One of the great things about being a part of TeamEliteFTS is the sheer amount of knowledge and help I am afforded from other Team members.

Today, I’ll share with you one of the biggest nuggets of wisdom I got from two team mates, although in slightly different ways.

It is a way to get strong(er).

But, in the true Irish fashion, let me go off on a tangent before I get to the story.
Those of you raised in an Irish house in an Irish town get it.
The rest, not so much.

TPS Crew at Work

A few years back I was training with Spud (Marc Bartley) and Dale Steifel.
I was squatting and they were benching.

When I was re-racking the bar in my EliteFTS Monolift I was rushing the rack a bit.

You know what I mean.
You get done with a heavy single, or a set of Speed Work and you go to slam it in the rack before it is 100% locked out. We’re all guilty.

Anyways, this is a bad habit I had for a while. I was fat, out of shape and winded after a set, didn’t matter if it was a single, a double or more.
I was always gassed.
I had a bad habit of tossing it in the rack as fast as I could so I could get out from Under the Bar and get my belt off and have a sip of something cold.

And.

Catch my breath.

I would never allow my lifters to do this, why accept it from myself.

As I was lying on the floor dying, Spud said something like “Hey sumbitch, you gotta wait.”
My typing does not get Spud’s Southern drawl and general disgust for my laziness across.

I asked him what he meant.

Spud eloquently explained a few things:

  • I’ll get red lighted if I pull that shit at a meet. Of course, I knew that. I’ve never been red lighted for missing a rack command, but he was right.
    Holding the weight at lockout, regardless of the lift for a short pause will make you strong(er)
    I was being a pussy

Who was I to argue with him on the subject of getting strong?

Now let’s look at another example of How to Get Strong(er) in Two Seconds.

Quick Tip: How to Get Strong(er) in Two Seconds

Even more years ago, I was training with Vincent DiZenzo. He was helping me with my bench and we all know it needs help.
After I did my required reps, I did the same thing, toss it back into the rack fast.

Vincent gave me a tip that was almost identical to Spud’s and I use it all the time with my lifters.

Patience.

If you’ve ever been to a meet where Vincent, Matt Rhodes or any of their crew were competing, you’ve heard “Patience” being said as a lift was being done to one of their crew.
Vincent told me to hold the weight at lockout as if I was awaiting a rack command.

They both meant the same thing, just different terms.

Patience can be used in other ways when coaching too, but that is not the focus of this.

Holding a weight at lockout for a 1/1000 count, or more will make you stronger.
It will also program you to finish every rep with authority.
I do not know the scientific mechanism of why this works but it does.

It’s also something I have almost always, at least as far back as I can remember, done with people I train.

Why didn’t I do it myself?

If I knew the answers to why people don’t do the things they know they need to do, I’d be a zillionaire self-help guru.

Back on track, I said this would be a quick tip so here is the meat and spuds of the Quick Tip: How to Get Strong(er) in Two Seconds:

On your last rep of all of your lifts, ESPECIALLY your main ones (Squat, Bench and Deadlift) hold the lockout until it is settled and motionless.
Imagine that you were waiting for a long rack command.
Hold it for a 1/1000 or more count.
Hold it for a 1/1000, 2/1000 count.

Or

Have a training partner force you to wait and have patience. Have them give you a rack command.
Tell them not to make it quick. They aren’t doing you any favors by being easy on you.

Doing this will:

  • Make you strong(er) by keeping you under maximum tension when you are fatigued
    Program you to never miss a command at a meet
    Greatly improve your confidence which goes a long way. Knowing that you can finish a heavy lift and then wait for a second or three will carry over.

That’s it this week.

Have patience.

It pays off.

Ask me a question-Be sure and Type to Murph in the header

Find me on Google-search for Total Performance Sports Malden, Mass. The Best Gym in Boston, Facebook too.

Oh, yeah, follow us on Instagram too. TPSMalden

SHARE THIS!

#bostonsstrongest

Vincere vel mori