Where do I begin? There’s been a lot going on since my last column. Here are
some highlights:
1. We’ve totally updated our internal software systems. This will enable
us to ship faster and offer our customers a higher level of service than ever
before.
2. We’ve added new clothing items, educational products and equipment to
the site, and we’ll continue adding items over the next several weeks.
3. The Lexen Xtreme (Team Xtreme) log as been loaded on the site. Lexen
Extreme is owned by powerlifter and trainer Dan Dague, and it’s the home of
Chuck Vogelpohl’s Team Xtreme. Lexen Xtreme is a powerlifting and strength
training gym located in Grove City, Ohio. With more than 35 active powerlifters
– including world record holders Chuck Fought, Matt Wenning, and Chuck Vogelpohl
– Lexen is quickly becoming one of the premier training facilities in the
country.
4. The Angry Coach has been added to the log and Q&A section. The Angry
Coach is the strength coach, and also a positional coach, for a successful high
school football program. Since 2001, an impressive number of his players have
gone on to play college football, including several at the Division I and I-AA
levels and two who have played professionally in the NFL. The Angry Coach has
also worked with athletes at the college and professional levels in a variety of
disciplines, including football, track and field, baseball, basketball,
lacrosse, rowing and mixed martial arts (MMA). For professional reasons, the
Angry Coach will not be using his real identity.
5. Matt Smith has been added to the Training Log and Q&A section. A
current member of Westside Barbell, Matt Smith competes in the SHW class. To
date, his best lifts are a 1160 pound squat, 749 pound bench, 850 pound
deadlift, and a 2673 pound total. Matt has competed in powerlifting for more
than 12 years. His first meet was in September of 1996 at the NASA Ohio Regional
meet held in Delaware, Ohio. He first came to Westside Barbell in 1999, ranked
83rd in Powerlifting USA’s Top 100 list (308/SHW class). With the help of Louie
Simmons, eighteen months later he totaled 2,445 pounds and moved to number two
on the list.
6. Gym Talk - Memoirs of a Horny, Hungry Gym Rat E-Book was loaded to the site and has been selling
very well. These are the stories you’d hear discussed between sets in the weight
room, after training sessions, in locker and warm-up rooms and at the dinner
table with a bunch of gym rats. Some of these have already been shared and lost
in the archives of the Q&A. Remember The Oreo, The Forearm Jack
Program and other classics such as Captain of the Cups? This book
brings them back to life plus 26 others!
7. My Elitefts Bench Press Manual (e-Book) is finally completed and is selling like crazy! This
212 page manual covers everything you’ll ever need to increase your bench press.
I’ve spent over two decades under the bar. I’ve learned from the best coaches
and trained with more world record holders than most people will meet in a
lifetime. This manual contains the best bench press training information
gathered over these years.
8. The Strong(er) Workout Phase One should be out of testing within the
next week or two. The results have been great, so all we have to do is build in
the FAQ, price it, and load it on the site. This is the first of four training
phases that will span a period of one year. This first 16-week phase is designed
to increase GPP and muscle mass to help prepare you for the next phase of the
program. I will get more into this at a later time, but this is the first time
I’ve ever seen a program actually tested before hitting the market. There are
currently 62 people testing this training program.
9. Under The Bar Part Two will now be called Raising The Bar - Advice
and Inspiration From The World Of PowerLifting. This is in the formatting
and typesetting phase, and it’ll then be sent to the publisher who will do one
last quick edit and then print. I may have to cut some material due to
typesetting and page count, but this thing is pretty much ready to go. It will
not be out in time for the holiday season, plus I want to sit on it for a few
weeks after it’s all done before I really decide to pull the trigger. This one
gets more personal than the first Under The Bar, and I want to make sure
I’m really ready before publishing it. Right now I’m about 95% sure.
10. The was Passion Into Profit Seminar
loaded but we will be making a date change for sometime in January or February.
We will post this information when we know for sure. The 2008 EliteFTS “Passion
Into Profit” Small Business Conference promises to be a unique event during
which you’ll have the exclusive opportunity to engage in an informal roundtable
discussion with top authorities in business development and growth.
Be sure to check out the site, and my log, for updates.
Cool Stuff You May Have Missed
The November Underground Strength Sessions Video
Video Q & A’s
Topics:
Dynamic Days (speed or strength)
Time for squat v/s bench press
Internships
Lagging Bench Progress
Topics:
Raw Squatting
Will Westside still work?
Topic:
Increasing lockout and adding tricep work without elbow and shoulder pain.
*This is the best way to get the E-Books you want and maybe a
shirt of two in our EliteFTS Gear section.
Music
Training Music Survey
This started as a post I made on Twitter and Facebook. Then I decided to
email a few people to see what I would get.
The question:
What do you listen to when you train?
Chad Aichs
It doesn’t really matter much to me. I’m usually too busy yelling at my team
to worry about what type of music is on. I’m always watching technique, speed
and all sorts of crap, so much is just like ambient noise to me. Then, when I’m
lifting, I’m so much in my own head that I can’t hear shit. All I know is the
lift I’m about to do.
American Iron is kind of a public gym in addition to the powerlifting, so
they play a lot of alternative-type stuff. Every now and then they play old
heavy metal 80’s shit, which I could do without – especially Def Leppard. I
fucking hate them. I’d rather just listen to old school punk.
Hannah Johnson
On my playlist right now: Thriving Ivory, Metallica, Kid Rock, Shinedown,
Godsmack, Chevelle, NIN, Pantera, Flyleaf, Rehab (GOT to be “The Bartender
Song/Crash That POS”), Saving Abel, Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, The
Outfield, The Pink Spiders, Led Zeppelin and Nickelback.
Marc Bartley
Pantera or Korn
Brian Schwab
Linkin Park, Metallica, Hatebreed, Killswitch Engage, Ministry, Pantera.
Jim Wendler
I listen to the same stupid training mix every time I train. This is because
I’m too lazy to make any changes to it. I’m not going to list the songs, because
that’s too easy. Here are the names of the bands and the LP’s.
Danzig - S/T
The Abominable Iron Sloth - S/T
Black Flag - My War
Mouth of the Archictect - Eyehategod tribute album
Outlaw Order - Legalize Crime
Demericious - One
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Melvins - (A) Senile Animal
My War - Wounds
Black Cobra - Bestial
D.R.I. - Crossover
James Smith - Smitty
SOAD, DMX, 50-Cent, Eminem, Metallica, Slipknot, Days of the New, Darwin’s
Waiting Room, Nullset, Nas, Lamb of God
Mike Szudarek
Danzig, Metallica (1980’s), NIN (old), Black Sabbath, AC/DC
Scott Yard
Judas Priest, Metallica. Classic hard rock, and, shamelessly, 80’s hair
metal. Anything in that category, although I’m not into the guttural vocal
stuff.
Eric Talmant
Just a morning show on a local radio station.
Matt Rhodes
Tool, Metallica, Real Rap (not that shit that's called rap today), Pantera,
80's hair bands (the tougher ones)
DMX, Public Enemy, Metallica, The Catherine Wheel, Soundgarden, Audioslave,
Dropkick Murphys, Rage Against the Machine, NWA, The Game, Eminem, Billy Idol
Julia Ladewski
Metallica, POD, AC/DC, Chevelle, Korn, DMX, and Disturbed
are some of my faves.
Chris Clark
Variety of heavy rock,,,,.....Buckcherry, AC/DC, static x, disturbed, motor
head, etc
Jeremy Frey
Rock, hard rock, metal, anything with a solid beat.
Drowning pool
Zombie
Dope
Hatebreed
Saliva
even some Nickleback
Social Networking
In case you don’t see another column from me before the end of the year I
want to wish you all a very happy and safe holiday season. I also want you to
know you can always keep up with me on the elitefts Q and A and my training log
at http:www.elitefts.com/davetate.
I have also set up a few social network sites to further make myself
available for you all.
