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: WORLD RECORDS AND AFRO-PUFFS, PART II
*NEW MGG COACHING LOG POSTED HERE EVERY WEEKEND!!!!
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Records are made to be broken, and when you break all of them in your class, that is a fairly rare accomplishment. But sometimes just getting to and through the meet is the real achievement….Here is Part II of World Records and Afro-Puffs….
Dawn Maroscher 2017 AAPF RAW Nationals, Best Lifter. Original photo by: Jaime Miller Productions @jaimemillerproductions
Last week we looked at the issues and obstacles that were well far and beyond the typical training cycle obstacles that were in Dawn’s path as she prepped for the 2017 AAPF Nationals. Click HERE for Part I, that information to catch you up to speed as you check out Part II of WORLD RECORDS AND AFRO-PUFFS.
Dawn Maroscher, 210.5LB RAW press at 146.6BDW. 2017 AAPF RAW Nationals, Best Lifter. Photo by: Jaime Miller Productions @jaimemillerproductions
As we mentioned in last week’s coaching log, in total Dawn broke 4 World, 3 National and 3 IL State records in her division during this meet. Dawn’s 210.5LB RAW bench at a bdw of only 146.6LBS and as a 49 year old Master II lifter is the number she has been reaching for now for literally a couple of years. Of all the records, that is her most favorite, not just because she finally reached that in a meet, but because she reached that in a meet that was likely never to happen for her this year with all the events that had transpired (see Part I for that information).
The purpose of this week’s coaching log is to move past the obstacles Dawn overcame, and to give you some insight into the program she followed. Additionally, to give you some program ideas should you be looking for something new to try in your meet prep.
Prilepin, Prilepin, Prilepin…. Just like in music, where the blues gave rise to all of the forms of rock music today, Prilepin’s Table for building strength is the program that in several ways gave rise to so many of the programs utilized in powerlifting today.
Dawn Maroscher 2017 AAPF RAW Nationals, Best Lifter. Photo by: Jaime Miller Productions @jaimemillerproductions
For the newer to intermediate powerlifter, here is the short background, as I encourage you to learn as much as you can about the Prilepin Table. In short, Alexander Sergeyevich Prilepin was a soviet weightlifting coach in the 70’s and early 1980’s. During his time in this program he took a very clinical, a very scientific approach toward the goal of optimizing strength and then being able to put that into a formula that could be somewhat replicated for his weightlifters. Because of the nature of sports in Russia at that time, he had the means to conduct this research with an enormous body of athletes and the results, again, in short, are what is represented and followed today, which is known as the Prilepin Table for powerlifting.
Let me begin with a quick example. When you go shopping for a shirt, you already know that one size does not fit all, so in general when picking out a shirt, there are an array of sizes the industry provides, Small, Medium, Large, X-Large, XX-Large, etc. So, you go to the store and you might be a little too big for a medium shirt, but the large is a bit too large, but for the most part,the large fits a little bit better and you go with it. The wiggle room is maybe you toss the shirt in the dryer and hope that it will shrink a bit and that does the trick. This is in essence the deal with programming. Not every part of a program is going to fit you just perfectly as the lifter, but you work it out and in the end, find something that fits you the best it can. With Prilepin’s Table specifically, there is a formula, a template, a "how to" with sets and reps, but because we are all a little different, there is an optimal range of reps and that is your wiggle room. That is your, “the large is too large but fits better on me than the medium shirt,” wiggle room. So you follow the program exactly, but within that exactness Prilepin gives you wiggle room with the area of his program chart that is referred to as optimal reps.
For Dawn, the Prilepin Chart, has been the program that fits her best. This is also the program that the RAW Squad at the M.G.G. uses the most. The Saturday RAW Squad is primarily coached by Ronald Legaretta, and he works with them all with this table as well as slight modifications to it, as each lifter is a little bit different.
Dawn Maroscher 2017 AAPF RAW Nationals, Best Lifter. Photo by: Jaime Miller Productions @jaimemillerproductions
My two cents for you to consider is that if you are searching for a program, find one and stick with it for the duration. As my friend Tatum says, “it is easy to find yourself program hopping,” rather than following a program to fruition. All that said, a program to consider is this program if for nothing else, to eliminate it if it does not work for you, or for you to keep as it does work for you, or to keep until it no longer works for you.
For Dawn, this program has been the staple to her training for a decade and a half, and has allowed her sigmoid curve to continue to ascend in weights even as her age also continues to ascend as well. For younger lifters, this is not an issue and is common, but for the master lifter, especially one on the verge of 50 years of age, this is far less common. It is my belief, based on working with powerlifters since my first meet in 1989, that this program/chart, due to its constant rebuilding of foundation and gradual crescendo into the upper percent range, serves the lifter quite well as it maximizes strength while at the same time minimizing injury potential. It is the, “slow and steady win the race,” program in a lot of ways, because the goal is not just putting up your biggest numbers, but putting up your biggest numbers for a long, long period of time. For example, Ed Coan put up enormous numbers, but he also put up enormous number for decades, and that is why he is the G.O.A.T.
Experimentation in the gym is great as it keeps things fresh and new and you never know when you are going to stumble onto something that is wonderful for your training. But keep in mind, when it comes to the serious business of meet prep, one should contain their experimentation within the scientific method or you are just working on your shooting form, but there is no target you are aiming at.
Photo: Left to right.... MGG owner/founder, Eric Maroscher, RAW Squad Coach, Ronald Legaretta, MGG founder, Phillip Daniels, IPF World Powerlifting Champion, Dr. Rob Keyes
The following is a window into the program that Ronald put together and what Dawn followed (sets, reps, etc) to prepare for this competition.
Below is a diagram of the last few week's of Dawn's training cycle. What Ron does as a modification for the program, is stagger the bench with the squat and deadlift so you are not hitting all three heavy lifts at once. This was a modification Ronald made for the drug-free lifters like Dawn, as the recovery is just not there like it would be for the professional Russian athletes this program was originally devised for back in the 70's-80's. The other modification is the optimum range, if Ronald sees Dawn another one of Ronald's other lifters is having a bad or a good day (as life happens) there is that a fore mentioned wiggle room of optimal range. If the lifter is having a great day, Ronald has them go to the edge of the range. If it is a low energy, low bio-rhythm day, he has the lifter shut it down a the minimum part of the optimal range. So the template is somewhat steadfast, but the coach needs to know the lifter as there is a little area for vacillation for each lifter. 
If you are looking for more on Prilepin's Chart, here is an EliteFTS article by Tim Kontos regarding the chart. More of a video watcher, here is a short video that does a nice job of capturing the basics of the Prilepin table.
*Important Notes: Special thank you to Jaime Miller Productions for the competition photos for this coaching log. If you are hosting a meet in Illinois and are looking to provide photos for your lifters, I highly recommend @jaimemillerproductions as she knows photography, but she also knows powerlifting and that is the difference. If you are a body builder, she also works with that sport and her specialty is black and white photography (color photos upon request). Also, thank you to Eric and Jackie Stone for hosting yet another highest of quality AAPF National Powerlifting Championships. It is always great for the lifter to be able to focus on their goals when a meet is run smoothly, and the Stone's do that the best.
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:
MONSTER GARAGE GYM uses Universal Nutrition/Animal supplements and EliteFTS powerlifting equipment.
Jaime Miller Productions contact information: Facebook, Jaime Miller Productions, Instagram, @jaimemillerproductions, Email: jaimemillerproductions@yahoo.com, Phone: 217-891-1445
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