elitefts™ Sunday Edition
  • Four main workouts a week: Two Maximum effort workouts (one for bench and one for squat/deadlift) and Two Dynamic effort (speed) workouts one for bench and one for squat/deadlift).
  • ME workouts follow the DE workouts by 72 hours. If you do your DE bench on Monday, the ME bench workout will be on Thursday.
  • Do not have back to back ME workouts.
  • Workouts typically consist of one main exercise, one supplemental exercise, and one or two accessory exercises.
  • Less is more, more is less.
  • Dynamic effort bench days always use the bench press as the main exercise (grips inside of contest width) for 8 sets of 3 reps at approximately 50% of your one-rep max.
  • Dynamic effort squat days always use the box squat as the main exercise (1” below parallel) for 8 sets of 2 reps at 50-60% of your one-rep max.
  • Percentages are a guideline.
  • Good mornings are misnamed.
  • Rotate max effort exercises at least every two weeks.
  • Be fast on dynamic effort day.
  • Put your life on the line on max effort day.
  • Chuck Taylors.
  • Eat and get rest.
  • Workout to recover.
  • Learn to strain.
  • Be open-minded.
  • If it works, figure out the why later.
  • If it doesn’t work, don’t do it.
  • Be patient with the uninformed.
  • The conjugate method is as much art as science.
  • Be smart but not anal.
  • Don’t make excuses.
  • Give back to the sport.
  • Be focused but keep a sense of humor.
  • Nutrition is often overrated.
  • Take the aisle seat on the plane.
  • Workouts should not exceed an hour.
  • Train the chain.
  • Train weaknesses.
  • Train the core.
  • Train for chaos.
  • Triceps, triceps, triceps.
  • Hurting and being injured is not the same thing.
  • Ephedrine = good times.
  • Polygamy = extra spotters
  • Accommodate resistance.
  • Make certain your power rack is anchored before hooking up your bands.
  • After seeing the pictures, never let your kids: 1) Play twister with Uncle Jim or 2) Do online research with Uncle Dave at his house.
  • A totally safe exercise is probably totally useless.
  • Baby wipes, a cut above.
  • I don’t know Billy Mimnaugh, but I’m pretty certain I don’t want to see him hovering over a bidet either.
  • Be patient.
  • Be persistent.
  • Be creative.
  • Talk is cheap.
  • Don’t worry about the other guy.
  • Be humble, there will always be somebody stronger than you.
  • Adjust and tweak the program as necessary for personal needs.
  • I am not the only one who is not a Buckeye fan.
  • Get a dedicated training partner.
  • An extended middle digit from a training partner is not necessarily a rep count.
  • Don’t sweat the small stuff.
  • Black underwear is a good idea.
  • Again, don’t sweat the small stuff.
  • Why do this? It’s because it’s what I do.

* First published in April 2002