If you’ve been following my coaching log for a while, you know my specialty is powerbuilding. Now, the term has gotten a bad rap – Dave Tate himself has said it’s bullshit – but I believe that’s because most coaches and athletes haven’t put in the time to figure out how to powerbuild successfully.
First, let’s address what powerbuilding isn’t: it’s not a powerlifting program with accessory movements thrown in. And it’s not a bodybuilding program with the squat, bench, and deadlift tacked on. Those are both simply examples of lazy programming.
Powerbuilding also isn’t throwing around heavy weights like Branch Warren – that’s an example of reckless training.
In contrast, a good powerbuilding program meets an athlete’s needs by doing all of the following:
- Providing a sustainable method for progressive overload on both the competition lifts and on major hypertrophy movements
- Addressing the athlete’s individual weaknesses in terms of both muscular development and specific ranges of motion
- Structuring micro-, meso-, and macrocycles according to the athlete’s scheduled competitions and/or individual goals
Obviously, it’s not easy to check all those boxes with just one program, but it is possible. In my next few coaching logs, I’ll explain the PeakHD method of powerbuilding and how it manages to balance training for size and strength in a way that’s cohesive, productive, and pretty darn fun.
Can’t wait? You can always join my PeakHD team and get in on the programming right away!