme hardgainer it’s the ONLY way they will ever develop an impressive physique. Again, I would suggest starting at the bottom and working up. By doing so you WILL make gains until you run into your overtraining threshold. If you make it to volume training and volume is working for you add a few sets and keep going till a wall is hit and back down. I would suggest trying each method for 6 weeks. Judge your results by strength and size gains. Strength gains should occur on about every lift every week until you get to volume training. It is common for volume trainers to not have consistent strength gains, but they do add size consistently. Still, slow strength gains are needed because if that is not occurring you are just continually repeating the last workout. You MUST be progressing! I know some people are probably saying 6 weeks! That’s 24 months, almost half a year. Let me put it to you this way. What were your gains like over the last 6 months. What if in 6 months from now you had a great handle on your training and could then devout your time to a training protocol that actually worked for you? I had a few people asking me why as a personal trainer I would write something like this and asked if I wasn’t concerned that I would lose business because of it. My answer was simple. I get a great deal of satisfaction helping people achieve their lifting goals and know that those people I help are more likely to come to me for assistance when they get stuck, or are ready to take their training to the next level. This is what these boards are about. People sharing knowledge and everyone benefiting from it! I highly recommend buying this book to find tons of tips...
Buy here http://www.ironaddicts.com/store/products/Iron-Addict%27s-Body-of-Work.html By: Louie Simmons
How to Do the Squat What is good squat form? What does it take to develop a great squat? First you must develop the hips, hamstrings, spinal erectors, glutes, and abs. Without a strong posterior chain (the muscles on the back of the body), you will not sit back into the proper squat position. That’s right. Sit back, never down. If the knees go forward in the yielding phase, they could hit the floor and the hips still would be above parallel. I talk to strength coaches from major universities on how to squat. I tell them that we have 24 guys who have squatted over 800 and six over 900 by box squatting with a wide stance. Many times these coaches will reply, I like Olympic squatting. One reason I guess is that Olympic squatting is what they were brought up on. But why do powerlifters use a wider stance? Because you use more muscle, and isn’t that what we’re after on the sports field? Only a wrestler would find himself in the weakest joint angles of an Olympic squat. That’s probably why there are no old, great Olympic lifters. Their joints are gone. When a prominent pro basketball coach said that Olympic squats were the best for his players and that a two-times bodyweight squat was all an athlete needs, I realized that a weak coach can only produce weak players. This coach and many like him must have a huge library and a very small weight room. Take Ben Johnson, for example. He squatted 620 at about 200 pounds. That’s three times bodyweight! Football players' careers are being shortened not by the competition but by the fact that they are too frail compared to 10 years ago. I saw Brett Favre come out of the locker room and squat cold with the linemen using the same weight. That's like having five quarterbacks protecting your quarterback, and that's bull. Let's get to squat technique, starting with the feet. They should be pointed straight forward. This forces the hip muscles into play. It is much harder to break parallel because the hip extensors and flexors are put in a very strong position for flexion. Turn the feet outward slightly if you are not flexible or if you are very thick in the waist and upper thighs. If you see someone who walks with their feet turned outward, they have weak hamstrings. As far as shoes go, Converse Chuck Taylor's are best. Don't have $100 shoes and a 10-cent squat. When squatting, think about pushing your feet out, not down. This will ensure that the hip muscles are working correctly. Push your knees out the entire time, starting from when you are unracking the bar. You should feel this in the hips. Next, start pushing the glutes to the rear as thought you are searching for a hair that is too far behind you. Arch the lower back and keep the chest up. Lean forwards as much as necessary to keep the bar over your center of gravity. To ensure correct bar placement, raise the chest and pull the shoulder blades together, to place the bar back as far as possible. This creates better leverage. However, if one carries the bar too low, it causes the lifter to bend forward, destroying leverage. What stance should you use? Everyone should box squat with a wide stance, because this builds the all-important hip muscles. Thirty years ago, the great Jim Williams said to train as wide as possible and pull your stance in, to a point, to break parallel at meet time. If you watch a great squat technician, you will notice that he bends only at the hips, the knees don’t go forward, and his back does not move. While descending in the squat, never squat down. Always squat back! If you push the glutes back, the knees will not go forward. In fact, if you sit back far enough, the shins will be past vertical. This is only possible with box squatting. And it’s important because this causes a great stretch reflex. Also, by forcing your knees apart, you are significantly increasing your leverage, by shortening the distance between the hip and the knee joint. If you pull your knees together, you increase this distance and create poor leverage. In addition, this is a sign of weak hip muscles. After breaking parallel, you must first push against the bar. After all, the bar is what we are trying to raise. Unfortunately, you see many lifters who push with their feet first. This causes you to bend forward Into a good morning position, which is opposite of what you are trying to achieve, in addition to being dangerous. When your back bends, you are likely to miss a squat or get injured. Most people think of squatting as a multi-joint muscular action. I see it as flexion of the spinal erectors and hip flexors and slight flexion of the knees. It’s much like trying to jump onto a high box; you flex as much as possible in the beginning and hope you make it. Others push gradually through the lift; just enough to accommodate the external force that is being applied. As far as equipment, in a meet, wrap the knees toward the inside. This means wrap one clockwise and the other counterclockwise. This helps to stabilize them. Wear a suit that allows the knees to be forced outward ad the glutes to be pushed out to the rear. Don't wear straps that are too tight. This will cause you to bend over. In training wear a suit with the straps down and a belt. This will help the technical aspects of squatting. When someone must wear full gear for 3-4 weeks before a meet, their technical skill is low. To summarize, build the posterior chain: calves, hams, glutes, lower and upper back. Strong abs are a must. They are what you lean on to descend and push off of to ascend. Out of our top 100 squat-ters, four use an upright back position. That means that 96% lean forward, with - of course - a great arch. While descending, the glutes move first and the head and bar move last. So, in the concentric phase, the opposite happens. You must push against the bar first. One workout per week must be devoted to speed (box squatting) and one for maximal effort, with a variety of core exercises such as good mornings and squatting with special bars that change your center of gravity. To all strength coaches: the next time you have your athletes do Olympic squats, ask yourself why. The joint angles are not advantageous for the stretch reflex. If a lineman were to use that position on the field, he would easily be pushed backward. The Olympic lifts require flexibility. There are many drills better suited to increase flexibility. Everyone thinks the Olympic lifts are so quick. While your cleans at 60% look fast, so do our box squats at 60%. The athlete who can power clean 400 uses 240(60%). The lifter who can squat 800 uses 480 (60%). Who do you really think would be faster and stronger? Compared to a powerlifter, an Olympic lifter can’t squat with the Sunday paper. A kid that can hang clean 400 would look frail to an 800 squatter. And don’t forget, in Olympic lifting, as the bar is raising, the lifter is lowering himself, making it appear that they are moving the bar at great speed. Olympic lifting is the biggest bust in the United States. We have not placed a single lifter on the "A" list, yet strength coaches still advocate the Olympic lifts. Powerlifting Meet Training Preparation: 15 Week Peaking Cycle Many beginner and even intermediate lifters struggle with the aspect of meet prep. The idea of tailoring their workouts for peak strength is a daunting task. Often it becomes over complicated, tricky, and leaves them not having their best showing at the meet.
A powerlifting competition is judged on what you can do that day, and not what you have done in the gym. I frequently see on forums people attempting to peak for the meet and burn out with several weeks left. Then if they don’t burn out, they are coming in injured, beat up, or mentally given up. This concept is lost on a lot of lifters in all levels of skill. This article is the intent to lay the ground work for you over a 15 week training cycle. I hope this will allow you to take some of the guess work out of your training, and just allow you to focus on the task at hand. It is broke down in three, four week training blocks. Each week you are to dedicate 1 day to the three core lifts (bench, squat, deadlift). The training blocks will be followed by a deload week, of which you are trying to refresh your body and brain. Preparing for a meet is a long process in which you can be both physically and mentally broke down. 15 Week Powerlifting Peaking CycleThe first key to this training cycle is to start off nice and easy. The goal of the first 4 weeks is to not try and win the meet, but to get a starting point and gain strength. Again this is under the assumption that you are use a three day a week training style with one day dedicated to each the bench, squat, and deadlift. The training structure to this set up will go as follows:
The second major difference is that you should now be targeting weak points that showed during the previous block with your auxiliary lifts. These movements will be the key to fixing weak areas in the big three.
The third and final block of training is when things really pick up. It is time to get a little more aggressive with weight selections, and start to trim down the auxiliary work. During this block you will also get an idea of what a good opening weight attempt might be, and a few ideas of what you could select for a second attempt. You do not want to miss a weight in the gym, so you will not be attempted a third attempt type weight, but something near there at approximately 95% would be applicable.
These would be about 85% of your perceived max. You are only doing one auxiliary movement, and I wouldn’t want it to be a compound movement. Some sort of isolation work that is easy on the body. During week 12 your first set of three will be about the same weight as your first set of three the previous week. Your 2×2 will be about 88% of your perceived max. Week 13 will be the heaviest of the training cycle. Your first set of 1×3 would be your last warm up at the meet. The 1×2 would be about 10-30lbs less than your opening attempting (depending on strength levels), and the 1×1 would be about 10-20lbs over your opening attempt. Week 14 you will be doing 1 set with your opening attempt weight. It should move extremely fast and easy. You don’t win meets on opening attempts, but you sure can lose it. Your last week, deload, you will rest for a full 7 days before the meet. Assuming that you are not cutting weight, eat, drink fluids, rest. Maybe do some active recovery things, especially if you have to travel far for the meet. Final ThoughtsHopefully this training template gives you some guidance on a real basic way to peak for your upcoming competition. Sure there are tons of ways to accomplish this, I am just sharing some basic ideas to help you prepare for the things to come. Keep to the basic rules, start light and progress, don’t miss lifts during training, make smart decisions, and leave the max lifts for the platform. If you would like to see an example of this template used preparing for a meet you can find it here , as Robert Dela Rosa prepares for the LA Fit Expo. The Crusher, a Bodybuilding Routine for Bodybuilders who love to Max on Deadlifts and Squats8/17/2013 Love to max on deadlift and squat? Finding it hard to incorporate heavy deadlift and squat training into your bodybuilding routine? Well, do I got a solution for you. I call this bodybuilding routine the Crusher.
The Crusher allows you to lift big on squats and deadlifts, without completely turning your bodybuilding routine into a powerlifting workout. Squats and deadlifts. On the Crusher routine, you workout squats and deadlifts once a week, on the same training day. On this day, you focus primarily on the two big lifts, alternating each week between heavy deadlifts and lighter squats, and heavy squats and lighter deadlift training. Workout A. Workout A is your heavy squat, lighter deadlift workout. Here is a sample workout… Squats. Start with the following workout, and add 10 pounds each Workout A week, until you reach failure on a heavy single. When you hit failure, decrease the weight used by 30 pounds, and begin to cycle back up. Note, you can also use box squats instead of standard squats. 60% 1RM x 5 reps 60% + 25 pounds x 4 reps 60% + 50 pounds x 3 reps 60% + 75 pounds x 2 reps x 2 sets 60% + 100 pounds x 1 rep x 2 sets So, if you have a current squat max of 330 pounds, your starting workout would be: 200 x 5 reps 225 x 4 reps 250 x 3 reps 275 x 2 reps x 2 sets 300 x 1 rep x 2 sets Again, as long as you are able to hit both of your single rep sets without failure, move up 10 pounds the following Workout A week. Continue to move up by 10 pound increments until you hit failure. Then, back off these weights by 30 pounds, and start to cycle back up. For example, let’s say you cycle up on Workout A days, and finally hit failure at the following numbers… 250 x 5 reps 275 x 4 reps 300 x 3 reps 325 x 2 reps x 2 sets 350 x 1 rep x FAIL (FAILED ON FIRST REP…no need to try second rep) Your next Workout A squat day would start with… 220 x 5 reps 245 x 4 reps 270 x 3 reps 295 x 2 reps x 2 sets 320 x 1 rep x 2 sets Deadlifts. For Workout A squat days, perform 10 rest-paused deadlift reps at 70% of your 1RM. If your current deadlift 1RM is 400 pounds, you would perform 10 rest-paused reps at 280 pounds. Rest paused reps are just that; they are single reps. You rest only long enough in between reps to regain your strength and composure. This is generally around a 15 to 30 second rest between reps. Do not perform the 10 reps as a single set. The point is not to attack your lower back. The point of this set is to work on your deadlifting form, and to get in some deadlift work. Workout B. Workout B is your heavy deadlift, and lighter squat workout. Here is a sample workout… Deadlifts. Start with the following workout, and add 10 pounds each Workout B week, until you reach failure on a heavy single. When you hit failure, decrease the weight used by 30 pounds, and begin to cycle back up. This is the exact same pattern used with Workout A squats, except that weight separations are 30 pounds instead of 25. 60% 1RM x 5 reps 60% + 30 pounds x 4 reps 60% + 60 pounds x 3 reps 60% + 90 pounds x 2 reps x 2 sets 60% + 120 pounds x 1 rep x 2 sets So, if you have a current deadlift max of 400 pounds, your starting workout would be: 240 x 5 reps 270 x 4 reps 300 x 3 reps 330 x 2 reps x 2 sets 360 x 1 rep x 2 sets Squats. The workout B squat routine is a simple 5×5 routine. Use 70% of your 1RM squat max, and perform 5 sets of 5 reps. You can also use box squats instead of squats. Supplemental exercises. The following exercises can be used as supplemental exercises on a squat/deadlift day. Pick 2 additional exercises for Workout A and Workout B. As you can see, you are performing 3 sets for each of these exercises. Do NOT train to failure. When you hit a total of 20 reps (or more) for the 3 sets of an exercise, move up slightly in weight. Because the squat/deadlift day also serves as a leg day, make sure you perform a hamstring exercise on each day. Also note, because of the nature of this routine, it’s hard to get in calf work on this training day. It is best to work in calves on another training day. Good Mornings, 3 sets of 6-10 reps. Romanian Deadlifts, 3 sets of 6-10 reps. Hamstring Curls, 3 sets of 6-10 reps. Lunges, 3 sets of 6-10 reps. Leg Extensions, 3 sets of 6-10 reps. Front Squats, 3 sets of 6-10 reps. Zercher Squats. 3 sets of 6-10 reps. Split. These are many possible split options for this routine. It’s beyond the scope of this article to provide splits for enhanced (steroid using) lifters, so here are some options for naturals… 3 Day a Week. On this split, you hit squats/deadlifts on day 1, push on day 3, and pull on day 5, as follows: Day 1: Squat/Deadlift Workout Day 2: Rest Day 3: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps Day 4: Rest Day 5: Back/Biceps/Calves (optional) Day 6: Rest, or have an Abs/Calves/Misc. workout Day 7: Rest 4 Day a Week. The difference between the 3 day and 4 day splits is as follows: shoulders are removed from chest day. Day 1: Squat/Deadlift Day Day 2: Rest Day 3: Chest/Triceps Day 4: Rest Day 5: Back/Biceps Day 6: Shoulders/Abs/Calves Day 7: Rest Sample Chest/Shoulders/Triceps Workout. Here is a sample workout you can use on your chest/shoulders/triceps day. You don’t need to perform a thousand sets/exercises to blast all three muscle groups. Bench Press 5×5 Incline Barbell Press, or DB Bench Press, 3 sets of 6-10 reps Barbell or DB Seated Overhead Press, 3 sets of 6-10 reps Arnold Press or Upright Rows, 3 sets of 6-10 reps Closegrip bench Press, or Skull Crushers, 3 sets of 6-10 reps Sample Back/Bicep Workout. Here is a sample workout you can use on your back/biceps day. Barbell or DB Rows, 3 sets of 6-10 reps Pullups or Low Pulley Rows, 3 sets of 6-10 reps T-bar Rows or Lat Pulldowns, 3 sets of 6-10 reps Seated DB Curls or Barbell Curls, etc., 3 sets of 6-10 reps Calf Work, 3 sets of 12-20 reps Here's what you need to know... • To build impressive strength, you have to spend time with a bar on your back. • Plateaus in squat strength can be attributed to one of three things: mental, technical or physical issues. All of these can be fixed. • The right warm-up, specific cueing, and correctly executed assistance work can help you break through a sticking point. • There are no mystery exercises to take your squat into Elite status. Instead you must master the basics, from stance to hinge. When your squat stalls, everything comes into question – from the obvious things like setup, technique, and programming – to the more deep-seated factors, like whether you're just too much of a pussy to move any real weight. Squat plateaus have caused many strong lifters to stop competing, or quit powerlifting entirely. After all, you can still build a powerful looking body without ever entering a power rack. But you'll never really be strong – stronger than the average guy, sure, but not the type of strong you dreamed of becoming when you first set foot in a gym. For that kind of strength, you need a heavy bar on your back. There's just no way around it. Unfortunately, squats aren't the easiest movement in the world to do. To be perfectly frank, they can be hard as fuck. Even the most gifted squatter will at times look down at the puddle of puke between his legs and ask why the hell they're doing this to themselves. And when they pound away and don't get bigger or stronger – or worse, get injured – it's just a matter of time until they just stop doing them. But that's not you, right? Disclaimer: Powerlifting vs. Bodybuilding Squat First off, this article – and my expertise – is about building a stronger squat. It's not squatting for optimal leg development. They are markedly different things and require entirely different approaches. A bodybuilder squat is typically much narrower, more upright, and activates the quads through a much greater range of motion. It's all about tension, or isolating the quads while minimizing involvement of the lower back and glutes (to a degree). On the other hand, a powerlifting squat is geared towards minimizing tension and just focusing on the movement. In powerlifting, whatever method or stance that allows you to move the most weight is the right stance for you. It helps to think of it this way – one is all about muscle and the other is all about movement. Many powerlifters make fun of the bodybuilder squat as it leaves a lot of weight on the table, but you have to remember that success leaves clues, and if a powerlifting squat built bigger quads, bodybuilders would certainly do them. They squat that way because it's the best for quad hypertrophy, period. So if you're squatting to build bigger quads, this isn't the article you're looking for. If you want to get your squat bigger and stronger, read on. The 3 Sticking Points Any sticking point can be attributed to one of three things:
Note: These are all related and are not independent of each other, but separating them this way has proved to be the best way for me to diagnosis sticking points. MENTAL The mental barriers in squatting are the most difficult for powerlifters to overcome. If you've ever squatted heavy in your life you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. You take the bar out and it feels like a ton. You struggle to stay upright and can barely adjust your feet. The idea of squatting the weight down and getting back up is ridiculous. You'll get crushed, stapled like a loser at the bottom of the rack. But then it happens. You draw in your air, sit back into the hole and feel your hamstrings and glutes tighten up before exploding back up, driving that "impossible" weight to the start position. What you thought was impossible was anything but. That's overcoming a mental barrier. To achieve the right squatting mindset, the first thing to realize is that squatting is a skill, like a javelin throw or a shot-put. You just can't saunter up to the rack and squat 500 pounds, just like you can't throw a shot put 20 meters your first day. Proficiency requires expert coaching and a ton of practice. You have to strive to make every rep the same – as close to perfect as possible. Ed Coan once was asked to describe the importance of walking the weight out, something most lifters don't even think about. Ed proceeded to show how he walks the weight out, using the bar, and it was very clear every step was exact and specific, something he's done the same way for over three decades. There was no wasted energy or extra movement. While you may think this is technical or even physical, let me tell you it's mental discipline and focus. Second, you have to get over your fear. It's fear that keeps most guys from achieving depth with heavy loads. That's why I love the box squat so much. It gives guys a target, so they don't feel like they're dropping into a bottomless hole they can't come back from. The trick is to start with a high box and slowly drop it down as confidence grows. Also, always be mindful to never just drop on the box, get loose, or do any of the other dumb shit I see online all the time. The box is a tool – not a fucking springboard. Sit back, stay tight, and in control. Another way to accomplish this is with the power rack. Simply setting the pins a couple inches below the bottom position can give lifters the peace of mind they need to take the weight all the way down without fear of getting stapled. Yet how often do you see guys actually use a rack properly? Oh, and spotters – good spotters – also help. A third mental issue is over or under-arousal. While not being ready for the lift is obviously a problem, being too amped up can be a huge energy leak, especially before you're under the bar. I just think of Steve Goggins – he was always focused right until he had the bar on his back. Then all bets were off. In other words, he saved his energy to unleash it during the lift. If you've ever seen Steve lift in person, his entire mental state changes as soon as he grabs the bar. Fourth are excuses. Every lifter with a shitty squat has a litany of excuses for why they suck so badly. I have no time for these people. If your squat sucks, offer your excuses to someone who cares – which is nobody. And if you hate squatting, then don't squat! No one is forcing you to powerlift. Do something else, anything, and preferably far away from me. Do you seriously think anyone cares about your trick knee or back issues? Every lifter has issues to contend with so go see a doctor or shut the fuck up. Finally, there's the simple fact that squatting is hard. There's no getting around it. A 10-15-rep set of squats will make you feel like your heart is going to explode, while a one-rep max can leave you seeing stars. No magic mental tricks exist that suddenly make the lift feel easy. My advice is to just nut up and get under the bar. Here's something I've never understood. Squatting is so problematic for so many lifters, yet everybody at some point wrestles with taking a stubborn shit on the toilet. And what do they do? Fill their bellies with air, bear down, strain like hell, turn purple, and give it all they got. If this doesn't work they stay there until the job gets done. So most lifters work harder on the toilet than they do in the squat rack. If all else fails, revert to how I handle the excuse makers: Do. Something. Else! Technical Squatting technique is a tricky topic as there are many different styles that can work. First is the stance. I advocate a wide stance, but that doesn't mean it's the ideal style for every lifter. So your first order of business is to figure out the best stance and your anthropometry, injury history, and goals. Here are some criteria:
For example, when I first showed up at Westside, the average distance the bar had to travel for me to hit depth was 16 inches. After working with Louie Simmons for so many years, it was shortened to just 6 inches. Simply widening my stance shaved 10 full inches off my range of motion, which is a big advantage when you have PR weight on your back. Next, you have to do the right shit. A good squat should sound like this:
This can occur with any stance and depends 100% on how the lifter is built. So if you're unsure whether your stance is right for you, start there. However, it's very hard to go from a close stance to a wide stance. It can take upwards of two years to relearn the movement and develop the flexibility, especially if the lifter is very tight. Many lifters will crap out and just return to their original stance, and I don't blame them. But if the plumb line test reveals they should be squatting wider, they'll never reach their potential if they don't change their ways. Keep a close eye on your knees. Some forward movement is okay (I don't like it personally, but with a medium stance you can't avoid it), but it should never exceed mid-foot and your knees should never drift in, unless you want to blow an ACL or quad tendon. Also, remember that when your knee moves forward it lengthens the distance to hit parallel. The most extreme example of this is a sissy squat – at the bottom position your knees are almost on the floor. You're low as hell but not even close to parallel. So what you give up with forward knee movement you have to make up with strength, or your technique trade-off is hurting your squat more than helping it. Don't get me wrong, I like the close stance, Olympic-style squat. I think it's a great looking squat, and I know a lot of very strong men who squat that way. Here's the thing – the guys that it works for, it works because it's the right squat for them! The majority of powerlifters who would be far stronger if they went wider and stopped pretending they were late cuts from the Chinese Olympic lifting team. Physical I've never seen a "perfect" squat. There's always something that could be improved upon. I worked out with Chuck Vogelpohl for 14 years – arguably one of the top squatters in the world – and there wasn't one workout where we didn't have to yell at him to keep his chest up, head back, or some other cue. Heavy weight has a way of humbling all mental, physical, and technical attributes of the squat. There needs to be reinforcement. There needs to be coaching. This speaks to the importance of proper cueing. You have to be in each other's ear with the verbal cues throughout the lift, especially as the weight gets heavy and the fight or flight hormones kick in. Sometimes you have to say something 15 times or more before the lifter hears it, so it's smart to get in the habit of cueing throughout the lift. To that end, here's what everyone's been waiting for, the "what exercises should I do when my squat looks like this" section. Even though 90% of the time the issue is poor technique or choice of stance, lifters still think that there's some magical assistance lift they're not doing that's preventing them from being a world champion. Fantasy land, I know. All right, I'll indulge you. If you fall forward. The big thing is to simply perform the lift correctly. Chest up, knees out, big air, belly tight, tight grip, and spread the floor. This eliminates many problems right away. Failing that, falling forward is typically due to weak abs and lower back. My favorite exercise for this is the hanging leg raise, performed with straight legs and kicking the bar at the top. Be sure not to extend backwards more than 6 inches – keep the tension on the abs. If these are too hard then bend at the knees and pull up as high as you can. Use elbow straps if grip is the limiting factor. Another good move is the pulldown ab crunch. Attach a triceps attachment to the lat pulldown station and stand facing away from the unit. Pull the rope taught and hold it under your chin. Do not press your ass against the machine – keep the tension in your abs. Contract your abs and bend at the waist, pulling air into your diaphragm as you go down. This greatly improves stability during the squat while also strengthening the hip flexors. For the lower back, hyperextensions and reverse hyperextensions both work well. If you get stuck in the bottom. Here's a thought – before you angst over the right magical assistance lift, maybe the weight is just too fucking heavy. While painfully obvious, you'd be amazed at how many lifters fail to consider this. After that, often the problem is not sitting back far enough, and if in a medium or wider stance, not pushing back far enough (there's a difference). You need to elongate the hamstrings during the descent to create the stretch reflex. That's why the closer stance can feel stronger out of the hole – it creates a greater stretch reflex. If you get stuck three-fourths of the way up. This is due to weak glutes and hips. Here glute bridges, reverse hypers, and good mornings pay huge dividends, as does simply learning to flex your ass. One trick I like is sitting on a box that's way below parallel with bands wrapped around my knees and holding it for 15 seconds. The bands should be tense enough that 15 seconds feels very hard. This not only helps activate the glutes, it also helps build stability in the knees and hips, which is huge because a muscle must stabilize, then absorb force, and then create force – but only in that order. If your knees buckle in. This leads back to the hips, glutes, and hip rotators. The first thing is to reassess the stance, making sure it passes the plumb line test. Next is to reinforce basic cues like "spread the floor" and determine if flexibility is where it should be. This can be a huge problem, so I'd reduce the training weight to a point where this won't happen and then reintroduce the loading as the weak points are overcome. If the bar feels heavy. Step one is to grow a set of balls. Seriously. Sometimes shit is heavy – that's why it's powerlifting. You want easy weights, go hop on a leg press, preferably the pin loaded version. That way you can pump out reps while you read the paper or update your Facebook page. Pussy. Next is to strengthen your abs and your hip flexors and to focus on achieving maximum tightness from the get go. Too many guys wait until the bar is on the back before they get tight – that's already too late. I like to see guys fill their belly with air and keep it while they find their stance, and then let it out gradually before pulling it back in with one big breath and holding it. It makes a huge difference – try it for yourself. Putting It All Together I'm not going to write out some new squat routine; the greatest routine in the world won't help you squat any better. So here's a framework for how you should approach every squat session.
Warm-up. Do whatever you feel you need to do to warm up. This should not be a freaking 20-minute sweat session. People are getting way too carried way with this shit. Here's what I've noticed. If you have hip issues you're told to do a series of mobility movements. Okay, I get that if the issues are muscle or tendon related, but what if it's muscle activation or joint related? If the muscle isn't being activated then working the movement won't do it. If that were the case it would be activating in the first place! If it's joint related – the joint is bone-on-bone or losing space – the best way to worsen the issue is by moving it more. It's called wear and tear for a reason, so if the joint is bone-on-bone, how exactly will a couple hundred reps of extra movement to the joint help? Think about it. My advice. If you're messed up go find a good doctor or physical therapist. Trust me, they're out there. As far as specific warm up stuff: Pulldown Abs. Yeah, do these before you squat. These stretch the torso, hips, and the abdominal region. Do 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps. Glute-Ham Raise. Simply because most people absolutely suck at them. Do 3 sets and keep them all a few reps shy of failure. Now it's time to squat. You're going to do a ton of warm-up sets. A good rule of thumb: if you're trying to reinforce your technique, double the number of warm-up sets you normally do. You can't practice technique when the load is heavy, so it's during your warm-up sets that you lay the foundation for a good squat session. Don't screw this up. Next, after the warm up, squat as prescribed – whatever protocol you're using. After the squat, its time to hit the assistance work. Start with a supplemental lift that builds the squat, performed in the 3-5 rep range. Best choices include:
Next is hamstring work. Here you'll hit the glute ham raise first – because everyone sucks at them – and then another hamstring movement that hits them at either the origin or insertion, like leg curls and Romanian deadlifts. Bump up the reps to 8-12 for a few work sets. Now it's more abdominal work. Hit hanging leg raises or pulldown abs. Cycle between the two every three weeks. Finish off the day with lower back work. Reverse hyperextensions or back extensions, performed for high reps (at least 20). The work continues even on non-squat days. Remember, technique trumps everything, and you'll never become a proficient squatter if you only work on the movement once or twice a week. On your other days, I recommend performing squats with just a broomstick during your general warm-up. This helps reinforce sound technique by "greasing the groove," so good habits stay on top of mind. It takes a ton of reps to master even a basic movement, and that much more when correcting a previously established motor pattern. That's It It all boils down to learning the lift correctly from the ground up. My hope is that you don't fall into the trap of trying to find some mystery exercise to take your squat into Elite status, and instead get brilliant at the basics. Find the right stance for you, learn to sit back and hinge, and get those cues drilled into your subconscious. There is no shortcut to mastery. |