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Peaking technically is reeling in your training from general to specific as a meet approaches while changing and removing variations and setting yourself up to be at your best technically. This is important when transitioning to a conjugate approach.
Don’t be the newbie lifter who falls into the tiger pit traps during your training cycle. That’ll only hurt you in the long run — or at least in those first competitions. Don’t be afraid to start training too light and save your attempts for the platform. Not enough advice? I’ve got six other tips, so read on…
Instead of just trying to get strong by getting as big as humanly possible, many lifters are paying more attention to their muscularity. Just take a look at Larry Wheels or Dan Green, and you’ll immediately know how successful this strategy can be.
A lot of powerlifters have trouble with this. They can’t get out of the way of their own ego in order to call proper attempts.
Dr. Rusin returns to the elitefts headquarters to get an update on Dave’s progress through two training phases.
Using a planned deload is one effective way to manage fatigue during a training cycle, but strategic exercise selection can help reduce the need for “off” weeks.
The introductory four weeks should have improved your joints and helped you become accustomed to high reps. Now it’s time to get more challenging.
This program requires minimal setup and equipment, includes three training days per week, and is designed for each session to be completed in roughly one hour.
Team Nebobarbell and I went to Murfeesboro, Tennessee, where I took a crack at one of my competition bucket list lifts.
The appeal of conjugate is the ability to build multiple performance traits at once, but this confuses a lot of lifters as they get closer to a meet. It doesn’t have to be so complicated.
You can’t just throw in extra workouts or recovery protocols and expect to get the most out of them. Like everything else in training, they need to be programmed strategically and used at the right times.
Surrounding myself around top-level powerlifters for over 30 years, I’ve noticed a trend.
Bottom line: all that matters is results. You are either creating or you are disintegrating. If this requires breaking from orthodoxy, so be it. Here are five ways we did this with Matt.
What began as a heavy squat session in the S4 Compound became an impromptu coaching session with Dave. Here are the five things he told these lifters to fix.
In this video, Maliek and Dave discuss the problems with percentage-based training and share alternative methods for strength programming.
This is a time when your mind will start to play tricks on you. Are you mentally committing to the time off?
Chad shares how difficulties in a personal situation had him look to lifting for answers.
This 9-week program is designed to allow recovery, build muscle, improve conditioning, and prepare you mentally and physically for another heavy training cycle.
Training isn’t meant to be flashy — it’s meant to be effective. Resist the temptation of these “hip” techniques and stay on track to bigger PRs on meet day.
The beginning of XPC preparation proved how much I stood to learn from Dave, Matt Smith, and the other weekend regulars.
You may have heard that committing to your goals means eliminating the possibility of failure. The problem? This isn’t realistic. You can’t always win.
Stop beating yourself up after hitting a sticking point in your training. Figure out what the problem is and fix it. These tips will help the troubleshooting process.
How you choose to prime your body for a training session is up to you, but not all warm up and recovery methods are equal.
This case study, derived from my extensive rehabilitation, details every aspect of the steps I took to overcome an unexpected and immediate halt to my training.
When meet day arrives, you’ll be faced with variables you don’t see in the gym. At Monster Garage Gym, we’ve developed a way to control the most stressful of these variables: the clock.
The whole process is a mental fuck if you let it be. From poly to canvas, here’s my most recent battle with unanticipated obstacles.
You’re always going to be in one of the three phases of training. Your goal is to find a way to stay in Phase One as long as possible while avoiding Phase Three at all costs.
Your yearly setup is complete. Now let’s look at individual days and how to program main, supplemental, and accessory exercises.
With your qualifying meet out of the way, you now have an opportunity to return to building mode before starting a peaking cycle for your next meet.
If you are a dual sport competitor, your training must allot proper focus to the intricacies of each discipline. Use this template as a guide.
This program is known for two things: absurd increases in competition lifts, and destroying lifters’ bodies. Use these tips to make sure you fall in the first group.
If your athletes were part of the Thursday night pub crawl, how can you expect them to squat heavy on Friday? #beergainz
Not any old training system will give you an 860 raw squat at 220.