The MONSTER GARAGE GYM/MAROSCHER COACHING LOG is a weekly Coaching Log by MGG owner, 2-Time WPC World Powerlifting Champion, Eric Maroscher, and is one of the Featured Coaching Logs at EliteFTS.
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THIS WEEK’S Monster Garage Gym/Maroscher Coaching Log: OLD MAN STRENGTH
*NEW MGG COACHING LOG POSTED HERE EVERY WEEKEND!!!!
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Putting up BIG numbers in powerlifting is a huge goal, but BIG numbers for a number of decades, well, that is the ultimate goal…..here is what we mean….
Regardless of the era in powerlifting you grew up in, be it the 1960’s, 70’s, 80’s or 20-teens, there were powerlifters in each decade putting up some pretty respectable numbers. Some for a couple of meets, some for a couple of years. That is always impressive. What is really impressive are the lifters who put up big numbers not merely for a few meets or years, but a stretch of a decade, or like Dave Ricks, or Stephanie Van de Weghe, or the GOAT, Ed Coan, putting up big numbers for a few decades.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITGVRjDvM2Q]
I have known few powerlifters who have achieved both, big numbers and big numbers for decades, but the few I know have a few things in common. They, like you, love the sport, but love for the sport is not enough to achieve longevity with big numbers from what I have seen. So like most lifters, this rarest of rare powerlifters have lots in common with you most likely. They train hard, they are consistent, they compete often, they have great technique, and the list goes on. The thing that I see that sets them apart is not the programming, the federation, the equipment or lack there of, the thing I see that sets them apart is really simple….they avoid mistakes.
These folks I know, and it is a good handful, they work as hard at not doing something stupid, as they work on getting their training right. This sounds so simple, but yet and still we have all seen potentially great lifters succumb to the temptations in the gym and then pay the price. Many miss the subtle nuances between training hard and over training and it is the over training that leads to injury. Missing the fine line between going that extra rep when you really should pack it up for the day. We are not talking about being conservative as risks are part of this sport we love, but there is a massive difference between taking a well calculated risk, vs risking injury on a chance.
Dr. Rob Keyes, a chemist by day, powerlifter by night is a 2-Time IPF World Powerlifting Champion and is a few weeks out from the USAPL Master Nationals. Dr. Keyes is a slow-and-steady-wins-the-race kind of lifter and his longevity, numbers and wins are a mile long and built on a foundation of thoughtful training programs, decades of hard work, and the ability to avoid mistakes in the gym and at the meet. That is the take away of this coaching log....really, really good lifters aren't in it for that one great moment, they are in it for many great moments strewn throughout the decades.
The accompanying video highlights one of Dr. Keyes training sessions at the MONSTER GARAGE GYM as he preps for the USAPL Master Nationals. In this session Rob (57 years old, life-time drug-free) works up to 600LBS for a walk-out double, then pulls 635LBS for his top deadlift set. At the end of the squat and deadlift big Rob is panting because the time between sets is never longer than the time between attempts at a meet and in the USAPL, the meets move at a very rapid pace. ....train like you are going to compete.
As I was working with Rob on this coaching log we were joking about the first where we first met one another, it was a state push/pull meet, back around 1995. At that point we had both been competing in the sport for a good few years. I told Rob he looks the same today as he did then, so that either means he has always looked 57, or he hasn’t aged a bit. I let him pick the answer.
Wishing you the best in your training and competitions. Ever Onward, Eric Maroscher, Owner: MONSTER GARAGE GYM
You can find ALL of the prior EliteFTS/Maroscher Coaching Logs/articles HERE:
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