Ok that was dramatic but due to Margaret’s work schedule (she is an athletic trainer at a high school), the other week was her last week as my full time training partner. DAMMIT KIDS TAPE YOUR OWN ANKLES AND LET ME HAVE MY TRAINING PARTNER BACK.
Margaret started coming out on the weekends with her significant other, THE Dr. Tyrel and then in October started training with me during all training sessions.
She only has one meet under her pink double-prong belt but she is a great training partner because she has a certain intensity that you don’t always get (even from seasoned powerlifters).
She puts 100% into everything from max effort work to accessories. We may not go head to head when we train but we are on the same page in terms of pushing everything we do. Do I NEED intensity from a training partner? No. My training will be the same whether or not someone else is there. But I would much rather train with someone who cares a fuck ton about getting stronger than someone who half asses their training.
She is a good listener and, coming from her background as an athlete, actually has good proprioception as opposed to my sad baby giraffe ass that took like 5 years to figure out how to squat. She is getting stronger all the time and I’m sure she will surpass me in the near future.
We are also very much on the same page in terms of the things we get frustrated about and our reactions to it- when we are disappointed about missing a lift or feel like our training isn’t where it should be. It also helps that I have been where she currently is (having bad training days or feeling like certain exercises aren't going the way they should). It doesn't always help just to have a rah rah things will get better attitude so I try and talk her through it, figure out what we need to fix (if anything), and also remind her that is getting stronger as fuck all the time (literally reps out her meet max on good mornings and other random exercises). I don't think having a constant cheerleader makes for a good training partner. But sometimes it's hard to see where things are going when you're wrapped up in how poorly one session is going. But no one tell me that it will be ok and I'm getting stronger because I will claw your fucking eyes.
Dave has talked about (optimally) training with people who are stronger than you so you can learn from them, people who are of a similar strength level for competition, and people who are weaker so you can teach them.
Margaret can point out what I'm fucking up (like when I hate fully locking out my benches), we both want to put more weight on the bar, and having her train with me consistently has given me the ability to enhance my technical eye on a regular basis.
I'm also grateful that Dave let me run amok in terms of letting me work with Margaret on her lifting. It's been beneficial for me as a training partner to work with her consistently, give feedback right away, and see where we have to adjust on a day by day basis.
Also we are real life friends.
Training for the Women's Pro/Am April 14th. Programming by Dave Tate in italics. SATURDAY - Warm Up
- Hanging Leg Raise
- Reverse Hypers
- Pull Down Abs
- Face Pulls
- Low Rows
- GHR
- *2-4 sets (whatever you need)
- Buffalo Bar Goodmornings
- + work up to two heavy sets of 3 reps. Range of motion should be to where the barbell almost falls in front on toes.
- Power Squat Machine
- + warm ups
- + ascending sets of 6 reps with 2-4 minutes between until you get to a weight you can’t do for 6 reps. This should be 4-5 total work sets
- GHR
- + Warm ups
- + 2 working sets with bodyweight to failure
- Reverse Hypers (heavy)
- + 5 sets of 8-10 reps
- Blue Ab Bench with very light med ball between knees with feet off floor.
- + crush ball between legs
- + 4 sets to failure
- Free Time
- Whatever you want
Oh it says whatever you want, not whatever you like.
Well in that case I did belt marching, round back banded good mornings, leg extensions, face pulls, pull down abs, standing single leg ham curl. My favorite machine because you can just stand and lean on it.
- Recovery
- 90/90 breathing - 5 minutes
- Light stretching
