This is the lift that blew Ted's eye out.
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B3NcsC0BOZo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B3NcsC0BOZo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B3NcsC0BOZo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Dave Tate (@underthebar)</a> on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2019-10-04T20:45:02+00:00">Oct 4, 2019 at 1:45pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
Some thoughts on his training. If you have been following elitefts for a decade or more, you will remember we added Ted’s training log and called it The Road To Elite. It’s still on the site in the articles section under “archived logs” and under his name.
He came into the gym at around 175 pounds (with jeans, coat, and work boots). This was several years after I was done. His first meet was a HUGE reminder of what I loved so much about the sport. I lost sight of that training for National and Bigger Meets. After it became a part of my identity, and 20 years later, not being able to do it, I was lost, but stuck because I had a business that sponsored lifters.
His first local meet took me way back to the real grassroots of the sport, and that’s pulled me back in HARD. This time, to help others instead of myself.
Ted is now on his back end and I’ve taught him, mentored him, and trust him with all he does. We do discuss his training and it’s on point. The goal is for him to go out on his terms sooner than later. He squats heavy twice a month but does other stuff on the other days. His log is still on the site under culture > training logs.
He comes up with shit I really like and other stuff I don’t... but... if he can tell me why he’s doing it and how, it’s better he wins! He wins more than he doesn’t. This is the ultimate goal: helping lifters. Teach them how to train, adjust, auto-regulate, and display where you may be wrong.
The reverse bands are a last set overload that has a consistent carryover to his full gear squat, so it’s not only a test of where he is, but overload, dialing in the unrack, and getting used to the pressure of the gear.