As many times I’ve been made fun of because of my past, I think it’s imperative to outline so some people can see why I am the way I am.
Yosef Johnson is the owner and president of Ultimate Athlete Concepts, a company he founded in Muskegon, Michigan in 2001 with the goal of bringing together the best scientists from a variety of fields and incorporating their knowledge into a comprehensive line of products which were previously unavailable to North American athletics coaches.
Lately, a few of the leaders in our business (Cosgrove, Cressey, and Robertson to name a few) have published articles with this catchy “ah-ha” title. I’m sure they’ve made each one of us sit in front of our computers and say, “Dang, he’s right.”
As a powerlifter, grad student, father, and husband, I hear piles of insane BS from the general populace. “Wow, I could never do that.” “You can lift how much?” “You must be on steroids.” “I used to do that and then I broke ____.”
I wake up at the crack of dawn, put on my sweats, suck down a shake, and I’m out the door. Time to hit the road. It’s early. It’s dark. It’s cold. But I can feel only one thing—my adrenaline pumping as “Eye of the Tiger” pumps through my headphones.
As I look back, I realize that the time spent between a father and a son is by far the most precious thing that we, as men, can give to our sons. The time spent with dad is the most important time a boy can have in his entire life.
My name is Dana Herrs. I know what you are thinking…who is this person? I’m certain that anybody reading this hasn’t heard of me. It’s because I haven’t accomplished anything in the world of powerlifting or coaching or in any college or professional sports of any kind.
It always bugs me when someone says that there is no relationship between size and strength.
This games didn’t really go as planned. In hindsight, I made some mistakes that really affected my throwing. On the plus side, I won the national caber championship.
Recent posts on EliteFTS and events at the workplace have prompted me to write this article.
In the second part of Dr. T-Rex’s series on his talks with God and Satan was printed. After reading them, I thought I had better start getting right with the Lord so that I too could know the mind of the almighty.
Examine this carefully. This is the state of consciousness, the state of reversal that is transcendent action. The philosopher’s stone. Action on a lower plane that is initiated and put into effect from a higher plane.
A few years after my football career ended, I found myself playing linebacker in a recreational flag football game in Long Island’s Eisenhower Park. This is rarely ever a good idea.
I want to talk about a very important topic—how to get results. Obviously, this is something that everyone is interested in. However, most don’t fully understand. I’m going to set the record straight and be 100 percent honest, which may offend some people.
“The acquisition of strength” may alternately be called “the overcoming of weakness.”
Rob “Spray” MacIntyre is a strength coach for some top level athletes. Rob, tell me a little bit about your background.
AC: Dave, you’re an Elite powerlifter and own one of the most successful strength training equipment companies in existence—and by extension a website that has become one of the best educational companies in the field. So, what’s the plan from here?
Saturday was great because there was no cardio to do. I was drained from the week, and it took about two hours to get going. I usually do light upper body and then a dynamic speed pull day, but since I couldn’t get it going, I did some reverse bands, thinking that would be easy.
On February 17, 2001, Dave Tate opened up the Q&A section on the EFS server to find the following inquiry:
We arrived at Metropolis (a night club) at 6:00 p.m. The fights were scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. The time had finally arrived—Ryan Farhat’s mixed martial arts (MMA) debut.
The quest for strength, the quest for power, in its basic essence is man’s quest to be “more than himself.” This is a basic, instinctive, seed drive that carries him forward through his own personal evolution.
My latest Highland Games competition didn’t go as well as I’d hoped it would, but I learned some stuff and didn’t finish too badly. I took second place overall, and second in the stone championship.
As a kid in high school, I never particularly liked math; I was OK at it I guess, but it wasn’t my favorite subject. One thing I did like about it, though, was that I immediately knew where I stood. Back then, my ninth-grade brain wanted some things to be at least certain.
For most of you reading this article who used to compete in sports, think back to your younger days. Can you imagine stepping on the field without the direction of a coach?
We all have our “off” days in the gym. Even the most dedicated of gym rats will find an excuse to blow off a workout every now and then. Let’s face it.
Having used the conjugate system in my own training and with professional male basketball athletes, I’ve found it quite easy to “sell” the idea of max effort, dynamic, and repeated effort methods to experienced athletes and lifters.
Last night, I was sitting in my office going through some of my training journals and notes that had accumulated over the years.
Lately, it seems that I’ve gotten a lot of questions and comments from people talking about how frustrating powerlifting is, and asking if it’s all worth it. They’re thinking about the dedication, sacrifice, stress and pain powerlifting can cause.
Who do you respect? Does that person have the strength to be who they are? As I sit here and type this, I can tell you that over the last year, I truly discovered what it means to have strength.
We’ve all done it. Every last one of us. Been in a tight spot and the first thing we think is who can we blame?
I have had some interesting conversations with Jim Wendler. One in particular struck a chord with me quite heavily. In fact, it has helped mold a process I use at my gym when training new athletes.
If you don’t know anything about lacrosse – if you’ve never actually seen a game – chances are you’ve bought into the almost universal, yet severely mistaken, notion that it’s a leisure class sport populated by rich preppie-types from elite private schools in the Northeast.
One week ago I was offered and accepted an incredible opportunity to co-author a book outlining the physical preparation training of 6-time UFC Champion Randy Couture.
A noted sports columnist in the San Diego area lamented the fact that one of the state universities was unable to field a championship women’s volleyball team (they already dropped the men’s program even though it was the only program to bring in an NCAA championship).
Did you ever take a good look at the shape of the Prowler? How about someone giving you the finger?
In the recent issue of the most popular powerlifting magazine on the market, one of the featured writers, who I will refer to as Mr. X, wrote an article decrying the “no snitching mentality” that is sweeping the country.
If you lift hard and you lift consistently, you have undoubtedly dealt with injury at some point. It is as inevitable as a surplus of hair gel at a nightclub.
How I understand, practice, and implement strength and conditioning programs for myself and my clients has drastically changed over the past four years.
I believe that it’s part of my job as a fitness expert to bring the science to you. Much of what is currently out there is based on nothing but tradition and acceptance. You can do what you want with the information I’m going to present, but all I ask is that you at least give it some thought.
If you did hit that 3000-pound total, what would the breakdown look like for each lift?
MB: Mr. Roberts, give me some background. Take us from the time that you were a little mate until now.
I won’t change much. I plan on running a 12-week cycle of higher volume once I’m cleared to go full speed. I want to gain about 40lbs for November. I’ll need the extra volume to gain some muscle and size.
In the March 7, 2008, edition of South Carolina Barbell’s email newsletter, I cited a short article on “muffin top” and how it can be battled with weight training. I had never heard the term “muffin top” and was somewhat amused at its meaning.
I have a pet peeve that I need to get off my chest. I can’t stand how every hardcore lifter pisses and moans when they’re forced to train in a commercial gym. Now, hear me out before you say, “Paul Leonard isn’t ‘hardcore.’”
This article is geared toward those athletes who need to balance a job, family, and competing at a high level. What I mean by balance is time management.
On February 10th, 2007, I competed in my first Strongman contest, the Motor City Strongman at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. It’s been exactly one year since my introduction to the sport so I feel like it’s a good time to reflect on what I’ve learned.
Humans alone are granted the gift or capability of pondering their existence and the meaning of life. Weightlifters sometimes contemplate why they lift in a quest to uncover underlying factors or reasons that may shed light on their lifelong pursuit of power.
For those who haven’t read parts 1 or 2, I’m 51-years-old and recently tested very low in almost every indicator for testosterone levels. This series is about my journey to and through supplementation.
I have a ton of theories about life, lifting, weight loss, and other things. None of them are based on any scientifically proven truth. All of them are based on my observations of the world and people in general.
“Carryover” is a word often used to describe how equipment improves lifts. What kind of carryover has powerlifting had in other aspects of your life?
Big Jim Hoskinson is a top level 308-lb lifter. He has a huge 1100-lb squat and 2500-pound total.
Wrestling season is still going strong as of this writing. We have two athletes competing right now at the state tournament, and had several of our guys place at districts and regionals. The team really did well this year and is only losing a few seniors.
I just always had this desire to be big and strong. I remember at a very early age being impressed with size and strength and having a strong hunger to get that way myself.
As we’ve already alluded to, there are three main components of cardiovascular health that we must improve in order to raise your specific level of cardiovascular fitness—structure, function, and regulation.
As a chick, I must admit it was somewhat intimidating to pull into the parking area of Ocean State Gym alone.
