There is an inverse relationship between skill and arousal level. Skill is the level of difficulty, precision, and motor control that a movement requires. Arousal (no, I am not talking about that type of arousal) refers to the psychic energy one displays – how amped up you are to do something. Too much arousal screws up very high skill things,…
As a powerlifter I break all of my workout programs down into 1 of 3 phases. The 3 phases are: Post competition General Strength Peaking Post competition is for the time right after a meet. You can’t just blast away intensely for 10 years straight, the longer you are in this game and the more advanced you get you have…
I see this question pop up every so often in various debates and forums. Should a strength coach be strong? Very simply put: Yes. Please note the use of the word should in the question. Should you practice what you preach and lead by example? Yes. It is ideal for a strength coach to be strong. I can’t see how…
jug·ger·naut -An overwhelming, advancing force that crushes or seems to crush everything in its path If you had to run through a wall, would you want a head start? Hell yes you would! I believe the same concept applies to programming. Once you have a hit a plateau and you decide it is time to blast through said wall, you want a…
There is one variable that is commonly misapplied in the gym. Powerlifters aren’t as guilty of this mistake (and personal trainers are among the most guilty of the bunch), but a better understanding of this key variable will facilitate gains and give one a better, and often more enjoyable, workout. What variable I am speaking of? Rest time, and when…
Today’s blog comes from Matt Gary, hopefully if you are familiar with powerlifting you know who Matt is. If not this is a good time to get familiar with him. Matt is married to Sioux-z Hartwig-Gary, multi time National Champion and Sioux-z is interviewed in the book. Matt and Sioux-z own Supreme Sports Performance and Training (SSPT), an excellent gym in Rockville, MD that caters to powerlifters, Olympic Lifters, strongmen, and other serious fitness enthusiasts. If you are within an hour or so you should make the trip out there to check it out and get a workout in. You can find more info about his gym here: http://www.supremesportspt.com/
The Arnold itself is gigantic fitness event that occurs in Columbus, Ohio, every year. It is usually around the end of February or the beginning of March. The event was originally centered around the Arnold Bodybuilding Championship but now there are so many different fitness events taking place it is tough to say it centered around just one thing. The event has also branched out and the activities are no longer purely meathead focused – you will gymnastics, fencing, painting, jump rope, 5K’s among the other more classic activities which include powerlifting, strongman, armwrestling, Olympic Lifting, CrossFit, and bodybuilding.
If you don’t think there is strategy in powerlifting, you are sorely mistaken. Attempt selection can make a big difference in what a lifter’s total is and where they end up placing in a meet. The strongest lifter doesn’t always win a powerlifting competition, sometimes the smartest one does.
Note from Tim I am a big believer in programming out workouts with specific weight and rep guidelines – and unless you are involved in one on one training that is often the best way to go. But lifters don’t always feel the same every day – some times you are ready to smash the weight, on other days…
You’ll often hear about big benchers talking about the importance of the lats in the bench press, and how one must learn to use their lats in that lift. When pressed even the more experienced lifters have a hard time describing exactly why this concept is important – they just “know” it is. And to the newly initiated this advice…
