Powerlifting

[-FIGJAM-]

Markos, that gym looks amazing, you should collaborate with Trent from Sydney and get him to move from Lidcombe to Campbelltown/Liverpool.... would workout much better for me.

Seriously though, when you get a new client onto your beginner workout that you posted in the supplement page, you said to continually add weight every session, what do you do when the client has added the weight and no longer reaches the required reps?

I am currently doing a 5x5 program, made up of 2 days alternating

Squats, bench and seated row - Day 1

squats, military press and deadlifts (1 working set) - Day 2

I have found that I have started not hitting the 5 reps on squats and I reckon bench will be next.

[Birds]

Eat

[-FIGJAM-]

thanks Birdman............................................

I see you lurking Trent!!!

[markos]

Obviously no one can continue to add weight every session. So if your squat goes from 100kg x 20, next session you get 105kg x 16, then you aim for 17 or more and continue till you make 105kg x 20.

Now, if you get 105 x 16, then the following session is 105 x 16, you havent progressed, we simply do another set

Every session needs to contain one of the 3 "mores"

More reps, more weight, more sets. I dont care which one, but every session needs to be progressive

Any session repeated is a step backwards, your not holding your ground, youve gone backwards. This is the whole premise of our training, and why you see ordinary people lifting extraordinary weight.

Do you guys really think I dont get surprised when a 65yo man deadlifts 210kg then has a knee replacement 3 days later, you wonder why I dont listen to "injured" lifters, or when a 14yo squats 170kg, or a 64kg girl deadlifts 170kg, or a 75yo man deadlift 150kg.

These lifters aren't special, not even close, they just progress everytime they are in the gym.

This, is the key element in training, the one most dont understand

[Trozzle]

Obviously no one can continue to add weight every session. So if your squat goes from 100kg x 20, next session you get 105kg x 16, then you aim for 17 or more and continue till you make 105kg x 20.

Now, if you get 105 x 16, then the following session is 105 x 16, you havent progressed, we simply do another set

Every session needs to contain one of the 3 "mores"

More reps, more weight, more sets. I dont care which one, but every session needs to be progressive

Any session repeated is a step backwards, your not holding your ground, youve gone backwards. This is the whole premise of our training, and why you see ordinary people lifting extraordinary weight.

Do you guys really think I dont get surprised when a 65yo man deadlifts 210kg then has a knee replacement 3 days later, you wonder why I dont listen to "injured" lifters, or when a 14yo squats 170kg, or a 64kg girl deadlifts 170kg, or a 75yo man deadlift 150kg.

These lifters aren't special, not even close, they just progress everytime they are in the gym.

This, is the key element in training, the one most dont understand

One thing about it that stumped me (though undoubtedly the common sense answer will prevail here) - when adding more weight, do we revert back to a default number of reps and sets? 3 session example on squats below:

Session 1:

100kg, 3 sets of 10 reps

Session 2:

100kg, 3 sets of 12 reps

Session 3:

105kg 3 sets of 10 or 12 reps?

Probably requires more than 3 sessions in the example to get my meaning across, but if we constantly add more reps/sets when we can't add weight, what do we do when we DO add weight? Revert back to the original number of reps/sets but with a new increased weight? Or do the same amount of reps/sets as the previous session.

I guess I'm just saying it's not logical to increase volume indefinitely, so surely there must be a reset when some requirement is met

[-FIGJAM-]

thanks Markos, I understand. if im not hiting the max reps ill do another set to make up for it.

[Birds]

You won't have to revert, Troy...the extra weight will make you push out less reps anyway. It's rare that you'll push out the same reps on a session where you increased the weight. If by chance you do, then the weight increase probably wasn't enough and you can push the weight up again.

[markos]

Correct.

Dont think too much, simply do "more" each session, it doesnt have to be weight or reps, as long as its more.

Another trick is more work in less time, not a favourite or one that I use, but if you do more work in less time you have trained harder

[Birds]

I agree with that last one working...I was actually plateaued on bench press once and decreasing the intervals between sets is what broke me through it. Went from a 20 minute exercise to 18 minutes and I added 10-15kg to it over a few weeks.

There's only so much break cutting you can do before it becomes detrimental, though.

[trentzor]

thanks Birdman............................................

 

I see you lurking Trent!!!

U got me.

If your stalling scale back the weights a bit and increase the reps. Get the volume in. I do this with my guys if they been stalling for over 2 weeks.

This is one way and eat up.

E.g

Set 1 100x5

Set 2 100x4 missed 5th rep

Then

Set 3 95x6 or 7.

Add a 4th of 95x3 if possible.

Then go eat.

[-FIGJAM-]

cheeseburger ok?

will be organizing another session with you in a month or two

[trentzor]

2xMc doubles nuggets/chips and a coke zero (got to watch them calories).

Sure see u soon bud.

[Trozzle]

2xMc doubles nuggets/chips and a coke zero (got to watch them calories).

Sure see u soon bud.

strongcuttingdiet.jpg

[Birds]

Markos, do your lifters ever train calves in isolation? If not, why is this?

From an aesthetic point of view, it's something I don't want to neglect...but I'm curious about the strength point of view. Are they of no use or do they get worked enough in assistance exercises like farmers walk etc?

[trentzor]

Long as the weights keep going up.

[markos]

Not one of my powerlifters train calves directly, a few of the other clients do though.

I reckon they may get a little work pulling and squatting, but it would be very minor.

They dont train abs or forearms either

[Trozzle]

Calves would probably get the tiniest workout during squats, otherwise yeah as Markos points out I'm not surprised they don't bother with them. Given each muscle group only needs to be strong enough to support the others during each respective lift, calves etc would be getting their required workout simply from squats/deads.

Markos can confirm or tell me I'm a nutcase, but the way I see it is that isolation exercises are almost exclusively for aesthetic benefit. If you can complete your goal rep range on your compound lifts, then every muscle group being activated is obviously up to scratch for the task.

The only specific work I could be arsed giving my calves comes from walking around my work building on my toes, lol

[Nee-san]

Often I work a calf raise into the squat.

Complete squat then do a calf raise with the weight still on your back.

[Birds]

Not one of my powerlifters train calves directly, a few of the other clients do though.

I reckon they may get a little work pulling and squatting, but it would be very minor.

They dont train abs or forearms either

I thought as much. Probably just extra weight to carry into competition lol

[Birds]

Calves would probably get the tiniest workout during squats, otherwise yeah as Markos points out I'm not surprised they don't bother with them. Given each muscle group only needs to be strong enough to support the others during each respective lift, calves etc would be getting their required workout simply from squats/deads.

Markos can confirm or tell me I'm a nutcase, but the way I see it is that isolation exercises are almost exclusively for aesthetic benefit. If you can complete your goal rep range on your compound lifts, then every muscle group being activated is obviously up to scratch for the task.

The only specific work I could be arsed giving my calves comes from walking around my work building on my toes, lol

Think you're forgetting rehab and targeting weakness in the range of a compound movement! I do think a lot of people turn to isolation before they actually need it, though...