Dave Kirschen

Dave Kirschen began powerlifting competitively in 1998, and has since reached pro totals of 1901 in the 181-pound class, and 2075 in the 198-pound class. He has also bench pressed over triple bodyweight in three weight classes at full meets. He trains at Apollon Gym in Edison, New Jersey, and coaches a powerlifting team out of EVF Performance in New York City. A 20 year veteran of the fitness industry, Dave holds a degree in Physical Education from SUNY Cortland. Kirschen lives in New Jersey with his wife Liz and son James.

 
16 Week Conjugate Periodization Program For Novice Powerlifters
16 Week Conjugate Periodization Program For Novice Powerlifters

Limit the variables that’ll derail your early powerlifting experience as an inexperienced lifter. Here’s conjugate in a nutshell.

How to Master the Art of Thanksgiving Eating
How to Master the Art of Thanksgiving Eating

Although so many lifters seem to think a great bloat just magically appears after a big meal, there is an art to it. Here’s what you need to know.

Why I’ll Miss Multi-Ply Powerlifting
Why I’ll Miss Multi-Ply Powerlifting

I’m not gonna subject you to a bunch of “back in my day” bull crap. Assuming you’re at least somewhat interested in gear, and instead of playing the middle as I’ve always done, I’m gonna give you the truth.

Dave Kirschen's Daddy Hacks
Dave Kirschen's Daddy Hacks

If you remember only one thing, let it be this: protect the testicles.

Choking on My Face — The Final Installment
Choking on My Face — The Final Installment

After being officially diagnosed with sleep apnea, it was time for the CPAP machine to arrive. Let’s just say I felt like a cross between a giddy kid on Christmas Eve and as reluctant as Darth Vader probably would’ve been in the bedroom. Little by little, I’m feeling better, thanks to the supportive gear for my lungs.

Where I’ve Been, Future Plans, and Why You Won’t Hear it From Me
Where I’ve Been, Future Plans, and Why You Won’t Hear it From Me

I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me and my logs. And… in a way, you might have. But at the very least, I wanted to update all of my readers and followers here on my life before I start a social media blackout so I can get back into training.

Choking on My Own Face — The Diagnosis
Choking on My Own Face — The Diagnosis

Because it’s a sleep study, and not, say a cat scan, I didn’t expect my doctor to get all solemn, take a deep breath, and ask me to “sit down” before delivering the news.

Choking on My Own Face
Choking on My Own Face

In recent months, my fiancée noticed long pauses between breaths while I’m asleep, followed by gasping for air. Not good. If it’s like everything else in my life, this major CPAP milestone should make for a good story. Plus, my readers really seem to enjoy it when I suffer.

Pec tears, blowouts and the flu. Right on schedule.
Pec tears, blowouts and the flu. Right on schedule.
Flying by the seat of my pants once again.
Circa-Max Singles
Circa-Max Singles
I forgot how bad of an Idea it is to do any sort of shirt work after the crazy band stuff.
Life, Death, and the Clarity of Obsession
Life, Death, and the Clarity of Obsession

Sometimes rather than serving as an escape from real life, our obsessions can become a source of something that everyday life cannot always provide. Here’s how it’s worked for me.

Sucking at benching
Sucking at benching
The 600 went up OK, so I stopped there, packed my shit and got the hell home.
Circa max squats
Circa max squats
Training sessions like this never fail to remind me how fucking old I'm getting.
Suit Squatting
Suit Squatting
Overall, I feel really good, and although I'm not quite as strong as I'd normally be at 8 weeks out, I feel like I'm gaining it back quickly, and the extra rest will serve me well as training intensifies.
Shirted Bench
Shirted Bench
The Arnold is in 2 months, which means I have enough time to get ready as long as there's zero fucking around from this point on.
11 weeks... Jeez.
11 weeks... Jeez.
I know, not much in the way of training for this log, but hopefully there's a message someone out there can use
Keeping My Promise
Keeping My Promise

Like most powerlifters, I’ve always bought into the old adage “weight moves weight”, and as my numbers grew, so did my ass. No matter how fat or out of shape I got, 40 was gonna be the turning point.

Last week with some guests
Last week with some guests
Nothing beats the camaraderie of high level lifters, all pushing each other, breaking balls, and making each other better.
Derailed!
Derailed!
Sunday's exercise was a cambered squat bar free squat.
I'm back, with some shirted benching.
I'm back, with some shirted benching.
Looking forward to this one.
Board pressing
Board pressing
I skipped out after benching because I couldn't even move my arms without pain. I'll make it up later this week at the local gym near me.
Suit Squatting
Suit Squatting
Time to get out the shears.
Last week
Last week
Things are looking good for the September meet!
July 4th Benching
July 4th Benching
The 705 felt good in my hands. My lockout was a little uneven because I didn't do a great job in keeping my upper back tight, but I did get both elbows to lock.
Max effort squat
Max effort squat
Things seem like they're coming together early!
Bench feeling good!
Bench feeling good!
600 is a pretty good gym lift for me at 12 weeks out, and I don't think I've ever done it at this bodyweight. I guess this is a good start.
A weekend of lifting, coaching and poop
A weekend of lifting, coaching and poop
Maybe next time, I'll get to poop in peace as well.
Squatting getting on track.
Squatting getting on track.
I think that with some more time to climate to heavier weights on my back, I'll be nearing, possibly surpassing my 220 prs very soon!
Cambered Bar Box Squats
Cambered Bar Box Squats
I worked up to a single with 505. It was tough. I may have had a small jump in me but since I'm not training at full intensity yet, I decided to leave it be.
Bench looking good!
Bench looking good!
Last Monday I threw on an old Ace shirt that I haven't been able to fit into in years. It was a pretty good day.
A big day for some clients!
A big day for some clients!
I'm extremely proud of everyone, and grateful they've let me play this small part in their development as lifters. As always, watching my guys crush it has made me even hungrier to get back on to the platform myself.
Last weekend squat and shirt bench
Last weekend squat and shirt bench
Everything looks to be on track!
Raw bench
Raw bench
Good day, raw strength is coming back (relatively speaking, lol)
What I Learned from Arnold Schwarzenegger
What I Learned from Arnold Schwarzenegger

Do this every chance you get and see where it gets you in life.

Squat and bench
Squat and bench
All in all a good week, but I'll be happy when the weight loss levels off and I can adjust to the new leverages for good!
Last Week
Last Week
Other than feeling like my own mini-me, things are going pretty well right now. looking forward to turning up the intensity in about a month or so.
Last couple
Last couple
This was a rough week emotionally, but things are getting back on track.
Raw bench
Raw bench
Since I'm done with shirt work for a while, my body should be able to handle 2 bench days per week again.
First real week back
First real week back
Still trying to pare down my weight a bit, so this will be the focus for the next few months.
Limping back into shape
Limping back into shape
I'll be doing most of my training raw for now for a couple of reasons.
2017 XPC Finals — I’m Not Retired Yet, Motherf*ckers
2017 XPC Finals — I’m Not Retired Yet, Motherf*ckers

If I had a lot riding on this lift before, everything was riding on it now. Making it would be the highlight of my powerlifting career. Missing it would probably be the beginning of the end.

What I learned from Arnold Schwarzenegger
What I learned from Arnold Schwarzenegger
Do this every chance you get and see where it gets you in life.
One week out
One week out
That's all until the meet I guess, Thanks for reading along!
Dialed in for the XPCs
Dialed in for the XPCs
Looking forward to some rest!
Necessity isn't the mother of invention. F*ck-ups are.
Necessity isn't the mother of invention. F*ck-ups are.
When you simply need something, you might or might not have the motivation necessary to take action. But when you need something AND you've just f*cked up, it creates a sense of urgency that you will rarely develop otherwise.
Update: Alive and well
Update: Alive and well
Sometimes the biggest challenge in training is knowing that programing is cyclical, and just because you're a mess right now, doesn't mean you still will be when it counts.
Hit the wall. Hit it f*cking hard too.
Hit the wall. Hit it f*cking hard too.
Being in the game as long as I have, I know that I have plenty of time to recover, and if I play my cards right, I can show up to Columbus stronger than I've ever been in my life. But right now, this sucks, lol.
Last weekend, things still looking good
Last weekend, things still looking good
Lesson to be learned here... every once in a while you have to question why you do or don't do certain things.
Training getting back on track!
Training getting back on track!
Monday was a bench day, and since I worked up in the shirt the previous week, I stayed raw (mostly) for this
Back from Vacation Plus a coaching observation!
Back from Vacation Plus a coaching observation!
Now I feel good to hit it hard for the next 8 weeks leading in to the meet.
Why a few bad weeks don't mean sh*t
Why a few bad weeks don't mean sh*t
Sometimes the best thing you can do to deal with a few off weeks is just hang back, keep doing the right things and and wait it out.
Last week, feeling better
Last week, feeling better
All in all I felt OK on Sunday, but really good on Monday. Looks like I'm finally kicking this bug!
Training Sick
Training Sick
Time to get my butt back in gear, The XPCs are fast approaching!
The Outlier Effect
The Outlier Effect
Conventional wisdom becomes conventional for a reason, so when in doubt, look to what the majority of great lifters rather than the outliers do.
What the Iron Ferret taught me about powerlifting
What the Iron Ferret taught me about powerlifting
This is where as a coach/handler, you just let it ride, and find out just how deep the well goes that day.
My last post as an elitefts.com athlete!
My last post as an elitefts.com athlete!
Thanks to everyone who has followed me thus far, looking forward to bigger and better!
Metal Canvas Squat Suit Redux
Metal Canvas Squat Suit Redux
I think I'm gonna hit a big squat in this suit in Columbus!
Speed bench
Speed bench
Did my speed work with 185 plus the single set of chain. Normally I'd use more, but beggars can't be choosers.

Items 1 to 59 of 245 total

Page