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Power Cycle Routine

With Strength Training Don't Be A Lightweight

Speed & Strength

Upping Your Bench

Powerlifting Nutrition

Bench Like An Animal Part 3

Bench Like An Animal Part 2

Bench Like An Animal Part 1

The benefits of strength training

How to Breakthrough Athletic Strength Barriers - Exclusive Audio Interview with Dave Tate

Strength Training for the Mature Population

Strength Training for Children Made Simple

Heavy Duty Hardcore Strength Training

Strength Training Techniques

A New Resource Focused 100% on Improving the Strength, Speed, Endurance, and Agility FOR ALL FEMALE ATHLETES! 

How to increase your bench by 50lbs in 21 days

More on Speed & Strength

How often? How hard? How many sets, reps?

Boards

An interview with Brent Mikesell

How much time between workouts

Power rack training

A bench press cycle

Power Cycle Download

Boards, Bands, and Bench Shirts.

Exercises to Strengthen The Joints

Factors Affecting Strength 

Fear is the Mind Killer

The Good Morning

Top Ten Powerlifting Training Secrets

Light Days

Meet Safety

Weigh in Bombs

Injuries

Primary Lift Technique

Rotator Cuff Problems

How to Design Your Workouts

Power Bench Press

Competition and Training Gear

What is wrong with my bench?

Powerlifting points on children

Not to much (watch out for overtraining)

Best reps for assistance work

How Weight Loss Affects Performance

Nutritional supplements for the strength athlete

So you think your squat is good?

What are Powerlifters?

About Supplements.com : Independent Review of over 20 Fat Loss Supplements - Click here

I cannot stand the polygraph.  Being exposed to it in law enforcement I know how it has failed and continues to be used.  Click here to learn how to beat a polygraph.

With strength training, don't be a lightweight

You've likely heard that with exercise, it all adds up. Every minute you spend climbing stairs, swimming laps or raking leaves counts toward the half hour a day of physical activity that's recommended for keeping your heart healthy. Just as long as you get moving, you're on the right track.

But when it comes to keeping your muscles strong, it's not that simple.

"Cardiovascular and strength training really are different," says Stephen C. Glass, professor of exercise physiology and coordinator of the human performance lab at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. "You can't just lift a pencil a thousand times," he says, and think that will boost your biceps.

That's an exaggerated example, of course, but plenty of gym-goers are working out with weights that are doing little more for them than a pencil, according to Glass and other fitness experts.

"If you just sit in a weight room and observe most people, I would say 80 percent are lifting inappropriately," Glass says.

Most gyms have their share of power-lifters who make the mistake of quickly jerking very heavy weights, a practice that can cause injuries. But a more common problem, he notes, is the failure to lift enough weight to build strength.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, Glass found that everyone in a small group of novice weightlifters failed to use enough resistance to do them much good.

The study was meant to mimic what typically happens when beginners go to a gym and embark on a weight program with minimal supervision. Thirteen male and 17 female college students were observed using several weight machines, such as the seated bench press and the biceps curl. And all of the study participants consistently chose weight loads that were well below the minimum recommended level for building strength — 60 percent of their one repetition maximum (1RM).

Instead, they were lifting at intensities of 42 percent to 57 percent of their 1RM.

"They were picking really light weights," Glass says.

Keep it challenging

Just like it sounds, a 1RM is the maximum amount of weight a person can lift one time. Fitness specialists say most people should aim for 60 percent to 75 percent of their 1RM in order to challenge their muscles so they are stimulated to grow.

"If you're just doing activity that you're accustomed to, there's no overload, no stress," Glass says.


Experts generally recommend 8 to 12 repetitions of a particular exercise at a weight that completely fatigues the target muscle by the last rep. That means you'll be too tired for another one.

In fact, going all out to find your 1RM can lead to injuries, so it's best to work with a qualified personal trainer if you would like to calculate specific percentages, he says.

A consultation with a trainer is a good idea for all beginners, so they can learn proper, safe lifting techniques, emphasizes Glass. People who don't see results are likely to throw in the towel, so it's worth the time to learn good form.

Experts advise strength training two to three days a week, targeting all the major muscle groups, with at least a day between workouts. While three sets of a particular exercise are often recommended, one set can lead to significant strength gains, notes Westcott.

Over time, it's important to keep challenging yourself. Even people who have been training for long periods may make the mistake of coasting through their workouts.

Afraid to bulk up

Women are particularly likely to stick with a light weight routine because they're afraid strength training will cause them to "bulk up," with bulging pecs, thunder thighs and a big butt.

Truth is, most women simply do not have the biological means — high levels of the hormone testosterone — to look like a bodybuilder.

Even many men don't have it in their genes to do so.

"I've been trying to bulk up for 40 years," Westcott says. "And you're not going to mistake me for Arnold Schwarzenegger."

By Jacqueline Stenson

Speed & Strength


This question is regarding speed strength. You said that to achieve maximum speed, you shouldn't be concerned with percentages of maximum weight, but should rather use a weight that can be rapidly accelerated. What repetition range do you use during this type of training?

Since the idea is to minimize fatigue as much as possible, you should use 2-4 reps per set in general.

Even if the load is so great that you can't accelerate the weight fast, it doesn't matter that much, as long as you TRY to do so. The point being that the central nervous system will understand the message and will adapt accordingly.

I agree for the most part, although I only know of one study that addresses this issue. It is a sound argument because there are two components that add up to high levels of muscular tension - weight (or mass) and speed. So a big weight with correspondingly low speed can essentially result in the same level of muscular tension as a moderate weight with high speed. Proponents of the moderate weight/high speed approach (such as Louie Simmons), point out that a big weight can only be lifted a small number of times, where a moderate weight lifted with more speed can be lifted many more times, which would theoretically lead to a bigger training effect.
 

So you can't figure out for the life of you why your bench is stuck at 315? You have been training everyday, eating well, thinking you are training your ass off living the clean life, and now you want to know why you can't make gains. Are you running around calling yourself a power guy?

Are you sure you are doing a routine that would be considered a "strength" routine? If you are doing a progressive routine, step-by-step, week-by-week, you might not be accomplishing what you think you are training for. Let's talk powerlifting.

Utilizing Powerlifting To Make Gains...

I have talked in past articles about power training, now we are going to get into it. In my article "Bench Like an Animal", I gave a starter workout for someone wanting to perk up their bench, or for someone wanting to enter the power life. Now, we need to advance that training so that we can start developing some new bench freaks. I also have spoken about education. With education comes options. With options come advancements. Simple formula, freakish results. The difference is in the training.

Repping weight will make you good at repping weight. It will not work toward your ultimate one rep max. It will make you stronger, but it will not make you powerful. If you want to become a good competition bencher, it doesn't matter what your second or third rep or fourth rep is. You want to train so that your first rep is your best rep, because you only get one shot at competition. How many times in your training has your first rep not been your best? That tells you that your training methods need to be adjusted, because in powerlifting three reps will make you strong, but one will make you a power monster.

Using Bench Shirts To Up Your Bench

If you really want to push the limits of your max, we can talk about bench shirts. Never heard of one? Never seen one? Let me give you a bit of background. Picture a shirt made of a polyester material. When you first get this thing in the mail, you will not be able to fathom how you will get this thing on. The chest is cut way too small, and the shirt is so tight that it probably will turn you arms blue and make it hard to breathe.

It takes three of your biggest friends to get it on you. You'll need talc powder and some work to pull the shirt down to get it "seated" right. Make sure those big friends ain't pissed off at you when they are putting the shirt on, cuz you are pretty helpless with the thing on. They will beat your ass just putting the shirt on; imagine if they aren't real happy with you to start with. What I am saying is don't talk too much shit until you are done benching.

The idea behind this piece of equipment is to raise your one rep max. If you bench 325 raw, then using a regular polyester 1-ply bench shirt will raise your max to somewhere into the 350-60 pound range. Of course, there are tons of factors that will govern what your assisted max will be. When we talk about competition, the assisted class uses bench shirt. In the raw division, you are only allowed a belt. If you can't for the life of you figure out how this thing would work, let me try to give you a visual.

Bring both your shoulders forward and then fold your t-shirt over in the middle vertically as tight as it goes and hold your arms in the bench position and act like you are bringing down the bar. The fold in the shirt will open up as the bar comes down. That simulates the shirt stretching. When you bring the bar down, the shirt nearly stretches to its ultimate max. It wants to stretch back, and this force helps you get the bar moving back up. The downside? The shirt is tight, hard to put on (putting it on drains energy), and it cuts under your arms as you use it. The shirt will actually cut you when you bring it down and create some pain. It gives you "sucker bite" marks. But what's a little pain among power athletes, brothers?

The single ply polyesters usually provide around 30-40 pounds on your max. If you go to a double ply poly, then you can get 50-70 pounds. If you decide to go denim, then a single ply can work you up around 80-90 pounds. Double ply denim can give you over 100 pounds depending on how you use it. There are other types available. You can also buy canvas shirts in multiple plies. There is also a new poly-type material available that is thicker then a regular poly. It is the new hardcore material.

When you are trying out bench shirts, I recommend starting with a single ply poly, getting used to it, and learning how they work. Getting into more than that is strictly for the advanced lifter. In Part 2, I'll talk about how you can train properly with a shirt to achieve monster lifts. Until, stay strong brothers.
 

Bench Like An Animal Part 3

We have spent enough time talking about turning the average lifter into an Animal, the kind who has strength training on the brain 24/7. By this time, you should be able to taste it, should have fire in the belly every time someone mentions moving the steel.

The "Bench Like an Animal" series is not for someone to "attempt". These articles are meant for those who always had a hunger for pushing themselves to the &^%$#@' extreme, but weren't quite sure how.

I want the lifters who always stop to look when someone in the gym is attempting massive weight and want that for themselves. I want the lifters who fire up "Disturbed" on the sound system and actually feel the power come over them before they begin a set. I want the lifters who spend the week walking around, going nuts, thinking about getting in the gym that night after work just to push themselves to the edge. I want those of you who have bench on the brain.

These are the hardcore freaks that will accomplish what they set out to do. It isn't hard to join the elite; it takes doing what you got to do and then going beyond. With the "Bench Like an Animal" series I would like to point out some of the different aspects that will help you enter the Animal brotherhood.

This includes what to expect, different phases as time goes on, techniques, and, of course, some different routines. I didn't have someone standing with me, helping me get to 600. But I do want to give those who want it bad a leg up. I want someone with the hunger to be able to concentrate more on training and not worry about having the right info.

Like I said, at Animalpak.com, it's all about the brotherhood. So if you follow the series, and you stick to it, you will have a chance to become great.

When you start pushing the limits, you always want to have a spotter-three if you're in the 500-600 pound range. You can't accomplish a monster bench without a spotter or two. You can't go to the gym, do your routine, and push the limits without spotters.

There will be a lot of failure and you don't want to get caught under your max without someone to get it off. All serious lifters have had training partners who've been with them a while and who they felt comfortable with. But, you have to pay attention; there are a lot of people masquerading as good partners.

Training starts off with calls every five minutes during the day in order to coordinate the training time. There's a lot of compromise and adjustments that will need to be made by both parties. Then after a while it starts to happen. The excuses start coming. A good partnership is very hard to find and one that should not be taking lightly. At no time does it involve excuses.

The Bench Killer Excuse

The main "bench killer" is the *&^%' excuse. The excuse has taken down more good lifters than any disease known to man. The main problem with this "disease" is that it comes in many forms. Here's a couple we've all heard:

 

The reason I bring these excuses up is because if you want your training to rise to a level of Animal, then you need a partner who shares the same hunger you have. And let's face it folks. There aren't that many of us around. We're a rare breed. An endangered species. When you find a good partner, remember, your responsibilities double. You need to commit 100% to yourself and 100% to your partner. By having a good partner, you'll be able to push your training to a new level.
 

After a while, you and your partner will become accustomed to each other. It is important to have someone around who knows your lift-off style, isn't afraid to spot on a heavy press, and knows when to grab the bar or even what to do if the bars stops or goes up slow. In a perfect world, the spotter becomes invisible; he becomes part of the lift.

To get to the next level, you need to get all the little details right, like having the right spotter. One wrong move in the lift-off could cause the lift to go bad. When it comes to your max, it ain't going to be easy and you don't want things you could have controlled (*&)(*' the lift up even before you get started. While we're talking about spotters, let me address one area that is a real gym ball-buster. In my opinion, you are not a pussy if you accept a lift off.

The Lift Off

The lift off saves energy when it counts: the lift. Plus, imagine lifting off 600-pounds and then having to press it… It ain't easy. Now I hear guys who say that only pussies get lift-offs. Let me set the record straight, it ain't so.

It is real @#!*&' art to have someone help you move a massive amount of weight, stop it over your sweet spot, and not dump most of it back on you. It is like the weight doesn't exist until it is over you and your arms are locked out. When it comes to a big bench, a spotter can mean the difference between getting it and not.

If you want to be the best, train like the best. Train like contest, and always have contest form. In contest, you are allowed to have you own lift-off guy and the lift-off is not part of the lift that is considered by the judge. The only rule that has to be followed is this: the lift-off guy must get out of the way so that the head judge can see the lift.

If at any time you doubt me, train with someone and then go to contest without him. You have to find someone to help get you ready. For example: You will need help getting the bench shirt on, and to help lift you off (hopefully they have lifted off the weight you do before); and to hand you the wrist wraps, chalk, salts, or whatever else you use to get ready for the lift.

There might be plenty of people to lift off for 300-400 pounds, but look for someone to lift off for 500+. Many, many become nervous. That is a chance you don't want to take. Take your boy away and see all of a sudden what a pain in the ass it is to get ready to go to the platform.

There are many great partners everywhere and I would like to take the time to give them all their props. I have had the absolute best for the last few years. This is one of the main reasons I am where I am today. When you have someone to try different equipment, travel, and compete with that has the same fire as you it can only push you to animal level. But, beware of impersonators.

It is tough to be making the gains and working your best then have the rug pulled from under you with excuses. It starts small and works its way into you just going off and training on your own until someone else comes in. That is a major problem with me. When I want to achieve and set a goal, I hate it when someone pisses on my feet and tells me it's raining.

 

Bench Like An Animal Part 2

In the first part of this article, we talked about diet and nutrition. Now, let's talk training. The one thing I run into all the time is people not knowing how to develop their training routine. The first thing you need to do is know what you are training for. Do you want to be cut? Do you plan on putting on size for show? Or do you want to train for powerlifting?

Typically, when someone wants to be ripped they stay in the area of 12-15 reps. This will not put on maximum size but can be used for rounding and fat burning. 8-10 reps is typically the area for a bodybuilder. 6 or less reps in a set is the powerlifting range. A lifter has to train his body for what he wants it to do. If you want ultimate power you don't do sets of 10 to build size. Sets of 10 will build strength but will not teach the body to hit the highest lift it can for one. The body is a blank slate. Isolating it to one thing will allow the body to be at its maximum for that thing. How many times have you done better on your second or third rep then on your first? Look into your training that might give you the answer. To achieve the big bench, train for it. Developing a training schedule is not difficult if you know a few basic rules.

RULE ONE: DON'T OVERTRAIN

The first, and main rule to follow is don't overtrain. You can't bench three times a week and expect your bench to go anywhere but down. If you do, you'll only increase the risk for injury. If you are following a routine that calls for you to bench more then once a week, my advice is, stop. When lifting for ultimate strength, every major muscle group needs about 48-72 hours to recover. If you bench three times a week, you cannot achieve huge lifts.

Plus, benching once a week and designing the workout to do accessories, for the bench, will give the body time to rest between benching and strengthen for the bench. By accessories, I am referring to the smaller muscle groups that complement the major one you are working on. For the bench, these include the triceps, shoulders, and lats. When you bench at this level, you have be careful not to over work the accessories.

Sound a little confusing? When you bench, the movement recruits other muscles. This means even if you lift your butt or twist a little, it is still benching. So benching three times a week can burn those muscles out too. If the workout is designed to do the accessories for the bench, it gives other muscles time to recover before they are used directly again.

Ok, now you are saying if you lift other parts in the same week, I still could be using the parts I used while benching. Yes, that would be correct, but now they are used indirectly and give them more time to recover. I never said powerlifting was for the faint at heart.

RULE TWO: GIVE MUSCLES PLENTY OF REST

Plan your routine to allow for maximum recovery. This means if you want those parts to be their best, design the workout so that each body part can rest as much as it can. If you bench on Sunday, for example, triceps would be the most logical body part to exercise after doing the bench routine. Benching and strong triceps go together. If the routine calls for lifting on Monday then doing biceps and back would be the most logical.

Old school training used to design training schedules on the push/pull method. One day would call for you to exercise muscles that pull (biceps/back) and other days would be designed for muscles that push (chest/triceps).

RULE THREE: NEVER GIVE UP

Put on an intense lifting face. Never, never give up. So many lifters walk into a gym with good intentions. So very few actually accomplish the goals they set out for themselves. The only way you can accomplish any goal is to first show up. Show up mentally and show up physically. Or why bother showing up at all?

Naturally it takes a lot of time and education. While training, be open to new ideas and watch others in the gym. Know when someone in the gym is doing an exercise incorrectly. That way when that person comes up to you and talks, or tells you are doing something wrong, you can just say, "Thanks," and walk away with a smirk.

Everyone has a different way to train. Not all of them are right, and not all of them are wrong. But, when you know the facts about training, you can take what works for you out of any conversation and then there is never any wasted time. Strength training is one of the toughest sports to handle. Training has to be heavy, hard, and constant. Saying I can't do that today is not an option. Being too tired is not a choice. Being the best at anything takes a lot of time and dedication. Knowing your training is crucial to success.

There is no wrong way to train when you know and follow the facts. Old school training has its place, as do new forms of training. With education, a competitor can make his own choices. Knowing that not touching the bar when entering a bench contest and only doing accessories does not work for natural competitor cuts down on time and frustration when training for a contest. Learn your sport, keep the goals reasonable, never quit, and know what you got to do. When it comes to powerlifting, know it's not a sport, but a state of mind.

ROUTINE: THE 8-WEEK HEAVY BENCH

I have included a 4-day routine for building a strong bench. It's not the be all, end all, but it will definitely help the lifter who doesn't know how to train for a better bench or the one who needs a boost in the bench. You can adjust this routine to fit your particular needs. This workout should only be used for approximately 8 weeks.

During your 8 weeks of the program, pay close attention to how your body responds to the training. After the 8 weeks is up, change will be needed. Design a modified program that gives you more time for rest or just lighten the weight for a 2-week off cycle.

To maximize this workout, a lifter should start this workout with lighter weights. He should know about his range for each exercise and know failure. If any of the workout is not tough enough, raise the weight. If the reps for the abs are not enough, raise the reps. Always write down and keep track of what you do. The program is designed for increasing the bench press so even though legs are part of the routine, watch the extras as it will drain strength from the main focus. But don't forget this important fact: strong legs and strong abs will mean strong bench.

On heavy bench day, if your final rep is a failure, don't worry. Try again next week with the same weight. If the final rep is easy, then add 10 pounds and try again. If you hit that too, and it takes at least 20 pounds to fail, then start at 20 pounds or higher next week. After completing this program, try your one rep max again. The typical gain you can expect is around 20-30 pounds on your bench.

One final note. Warm up is very important. Whether you choose to lift light, stretch, do some cardio, or whatever, just do it. Anyone who is dedicated to training usually has their own style of warming up. Just make sure that the body part you are training and the muscles associated with that part are ready to start heavy.


__________ THE 8-WEEK PROGRAM __________

SUNDAY

Warm-up
Heavy Bench
225 lb. x 6 reps (75%)
235 lb. x 5 reps (78%)
245 lb. x 4 reps (82%)
255 lb. x 3 reps (85%)
265 lb. x 2 reps (88%)
275 lb. x 1 rep (91%)
Final end rep (around 90%)
Note: The above poundages refer to a lifter who already has a 300 pound one rep max. Your numbers will vary depending on your individual goal.
Triceps
Close Grip Bench: 3 x 3 (75%) - view exercise
Skull Crushers (Light): 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Dumbbell Kickbacks: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Pushdowns: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Abs
Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps - view exercise
Cable Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
Print Sunday's Workout Log HERE!

MONDAY

Warm-Up
Back
Pull-Ups: 4 sets x 10 reps - view exercise
T-Bar: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Front Pulldowns: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Biceps
Hammer Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Preacher Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Straight Bar Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Seated Curls: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Abs
Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
Cable Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
Print Monday's Workout Log HERE!

TUESDAY

Day off

WEDNESDAY

Warm-Up
Shoulders
Barbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Dumbbell Shrugs: 3 sets x 6 reps - view exercise
Incline Press: 3 sets x 6 reps - view exercise
Front Delt Raises: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Shoulder Flyes: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Triceps
Single Arm Skull Crushers (Heavy): 3 sets x 6 reps - view exercise
Barbell Skull Crushers: 3 sets x 6 reps - view exercise
Single Arm Pushdowns: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Abs
Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
Cable Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
Print Wednesday's Workout Log HERE!

THURSDAY

Warm-Up
Legs
Squat: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Leg press: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Hack Squat: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Leg Extension: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Hamstrings: 3 sets x 8 reps - view exercise
Calves: 3 sets 15 reps - view exercise
Abs
Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
Cable Crunches: 3 sets 25 reps
Print Thursday's Workout Log HERE!

FRIDAY

Day off

SATURDAY

Day off


Paul S. Vargo Nationally-Ranked Bench Presser

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Bench Like an Animal Part 1

There are many milestones when entering the world of bench pressing. When starting into the gym life, you might see others in the gym benching big weight and wonder how you too can get there. Benching is an eye-catching movement that draws a big crowd. It never seems to fail, that if a conversation starts between two people in the gym, one will ask the other, "So how much do you bench?" 

In a normal gym, you might observe lifters benching in the three hundreds, but watch someone load 8 plates on the bar and people will stop to see if the lift goes up. If that lifter does 405 for more then one, people will come from other rooms to watch. If that lifter goes higher into the mid-400s or even crosses into the 500-pound press, well then, all eyes in the gym will be focused on him and all movement in the gym will come to a standstill.

BREAK THAT MARK

People will always ask the lifter how he got there, the 400, 500, or 600 pound bench press. Have you ever been one of them? Are any of these weights one of your goals? Have you been training for months and not seen any improvement in your strength? Are you frustrated because it seems there are so many techniques and magazines with so many different ideas that can't possibly be done in a normal lifestyle? Here are my basics. My routine mixes old school intensity with some new school methods. It ought to help with your training as well. 

Listen, training for strength is a tough thing to do. In bodybuilding, a competitor must peak at the right time to insure the best results. In power lifting, a competitor must do the same to insure a best lift. However, in order for a power lifter to be the best at his best, he must first keep the "beast fed." This means eating, then eating, and then eating some more. 

Natural power lifting is very tough on the body. The main things the body has to restore itself from the beating is rest and food. I hate to use a cliché, but you definitely are what you eat. If you want to be strong, you have to eat for it. 

Now bear in mind that this article is specially geared for the natural lifter. I know there are many out there who want to perfect the bench press, naturally. I personally believe lifting natural is the best way to go. Plus, it's a whole hell of a lot cheaper. But your choice is your own. OK. Let's start. 

START OFF RIGHT

Too many beginners start right off the bat eating a diet a bodybuilder two weeks out of a show would be proud of. You know what I'm talking about: no fat, no carbohydrates and usually only moderate protein intake. When you're training for strength or size (or both), you should be taking in, minimum, at least a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight every day. Hard, heavy lifters (those athletes getting ready for a power lifting competition, for example) should take in as much as a gram and a half for every pound of bodyweight per day. 

There are some people who say that the body only needs 50 grams of protein per day and anything over that will only be eliminated. I can tell you from personal experience that recovery time is cut down dramatically when you follow a high protein diet. 

Remember, the body uses protein to rebuild the muscles that get torn down every time you lift heavy. Common sense should tell you that the harder you lift, the more protein you'll need to fix the damage you cause. If you run your big 4x4 truck hard, does it use more gas? Hell yeah! 

Now young, inexperienced lifters should take special note here. Too many of you are under the impression that the diet of the bodybuilder and the training of a power lifter go together. They do not. Let me repeat: they do not. If you want to be cut and ripped, you have to train and eat for that physique. If you want ultimate power, you have to train and eat for that instead. Very few athletes can look like a hard core bodybuilder and bench like a world-class power lifter, as this usually involves more then just training and diet. 

HAVE AN EXTRA STEAK

So, if you want that big bench, make sure to eat a ton. I am not giving you a license to eat all the sweets and chips you want. What I am saying is to make sure you have an extra steak, eat 2 more potatoes, or even throw in an extra meal because taking in at least 5000 calories a day is not uncommon for a serious power athlete. I'm going to say it again because it's that important: Heavy training and a big diet is the way to gaining size and strength. 

We all have a comfort zone. The key to diet is to see what yours is. When first starting out, don't be afraid to eat when your body craves extra food. The addition of heavy training will add many calories to your diet. Trust me. Eventually, your body will find out where it wants to stay. Only then can you start to plan out your route for competition. 

In addition, drink at least a gallon of ice cold water a day. For those in doubt about eating so many calories a day, drinking the water will help keep extra weight down (not that the beginning power athlete should worry about that right now). Why ice cold water? Because it will help keep extra weight down since your body will burn calories to warm the water up. Another reason that a power athlete should drink a lot of water is because most of the supplements on the market are water-soluble. 

SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT

Speaking of supplements, if you're just starting out, focus on the nutrition you get from the foods you eat. If you're eating a wide variety of foods, you won't need to start with supplements. Remember, supplements are just another tool for helping you reach your goals. They're not a magic pill. Supplements, in the absence of a solid diet, hard training, and plenty of rest, will be a waste of your hard-earned money. But when you're ready for that extra edge, start with a basic protein powder, maybe some extra amino acids, and a good multivitamin. My feeling is, since the training at the initial stage is not advanced, why should the supplement plan? A beginner should not be worried about supplements so much. Advanced lifters who have more knowledge and experience, on the other hand, should formulate their own opinions about what they want to take. 

As an experienced lifter, I personally rely and Animal supplements. During the year, I use Animal Pak and Animal Stak religiously. Lately though, I've been using some Animal M-Stak right before a meet and getting great results. Whatever supplements you use though, if you want to train naturally and you want to get strong, take supplements that will increase your body's ability to train and recover. 

THROWING IT ALL TOGETHER

Heavy training, a huge diet, a good supplement plan, and plenty of rest is the only way to gain size and strength. So if you're training hard but having trouble getting strong, start by looking at your diet. After all, if you are unhappy with the way you look, you can always cut weight. It is much easier to cut the weight off then put muscle on. And unfortunately, eating big is the only way, naturally speaking, to put on a lot of size. A solid supplement plan will get you to the next level. On top of all that, get your sleep at night. All this will lay the foundation for the next step: training. Next month, I'll specifically talk about training for bigger gains in the bench. Until then, work hard and eat big. 

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  Do you know the benefits of Strength Training?

Current research is showing that strength training is not just for the bodybuilder, athlete or exercise enthusiast, but is important for all populations to maintain quality and vitality during a lifetime. All populations including pre-adolescent children, men and women, the elderly, the injured and the healthy and sick will benefit from strength training immensely. Quality strength training should therefore be promoted to them accordingly. Research has shown that strength training will...

Increase Lean Body Mass
Most adults do not perform strength exercise, therefore they need to replace the muscle tissue that has been lost through inactivity. Fortunately, research shows that a standard strength training program can increase muscle mass by about 1.4kg over an eight week training period. This is the typical training response for men who do 25 minutes of strength exercise one day each week.

Reduce Body Fat
Once your metabolic rate increase with an increase in or a replacement of, lean muscle mass, your daily energy expenditure will also increase due to your higher metabolic rate. More muscle means more fat burnt. Muscle is small, lean and hard, fat is soft, lumpy and twice as big as muscle at the same weight!! If you want to burn fat faster and have a lean, tight body, you MUST lift weights!!

Increase Bone Mineral Density
Strength training places tension and stress on the bones of the body via the overload being directly placed on the bones and the stress being indirectly placed on the bones via muscular tension from the muscle origin and insertion. This stimulates the bone to lay down more minerals density has been shown to be increased by up to 10% in as little as six months. Research has shown that high intensity weight training using heavy weights is by far the best form of training to increase bone mineral density.

Increase Vitality and Quality of Life
Muscles are like the engine in your car. If you keep it in good condition you can drive it regularly and vigorously without it breaking down. If your muscles are kept in good condition-strong, tight and toned, you will be able to run, jump and play with ease for a lot longer and without worrying about running out of energy or injuring yourself.

Increased Functional Strength, Increased Power and Sporting Performance
If the muscles of the body are progressively overloaded with weights, in a functional manner, they will be stronger and therefore be more capable to perform daily activities with less effect. As the strength of a muscle increases, its capacity to exert power is enhanced. There is a relationship between muscle strength and power. Considering sporting performance is largely dependent on power development and the rate of force production, strength training will enhance sporting performance. A stronger more powerful muscle will use less effort to do the same task or it will be capable of doing the same task faster and harder!!

Increased Metabolic Rate
Your metabolic rate will slow down with age because you are losing muscle tissue- but only if you don't strength train!! People who don't strength train will lose muscle tissue, move less and have a metabolism that slows down by as much as 2% per decade, some people who are very inactive , as much as ½ a percent per year!! Heavy strength training programs have been shown to increase resting metabolic rate up to 2% in as little as ten weeks of training. No strength training- slows down your metabolism. Strength train and you will speed up your metabolism. 

Increase Joint Strength /Stability and Improved Posture
Joint strength and stability is dependent upon the muscles ability to control the two adjoining bones in their correct position during normal posture and movement. Increase your functional strength and you will improve your body's posture at rest and during movement. This means a body that is more efficient at everyday tasks, it will perform better and the stresses placed on the body's structures will be reduced. Strong muscles will hold your posture in place!!

Decrease the Risk of Arthritis
Strength training enhances the functional control of the body's joints and therefore decreases the daily stresses through those joints, there is a less likelihood of degeneration of the joints. Functional strength will therefore decrease the chance of osteo-arthritis and the degeneration of joints and the research is showing strength training plays a major role in the reduction of pain symptoms of arthritis. Strength train to reduce the risk of arthritis! Strength train if you have arthritis to help reduce the pain!!

Decrease Blood Pressure
Current research from University of Florida has shown that strength training will significantly reduce blood pressure reducing the chances of hypertension and risk of coronary heart disease. Acute changes in blood pressure from strength training are no higher than the increases in blood pressure from cardio-vascular training except that cardio-vascular training elevates blood pressure for a longer period of time. If the muscles are functionally stronger, there is less stress placed on the cardio-vascular system whilst performing all activities.

Decreased Risk of Injury/Quicker Rehabilitation from injury
Strength training will make your muscles stronger and increase their ability to support and protect the body. Strong muscle will also enhance the recovery of the body following injury and strength training plays a vital role in the functional rehabilitation process used by leading rehabilitation therapists. The more functional strength around a joint, the less stress the joint experiences during recovery from an injury, therefore decreasing rehabilitation time. Initial rehabilitation with a physiotherapist is to regain full range of movement, decrease inflammation and regain normal muscular control. Strong muscles protect your body from injury! After injury, strong muscles recover quicker!

Decrease the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and help with its symptoms.
Because strength training promotes the increase of lean muscle mass, the uptake of blood sugars into the muscle cell will also be increased therefore reducing the incidence of Diabetes. Your metabolic rate is also increased by strength training which aids in the reduction of fat mass. Type 2 diabetes is directly is related to fatness- Lose weight and there is very little chance of late onset diabetes!!

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Audio Interview by Dave Tate

How to Breakthrough Athletic Strength Barriers - Exclusive Audio Interview with Dave Tate
What is the best way to structure your strength and conditioning workout? Strength coach Dave Tate dispells all the myths in the industry and lays it all on the line how to build superior strength in this 24+ minute audio interview! . . . more >>

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Strength Training for the mature population

Don't Let An Old Person Move Into Your Body!!!
There is an old saying, "If you don't use it, you lose it". Unfortunately the majority of the elderly population have experienced many years of muscle and bone wastage due to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. It is important that the elderly populations are involved in a regular, progressive strength training program to reverse the degeneration and wastage that the body has already experienced. Current research is showing increases of strength with the elderly comparably to that of their younger counterparts. 

Strength training has shown to...

· Increase muscle strength
· Increase muscle or replace lost muscle tissue
· Increase bone mineral density
· Enhance functional strength
· Improve vitality
· Improve joint stability
· Reduce joint pain and discomfort
· Increase incidental activity
· Increase self worth and self esteem

Weight training guidelines to maximize training returns while reducing potential injury risks include…

· Medical clearance prior to program commencement.
· Beware of degenerative diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure. (Weight training can still be of great benefit to any sufferers of these conditions.) 
· Work and consult with other health professionals such as physiotherapists and cardiologists when confronted with any existing medical conditions such as coronary heart
· Disease and osteoporosis.
· Weight training must complement other physical activities such as cardiovascular and flexibility exercises.
· Perform 1-2 training sessions per week under supervision of a qualified instructor.
· Allow adequate recovery between training session as elderly people's recovery capabilities are slower than that of younger persons.
· Perform a progressive warm up, cool down and stretch.
· Perform stability based exercises (e.g. single leg balances) to establish balance and joint strength prior to progressing onto more physically demanding exercises such as squats.
· Establish a good base of functional strength and control in major joint such as the knee, pelvis, lower back and scapular.
· Exercise programs should consist of functional compound exercises such as squats, lunges, bench presses etc.
· Introduce body weight exercises into the program to promote relative strength and stability.
· Aim for good weight lift technique, execution and control before progressing the load.
· Perform full range of motion within the limits of comfort, control or pain.
· Once lifting form is good progressively increase the loads.
· Perform high repetitions (10+ reps) with moderate to low loads.
· Resistance training improves insulin action in the elderly.
· Resistance training improves aerobic power in the elderly and improves dynamic balance.

The current research is displaying very promising results when strength training the elderly.

Strength training for the elderly is highly recommended to...

· Enhance vitality
· Improve functional strength
· Increase bone and joint strength
· Increase metabolism for fat loss
· Improve self esteem
· Decrease risk of injury from falls

It is vital in the overall fight against any further muscle deterioration and reverses the degeneration of the body that the elderly have already experienced.

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Strength Training for children made simple

There is much confusion in the general population concerning strength training for children. In the past it has not been recommended by the medical profession for children to lifts weights due to the proposed stresses placed on the developing bones and epiphyseal (growth) plates. It had been suggested by medical organizations that these added loads to the body may cause abnormal growth patterns amongst children. It was also perceived that not only was there a high risk of injury but there were limited physiological benefits to be gained from lifted weights. As these views were not supported or contradicted by any research, it was a safe recommendation to make.

A growing body of research now conclusively supports not only the safety of children lifting weights, but recommends that active children should perform strength training to enhance growth and development. Every orthopedic and pediatric association in the world now recommends that children perform strength training once they are actively involved in sporting or physically demanding activities.

These organizations include...

· Sports Medicine Australia
· American College of Sports Medicine
· American Council for Pediatrics
· Society for Pediatrics and Orthopedics 
· American Academy of Pediatrics
· National Strength and Conditioning Association
· National Athletics Association
· United States Olympic Committee
· The Presidents Council for Physical Fitness and Sports

The current research now conclusively shows that strength training in children has no adverse effects on bone growth, growth plate integrity, muscle development, blood pressure, heart rate, hemoglobin content, flexibility or motor performance. The research has shown significant improvements in strength equal to that of an adult.

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Heavy Duty Hardcore Strength Training


The principles of quality, abbreviated strength training can be applied to all populations. It is important that the training intensity is maximal for the person's individual capabilities. One must emphasize the increase of intensity rather than volume, to attain maximal results in the minimal period of time 
The program should be simple and basic. One must be strong at the basic compound movements before any real results in strength, size and power can be achieved. At times we get so busy swapping and changing exercises and training techniques that we have become average at everything, but never really strong at anything. If you get very strong at all of the basic lifts, you will have and impressive physique including well developed arms and abdominals, you will have a fast metabolism and you will be a fast, fat-burning machine.
Don't shy away from the big, basic, compound movements... Just because they are hard. Guess why they work? Because they are HARD! 


Why Strength Training Less Often Will Give You the Best Results

The purpose of strength training is to stimulate a muscle so that it will adapt to become stronger (bigger) And more toned (hard or tighter).
Once the muscle has been stimulated, it can take up to 7 days for the muscle to recover, get stronger and improve from its last training session. It is the stimulus and the recovery that will give the result. Consequently it is very important not to train a muscle before it has time to recover and get stronger. If you train (weight train) during that recovery or over-compensation period you will never achieve maximum results.
Major research is showing a minimum of 3 days recovery time for people who do not train hard and up to 21 days for elite athletes who push themselves to the limit!!
Strength training once a week is an effective, safe training period that will allow for recovery and produce maximal results for most people.

Why Functional, Compound Exercises?
Compound exercise use more than one muscle at a time and work over more than one bone joint. They work the big muscles of the body and all the smaller assisting muscles, harder, safer and more effectively than doing specific exercises for each small muscle group.
Compound exercises allow you to lift heavier weights. This means you will get stronger quicker and you will see better results for both the smaller and bigger muscles.
An exercise that is functional, where the body works the same way the exercise moves, means the exercise will be safer.
3-4 functional, compound exercises will work ALL the big and small muscles in your body. They are safe, they replicate normal activity and they will give you the best results in the shortest period of time.

How Many Sets Per Exercise
The purpose of strength training is to stimulate a muscle so that it will adapt to become stronger, bigger (for men) and more toned, "tighter" for women.
This stimulus is put on to the muscle by the overload (weight) to force the muscle to adapt.
Research shows that a load only has to be lifted for as many times, within a 10-15 repetition range, that it takes for you to find it reasonably difficult to do another repetition of the exercise.
Once you have done this once, (1 set) you will have done all that is required to get your best results. Repeating more sets of this process produces no better results and just takes more time. 

"Conclusive research shows that 1 set of each exercise is all that is required to produce the best results." - American College of Sports Medicine

If a  set is performed to 100% of absolute intensity and failure, it should be almost impossible to generate the same amount of force for the next set. If you can perform another set at the same level of intensity, you did not perform the first set hard enough. If you attempt another set, it will lead to diminishing returns not only on your next set but also on your next exercise. Once you have activated the target number of motor units there is no need for further stimulation. This is not only repetitive, but also counter productive and can lead to overtraining. Saving the energy to perform another exercise with more force and a different recruitment of motor units is far more productive than repeating what you have already accomplished.
Remember you are training for strength development, not endurance. It is not how many sets that you can complete, but how strong you get that determines your results. If you're not getting stronger, you're not getting bigger. It's not the quantity of training, but the quality of training that determines the physiological outcome. The largest body of research has displayed that single set training is as beneficial as multiple set training. Multiple set is not better than single set and vice versa, the results are the same.
Single set training has been shown to increase strength, muscle size and power as effectively as multiple set training, whilst reducing premature fatigue during the work-out, decreasing the chances of over-training and saving more energy for more important lifts throughout the work-out.

How Many Repetitions Per Set
Intensity of training is the stimulus responsible for inducing muscle growth and strength increases. The development of strength and muscle size is interrelated. Research displays that the initial increases in strength are through neurological adaptations which last for the first couple of months. After that, any further increases in strength are related to a corresponding increase in muscle size. It may not be a proportional relationship, but there certainly is a relationship. Basically, to get bigger one must first get stronger and the training program must be designed so that an increase in strength is the primary objective if one wishes increase muscle size.
The higher the absolute training intensity (lower the repetitions) and the higher the relative training intensity (the closer to failure) a set is performed, the more motor units are activated, therefore greater growth and strength stimulation occurs. Increasing the intensity of training rather than the volume of training will result in the achievement of better gains. Remember you are training for strength, not endurance.
Current research has shown that 6-20 repetitions will significantly increase strength and muscle size for the vast majority of people. Only advanced trainers should perform below 10 repetitions- which can be cycled between 5 and 20 repetitions. Remember, lifting heavy with low repetitions, for prolonged periods of time, places high levels of stress on the stabilizers of the joints and the joints themselves. This can lead to diminishing returns, overtraining and possible injury.
Remember to cycle your absolute intensity between 5-20 repetitions frequently to avoid training plateaus and injury. All sets should still be taken as close to absolute failure- "full potential" as possible, for maximal returns from training.


Quick Tips for Rep Ranges
- Beginners to intermediate trainers: Cycle reps from 10-20
- Advanced trainers: Cycle reps from 5-20.
- Train with 100% intensity or not at all (relative to ability, health & training history)
- There's no magical number for strength, muscle size, power or toning
- It is important that you are increasing the load and improving on the repetition range that suits you.
- It is effort you put into the set that is the most important. All or nothing attitude. 

Cycling the number of repetitions is an effective way to manipulate training intensity and volume to maintain progression and avoid training plateaus. Theses are commonly used by more advanced trainers who have already established a good strength base and reached training plateaus.

Linear Progression: A gradual and predictable increase in absolute intensity over the training period.

Weeks 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 
Reps 15 12 10 8 

The repetitions gradually decrease as the loads increase to progressively increase your absolute intensity. This lays a foundation to lifting heavy weight by performing high repetitions with light weights (low absolute intensity) to begin with. This will promote adherence to progressively increasing loads, tendon strength and to ensure correct technique. This is the safe way to progress to performing low repetitions with heavy weight.. High absolute intensity to maximally activate motor unit recruitment.

Undulating/Wavelike Progression: A gradual increase in absolute intensity over the training time with periodic declines in absolute intensity so as to promote recovery and regeneration in preparation for the next increase in absolute intensity.

Weeks 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 
Reps 15 10 12 8 

These two forms of progression are forms of periodising your training intensity and volume to lead to optimal increases in performance, whilst avoiding training plateaus and minimizing injury. 

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Strength Training Techniques

To gain more from your weight-training, sometimes new methods or concepts should be used to "shock" the muscles in to gaining more size and strength. Using these overload techniques will help to get pass any training plateaus that the strength training athlete may have reached. Three of these strengthen methods are featured below.

Some Common Alternative Overload Techniques

Super Slow Contractions: This is a training method where repetitions are performed in a very slow manner in both the concentric and eccentric phases. Times for contractions vary with the most common protocol being 5 seconds for each contraction for approximately 6 repetitions making a total of 60 seconds of muscle tension. The purpose of this training technique is to maintain quality tension on the muscle, throughout the full range of motion, for an extended period of time and reducing the stresses on the joints. Unfortunately, this places the training stimulus in the lactate energy system, activating slow twitch muscle fibers as only light weights can be lifted relative to MVC (maximal voluntary contraction). Research by Keogh and co-authors (1997) showed that force output and EMG (electromyographic) activity was low during super slow contractions when compared to traditional weight training speeds. McEvoy and Newton (1997) also showed that it was ineffective in stimulating increases in muscle size and strength when compared to traditional training in experienced lifters. It maybe an effective training technique for beginners, rehabilitation or a down loading in a training cycle due to the safety and decrease in muscle tension 'and joint stress.

Drop Sets: This is a training technique where more than one set of an exercise is performed in a row without a rest interval between sets. Consequently, training loads are decreased between each set so as to allow the completion of the required repetitions. The weight can be lowered as many times as required depending on the training goal. The most common protocol is to reduce the weight twice so you would perform three consecutive sets. The suggested purpose of this training technique is to keep the muscle working even though it is already fatigued creating an incredible "burn" and "pump". The energy systems and muscle fibers recruited are dependant upon the number of repetitions performed. The more repetitions performed in each set, the more the training stimulus falls away from the phosphate energy system-or strength gain. Higher repetitions will also recruit slow twitch muscle fibers rather than fast twitch muscle fibers which are associated with low repetitions and high load. This would reduce overall force output and muscle tension and activity.

Partial Reps: A training technique that utilizes the combination of partial movements in a sequence to form the set. It usually comprises of a combination of 3 or 4 parts of the range of movement, using light loads, for 5-7 repetitions each part. You would eventually complete approximately twenty repetitions. It is a training technique that is suggested will activate muscles during ranges of motion not normally targeted, adding more stress to the muscle at these ranges of movement. Considering light loads are used for high repetitions, this form of training would also reduce force output and muscle activity. It places the training
stimulus in the lactate energy system, activating slow twitch muscle fibers promoting muscle endurance rather than strength and hypertrophy. Heavy partials could be used to concentrate on a particular part of the movement such as the sticking, starting, or end range of movement of the exercise. If heavy loads and low repetitions were used, there would be an end result of increased strength and muscle size.

Eccentrics: This training protocol comes in various forms-negatives to super-eccentrics. Negatives take the set to concentric failure then, with assistance, through the concentric phase, extra eccentric contractions are performed to fatigue. Eccentric failure is never achieved with traditional weight training as concentric failure always occurs first, reducing the relative intensity during the eccentric phase of the movement. These negatives place more tension and relative intensity on the muscles thus providing a further stimulus for strength and hypertrophy. However, if repetitions are high prior to concentric failure, then the training stimulus is structured for muscle endurance once again rather than strength and hypertrophy.

Super-eccentrics are when the load is adjusted to above your MVC ( 1 RM) so that no concentric contractions can be performed, only super-loaded eccentric contractions. This training requires spotters to assist the lifter during the concentric phase of the movement. This training technique will place high levels of eccentric tension, force output and activity on the muscle. Theoretically, it is physiologically beneficial for strength and hypertrophy due to the nature and absolute intensity of the training stimulus.

Further eccentric loads can be placed on the eccentric phase of an exercise via manual application from a training partner. The partner will manually
apply extra downward load on the bar or weight stack to overload the eccentric phase of the lift. How much extra force is applied is dependant upon the amount of control that the lifter has over the exercise. When the lifter loses control or falters in technique during the execution, the exercise should be ceased. The training adaptation will be specific to the number of repetitions chosen during the lift and how much eccentric load is applied, with each repetition before failure is reached. This form of training allows the eccentric load to be adjusted at various joint angles according the resistance and control shown by the lifter.

Supersets: This is where exercises are performed consecutively for the same muscle group without a rest interval in between. The suggested reasoning behind this training method is to keep the tension placed on the muscle from a new angle to enforce further muscle fatigue. However, the physiological response from this training will depend on the number repetitions performed. The higher the repetitions the more muscle endurance is promoted, thus decreasing force output and muscle tension, placing the stimulus in the lactate energy system whilst activating slow twitch muscle fibers. Pre-exhaustive super-sets are when an isolated exercise is followed by a compound exercise. The assistant movers in the compound exercise are supposed to keep the prime mover working even though it has already been pre-fatigued during the isolated exercise, theoretically adding more stress to the target muscle. Again, this training technique promotes muscular endurance past normal fatigue levels.

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Gains of 30, 40, 50, or even 60 pounds in only 3 weeks are not uncommon. This is a proven system that works!

Your buddies at the gym will be amazed when they see you powering up bigger weights then ever before! They will probably think that you are "on the juice" even though you are totally natural.  Click here to view the system.

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More on Speed & Strength

I am now becoming aware of the concept of speed strength. But I am still a little confused. First off, I play college football and need to improve my speed and strength. If I am training with 80-95% of my 1 rep max, for low reps, between 1 and 5, am I not improving my speed?

Sure - when absolute strength improves, so does speed strength. For example, if you can squat 405 and your training partner can squat 315, who can move 225 with more speed? Obviously you can, because 225 is a smaller percentage of your max than your partner's max. So for this reason, strength coaches often speak of maximal strength as being the "foundation" for speed strength.

I do Olympic lifts too, like power cleans and snatches. Do I need to do lower weights and do faster reps on these too?

One can argue that the primary value of Olympic lifts is the fact that they must be done quickly. In other words, it is not the movement pattern itself that is so valuable, but the character (quality) of the movement. For cleans, the reps will normally always be low (1-5 per set, and more often than not, 2-3 reps per set) to avoid fatigue. However, you can use varying degrees of difficulty by altering the weight load (e.g. you can do 3 reps where 6 are possible, or 3 reps where only 3 are possible).

Can I combine speed strength and absolute strength workouts, since I want to be faster, but also want to get stronger?

Yes. Perform the speed strength component first, followed by the strength component. If speed strength is the most important component you need to train, do this as follows (using the bench press as an example):

Bench press: 60% for 10x3 (perform all sets with acceleration and complete within 15 minutes).

Bench press: 3 progressively heavier singles, working toward your current 1RM.

In this example, if we assume your current 1RM is 300 pounds, this means you'll perform 180 for 10x3 in 15 minutes or less, then you'll take perhaps 225x1, followed by 265x1, ending up with 285 for 1.

If maximal strength is the most important component you need to train, structure the workout more like this (again using the bench press as an example):

Bench press: 60% for 5x3 (perform all sets with acceleration and complete within 10 minutes).

Bench press: 5x3 using 85-90% of 1RM

In this example, you'd use 180 pounds for 5x3, followed by 260 for 5x3.

Also, what do you think about using the following training method for speed strength? I read an article by Charles Poliquin where he recommended to start the bench press from the bottom position. Start with the bar resting on the rack, and with an explosive push, lift it up, then lower it slowly, back on the rack. Rest a few seconds and explode up again.

This method is designed to eliminate the stretch-shortening cycle (which is the natural strength advantage you gain as you lower the weight immediately before lifting it). If your sport or sporting event does not involve the stretch shortening cycle (such as the bench press and deadlift in powerlifting), then I would make liberal use of this method. However, if your event DOES involve the SSC, (such as throwing or jumping) then minimize the use of this method. Of course, any method that is unfamiliar to you has the potential of invoking renewed progress, so don't write off a training method just because it seems non-specific to what you do! Always remember that there are numerous effective approaches to training. If this were not the case, someone would have figured it all out decades ago and neither of us would be having this discussion!

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How Often? How Hard? How Many Sets, Reps? 

This is a tricky area. Your low back and spinal erectors can be easily over-trained. And your thighs, too. Many people hurt their backs because their thighs are exhausted from too much work and aerobics, so they coast a little bit while asking the erectors to pick up the slack. And when the erectors go, so goes the spinal disc.

IPersonally, I believe anyone can handle either squats OR deadlifts once a week. I don't think both should be attempted, though. Stiff Leg deadlifts? If done properly, they'll probably be okay on a weekly basis. Personally, I squat weekly, and deadlift every other week, with SLDL's weekly also. ON deadlift week, I squat after, and in the same workout, but reduce the regular squat weight by ten pounds.

As far as how many sets, reps... Well, you'll get a lot of opinions here. Personally, I cycle all my lifts with phases of 15/12/10/8/6 reps over a 14 week period. EXCEPT squats and deads. These I start out with 12's and cycle down to 4's. Fifteen reps on those two moves are just too nauseating for me (sorry, I'm a little wimpy).

That's it on deads and squats, folks. Be careful and conservative, and the two movements will serve you well. Happy training!

Scott Carrell

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Boards 

For two months now, I've been experimenting with boards and recently experimented with bands.  If you read "Workout of Champions", you'll see that Bill Carpenter trains with boards. Let me explain this. Board Presses (or to better describe it Board Bench Press) are done the same as the bench press but you have either 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 boards on your chest while doing them. The point of doing this exercise is to strengthen every area of the bench between the point where the bar is at your chest and the point where the bar is at lockout. 

You can work up to some monstrous numbers doing this exercise because all you doing is bringing the bar to the board and exploding off the boards to lockout. If your a powerlifter or just wanting to increase your bench, get your hands on some 2x6's or 2x8's, get about 4 of them to start with or if you can get six boards at your local Lowe's or Home Depot or where ever you can find boards. 

My friend has 2 boards nailed together and did the same with 3, 4, and 5 boards. I have 2 boards black taped together and have the other 2 loose so that I can do 2, 3, and 4 boards. If I can find another board or two, I'll be able to do 5 and/or 6 boards. Board Presses can really help your strength on the bench press. To give you an idea, here's what I'm doing on them. 


2 boards - 335 for 3 sets of 3 (recently) 
3 boards - 335 for 3 (this was two months ago) 
4 boards - 430 for a single 
5 boards - 475 for a single 
6 boards - 515 for a single

Boards help to get you the feel of heavier weight but it also helps with exploding and getting the weight up faster. Give these a try. They also help to add some mass to your frame very quickly. 

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By: Curtis Dennis Jr

Back in "Record Breakers" I mentioned a lift that recently became the squat king over Ed Coan. First he did 1041 squat, making his presence felt in the powerlifting world and rocking it with his 1074 squat later on. His name is Brent Mikesell. This month my mission is to bring powerlifting to Bodybuilding.com I want to introduce one of the sports' best squatter of all time who may not be finished with the squats yet!!! 

CD: Brent. Please give the readers a description of yourself? 

Well, I'm 35 years old. I'm six feet tall and weigh in at contests around 330. I was born in a small town in Northern Idaho and have lived in the Northwest pretty much my whole life. I played football at the University of Montana and then took up teaching as a full time career. I am married to my beautiful wife Conie and have three awesome kids, Shelbie, Kalli and Maximus. My best lifts at a meet are 1075 squat, a 601 bench and a 804 deadlift. 

CD: How long have you been into powerlifting? 

I actually started in high school back in the mid 80's. After a couple years of small contests, I had to give it up for college football. I didn't pick it up again until December of 1995. 

CD: Have you always been strong? 

I was one of those guys that had great genetics for squatting and deadlifting, but just the opposite for benching. I wasn't really sure how strong I was until the middle of my junior year in high school, when I busted the squat and deadlift records of some seniors that were considered legends. That was when I knew I was pretty strong….My bench took years to come along. My upper body matured very late in life. 

CD: Tell us about your childhood and how you got into powerlifting? 

Me, I'm just the usual Idaho redneck child growing up. I grew up fast as my parents divorced when I was five, that was also when I blew my finger off with a 38 pistol. I had to grow up fast after the divorce. Let's see, I got into powerlifting because my high school football coach told me about a contest that I should enter. He thought I would do really good in it. He told me he thought I could place in it. I was pissed when he said it. I told him I would win the whole damn contest, and that's exactly what I did. I look back on it later and I know he said that on purpose. My high school coach was a great man. He once told me that no high school senior would never deadlift 600 pounds. In January of my senior year, I deadlifted 625 at 198 pounds. He about shit!!! 

CD: How did it feel squatting 1041 and then 1074? 

The feelings were entirely different. The 1041 I did was absolute disbelief. I told myself I could do it before the meet, but even my training partners looked at me in disbelief. I could see it in their eyes. I pretty much expected to give it a good shot and about halfway up, I remember thinking, "Oh shit, this is gonna go!" The 1074 I was excited too, but for different reasons. 

Anytime you set a world record, a guy has got to be happy, but I knew I had more in the tank and I was mad I didn't go for more. The 1041 was so tough, I couldn't have done 1042. 

CD: Is the squat your favorite lift out of the three? 

Yes, it is now. But for years it was the deadlift, because it came so naturally for me. Lately that lift is a disappointment because I know I'm strong enough to pull mid to high 800's, but my grip isn't strong enough due to my missing finger. 

CD: I heard you teach PE and math for a living. Do your students know how strong you are? 

Yes, but at first it was disbelief. Then it became the coolest thing. I just moved to a different school this year, and there isn't a kid there that knows anything about me. 

CD: How do you think you stack up against other powerlifters? 

That's a tough question. If you are asking me to compare to powerlifters of any weight class that's different than just the heavyweights. But realistically, I think by total only, I am one of the top 5 heavyweight powerlifters in the world. But, I say that with great caution….because, on any given day, I can make one mistake and sink so far down the ladder, I would become unnoticed. If you compare all powerlifters of all weight classes over the sport's entire time, well, I'd probably have a tough time making the top 50. 

CD: How do you compensate for having a missing index finger? 

Throw shit around and swear a lot!!!! Na, there's not a damn thing I can do for it. It has kept me from winning some big contests and making history with the 2500 total so close. I've tried stick sprays, grip work, straps-which are illegal in contests, different grips etc….I'm just stuck with it. 

CD: Do you believe with the arrival of professional powerlifting, that powerlifting is moving in the right direciton? 

No. I wish it was more unified. But it never will be because there is no money in the sport, most spectators are bored with it and meet promoters can't make money if it's unified. In the WPO, even if a guy wins 2-$3000, he's barely breaking even for his cost to do the meet. Which, in this time, I'd still take. 

CD: I've always preach about having training partners. Do you have any training partners? 

Yes, they are my saviors in the sport. Without them I am nothing. Their names are Agnar Adalsteinsson and Luke Harris. They are good friends and very giving of their time. Often times, they sacrifice for themselves to help me out. I hope we would be friends for life. 

CD: Who did you look up to when you were coming up as a powerlifter? 

I get asked this question a lot. I looked up to Jim Voronin and Anthony Clark. I was always fascinated by Dave Pasanella, but he died before he really did some freaky numbers. However, no doubt in my mind, my greatest admiration is for Eddy Coan. He is the best powerlifter of all time in my opinion. Hideaka Inaba from Japan I would rank as number 2. 

CD: Are you training anyone right now? 

I don't personal train in the gym. I train clients on the internet. I am training two guys from Las Vegas and another guy in D.C. currently. I would love to pick up a young 18 year old hungry kid to help me out when my training partners are ready to bag it, because that's soon, and help teach him to be very good. 

CD: What was one of the challenges of coming up as a powerlifter? 

When I first started it was staying committed because I was so dependent on my parents, and my friends etc. As I got older and I had a little more financial freedom and the strength to walk away from my friends who just wanted to party it got easier. Then as I got better, the struggle was the gym owners asking me to leave their clubs because I was a liability to their clubs and other gym members. It's very difficult to train at a world class level because it requires equipment that is not traditional in gyms. I have to honestly say, I rarely see the big time bodybuilders kicked out. 

You know why, because they are prettier than us! Truthfully now, they have nice physiques (guys and gals) and us powerlifters look like overweight cows. When the powerlifter gets loud and intense he' asked to leave, but when the bodybuilder does the same thing, well, he's just training hard. I guess what I'm saying is, the perception from gym owners is that most of us are ugly (and we are) and that we scare away their clientele. 

CD: What would you say to a novice lifter or to a lifter whose just starting out in powerlifting? 

I would say what my dad said to me the first time I asked him if he though I could be a professional basketball player. My dad said to me that it would require a lot of hard work. He never told me yes or no, that's all he said. I didn't understand that answer for years. After I got into sports, it started making sense. You get out of it, what you put into it. Be prepared to work your ass to be great. Be prepared to work a little to be average. Be prepared to sit on your ass and take last place when you don't work at all. 

CD: Please tell us about your new training video and where to get it. 

My video was shot of me mostly during workouts. It's just raw footage, and I mostly narrate over the footage. I cover proper techniques, training ideas, routines, equipment needs, show you how to use bands and chains and I also included 12 minutes of contest footage as motivation. It covers all three lifts, the squat, bench and deadlift with most of the emphasis on the squat. This one hour tape, took me nearly a year to complete. I think any powerlifter, beginner or advanced, would find it useful. You can purchase the tape for $39 plus shipping on my website, www.brentmikesell.com. 

CD: Do you believe in combining powerlifting and bodybuilding? 

I do if you want to be an average powerlifter who looks like a bodybuilder. And I do if you want to be an average bodybuilder who's extremely strong. Actually, I think bodybuiilders benefit more from blending the two because the heavy weight can help them add muscle mass, but I don't think it works as well the other way around. Yes, there are a few great powerlifters who look awesome, but very few. 

CD: What are your workouts like? How are they setup? 

I train four days a week. Monday is speed bench day with accessories. Wednesday is squat day with accessories. Friday is heavy bench day. Saturday is lower back and leg work. I no longer deadlift in my training except the last four weeks before a contest, and I only do stiff legged deads. That is due to my torn bicep I suffered a year and a half ago. I have actually improved my deadlift since cutting back. Average workout is 2 hours. As I get closer to a meet it runs closer to 3, but most of that time is sitting on my ass resting for the next set. 

CD: Do you train equally as hard on the bench and deadlift as you do on the squat? 

Definitely yes on the bench. In fact, I think I train the bench harder than the squat, because it's holding me back from a phenomenal total. The deadlift, like I said before, I don't train at all. 

CD: What would you suggest to someone on how to get a big squat? 

Big squats come from strong hips, abs, glutes and hamstrings. Work those bodyparts relentlessly. Train hard. Get plenty of rest. Perfect your technique and become a mental master of that technique, because when you get under the bar at meet time, a lot is forgotten due to adrenaline and a crowd in front of you. Finally, don't let the weight intimidate you-that stops more lifters than anything else. 

CD: As the World's Strongest Squatter...what's next for you? 

Well, I attempted 1102 twice last month and came about 2/3 of the way up. I definitely want to hit that number before I get out of this sport and would like to total over 2500 and become only the second to ever do so. My next meet is the WPO Semifinals in New Orleans, November 9. 

CD: Is there anything else you like to mention to our readers here at Bodybuilding.com? 

To all you bodybuilders, I envy your physiques. I hate the way I look. But, maybe someday I'll cross over. Best of luck to all of you and keep pursuing your dreams. 

CD: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview. You are one of my favorite powerlifters and doing this interview shows people here at Bodybuilding.com why. 

Thank you. 

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How much time should elapse between your last (pre contest) 
workout and contest day?

Vince Anello

Upper body bench 5 days. Deadlifts, Lower back about 10 days. Light
form squats about 5 days. Reason being is that legs and upper body
recuperate in 5 days or so. Lower back which might be involved with 
heavy squats also require more rest. But everyone is different and may
have different rates of recuperation. The time needed for the body to
recover increases with age also.


Michael Neal
I take be eight days from my last workout to the contest. I Bench on
Monday and Thursday, Squat on Monday and Deadlift on Friday. I think 
you need the entire week off to fully recover from your last deadlift 
workout. Everything you do puts work on your back and I believe it 
takes at least a week to fully rest and heal it. On Monday ( 5 days
before the contest ) I like to warm up and do some light benching and
light squatting just to pump the blood through the body good. I don’t
consider this a workout.

Paul Bossi
I like to have 5-6 days. I want to fully recover, rest and allow my body
to fully build up ATP and Glycogen and store as much as possible
Because these are the main source of energy that perform power
Movements such as powerlifting. Anything more than 6 days the body
starts to atrophying my propioceptors feel weak.

Ed Brooks
I feel that 5 - 7 days should elapse between your last workout and
contest day. This is the amount of time needed for the muscles to fully 
recover from the fatigue of the training cycle. The lifter is fully rested
and physically able to give a 100% effort at the meet.

Josh Cash
My take may be a little different than most on this question, because I
don’t compete in full-power meets, but just the bench. However, if I 
have a meet coming up on a particular Saturday. I usually will have my
last workout on the proceeding Monday or Tuesday. Some people like
to wait longer than this, but this seems to work best for me. I believe 
the reason for this is that I don’t like to go any longer than 4-5 days
before I compete without having that heavy weight (at least my
opener) in my hands. Keeps my body used to it that way, and the heavy
weight doesn’t surprise me come meet day. Just my $.02.....

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Power rack training

Power-rack training is one of the best ways to help increase strength and rehab from injury. I've been using rack training for almost a month and it has helped a whole lot on other exercises. Let me explain what it is.

Power-rack training involves the use of a power-rack. With this you can focus on your weaker areas of your bench, squat, and deadlift. For the bench, you can do mid-rack or lockout bench. The mid-rack will work the lower-half of the bench press, the part of the bench the everyone has problems with. When I started doing this, my lower-half of the bench has improved. My bottom strength is better. I've recently done up to 285lbs in mid-rack. Here's how to do the mid-rack. Set the rack hooks just above mid-bench. Then set the pins above the rack hooks. You would pick a weight (something that is 60% of your regular 1RM) and do 3 sets of 3, but on the third, you should hold it against the pins on the rack. Your goal here is to hold it for 12 seconds and add weight. If you hold it for 8 seconds, stay at the same weight. If you hold it for less than 8 seconds, go down in weight. Go up in weight only by ten pounds. Once you do this, the mid-part of the your bench should be stronger.

Everyone has heard of bench lockouts. Bench lockouts work the upper-half of the bench....the lockout. Some benchers have problems locking out. Doing lockouts will assist this. Setup the rack with the pins a regular height. This way you start from mid-range to lockout. You do not need the use of the rack hook because the bar will sit on the pins for safety. Some says that a lifter should use a weight that is about more than 100% of your 1RM, but to get used to it and to build up lockout strength you should use a weight that's 70% of your 1RM. Same as the mid-rack bench, 3 sets of 3 reps and hold it on on the third on with your elbows slightly bent so you don't put all the weight on the joints. I've also done these and my lockout is stronger now because of it.

Also you can supercharge your bench press by doing rack training with close-grip bench press. You can use the lockout and mid-rack close-grip benches. By doing this, you can strengthen your triceps even further. Also, while doing rack training, try exploding out of the bottom from either mid-rack or lockout on the bench. I went to a bench competition and sat through a seminar with my hero...Bill Kazmaier. He mentioned that utilizing explosive strength will help to move that bar through the sticking point. Using controlled breathing helps on these as well. You be surprised what power-breathing can do to your bench. Take that breath in when get that bar down to you and blow that air out when you use you explode out of the bottom.

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A Bench Press Cycle

Sunday 

Bench Press (sets and reps as per weekly progression chart, see below) 

Close grip Bench Press 

Front Press (military press) 

Tuesday (omit this workout after week 11) 

Squat or Deadlift (alternate weekly) 2x10,2x8,3x5,3x3,3x2,4x1two weeks at each set/rep range Partial Deadlift or Squat (whichever I didn't do full range) one set to failure 12-20 reps

Leg Curls 2 x 20 

Calf raises (any kind) 2x20 

Thursday (omit this workout after week 11) 

Chest Supported rows or Bent Over rows (alternate weekly) 3x10,5x8,6x5 4 weeks each rep/set range 

Pull-ups 2 sets to failure, 8-12 reps add weight if needed 

Cross Body Hammer Curls 4x15,4x12,4x10 4 weeks each set/rep range 

Weighted Crunches 3x8 

Weekly progression based on 385 pound starting bench press. 

You can use the PLUSA formula (your max / 385 x weekly weight=your weight) to calculate your weights. 

1. (315x5)x3 295x1 paused 

2. (340x3)x4 305x1 paused 

3. (325x4)x4 315x1 paused 

4. (355x2)x3 325x1 paused 

5. (330x5)x4 335x1 paused 

6. (350x3)x3 345x1 paused 

7. (335x5)x4 355x1 paused 

8. (365x2)x3 365x1 paused 

9. (340x5)x3 375x1 paused 

10. (360x3)x2 385x1 paused 

11. (375x2)x3 395x1 paused 

12. 355x1, 385x1, 400x1 paused 

13. 365x3 

Do two sets of close grip, same reps as the top sets for bench with 10%-15% less weight (ex. week one 2x5@270-285). Ditto for front press, with 20%-30% less weight. 

the contest attempts..... 

1st 385 

2nd 400 

3rd 410 

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Boards, Bands, and Bench Shirts.  Are they that important?

By: Curtis Dennis Jr

It's odd that training these days have gone to a whole new level. Back in the days, all you needed to get a good training program started was a gym and a belt. Now with advances in strength, you have to go that extra mile to get that much stronger than your competition. Now I'm not keeping this article to just powerlifters (although, you should read it yourself), but to anyone who has an "open" mind about strength training. If you don't, hit the back browser on your computer and head elsewhere... 

Boards 

For two months now, I've been experimenting with boards and recently experimented with bands. In a minute I'll go into the bands. If you read "Workout of Champions", you'll see that Bill Carpenter trains with boards. Let me explain this. Board Presses (or to better describe it Board Bench Press) are done the same as the bench press but you have either 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 boards on your chest while doing them. The point of doing this exercise is to strengthen every area of the bench between the point where the bar is at your chest and the point where the bar is at lockout. 

You can work up to some monstrous numbers doing this exercise because all you doing is bringing the bar to the board and exploding off the boards to lockout. If your a powerlifter or just wanting to increase your bench, get your hands on some 2x6's or 2x8's, get about 4 of them to start with or if you can get six boards at your local Lowe's or Home Depot or where ever you can find boards. 

My friend/partner, Jon Darty has 2 boards nailed together and did the same with 3, 4, and 5 boards. Me on the other hand have 2 boards black taped together and have the other 2 loose so that I can do 2, 3, and 4 boards. If I can find another board or two, I'll be able to do 5 and/or 6 boards. Board Presses can really help your strength on the bench press. To give you an idea, here's what I'm doing on them. 


2 boards - 335 for 3 sets of 3 (recently) 
3 boards - 335 for 3 (this was two months ago) 
4 boards - 430 for a single 
5 boards - 475 for a single 
6 boards - 515 for a single

Recently I did 5 boards and 6 boards following the routine outlined at Metalmilitia.net. I was really proud of those numbers. But the boards help to get you the feel of heavier weight but it also helps with exploding and getting the weight up faster. Give these a try. They also help to add some mass to your frame very quickly. Heck, I'm looking forward to doing 5 and 6 boards in the future! 

Bands 

The next wonder is bands. Now I know what it sounds like and at first I was real skeptical about the boards and bands at first until I opened my eyes to see what they could do. I'm surprised that not everyone knew about these bands. Bands you can also use to increase your strength speed. They can basically be used on the bench press, squats, push downs, overhead extensions, pull downs (machine), and lockouts (not 3-4 inches). Ok, after using them just for two to three weeks when I warmup on the bench press, 135 flies completely up because my muscles are used to the band tension and gravity and when its just gravity... Well it isn't that bad. I've done them not only on bench but on pushdowns. I did a demonstration at my gym showing people there what the bands could do. My partner Jon Houts and I did 2 sets of 20 reps on overhead extensions with bands. I asked Jon to do a rep without bands and with heavier weight. 

People couldn't believe how Jon flung that weight up! Jon's strength speed had gone up and it was obvious because he was so used to the additional 10 pounds of band tension. These suckers don't look like a lot but they do pack a punch and they work your muscles in a way most exercises (free weights) won't. You can get 4 mini-bands (one mini-band can add anywhere from 5 to 25 pounds of tension) for $35. There are more. The light bands, just one of them can add from 30 to 50 pounds of additional resistance. 

The average bands can add from 65 to 85 pounds each bands and the strong band can add from 80 to 100 pounds of additional resistance. I heard there are some bands out there that can add up to 200 pounds of additional resistance.   Even if your a bodybuilder, these are something to use to boost strength as well as mass. 

I just started using the bands so I haven't trained with them for too long so the long-term effects haven't happened yet with it being to early to tell. But I'm looking forward to getting more of them in the future because I can tell now that the stronger the band, the more I'll gain from them. Now I'll discuss the infamous piece of equipment amongst powerlifters and a strength tool... The bench shirt. 

Bench Shirts 

Everyone has their own assumptions on this piece of gear. Some believe that its cheating, while some believe to be the best piece of equipment out there. I'm one of those who believe it's the best piece of equipment out there. Let me explain. The bench shirts help to protect the shoulders (including the rotator cuff) as well as giving you the extra boost out of the bottom. The bench shirts also help to add as little as 50 to as much as 100 pounds on to your bench depending on the shirt you get. There are poly and denim shirts. But like I said, it depends on what shirt you get. For instance, the Standard Blast Inzer Shirt is not as tight as the Heavy Duty Blast Inzer Shirt. And the HD Blast Shirt is not as tight as the Titan Fury made out of the NXG material (recently acquired this from Jon D. and it is unforgiving!) or a Inzer Denim shirt.  

Ok, now for the analysis. I have used a bench shirt for the last 3 to 4 years in competitive powerlifting and it has helped my strength tremendously. How? Well, about two years ago, I was doing 320 in a shirt, now I'm doing 325 for reps without the shirt. You see, as your max in a shirt goes up, so does your RAW max as well. This is why you see Scot Mendelson (who benched 782) benching 700 RAW (without a shirt). The Bench Shirt is a good piece of equipment, but getting a lot out of it could mean even more. This is what Sebastian Burns and Bill Crawford do at the Metal Militia camp. 

Jon D. and I are going to get more out of our shirt utilizing their training methods for our next meet and I can already see the improvements from it.  Now since the shirts are extremely tight, you may end up with an initiation mark or two. What are they? Well they are bruises either under your armpits from the shirt digging in, along your arm, and/or across your chest. When you get these marks, it means your either half powerlifter or a powerlifter! 

Well, I hope you've learned a lot about this stuff. These are only a small sample of what powerlifters do to get that unreal, unbelievable, and freakish strength. And if you want some of that, then you need to hop on board (excuse the pun) and join the crowd. Like I said, if your not at all interested in gaining strength, then you've just wasted a few minutes of your life, but if your goal is to be the strongest guy, the biggest bencher, to gain mass or just starting out in powerlifting then you spent the best five minutes ever and didn't even have to pick up a magazine! How about that! 

Until next time folks, max out! 

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Exercises to Strengthen Joints

Arthritis affects millions of people each and every year. The term arthritis means "inflammation of a joint," and it actually refers to many conditions that can cause pain in your body's joints. The most common form of arthritis that occurs in older adults is osteoarthritis, which is also known as the "degenerative joint disease."

As a person gets older this type of arthritis may develop simply due to the normal wear and tear of the joints over the years as the body ages. Other factors that may hasten the development of osteoarthritis include being overweight, having a poor posture, or even a previous injury. A wearing out of the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones results in chronic irritation. The cartilage becomes soft and wears unevenly. In some circumstances it may wear away completely, exposing the underlying bone. Thickening of the ends of the bone may occur.

Usually a person who is suffering from osteoarthritis only has problems in the joints of their hip, knee and spine. Sometimes the pain associated with it can be relieved with rest, while other times, especially in the case of more serious symptoms, drugs may be used to reduce the swelling. In addition, exercises can be taught to help strengthen the muscles around the joint to reduce the stress upon it. Only in very severe osteoarthritis cases is surgery necessary to replace or repair the damaged joints.

Exercise is very important for everyone, but it is especially important for people who are suffering from arthritis. However, if you are afflicted with any form of that disease, running, aerobic dance and most team sports are probably out of your league. But it doesn't mean that you can't be physically active.

Here are some exercises that will help you to strengthen your joints:

- Ride a bicycle. Unlike walking, running, aerobic dancing and other weight-bearing activities, bicycling is gentle on your joints and can be done by people of all ages.

- Stretch. Often overlooked or just plain neglected, stretching exercises are a vital way to strengthen your joints, keep you limber and feeling good at the same time. Fitness experts recommend doing at least a half an hour of stretching two or three times a week, but every day is even better, if only for a short period of time. 

Many age-related stiffness is simply the result of inactivity. In fact, in one recent study, a group of nearly 1,000 adults enrolled in the same exercise class over a twenty-five year period experienced modest declines in strength and aerobic fitness, but no loss of flexibility.

- Climb the stairs. This form of exercise is probably one of the most efficient ways of strengthening the bones, muscles and joints of your lower body. What's more, stairs are everywhere, and they're free. You don't need a membership in an expensive health club; the stairs in your home or at the mall will do just fine.


- Swimming. Even if you can't swim, you can use the pool for an excellent workout to help strengthen those joints. Remember, if it's hot and humid outside, you surely won't want to exercise. But a quick trip to the swimming pool will not only cool your off, it can set you on the road to a healthier lifestyle.

Most people hate to exercise. They are usually more comfortable sitting in front of the TV instead. But the trick is to make exercise fun, and find one that excites you and that you look forward to doing several times a week. And when you become bored, make slight changes in your routine, keep it exciting. Experiment and find out what works best for you. Once you find that perfect exercise that is just right for you, you won't hesitate to get off the couch and begin a healthier way of life. 

By Chad Tackett

This article was provided by Global Health & Fitness (GHF). Click here to visit their site for customized exercise and nutrition programs, hundreds of exercise instructions and video demo's, a free fitness analysis, and much more. Members now receive FREE fitness tracking software and unlimited fitness consulting from 27 fitness, medical, and nutrition experts!

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Factors Affecting Strength

I am often asked why one person develops strength and muscle faster than another when he or she is performing the same exercises, following the same training program. Many people feel that they must be doing something wrong because they aren't getting the same results as another person. It's important to realize that there are six primary factors affecting every individual's ability to achieve strength and muscle development, and we have little or no control over most of them.

Type of Muscle Fiber

One of the most influential factors is muscle fiber type. We have two basic types of muscle fibers, often referred to as "slow twitch" and "fast twitch." Slow twitch muscle fibers are best used for cardiovascular (aerobic) activities. They produce small levels of force for long periods of time and thus are better suited for endurance activities. Fast twitch fibers are best used for anaerobic activities. They produce high levels of force for short periods of time and are best suited for power activities such as weightlifting.

Most men and women have an equal combination of both slow twitch and fast twitch fibers. However, some people inherit a high percentage of slow twitch fibers that enhance their performance in endurance activities, such as long distance runners. Most world class marathon runners have a very high amount of slow twitch fibers. World class sprinters or football players, for example, have relatively more fast twitch muscle fibers. Although both fiber types respond positively to strength training exercises, the fast twitch types experience greater increases in muscle size and strength, and thus may obtain greater and/or faster results from a strength training program.  Click here to read the rest.

This article was provided by Global Health & Fitness (GHF). Click here to visit their site for customized exercise and nutrition programs, hundreds of exercise instructions and video demo's, a free fitness analysis, and much more. Members now receive FREE fitness tracking software and unlimited fitness consulting from 27 fitness, medical, and nutrition experts!

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Fear is the Mind-killer

All of the sci-fi movie buffs out there will recognize this title as part of a famous quote from the movie Dune. A little more of the quote is: "Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration".

Now, besides making me seem like a total dork, the preceding quote definitely has an application to PL. There are many ways in which fear can negatively affect your training. Being able to quell these fears will make your training more productive, and might even be what it takes to get your training off the ground. Let's take a look at a few different lifting phobias:

Fear of Failure: This is one that obviously affects a lot of people in many different aspects of their lives. This is a shame. You need not fear failure. In fact, if you go about powerlifting with the right attitude, it will be impossible for you to fail. Strive only to exceed yourself, but ALWAYS strive to exceed yourself. Lifting should be all about improving and competing against yourself. If you are increasing PRs and getting stronger while refining technique over time, you are a success. Do not worry whether you are the strongest guy in the gym, or whether you think you do not have the genetics to get as big and strong as your favorite lifter. Do not get hung up on the fact that you do not use drugs so you can't get as strong as a user. Too many people use these cop-outs as excuses, and get a type of perverted satisfaction from proving themselves right and determining that they can't dramatically increase their strength and size. Do not set this trap for yourself. Do your best every time you go to the gym, whether you squat 200 pounds or 600 pounds. One taoist principle that applies here goes something like this: if you aren't hung up only on winning, you can't lose. In other words, only worry about what you can do, and if you stay accountable to yourself you will be on the fast-track to success.

Fear of the Weight: This is one that every lifter has run into at least a time or two, and is a problem that is easily cured in the gym. Every one of us has been on the bench and taken the hand-off on a new PR and felt like it was 1,000 pounds and that it would come crashing down to crush sternum and all. For an even more frequent occurrence, have you ever noticed how once you get that next plate on there, even if it is only a 20 pound increase, it feels twice as heavy? All of this is a result of the fact that if you think a weight is going to be heavy, or if it looks heavy, it will feel heavy. To solve this problem, do heavy hand-outs or negatives on the bench and heavy walk-outs for the squat. If you want to move up to a certain weight in the future and you feel that it is going to feel heavy, throw that weight on the bar plus a 25 on each side after your last work set and either have your spotter hand it out to you or just walk it out of the rack. Hold the weight for a while, and if you want you can even do some partials with it. After a few weeks of this, when it comes time to move up to the weight that is 50 pounds lighter than your walk-out weight, it won't feel heavy at all.

Fear of Rejection: This is one of the least rational fears that a lifter indulges himself in. It makes no sense to me that a group of people who engage in activity that 99% of the populus considers 'weird' are so sensitive in some respects to a 'group mentality'. You see it everywhere: the strongest guys at your gym say you will not get super-strong unless you use drugs, some of the guys moving big weights claim that you can't succeed unless you train Westside/HIT/Periodization/insert training style here, or some fat lifters in their triple-ply denim shirts say you are not a 'real' lifter 'cause you go raw. Why do you listen to these people? A 'real' man, and a 'real' lifter, thinks for himself. You don't need to use drugs to see success, and as time goes on there are such innovations in training and supplementation that in a couple of decades you will be able to get better results than with the current crop of drugs, and without the horrific androgenic side-effects. As for what type of training style to use, find what works for you. I am definitely NOT saying to be close-minded. Absorb as much knowledge as you can. I literally have hundreds of books/journals/magazines relevant to lifting in some manner or another. Absorb all of this information, and try out anything that seems feasible. Over time, you will find out what works for your body structure and recovery ability. Once you do, make small periodic changes in order to stave off boredom and overuse problems, but stick to your basic framework. As for lifting raw or equipped, I would say do whatever you like. There are plenty of people who will argue for both sides, and I say do what you need to do in order to enjoy lifting. You can compete against people who lift raw or equipped, so go with your gut. If you want to move the absolute highest weight your body can move, go ahead and wear equipment. On the other hand, keep in mind that lifting raw is a truer measure of your strength, will not lead to any imbalances or muscular deficiencies that can be caused by reliance upon equipment, and is A LOT less hassle both in the gym and at the meet.

Fear of Re-injury: This is another tough one that many lifters face at some point in their career, and something that I am still somewhat dealing with now. When you injure yourself, often it is a frustrating road back. If you injure yourself while performing one of the 3 competition lifts, however, there is an even bigger problem. You might just be afraid to perform that lift again. In this case, a certain old adage is a good one: when you fall off the horse, get right back on and start riding. This is said based on the assumption that the injury is properly rehabbed. If you tear an adductor doing squats, do not try to squat again the next day. Rather, once you are healed do not try to rationalize and say "well, I might just work on leg presses for a while because that works all of the same muscle groups and I probably do not have as great a chance of getting injured". Now, to be honest, if this is the route you want to go, there might be some truth to the previous statement. The thing is, if you do choose to go that route, know that you do so at the expense of your powerlifting career and getting stronger and better at the squat. I hate to tell you, but lifting is not like riding a bike. If you decide not to squat for 6 months and then you eventually come back to it, you will be shaky, you will not be too strong out of the hole, and you will not be flexible enough to perform a full squat very comfortably. So, if you do injure yourself, take care of the injury. Ice it if it is only mild, or go to see a doctor or chiropractor or applied kinesiologist right away if it is bad. Once you are on the road to recovery and you have the associated structures healed to the point that you can perform the movement, start in on it. Start light, and work on form. Bad form or a lack of concentration was likely the culprit when the injury occurred anyway, so this is a good chance to refine your technique. Progressively up the weight as you feel the area get stronger and be sure to stretch and warm up/warm down effectively. You can get away with not doing these things for quite a while in some cases, but believe me, when it does catch up to you it will not be pleasant…before you know it you will be back in your old poundage territory on the given lift, and you might even have better form that when you got injured.

Fear of a Bad Article: So this article wasn't so good. Oh well. At least I got you thinking about lifting and some rational ways to deal with common problems, right? I thought so.

By Jason Keen

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Squat and Deadlift Assistance Exercises:

The Good Morning 
 
Do you want to increase your squat and deadlift? No, I mean do you REALLY want to increase your squat and deadlift? YES? Then we need to got to work on those weak links, and fast. As we are all aware, many of the more conventional leg and back exercises do not really target the particular areas a powerlifter needs to be able to effectively increase the squat and deadlift. So we have really to come up with some different exercises then. Both the squat and the deadlift rely heavily on the hamstrings, the glutes, and the erector spinae. So the powerlifter not only needs an assistance exercise that will strengthen these muscle groups, but exercises that will employ these muscle groups in a similar fashion as they would in both the squat and deadlift. 

In the squat and deadlift, the hamstrings and glutes act to extend the hip as the erectors work to extend the spine. So it is important in powerlifting that we find assistance exercises that will use those three muscle groups in much the same fashion. That way we will get the best bang for the buck out our assistant work. And most of all a better squat and deadlift. 

One of best and perhaps one of the most overlooked and forgotten exercises available is the good morning. This exercises particularly stresses the erectors spinae, but also can be performed to activate the hams and the glutes in a movement that is very similar to that used in the squat and deadlift. There are technically 3 different kinds of good mornings for us to choose from: 1) arched back; 2) bent-over; and 3) seated. I suggested that one of these exercises be used once a week on either your squat of deadlift day. 

The Arched Back Good Mornings 
The arched back good mornings are done almost like you would do a squat. The bar is held in the same position. Use a wide stance, with the feet straight and the knees forced out ward similar to your squat. Make sure to keep the chest out and an arch in the back too. Then take a deep breath, bend the legs just slightly, push the glutes back and lean forward about 30 degrees. You should feel the stress mostly on the erectors and some what on the glutes and hams. Make sure that you do not drop your shoulders and let the back round. Keep the body tight, the chest and shoulders back and the low back arched throughout the entire range of movement. Remember to also hold your breath while you bend over and exhale and push the abs against the belt as you come back to the upright position. 

As with all exercises, it is extremely important to use proper form and slowly work up to heavy weights. I would suggest that you start very light and eventually work up to 3 sets of 5 reps with about 65% to 75% of your best squat. I feel that this exercise is one of the most effective assistance exercises for building strength in the squat and deadlift. 

The Bent-Over or Round Back Good Mornings 
Once again we will use the same position as you would with your normal squat. However, this time we will bring the legs and feet together. Now you can either do this particular exercise with a straight knee or bent knee. The straighter knee the more emphasis on the erectors. When you bend the knee the erectors are de-emphasized slightly and greater stress is placed on the hams. 

Unlike the arched back good mornings, this exercise is done with a rounded back. So take a deep breath, lean forward as far as possible, pause slightly and quickly accelerate back to the starting position while exhaling. 

Since this exercise isolates the low back much more than the arched back good mornings, I would recommend that you use much lighter weight and higher reps. Try 3 sets of 12 repetitions with light weight and eventually try to work up to about 40% to 60% of your best deadlift. 

The Seated Good Mornings 
Unlike the other two forms of good mornings, this exercise is done while sitting on a bench. It takes the use of the hams and glutes out and isolates the erectors. To do the seated good mornings take you normal squat position with light weight and squat down on to a weight lifting bench. In a seated position, keep the body tight, take a deep breath and lean forward as far as possible. Pause just slightly and return to the starting position as you exhale your breath. The shoulder and back will be rounded, just like the bent-over or round back good mornings. 

Since this exercise isolates the erectors and places a great deal of stress on them, I would suggest that you start out with a very light weight and do 3 sets of 12 repetitions , slowly work your way up. 

A Final Word Of Advice 
Always try to either use spotters or work inside a power rack when you do good mornings of any type. Because this exercise places a great deal of stress on the erectors never do any form of good mornings to failure. At least have one or two good reps left in you unless you really like back pain. Keep the muscles tight and maintain good form throughout the movement using slow controlled movements. Remember to work up slowly to heavy weights and never use more weight than you can handle. A stronger low back will effectively increase you squat and deadlift totals, but and injury will halt your progress in itÕs tracks. So train hard, but train smart! Elite powerlifter Tom McCullough MEd.,MSS of Excel Sport Nutrition, Inc., specializes in strength and conditioning for sport, sport nutrition, weight loss, and personal fitness, and is a consultant for the International Sport Sciences Association, a national certification agency for strength coaches and personal trainers, and also works as a full-time physical education instructor and football coach.

by Tom McCullough MEd., MSS

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The Top Ten Power Training Secrets

Do not let the amount of the weight you are going to lift scare you. Concentrate on what you are doing. Keep correct lifting form. Then go ahead and lift with full power. Be sure that all the muscles are warmed up first. 

Remember that in power lifting several muscle groups are involved. Contract each muscle group and use them all in lifting. This will avoid injuries. never do any lifting unless you realize which muscles are involved, then use them all. 

Before going to the gym avoid eating sugar, especially refined sugar products. Sugar gives only temporary energy. It is better to eat some natural carbohydrates with some fats as this body fuel. Your energy will last longer, and you will have increased power. Do not try to train when hungry or after a filling meal. 

In my opinion, the best time to train is between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. However, if you are working and unable to train at this time, it is better for you to eat a light meal, then rest for an hour before going to the gym. You will be refreshed and feel as though it is the next day. 

The body has many cycles. When your energy level is low, don't force yourself during a training session. In a couple of days you will feel better, and then you will be able to train with full power even forcing yourself to do more. 

It is best to have the muscles covered during a training session. They must be kept warm. Then they will correspond better to training. A sweat suit is good for this purpose. In power training it is not necessary to look at yourself. Just concentrate on how much you are lifting. 

Listen to your mind, and don't let the educated brain get in the way. You have an inner intelligence which always directs you in the right way. Learn to respect and listen to your inner self. 

Have a specific routine for eating, sleeping and training. It is best to train at the same time each day. If you follow a regular routine during the week, you can rest and relax on the weekends. The body also needs to rejuvenate itself and cannot be forced constantly. 

After training, rest a short time, then eat. It is best to eat a heavier high protein meal at this time. See my nutrition book for the proper diet. 

During a training session stop and go outside the gym and breathe deeply for a few minutes. Then go back inside and complete training with renewed vigor. 

Franco Columbo

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LIGHT DAYS


So often, readers of PLUSA see the term 'light days' when training is discussed. It seems to me what's lacking is a clear explanation of what a 'light day' is, what is its purpose, and how the average PLUSA reader can apply it to his/her workout. Basically, light days are workouts where the intensity and/or load of a lifter's routine are somewhat below hard training conditions. The simple reason light days are needed is to increase the recuperative abilities of a lifter. We all know that to progress, a lifter must train hard, but by the same token, a lifter cannot progress for long under the stress of an extended period of intense training, even with the use of anabolics.

To enable the lifter to train more often, light days are included in many lifters' schedules. For many, benching and squatting hard multiple times per week is too much for their body to recuperate from. Lifting too hard too often could result in negative progress or increased chance of injury. In some activities like learning to play a musical instrument, more practice in most cases is preferable. With weights, this is not so (at lease for the vast majority of lifters). It's the 'more-is-better' mode of thinking that is the number one reason why lifters don't progress as they expect or many injuries occur, many career ending. When lack of progress occurs, too many lifters react with more training, which in turn stalls progress further.

Many lifters have a guilt complex about the amount of training they do. If they don't workout their benches or squats so many times per week, they doubt they will progress. To handle this guilt, light days became an integral part of many lifters' training regimes. Now a person can conquer this guilt and train their bench and squat multiple times per week. The deadlift is left out for now because most people train it no more than once per week because of the stress it puts on the body. If your heavy day top set is 300 x 10, your light day could be 70-80% of that or 225 x 10. You could do the same amount of reps as heavy days with a lighter weight or use a lighter weight with perhaps more reps. That could look like this: Heavy day = 350 x 5; Light day = 250 x 10. The scenarios are endless.

Aside from conquering guilt, lifters can use the light day to develop technique while using lighter weights. A lifter could include single rep attempts with 80% or so of max to get into the groove of the lift, so when heavy weights are used, this technique can be carried over. If a lifter is trying to change his/her technique, like a wider grip in the bench, or change their squat stance, the light day can provide an excellent opportunity to get invaluable practice time in. My example of 80% was only for illustrative purposes. This can vary as long as it is light enough to not stress the lifter and heavy enough to be a reasonable challenge to the lifter. 

Light days can also be used to include exercises in your routine other than the big three. To save wear and tear on the back yet still work the quads, a lifter could perform leg presses. Instead of regular benches, try feet off the floor benches, close grips, dumbbells, or some pec deck machine. This can inject variety in a routine and also enable a lifter to target a weak area of the lift with an assistance move. Bodybuilding type workouts can be done on light days as long as the workout is indeed light, or the purpose of the light day is defeated. Here you could work the lats, triceps, traps, etc.

Since light days by definition are light and not intense, do they really do any good? Are we basically wasting our time having light days? To some extent, yes. I believe that a lifter can gain on one workout per week per lift. Mega-bencher, Chris Confessore, is a classic example of this. Chris benches once per week, the other days he does assistance work for the bench. Witness his long list of world records and triple bodyweight benches. Many lifters just feel a need to train each lift multiple times per week. When results don't come, they workout more. Very seldom does a lifter dare to explore the opposite end of the spectrum, that is, workout less. Back to the deadlift for a moment. If most lifters train deadlifts only once per week and gain sufficiently, why can't the same strategy be used for the bench and squat? Maybe we're on to something here! To an extent, light days are a way of working out less. They can provide time to develop technique and work weak areas of a lift and help a lifter recuperate from his workouts. Less is more in powerlifting! Having only one heavy or intense weight session per week necessitates the lifter works hard on that one session. Without hard work, little will be accomplished and you cannot make it up with more training.

For lifters who don't include light days in their routines and are not progressing as they feel they should, try some of my suggestions. If you are using light days and still are not progressing up to your expectations, try eliminating light days all together. For younger lifters, recuperation is not as big a concern. For older lifters and particularly the increasing amount of drug-free lifters, recuperation is a bigger concern. The concept of light days is in widespread use in powerlifting. Try some of my suggestions in your routine if you're not gaining as well as you would like before adding more training. Also, don't let a more-is-better guilt complex stop you from exploring a method that can help you reap more results with less work.

Doug Daniels

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Weigh in Bombs

I have seen powerlifters get onto a scale and whine like Richard Simmons at the Weight Watchers annual meeting when they do not make weight! It is not a pretty sight, but a familiar one. Unlike Richard who only needs to worry about obese women eating him during a video taping, the powerlifter must prepare for a highly demanding competition.

I hear the same complaints from powerlifters around contest time in regards to winning the battle with the scale long before they approach the platform. Super heavies have it made since they can roll in at any weight they like, but the rest must squeeze into a weight class and in many cases sacrifice performance because of the methods they "use to lose". Rapid losses in bodyweight as water, LBM or body fat will result in maximal strength decreases during the hours and days following because of the negative hormonal cascade created according to Dr. Eric Serrano MD. Dr. Serrano is a champion powerlifter who has extensively researched nutrition as it relates to the specific performance of powerlifters. Why put your heart and sole into preparation for a contest if you plan to hinder performance with last minute weigh in disasters. 

A Bodyweight Management Strategy that WORKS!
We all invest tremendous efforts into training cycle preparations; why not plan a body weight strategy? I have devised a simple yet effective body weight management system that will not only avoid bombing out on meet day, but also elevate performance when it is time to get on the platform for those savored attempts. I am also betting that some of the readers will value the decreased body fat and joint pain that will result from this nutrition plan. Even powerlifters who are not image conscious should consider shedding some body fat so that more muscle mass can be packed on their frames without busting into a new weight class. Believe it or not, but low carb plans will often times result in significant long term muscle mass gains due to the high quality of calories that are ingested and rapid increase of anabolic hormones. 

Training Success, but Competition Failure Due to Weigh in Desperation
As a strength coach I communicate with many powerlifters and learn from their experiences as I offer my advice. I will paint a picture for you that I have seen a hundred times. Email is the method often times used to contact me and I received a disturbing story recently. A powerlifter spent sixteen weeks preparing for a meet, setting Personal Records in all of his lifts along the way during training. The trainee had made tremendous strides as a competitor and was ready to make waves in the Powerlifting world in an upcoming contest. Problems arose when he realized he was several pounds too heavy to qualify for his desired weight class. He desperately dehydrated his system with sauna sessions, long runs, starvation tactics and diuretic drugs. Weight was made, but performance suffered. The lifter felt weak even after attempting to replenish his system with fluids and food post weigh in. It was too late! On competition day he bombed out, missing conservative opening attempts that he had commonly breezed through during the most recent training phase. The competition was a complete failure and this young man sought answers after not being able to figure out why performance was so poor.

Answers were quite simple; he put his body into a catabolic state from the excessive running, loss of body weight and lack of food, which released high levels of counterproductive catabolic hormones. A catabolic state takes days or even weeks to break and will zap strength more than any other force on this earth. Powerlifters ask their bodies to perform at the highest limits of performance; these demands are unrealistic if the lifter does not respect the nutritional needs of the body.

The Solution: A Relatively low Carb Plan Specifically for Powerlifters
We will explore a low carbohydrate, high protein, moderate fat diet for use by strength athletes and not pre contest bodybuilders. Bodybuilding media tends to dominate on the topic of nutrition and too many athletes falsely assume that their nutritional needs are the same as the pretty boys. I do not advocate zero carb or ketogenic diets, which are appropriate for those who must maximize fat loss, but not for those facing strength challenges. You will be given options for strategic carbohydrate loadings to boost metabolism and performance; the key is timing! Explanations for why this plan will decrease body fat and naturally lower water weight are relatively simple and covered in many articles. However few people realize the benefits of the hormonal reactions created by this nutrition plan that in my experience increase performance and rates of recovery.

The Positive Hormonal Response Created by Low Carb Plans
Research has proven that low carb plans will increase anabolic hormones such as testosterone, Growth Hormone and IGF-1. These are potent fat burning hormones that can create drastic reductions in body fat naturally while increasing strength and rates or recovery. Hormones are the building blocks for everything optimize them or miss out on the benefits.

A Low Carb Plan will help you drop Weight Immediately with No Work
Reducing the amount of carbohydrate consumed will result in lower levels of a stored energy source, which is commonly known as glycogen. Glycogen represents some actual body weight in itself, but water is stored with glycogen and is more significant in terms of the scale. Your body weight will decrease quickly if fewer carbs are consumed because you will burn existing energy storage and release water at the same time. It is common for large competitors to lose between ten and fifteen pounds by reducing carb intake.

Carbs are NOT the only Fuel Source! Man has Thrived WITHOUT Carbs
Athletes have been misled to believe that carbs are the only source of energy. In actuality fat and protein are energy sources too. The body will use what you give it and produce energy; in this regard your body is capable of amazing things. Pre historic man spent a large part of every year without certain carb sources during harsh winters that did not allow for the growing of crops. Furthermore pizza, cookies, pop tarts and other refined carbs were not even through of at this point. Low and behold, man survived. Endurance athletes have a greater need for carbohydrate because of the specific activities that they perform. Distance runners for example keep going like the energizer bunny with no stopping for the body to regenerate itself. As a result carbs are more important for endurance athletes. Powerlifters on the other hand only need energy to perform short bouts of intense exercise. The energy systems responsible for supporting these short bouts do not rely solely on carbohydrate for fuel. Fats in fact can be a highly efficient energy source for strength athletes when the body is adapted to utilize them.

Why Low Carb Nutrition Plans Decrease Body Fat.
Consumption of carbohydrates causes the pancreas to release a fat-storing hormone called insulin. Insulin is released into the blood stream to manage blood sugar levels as a normal part of homeostasis. Blood sugar will rise higher if certain carbs are eaten and as a result more insulin must be released. Insulin counteracts fat burning mechanisms and seeks to stuff nutrients into working muscles OR fat cells if the energy is not immediately utilized. This topic has been over simplified but for the purposes of this article please understand that insulin can and will push nutrients into storage causing body fat increases.

Consistently stable levels of insulin will enable the body to constantly use stored body fat as a fuel source since stored carbohydrate (glycogen) is not readily available. You will be a fat burning machine night and day that will chip away at fat reserves day and night.

We have all heard about the many benefits of consuming protein in large quantities as strength athletes. Protein provides building blocks for repair, new muscle growth and performance. A wide variety of protein sources should be consumed and do not fear red meat! Red meat provides important nutrients and should not be avoided, but lean choices are preferred. Remember that protein powder such as whey and other mixes are a great tool, but nothing will substitute for the specific amino acid profiles found in REAL food. Be sure to get several servings of protein every day. Try consuming between one and three grams of protein per lean pound of body weight. The higher end of the range produces great results!

Fats are the misunderstood nutrient and are wrongly villainized by an ignorant media. Certain fat sources are highly anabolic and vital to the proper function and health of all people. I do not recommend feasting on fried foods and highly saturated fat sources such as bacon. These sources are lousy for athletes and are likely responsible for all of the problems wrongly associated with good fats. Consumption of good fats are directly linked to increases in anabolic hormones such as testosterone. Good fats include flax seed oil, fish oil, mixed nuts, egg yolks, avocado, olive oil etc.

The RIGHT Times to Consume Carbs: Post workout and Carb ups
I believe that strength athletes do need some carbs for maximal performance and the key is the timing of carb ingestion. The metabolism is peaked to consume carbs after the workout along with other nutrients. This topic is well researched and I will not bother dragging you through the boring studies for the purposes of this article. I highly recommend consuming a bulk of your carbs during the three-hour window of opportunity following workouts. The amount of carbs consumed should depend on body weight and activity of the workout. Some will need fifty while super heavies may do best with one hundred and fifty. I encourage you to experiment with the amounts, but be sure to consume these carbs ASAP following the workout with a fast acting protein such as whey powder. I highly recommend using Free Form Amino Acids post workout to increase recovery rates, lean body mass and decrease body fat levels. Medium glycemic index carbs such as fruits are the perfect source at this time. 

Dr. Serrano recommends cycling some carb meals every fourth day from quality carb sources to put wood on the metabolic fire. Experiment with different amounts, but keep your intake under control! White rice, sweet potatoes and oatmeal are the preferred sources for this particular carb meal. Try consuming 50-75 grams of carbs in two divided meals.

Increase Competition Strength 5-10% with Post Weigh in Carb LOADS!
The fun starts when you can eat like a maniac following a weigh in to pack on as much body weight as possible for the platform. The hours following the weigh in offer you a unique opportunity to carb load the system and fill your glycogen stores. Your system will suck up the carbs as energy and not readily convert to fat if the load is less than a day or two in duration. Dr. Serrano claims that a 5-10% increase in competition strength will take place if a series of carb heavy meals are consumed following the weigh in. A positive hormonal explosion will occur, rocketing you to a great performance. Of course you must follow a low carb plan leading up to the weigh in so your body can take advantage of the super recompensation.

Methods for Maintaining low Insulin levels, Creating a Fat Burning Furnace
Consuming fats, protein and carbs together will prevent massive releases of insulin by creating stable blood sugar levels. Remember that high blood sugar which is caused by high glycemic carbs and carbs eaten alone will result in more insulin.

Maintaining lower insulin levels is conducive to body fat loss and can be accomplished using several methods. First and foremost consuming fewer or no high glycemic carbohydrates, which are breads, pastas, sugar and other highly refined foods. These food sources did not exist when man was first walking the earth and as a result the human digestive systems are not will equipped to handle these "new" food choices. High glycemic carbs release higher levels of insulin and increase the likelihood of fat storage. 

Give it a try, Nothing to Lose and only Strength and Size to gain!
Give this plan a try, but if you must use it for at least three weeks leading up to a contest to ensure your system adapts in time for competition. Some people are a bit sluggish when starting a plan such as this, but a simple thermogenic can do wonders if it fits within your personal situation.

Scott Mendalson

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Meet Safety


Industry spends hundreds of millions of dollars or more each year to improve the safety of the workplace, yet did we as lifters ever stop to think about the issue of safety at a powerlifting meet? Granted, we are not confronted with explosive gases, molten steel or kilowatts of electricity, but there are safety issues involved in lifting competition. The question is how can each lifter prepare to insure that his competitive experience is a safe one?

The meet director has the responsibility to provide each lifter at his meet the safest possible conditions, yet there are no real standards that have to be met by any organization. For example, spotters carry no 'accreditation'. They are usually local 'gym rats', many of whom have never even seen a lifting meet let alone spotted someone squatting 700 pounds or more. Sometimes in a pinch, spotters are volunteers from the crowd. The meet director should also provide properly working equipment, which should include locking collars, sturdy squat racks, and non-slippery platforms. But as many of you veteran lifters know, this varies greatly from meet to meet. Too many meets are equipped with unsafe equipment and inexperienced spotters and loaders.

Taking that into consideration, each lifter must basically look out for themselves. I would suggest working together with your buddies who accompany you to the contest. Before each attempt, one of you would check to make sure the bar is loaded symmetrically on each side. Sometimes one loader will not load the bar correctly and the bar will be heavy or light on his side. This can prove to be dangerous to the lifter as well as the spotters as this greatly increases a chance of the lifter missing the lift due to loss of balance. Also, make sure the collars are put on securely and the plates are tight together from the inside collar to the outside collar. Loose plates can also compromise control during execution of the lift. Another good check is to make sure the platform is dry and uncluttered. Spotters may get lazy and not put the loose plates back on the rack which can create a serious tripping hazard. Another hazard is excessive chalk dust on the platform. Have the spotters wipe the dust up occasionally. As the squats proceed, I have seen the racks edge farther and farther forward until they are almost tipping over the platform. This is caused by the many re-racks after squat attempts. If the racks are not pushed back where they were originally, the rack may tip off the platform with the loaded bar not far behind. If you see an unsafe situation, let the head judge know as soon as possible.

The squat is usually the lift that competitors miss the most attempts in. The lifter's duty is to try to stay with the bar if he misses an attempt. The spotters may not be able to catch the weight if the lifter drops it off his back. This places everyone including the lifter in a dangerous situation.

The platform is not the only place where there are safety concerns. Perhaps even a greater threat is the warm-up room. Over the years I have written a lot about warm-up rooms. They are basically free-for-all areas with an every man for himself attitude. There is no structure or order in the warm-up room. There are no spotters or loaders dedicated to it, each lifter must take care of himself. I do not want to give you the impression that no one helps each other back there, but you must be aware that the ultimate responsibility of safety rest totally on you. You can contribute significantly to safety in the warm-up room by making sure you have no lifting gear etc., in the way where lifters are warming-up or walking. Be considerate and help spot (safely) fellow lifters in the room. In turn, they will spot you. When walking around the warm-up room, be aware of things going on around you like lifters warming-up or wrapping, a collision could be disastrous. If you are not lifting or warming-up, you can really help things by staying out of the warm-up room and watching from the audience.

With the amount of attention in the last few years given to infectious virus's etc., it is important and good hygiene to wash your hands regularly. Bring some bandages and antiseptic for your own use in case you cut yourself or rip calluses. It's just common sense. 

I did not mean to frighten anyone about the safety at lifting contests. For the most part they are safe but accidents do occur. Safety is common sense, plain and simple. Just be aware of unsafe conditions and act accordingly. If you notice a problem at the meet, let the meet director or judges know. Though lifting at meets does not present the same danger that a zillion kilowatts does, awareness will help insure a safe and rewarding competitive experience.

Doug Daniels

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Injuries

Minor injuries are a part of power lifting. You will always have cuts, bruise, aching joints and sore muscles when you start taxing the body. It requires skill to decide which injuries to ignore and which to pay attention to. Here are some simple rules of thumb (but don't blame me if you end up in the hospital.

The bottom line is usually: if an injury makes you get weaker, do something about it. Otherwise, ignore it. Its not unusual to train with fairly (even extremely) painful injuries, as long as you stay strong.

Here's a tip: ibuprofen helps a lot with the pain (at least you can get to sleep at night

Similarly, you can train through most minor illnesses. But don't train with a viral chest infection and a fever---it can damage the heart, according to what my doc told me.

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PRIMARY LIFT TECHNIQUE

First, always do your powerlifting with good form---never cheat to get the lift (bouncing in the bench, squatting high, avoiding lockouts in bench and deadlift, bouncing the bar on the floor during reps in the deadlift, etc). If you cheated, you got nothing. Zero. Its that simple, because that's what you'd get in a contest.

Bench press 

there are two styles: touch and go, and pause. When training specifically for competition, you have to practice the pause: the bar must come to a complete stop touching your chest. In power training not specifically for a contest, its better to move the bigger weights by using a touch and go style. That means you press up as soon as the bar touches the chest---but there is still no bounce or cheat at the bottom! Typically the pause takes 10 lbs off your bench. 

Squat 

power squats are different from bodybuilding squats. The motion is pretty similar to that of sitting down on a toilet with a wide stance. 

Deadlift 

there are two legal styles: sumo and conventional. In conventional, your feet are together and your hands wider than your feet. The bar comes off the ground easy, but there is a sticking point near the knees where the back is put under tremendous stress in a rounded position. I don't recommend this style as it is more injury prone. (My partner once ruptured his discs like popping popcorn pulling 675 this way some years ago. Then he passed out from the pain, and had to spend a month in bed to recover). I recommend sumo: you take a wide stance, and your hands go inside your legs, similar in position to the bottom of a squat. The hips take up much more of the load, and the hard part of the movement is to get the bar off the floor; after that it glides up. 

Important note 

when doing reps in the deadlift, set the bar down completely at the end of each rep (keep your hands on it to)---don't cheat by bouncing it off the floor or cutting the motion short and coming up early. You want every rep to be like a single, otherwise you will be weak in the starting position. 

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Rotator Cuff Problems

Rotator cuff problems are very common. In fact they are one of the main problems I deal with in my job as a physical therapist. Rotator cuff problems come in many different names such as tendonitis, bursitis, and impingement syndrome. With this article I will describe the basic anatomy of the area and the ways it can malfunction leading to pain and how this applies to training. 

The rotator cuff is a group of four small muscles in the shoulder: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. All four muscles originate on the scapula (shoulder blade) and insert on the greater tuberosity area of the humerus (upper arm bone). The supraspinatus is the topmost muscle and the one most often involved in rotator cuff tears. The supraspinatus tendon has a delicate circulatory supply that begins to lessen in middle age, making it susceptible to injury. The subscapularis is on the anterior(front)surface of the shoulder blade. The infraspinatus and teres minor almost blend together and make up the posterior aspect of the rotator cuff. 

The rotator cuff muscles as a group act to stabilize and control the glenohumeral(aka shoulder)joint. Their activity contributes to the normal active movement of the shoulder. Individually the muscles have differing actions. The supraspinatus assists the deltoid in producing elevation of the upper arm. The infraspinatus and teres minor have the same action of rotating the humerus externally, which is very crucial to normal function of the shoulder as I will explain. The subscapularis acts to rotate the humerus internally. Although there are two rotator cuff muscles producing external rotation compared to only one for internal rotation, the natural balance of strength in the shoulder favors internal rotation. Why? Because in addition to the subscapularis the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and teres major(all very thick, strong muscles I might add...)act to internally rotate the humerus. This imbalance sets up the potential for the development of pathology. In addition to the relavent muscles some review of the bony anatomy is helpful. 

The glenohumeral joint is a "ball and socket" joint. In addition to the humerus and glenoid fossa, however, there is another very important bony structure we need to consider. This structure is called the acromion process, which is a projection of the scapula. The acromion process acts like a "roof" over the ball and socket joint. In between the "roof" and the ball and socket lie some delicate structures most notably the supraspinatus tendon. Now here's where things get interesting. Normally, when the upper arm moves into flexion or abduction(swings upward), the ball glides further down in the socket to avoid "bumping into" the "roof". Also, the humerus rotates externally to avoid the greater tuberosity ramming into the acromion. 

Generally, with rotator cuff problems, something goes wrong with these delicately balanced mechanics. Things happen that allow the head of the humerus to glide upward rather than downward, and the greater tuberosity does not rotate out of the way. When this happens the delicate supraspinatus tendon gets pinched, hence the term "impingement". With repetition this will cause the tendon to become inflammed and swollen(and painful!) With the swelling the size of the subacromial space is further reduced, therefore further increasing the potential for impingement. What causes these disruptions? Well one of the most prevalent things is weakness of the rotator muscles themselves. With this weakness, the head of the humerus is not pulled down as usual. If the posterior muscles are weak, the greater tuberosity does not rotate out of the way. Sometimes the problems are due to tighness. If the powerful internally rotating muscles are tight, full external rotation is not possible and again the greater tuberosity will not rotate out of the way causing impingement. In addition, the internally rotating muscles, especially the pecs, contribute to rounded shoulders if tight. Round shoulders change the natural alignment of the shoulder blades in such a way that impingement is more likely to occur with arm movement. Sometimes the issue is structural. A certain percentage of people have what looks like a "hook" on the underside of their acromion which jabs into the supraspinatus tendon during upward movement of the arm. Imagine a little thorn jabbing into that tendon with every movement...OUCH!!! Of course many times these things occur in combination, making the problem even trickier. In addition to the above, our daily use of our arms can contribute greatly as well. People who do a lot of work at or above shoulder height are more vulnerable. As the arms are held at this height for long periods, the small muscles fatique, allowing the above alterations in mechanics to occur. Throwing athletes are at risk especially in the posterior muscles. With throwing, the arm is rapidly and forcefully internally rotated. The posterior cuff has to contract eccentrically (a "negative" in lifting terms) to slow down and stop this movement. Now if you remember the above anatomy lesson, there are only two tiny little muscles, the infraspinatus and teres minor, to counteract the forceful contraction of the pecs, lats, teres major and subscapularis. Needless to say these little muscles often get fried with constant abuse like this. 

Finally, there are training considerations in the production of cuff problems. Several exercises can contribute to impingement. Included are behind the neck presses and pulldowns/chins. These exercises force a degree of external rotation that the person may not have the flexibility for. Upright rows are potentially hazardous because they involve upward movement of the humerus while it is fully internally rotated, causing the greater tuberosity to impinge against the acromion. 

My suggestions for preventing this nasty problem? First off, avoid the above mentioned exercises. Second, train the little muscles: the infraspinatus and teres minor. A good way to do this is to lay on your side holding a light dumbbell in the topside arm. Bend the elbow to 90 degrees and keep it there. Now, while keeping your elbow at your side, slowly swivel your forearm upwards until the forearm is just above parallel to the floor. Generally I'd say start with three to five pounds and work the sets up to 20 reps in slow deliberate form. If you're a throwing athlete, you may want to emphasize the negative a bit, as that is how the muscles function in throwing. After paying attention to the rotator muscles I would make sure to keep the pecs and lats stretched out. Leaning through a door way with the forearms against the doorframe at about shoulder height is a common stretch given in PT. Pay attention to good posture so as to keep the scapular alignment normal. Hold your chest high, keep your head above your shoulders (think tall) and keep the shoulder blades pulled slightly down and back. Finally avoid abuse of the area functionally. Sustained or repetitive activity at or above shoulder height can promote impingement. 

Whew! I haven't written this extensively since college! I hope this is informative and helpful and stimulates further ideas and questions. 

Tony F. 

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How to Design Your Workouts
 
Periodization 

It seems like many will argue until the end of time about what is the best theory to use when designing a workout. I feel however, that for most, a periodized workout is the best for optimizing strength gains and avoiding over training. Periodization is the gradual cycling of specificity, intensity, and volume of training to achieve peak levels of strength. The cycle will shift gradually from high volume and low intensity to low volume high intensity over several weeks. The length of the cycle revolves around the dates of competition. The typical powerlifting cycle will consist of three phases: Hypertrophy, strength, and power. 

The first phase is the hypertrophy phase, it will normally consist of eight to ten repetitions per set. This phase may last from one to six weeks with intensities from 65% to 79% of one repetition maximum ( 1 RM ). The hypertrophy phase is responsible for developing a good muscular and metabolic base for the future. All rest between sets in this phase should be kept between 45 seconds and 1.5 minutes. Shorter rests in this phase will maximize the natural primary anabolic hormones involved in muscle tissue growth such as testosterone, growth hormone, and insulinlike growth factors, while minimizing cortisol production. 

The second phase is called the strength phase, it will normally consist of five to eight repetitions per set. This phase may last from two to eight weeks. In the strength phase the weight intensity is gradually increased to loads of 80% to 90% of 1 RM. Obviously this is the phase where the athlete increases muscular strength. The rest between stets in the strength phase should be increased to about five minutes. This length of time will assure that the muscles have completely recovered from the higher intensity workout. 

The final phase of the powerlifting cycle is the power phase. This phase will consist of sets with repetitions of one to four and intensity levels gradually increasing from 90% to 107% of 1 RM. The power phase is where the athlete peaks the strength levels for competition. Rest between sets in the power phase should be increased to about five to ten minutes. These maximal to near maximal repetitions require much more time for the muscle to recover 100% and be ready for the next set. 

After the final phase is completed and the competition, if any, is over, it is usually best to take a week or two off. High intensity, single repetition work takes a lot out of the body and mind. Just taking a week or two out of the gym will give your body and mind time to completely recovery from the tremendous stress put on them in the power phase of the cycle. This rest can be active rest, where activities other than weight training can be done, or inactive rest. 

The following is a example of how one might set up a powerlifting cycle. I would emphasize that this routine is only a suggestion and by no means is the only periodized routine out there. 

Monday Squats
Wednesday Bench Press
Friday Deadlifts
Saturday Light Bench Press(optional)

Next, you need to know what your best set of five, four, three, two, or one repetition is. Of course the most accurate is the single or 1 RM, but we can get a pretty accurate 1 RM by using your best two, three, four, or five RM. Here is the formula: 
Take your best and multiply it by the numbers given. 

2 reps - ? x 1.06
3 reps - ? x 1.12
4 reps - ? x 1.15
5 reps - ? x 1.18 

This will give an estimate of your best 1 RM without actually having to do it. Now we have a number to work with. 
Warm ups 

Warm ups in powerlifting are only to get the body's core temperature up slightly to prepare for some serious lifting. DO NOT wear yourself out warming up. Use only four to five sets, low repetitions, and progressively heavier, LIGHT WEIGHT. 
This is an example of a warm up for someone who is squatting over 600 lbs.: 

135 - 1 set of 10 repetitions
225 - 1 set of 5 repetitions
315 - 1 set of 3 repetitions
405 - 1 set of 1 repetition
495 - 1 set of 1 repetition 

Get the idea? 

One other hint, this is not bodybuilding, so throw out anything you know about bodybuilding, it doesn't apply here.

 
Work Sets 

This is where you get strong. Here, as we will discuss later, is where rest between sets is very important! In order for the energy levels in the body to return to 100%, sometimes three to ten minutes rest between the work sets is necessary. So TAKE YOUR TIME. I strongly believe two high intensity sets are all you need. Remember, INTENSITY is the key to strength, NOT VOLUME. Again, we are not trying to be a bodybuilder in powerlifting. With two sets you can work at 120%, without having to conserve any strength for that third or fourth or fifth set. 

Remember -- multiply your best 1 RM times the given percentage. 

Week 1 - 70% x 2 sets of 10 repetitions
Week 2 - 70% x 2 sets of 10 repetitions
Week 3 - 73% x 2 sets of 8 repetitions
Week 4 - 76% x 2 sets of 8 repetitions
Week 5 - 79% x 2 sets of 5 repetitions
Week 6 - 82% x 2 sets of 5 repetitions
Week 7 - 85% x 2 sets of 5 repetitions
Week 8 - 88% x 2 sets of 5 repetitions
Week 9 - 91% x 2 sets of 3 repetitions
Week 10 - 94% x 2 sets of 3 repetitions
Week 11 - 97% x 2 sets of 2 repetitions
Week 12 - 100% x 2 set of 2 repetitions
Week 13 - 104% x 1 set of 1 repetition
Week 14 - 107% - 111% x 1 set of 1 repetition 

Now you have a 1 RM that can be used for the next cycle! You can add 7% to 11% every 12 weeks. With consistency, this amount of weight will add up to really big weight, in time. So be patient and consistent. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ADD MORE WEIGHT TO THESE PERCENTAGES IF NEEDED. I can give you a plan to get strong, but you are the one who has to load up the bar. Don't cheat yourself. 

For a nifty page that will do the above calculations for you, visit The Weight Progression Calculator. 

by Tom McCullough

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Power Bench Press

The Bench Press 
Most people are much more impressed by the amount one can bench as opposed to a how much one can deadlift or squat. Almost everyone wants a big bench! Now think of how many times someone has asked how much you squat or deadlift? Enough said! 

There are generally three movement styles involved with this power movement. The wide grip bench, which is usually better suited for the longer limbed physique; the narrow grip, which is generally better for the shorter limbed individuals; and lastly, the reverse grip, which in the past few years has been declared an acceptable form for competition. 

The wide grip, decreases the distance the bar must move. The hands are at the maximum legal length of 32 inches and it recruits more pectoral muscle fibers to do the work. The narrow grip, is usually around 28-30 inches and involves more triceps and anterior deltoid work. The reverse grip, for all practical purposes, will not be discussed in this book. So what body type are you? Now, choose your style. 

Body Placement 
The head, trunk and buttocks should be extended on the bench away from the uprights of the bench. This will prevent the bar from hitting the uprights when pressing the weight. The eyes should be looking straight up to an imaginary spot on the ceiling. If able, try to arch the back as much as possible, while keeping the shoulders, head, and buttocks on the bench. This position will lessen the distance the bar must travel and will also allow the legs to drive the shoulders into the bench for much greater power. 

Foot Placement 
In powerlifting, any slight movement of the feet, negate the lift. It is necessary that the feet are placed flat on the floor and underneath the lifter as far as possible. This allows for a very solid base and assist in getting that much needed explosive start at the bottom. For those shorter lifters, in competition, you are allowed to build a platform under your feet. It is OK to put blocks, plates or whatever under your feet if you feel it will be of benefit. Just make sure that what ever you use will not slip when lifting. 

Hand Placement 
The placement of the hands is a much debated question. Is it better to use a closed regular grip (thumb around the bar) or the open hand "false" grip (thumb behind the bar)? World records have been set using either style, so apparently this is not what makes world records. However, I have seen many lifters carried to the hospital with broken ribs and internal injuries from using the false grip, so in my opinion, and we know about opinions, the false grip is unwieldy and dangerous. If the bar starts rolling in the hands during the ascent (and it usually does), what's going to stop it? Well probably your chest, certainly not your thumbs, that's for sure! Unless you are in some sort of pain from injury, avoid anything but the regular grip. 

Bar Placement 
The benching movement is started from the vertical position with the elbows locked. When lowering the bar, bring the bar down to the lower pectoral area. Then pause for a split second and explode the bar back to the top. When in the exaggerated arch body position and touching the bar in the lower pectoral area you can easily see that the distance the bar must travel is much less than when in a flat position. The flat position is great for bodybuilding movements, but in powerlifting the goal is to lift big weights. Establishing a proper groove for this lift can be a tedious process. Generally, the lifter should move the bar at an angle or path that feels most natural. There is much discussion among the gurus as to what is the best pathway for the bar to travel. 

Wrist Wraps 
I am sure everyone has seen lifters wearing wrist wraps and wondered what purpose they serve. Here is the answer. If a lifter has weak wrists or tendinitis in the wrist area, they should probably use wrist wraps. These will not add any pounds to your lift, but will make it less painful if you have them wrapped. 

The Belt 
Many lifters wonder if the belt helps the bench press too. I have tried it both ways, and have noted no marked improvements from using a belt. Consequently, I don't feel it necessary unless you just like that tight feeling. If you are using the exaggerated arch, which is suggested, then certainly avoid the belt. 

Bench Press Shirts 
The use of bench press shirts has not only cut down on the number of bench press related injuries, but they have allowed lifters to set new bench press records. The bench press shirt acts just like the squat suit in that it adds extra support to assist the muscles in moving heavier weight. If you use the bench shirt in training you will be able to train with heavier weights and stimulate more muscle growth. This will eventually lead to new personal records in the bench. 

How To Use The Bench Press Shirt: Bench press shirts come in different thicknesses. Obviously the thicker the shirt the more support it will give. Use the bench press shirt just like you would use the knee wraps and squat suit. Start out wearing a loose fitting shirt when you start doing sets of five repetitions, then gradually work up to the contest shirt as the weight gets heavier and repetitions decrease. The contest shirt should not only be a thicker shirt, but it should also be a size or two too small. It will be very uncomfortable, but will definitely help those muscles move bigger weights. Again, there are a few different brands and styles, so experiment around until you have the right shirt for your body. 

Warning: Do not lift in a shirt with tear of runners. Sooner or later the shirt will blow out while you are lowering the weight to your chest. This will no doubt cause you to completely lose control of the bar. The chance of injury is not worth the price of a new bench press shirt. 

A Word On Training 
I feel periodization principles are the best for gaining strength and power. However, if you are consistent with your program and put out 120% effort every time you go to the gym to lift, ANY program will eventually allow you to get results. It is also very important that you train your weak areas in any lift. So, if you are using the wide grip bench, it is very important that you increase the training on the less involved muscle groups (triceps and anterior deltoids). Always train in the gym as though you were under meet conditions! There is no place for touch and go bench or ballistic bounces off the chest. You are missing out on that explosive training at the bottom of your lift, which will result in fewer pounds being pressed to the top. Always use good control in the descent and ascent phases of any lift.

by Tom McCullough 

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Competition and Training Gear.

Belt: You will need a good regulation power belt. Order one out of PowerLifting USA magazine. Get a double prong belt. Buy a good belt, it is the most important gear---expect to pay $60 dollars. It should be be very stiff, not soft and comfortable.

 
Wraps: Knee wraps are also a necessity. I like Z Wraps.  They are the best by far.  About $15.00 a pair. These are worn for squating and nothing else. 

Shoes: A good cross trainer shoe, like nike air, seems to be good for general purpose powerlifting. Once you get strong, you may want to use squat shoes for squating ($100) and a good flat soled shoe (wrestling shoe) for deadlifting. 

Powersuit: Once you decide to compete you will want to consider wearing a powersuit. These can be ordered from PowerLifting USA magazine. I prefer Inzer Z Suit. $70. These are a pain in the the rear to put on wear though---they are very tight and leave lots of bruises on your legs, inner thights and hips. But they do provide added safety and support when moving heavy weights, as well as adding 20--50 lbs to what you can lift. In competition you cannot be without this advantage and be successful.

Chalk: Buy lifting chalk out of Powerlifting USA mag by the case, and use it on all powerlifts. Always on your hands, plus chalk knees before wrapping them, and chalk the back for squating and bench pressing. $10 gets you plenty of chalk and plenty of mess in the gym.  I know.  I was kicked out of Golds in Boise for chalk mess on the floor.

 
Baby Powder: You put this on your thighs for heavy deadlifts, to reduce friction. Its only really needed as part of contest preparation, not day to day training. Try and get the un scented kind unless you want to smell like a babys butt.  If you get it on your hands you are in real trouble from slippage. 

Power bar and Collars: You need a good olympic bar and 5 lb collars for the powerlifts. Always use the collars on squat and deadlift; optional on the bench. Hopefully your gym has good bars and collars. I reccommend the Texas Power bar.  The number one thing to look for in bars is that they are straight, not bent. Put them on a rack and roll them to check for bends. If they are bent at all, they can change positions during a lift and really toss you around and become dangerous. 

BenchShirt: You can bench more with them, for sure.  The Inzer Heavy Duty is my favorite.  About $70 in Powerlifting USA.  I have had bad shoulder problems for years and when I wear a bench shirt I feel no pain.  They give you excellent support and increase your bench from 20-50 pounds.  You cannot go without a basic shirt in any meet and expect to be successful. 

Things to avoid: Never wear wrist straps for deadlifts---that robs you of your grip development. Never wear gloves.  You need to develop tough skin.  Gloves are illegal equipment.  Wrist wraps are optional and I believe they help if you have a weak grip.  

12/26/01

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The Guinness World Record of Squat Shattered!

Z. Molnar, one of the test subjects of the recent MyoMax™ Study, riding high on the gains he made, set a new world record of squatting by doing 170 reps with 220 lbs (100 kg) at a bodyweight of 165 lbs.
The previous record of 138 repetitions was held by a 220-pound lifter. To be 55 pounds lighter and to do 32 more reps is an amazing feat of strength and courage. This awesome performance took 9 minutes. The execution of the reps was perfect; the flow of the performance was uninterrupted, without pause. 
To demonstrate the total amount of weight moved in 9 minutes, it's the weight of the goods that fit into a large 40-ft container. It equals 17 tons - 37,478 lbs. Nobody has ever moved this amount of weight in such a short time without stopping.

122401

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What Is Wrong With My Bench?

The most asked question I get and continue to receive from gym patrons, friends, and clients continues to and probably will always be, how do I increase my bench press?  It seems as though no one is happy with or at least wants to bench press more weight.  Why is this?  This is the one way we as males can judge our man hood.  How many times have you asked someone such as a friend, coworker, gym acquaintance, or even a stranger how much they can bench?  This is our means to see how tough we are?  This is how we gauge our progress in the gym.  This is how we compare ourselves to the other gym rats.  This is how we make sure we are still male.  Why are we obsessed with the strong?  Are we just modern day Romans?

This phenomenon will be with us today and 500 years from now.  We males and some females will always want a bigger bench.  So how do you increase your bench press that you say has been the same weight for the last 3 years?  I fell into the trap that many have which lead to the 385lbs bench press for 4 years.  I decided to research further and enter a Powerlifting meet to crack me through the barrier.  This is what I learned.

From years of training and a jump from 385lbs to 480lbs (legal meet lift) in the bench press in two years I have developed some key points to help many in this endeavor for the barrel chest and massive bench.  My plan includes strength training, speed training, and power training.  Most of us enter the gym on chest day and bench, then bench some more, then bench again and do 30 more sets of assistance.  This continues for years with no success.  Now it is time to create a plan.  You will work all three aspects of a successful bench.

Speed training includes training a muscle to fire rapidly so that the weight you are attempting to lift will begin moving at a rapid pace.  If you attempt to bench press a maximum weight and cannot explode the bar off your chest the bar will not move very far off your chest in the initial stage of the bench.  The slow movement causes you to fail at an early point in the movement. 

The speed off the chest is carried through with the strength to continue pushing the weight.  Strength cannot kick in till the bar begins moving.  It is far greater to begin fast then slow.  To work muscle speed you will use a 12 set 2-rep scheme.  Two quick explosive reps follow by thirty-second rest.  The weight used should be one that the weight moves rapidly.  This is about 60% of my one rep max.

Strength training includes training a muscle with heavy weights through a full range of motion.  I recommend using a rep to weight scheme from 5-8 reps with a weight that is tough but one that does not require assistance.  You want to handle heavy weight yet not sacrifice form.  Your strength is what is going to carry a heavy load though out the entire bench press.  However, strength is just a piece of the puzzle.  While observing thousands of bench pressers, I have noticed that most only work the strength portion of the bench press.  Most of us forget to work speed and power.

Power training.  Now the bar is exploded off your chest and you have the strength to continue the movement.  What usually happens next?  You usually get to a point about ¾ of the way and the bar stalls.  You then fail to complete the lift.  This is called your sticking point.  You must work your power training to give you the ability to drive right through a sticking point.  This form of training is conducted using short range of motion movements.  This can be in the form of lockouts in a squat rack.  I like to use a range of motion around 3-5 inches.  This range gives you the ability to handle large amounts of weight since you only have to press a short distance.  My rep and weight scheme usually is around 3-4 reps with 110-120% of a one-rep max. 

For continued advice on how I can increase you bench press by 50lbs in 3 months see my services plan.  I can develop a 12 week power cycle to meet your competition goals.  A successful is also dependant on a thoughtful assistance exercise plan, bench press schedule, and pyramid scheme, ect.

Chris Berry 10/16/01

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Nutritional Supplements for Strength Athletes 

KEY POINTS 

1. For the strength-trained athlete attempting to increase muscle mass, probably the most important nutritional considerations are to obtain sufficient energy and protein. Adequate amounts of both may be obtained simply by increasing the amount of complex carbohydrates and healthful protein sources in the daily diet.

2. Most of the commercial nutritional products marketed for strength-trained athletes are promoted as a dietary means to influence metabolic processes that stimulate muscle growth and/or facilitate the loss of body fat, primarily by inducing the endogenous production or release of testosterone or human growth hormone (HGH).

3. There is little or no scientific evidence supporting positive effects on muscle growth, body fat reduction, or strength enhancement in strength-trained athletes for the following nutritional supplements: arginine, lysine, and ornithine (amino acids); ornitine alpha-ketoglutarate (OKG); ino-sine; choline; yohimbine; "glandulars;" vitamin B 12; carnitine; chromium; boron; magnesium; medium chain triglycerides; omega-3 fatty acids; gamma oryzanol; Smilax. Additional research is needed to support or refute claims made for some of these products, as well as others that may be of interest to strength-trained athletes, e.g., creatine and antioxidant vitamins.

4. Given the fraudulent claims made for most nutritional supplements marketed for strength-trained athletes, and because many are relatively expensive, let the buyer beware!

INTRODUCTION 

Muscular strength represents the capacity to generate power or force and is thus an essential requisite for all athletes. The general belief is that increased strength will enhance performance and prevent injuries, so specific strength resistance training programs have been developed and applied to almost all sports. Strength training may also confer some health benefits by favorably modifying risk factors associated with the development of several chronic diseases (Stone et al., 1991 ) or by improving psychological well-being via an enhanced body image due to body composition changes (Tucker, 1987). Furthermore, strength training is recommended as part of a comprehensive fitness program (American College of Sports Medicine, 1990).

Although strength training may be an adjunct to training programs for all sports, it is particularly important for athletes involved in sports where increased lean body mass (LBM), particularly muscle mass, is a critical determinant of success. Increased muscle mass is important for enhancing strength and power production (e. g., for weightlifters), improving stability (e. g., for interior linemen in football) or enhancing ones aesthetic appear-ance (e. g., for bodybuilders).

The most obvious effect of strength training is muscular hypertrophy. To help compensate for genetic limitations in hormonal status, particularly testosterone, many strength-trained athletes have used exogenous anabolic/androgenic steroids (AAS) effectively to maximize muscle growth and strength, and many athletes view AAS as an essential component for success (Smith & Perry, 1992). However, the use of AAS has been banned by most athletic governing bodies and has also been associated with a variety of health problems (Williams, 1994; in press). Thus, although AAS continue to be used by athletes, as well as by noncompetitive recreational athletes (Perry et al., 1992), there is increasing focus on nutrient supplementation as an alternative ergogenic means to enhance muscular mass and strength (Cowart, 1992; Kleiner, 1991).

Several recent surveys (Barron & Vanscoy, 1993;Grunewald & Bailey, 1993; Philen, et al., 1992) of commercially marketed nutritional supplements published in health and bodybuilding magazines (e. g., Flex, Ironman, Muscle and Fitness) have identified hundreds of products with advertised claims of performance benefits, the most frequently mentioned being enhanced muscle growth. The table in the accompanying handout provides a listing of the most commonly marketed nutritional supplements that claim to stimulate muscle growth, their additional hypothetical roles, and a summary of the available research with human subjects. The focus of this review will be on those nutritional supplements advertised to enhance body composition or strength development, although in many cases scientific data are very limited or nonexistent.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT FOR MUSCLE GROWTH 

The diet provides six general classes of nutrients (carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water) indispensable to human physiology because they function in one or more ways to (1) provide energy, (2) support growth and development, or (3) regulate metabolic processes. All of these functions are important for strength-trained athletes attempting to increase muscle mass and strength.

NUTRIENTS FOR ENERGY AND SUPPORT OF MUSCLE GROWTH 

Although muscle tissue contains numerous nutrients, protein is the major constituent of muscle other than water. However, the other energy nutrients are essential for synthesis of contractile proteins and other regulatory proteins in the cell. Adequate dietary energy and protein are thus two key elements underlying muscle growth.

Energy. According to Lemon (1991), perhaps the most important single factor determining protein needs of the strength athlete is the adequacy of energy intake. For athletes who are maintaining body weight, daily energy intake must equal daily energy expenditure. However, for athletes attempting to stimulate muscle development, it is not known exactly how many additional megajoules (MJ) of energy are necessary to form one kilogram (kg) of muscle tissue, nor is it known in what form this energy should be consumed (1MJ=238 kcals). Estimates range from about 21 to 33.6 MJ/kg of muscle (equivalent to 2,270 to 3,630 kcals per pound of muscle). Therefore an additional intake of approximately 2.2 MJ (500 kcal) daily by an athlete attempting to gain 1 lb of muscle mass per week is a reasonable goal (Williams, 1992) that has been supported by research (Bartels et al., 1989).

Protein. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 g/kg body weight per day for individuals age 19 and above, 0.9 g/kg for age 15-18, and 1.0 g/kg for age 11-14; the RDA will support normal growth and development in the average individual. However, athletes involved in intense strength training programs, particularly novices, may have significantly higher protein requirements than do sedentary individuals, as documented in several recent studies (Lemon, 1991;Lemon et al.,1992; Tamopolsky et al.,1992). To maintain or possibly increase muscle mass while strength training, these investigators have recommended a protein RDA of 1.5-2.0 g/kg, or about twice the current American and Canadian RDA.

These additional energy and protein needs may be obtained easily from a balanced, healthful diet. Complex carbohydrates, such as breads, cereals, rice and pasta, provide healthful sources of energy and serve to spare the use of protein as an energy source (Lemon & Mullin, 1980). Depending on energy intake, a diet containing 12-15 % of the total energy intake as protein could provide about 1.5-2.0 g/kg. Healthful protein sources include lean meat, fish, and poultry, skim milk, and legumes complemented with grains.

Protein supplements targeted to strength-trained athletes have been marketed for years as either powdered protein, canned liquid meals high in protein, or special concoctions high in protein content. However, the protein content in these products is usually derived from other food sources, such as milk, egg, or soy protein, and provides no advantages over natural sources. There are no reliable research data supporting a beneficial effect of such protein supplements when compared to comparable amounts of natural protein sources. Nevertheless, such commercial supplements may be a convenient means for some busy athletes to secure additional protein in the diet. Still, it is imperative to emphasize the point that such supplements should be used to complement a balanced, healthful diet, not to serve as a substitute for wholesome, natural foods (Williams, 1992).

NUTRIENTS FOR METABOLIC REGULATION OF MUSCLE GROWTH 

Resistance training is a potent stimulus for muscle growth, and its anabolic effect may be influenced by adequate levels of serum testosterone, human growth hormone (HGH), and insulin, all anabolic hormones. Exogenous testosterone administration may increase LBM, particularly when normal serum levels are low as in constitutionally delayed puberty (Gregory et al., 1992). Further, exogenous HGH supplementation may increase LBM in aged males with HGH deficiency (Binnerts et al., 1992); however, two recent, well-controlled studies have not shown any significant anabolic effect when HGH was administered to healthy young males involved in strength training programs (Deyssig et al.,1993; Yarasheski et al., 1992). Therefore, it appears likely that nutritional supplements could be effective if they remedied a deficiency and corrected some hormonal imbalance, but might not be effective if the body's hormone receptors are sensitive to naturally occurring testosterone, growth hormone, and/or insulin.

Insulin has anticatabolic effects on skeletal muscle protein under certain conditions (Gelland et a., 1987). In other words, insulin tends to spare muscle protein from being degraded. However, there is no systematic evidence that chronic increases in circulating insulin enhance muscle mass in resistance-trained human beings. On the negative side, chronic hyperinsulinemia could result in serious disorders of carbohydrate and fat metabolism.

AMINO ACIDS AND OTHER NITROGEN CONTAINING SUBSTANCES. 

The infusion or ingestion of various individual amino acids has been used clinically to regulate the secretion of HGH, somatomedins (insulin-like growth factors), and insulin (Jacobson, 1990; Kreider, 1993). This clinical research provides the rationale underly-ing the fact that amino acid mixtures are the largest category of supplements marketed to bodybuilders (Grunewald & Bailey, 1993). However, although some studies have shown that high oral doses of ornithine may increase HGH secretion (Bucci et al., 1990), more recent research revealed no significant effect of arginine, lysine, ornithine, and tyrosine, either separately or in various combinations, on either HGH (Fogelholm et al., 1993; Lambert et al., 1993; Suminski et al., 1993) or insulin secretion (Bucci et al., 1992; Fogelholm et al., 1993), nor did a supplement containing all 20 amino acids influence serum concentrations of testosterone or HGH (Fry et al., 1993).

Arginine, Ivsine, and ornithine. Arginine, lysine, and ornithine, separately or in various combinations, have received the most attention regarding a possible ergogenic effect for strength-trained athletes. Two of the earliest studies (Elam, 1988; Elam et al., 1989) revealed that 2 g/d of arginine and ornithine (1 g each), in conjunction with a strength training program, reduced body fat, increased LBM, and increased strength over a 5 wk period. In a review of food supplements marketed for athletes, Barron and Vanscoy (1993) cited this research as scientific support for claims that arginine/ornithine could stimulate HGH and increase LBM. However, these studies have been criticized for questionable statistical analysis (Williams, 1992). Moreover, several studies using experienced weightlifters and more appropriate experimental designs have not shown any significant effect of oral arginine supplementation on peak muscle torque or muscular endurance (Hawkins et al., 1991 ), no effect of arginine and lysine supplementation on body composition or strength (Mitchell et al., 1993), and no effect of a supplement containing all 20 amino acids on lifting performance (Fry et al., 1993).

Ornithine a-ketoglutarate (one or two molecules of ornithine bound to a molecule of a-ketoglutarate) is a recent addition to the list of "anabolics" available to strength athletes. This compound, known as OKG, purportedly increases insulin output and action (Cynober et al., 1984), thereby attenuating protein degradation in skeletal muscle (Gelland et al., 1987). There is also a preliminary report of a large OKG-induced increase in insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and stature in six prepubertal children afflicted with bowel disorders (Moukarzel et al., 1993). The IGF-I is a peptide responsible for many of the growth promoting effects of growth hormone. There are apparently no complete peer-reviewed reports of well-controlled experiments on OKG effects on resistance-trained subjects as of this writing.

In summary, there is no consistent evidence supporting an anabolic or ergogenic effect of amino acid supple-mentation in the diets of strength-trained athletes.

Creatine. Creatine is a nitrogen-containing substance found naturally in meat. In the body it combines rapidly with phosphate to form creatine phosphate, a high energy compound stored in the muscle. Recent studies have shown that oral supplements of creatine monohydrate, approximately 20-25 g/d, could lead to increased creatine content in the muscle (Harris et al., 1992), increased muscle torque in repeated bouts of maximal isokinetic exercise (Greenhaft et al., 1993), and improved performance in repeated 6 s bouts of high-intensity cycling exercise (Balsom et al., 1993). Additionally, Balsom and others (1993) reported a significant increase in body mass (1.1 kg) following 6 d of supplementation with 25 g creatine monohydrate/d; they speculated that the increase could be due to synthesis of contractile proteins or to greater retention of water. These initial data are impressive, but additional research is needed for confirmation.

Inosine. Inosine is not an amino acid, but a nucleoside involved in the formation of purines such as adenine. Advertisements have suggested that inosine supplementation may enhance adenosine triphosphate (ATP) formation in the muscle and thus be of value to strength athletes. However, there are no research data to support these claims.

Choline. Choline is an amine, a constituent of phospholipids found in plant and animal foods. Choline is a precursor for the development of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter secreted at the myoneural junction, and phosphatidyl-choline (lecithin), a component of lipoproteins involved in lipid transport. Based on these roles, choline supplementation may be hypothesized to either increase strength or facilitate the loss of body fat, but no research has been uncovered to support these hypotheses (Grunewald & Bailey, 1993; Williams, 1992)

Yohimbine. Yohimbine is a nitrogen-containing alkaloid extracted from the bark of the yohimbe tree. It functions as an alpha2-adrenoreceptor blocker, increasing serum levels of norepinephrine (Grossman et al.,

1991 ). Yohimbine has been used as an adjunct in the treatment of obesity (Kucio et al., 1991) and for the treatment of impotence (Grunewald & Bailey, 1993). Comparable to Smilax, yohimbine and yohimbe bark are advertised to increase testosterone levels, but no scientific data have been disclosed supportive of any anabolic effects.

Glandulars. Glandulars are extracts from various animal tissues or glands, such as the pituitary, thymus, adrenal, and testes. Their use is based on the premise that they will enhance function of the glands in the body from which they are derived, e.g., orchic extract from the testes purportedly facilitates testosterone production. However, these glandular extracts are degraded during the digestive process and are inactive when absorbed as the digested components (Newsom, 1989).


VITAMINS AND MINERALS 

One of the most popular products marketed for all athletes is the multivitamin/mineral supplement. Most contemporary research studies report that long-term supplementation with multivitamin/mineral compounds does not enhance sport performance, including strength performance (Singh, et al., 1992; Telford et al., 1992). However, several individual vitamins and minerals have been marketed specifically for strength athletes.

Vitamin B12. Vitamin B 12 is essential in the synthesis of DNA, the enhanced production of which may be hypothesized to stimulate muscle growth. A coenzyme form of B 12, known as Dibencobal, has been advertised for bodybuilders to increase muscle growth and strength, but these claims are based on erroneous data. No studies have been uncovered documenting a growth promoting or strength enhancing effect of Dibencobal, nor has supplementation with cyanocobalamin, a form of B 12, been found to improve performance in various tests of strength (Williams, 1992).

Antioxidant Vitamins. High-intensity exercise, particularly intense eccentric muscle contractions during the early stages of a strength training program, may cause muscle tissue damage (Evans, 1991). A possible cause of this muscle damage following intense exercise is an increased production of free radicals, leading to lipid peroxidation. Singh (1992) has suggested that the antioxidant vitamins (C, E, and beta-carotene) may protect against such damage. Numerous supplementation studies have been con-ducted with antioxidant vitamin supple-entation, as well as other antioxidants such as selenium and coenzyme Q10, to evaluate their potential protective effect. Some early studies produced promising results, but Goldfarb (1993) recently summarized the literature and noted that although trained individuals may have a greater need for antioxidants, more research is needed to justify supplementation with antioxidants to protect against exercise-induced muscle damage.

Carnitine. Carnitine is a vitamin-like compound, found naturally in food, particularly in meats, but it is also synthesized in the body. Camitine facilitates the transfer of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria and has been theorized to be ergogenic for aerobic endurance athletes. However, recent well-controlled research suggests otherwise (Decombaz et al., 1993). Carnitine has been advertised to strength athletes as a means to facilitate loss of body fat, but no supportive data have documented such an effect.

Chromium. Chromium is considered to be an essential component of the glucose-tolerance factor, which potentiates the effect of insulin (Lefavi et al., 1992), and is currently being marketed as an anabolic aid for strength athletes, primarily in the form of chromium picolinate (Grunewald & Bailey, 1993). Two studies conducted by Evans (1989) demonstrated that daily chromium picolinate supplementation (200 g) for approxi-mately 7 wk to either male volunteers in a weight training class or college football players in training, significantly increased LBM and decreased body fat in comparison to the placebo groups. However, these studies have been criticized for poor experimental control (Lefavi et al., 1992); furthermore, there were no tests of strength conducted in either study. Two more recent reports, with research designs similar to those reported by Evans but with improved experimental control, revealed no significant effect of chromium picolinate sup-plementation (200 g/d) on LBM, body fat, or strength in either males involved in a weight training program (Hallmark et al., 1993) or college football players involved in resistance training (Clancy et al., 1993).

Although the research data are limited, there is no firm scientific support for the contention that chromium picolinate supplementation exerts an ergogenic effect on strength athletes.

Boron. Boron is not currently considered an essential mineral, but it is an essential component of plant foods. Nielsen (1992) noted that boron may help prevent osteoporosis, and in a related study he reported that boron supplements given to postmenopausal women for 48 d (after they had been deprived of boron for four months) doubled their serum testosterone levels. Shortly thereafter, advertisements in muscle magazines indicated that boron could increase serum testosterone levels. However, Nielsen later commented that his results were completely misinterpreted: for example, continued boron supplementation to the postmenopausal women did not increase testosterone levels any higher, and boron supplementation with males did not increase serum testos-terone levels at all. Moreover, Ferrando and Green (1993) provided boron supplements to bodybuilders in training, and although serum boron levels increased, there were no significant increases in serum testosterone, LBM, or strength.

Given these findings, boron supplementation does not appear to exert anabolic effects in strength-trained athletes.

Magnesium. Magnesium is an essential nutrient with multiple metabolic roles, including its involvement in protein synthesis and muscle contraction. In a 1988 review, McDonald and Keen did not find any data showing an ergogenic effect of magnesium supplementation in individuals who had normal body magnesium levels. These findings are supported by a more recent study by Terblance and others (1992) who noted no effect of magnesium supplementation on quadriceps muscle strength and fatigue during 6 wk of recovery from a marathon. However, Brilla and Haley (1992) reported that magnesium supplementation to untrained males and females involved in 7 wk of weight training increased quadriceps muscle torque significantly more than in the placebo group.

Currently, there are too few data to justify magnesium supplementation for strength athletes, but more research appears to be warranted. 

LlPlDS 

Although dietary lipids may be used as a source of energy for strength athletes attempting to gain weight, most of the lipid derivatives marketed for strength athletes are advertised to provide beneficial effects on metabolic processes. Plant sterols, or phytosterols, are marketed because of their structural resemblance to testosterone.

Medium chain triglycerides. Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are water soluble and can be absorbed and metabolized readily. Commercial brands are advertised to promote muscularity and to lower body fat, possibly because of their energy content (app. 7 kcals/gm) and their thermic effect upon ingestion. MCT supplementation has been studied in relation to aerobic endurance exercise, and found to be ineffective, but no studies have been uncovered revealing an ergogenic effect on muscularity or weight loss in strength-trained athletes.

Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids (O-3FA), polyunsaturates found primarily in fish oils, may be metabolized in the body to eicosanoids. Bucci (1993) noted that one specific eicosanoid, prostaglandin El (PGEI) may stimulate HGH. Bucci cited two studies in which a commercially available blend of fish and vegetable oils purported increased strength and speed when it was provided to university football teams. However, the only source cited by Bucci (1993) is the training manual for the commercial product used in the studies. As with MCT, O-3FA have not been shown to enhance aerobic endurance, and no peer-reviewed studies have been found supporting an ergogenic effect on strength-trained athletes.

Gamma oryzanol. Gamma oryzanol is a phytosterol, a ferulic acid ester derived from rice bran oil. Both gamma oryzanol and ferulic acid products are advertised as substances that increase serum testosterone and HGH. Although gamma oryzanol may influence lipid metabolism, there are no data supportive of an ergogenic effect in humans. Wheeler and Garleb (1991) reviewed research with animals and speculated that gamma oryzanol actually may reduce testosterone production.

Smilax. There are several hundred species of the genus Smilax. Tinctures that contain various phytosterols, such as sitosterol and stigmasterol, may be extracted from the roots, as can sarsaparilla, a flavoring agent, and many Smilax extracts have been used in folk medicine for years. Smilax is advertised as a means to stimulate testosterone production and to increase muscle gains and strength (Grunewald & Bailey, 1993), but there are no scientific data to support these claims.

SUMMARY 

Vitamin and mineral products constitute about 80 percent of all dietary supplements marketed, and in appropriate doses they are most likely safe for the healthy individual. However, some herbal products lack safety data, and their use has caused various health problems, even fatalities (Huxtable, 1992). Pearl (1993) highlighted some of the medical complications associated with consumption of Smilax, yohimbine, and other components of popular nutritional supplements for bodybuilders. Additionally, some herbal products may contain substances whose use is banned for athletic competition. For example, Ma Huang contains the stimulant ephedrine.

Finding an effective nutritional alternative to AAS use by athletes is highly desired but, unfortunately, as documented in this review and via interpretation of studies evaluating the effect of nutritional supplements on physical performance surveyed in the medical literature from 1966-1992 (Barron & Vanscoy, 1993), there are few scientific data available supporting advertised claims of increased muscle mass, strength, or power for nutritional supplements targeted for strength-trained athletes. For products with preliminary supportive data, additional confirmatory studies are needed.

Fortunately, fraudulent advertising may be a thing of the past, because by July, 1994, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has mandated that all health claims on dietary supplement labels must be supported by scientific agreement. By July, 1995, all nutrients in dietary supplements must be listed on the label. Most likely, however, dietary supplement manufacturers will use other marketing techniques, such as testimonials, pamphlets and other advertising media that are protected by the first amendment to the Constitution. Consumers have a right to expect nutritional supplements to be high quality products that are both safe and effective as advertised. Given the fact that some athletes may spend as much as $400 per month for such supplements (Short & Marquart, 1993), the phrase caveat emptor (let the buyer bewarel) is certainly advisable. 

Melvin H. Williams, Ph.D.

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Powerlifting Points on Children 

Weight Training Does Not Impair Growth:  Early studies in rats and Japanese children who lifted heavy weights during work showed that heavy skeletal loading depressed growth.  Weight training studies using children, where the program is well-structured and supervised, show that height is either unaffected by lifting or slightly improved.

Young weightlifters improve strength mainly through adaptation in the nervous system rather than through increases in muscle size.  Most studies show that young people (less than age 14-15) gain strength by improving the nervous systems ability to “turn on” muscle fibers.  Unless the program is intense, children do not get larger muscles from weight training.

(Powerlifting USA July 94)

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Not to Much (Watch out for overtraining)

Are you working out too often?  Lifters often equate more with better.  This axiom may be true in some endeavors, but not with training.  Too many frequent workouts or workouts that are too ambitious undermine the body’s recuperative powers.  This may result in short term muscle increase, but, eventually, the body will rebel and protect itself by getting weaker, stopping you from lifting as frequently or as hard.

 Doug Daniels Powerlifting USA July 94

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Best Reps for Assistance Work

If you’ve read my previous articles on the best rep scheme, you may remember I believed there was none.  Sets of 8s, 5s, 3s or singles are all good choices, but the body will respond best if it’s exposed to many different rep schemes over time.  This keeps the muscles off balance, forcing them to grow.  I was wrong and there was a best rep scheme, at least by varying the number of reps I was using that “best” scheme for some portion of my cycle.  My suggestion was to vary your work set reps every 3-4 weeks.  Perform 12 reps worksets for 3-4 weeks, then drop to 10s for 304 weeks, then to 8s, 5s, 3s, then finally singles to prep for a meet.

Most of my writing has dealt with reps for the 3 powerlifts.  What about assistance work like presses, curls, rows, etc.?  Is it best to follow the same scheme on your assistance work as you are for the 3 powerlifts?  If you are doing 8s in the bench, do you do 8s on the overhead presses?  I you’re doing singles in the deadlift do you single on curls?

It’s a good idea to vary your reps on your assistance work as you do on your powerlifts, but it may not be desirable to follow the exact rep scheme.  It makes little sense to single rep curls or pulldowns.  For assistance work, I would follow either the same rep scheme or a slightly higher one.  For example if you’re on 8s for the powerlifts, use 8-10 reps on assistance.  See the table that follows for guidelines. 

Reps on the PL            Reps on assist.

12                                        12-15

10                                        10-12

8                                           8-10

5                                            5-8

3                                            5-8

1                                No assistance work

These are suggestion: you can create your own matrix and alter it over time for variety.  Notice also that the assistance reps were given in ranges.  This allows the lifter to follow the same rep scheme for all his lifts or increase the reps on assistance work.  Your can also vary the reps over a 3-4 week period by using 10s one week and 12s the next during your 10 rep period and so on.  The key is not to go below 5s in assistance work.  This increased the chances of injury and overtraining.  Avoiding overtraining is especially important the last 2-3 weeks prior a meet.  Doing heavy, low rep assistance work can add up when considering your recovery abilities.  That’s why I suggest no assistance work outside of abs, for the final period.

Obviously, you should include some warm-ups.  The amount of warmup volume will increase as the reps on assistance work decrease.  I don’t think you need as many warmup reps and sets on some of the assistance exercises as you do on the powerlifts, especially if you are working a bodypart or muscle group that you had already worked.  For example if you finish benching, you do not need to do more than a few warmup reps for presses or tricep work.  Back work is a little different as the lats and biceps are not directly worked or warmed up by the deadlift work preceding it.  Perform just enough warmup volume t get accustomed to the feel and range of movement of the assistance exercise.

 The goal of assistance exercises is to improve the powerlifts, they are not an end unto themselves.  It doesn’t matter how much you can curl or how much you can Arnold press.  Powerlifting results are measured o the platform in the Big Three.  I believe there is no best rep scheme (or at least I’m not smart enough to know it).  Cover all your bases and add variety to your routine by varying reps on both your powerlifts and assistance work during your training cycle.  Next time your are asked by another lifter in the gym, what’s the best rep scheme for assistance’; say ‘yes’.

Doug Daniels Powerlifting USA Oct 2000

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How Weight Loss Affects Performance
 

Your coach has made comments about your weight and suggests that your performance may improve if you lose a few pounds. Is he right? What should you do? Before pushing your next meal aside, consider these points. 

Genetics and Sport – Influences on Body Weight
It is important to realize that genetics influence your body weight and not everyone can attain a specific body weight, based on a textbook value of body fatness. It is possible, though never easy, to modify your activity and diet to change body weight to some degree. The decision whether to attempt to reduce body weight also depends on the sport. For example, although a reduction in body weight may help a long distance runner it may have less obvious benefit to the performance of a baseball pitcher.

Does Fat Loss Benefit Athletes?
A low body fat and/or weight can reduce the energy cost of moving your body. Just as strapping a backpack filled with rocks onto your back would accelerate fatigue, extra body fat can make any movement more difficult. Excess body fat also reduces the ability to dissipate heat. Thus, an overly fat athlete in football is more likely to overheat during a practice on a hot and humid day than is the leaner athlete doing the same workout. Some athletes are judged partly on their low body fat (e.g. dancers, gymnasts, bodybuilders) or compete in specified weight classes. 

Athletes most likely to benefit from body fat loss are those involved in: 

Is body fat ever helpful to athletes?
Some body fat aids buoyancy for swimmers (but excess will cause resistance to forward movement in the water). Body fat can also cushion bones and organs for athletes involved in contact sports. Athletes who maximize body mass for greater momentum might benefit from extra body fat provided that they can generate the same speed and power with the extra weight. A difficult decision is defining the line between adequate and too much fat.

Determining Body Weight Goals
A goal body weight should be based on body weight history, sport and position, current body composition, and time remaining until competition. This decision should be made with advice from a person with the health of the athlete as primary concern (e.g. physician or nutritionist), with input from athletic trainers or possibly coaches and with an assessment of body composition. American College of Sports Medicine recommends that male athletes should be no lower than 5% and females no lower than 10-12% body fat. Note that these values are for adults; weight loss in teens should be attempted cautiously so as not to hurt growth and development. With the exception of an obese child, weight loss in the child-athlete should never occur. The athlete should consult with a professional such as an athletic trainer or dietitian regarding body weight goals and the decision whether or not to attempt weight reduction. 

Once the decision has been made to lose weight, the athlete should be fully assessed (health, diet, and activity) and a plan should be developed to reach the goal. Relevant education and materials should be provided to the athlete with frequent follow up meetings to modify the plan as needed. 

An acronym, GOADA, highlights the primary issues for healthy weight loss for athletes: 

So, before acting on your coach's comments about your weight, get advice from other professionals to decide if you should lose weight. See your sports nutritionist or athletic trainer to have your body fat and healthy maximal weight estimated. Work with the nutritionist to develop an eating plan that reduces your energy intake modestly while you boost your daily activity. Weight loss can benefit the performance of some athletes but can have the opposite effect if used unwisely.

11/30/01

Janet Walberg Rankin, Ph.D. 

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What are Powerlifters?

By: Curtis Dennis Jr

If you read my article, My First Meet, you'll understand how much I love this sport. I'm proud to admit that I'm one of the few people in my gym who are willing and able to do what needs to be done to achieve my goal in my quest for strength. 

Now I must admit that at first I was all for bodybuilding but when I (and I don't know how many times I'll have to tell this story) got beat by a powerlifter in arm wrestling I was immediately hooked on the fact that he was awesomely strong and I knew right then and there that's what I wanted as well. But little did I know that it would completely change me. 

For The Sport 

I must admit I have bare witnessed to the camaraderie and brotherhood that powerlifting represents. That's something that you don't see everywhere. The race, age, and sex barriers are broken the moment someone knows your a powerlifter. A few months ago, I met with a powerlifter who was about as driven about powerlifting as much as was. And like with other powerlifters I've met, it became a tight friendship. 

In powerlifting, everyone wants to help others to be as strong as they can be and that's what it should be about. The unity of brothers and sisters in iron and knowing that fact makes us stronger as a whole. I also witnessed the mentality powerlifters have and that I had it all along. The fact that nothing is impossible and every thing is possible. I've seen it. 

With My Own Eyes 

I've seen guys like Brent Mikesell who's squatted over 1000 and plans on breaking into the 1100 and guys like Ryan Kennelly who's benched 800. To say that something is impossible to a powerlifter is an exercise in futility. We don't believe it! Telling that to a powerlifter would be setting off an explosion inside of them that will force them to do the inevitable.... achieve the impossible. 

Powerlifting is all about dedication, sacrifice, courage, and honor and I'm proud to be of one of that breed. I also see that all powerlifters are warriors because they don't know the meaning of the words..."give up". 

Believe me when I say that there are no chains in this world that can bind a powerlifter from his/her destiny.... the impossible. I believe this. I'm now doing things that I never thought possible and the best part about it is that I love it!! I love the fact that I can do things that no one else can do. Recently, I did 700 on rack lockouts (close-grip) and believe it or not I loved every second of it. I told my buddy that I look forward to doing 800 on lockouts. 

I couldn't believe that I could do that, but now that I know, the sky's the limit. That's what powerlifting is all about. Sure there's pain involved (bench shirts, suits, etc.) But in my case its all worth it. Ask me if I would do 15 sets in my bench shirt again that day and my answer would be… YES! 

Addiction 

Powerlifters are addicted to strength in every sense. They are drawn to others like themselves and I've seen this over and over again. When people ask me why I compete? There's no prize money involved . . . what do I get out of it? And I tell them this... 

It's all about putting it on the line and going for it. You hear about that one kid who benched 400 in his basement . . . but bring him to a meet for a real test and see what he's made of. You know... get it in the books for crying out loud!!! Going to a meet to me means proving your dedication, honor, and courage and not to mention strength as well. And regardless if you lose or win, you'll have the respect of some of the strongest men you'll ever know... powerlifters. 

While I was working at the gym, I've tried to get guys to put up or shut up so many times. I almost got one. This kid wanted to compete and I've told him so much about the sport. He gets to revue of the meet and . . . decides not to do it. I admit it was a downer to see him do that but his buddy that came with him that day wasn't planning on doing the meet and did the bench only. 

I remembered him benching 275 @ 128 in the gym and only got 225 @ 128. Even though it wasn't what he wanted, he sure did get the respect of every powerlifter there who had years of experience. I mean, that's very impressive at his weight! 

Proud Power 

Ok, to make a point here.... I'm very proud to be a powerlifter. When people ask me what do I lift weights for, I tell them one thing . . . powerlifting. I'm very proud of the fact that I can do most things people my age couldn't do as far as disipline, honor, and dedication. You'll have to have some if you trained at 4:00am in the morning! But I do it because I'm on a quest of strength and not even sleep is going to stop me. 

Not to mention some of my best workouts were done at 4am! All those bruises and scrapes I have from lifting and putting on equipment . . . I'm damn proud to have those! So think about this article when you come across a powerlifter or someone carrying a lot of chalk, powder, board, bands, etc… You think about their quest and what they honor! And then.... give them that respect. 

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