The MONSTER GARAGE GYM/MAROSCHER COACHING LOG is a weekly Coaching Log by MGG owner, 2-Time WPC World Powerlifting Champion, Eric Maroscher.
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THIS WEEK’S Monster Garage Gym/Maroscher Coaching Log: ANY GIVEN SUNDAY
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I am in the middle of a few books currently, The Big Fat Surprise being one (a book about the history, bad science and politics behind all the negative publicity around saturated fats, red meat, eggs, butter and the actual science behind the health benefits to these foods). The other book is Iron In My Hands, by Dave Draper. Dave Draper was Mr. Universe in 1965 and was a large part of that golden era of bodybuilding, training alongside of guys like Frank Zane, Robbie Robinson and of course, Arnold.
Iron In My Hands is not a book about powerlifting, and in a way it is not about bodybuilding in the sense of sets and reps. It is a book written from the perspective of a guy, now in his mid-seventies who has, in addition to success, the perspective of time. Who in his prime was ahead of his time, excelling at a sport when nobody even knew what bodybuilding was, and who reached the pinnacle of that sport in an era known more so for its counter culture. An era that in American history was better known for its lanky armed hippies of Woodstock than the six pack abs, 21” biceps and the vacuum pose at the legendary Gold’s Gym.
I find the book interesting as the things Mr. Draper talks about can literally be applied to the serious gym today. He talks about there being no secrets, but rather just hard, hard work, consistency and dedication to being the best (in his case, bodybuilder) you can be. His unique writing style transcends any stereotype of his sport and ironically fits, lock in key, with our sport of powerlifting. Here is an very short excerpt from a very long post he recently made:
“A workout, entirely or any single part of it, is a thing to be accomplished, achieved, attained, aspired toward and not a thing to be gotten out of the way. It is a sure investment, another step, one more concrete block in place.” Dave Draper, Mr. Universe, 1965
….an investment, another step, ONE MORE CONCRETE BLOCK IN PLACE. Mr. Draper while writing about a training session in his sport of bodybuilding, is at the same time describing our sport of powerlifting. Ours is a sport of journey not destination and each concrete block in place adds to the structure we are building but will never fully complete, as there is always one more concrete block to add, one more pound to lift.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj4aSnnEYf0&feature=youtu.be]
The accompanying training footage is from this Sunday, but it could be from any given Sunday. Or for that matter, any given day of the week as the powerlifters at Monster Garage Gym are on the same journey you are on, and that is the journey toward becoming strong(er) and chasing numbers in hopes of creating a bigger and bigger total. On Any given Sunday there are lifters like at the M.G.G., all working to add one more concrete block as Mr. Draper so eloquently writes. On this particular Sunday, in addition to others training for their meet or training some aspect of their program, this training video features a number of the benchers doing board work from 4 boards down to half boards.
The purpose of this coaching log is for you to ponder, what are you doing in your training to ensure you are adding one more concrete block to the powerlifter you are striving to become? Is you workout something you are aspiring toward, achieving, accomplishing, or just something to be gotten out of the way? Are you, in addition to your training, eating the nutrients required to heal the muscle damage you are causing while training, or are you eating frosted covered whatever's so you can post them on your social media page? Are you truly getting the rest you need, or still blowing off that sleep study that you know will tell you to put on a CPAP? Are you writing down all the nuances to your day's training in your training journal, or just spending the time between sets, scrolling up with your thumb over and over and over and over again, letting your mind-muscle connection dwindle away to nothing? Some might not think they are looking at their training as something to be gotten out of the way, but if their nutrition is off, their sleep is inadequate for the workload they are putting out and they are disconnected enough to "like" something during the precious time in between sets and at the gym overall....then what is the difference between a workout being "a thing to be gotten out of the way.", and what they are doing? I would attest that there is no difference.
I have been fortunate in my decades in this sport to train with a number of great champions, and a common thread among them all is their training was in fact, an investment, another step, one more concrete block in place.
“A workout, entirely or any single part of it, is a thing to be accomplished, achieved, attained, aspired toward and not a thing to be gotten out of the way. It is a sure investment, another step, one more concrete block in place.” Dave Draper, Mr. Universe, 1965
Wishing you the best in your training and competitions. Ever Onward, Eric Maroscher, Owner: MONSTER GARAGE GYM
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