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Have you ever wondered how elite athletes can get back to training days after an injury or compete six to eight weeks later?
In the current world, everyone seems to be a self-proclaimed expert, but fewer people are getting results. The information on rehab and recovery is difficult to find and often wildly outdated. Many clinicians still suggest taking time off or immobilizing joints for long periods, which can lead to worse health. This bothers me a lot.
The following is a 'secret' protocol covering many rehab-related factors. If you want to be known as the guy with a bad tricep, bad pec, etc, turn away. If you want to progress and forget you had an injury while returning much better, do as instructed below.
To recover optimally, a synergistic combination of factors is required. These factors include creating a hormonal environment conducive to recovery, moving and loading the tissue appropriately, using rehab modalities to accelerate healing, and bolstering tissue repair through chemicals and supplements. Each is essential, yet they boost each other through synergy for optimal results.
Taking a boatload of BPC and playing video games does not get you back under heavy weight.
Peptides are the new fad that is still highly misunderstood. Peptides are often underdosed, in the wrong location, without the synergistic compounds, and without supporting the accelerated chemical processes.
A Few Guidelines on Peptides
Ideally, inject as close to the tear location as possible; there are local and some systemic effects. It is silly to pin your glute if you have a tricep tear. Next, use them for six to eight weeks to ensure you get the most out of them (run the full course, not partial). It is wise for most athletes to push themselves to have stock on GHK-CU, TB500, and BPC157 when they get hurt. It is inevitable you will need them if you are pushing the limit.
Yes, you need all three. GHK-CU is an uncommon one but very cheap. It is bright blue and can be fairly painful. With my recent grade two pec tear, it felt worse for three to four hours each time, and I could not move. This is why it is best to use it before bed or in the morning if you do not have much to do. In the early phases, using this in the morning can be a rough mental battle with the increased pain.
Peptides
Day 1 Tear
- Administer as fast as possible.
- Use a full 10mg bottle of Tb500 as close to the tearing site as possible (if you can tell where), then go cry for 15 minutes in the shower.
Morning Dose
- 1mg Tb 500
- 500mcg bpc157
- 2+ iu GH
- 2-5mg GHK-cu You’ll be sore for 3-5 hours. Do not use pre-training.
Pre-Bed Dose
- 500mcg bpc157
- 5mg GHK-cu
- 2+ iu GH
- Can substitute 50-100mcg igf1lr-3 for GH
Should You Stop Your Cycle?
Probably not; those hormones are powerful agents of accelerating tissue repair and growth. It is advisable to keep some in rather than going on a full cruise.
Within the first few days, it is worth reducing pain so you can start moving and getting blood flow in. Often, enhanced athletes have higher levels of inflammation, and with an injury, it can go wild, worsening recovery. Using a combination of light over-the-counter NSAID and topical CBD products can kick-start this and make life more bearable.
Supplements are in place to bolster the accelerated collagen restructuring that happens from peptides. When you bake a cake and want to double the recipe, it would make zero sense to triple baking soda and salt. Having as many building blocks as possible is vital to get the best situation. You will also use a high citrulline pump pre-workout to increase blood flow to the tissue. More recovery factors, plus increased blood flow!
Day 1-3
- 100-200mg CBD through day
- 1-2 Tabs ibuprofen or nsaid to reduce pain from swelling
- 30-60g Collagen throughout the day
- 20g Creatine
- 20-60g Glutamine
- Pack Multivitamin
- 2g NAC
- 10k IU Vitamin D split two times with fat
- 1-2 Scoops high pump zero stim pre-workout
- Limit caffeine to 100 mg per day
Day 3-30
- 30-60g Collagen throughout the day
- 20g Creatine
- 20-60g Glutamine
- Pack Multivitamin
- 2g NAC
- 10k IU Vitamin D split two times with fat
- 1-2 Scoops high pump zero stim pre-workout
- 5-10mg Cialis every three to four days for blood flow
Topicals
Use a CBD-based camphor or capsaicin topical to further improve blood flow. I am not a fan of menthol products and their cooling effect; for some, heavy inflammation or hot temperatures may help. My preference is to prioritize blood flow and recovery.
Treatment
Treatment is overlooked when dealing with injuries. Many practitioners are scared to even go near a muscle tear because they do not know what to do. There is not enough space to explain how my ideal modalities work. Each has its benefits, and as with the rest of the article, the synergy between modalities is powerful.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF)
Use a PEMF device to increase muscle control and strength, desensitize pain in rehab, and accelerate mitochondrial function for healing. Wear as often as possible and always when doing rehab movements or training. These cost about $1500 to $2000. It is a long-term investment as you will also be able to use it during training forever to be faster, recruit better, and have more power. From day one to three, I was not able to do a wall pushup on my pain scale, but the PEMF made it manageable.
Extracorporeal Radial Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)
ESWT is undisputed as the most powerful treatment modality available. It is possible to spot specifically increased stem cell activity, reduce scar tissue, and accelerate the repair of damaged tissue. It is hard to explain in words how powerful this is. I used it when rehabbing a very old tricep tear that caused pain for about 12 years. Within three weeks, it felt like a new arm. Your best bet is to find a local clinician, as these cost 10 to 50 thousand dollars. The best case scenario is a daily treatment for six weeks, but for people who do not own a machine, one to three times per week, directly to the tear and close to the local area is excellent.
E-Stim or Compex
You can watch TV and do rehab simultaneously. In 20 minutes, you'll get thousands of muscle contractions that can dramatically reduce perceived pain and fear. Ideally, it should be done every day or as often as possible. Pre/post-training, if possible.
Graston / IASTM / Scraping
These three are notable mentions as they are pretty cheap. Once the pain level has reduced and bruising is lower, adding two to five minutes of light general to surrounding tissue is worth it. With a tear, surrounding tissue will often compensate and get overly tight. This will change movement and make it less comfortable or lean you into a worse-off movement pattern.
Movement After Injury
The final component is movement. To get back under heavy weights, you have to start at the beginning with safe movement. With rehab, "It depends" is going to be the answer to most questions. The following are effective guidelines to use while recovering to guide you toward better choices.
1. Your pain threshold will prevent you from repeating your mistake. Use a pain scale of one to 10; aim for three or four out of 10, which is a slight degree of discomfort without strain. The goal is to adapt to the discomfort and progress, not destroy yourself like peaking.
2. The range of motion will start limited, and it is important to keep testing within your pain scale. Do not stretch to the pain or just hold stretches right now. Rather, move as much as possible.
3. Progressable movements are ones you can potentially use for the next several years that will not cap out like a side clam—loadable movements. I used a reverse band on an assisted dip machine for my recent pec gear.
4. High frequency is more important than intensity initially. It would be more effective to move through range of motion for three minutes ten times per day rather than 30 minutes at once. The same goes for bodyweight movements like squatting, pushups, etc.
RECENT: Bro-Epistemology of Science
5. Higher rep ranges: You will use high reps to rebuild your base and trust in the tissue. This is not the time to test or strain. Use reps of 20 plus for the first bit as you build confidence, and the pain goes down. It would not be fun to hurt yourself worse at 40 percent of your prior 1RM doing a single.
6. Volume and frequency are more important. It is better to do one to two exercises every single day than an entire session of the injured muscle.
7. Progress weights and reduce volume for around three weeks. Your injury may not be 100 percent by now, but it is time to be less scared.
8. Do not lift explosively yet. Learn to trust your muscle and take time doing lifts.
9. Increase your range of motion incrementally within your pain tolerance. At first, you may have 50 percent ROM, but it will not jump to 100 percent overnight. Find your limit, work around there, and slowly progress it day to day
10. Every single day is now a PR since you have never lifted 'X' after your injury.
Daily Guide
Now that you have the guidelines, the following is a general idea of how to approach the first few phases, followed by some of what I did most recently.
Day 1: Your goal is to move and not hurt yourself. Start with ROM often throughout the day; it should slightly improve during the day. You may notice throughout that things are very painful or you cannot do. Take note of these and use them to gauge progress. They can also be used for your core rehab movements.
ROM 10 times three minutes throughout the day.
Day 2: You should see some progress now that you have used GHK-CU the night before. Continue doing ROM; now find the easiest, lightest exercise possible. Execute 100 reps throughout the day; it can be sets of five or 20. The rep range is not as important as your pain scale. Some people can bench the bar for 200 after a pec tear, some need to use light reverse bands for the bar.
Day 3 and on: Increase rep range on the prior exercises until you can do 20 consecutive under 3/10 pain. Continue doing a range of motion.
Day 4: Increase to 200 reps throughout the day. You will be fine.
Day 5 and on: If you have not been to the gym yet, it is time. Start with any compound you can load in the future. You will want to reverse-band it or set a safety to limit your range of motion to 25p-50% depending on how diligent you've been. With this new lift, keep doing it until you can do 4x20 with low pain. ADD lift soft tissue if you have not done so yet.
Earn It
From here on out, you have to EARN the right to lift heavier. If you can't bench the bar without pain after tearing your pec, you haven't earned the privilege to add weight. This should look pretty similar to progressive overload. Each day, you will be doing slightly more than the previous day. The first days will progress rapidly; it will slow down once you hit 70% recovery.
Now is the long game of becoming very good at the movements you have found, which are now your favorite builders.
Personal Experience
Here is my schedule for what I did for my pec tear.
- Day 1: Range of motion 10x3min
- Day 2: 150 Pushups against the wall in sets of 5 wearing PEMF
- Day 3: 200 Pushups, slightly lower hand placement, 4x20 reverse banded dips, 2x25 db pec flyes with pink DB
- Day 4: Same
- Day 5: 20 rep sets with the bar up to 1x10 135 ( which was stupid ), 4x20 reverse dips, 4x20 flyes, 200 pushups, complex
- Day 4-9: Dips, pushups, flyes
- Day 10: First bench session, managed 60% for a single with minimal pain 6x10 back downs, 4x20 reverse band dips, flyes, pushups on floor in sets of 8
Final Thoughts
The first few stages are the most important. After that, I assume you know how to train if you are strong enough to start ripping muscles apart. Trust your pain scale for 6-12 weeks before you start testing it. Keep jumps small and hammer down your technique. It can be a fun, rewarding process if you follow it exactly.
Andrew Pearson is an experienced RMT with a lifelong involvement in sports, including figure skating, snowboarding, cross country, and fencing, which led him to discover the transformative power of weightlifting during high school. His journey in the strength world includes competing in bodybuilding and powerlifting, coupled with years of coaching. Andrew seamlessly integrates his deep understanding of strength training into his rehabilitation practices for athletes, focusing on recovery demands as intense as the training itself. He continuously expands his knowledge through attending numerous courses and retreats, such as those offered by EliteFTS, and by networking with elite powerlifters. Dedicated to helping clients—from concrete laborers to injured elite powerlifters—recover and return to their sports quickly, Andrew excels in managing pain and improving movement through detailed, science-based treatment approaches. His primary goal is to keep athletes training with minimal discomfort.
Have you ever wondered how elite athletes can get back to training days after an injury or compete six to eight weeks later?
Science is a methodical and systematic way of processing and producing knowledge. Science is the offspring of philosophy, which was conducted in many different ways worldwide as part of various cultures. Philosophy was initially an oral tradition in which knowledge was passed word-of-mouth from the knowers to the learners. Bro-Science in gyms worldwide is one in which knowledge is transmitted by discussion and conversation between lifters. Bro-Science is also a derogatory word that denigrates the “authority” by which gym-rat wisdom is subverted by those appealing to other authoritative sources of the “best” programming, lifting technique, nutrition, recovery methods, etc. However, in general society, science is not a unified thing or monolithic method for generating knowledge.
The Evolution of Science
Different kinds of science exist because different goals, rules, and procedures exist for different sciences. Wilhelm Dilthey (1980), a German philosopher, said that there is a need for human sciences that parallel the natural sciences but allow for different rules of evidence. His point was that people have minds, which are the cradle of knowledge and understanding.
However, the division between natural and human science further branched into life sciences (biology, zoology, physiology, etc.), physical sciences (physics, chemistry, astronomy, etc.), and applied sciences (engineering, medicine, aeronautics, etc.). The human or social sciences branched into psychology, sociology, history, political science, etc. While experimental science is regarded as the “gold standard” of inquiry, experiments are not practical or feasible for every science and every topic being studied. However, this article is about Bro-Science and its underlying epistemology. Well, there is not precisely one set of rules for knowledge about building muscle, strength, athleticism, and weight cutting.
Nevertheless, there is much information about these things, from formal sports physiology, sports psychology, sports nutrition, and Bro-Science. Shurley et al. (2019) provide a historical sketch of strength coaching and its struggles and achievements in integrating practitioner knowledge with academic research results. The dialog between the formal science and praxis of strength is far from reaching its peak. However, Bro-Science remains a reference for gym folklore knowledge and ideas and is a caricature of “Mr. Know-it-All” at every local commercial gym.
What Sets Bro-Science Apart
The pillars of science are observation and logic. That means, what counts as evidence must be observable directly or indirectly, and the information must be processed for general patterns using the rules of logic. Science is methodical in this way, but it systematically records observations (data collection) and uses a logical process (analysis) to break down the data for better understanding. The goal is to produce general knowledge useful to society or some portion of society. Bro-Science, by nature, is regarded as anecdotal and, therefore, not methodical, systematic, or employing logical rigor. Logical rigor does not necessarily mean stats. Various rules of logic apply, not just in analyzing information but in synthesizing what the analysis means – the interpretation.
But Bro-Science involves truisms and knowledge based on unrecorded experience that often makes sense. Does a person’s workout log count as “data” for systematic analysis? It would have no staying power to haunt the local gyms worldwide without some level of veracity or believability. Logic also comes in different forms and power levels to make knowledge claims.
The Role of Abductive Reasoning in Strength Training
Logic is the set rules of thinking with sound reason. There is deductive, inductive, and abductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning concludes many observations. Inductive reasoning is making generalizations from a few well-examined comprehensive exemplars. And abductive reasoning employs the best explanation from available examples (Walton, 2014). What is important to note is that the kind of logic needs to fit the goals of any inquiry. We make many decisions daily based on abductive reasoning, not immutable and timeless “Truth.” Even philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said, “Faith is dubious by definition; otherwise, it would be certainty” (Strathern, 1997). Yet human beings can do many things based on and motivated by faith. I would suggest that abductive reasoning exercises a degree of faith in the available evidence.
Many strength training principles developed in abductive reasoning until academic institutions and scientists formally studied strength training methods. When academics started entering the strength community, practitioners did not always welcome them with open arms (Shurley et al., 2019). The practitioners had invested time, sweat, and blood into developing their methods. Even with contemporary scientific research, art is applying ideas to strengthen training, building, and performance in competition. Even from reading scientific articles, using concepts in programming, lifting techniques, and recovery often amounts to abductive reasoning when putting it all together. Bro-Science is practiced in the gym because the best explanation wins the day.
Gym Folklore and Academic Research
Every bit of information in articles, blogs, vlogs, manuals, etc., can give a perspective, but only part of the story. Over time, however, one starts to see those points of consensus and general agreement patterns among sources. Louis Simmons of Westside Barbell was well-known for reading, re-reading, and dialoguing with anyone and everyone about strength (Fahey, 2019). Louis Simmons was an applied scientist who employed principles of physics, physiology, psychology, sociology, and more in his laboratory gym. Was he a Bro-Scientist? Well, due to the pejorative nature of its use, I would not say so. Interestingly, Shurley et al. (2019) have not mentioned him once in their history of U.S. strength coaching.
Yet, Louis learned from top international scholars and experts and proliferated his coaching method as far and wide as possible. Perhaps early on, he was a Bro-Scientist like all the rest of us, but his curiosity and tenacity to learn were phenomenal. Much of what was developed and discarded at Westside was derived from abductively reasoned strategies and tested on a few faithful test subjects.
Bro-Science: Practical Wisdom or Myth?
All knowledge is personal knowledge and is only known when it is subjectively embraced. As any trained scientist will tell you, with all the methodological precision and procedural care, all scientific research relies on some degree of certainty, accuracy, and confidence. There is no 100% for complex issues requiring scientific inquiry. Everyday decision-making makes abductive reasoning sufficient to navigate life. For example, no scientific studies might show that ingesting essential amino acids (EAAs) works. What does it mean to “work?” Are we talking about superior hypertrophy, strength gains, performance boosts, or what? Absorption of nutrients is a necessary step to “gainz,” and EAAs are not only pre-chewed but pre-digested protein components. They save your body a lot of biochemical steps. But hey, that is abductive reasoning!
Sometimes, the stringent rules of study design remove any potential for nuanced impacts on the observable physical level. For something to make what is regarded as a “just noticeable difference” and be “statistically significant” generates results with a goal of a formal degree of certainty rather than practical truth.
As the sciences were developed during the Enlightenment, the aims drifted from truth-seeking to acquiring certainty. Philosophy has always pursued truth and understanding the immutable Laws of the Universe. However, in contemporary science, there are even debates about what “reality” means (Chalmers, 2013). Again, the higher-level logic and discussions about the nature of the universe are not so helpful in guiding the best way to improve your Total.
Understanding The Science Behind Strength Training
Oftentimes, what works is not understood, and how or why it works long after its use has produced results in everyday experience over time. The use of White Willow Bark for pain control is a good example. It was used for 3500 years before we understood biochemically that Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (Desborough & Keeling, 2017). This is the value of all scientists studying in academic institutions. More and more research might give us insights into how and why things developed in the gym work, and these insights provide us with information about their applications. Perhaps something we attribute to the placebo effect today will work out to have a “scientific explanation” about how or why it works in the future.
Finally, there are certainty and confidence levels to consider, and these must be considered contextually. Abductive reasoning is accepting knowledge based on it being the best explanation or understanding (Walton, 2014). This is crucial because most daily decisions are made by abductive reasoning. Science has historically taken abductive explanations and formulated hypotheses for testing from them. So, humanity discovered that the Earth is not actually flat in a cosmological sense. But if you are laying concrete, you want the 10’ x 12’ Earth upon which you lay the pad to be flat. The frame is important to the application, and many practical problems are solved without scientific inquiry informing them. Bro-science is often abductive reasoning applied to the training experience.
The science-based crowd will use anecdotal as a pejorative to question the training method or procedure. Inductive reasoning is when one takes a small data set and applies it more generally. Many coaches and personal trainers make professional decisions inductively because, over time, they have found certain things seem to work for a more general application. Finally, deductive reasoning is used in scientific experiments to support the hypothesis. However, these results might have very narrow applicability, which begs whether they are worth all the effort research requires.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, abductive reasoning was used by early strength and body-building athletes. Their critiques claimed that weightlifting made one slower, stunted the growth of children who lift, and more. Well, scientific inquiry has corrected many of these issues.
However, those like Terry Todd continued to use what he knew, built on it through academic work and training experiences, and ultimately contributed much information to our knowledge base today (Rogue Fitness, 2021). I know many things Todd and others developed began in a process we call Bro-Science. The point is that abductive, inductive, and deductive reasoning are epistemologically different and serve various practical purposes. This is why there is consensus in the strength sports community that all training exercises and techniques should have a purpose. The purpose you assign to what and how you do can be based on abductive, inductive, or deductive processes. What is the cash value of the information that matches your goals and the costs of giving a new thing a try?
References
- Chalmers, A.F. (2013). What is this thing called science, 4th ed? Hackett Publishing.
- Desborough, M.J.R. and Keeling, D.M. (2017). The aspirin story – from willow to wonder drug. Br J Haematol, 177: 674-683. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.14520
- Dilthey, W. (1988). Introduction to the human sciences: An attempt to lay a foundation for the study of society and history. Wayne State University.
- Fahey, M. (dir.). (2019). Westside versus the world [Documentary]. Independent Film.
- Rogue Fitness, (2021, Nov. 3). The commissioner of strength (video file).YouTube.com. Retrieved: https://youtu.be/dgqdmIKH-1E?si=YeCcjgk98INVpzr3
- Shurley, J.P., Todd, J., & Todd, T. (2019). Strength coaching in America: A history of the innovation that transformed sports. University of Texas.
- Strathern, P. (1997). Kierkegaard in 90 minutes. Ivan R. Dee.
- Walton, D. (2014). Abductive reasoning. University of Alabama.
Dr. Rodger Broomé, Ph.D., is a psychologist and recreational powerlifter. He spent 22 years in Law Enforcement and Fire and Emergency Medical Services before retiring to become a professor and practitioner. As a fire training captain, Dr. Broomé was the primary strength and conditioning trainer for 8 basic training academies for recruiting firefighters in the Salt Lake Metro Area. While in the fire service, he competed in the USPF and WABDL as a 220 lifter and then took a hiatus to attend graduate school.
After graduate school and a career change, Dr. Rodger Broomé has reinitiated recreational competition and contributed to his local powerlifting community with his knowledge of lifting and performance psychology. He is a state-level referee and seeks opportunities to help lifters succeed in their endeavors as powerlifters. Dr. Broomé's psychology practice has focused mostly on helping young athletes with motivation, focus, goal setting, mental skills, psychoeducation, and integrating their mental game into their physical training and play.
Bro-Science is more than informal gym wisdom. It plays a crucial role in the evolution of strength training.
Welcome to another podcast episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk. Today's guest is Ryan Rhodes with co-host Ilya Khazov.
Ryan Rhodes is a drug-free pro strongman and 5x World's Strongest Man Masters athlete who's competed in multiple weight classes over his past 26 years in the sport. Thriving in spite of his ND, VAST, C-PTSD and pacemaker implant for Stokes Adams Syndrome, he is recognized as the strongest human cyborg ever and the first pro athlete ever to compete with a battery powered heart. Ryan is also a successful business owner, the producer of 'Clash on the Coast' on ESPN- the first strongman competition ever to air live on TV- and has worked with Disney, Warner/Discovery, NBC and Viamedia among others.
Ryan's IG: https://www.instagram.com/honkystrong/
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
AG1
AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You'll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2, and (5) free travel packs in your first box.
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
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Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
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In the world of entertainment, Strongman has the potential to air live in every living room across America. Here’s how.
It has been a hot minute; your total has become elite, the competition has dwindled, and you are smoking all your local opponents. After a few meets and a few years, many intermediate lifters may find themselves in this position, which requires a simple choice. Do you remain a big fish in a little pond or venture out of your comfort zone and into bigger meets? Bigger meets at higher levels of competition and with more prestigious accolades…but at what cost?
With the recent reconfigurations of multiple feds, yearly qualifiers updated as the younger generation of lifters grow absurdly strong, and multiple ladder-style fed schedules on the horizon, now seems to be an opportune time to have this little discussion.
The aim of this article, like many of mine before it, is never to insult or discourage but more so to open conversation and, more importantly, make you a more self-aware lifter of where you want to go with your powerlifting career.
Note: In hindsight, this article is actually pretty humorous, as I hadn't finished it before the WRPF fractured and PLU formed. The feds are literally changing as I go back to edit this, but that's a whole pitcher of tea for multiple brunches.
Transitioning to Nationals
When I first decided I was ready for nationals (USPA Las Vegas), it was 2018. I had been competing since early March of 2016 and had done seven meets within those two years around the tri-state area. I had grown from barely filling out the 181 class with a 1306 raw total (408 dots) to a 1665 total in wraps (512 dots). This classified me at the time as an 181 international elite within the fed and was more than enough to qualify me for the class two total requirement at the time to sign up: Qualifications went by totals assigned to weight class versus the dots requirements of today's meets. The only reason for specifying this is that combing back through my meets, I wanted to put into perspective where I was compared to the demands of today's necessary registration qualifications.
WRPF nationals are generally around 425 to 450, depending on tested and open division. In contrast, the modern American Pro and similar meets of years past (The Showdown, Kern/US Open) were higher, such as 475 to 500 (converted from Wilks scores). So why the brief history lesson and rehash of my old raw totals and scores? Why highlight how strong I was? To brag and boas and to reminisce on days past and what should have been? No. The real answer is one much harder to swallow. One that took many months to stew and roll around in. I simply was not ready.
A Lesson Learned the Hard Way
Yes, I bombed out that year after many expected me to run away with the win. I was cocky; I was driven, but damn, I was underprepared and inexperienced. While my body and strength met the criteria for such a meet, my mind did not. I did not deserve to be there and overlooked one of the most essential things a lifter can have: time in the sport. While setting goals and conquering them is undoubtedly one of the allures of it all, being reasonable and learning to love the journey will reap far more rewards and benefits.
When To Compete at a Higher-Level
So, after all this talk, the appropriate question is when should I compete at a higher level meet? This answer is always twofold: First, look at the meta and average of like lifters at these events. Are you on par; do you stand a fighting chance to make it to the podium? Or is it a complete blow out and will you be dead last? I would be inclined to think you would want to be competitive at a higher level competition, and not go for clout or photo opportunities but rather actually be there and give it your all among competitors who are doing the same.
I also feel my response is somewhat jaded, as I stopped participating in nationals once the feds kept lowering entry requirements. Every year, they would drop another qualifying class, another fifty pounds on the total needed until, eventually, it was an all too obvious dupe for a federation cash grab.
My take? Stay local until you are numerically ready. Support meets at the local level and get more experience under your belt. Help grow the sport in your area instead of driving or flying eight hours to say you went to XYZ. The totals all post the same to Open Powerlifting. There are far too many flashes in the pan right now doing it all for the sake of a photo they paid $300 for and the bragging rights to say I did "this" event only to get absolutely stomped with their barely qualifying total. But how did we get here?
Degradation In A Nutshell
When big meets (mainly untested raw with wraps) came to light and began to surge with the interest of better livestreams (think back to the first few we even paid for to watch from home). I can almost trace the start of the last decade's divide. Many feds lowered standards for qualifying totals to get into nationals as an all-out cash grab, rusing it under the idea of making it for the lifters. This meant more lifters because lowered totals per weight class equals more days for divisions and more money in pockets.
Lifters began changing long-term goals in exchange for the short-term gratification of going to a higher-regarded meet. You did not have to get stronger. You just had to wait until the feds wanted more of your money. This began the decline of higher-level lifters wanting to go to nationals, and instead, larger money meets began popping up, offering stiffer competition, more payouts, and higher endorsements from bigger name sponsors, all in hopes that powerlifting would be moving into the light of a pro sport (aka recognized more as a household name plus the tv/broadcast time).
Simultaneously, more lifters flooded the sport and nationals. Popularity rose, and any real competition shunned it in favor of competing with the best, knowing nationals would not be that. With the rise of this trend over the next few years, the sport grew, and new lifters' ability to name-drop "nationals" or "regionals" within their first year of lifting grew.
Sadly, they no longer idolized Pete Rubish's defining roar within a basement laundry room on YouTube; instead, they replaced it with "demon time" and anime archetype eras.
The Role of Social Media's Influence
Social media's continuing rise has taken powerlifting in an entirely different direction. Social media has opened the sport to cavalcades of new lifters and expanded feds. While it has made it more opportunistic to strengthen athletes of all calibers, it has also changed the mindset of the participants, and it is not always for the better.
Gone is the era of group training, where each member on the totem pole pulled their weight and worked together as a team to push each other. Instead, insert your standard broccoli hair boy, hogging a combo by himself, with a lone wolf mentality all for "the gram." Every kid has a "sponsor" discount code and vlogs and is mic'd up for workouts. They care more about follower counts than counting reps. Remember: You do not have to do this. Powerlifting is fun. It is a privilege to be able to train at all. As surgeries have caught up to me, I realize more and more how lucky I am to continue to train, especially at the capacity I do.
Standards at Big Meets
Another prime reason to wait to compete at a larger venue/invitational meet is "the standard." Hopefully, the fed or prestigious, qualifier-required meet will also uphold strict adherence to the rulebook. You should be properly prepared as a lifter who has signed up for one of these events. Too often have I seen even well-seasoned lifters get a lift turned down, only to blow it up on social media asking followers their take on the lift. They search for reassurance that "they got robbed."
Most of the followers are not referees, were not at the venue, have never competed, and do not even know what constitutes a "good lift," yet somehow, the angry keyboard mob reassures the butthurt lifter that it counts in their book. This makes you look like a chump and diminishes your sportsmanship. Any staff that sees it will not be thrilled to have you back, and you will not make your total any higher.
Accountability and Sportsmanship
Whether you like it or not, you are being observed and looked up to, so try to set a good example. Be remembered as the competitor who not only had good lifts but also had a good attitude and was a decent person to be around—not some muscle-bound crybaby. From an inside view as a director and national ref myself, it is not some lucrative money making business. We are not rolling in dough and Scrooge McDuckin' into a pool of gold coins after the meet.
We are people who devote our time to growing the sport and making sure you have a place to compete. Trash-talking the meet staff online after you could not keep it together for a few lifts is nothing short of childlike behavior. So the bottom line is: If you can not hack it with some real rules, stay in the backyard until you can hold yourself accountable.
Building a Solid Foundation as a Beginner
Unless you are coming from a sports background and have actually really trained before or have underlying medical needs/obstacles to work around, your first three years of powerlifting do not need some special magical, me me me program. Do you know what your weakness is? ALL OF IT. You are not strong in anything yet and just need to build muscle.
I see way too many lifters leave great coaches because they feel they need special treatment or a personalized program that addresses their "weak" spot when they still can not take a 225 bench. Your coach's job should be, in this particular case, keeping you accountable, measuring progress, and demonstrating and fine-tuning technique. Of course, you should be able to question your coach about their choices regarding your training, but fighting them at every corner is just asinine. I hate to use old archaic standards, but if you can not bench one and a half times your body weight, you are still a beginner and need to get stronger, not find some magic bullet from a flash-in-the-pan influencer. Be open to training philosophies, try to soak it all in, and learn.
Enjoying the Powerlifting Journey
This is a bit convoluted, but the bottom line is this: Enjoy the journey, enjoy the people, and stop shutting yourself off from ideas because you want everything right this second. Get stronger, set a goal, smash that goal, and then do it all over again. You do not need to do this for strangers on the internet, and as fun as that may seem right now, it fades, as do many powerlifters who "retire" from the sport before they even have a career. It is okay to be a continued work in progress; that is all this sport is, and you have to learn to love that as well. And if you can not stay "retired," no one missed your six-month hiatus and shitty attitude, I promise.
Travis Rogers currently resides on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where he owns and operates a strength training facility, “The Bear Cave.” He also works as a graphic designer, 10th and 12th grade ELA teacher, and is active in the community with his 501(c)3 charity organization for underprivileged children. He is the WRPF MD and DE state chairman, a national-level referee, and a meet director for the surrounding area. Travis has been in the top-10 198 rankings for the last four years in both sleeves and wrapped divisions. After double quad rupture surgery, he began a new journey in equipment. In his first meet back from surgery, he totaled 2138 in the unlimited 198 division.
Do you remain a big fish in a little pond or venture out of your comfort zone and into bigger meets?
The world of strength and conditioning moves in mysterious ways. I find myself writing this month's article after finding out that after a 20-year absence, I have been asked to return to Canterbury duty as a strength and power coach. Certainly, it was a full-circle career moment as I initially moved from Australia to New Zealand to take up a head of strength and conditioning role in 2003. I thought this would be another two-year stop along the career road, but I was in Canterbury/Crusaders roles for the next almost decade, moving on in 2011.
In preparation for this new campaign, I was tasked with looking at ways I could demand more of the playing squad by challenging mindsets of what can be achieved in the weight room. I also wanted to challenge my mindset, especially regarding what could be done under time restrictions and how to look at my big rocks, ensuring I prioritized them in the process.
With the above in the forefront of my mind, I was then able to look at what is the effective minimal dose requirements of such a model, given that we have players that need to target metabolic/fat loss aspects of programming whilst others still require time to build hypertrophy during the season as an ongoing work on. My decision was to ensure that two sets of my new complex were the non-negotiable three would be better, and ideally, for the players chasing strength and power, they would do four sets.
The Canterbury Contrast Complex
I have named this new complex the Canterbury Contrast Complex, keeping some of the eDNA of the original French Contrast Method but giving it a good shake-up to better meet my team group's requirements.
Here are the options I have developed for both Lower and Upper Body. Included are the ranges for velocities if you are fortunate to be in a position to utilize some form of velocity monitoring:
Canterbury Contrast Complex (Lower Body)
- Week One: 4 x 6 at 1.0+ metres per sec
- Week Two: 4 x 4 at 0.8 – 1.0 metres per sec
- Week Three: 4 x 2 at 0.6 – 0.8 metres per sec
| Option One | Option Two |
| 1a: Band Box Squat Wk1 - 40% + 25% Bands Wk2 - 50% + 25% Bands Wk3 - 60% + 25% Bands | 2a: Power Clean or Pull Wk1 – 60% Wk2 – 70% Wk3 – 80% |
| 1b: Deadlift variations(Player Choice) | 2b: Squat variations(Player Choice) |
| 1c: Plyometrics Wk1- Repeat Hurdle Hops Wk2- Knees to One Foot Wk3- Single Leg Depth Jump to Split Landing | 2c: Plyometrics Wk1 – Borzov Hops Wk2 – Box Jumps Wk3 – Depth Jumps |
| 1d: Unilaterals Wk1 – Sprinter’s Squat Wk2 – Banded Step Up Wk3 – DB Clean to Split Landing | 2d: Unilaterals Wk1 – Single Leg Back Extension Wk2 – Landmine RDL Wk3 – Band Resisted Sprint (10 metres) |
Canterbury Contrast Complex (Upper Body)
Week One: 4 x 6 at 1.0+ metres per second
Week Two: 4 x 4 at 0.8 – 1.0 metres per second
Week Three: 4 x 2 at 0.6 – 0.8 metres per second
| Option One | Option Two |
| 1a: Band or Chain Bench Press Wk1 - 40% + 25% Bands/Chain Wk2 - 50% + 25% Bands/Chain Wk3 - 60% + 25% Bands/Chain | 2a: Push Press Wk1 – 60% Wk2 – 70% Wk3 – 80% |
| 1b: Military Press | 2b: Bench Press |
| 1c: PlyometricsWk1 – Med Ball Drops Wk2-Clap Push Ups Wk3-Upper Body Depth Jumps | 2c: Plyometrics Wk1 – Kneeling Med Ball Push to Wall Wk2- Med Ball Cross Over Pushups Wk3-Feet Elevated Plyo Push Ups |
| 1d: Unilaterals One Arm DB Incline Bench Press | 2d: Unilaterals One Arm KB Savickas Press |
+ 1 x Upper Body Horizontal Pull and 1 x Upper Body Vertical Pull, these can be both bilateral movements or you could also alternate a bilateral and a unilateral on each training session. The sets and reps over a 3-week load for these movements are:
Wk 1: 12, 10, 8, 8 Wk 2: 10, 8, 6, 6 Wk 3: 8, 6, 4, 4
You can see from the tables above that there are significant differences in this new programming style. Rather than a secondary plyometric exercise, I have used a secondary strength exercise, using a unilateral performance to ensure balance and control between limbs.
If you wish to change up the C element of the above tables, I have compiled a list of options that you can choose from in the table below as a means of tailoring the specific movements to your needs and training experience:
Lower Body
| Level/Weeks | Option One | Option Two | Option Three |
| 1(Easy) | Repeat Hurdle Hops | Seated Box Jumps with Feet Stamp | Band Assisted Vertical or Horizontal Jumps |
| 2(Medium) | Kneeling Start to One Foot Landing | Knees to Feet Jump for Height | Borzov Hops |
| 3(Hard) | Single Leg Depth Jump to Split Landing | Depth Jump + Vertical or Horizontal Jump | Repeat High Hurdle Jumps |
Upper Body
| Level/Weeks | Option One | Option Two | Option Three |
| 1(Easy) | Med Ball Drops With Partner | Kneeling Med Ball Push to Wall | Band Assisted Plyo Push-ups |
| 2(Medium) | Clap Push Ups | Med Ball CrossoverPush-ups | Box Jump Push-ups |
| 3(Hard) | Upper Body Depth Jumps | Wheelbarrow Arm Jumps | Feet Elevated Plyo Push Ups |
The above two programs make up the emphasis on the first two training days for the week on a normal 7-day turnaround. For those players chasing other aspects of performance, they would limit the number of complexes to two rather than three or four and then perform the following based on specific needs.
Metabolic(Circuits)
My two favorites are:
Beastly: Deadlift/Hang Clean/Push Press/Front Squat/Bent Over Row/RDL for six reps on each movement, same weight continuous, then the option of the following after each circuit: 2km Watt Bike, 750m Row, 500m Ski Erg or 100m Loaded Carry variation, 6 times through
Canterbury: 40 m Sandbag Carry(or other Loaded Carry option)/250m Row/DB Hang Clean/Hand Release Pushups/Gorilla Row/See Saw Shoulder Press/KB Swing, ten reps on each 5 times through the full circuit
Upper Body and/or Lower Body Size
Upper Body Size Complexes
Pectoral Complex
Triple Drop DB Bench Press 45°, 30°, 15° 3 x 5 at each angle no rest, wk1: 3 x 5/5/5, wk2: 4 x 4/4/4, wk3: 5 x 3/3/3 s/s Feet Elevated Push Ups to concentric failure, increase height of feet if you can do 10+ push-ups
Delts Complex
KB Single Arm Savickas Press/Lu Raise/Seated Plate Raise to Overhead position/Banded Victory Raise
3 x 12 on each with zero rest in between exercises and 60-90 seconds rest between complexes
Upper Back Complex
Seated KB Shrugs (slight lean forward, shrug straight up)/Seated Long Cable Row/Close Grip Pulldowns to Chest/Banded Face Pulls
3 x 12 on each with zero rest in between exercises and 60-90 seconds rest between complexes
Arms
Triceps: Low Incline DB Tate Press 3x12 s/s Dips 3xmax
Biceps: Matrix EZ Bar Curls 3x (5 full/5 top half/5 bottom half/5 full) s/s Chins 3xmax
Wk1: 3 sets Wk2: 4 sets Wk3: 5 sets
Lower Body Size Complexes
Quad Dominant
Leg Extension/Leg Press/Slant Board Goblet Squat
3 x 12 reps, / means no rest between exercises, 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down. Do not let the weights touch on the Leg Extension. Do not lock the knees on the Leg Press or Goblet Squat,
Hamstring Dominant
Seated Leg Curl/Reverse Hyper®/Harrop Curls
3 x 12 reps, / means no rest between exercises, 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down. Do not let the weights touch on the Leg Curl.
Wk1: 3 sets Wk2: 4 sets Wk3: 5 sets
Also, the players in this category could utilize any of the following sessions for hypertrophy:
6 – 12 – 25 Finishers
Chest:
DB 45° Incline Bench Press/Earthquake Bar Bench Press/Push Ups
Shoulders:
Savickas Press/DB Lateral Raises/Band Victory Raise
Back:
Pendlay Row/DB 45° Incline Row/Horizontal Chins
Triceps:
Weighted Dips/DB Low Incline Tate Press/Triceps Death
Biceps:
Weighted Chins/Seated DB Hammer Curls/Biceps Death
Quads:
Front Squat/Leg Extension/Slant Board KB Goblet Squat
Hamstrings:
Romanian Deadlift/Seated Leg Curl/Band Good Morning
Wk1: 2 sets Wk2: 3 sets Wk 3: 4 sets
Injury Prevention
All players need to complete a CARE program either as a warm-up (movement preparation), during ring rest periods, or at the end of the main program. The key areas for the upper and lower body are listed below, and players will have many options to utilize. I would encourage them to use as many as possible to ensure these key areas are targeted from different angles and with different types of contraction (isometric, concentric, and eccentric). This will ensure full development and optimized injury prevention.
Upper Body
| Neck | Thoracic/Scapular/Traps | Rotator Cuff | Unloaded Core | Grip and Elbow Integrity |
Lower Body
| Groin/Hips | Knee | Hamstring | Loaded Carry Loaded Core | Ankle/Foot |
Sets and reps would be for a 3-week loading cycle: Wk 1: 2 x 12, Wk 2: 2 x 10, Wk 3: 2 x 8
If a player is not selected to play on the weekend, then we have an excellent chance to repeat the above loading cycle with different movements on the Thursday and Friday of the week. If a player is selected to play, then the emphasis turns towards a power-based program such as the one below:
Thursday
(Game Day-2)
Explosive Pull, Push and Squat
With the option of Contrast Plyometrics
Week One: 3 x 6 at 1.0+ metres per second
Week Two: 3 x 4 at 0.8 – 1.0 metres per second
Week Three: 3 x 2 at 0.6 – 0.8 metres per second
Final Thoughts
This program is shorter in nature to optimize recovery and player readiness. Coaches should also listen to player needs on this day. As some prefer options of either Lower Body power or Upper body size and strength, which can be easily accommodated by utilizing the options from earlier in the training week. The focus of this session is always preparation to play, which is both physiological and psychological in nature and specific to the player's needs to optimize game day readiness and well-being.
Ashley Jones has worked in three professional sports across 30 years and four continents. He was awarded the NSCA's Professional Coach of the Year in 2016. Ashley holds his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) since 1988. Ashley is an honorary lecturer in the School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA.
Design strength and power programs targeting both hypertrophy and metabolic goals. Includes comprehensive lower and upper body workouts, plyometrics, and a 3-week progressive cycle.
In this episode of Table Talk, we sit down with Dave Lee, a health coach specializing in neuroendocrinology, to dive deep into the connection between hormones, mental health, and personal transformation. We tackle the misconceptions around SSRIs, the dopamine-serotonin balance, and how environmental factors may be silently sabotaging men’s health. This conversation isn’t just about testosterone—it’s about reclaiming control, building resilience, and understanding the architecture of our brains. Whether you're battling mental health challenges or looking to optimize your performance, this episode cuts through the noise and gets real about what it takes to thrive.
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
AG1
AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You'll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2, and (5) free travel packs in your first box.
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
This conversation isn’t just about testosterone—it’s about reclaiming control, building resilience, and understanding the architecture of our brains.
Welcome Alex Bromley back to the show for this 331st episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Alex Bromley started strongman in 2006 at 19 years old and has since been in over 50 shows. His best finishes include 5th at World's Strongest Man 105kg in 2019 and 6th at America's Strongest Man 105kg in 2021. His YouTube channel focuses on general strength training culture and pulls from 15+ years of training, coaching, and competing. Alex has several self-published books on programming, including Base Strength, Peak Strength, and Superior Deadlift.
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
AG1
AG1 is offering new subscribers a FREE $76 gift when you sign up. You'll get a Welcome Kit, a bottle of D3K2, and (5) free travel packs in your first box.
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
Alex returns to the platform after a break as a new dad. Learn how to stay flexible and pivot when life changes as it inevitably will.
Editor's Note: This article is aimed at coaches, but the advice is the same for serious lifters. Just replace the coach/client interactions below with yourself, and you'll find this article just as informative.
Most coaches or trainers I know who have long been in this industry will frequently harp on nailing "the basics." In training terms, the basics usually refer to fundamental exercises or movements everyone should be able to do to see the greatest benefits from exercise.
Of course, you've seen them all before: squats, deadlifts, bench presses, etc. No one will deny the importance of implementing the basics, and I agree that every person should at least understand fundamental movement patterns.
However, the basics don't cover everything. Thus, for coaches, it's essential that you step up your understanding of movement so you know how to tweak the basics or change your approach altogether.
But First, A Story
Earlier this week, as I was waiting for my client to walk in, a few trainers and weekend warriors at my local gym were discussing programming and exercise selection. I always enjoy these conversations, mostly because I'm opinionated and a contrarian.
The conversation was about programming essentials, and squatting came up. So naturally, when it was my turn to throw my two cents in, I said, "I don't think everyone needs to squat," but before I could finish my thoughts, my client walked in, so I walked away.
They looked perplexed by my statement and then discussed why I was wrong. I would have been on their side ten years ago, but I know better, having trained for over fifteen years and learned from coaches worldwide.
It's not that I'm more intelligent or a better coach; it's that I know there's more to movement and exercise than what meets the eye.
Context Is Key
Justin Kavanaugh (aka Coach Kav, the world-renowned coach of athletes like Yohan Blake and many others) is a good friend of mine. He's part of the reason I opened Motive Training, but I digress. In our business and fitness circle, Kav is notorious for saying, "Context is key," and he's right.
You see, without context, we can make a movement universal to everyone. Conversely, without context, we should not make movement universal to everyone.
Take squats, for example. Squats are often hailed as one of the "king" movements in strength training because they recruit a large number of muscle groups and offer an excellent return on investment in strength and hypertrophy. But does that mean everyone should squat? Not necessarily.
Here's where context becomes crucial. If you're working with a powerlifter aiming to maximize their squat for competition, the answer is a resounding yes—they should squat, and they should squat often. But what about your middle-aged desk worker with chronic lower back pain and mobility restrictions? A heavy barbell squat may not be the best tool in their toolkit at this point in their training journey. Most coaches worth their weight would adjust their programming to include other squat like goblet squats, leg presses, etc. But that's not enough, and you'll see why.
As a coach, your job isn't just to follow a cookie-cutter program because it works for most people. It's to understand your client's needs, goals, mobility restrictions, biomechanics, etc. If you can do that well, you’ll be better off than 99% of coaches out there.
Joint Function Matters Most
When we understand joint function, programming becomes more than just a selection of exercises. It becomes a blueprint for addressing limitations and optimizing strengths. If someone lacks shoulder mobility, maybe the traditional overhead press isn't their best option right away. Instead, you might have them work on improving thoracic spine mobility or shoulder flexion.
All your joints function differently; some are more mobile, some are more rotational, and some are inherently stiffer (e.g., the upper ribs). Even then, individual anatomy and bone structure differences will often dictate how someone moves. For example, hip structure varies widely from person to person. Some people may have deeper hip sockets, limiting their range of motion in movements like the squat or lunge. In this case, simply pushing them to "go lower" isn't helpful and can even lead to pain or injuries. Instead, a better coach will adjust the stance, use variations like box squats or Bulgarian split squats, and work on improving hip mobility over time to allow for safer, more effective movement.
The best coach already knows they will run into this issue because they did their due diligence during the assessment process. And they will work on it before introducing their clients to "the basics."
This article is not a sales pitch for doing Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), which the guys at Westside are using more and more. However, FRC has one of the more thorough assessment protocols out there that will give you the roadmap to a better training program. Regardless, if you want to move past the basics, you need a better assessment process first.
The Basics Are Not an Endpoint
Now, don't get me wrong. The basics should never be dismissed entirely. But they also shouldn't be treated as the ultimate destination. Think of them as foundational tools in a training arsenal. However, true mastery comes when we dig deeper into how individuals move—specifically, how their joints work (or don't). This is where you can profoundly shift someone's performance and injury prevention.
Let's return to the squat example briefly. Yes, it's a foundational movement, but the key is understanding how each person's spine, hips, knees, and ankles function within that movement. Not everyone has the same joint structure or mobility, so expecting universal results from universal programming is misguided.
For instance, you may have a client with limited ankle dorsiflexion, which prevents them from achieving proper depth in a squat. No amount of "back to basics" will solve this unless you address the ankle restriction directly. This is where the concept of joint-by-joint coaching becomes essential. You need to assess how each joint contributes—or hinders—the movement. From there, you can tailor the exercise to fit the client's unique structure through mobility drills, corrective exercises, or entirely different movements.
I can't get into how you address each joint to improve movement outcomes; otherwise, this article would be an encyclopedia. Ultimately, I want to convey that the goal isn't to force everyone to fit the mold of "proper" squatting but to adjust the programming based on what their body can do now and then work toward improvement.
The Bigger Picture
When I say, "The basics work until they don't," I am talking about the point at which coaching or programming has to become more personalized. Most people work their way backward, which is a mistake. They teach clients to squat, run into barriers, and then have to address limitations or issues down the line. It's a backward way of thinking, and it could be prevented.
I had the luxury of working with Adam Bornstein, who runs a company called Born Fitness. You may not have heard of him before, but you definitely know one of his biggest clients, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Adam used to say, "Ask questions, then ask better ones." If you repeat that process repeatedly, you'll realize you've been following misguided advice all along.
- How are your client's joints functioning?
- Are there compensations in their movement patterns?
- Do they have aches or pains through multiple parts of a joint's range of motion?
Start your process with a more thorough understanding of your client’s needs and limitations, and watch your success as a coach explode.
The Key Takeaways
- Assess Joint Function Early: Before diving into training, assess joint function thoroughly to understand your client’s (or your own) mobility and any limitations. This helps tailor exercise selection effectively and prevents future setbacks. Think of it as building a solid foundation before piling on weight. I’ll share more specific techniques in future elitefts articles to help guide a better coaching and training process.
- Mobility Before Loading: Once you've identified limitations, address them through targeted mobility drills and corrective work. This is about fixing weak links first, so when you do load up, your joints are ready for it.
- Modify The Basics To Fit The Individual: Foundational movements like squats and deadlifts are great but aren't always one-size-fits-all. Tailor these to the client’s unique needs—use variations or regressions when needed to maintain proper movement without sacrificing safety or performance.
- Avoid Cookie-Cutter Programs: Individualized programming is essential. Don’t force everyone into the same exercises or progressions. Adjust based on biomechanics, limitations, and goals. This personalization prevents injury and burnout while optimizing performance.
- Reassess Regularly: Joint function and mobility can change. What was once a limitation might no longer be one. Continually reassess and adjust programming to reflect improvements. This keeps training challenging, adaptive, and effective, ensuring ongoing progress.
- Do More With Less: Instead of focusing on endlessly adding more weight or reps, prioritize the quality of movement. Nail the basics with impeccable form and pain-free range of motion. Once the fundamentals are optimized, strength and performance gains will naturally follow.
The basics are valuable, but real progress comes when you understand the intricacies of joint mechanics and adapt exercises to individual movement patterns. Elite coaching is about giving your clients (or yourself) the tools to move, perform, and feel better—in the long run.
How can you not get down with that?
Brian Murray spent the last fifteen years fine-tuning his skills as a coach and movement specialist to help people move and feel better than ever before. He has worked with and learned from some of the industry's most revered coaches and personal trainers. He has held multiple certifications through Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), Precision Nutrition (Pn2), WeckMethod, and many more. In 2018, Brian founded Motive Training, a personal training organization that teaches clients how to move with purpose, ensuring they have a well-rounded, functional body. You can find Motive Training headquartered in Austin, TX, or online.
While the basics of strength training like squats and deadlifts are important, they aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Read more on why the basics work until they don’t.
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Welcome Menno Henselmans to THIS episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Menno Henselmans is a renowned fitness expert and founder of the Henselmans Personal Training Certification Program. He serves as a reviewer for Cambridge University's ReachSci Society Mini-PhD Program 2023 and is a board member for the Institute of Nutrition and Fitness Sciences in India and FitZonderFabels in the Netherlands. His book, "The Science of Self-control," is an Amazon best-seller in Applied Psychology. Menno has a BSc magna cum laude and an MSc with distinction, and his work has been featured in top publications like Men's Health and The Sunday Times. A former business consultant, he now focuses on providing scientific and data-driven fitness education online. Additionally, Menno is an international public speaker and enjoys traveling the world in search of nature and sushi.
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ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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There are two things I have felt increased conviction about the more years I have spent under the barbell:
- The longer you train, the less you can continue hammering the exact same lifts each week, and expect to keep hitting PRs (and stay healthy).
- The SS Yoke Bar is one of the best tools for building the squat and the deadlift for many lifters.
Over the years, I have leaned more and more into using the SS Yoke Bar as my primary squat bar for a few reasons: It does not put as much pressure on my shoulders/pecs, it allows me to focus on weak points in my squat with less weight on the bar, and the movement pattern when done correctly carries over to my deadlift. Make it a pause SS Yoke Bar squat? And your next deadlift PR has its days numbered.
There are a couple of caveats to this. I am not currently training for a meet. If I were, I would either rotate in straight bar squats every few weeks or do this as more of an off-season program and plan a specific block pre-meet. I also use the conventional deadlift, and I think this program tends to benefit that deadlift best, but it certainly can help with the sumo deadlift.
This program is purposely designed to be slightly different regarding how volume and intensity are waved. Every program builds on the success of the previous one, and this program is purposefully less conventional in its approach to locating and addressing weaknesses that may be holding back your deadlift.
Okay, enough pre-amble. Let’s get to the good stuff.
The Big Picture
We will build speed and muscular endurance via the pause squats in a fashion modeled around the dynamic effort method. We will then reduce sets and reps while increasing weight and rest periods. In the second block, we will add speed pulls following SS Yoke Bar squats and slightly rebuild the volume. As the program continues, your conditioning, mental strength, and (non-injury) pain tolerance will be pushed (I hope your lower back is ready for a good pump). This will prepare you for a good deload before testing your 1RM on the deadlift. As with any training program, the goal is to accumulate fatigue and super compensate with progress. There will be weeks when you feel weaker or slower than others. Stick with the program and be patient.
As a refresher for the RPE scale
Source: Stronger by Science.
Lower Body Warm-Up
This is tailored to the individual, but I love Joe DeFranco’s Agile 8 warm-up. It is quick and effective.
Squat Pauses: “1-1-thousand” then up
Squat Depth: To get the most out of this program, specifically for deadlifts, the squats must be as deep as safely possible. If you are not used to squatting with the SS Yoke Bar or squatting deep with a pause, I highly recommend taking four to eight weeks and doing some light volume work to build up before starting this program. Adductor strength will be crucial as well.
Here's a squat example of one of my training days.
Other Training Days: There is a (metaphorical) push and pull to every program. I highly recommend leaving some extra in the tank on your other training days and focusing on recovery so you can really push hard on this program mentally and physically. Do not fall into the trap of trying to go all-out, making your squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press, bicep size, etc.) all at the same time. You can include those things, but keep the dials turned a little further down as you turn the dial on this program up.
Frequency: For the past few years, I have been training in a frequency where each micro-cycle (training week) is not an actual seven days but on a rotation that ends up landing the days below every 4-5 days. This has worked well for me, but everyone needs to find what is best for them. If you do a typical 4-day/week program with two upper and two lower days, I would use the program below for your main lower day and then make light recovery-based assistance work, abs, and light conditioning on your other lower day).
Block 1 - Week 1
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x15 (these should have a full range of motion and a light stretch between sets. This will prepare you for squats).
- SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 6) (1 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 4x12 (this is for decompression and recovery following SSB squats)
- Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 1 - Week 2
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x12
- SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 6.5) (1 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 4x12
- Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 1 - Week 3
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x10
- SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 7) (1 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers: 4x12
- Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 1 - Week 4
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 4x8
- SSB Pause Squat: 8x3 (RPE 7.5) (1 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers: 4x12
- Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 3 trips of 16 steps
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 2 - Week 5
- Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x15
- SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 7) (1:30 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~65% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 2 - Week 6
- Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x12
- SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 7.5) (1:30 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~70% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)
Deadlift example from one of my training days.
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 2 - Week 7
- Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x10
- SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 8) (2 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~75% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 2 - Week 8
- Seated Hamstring Curls: 3x10
- SSB Pause Squat: 6x2 (RPE 9) (2 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 5x1 (~75% of 1RM. Needs to move fast in all sets.) (1 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Seated Leg Extensions: 3x15 (light, focus on pump)
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 3 - Week 9
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
- SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 7) (2 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~80% of 1RM) (1:15 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 3 - Week 10
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
- SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 7.5) (2 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~83% of 1RM) (1:15 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 3 - Week 11
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
- SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 8) (2:30 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~86% of 1RM) (1:15 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Block 3 - Week 12
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12
- SSB Pause Squat: 5x4 (RPE 8.5) (2:30 min rest)
- Deadlift (speed/technique focus): 6x1 (~90% of 1RM) (1:30 min rest)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x15
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Deload - Week 13
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x15 (light/pump)
- If available: Reverse Hypers®: 3x20
- Walking Lunges (slow/controlled): 2 trips of 16 steps
- Hanging Leg Raises: 3xAMRAP (RPE 8)
Test Day - Week 14
- Lying Hamstring Curls: 3x12 (light)
- SSB Pause Squat: Warm-Up sets and then three singles light and fast
- Deadlift: First two sets of 5 reps, then singles going forward. No bigger than 10% jumps after 70% of 1RM. Longer rest periods (4-7 mins), the longer end of the range near heavier singles.
Joe has competed in raw and equipped powerlifting as well as strongman, with an elite total in the 220-lb weight class. He has his master's degree in exercise physiology and for 10 years oversaw fitness & wellness programs at multiple Universities. Joe currently works for The City Mission, a non-profit that provides comprehensive support services to people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland, OH. He can be reached at joeschillero@gmail.com.
Who knew SS Yoke Bar Squats carry over to deadlift PRs. Try this 12-week program NOW to BOOST your deadlift!
Crew Members Zac Marstiller, Rodney Woodward, and Jared Simmons, all esteemed members of the elitefts Discord community, recently united at elitefts for the latest crew retreat event, bringing together their diverse experiences and insights from the strength sports world.
Zac Marstiller has been an active member of the strength community across the US for nearly a decade, inspired by his father's long tenure with Westside Barbell. He has developed a nurturing environment at his gym, focusing on mentoring young athletes and fostering a culture of camaraderie and self-improvement through powerlifting.
Rodney Woodward, originating from northern Virginia, transitioned from football to bodybuilding before finding his calling in powerlifting in 2009. Training at CVA Barbell, Rodney has reached impressive milestones with a 1140 lb squat, 953 lb bench press, and 782 lb deadlift, totaling 2799 lbs. His journey emphasizes a commitment to strength that extends beyond competition.
Jared Simmons, a 44-year-old father of two, began competitive powerlifting in 2018 through raw conjugate training. He is the founder of The Platform, a nonprofit that supports adaptive strength athletes, and owns Platform Ready Powerlifting. As a Modus network coach, Jared dedicates his efforts to the community that has supported his growth in strength sports.
Together, they shared their experiences and insights on Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast, enriching the powerlifting and strength sports community with their knowledge and dedication.
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ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
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A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
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It’s not all butterflies and waterfalls. Welcome to the dark side of powerlifting!
It is not the muscles you might think you need to train harder to improve your overhead press.
I was invited to answer questions about the events at Sweden's Strongest Man. One question was, “What block in the log press will fail the most?" In other words, “Where is the biggest weakness in the log press?”
Muscles in the upper back will be the weakest point in an average athlete.
Why Your Upper Back is the Weak Link
The weight will easily fall in a log lift if you are not strong enough in your upper back. If you can not squeeze your shoulders, they fall forward, and if you are able to press the log over your head, you have to compensate and lean back in your upper body to execute the press movement more like a standing bench press.
What you see, on the other hand, is that you can not push your triceps to lock out the movement of the log over your head. In strongman movements, a significant amount of muscle engagement is always involved. However, to effectively push the weight forward or drag it towards you, proper weight distribution across all movement complexes is essential. Remember that movement energy is like water; it will always seek the easiest way out. If there is a weak link in your muscle chain, that is what causes your failure. I think getting stronger is about covering these leaks of movement energy and developing a solid movement pattern.
Unlocking Your Overhead Press
It is a good idea to focus on the static movement at the end of the exercise to better approach your upper-back exercises. Train the muscles to get stronger in the isometric and quasi-isometric movement. Keep the muscles tensed to build strength enough NOT to MOVE while you move the main muscles that execute the desirable movement, like the lockout with the log or barbell you want to do. The press is not the only thing; you need the same function in the upper back during squats and deadlifts, but let's focus on the press overhead in this article.
During the competition, I met Zydrunas Savickas—a monster when it comes to log lifts and a pro strongman. The Savickas Press is one of his favorite exercises for building more strength for overhead press.
Perform the Savickas Press by sitting on the floor with straight legs and pressing the bar overhead. If you have never tried it, do it during your next gym session. It puts a lot of pressure on your upper back and also forces your abs to work like hell.
Stiffness in your scapulae can also cause bad movement, negatively impacting your overhead press. If you do not have mobility in your scapulae, you will be restricted in the movement of the shoulder, and it is harder to press overhead. It can restrict movement, leading to poor muscle chain and bad movement, leaking out all the movement energy. Secondly, it can hinder you from building pure strength in your upper back.
How to Fix Your Overhead Press Recap
- Get stronger in your upper back.
- Get rid of stiffness in scapulae/shoulders.
- Incorporate the Savickas Press in your training.
- Get strong abs.
- Train hard as f@ck.
More Resources:
- Unlocking Your Muscle Chain
- Stay Focused and Watch Your Back
- Do You Want to Increase Your Overhead Strength?
Stefan Waltersson has been a personal trainer for more than 20 years. He is Westside Barbell certified as a special strength coach. He was also educated and trained by Professor Boris Sheiko, who also wrote the preface for Stefan's book Advanced Strength Training—Book of Principles. Stefan works as an author, lecturer, and strength coach and runs a gym in Sweden. Previously, he worked as a nurse assistant in healthcare, with neurology as his main focus. You can also find him on Instagram as @coach_waltersson.
Address your weak points: upper back, scapula mobility, and core strength. Read more!
Welcome Paul and Olivia Oneid to this episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Paul Oneid is the founder and head coach at Master Athletic Performance. Paul is a coach, educator, mentor, and athlete with a mission to elevate online coaching standards. He holds Master's degrees in Exercise Science and Sports Management and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Exercise Physiologist, and Olympic Weightlifting Coach. With 18 years of experience, Paul has coached athletes from youth to professional levels.
Instagram: @pauloneid
Olivia Oneid is an IFBB Wellness Pro and Canadian record holder in squat and deadlift (75kg class), ranked 13th in Canada. Olivia has an Honors BSc in Kinesiology, a diploma in Health & Fitness, is an NCI L2 Nutrition Coach & Hormone Specialist, and holds a female bodybuilding certification.
Instagram: @oliviaxoneid
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
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All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
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As competitors, coaches, and business owners, this power couple hold the mindset of champions. Learn more!
If I had a dime for every time I have been asked what my favorite exercises are, I would be driving an Urus instead of my M5. The question gets thrown around a lot, but how someone feels and responds to a specific exercise is individual. This is exactly why I do not like to program training plans with specific exercises for my clients. I prefer to give a list of exercises for the client to choose based on the area of the muscle they are trying to target.
Some exercises look great on paper but do not feel right when applied. If you are doing an exercise with the proper mechanics and you do not feel that exercise is targeting the specific area of the muscle you are training, do not use that exercise. I do not care if that exercise is touted as the king of all exercises; if it does not feel like it is destroying the muscle you are training, shelf it.
Muscle Group Exercises
I am a big fan of using a lot of variety for exercises, and I recommend my clients change up their exercises (or at least the sequence of the exercises) from workout to workout. This approach also helps the relatively new trainee to get a feel for those exercises that work well for them and those that don't.
Below, I will list my favorite exercise for each muscle group. Remember that you might not have the same choices, and that's fine. Again, what works well for me may not work well for you. These exercises destroy the targeted muscle (for me), and at the same time, there is not a significant risk of vulnerability. I have trained for over 40 years, so as much as I want an exercise to be effective, I also want a low-risk factor.
Chest
Wide-Angle Decline Hammer Strength Press
There is a wide-angle and a regular-angle Hammer Strength press. I do not like the regular version, but I love the wide-angle version with grips as wide as the handles allow. I set the seat to the lowest point (even though I'm only 5'9"), and this wide grip won't allow the elbows to tuck. Then, I go from full stretch to a hold at the top of each rep.
Back
Low-Row Hammer Strength
This piece isn't as common as most other Hammer Strength back pieces. There is only one in or around my city, so I train at one specific gym for back sessions (I have several different gym memberships). I also prefer to alternate my reps by doing one rep on the left and one rep on the right, and then I repeat this left/right sequence for the entire set. This exercise targets the middle back and rhomboids, and no one can ever have enough upper and middle-back thickness.
Honorable Mention goes to dumbbell pullovers. I think this exercise is grossly underrated for back development. If anyone tells you this is a chest exercise, please ignore them. There is some pec involvement, but it's minor (you see what I did there?).
Shoulders
Standing or Seated Overhead Press Behind Neck
This movement is predominantly a side delt movement. I know that flies in the face of what some people will tell you, and I am certain that someone will argue this with me in the comment section, but I stand firm on this. The bar should not be forced into an uncomfortable range of motion, either. Not everyone has the flexibility to do this exercise, so warm up thoroughly and only take the bar down to roughly what would be eye or nose level. If your Smith machine is angled, be sure to face the correct way so that the bar finishes further behind you than at the bottom of the movement. This exercise is meant to be a full-lock or full-extension exercise. Stay away from partials where you might leave the top ¼ of the rep undone. You want full lockout on every rep.
Legs
Belt Squats
I am done with regular squatting. As much as I would love to continue to squat, it's too much of a risk these days after having chronic lower back issues for years. I have been injury-free for over nine years, and I refuse to risk another herniated disc. The belt squat offers a squat version that is more quad-dominant and minimizes the load and pressure put on my lower back.
Honorable Mention goes to pendulum squats. Pendulum squats are my favorite quad-dominant movement for legs, but my rule was to pick one for each muscle group, so I stand by the belt squat for this. Pendulum squats are a very close second, though.
Seated Leg Curl vs. Lying Leg Curl
If I had been asked this question a few years ago, I may have responded that my favorite hamstring exercise would be seated leg curls. However, I chose the lying version today because I honestly believe that my hamstring development has suffered a little bit due to rarely doing lying leg curls since 2020. For that reason, I have gone back to making lying leg curls a priority, and I have already seen an obvious difference.
Donkey Calf Raises
I used to prefer to do these old-school with my fat wife on my back. Now that she is no longer fat, I rely on the donkey-calf machine. I doubt there is a better calf machine ever made than the donkey calf raise.
Lying Leg Raise/Crunch Combo
These days, I have a pretty good set of abs; All I need to do is get lean, and the abs are poppin'. However, because of my past issues with my lower back, it is important to me to focus on what I consider a compound movement for my abs versus doing endless sets of a crunch movement. The visual appeal of well-developed abs is important, but equally important is having a strong network of muscles in the torso that will help to stabilize the hips and lower back while doing heavy squatting, bent-over rowing, or even deads.
My Final Advice
I will repeat that my list of exercises is based entirely on how I respond to specific movements. Your list of exercises might be completely different than mine. And just because you might shelf an exercise that you don't feel works well for you, it would be illogical to not come back to those movements in a couple of years and see if you don't respond differently to those exercises at a later date. Your training will evolve over the years, and had I not revisited some old-school exercises, I would never have considered going back to those exercises—Just Sayin'.
Ken “Skip” Hill has been involved in the sport of bodybuilding for almost forty years and competing for over twenty years. Born and raised in Michigan, he spent 21 years calling Colorado home with his wife and their four children. Four years ago, he and his wife traded the mountains for the beach, relocating to South Florida. His primary focus is nutrition and supplementation, but he is called upon for his years of training experience, as well. He started doing online contest prep in 2001 and is considered one of the original contest prep guys when the bodybuilding message boards were still in their infancy. Skip’s track record with competitive bodybuilders is well-respected, and he also does sport-specific conditioning, including working with professional athletes.
These exercises destroy the targeted muscle (for me), and at the same time, there is not a significant risk of vulnerability.
The greatest thief of progress is time lost due to injuries. But if you want to be your best or THE best, you face injury risk as a byproduct of pushing yourself to and beyond your limits. Many champion powerlifters have sustained career threatening injuries, from Dave Tate, to Chris Duffin, to Layne Norton, and rebounded. Most experienced lifters have battled nagging or serious acute injuries along their journey. We also know the alternative (a passive sedentary drift into metabolic unhealth) presents far greater risk of pain and long term misery.
So What Creates Injury Risk And What Can We Do To Mitigate These Risks?
Strength training is safe. Humans are also profoundly resilient. Even in the event of joint issues we are great at “out functioning our structure”, a quote from Jordan Shallow, DC, meaning we are surprisingly good at living, moving, and loading despite joint issues.
Just take any cross section of the adult population, especially over 40, and scan for rotator cuff or lumbar spine issues. You’ll find a significant number of deformations or degeneration without symptoms. Many people will show disc bulges or herniations without ever realizing there was a problem. Many people have partial thickness tears of their rotator cuff yet experience little to no pain or loss of overhead mobility. Strong muscles around injured joints often lets us live with minimal problems. Even people with mobility issues and pain still manage to work around it and thrive.
Injury risk is quantified in injuries per 1000 hours of participation. Most of these injuries aren’t full thickness pec, achilles, or ACL ruptures. These statistics include minor sprains and strains that are often easily trained around and recover in a few weeks.
Injury rates for:
- Powerlifting ranged from 1 to 4.4 per 1000 hours of training.
- Bodybuilding ranged from 0.24 to 1 per 1000 hours.
- CrossFit showed around 4.2 per 1000 hours.
- Olympic weightlifting showed around 3.2 per 1000 hours.
Powerlifting and bodybuilding are good proxies for the injury rates for recreational strength training enthusiasts.
For comparison, injury rates in other sports usually clock in higher, especially in competition:
- Soccer(males) ranged from 3.2 to 3.7 per 1000 hours in training, and ranged from 17.5 to 36 per 1000 hours in matches, with professional players on the higher end of injury rates.
- Running ranged from 17.8 to 59 injuries per 1000 hours, with marathon runners on the higher end, novice runners in the middle, and recreational runners on the lower end.
Despite higher injury rates than strength training, recreational running is extremely safe. Comparatively, strength training is one of the safest types of physical activity available to us, especially weighed against its profound benefits to metabolic and mental health. The improved muscle mass, motor control, bone mineral density, and balance from a life of resistance training decreases risk of serious injury or death from falls and other significant impacts.
The Stuff We CAN'T Control
1) Genetics
You can’t pick your parents. And you can’t change your limb length, femur to torso ratio, or tendon insertions. You can’t control if you have hereditary degenerative lumbar issues or a predisposition to Parkinson’s disease. You might win this lottery and be nearly indestructible. In fact we often fail to consider that a lot of success in strength sports, bodybuilding, and life is pure survivorship bias. We see the behaviors that led to success, but we don’t see the “bodies” who did it all right but got hurt along the way.
The only path forward is to use smart training and recovery principles and maximize our strength and resilience against any genetic risk factors.
2) Blind Luck
Every time you get in your car, there’s a tiny chance you’ll be t-boned by a drunk or distracted driver. But we don’t stay at home and hide from the world to avoid this risk. It’s no different in the gym. Every time we get under a barbell there’s a risk you’ll get hurt, but we accept this risk because we know the rewards are orders of magnitude greater.
3) Age
No amount of biohacking will prevent years from piling on. The creepy guys on Instagram in their late 50’s claiming to look like 20-year-olds are using filters and plastic surgery. Even then, they can’t filter their insides. And while we can do a lot to slow the progression of aging, we can’t halt it. As we age, we face some increase in injury risk.
We can continue to strength train to maintain muscle mass and bone mineral density. We can also include more training methods like hopping, sprinting, and explosive exercises to train these movement qualities that decline more rapidly with age. Hydration and protein intake also play major roles in maintaining tissue resilience as we age.
The Stuff We CAN Control
4) Load Management
Possibly the greatest lever we have for managing our injury risk is intelligent program design and load management. One of the greatest risks for injury is making too large increases in weight, volume, and intensity over too short a time window.
There’s a strong narrative and good evidence among the strength and conditioning and physical therapy community that there’s little relationship between “bad form” and injury risk.
Form definitely matters for optimizing leverage to move weight and for recruiting, and strengthening your target muscles, but when we see form break down, this is almost certainly a load management issue not a technique issue. There’s even a good argument that we should learn to tolerate variance in form for injury resilience. Any experienced powerlifter will tell you that you’ll see some degree of deviation from “perfect form” on maximal lifts.
“Excessive and rapid increases in training loads are likely responsible for a large proportion of non-contact, soft-tissue injuries. However, physically hard (and appropriate) training develops physical qualities, which in turn protects against injuries”, according to a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
“Load management” is the combination of the resistance trained against (usually weight), the intensity (how close to failure we train), and volume (duration/number of sets and reps). It also needs to factor in our total capacity to recover. If we see a large acute or chronic decrease in our capacity to recover, from poor sleep (more later on this), poor nutrition, or spikes in life stress, these can amplify the stress of the load of our training, even without significant increases in that load.
In order to manage your load effectively, it’s wise to track your training. Without tracking it’s hard to get a sense of the magnitude of your weight, volume, and intensity increases. This means not just tracking weight, sets, and reps, but also using a system for intensity. All systems for tracking intensity have their flaws, but whether you use RPE, RIR, or a percentage based system, you have data to compare against over time. Week-to-week acute increases in load matter, but acute increases against the average of your recent weeks of the load are more accurate.
Research points to increased injury risk when an acute jump in load is greater than 50% over the average of recent weeks of total load. Whether you auto-regulate or periodize your training, avoid large increases in load, intensity, and volume over short timeframes.
5) Sleep
Despite the rising obsession with recovery modalities, most people would be better served by first focusing on getting more sleep.
“The amount of sleep that consistently has been found to be associated with increased risk of injury is ≤7 h of sleep, which when sustained for periods of at least 14 days has been associated with 1.7 times greater risk of musculoskeletal injury,” according to a study in the Current Sports Medicine Reports.
Not only does chronic poor sleep increase injury risk, it almost certainly impairs optimal results for increased strength, muscle growth, and joint and bone health improvement, interfering with key parts of developing future injury resilience.
The everyday lifter would do well to set a non-negotiable boundary of around 8 hours of sleep opportunity, and high-level athletes probably need more.
Sleep opportunity (the window of time you give yourself to sleep) doesn’t guarantee quality sleep. This means being mindful of or trying some of the following:
- Avoid caffeine at least 8 hours before bed
- Limiting alcohol consumption
- Using blackout curtains
- Use a sleep mask
- Keeping your room temperature cool
- Get off blue light emitting devices at least 1 to 2 hours before bed
A word of caution. The more elaborate your sleep ritual, the more fragile you become. If you come to over-rely on your ritual, any disruption in your environment can stress you more and interfere with your sleep. This is especially important if you travel a lot.
6) Dehydration
Like sleep deprivation, dehydration is among the most important acute risk factors for injury and easily within our control. Simple attention to drinking more water addresses this risk. Coffee is fine, as its water volume offsets the diuretic effects of caffeine, while alcohol is not.
Dehydrated joint tissue, such as vertebral discs, may temporarily lose some of its resilience against external force and load. Dehydrated muscles lose capacity for force production. Dehydration may also slow healing and recovery from normal training. Persistent dehydration combined with high-intensity training may lead to a greater risk of chronic or acute injuries.
Maintain daily hydration where urine appears light yellow to clear. Darker yellow (or worse) indicates dehydration. It’s wise to increase water intake within a couple of hours of training, and drink fluids during training. If you’re engaged in longer duration training, especially if you 1) sweat a lot, 2) train in high heat environments, or 3) participate in endurance sports, consider an electrolyte drink vs just water to avoid risk of diluting your blood electrolytes to the point of a rare but potentially fatal condition called hyponatremia.
7) Previous Injury
“The best predictor of future injury is past injury.” Whether an indication of a pre-existing risk factor, an ongoing motor pattern issue that’s placing too much stress on a specific tissue, or the injured tissue never fully recovering, it’s wise to be mindful of past injuries.
Some strategies here include:
Assess motor patterns and joint position to see if the tissue is bearing more load than intended because another structure isn’t in good position or is just weak, leading to compensation. According to Jordan Shallow DC, “injury occurs when force exceeds tissue tolerance”. It’s wise to strengthen tissue but it’s more expedient to address and adjust the force acting on that tissue.
- Ongoing soft tissue work.
- More attention to warming up this tissue or joint before loading.
- Attention to good load management in your program to rehabilitate the injury.
- Good hydration.
8) Not Strength Training
Anyone reading this is probably already drinking the Kool-Aid, but we’re surrounded by a society in severe metabolic health decline. Every person in the medical system line for degenerative orthopedic issues is someone between you and your loved ones should any of you need those resources. No one is any more or less deserving, but wouldn’t it be a better world if everyone who can reduce their risk of bad orthopedic or metabolic health outcomes did everything within their power to reduce the likelihood of needing these services? Leaving better access for anyone battling genetic diseases beyond their control or who got hurt trying their best to live a strong and healthy life.
A 2014 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that “Strength training reduced sports injuries to less than 1/3 and overuse injuries could be almost halved.” Theoretically, we can extrapolate this to the general population. Stronger equals more resilient against injury.
Maybe our example gets more people in our world in the door of a gym. Maybe the next time you see a new and unsure member navigating their gym experience, you grant them a smile and a nod of approval, a slight gesture to say, “you belong here, I’m glad to see you”. Especially if you’re one of the biggest, strongest, scariest people in the gym.
What To Do In Case Of Injury?
Despite careful risk management, injuries happen. There’s a lot you can do to continue to recover faster and progress.
1) Don’t Fully Rest
General practitioners are skilled and caring physicians, but they’re not experts in musculoskeletal injuries. Often doctors are incentivized to tell you to rest as they minimize their exposure to liability in case you sustain further injury. Unless you’re immobilized with a hip or spine injury, find a way to do what you can.
If your doctor just tells you to rest, find a new doctor.
2) Find A Physical Therapist That Values And Understands Strength Training
Passive treatments like dry needling and manual therapy can help manage pain and temporarily improve mobility, both valuable for allowing appropriate strengthening during recovery. But a great PT will know how to guide you to rehab the injury with the right movement and load management.
Some of the best physical therapists who work with strength athletes are certified strength and conditioning coaches and themselves strength athletes. Find a doc that lifts.
If your physical therapist tells you to fully rest while only treating you with passive methods, find a new PT.
3) Train Other Body Parts
Bodybuilders have always used injuries as an excuse to focus training volume and recovery on weak body parts. Few injuries will prevent you from getting into a gym and training healthy joints and muscles.
Tear a hamstring? Smash arms, delts, chest, and back. You probably aren’t able to do bent over barbell rows, but seated row and pulldown machines are fair game.
Rupture a bicep? Pec flys are probably off the table but spend your time hammering triceps, hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves. Most chest and shoulder pressing should be fine too.
Staying in the gym is essential to preserving your metabolic and mental health, plus sustain the habit.
4) Train The Opposing Healthy Limb
Think you’ll end up with one shriveled arm in a cast and one disproportionally jacked arm if you train the healthy one? Instead, by training your healthy limb, you see the muscle thickness and strength of your injured limb maintained better than doing nothing at all. This neurological phenomenon is called cross-education and has been demonstrated in numerous studies.
Hammer away at single arm or leg exercises.
Immobilized leg? No problem. Do single leg hamstring curls, leg press, leg extensions, hip thrusts, and calf raises. You’ll bounce back better from injury.
Immobilized arm? Do single arm presses, rows, pulldowns, curls, and tricep extension variations.
5) Don’t Become Fearful of Movement
How many people quit the gym because they got hurt, only to fulfill the prophecy of long term weakness and health decline? Don't let an injury take you out of the healthiest long term activity we have at our disposal.
Even just being fearful of pain increases our experience of pain. We train our mind to expect it. We become tense and guarded. Sometimes this pain is inconsistent with the nature of the injury and can persist after the injury fully heals.
This is where the belief that bad form causes injury risk creates a problem. When people are fearful of even the slightest deviations from some arbitrary ideal of perfect form causing us to get hurt, we fear and shy away from movement. We become fragile-minded. The best path to recovery and resilience against future injury is to load appropriately and stay strong.
Find every reason and way to stay in the game. Manage everything within your control to minimize injury risk. When injuries arise, do everything you can to stay active and rehabilitate so lose minimal ground on your quest to stay strong for life.
Plus, who really wants to go into the ground as a pristine corpse? Accumulate scars and stories. Push your limits but in the smartest way possible. Get back up when you get knocked down and shout into the void, “Is that all you got?”
References
- Stromback, Aasa, et al, “Prevalence and Consequences of Injuries in Powerlifting: A Cross-Sectional Study,” Orthopedist J Sports Med, 2018
- Serafim et al, PMID 37046275, 2023
- Videbaek et al, PMID 25951917, 2015
- Lopez-Valenciano et al, PMID 31171515, 2020
- Gurau et al, PMID 37685638, 2023
- Gabbett, “The Training - Injury Prevention Paradox: Should Athletes Be Training Smarter And Harder?,” British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2016
- Huang, Ihm, “Sleep and Injury Risk,” Current Sports Medicine Reports, 2021
- Lauersen, Bertelsen, et al, “The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials” British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014
- Hendy, Lamon, “The Cross-Education Phenomenon: Brain and Beyond,” Front. Physiol, 2017
- Andrushko, et al., “Unilateral strength training leads to muscle-specific sparing effects during opposite homologous limb immobilization,” Journal of Applied Physiology, 2018
- Farthing, et al., “Strength training the free limb attenuates strength loss during unilateral immobilization,” Journal of Applied Physiology, 2009
Andrew Coates is a seasoned personal trainer and the owner of Andrew Coates Fitness in Edmonton, Alberta. With a Bachelor of Commerce from Memorial University of Newfoundland and over 23,000 coaching hours since starting his career in 2010, Andrew is deeply committed to the fitness industry. He writes for notable publications like T-Nation and Men’s Health, hosts 'The Lift Free and Diet Hard Podcast with Andrew Coates,' and speaks at various fitness and business conferences. Operating both out of Evolve Strength South and a home studio, Andrew focuses on coaching the general population, aiming to continue this impactful work into his later years. Follow his Instagram at @andrewcoatesfitness.
There is a natural risk when you push your body to its limits in strength training. While load management, sleep, and genetics all weigh in on injury risk, these strategies will help mitigate those risks so you can stay happy lifting.
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Welcome Nick Forte to episode 327th of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Nick Forte, 31, is a powerlifter, father, husband, Pennsylvania State Corrections Officer, and a man of God. At 275, his personal bests raw is a 2138.4 total with a 782.6 squat, 540 bench, and 821.2 deadlift. His best wrapped squat is 805.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
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A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
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Listen how Nick manages his life as a father, husband, and Corrections Officer while on the road to a 2200 total.
Single-leg training is here to stay. The benefits of how it can help improve stability and strength outweigh any misconceptions people may have about it.
Most veer far from them as they require more coordination, stability, and time.
The Core Blaster is an amazing tool that can be the best investment for younger developing athletes as it aids in rotational strength, speed, and versatility!
You can get creative like I do here and add attachments to better serve your sports needs and demands.
The ease of use and vector angle at which most exercises start allow for a safer setup and the ability to be explosive when needed.
Here are three unique ways to use the Core Blaster to add strength and flare to your training.
If you prioritize your glute work, this version of the Core Blaster RDL can help you build more muscle without sacrificing the poor genetic coordination you have maybe been passed down.
As a bonus, this version can target some hips because of the Core Blaster and can clear up pesky low back injuries.
The Setup
- Start by being lined up parallel to the Core Blaster. We will be doing more contralateral movement, with the load coming from the inside while you hold the end handle on the outside.
- From here, you will use larger plates and grab the plate with the inside hand for added stability.
- Descend with a hinge, keeping a slight bend in the knee while you shoot your hips backward until you can not bend more without rounding the back and losing tension on the glutes and hamstrings.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
Why It Works?
- Adding stability to a movement can increase its ability to build muscle. Adding the grip with the hand will allow you to load heavier without the limiting factor of your balance being the issue.
- The Core Blaster allows you to progressively overload more than dumbbells, which can get awkward as you exceed 80 pounds per arm.
- There is a slight horizontal vector component with the Core Blaster as you can lean inwards and bias the hips, giving you even more bang for your buck.
- The setup is one most can use in a garage without needing access to a gym.
Programming Suggestions
- Use as an auxiliary exercise after heavier squats or deadlifts.
- Stick to rep ranges of 6-8. Anymore more becomes much easier to lose form and risk injury.
- Cycle in on lower body days or pull days in six to eight-week blocks.
Next, the lateral lunge is an exercise many gym users neglect. It is hard and uncomfortable, and you can not load heavy, so it strips egos from men. It does have a massive benefit from a muscular standpoint from the muscles it works.
Muscles Worked
- Quadriceps
- Gluteal Muscles
- Hamstrings
- Abductor Magnus (inner thigh)
- Vastus Medialis Obliquus (VMO)
It also carries so many proprioceptive benefits, starting with:
- Helping the body become resilient to odd movements and positions outside the sagittal plane.
- Increasing quad, glute, and hip strength.
- They help stabilize the spine and improve posture.
- Improve balance and coordination.
- Regain strength coming back from an injury.
Now that we know what it is and its benefits, let's explore a variation I like and found super effective using a Core Blaster!
1. The Core Blaster Lateral Lunge
Here Is How To Do It
- Start standing, holding a Core blaster in the top position with your body leaning in towards the plate at your chest, core tight.
- Step to the left/right a few feet with your right leg, taking a relatively large step.
- Land. Keeping your left leg slightly bent to allow more range for your working leg, bend your right knee and push your butt back, lowering slowly.
- Lower comfortably as far as you can, aiming to get your thigh parallel to the ground. Then, explosively drive up and to the left, driving back to a standing position.
- Do three sets of 6-10 reps per side.
I have come to love this for a few reasons:
- It is not an awkward feeling.
- You can lean IN towards the plate, allowing you to shift a majority of the weight on the working leg while keeping better balance and being able to load heavier.
- You can get a deeper stretch reflex from the muscles worked by the vector angle, allowing more angled hip and knee flexion.
In a typical side lunge, you will step one foot out at your side, then sink your hips back and bend your knee to lower your butt to the floor. As you lower to the floor, you will keep your opposite leg straight.
However, in this version, you bend both knees to allow for more depth in the lunge, and the working leg is the one closest to the Core Blaster. You can "feel" by placing more weight on that leg to make it do most of the work, and it can fire up high-threshold motor units in the hips to create more dynamic stability around the joint.
Strong hips are not just for show; they help you develop a bulletproof body that is injury-free and a powerhouse when it comes to squatting and deadlifting. By working on this, you can watch both these lifts go up.
Give it a go and try working in rep ranges 6-10.
2. Core Blaster RDL to Row
Next is a favorite of mine for a combination move. They often get a bad rep because of their load and exercise selection limitations, but I find this one stellar for many reasons.
It is a Core Blaster RDL to Row. It is not a best friend for hypertrophy, but as an athlete or gym user looking to improve intramuscular coordination, balance, and posture, this can be your next ticket to success.
You can combine it by doing a single-leg RDL right into a row, or, as shown below, I like doing the isometric row first and finishing off the legs on the single-leg Romanian Deadlift last.
Why does this work?
- Isometrics work to build tendon resiliency and improve motor control, which is essential for a developing athlete.
- Posterior chain work is a prime need for athletes in general, and this variation sets in a "pre-fatigue" by starting out with the isometric, so the load goes a long way since you are limited by what you can row.
- This variation also strengthens hips as the Core Blaster allows a more focal vector plane to be able to shift your bodyweight towards the midline, another added benefit that will be quick to neutralize or prevent injuries from occurring.
Lastly, let's move on to the Core Blaster skater lunge!
3. Core Blaster Skater Lunge
This is a unique exercise I find very beneficial for hockey and really any sport requiring frontal plane movement.
The setup is key. You have to position the end of the bar in the crock of your elbow and lean in towards the anchor point.
This will engage more of the hips and psoas region to create a powerful posterior sling that controls the lumbar spine's rotation, stability, and strength.
From the starting position, you simply descend back into a reverse lunge and return to the start, where I find keeping tension on the working leg crucial for overall hypertrophy.
Key Points
- Lean IN towards the anchor point, roughly 60 degrees from parallel.
- Place the end of the bar in the crock of your elbow and push your weight against the inside of the plate
- Keep tension on the working leg as you perform repetitions, with a good guide being in the 6-10 range.
Use this as an accessory exercise to your deadlift day and watch your unilateral strength and stability on the field improve.
MORE USES
Mike Over is a NASM master trainer and owner of Over-Achieve Fitness in Pennsylvania. He works with hundreds of everyday gym-goers and athletes of all levels.
Dust off that core blaster or landmine in the corner of your gym and try these leg exercises.
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Dr. Mike Israetel joins us again for another Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast in episode #326. In this episode, sports periodization for athletes and coaches is discussed — starting off with needs analysis.
Dr. Mike Israetel is a Ph.D. in Sport Physiology and a professor at Lehman College (the only Bronx senior college of the City University of New York). He is the co-founder of Renaissance Periodization—a scientifically sound and reliable diet and training consultation service for anyone who wants to use it to achieve results. Mike has a BJJ purple belt and a jiu jitsu brown belt and is an author and an NPC bodybuilder.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
All you should want is to be good at playing the fluid game that is your sport…doing the thing.
Strongman is a sport that involves many different events and requires many physical attributes. Many events in Strongman require a high dose of athleticism and speed, yet most strongmen/women do little to no training to raise these qualities. The three big movement patterns that someone can do as a strongman competitor to build speed and athleticism are sprints, jumps, and throws. Throwing events are becoming increasingly common at high-level competitions, with sandbag throws for height being the most common. However, the Arnold Pro had a stone throw for distance. Since these events are becoming more common, many strongman competitors do a decent job of training throws. However, since there are no jumping events and many strongmen do not take runbacks seriously, they do not train jumping or sprinting.
Medleys and Runbacks
It should not be a surprise that being faster will help someone win an event with a runback, and these events are getting more and more common in Strongman. Almost all high-level competitions recently have had at least one carry medley, and the sport is including them more and more every year. These events allow more athletic strongmen/women to shine and are often easy points since many competitors will slack off when training them.
As important as it is to be able to run fast in a run back, it is equally important to be able to stop fast so that you can grab the next implement. If you are very fast but can not decelerate, you can accidentally run past your implement or simply will not run as fast as you can so that you can stop in time. In a sport where seconds matter, that can add up to over three implements. This is why Strongman competitors need to train both acceleration and deceleration.
Speed Reserve
Most Strongman competitors will talk about strength reserve for moving events, such as if you can carry a 900-pound yoke 50 ft, you will be faster with a 700-pound yoke. What no one talks about is a speed reserve. Someone who can do an 800-pound yoke and run 4.7 40 will be faster at 700 pounds than someone who runs a 6.0 40, no matter how strong that person is. This concept essentially means that while strength affects how much you slow down at heavier weights, being faster allows you to slow down less and still maintain a competitive time. There is an obvious limit to this on heavier moving events like yoke or farmers because you should have a shorter, choppier stride in order to be more stable, which is the exact opposite of how someone would want to run a 40.
Still, the training to be faster will create neurological adaptations that will help you be faster on every moving event, and the tendon adaptations can help make you both faster on heavy moving events and more injury resilient. Of course, the ultimate combo is just to be both strong and fast.
The Force Velocity Curve
As you can see from looking at the chart, things require more force, and they get slower. A deadlift at 90% will move slower than a deadlift at 50%. This makes a lot of sense to most people. What people forget about it, though, is that typically, raising the lowest part of the curve will help the entire curve to an extent. If someone is fast but can only squat
225, then getting stronger will help them get faster. The same thing is true on the other end. If someone can deadlift 800 pounds but can not jump for shit, then getting them more explosive and spending some more time on the speed strength side of the graph might be the missing link for them to break a stubborn plateau. Essentially, if you can grind out heavy weights but can not explode with light weights, adding some jumping, dynamic effort work, or Olympic lifting could be what pushes up that maximal strength.
Injury Prevention
Sprinting and jumping are both very proven to help strengthen tendons and ligaments in the lower body. I know multiple Strongman who have had Achilles injuries and strains on moving events because their bodies just were not adjusted to the force being applied to the Achilles. Doing enough volume on moving events to adjust to their systemic load truly is very difficult; however, jump and sprint training can impose equal amounts of force on the lower body without having the systemic hit on recovery. This is because the demand of force absorption and redirection in sprinting and continuous jumping movements is similar to the demands in those joints in moving events but without the axial loading, which is what makes moving events harder to recover from. One of the best ways to avoid lower body injuries is to build up your ability to stick to a depth drop.
In my prep for the Arnold and PSL, I built up to SL Depth Drops over 40 inches. Knock on wood, I have never had a non-contact injury, thanks to training focused on force absorption, whether I'm playing rugby or competing in Strongman.
Sample Program
The nice thing about speed training for strongman is that you do not need a lot of it, and it works very well as a warm-up. Sprinting recruits a ton of motor units and has an activation effect that will typically make your lift better afterward. Below is a sample of what a three-times-a-week program could be.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Dynamic Warm-Up (Think back to HS Football) | Dynamic Warm Up (Think back to HS Football) | Dynamic Warm-Up (Think back to HS Football) |
| Standing Sprints 4 x 10 yards | 5-10-5 3 sets | Bounding 2 x 20 yards |
| Lying Start Sprints 1 x 20 yards | Kneeling Start 3 x 5 yards | Sled Sprints (25% of Bodyweight) 3 x 20 yards |
| SL Depth Drop 3 x 4 ea | Depth Jump 3 x 3 | Sprint w/ Hard Deceleration 2 x 15 yards |
| Triple Broad Jump 3 sets | MB Push Press Throw and Catch 3 x 5 | SL Broad Jump w/ 2 leg landing 3 x 3 ea |
This program should not take more than 20 minutes three times a week and can be done as part of a warmup, or as a stand-alone workout. Three times a week is a good starting point for most people since it allows a rest day in between every sprint session but the higher frequency allows for a bit more total weekly volume while lowering daily volume. If you are planning on using sprint training as part of your warm-up make sure that there is not too much volume so that it is potentiating, not tiring. You should feel good and ready to throw around some weight after.
Aidan Howell, also known as the World's Strongest Mullet, is a professional strongman and strength coach. He has won a national championship in strongman, placed in the top 10 at the OSG, and took second at the Arnold. Aidan has also helped multiple athletes qualify for nationals in Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and strongman. He holds a degree in exercise science from Springfield College, as well as certifications as a CSCS and USAW. In addition to his strongman career, Aidan works with field sport athletes as a strength and conditioning coach.
Strongman competitions require strength and speed. Sprint, jump, and throw to enhance your performance and prevent injury.
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Welcome Paul Gagné to the 325th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk.
Paul Gagné is a Montreal-based posturologist and strength coach with nearly 40 years of experience, specializing in posture, athletic performance, and rehabilitation. His training philosophy, influenced by mentors like Charles Poliquin and Paul Chek, integrates neuromuscular, fascial, and postural elements to enhance athletic efficiency and prevent injuries. Notably active in the NHL, Gagné advocates for a holistic approach to training that includes high-velocity eccentric overload using the Desmotec Training System. He is also dedicated to teaching and mentoring in the practical applications of posturology.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
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Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
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All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
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As an athlete, when you modify posture, it has a direct effect to your power output. Here’s what to do!
Resistance training is the fountain of youth, and anyone interested in longevity should take note. Science has and will continue to bear this out over time. Yet, I assume most people reading this article won’t scribble longevity at the top of their list of reasons for training. Given enough time amongst the chalk and iron, longevity might rise to the top. But for the present day, most want to get big and strong — period. Muscle failure is paramount in this regard.
Defining Failure
Muscle failure is best described as repeating a movement pattern under load to the point at which muscle fatigue sets in, whereby completing another repetition with proper biomechanics is impossible. A certain amount of effort is required to push past the discomfort experienced on the road to genuine muscle failure. You won’t train your mind or body to go there while regularly flipping through your Instagram feed of Snapchat story at the gym — hence the reason the cell phone and social media addict's physique rarely changes from one year to the next.
MORE: The Research Meathead: Training to Failure
“The mind always fails first, not the body. The secret is to make your mind work for you, not against you.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger
Various factors play into achieving muscle failure. Unless you embarked on your maiden voyage to the local health club in the last week, you know this is true. Optimization of the central nervous system, adequate hydration, length of training experience, pre/intra-workout nutrition, cognitive efficiency, and a plethora of other factors dictate the speed at which a trainee hits muscle failure. We’ll assume you’ve achieved the mental fortitude necessary to hit authentic muscle failure.
Heavy or Light?
A 2016 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology recruited 49 young men with at least a year of resistance training experience under their proverbial weight belts. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. Group one trained to failure with 75-90% of their one-rep max (1RM), while group two trained to failure with 30-50% of their 1RM. Participants trained to failure based on their given percentages for three sets of various exercises four days per week for a total of 12 weeks. The 75-90% 1RM group hit failure around 10 reps, while the 30-50% 1RM group hit failure around as many as 25 repetitions. Which group do you think gained the most strength and size?
The results were unambiguous. No significant difference existed between the two groups in regards to strength, size, hormone levels, or health. The researchers concluded that muscle fatigue to the point of momentary muscle failure played a larger role than the amount of weight lifted. This is astonishingly good news for a guy like me who loves to train and wants to continue improving while confronted with the reality that I can no longer safely move the poundage I did in my 20’s.
Plateaus
Training for any length of time invariably means you’ll hit plateaus. Intelligently placed muscle failure sets in a program work like a wrecking ball on these plateaus. I say intelligently because, just like a callus builds over time in response to the knurling on a barbell, overexposure leads to broken, bloody palms. You cannot train to failure on every set or every workout without central nervous system burnout, or worse, a serious injury. At most, I suggest training to failure on a single set of one to two exercises for a given body part on primary training days, where the utilization of intensity techniques are encouraged to challenge the body.
RELATED: Failure: A Way to Train Your Fortitude
Training Partners
A training partner is essential to effectively hitting muscle failure on most exercises. It’s difficult to hit absolute muscle failure or even push for forced reps without the assistance of a trusted workout partner. It’s curious to note that when another person stands encouraging you to get another rep, you often do it. That means the path to real growth is rarely, if ever, found by the lone rangers. Value those friends worthy of trust who are willing to push you inside and outside the gym.
The Bottom Line
Growth rarely comes without effort. Growth never comes without pain — the pain of pushing right up to or beyond your capabilities. Nobody stumbles into muscle failure any more than they stumble into a PR. Effort and pain precede growth in the gym, just like they precede growth outside the gym. They are rarely sought out alone. My best seasons of growth have come because someone pushed me to do better, try harder, or simply pray more diligently. Don’t shy away from the tough stuff in life. God often uses those moments to shape you in positive ways. Sometimes the gardener must prune the dead branches so in the next season the tree will bear more fruit, despite the pain of the shear.
Mark Dugdale is an IFBB Professional Bodybuilder via an overall win at the 2004 NPC USA and to-date competed in over 35 pro contests including 5 Olympia appearances. Mark and his wife Christina enjoy 21 years of marriage and three daughters – 19, 17 and 15. Aside from his passion for training he is the sole owner of Garden Fresh Foods which operates out of a 42,000 square foot building and employs over 80 people while providing fresh-cut produce solutions to foodservice and food manufacturers in the greater NW region. Highly engaged in running Garden Fresh Foods alongside Christina, his future competitive plans remain uncertain at present. To maintain his sanity raising daughters and running a business he continues to challenge himself in the gym as evidenced by his active training log. His overarching goal is to display the fingerprints of Jesus in all areas of his life.
Here’s how to use muscle failure properly to build muscle without overloading your central nervous system or risking injury.
Body length is why you might get overtrained from the program you downloaded, but your friend gets strong and jacked as hell!
Why Body Size Matters
One reason why an athlete develops from a program while another does not can be because of their body size. A shorter athlete needs more volume than a tall athlete. A taller athlete has longer levers that load the joints, muscle tendons, and ligaments more. This principle is the same regardless of which levers we are talking about. A squat loads the knees more on a taller athlete since the femur is longer compared to a shorter athlete; a bench press loads the chest and shoulders more if the elbows are at a longer distance from your shoulder joint. This is pretty basic. So, if the loads are bigger, the volume has to be smaller. Being aware of body size is an easy, no-brainer tip to get a good clue of how much volume you should put in your program.
Prilepin's Chart
If you look at this chart, you can read the suggested range of total reps in different loads. We can assume that a smaller athlete benefits more from performing 20 total reps at 80-90 percent of one rep maximum and that a bigger-sized athlete should only do 10 total reps in an exercise. The optimal total reps will do for an average lifter, but if you are smaller or bigger than an average lifter, we can assume that the program needs to be adjusted in this way. This chart comes from Prilepin's chart, which is probably the most used chart in the world to plan training programs. And the chart is fucking awesome if you ask me.
I want to highlight the differences between athletes so that you can make even more progress from this chart.
As you might know, Prilepin's chart is a training tool that helps athletes determine the optimal number of sets and reps for different intensities in workouts. Developed by Soviet weightlifting coach Alexander Prilepin, Prilepin's chart ensures effective volume and intensity management to maximize strength gains. He was the head coach of the youth team in the old Soviet Union from 1975 to 1980, and from 1980 to 1985, he led the coaching staff of the senior team. Under his coaching, the team won eight medals at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and 30 medals at the World Championships from 1981 to 1983.
Prilepin's chart is a foundational tool in strength training, particularly for weightlifting and powerlifting, and Prilepin based this chart on his observations of weightlifting sessions.
Final Tips
I have been studying training and analyzing clients for more than twenty years, and this is a key point that has interested me since I noticed how many athletes have been struggling with the unsatisfying amount of volume in their training,
If you are unsure what suits you best, choose the optimal total reps and test yourself carefully. There can be no doubt whether you belong to the taller or shorter lifters group if you are not in the middle. So, if you are a tall lifter and feel tired, reduce the volume. If you are a small lifter and feel you have fuel left, turn up the volume. And remember, being fat or thin does not make you change category since it does not affect the distance of the levers.
Stefan Waltersson has been a personal trainer for more than 20 years. He is Westside Barbell certified as a special strength coach. He was also educated and trained by Professor Boris Sheiko, who also wrote the preface for Stefan's book Advanced Strength Training—Book of Principles. Stefan works as an author, lecturer, and strength coach and runs a gym in Sweden. Previously, he worked as a nurse assistant in healthcare, with neurology as his main focus. You can also find him on Instagram as @coach_waltersson.
Learn how shorter and taller athletes should tweak their volume for optimal performance using Prilepin’s chart.
This is the squat workout I used to squat my first 500 pounds, and it is how I trained back in the mid-80s. I pulled this program directly from one of my old training logs.
Week 1
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 x 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
350 X 1
375 X 3
380 X 3
300 X 5
300 X 5
Week 2
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
350 X 1
380 X 3
385 X 3
305 X 5
305 X 5
Week 3
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
350 X 1
385 X 3
395 X 3
315 X 5
315 X 5
Week 4
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
Suit used with straps down and wraps.
350 X 1
395 X 3
405 X 3
325 X 5
325 X 5
Week 5
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
Suit used straps down and wraps.
350 X 1
375 X 1
405 X 3
415 X 3
335 X 5
335 X 5
Week 6
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
Suit used with straps down and wraps.
350 X 1
375 X 1
415 X 2
425 X 2
340 X 5
340 X 5
Week 7
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
Suit used with straps down and wraps.
350 X 1
375 X 1
405 X 1
425 X 1
Suit used with straps up and wraps.
445 X 1
405 X 3
405 X 3
Week 8
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
Suit used with straps down and wraps.
350 X 1
375 X 1
405 X 1
Suit used with straps up and wraps.
435 X 1
465 X 1
415 X 3
415 X 3
Week 9
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 x 2
Suit used with straps down and wraps.
350 X 1
375 X 1
405 X 1
Suit used with straps up and wraps.
445 X 1
465 X 1
480 X 1
425 X 2
425 X 2
Week 10
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 X 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
Suit used with straps down and wraps.
350 X 1
375 X 1
405 X 1
Suit used with straps up and wraps.
455 X 1
475 X 1
490 X 1
440 X 1
440 X 1
440 X 1
Week 11
Suit used with straps down.
135 X 10
135 X 10
135 X 10
225 x 5
These first sets were to really focus on technique.
315 X 2
350 X 1
375 X 1
Suit used with straps and wraps.
405 X 1
425 X 1
450 X 1
Week 12
Meet week
Warm-ups
135 X 3
135 X 3
135 X 3
225 X 3
225 X 3
315 X 1
Suit used with straps up and wraps.
365 X 1
405 X 1
Suit used with straps up and wraps.
425 x 1
Meet Attempts
First: 450 pounds
Second: 480 pounds
Third: 500 pounds
Accessories
Good Mornings - 3 sets 10 reps
Weighted Sit-ups - 3 sets 20 reps
Back Raises - 3 sets 20 reps
*Other movements that were more squat-related were done on deadlift day. While this was squat day, the accessories were deadlift-related.
This is the exact training cycle I used in the mid-80s to squat my first 500 pounds.
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Welcome Chase Irons to the 324th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Chase Irons is a seasoned bodybuilder with 15 years of experience using performance-enhancing drugs, primarily at moderate doses until recently escalating to high-level protocols involving 5g of gear and significant doses of HGH over the last 1.5 years. His approach focuses on extensive bloodwork and polypharmacy strategies to enhance safety for those on similar regimens. Chase is also a new father with a 9-month-old daughter and has been managing a YouTube channel for 8 years, where he educates on the safer practices of steroid usage. Recently, he underwent a testosterone experiment aiming for 20,000 ng/dl in blood levels and received a full torso MRI to assess potential organ damage from his intensified regimen.
Chase owns a private gym in Chicago, dedicated to his workouts and YouTube filming, stepping away from a decade-long career in coaching and personal training during the pandemic to focus entirely on his YouTube content.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
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The most honest enhanced bodybuilder sits down with Dave and shares how to maximize muscle growth. Christmas came early!
My wife and I just returned from vacation. We typically visit our kids in Milwaukee but decided to do something different this time. I have never been to Vegas (though my wife has been there a couple of times with her whore-friends, which makes her a whore-wife, I guess, but I digress), and I have never been to Los Angeles, so we settled on these two places. We wanted to be close to the water in LA, so we opted for Santa Monica.
Just a quick note:
I assumed that it was warm in LA and Vegas year-round. It is not. Who lives in South Florida but vacations in Southern California in late November? This guy and his (whore) wife. Do not worry about me; my wife (and her whore friends) never read anything I write, so unless you tell her, she will not know.
Santa Monica's Not So Secret Surprise
Even though I have been in the bodybuilding industry for forty years, I am not one who chooses vacation spots based on gyms, shows, or anything related to bodybuilding. I love bodybuilding, but I have lived and breathed it 24/7/365, so when I vacation, I want to rest, relax, and just get away. It would be akin to an accountant of forty years going on vacation and thinking, "I just HAVE to do something with numbers every day for two hours while on vacation." My motivation is spending time with my wife (the aforementioned whore) and eating pancakes and burgers while she enjoys whore juice (this is our inside joke that we call her drinks on Saturday nights).
While in Santa Monica, our hotel was less than a block from the Santa Monica Pier. At the hotel bar the last night we were there, I learned something I should have known YEARS ago: the history of the Original Muscle Beach and Muscle Beach Venice. To say I was embarrassed would be a gross understatement. I was schooled by a guy who very clearly did not work out, and thankfully, he probably did not know I did because of the amount of burgers and pancakes I had been eating. I have spent forty years dedicated to this sport and arguably consumed by it for most of those years. If I did not know the history of Muscle Beach, others might not know, either.
Here's the Cliff Notes version (because you can Google the details on your own):
Muscle Beach
The original Muscle Beach is located just off the Santa Monica Pier. It did not start as a haven for bodybuilders as much as it was a place where gymnasts and acrobats gathered to do workouts using ropes, rings, and acrobatic moves showcasing strength and balance. Of course, bodybuilders were attracted to it, but it was not until years later that more bodybuilders started bringing gym equipment (dumbbells, barbells, benches, etc.,) so that they could weight train. The Original Muscle Beach became the place to be in the 30s. By the late 40s and into the 50s, bodybuilders moved south about three miles to Venice, California.
Muscle Beach Venice is the only Muscle Beach I have ever been familiar with, and it is likely due to its popularity in the 80s when I started bodybuilding as a teen. As old as most of you think I am, I am "only" 54. I am not 84, despite very hurtful comments on YouTube about me looking eighty whore (sorry, I had to find a way to work "whore" in there again). I always told my parents I wanted to visit Muscle Beach (Venice). To me, it was considered sacred ground—a place where legends trained—and I was pretty sure I was destined to be a legend. Clearly, that did not happen, but it is likely because I had kids, and as we all know, kids are dream crushers. Kids ruin everything.
Finding Muscle Beach
As I stated previously, I do not do bodybuilding stuff while on vacation. My wife (oops, "whore" wife) will tell you that my typical response to someone who asks me if I work out is, "No, I just eat a lot." It saves a lot of boring and predictable conversations about how much I bench, how big their friend's second cousin's arms are, and other eye-rolling shit that I do not care to entertain while on vacation.
My wife recommended that we rent some bikes and ride up the beach three miles to Venice so I could at least say that I had visited it after all these years. I begrudgingly agreed. I put on a turtleneck sweater, chino shorts, and flip-flops (remember, it is f-ing cold in November), and we headed out for a three-mile tour. A three-mile tour. The weather started getting rough; the tiny Skip was tossed… Just kidding. I could not pass it up. I am a mess of digressions today.
We arrive in Venice to, from a distance, what I had pictured in my head for so many years. The strip looks like it hasn't been updated or even painted since the '70s. An ice cream sign was so faded you could hardly make out what it said, but the picture of the ice cream cone made it clear. Some people were painting graffiti on a graffiti wall, and the basketball courts have always been a mainstay in Venice. The smell of urine (from the homeless) drove the urban feel deep into my psyche, as well.
RECENT: Dear Natties, Don't Be Delusional
I found myself getting excited and anxious about finally getting to see this place that had meant so much to me as a teen forty years ago. If you have been married for a long time, you know that you have to mask your excitement and kind of downplay it so that it seems more "meh" than acting like a giddy kid. I can not have my whore wife thinking I am excited about something she proposed we do. Yes, I am good at this husband thing.
I get off the bike, and she says she will watch the bikes (it is LA, after all) so I can look around and take Muscle Beach all in on my own. Then, I took about ten minutes to myself, slowly walking around and looking at everything. I walked up to the fence and took inventory of the equipment before walking over to the other side of the outside workout area, where there was a cement bodybuilding stage with quite a few sets of bleachers.
Anti-Climactic
After all these years, I was able to see what was so important to me as a teenager who was just getting into bodybuilding. And I admit it; I was a bit disappointed. I did not want to be, but I was. I was oddly verklempt and tried to hide this from my wife. Why? I do not really know. It could have been because I was disappointed, or it could have been that I knew I was standing on what was, to me, a very nostalgic place where so many people for so many years made memories and lived and pursued their bodybuilding dreams, but I felt none of that. I was confused.
Honestly, I can not answer why I was disappointed, but my best guess is that I had this place so hyped up in my head for forty years that when I finally saw it, I viewed it more as a memorial.
I did not feel like it was "original" because it had been modernized; the strip wasn't, but the gym was. The gym was not authentic; it was not the equipment that the legends used. In fact, it was weather-chromed Hammer Strength equipment when I expected (or wanted) to see '70s equipment that was antiquated and worn by the weather over time. It hit me much like taking in my first Yankee game at the new stadium. They tore down The House That Ruth Built and replaced it with something that holds zero nostalgia and thought that putting plaques on the wall with the names of the legends who graced the old place would suffice. I was not feeling it. I would go so far as to say that I was irritated.
Just Sayin'
Not one person who was training had a great physique. There were six or seven, forty, or fifty-year-old guys who looked like any other gym-goer at Planet Fitness. It was anti-climactic, at best.
On the bike ride back to Santa Monica, I found myself thinking that part of me wished I had not seen it. I did cardio to see this place, and I did it in a turtleneck sweater. Who wants to do that? Then, I had a realization and got excited again. I knew what I was going to do. I was going to blame it all on my whore wife as soon as we got back to the hotel. Just like my kids, she ruins everything, too. Just Sayin'.
BIO
Ken “Skip” Hill has been involved in the sport of bodybuilding for almost forty years and competing for over twenty years. Born and raised in Michigan, he spent 21 years calling Colorado home with his wife and their four children. Four years ago, he and his wife traded the mountains for the beach, relocating to South Florida. His primary focus is nutrition and supplementation, but he is called upon for his years of training experience, as well. He started doing online contest prep in 2001 and is considered one of the original contest prep guys when the bodybuilding message boards were still in their infancy. Skip’s track record with competitive bodybuilders is well-respected, and he also does sport-specific conditioning, including working with professional athletes.
After forty years as a bodybuilder, Skip finally made it to the iconic Muscle Beach. His experience was anything but epic…
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Welcome Dan Goodman and Joe Riggio to the 323rd episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Dan Goodman and Joe Riggio are standout figures in the fitness industry, each bringing unique strengths to their partnership at Varsity House, a prominent gym brand they've developed together. Dan began his career at the front desk of Parisi Speed School at 16 and quickly ascended the ranks, eventually partnering with Joe in 2009 to establish Varsity House. Known for his strategic vision in business development and financial management, Dan has become a trusted advisor to gym owners globally through their consulting venture, The Business of Strength.
Joe Riggio started Varsity House in 2006 from an unused loading dock, driven by a lifelong passion for fitness that began when he was twelve. With a master’s degree in Biology and nearly two decades as an Adjunct Anatomy & Physiology Professor at Montclair State University, Joe's scientific approach has not only propelled Varsity House to a 20,000 sq/ft facility but also helped numerous athletes and local adults enhance their fitness. As a dedicated family man and avid outdoorsman residing in River Vale, New Jersey, Joe is passionate about expanding their brand and assisting other gym owners in achieving business success through innovative training and business strategies. Together, Dan and Joe are steering Varsity House towards a future of expansion, aiming to open ten new semi-private training facilities in the next five years.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
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Learn these gym business scaling secrets NOW!
While exploring force-velocity curves and repetition continuums, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing, leaving me puzzled by the inconsistency in terminology and percentages across different methodologies. After years of being a strength and conditioning coach, I still did not fully understand the different terminology and corresponding percentages/velocities used in many training methodologies. From the teachings of legends like Charles Poliquin and Louie Simmons to the depths of Supertraining and Soviet texts, I encountered a maze of varied approaches. I found many different strategies, each with its own view on training principles and techniques.
As I learned more, I became more curious and determined to create a solution that everyone could use, and that honored the legacy of the visionary coaches who helped develop strength and conditioning as it is today. Buddy Morris says that the truth lies in the overlap. So here is my road to finding an overlap and combining many strength and conditioning principles into one easy-to-understand chart.
The Greats of Strength Training
In developing my general training methodology, I gathered much knowledge from the above-mentioned greats of strength training, Charles Poliquin and Louie Simmons. Many people think their training methods are completely different, but despite the contrasts, I see a deep connection between their philosophies. Louie Simmons focused on using mostly fast eccentric movements, showing the importance of explosive force on an exercise's eccentric (lowering) part. Charles Poliquin taught doing slow, controlled lowering tempos to keep tension throughout the eccentric. Louie questioned directly training the quadriceps, while Poliquin used exercises like knee-over-toe squats and split squats to target the quads and full ROM. Louie loved box squats, which limit depth and work the posterior chain, but Poliquin preferred front squats requiring good ankle mobility and upright torso position. Despite these differences, they both wanted to optimize performance, build functional strength, and help athletes reach their full potential.
While many perceive them as opposites in their methodologies, I see a profound synergy between their philosophies. Despite their apparent contrasts, there's a remarkable convergence in their approaches.
Here’s what they agreed upon:
- Emphasizing posterior chain development (especially the lower back).
- Using 1–3-week training mesocycles.
- Using bands and chains to accommodate resistance.
- Using Olympic lifts.
- Using lots of accessory movements.
- Having the mindset that strength is the mother of all qualities.
- Using manual therapy.
- Using lots of core and grip work.
- Believing in similar weak points (muscles, body parts) based on structural balance.
- Working at various intensity ranges from 30 to 100+ % of 1RM.
- Referring to and referencing old soviet texts, manuals, and vintage books.
Strength Types and Training Intensity
Different Strength Types
Strength training is a complex and multifaceted discipline, with various experts and methodologies offering diverse perspectives on the categorization of strength types. One notable difference that sparked my curiosity was the contrasting nomenclature used by Louie Simmons and Charles Poliquin when describing strength types across different intensity ranges. For example, for intensities ranging from 30% to 100% of one-repetition maximum (1RM), Louie Simmons employed the following strength type classifications and corresponding percentages:
- Explosive strength 30-40%
- Speed strength 75-85%*
- Strength speed - somewhere around 85-90%
- Absolute strength/Circa max – above 90%
- Max effort strength – 100%
This came from the data of A. D. Ermakov and N. S. Atanasov while testing 780 highly skilled weightlifters. It stated that 50% of their training was in the 75-85% range. Refer to Managing the Training of Weightlifters by authors N. P. Laputin and V.G. Oleshko.
Training Intensity
For intensities ranging from 30% to 100% of 1RM, Charles Poliquin employed the following strength type classifications and corresponding percentages:
- Speed Strength 30-70%
- Reactive Strength 30-50%
- Explosive Strength 50-60%
- Starting Strength 60-70%
- Absolute Strength/Hypertrophy 70-85%
- Relative Strength 85%+
This divergence in terminology and categorization between the two renowned coaches sparked a deeper analytical exploration. I discovered that Louie's explosive strength was, in fact, reactive strength in Charles's mind. On the other hand explosive and starting strength in Poliquin's mind was within the range of speed strength in Louie's mind. But then again, the velocity came into play, so if reactive (Charles) or explosive (Louie) was supposed to be fast velocity, then speed strength (Louie) or explosive and starting strength (Charles) should be intermediate velocity, and that leaves strength speed to low velocity. Well, I got the bottom of that, so I thought. So based on that info, the first chart that I drew on my whiteboard looked like this:
Then, I tried to compare what I found with the Velocity Zones created and proposed by Dr. Bryan Mann (below).
The Velocity Zones were supposed to bring clarity to the chaos in my head. Instead, I hit another deep black hole. Why do we have strength speed now at 50-60%? And why is the starting strength at the beginning of the chart? I thought that would be the reactive strength or at least the explosive strength or maybe ballistic. Instead, we have speed strength and explosive strength, whereas reactive strength just was. We have accelerative strength, speed strength, and absolute strength, where there is only strength speed. Okay, I need to get to the bottom of this.
More Questions
Little did I know that my research on strength type classification and names unearthed a multitude of other perplexing questions. For example, where should we put other terms commonly used in S&C, such as supra maximal strength, ballistic strength, max strength, isometric strength, concentric strength, and eccentric strength?
What about intricate training adaptations specific to functional hypertrophy and strength endurance? Were bands, chains, maximal speed, and maximal power relevant in this context? Or the variety of exercises, such as plyometrics alongside Olympic lifts as opposed to traditional strength movements; where did they feature within these schemes of thought? These are just some inquiries that seem perpetually unresolved. What is an appropriate velocity for different percentages? How many reps should be done at these percentages to acquire desired adaptations? Should athletes competing in non-contact sports, where external resistance is minimized, train at the same percentages as those competing in contact sports, where external resistance is a constant factor in achieving similar training adaptation? Those questions consumed nearly fourteen months of relentless pursuit to try to make it all easy to understand.
Exploring the Force-Velocity Curve
Let's take a look at the classic force-velocity profile. Do you see things missing from it? Is it incomplete? Can you program your training based on this information alone?
We can see the velocity and force and the exercises that should be performed at one end of the continuum or the other. It's intuitive, accessible, and the key to unlocking your full potential. One look at the chart, and you know exactly where you stand. But do you really know? There are no specific repetition ranges, no training adaptations, and no exact speeds of movements. Let's go a little further, then.
Navigating the realm of strength and conditioning can feel like wandering through a maze with no clear path, without the percentages, velocity, or repetitions. But what if there was a simpler way forward? What if we add the repetition continuum from 1990 based on Charles Poliquin's work to the mix?
We got the reps, percentages, and adaptations happening at each percentage range. That is great, but there are no strength types listed. We are getting closer, though.
Finding An Unified Approach
Upon delving deeper into Charles Poliquin's PICP course, a treasure trove of strength types was unveiled: limit strength, maximal strength, isometric strength, concentric strength, eccentric strength, speed strength, reactive strength, starting strength, explosive strength, strength endurance, and absolute strength were all listed and explained. That sparked a cascade of thoughts within me. Could we not create a comprehensive chart that aligns these strength types with percentages, velocities, and repetitions? Before we get into that, let's take a look at the most complete training chart to date, which, in my opinion, is courtesy of Charles Poliquin himself. Yet, despite its thoroughness, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was still missing.
After another few months of constantly writing and erasing things from my giant whiteboard, I concluded that I finally had something I was happy with and ready for the world to see. Below lies the culmination of my work and the result of my efforts in trying to digest everything from every source available on that whiteboard in front of me.
It became clear to me early on that I would encounter a lot of material, so throughout this process, I have always tried to collect and connect knowledge.
One Chart Wonder
Over 12-14 months of working on this topic, it's been about finding connections among things that initially seemed unrelated, making different names mean the same, and thinking about how all these could be put together as one chart. The most important thing, though, has been striving for acceptance from all the professionals in the S&C field. Here's the finished product brilliantly designed by one of my athletes, a rugby Poland national, who has some hidden talents in graphic design.
First of all, the chart represents training goals and where athletes should train to achieve a certain adaptation. Therefore, the maximal speed and velocity are on the left side of the chart at 0% intensity, as no additional load should be used to reach maximal speed. Some would argue that the maximum sprints should be on the right side of the graph, representing 100% effort. I fully understand that to perform max sprint, you need to run at 100%, but this chart refers to external load and not perceived exertion.
The chart represents the percentage range in which one needs to train to create a specific adaptation. It does not represent the percentages at which those adaptations occur in sports.
Velocity Variations
For example, acceleration strength (speed) happens at 0% intensity (no additional load besides body weight) in sports but needs to be trained at higher intensities to create an adaptation to improve acceleration.
The velocities given are an average value for all strength exercises. Bench pressing could generate faster velocities than those presented; squats using a stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) should generate the exact velocities presented in the chart. Squats with a longer pause or purely concentric squats from pins could produce slower velocities than those indicated. The same applies to deadlifts and overhead presses.
It depends on whether you measure the velocities with SSC (the fastest velocities), with a pause (slower velocities), or purely concentrically from pins (the slowest velocities). Even if all three were performed with the same intensity, they would produce different velocities. So, the question we need to ask ourselves is whether we are measuring what velocity we achieve at a certain intensity or whether we are training to improve the velocity at that percentage. If someone is doing higher intensity training before a game, say 3x3 at 85% of 1RM for a sport that requires a lot of stretch reflex movements, such as any team sport, should he/she do the squat with a pause or not? As a coach, I would perform a squat with SSC at this point, and that would definitely produce higher velocities at 85% of 1RM than with a pause or from pins.
All About External Resistance
Okay, now, what is the deal with sports with/without external resistance?
In Supertraining, we read on page 151: "It is tempting to refer simply to speed-strength, but this disguises the fact that certain 'speed-strength' sports require a greater emphasis on speed and others on strength."
Sports without external resistance are athletes who mostly counter the force of gravity and their own body weight are classified here. I believe those athletes can and should work at a lower intensity range to develop the qualities they're after.
Examples: sprints, volleyball, soccer, high jump, long jump, basketball, etc.
Sports with external resistance are athletes who mostly counter the force of gravity, their own body weight, and opponents' strength and body weight or an object's weight (e.g., shot put)—are classified here. I believe that those athletes should work at a higher intensity range to develop the strength-type qualities they are after.
Examples: American football, rugby, shot put, hammer throw, wrestling, judo, bobsleigh
Terminology Dictionary
Let's go through the terminology and definitions used in the table without specific order. I figured that the names were not as important as the definition. So below are the names and the definitions, without the percentages or velocities (m/s).]
| STRENGTH TYPE | DEFINITION |
| Maximal Strength | The force that the musculoskeletal system can exert regardless of the time |
| Absolute Strength | The maximum force an athlete can exert regardless of body weight or time. Muscle hypertrophy is the main driver of performance in sports requiring absolute strength. |
| Relative Strength | The main goal of developing relative strength is to increase the efficiency of the nervous system by recruiting more motor units without excessively increasing muscle mass and, therefore, body weight. Relative strength = maximum strength/body weight |
| Circa Max | This just means near-maximal weights. Mostly used in powerlifting in contest prep but also useful for other athletes looking to maximally activate their nervous system but not completely max out. |
| Supra Maximal Strength | Use weights and resistance that are beyond your current strength levels. Two ways to do so: a) Eccentric only b) Eccentric with concentric help |
| Isometric Strength/Static Strength) | Is an increase in the tension of the muscle belly without changing the position of the muscle attachments. With isometric force, both agonists and antagonists contract. For example, sprinters generate isometric strength after the command "set" but before leaving the starting blocks, as do fighters holding a rear-naked choke in MMA. |
| Concentric Strength | Is the change in muscle tension with a change in muscle length that causes movement. Examples include the basic squat, when the angle of the knee joint changes from 180 degrees to 15 degrees, or when the shot putter throws the shot and extends the elbow joint from 15 degrees of flexion to 180 degrees (full extension). |
| Eccentric Strength | Occurs when the muscle stretches, creates tension, and controls or slows the speed of the movement. Examples include the lowering phase of a pull-up when the biceps are working eccentrically or when a soccer player must stop at full speed (braking/eccentric phase) and change direction. The greatest amount of force the human body can create and the greatest loads it can control is through eccentric force, which is 20-70% (depending on research) greater than during the concentric phase. |
| Functional Hypertrophy | Represents the optimal compromise between building muscle mass and developing strength, the kind of muscle mass that makes you bigger and stronger at the same time. Functional growth must be strategic, and specific muscle fibers must be targeted during training. Type IIa muscle fibers (the ones being stimulated in this case) tend to lose more power and size over the course of an athlete's career than other muscle fiber types, resulting in a proportionally greater loss of power and strength. |
| Non-Functional Hypertrophy | Occurs when more volume and more isolation exercises are used without necessarily increasing an athlete's performance directly. However, using 9+ reps can be very beneficial for connective tissue health (strengthening tendons, which in turn can reduce the risk of injury). |
| Strength Endurance | This is the athlete's tolerance threshold to long-term fatigue, i.e., the ability of a muscle to maintain a constant force at a given percentage of maximum force during repeated contractions of the muscle over a period of time. |
| Strength Speed | This is the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce maximum force with a heavy load in the shortest amount of time at slow velocities. |
| Speed Strength | Is the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce maximum force in a short period of time at fast velocities. |
| Starting Strength/ Acceleration Strength | This is the ability to generate a maximal force at initial contraction (initiation of movement) to perform/initiate a specific movement in the concentric phase. This ability depends on the number of motor units recruited at the beginning of the movement. |
| Explosive Strength | This is the ability to continue the starting strength (definition below) by finishing the movement through the musculoskeletal system as quickly as possible. This strength-type adaptation should be trained specifically based on sports requiring external resistance or not. For example, a shot-put athlete should train explosive strength at a higher intensity than a boxer would. |
| Reactive Strength | The ability to rapidly change from eccentric to concentric contraction, also known as the stretch-shortening cycle or myotatic effect. This strength type adaptation should be trained specifically based on sports requiring external resistance or not. For example, rugby player in a scrum requires to train reactive strength at higher intensity than a high jumper would. |
| Ballistic Strength | A form of strength training that can involve throwing weights (med balls, light barbells) and jumping with weights in order to maximize the acceleration phase of an object's movement and minimize the deceleration phase. |
Athletes that mostly counter the force of gravity and their own body weight (jumps, sprints, basketball, soccer) should train at a lower intensity range for this strength type (20-50%). In contrary, athletes that also counter opponents' strength and body weight or an object (wrestling, American football, shot put, hammer throw, etc.) should train at a higher intensity for this strength type (60-70%). To make it uniform, I used the name 'starting strength' for both intensity ranges, but the ladder is mainly called Acceleration Strength in literature. For athletes who mostly counter the force of gravity and their own body weight, the intensity spread is larger due to different needs and types of sports. For example, a sprinter could be at the lower end range of 20-30%, but a basketball player at the higher end range of 40-50% since he still has to occasionally overcome his opponents' strength.
I cannot take credit for coming up with the names, the speed of movements, the percentages, the numbers, and everything else you see on my chart. I am not that smart. This is the hard work of others that came before me. I can only take credit for the work it took to put it all together on paper. I wanted to share it with you in the hopes that it will serve as a reference for aspiring coaches and those already in the field.
If I can take away one thing from this whole journey, I always go back to what Tudor Bomba said: "All strength types relate back to absolute strength."
Miroslaw Babiarz, a renowned strength and conditioning coach based in Czeczewo, Poland, serves as the Director of Strength and Conditioning for both the Polish Weightlifting Federation and the Polish Rugby Union. He holds a Master’s in Kinesiology from Temple University and is currently a PhD candidate at Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport. Babiarz founded the Strength & Conditioning Education Center (SCEC), which provides specialized training across various sports and develops professional courses for coaches. His expertise is endorsed by high-profile athletes and reflected in his authorship of numerous sports science publications. Babiarz holds prestigious certifications from the NSCA and is fluent in English.
A unique approach to prescribe percentage-based training to achieve specific training adaptation (thank you Louie Simmons and Charles Poliquin).
Welcome Dawson Windham to episode 322nd of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Dawson Windham is a 26-year-old raw 242 powerlifter who has been competing since 2015. Currently ranked 20th all-time, Dawson aims to break into the top 5 soon. He is coached by Josh Bryant and mentored by the renowned "Knees Over Toes" guy, combining top-tier coaching with cutting-edge training philosophies.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
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DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
Dawson shares how ALL of his struggles prepared him to dominate the sport. Listen now!
Some of us are not looking to power lift, pull insanely heavy weight and risk injuring ourselves deadlifting. I used to be that guy, but having two babies (notice in my video demonstration his displeasure) and a business to run quickly ended my record attempts to lift extremely heavy and spend two hours in the gym.
Does this mean you can’t get strong? Of course not! Frequency and tension are the best drivers for strength. So, next time you hit the gym for deadlift day, try the hover deadlift!
How to Perform the Hover Deadlift
Hover Deadlift:
Deficit deadlifts are NOT for everyone, but if you have the mobility and mental fortitude, you need to try this because it combines the deficit with pauses and increased time under tension.
Tuck Jumps Contrast:
- I set up a trap bar and went to the low handle option to make it more effective at completely demolishing my legs. Add your deficit that allows you to get to JUST above the floor with good form.
- Start with five deadlifts and go right into a five-second low isometric hold. Then, four with a four-second hold. Continue until you hit one. Let go and shake the legs out!
- Optional: Add some unassisted contrast work. I went with five tuck jumps to test my manhood. After over one minute of tension work with my body weight on the bar, I could not even get my knees towards my chest. It is much harder than you think!
- You can pair it with a sled push or reverse drag, as shown below. The reverse drag reinforces proper patella tracking and will bulletproof your knees, which often get taxed in longer isometrics.
If you want to really force more of your quads to do the work, you can swap the exercise for the “reverse” deadlift. I use an attachment for this, but it allows your bodyweight to shift backward towards the anchor point to create more knee flexion. This will target the rectus femoris, making the sled pushes and drags even more difficult.
Reverse Hover Deadlift:
Prowler® Push Me:
Reverse Drag:
Now, rest for two to three minutes to completely rest and go four to six rounds. Your quads will quickly let you know they are being loved. The key point is keeping an upright torso to further target your quads, while leaning excessively can begin stressing the lower back, which reduces effectiveness.
If you are new to it, start with one and a one-second hold and work your way up. Personally, I like the countdown for mental fortitude!
Why it Works
- Isometrics is a lower-risk option to clear up asymmetrical imbalances and faulty kinematics.
- They improve intramuscular coordination and have massive neurological benefits.
- They can enhance power, torque, stability, symmetrical loading, hypertrophy, and overall movement efficiency.
- Increased sensory feedback and proprioception
- Solid measures of stretch reflexes(due to the eccentric phase)
- Increases muscle stiffness through both mechanical and neuromuscular mechanisms, which can help prevent injuries.
This drill forces people to know what it feels like to maintain tension throughout a set
The Hover Deadlift is brutal on all accounts. Add in the fact you are under tension for over a minute, and you will quickly see why it’s effective! If you need a way to make lighter loads work for you, give this a try!
Mike Over is a NASM master trainer and owner of Over-Achieve Fitness in Pennsylvania. He works with hundreds of everyday gym-goers and athletes of all levels.
If you need a way to make lighter loads work harder for you, give this a try!
Welcome Dr. Spencer Nadolsky to the 321st episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Dr. Nadolsky, a board-certified obesity and lipid specialist, advocates for lifting among his patients. He has developed and scaled innovative healthcare delivery services, with his latest project being a cardiometabolic clinic focused on resistance training and body composition. Additionally, he hosts the Docs Who Lift podcast, where he explores topics related to obesity, including discussions on the new GLP-1 medications.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
Dave and Spencer talk about everything related to obesity. Fun Fact: You’re likely obese.
Welcome Nancy Johnson to the 320th episode of Dave Tate's Table podcast!
Nancy Johnson is a Marine Corps Veteran, recent college graduate with degrees in Physical Education and Social Work, and a first-time homeowner. Her athletic journey began in high school, where she engaged in rowing and running, which extended into her military service. There, she developed a passion for long-distance running and powerlifting, the latter of which introduced her to strongman, igniting a profound passion that has significantly influenced her life.
Nancy has also competed in highland games and bodybuilding, enhancing her breadth of experience in strength sports. She is a 3x national champion, the reigning U73 World’s Strongest Woman, and holds the U82 atlas stone record. Nancy has competed internationally in both open and weight-classed categories. Beyond competing, she is dedicated to contributing to the sport through coaching, mentoring, hosting seminars, event commentary, and judging.
Nancy's IG: https://www.instagram.com/nan_ciee/?hl=en
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
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Listen to how Nancy was led to Strongman. Oh, how the quest for strength leads to greatness!
The Wild Ride of the Last Two Years
The last two years have been pretty wild, personally and professionally (good and bad).
Since 2022, we have had more staff changes than ever, including the abrupt loss of a key employee at my gym.
We have changed our business model, which brought some issues to light that we were completely unaware of.
I joined forces with the legendary Joe DeFranco and created the Iron Business Blueprint, a 90-day coaching program in which we help gym owners scale to multiple six-figure businesses without “watering down” their service.
My brother died.
My first son, CJ, was born.
We are expecting baby number two in September.
We are moving.
And more.
These last two years have taught me much about myself, business, and people. As I sit here contemplating what to write, I realize that there were many valuable lessons in these last two years that may impact your life.
So, I have found my topic, and I believe it may help you on your path.
Here are my five biggest lessons on happiness, fulfillment, and living a badass life.
Lesson 1: There is Plenty of Untapped Potential Right in Front of You
In November of 2021, we had a hard time breaking through a certain amount in monthly revenue. After the scam-demic, we finally got back to where we were prior, but we could not break through to the next level.
So, I hired a coach to help us do that.
And we did finally break through—actually, more than I thought we would, as we added an additional six figures in annual revenue.
As you can imagine, we were excited to see this kind of growth in our small business in 12 months.
At the time, I ran the gym, an online coaching program, a weekend experience for men, spent time writing and podcasting, and more. I was spreading myself extremely thin trying to build my businesses. As a result, none of them saw the growth I was looking for.
Once I decided to focus on ONE THING, we added six figures to our bottom line.
Maybe you are searching for the “next best thing,” like I was. But if you take a second and look at what is right in front of you, you may find what you have been looking for.
Lesson 2: Be Careful What You Wish For
My goal in business was to build a million-dollar gym.
In 2021, we were only a little over a quarter of the way there. So, I locked in and got laser-focused on achieving that goal.
As a result, we have seen significant progress over the last three years.
But that growth did not just come with sunshine and rainbows. It demanded more attention and created problems I did not anticipate. I will not bore you with all these problems, but it has been tough.
Like Biggie said, “Mo money, mo problems.”
I became more stressed, distracted, and pissed off. If I’m being honest, I lost sight of my core values and what I stand for. I found myself building something that I was unsure I even wanted anymore.
The thing I once loved became my biggest stress and headache.
For the first time running my gym, I began to hate it.
I started to resent it because it took away my time doing the work I loved, like running my weekend events, coaching people, and writing. I was wrapped up in sales, managing/training employees, and other business demands that I did not particularly enjoy.
Sometimes, the external success you see (like hitting a revenue goal) steals the soul of what you have once loved.
Remember, what may look good on paper might not be what you truly want.
Lesson 3: Remember Why You Started
Since being exposed to these growing pains, it has led me to search within.
I was making more money than ever, yet I was feeling unhappy.
So, I spent a lot of time reflecting, reading old journals, and watching old videos from when I first started my gym. I thought about what has changed since then and where I want to go.
I could not help but feel torn as I looked at the past, thought about the present, and planned for the future. When watching my old training videos, I saw a twenty-something-year-old kid who was incredibly driven and passionate about helping people. That guy was only making a fraction of what I make now, yet he was happy and fired up to spend 10 hours a day on the gym floor.
As business and life have evolved, I have spent significantly less time on the gym floor and much more time growing the business. Although my goal has always been to make real money in the fitness industry, I have come to realize why.
I am a coach at heart. I fucking love coaching. Whether on the gym floor, on a podcast, creating videos, writing articles like this one, presenting, coaching people on their nutrition, or coaching coaches on growing their gym business, I love it.
Since 2022, I have done a lot less coaching on the gym floor because I have been locked in on growing the business.
I found that this was a key reason for feeling like shit.
So, I drastically cut back on the thing I love the most and spent a substantial amount of time doing work I hate. I was focused on numbers and spreadsheets instead of focusing on people.
That is when I realized it was time to readjust.
I got into this business because training and fitness changed my life. I was once fat, lazy, broke, and depressed, and training was the thing that turned that all around.
It has helped me overcome every obstacle life has placed in front of me.
I became deeply passionate about teaching others how they can change their lives through fitness. That has been my drive for nearly two decades.
And although my responsibilities have shifted, it is time to focus on the people again.
It is time to focus on the work I love.
It is time to focus on the people.
How I do that just looks a little different these days.
And so if you find yourself unhappy in your work, go back to why you started in the first place.
If the fire is no longer burning, it might be time to make a change.
Lesson 4: Understand What Truly Matters to You and Build Your Life Around It
Do not get me wrong, money matters. It is a vehicle to true freedom and living the life you want.
But the proverbial golden handcuffs are real; if you are not careful, you can lose sight of what’s truly important. Money can be blinding and rob you of your joy in life if you solely focus on it.
When I took the time to reflect and think about what matters most to me it came down to five things.
First is my health. Without that, I realize I have nothing.
The second is people. Family, friends, my team, clients, colleagues, etc. Relationships are the foundation of happiness, I believe.
Third is freedom. Freedom of time and money. Being able to do what I want, when I want, with who I want is critically important.
Fourth would be experiences. Vacations, day trips, time with family and friends, and more. I believe life is about experiencing new things and ideas.
Finally, my fifth item is growth. Tony Robbins has said that if you could define happiness in one word, it would be progress.
If you are not growing personally and professionally, there is no progress.
As I navigate through life now, I make sure that these five areas are the cornerstones of every decision I make.
Lesson 5: Create Multiple Income Streams
Creating multiple income streams may seem counterintuitive to what I said earlier, but hear me out.
I believe that when you are building something initially, you must buckle down and focus on that one thing. Otherwise, you will be spreading yourself thin like I was.
However, once you have a solid foundation in your business, meaning that you have a team and systems in place and have removed yourself from the day-to-day operations, it might be time to add an additional income stream.
Ideally, this income stream will be passive (or semi-passive) where it will not require a lot of your time. An example might include investing in real estate.
It can also be related to your current business, for which you can charge a premium. For example, if you own a gym and have freed up most of your time, you can charge a premium to coach people online and only take a small handful of high-ticket clients.
Or, if you have mastered how to build a highly profitable gym, you can create a coaching program for other gym owners who want to do the same.
The reason I feel this is important is because sometimes we might have an off month in business. Or maybe the government decides to shut down our businesses at gunpoint. Who knows?!
For me, having other income streams gives me peace of mind at this stage of my career.
Just something to think about.
Hopefully, these lessons I have learned have resonated with you in some way.
There are ebbs and flows in life. It is just part of the experience.
Embrace the good and the bad, and remember to focus on building the life you want.
Remember, this thing is temporary, after all.
Chris Tutela is a Strength and Conditioning Specialist in Clark, New Jersey. He is the owner and operator of Tutela Training Systems, where he works primarily with college and high school athletes and the general population. Chris has been working with athletes since 2006, including two seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach for a high school football program in New Jersey in 2013 and 2014. He has also worked with a nationally-ranked high school basketball program in New Jersey. Tutela Training Systems has a reputation for drastically developing, strength, performance, and total body transformation for athletes and clients of varying experience levels and goals.
Life’s a trip. Through loss comes glory. Can you relate? If in a tough spot, read this!
Welcome Paul Leonard to the 319th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Paul Leonard, a powerlifter from 1986 to 2018, holds multi-ply records of an 810 squat, 480 bench, and 744 deadlift. His best raw lifts include a 545 squat, 322 bench, and 628 deadlift in the USAPL as a masters lifter, with a raw deadlift of 750 and a single-ply bench of 534. Paul also competed in strongman, placing 4th at the 2005 Atlantis Strongman Competition. Recently, he's participated in ArmliftingUSA grip contests and authored Built by History on Amazon. He also announces powerlifting and strongman contests for the USPA and USS.
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ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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Paul Leonard is on Dave Tate’s Table Talk podcast! Listen to his lifting journey (along with the story of beating Mike O’Hearn in competition).
First off, let's be clear about what we're talking about here.
Every holiday season, social media is inundated with lifters claiming to be "bloated" following their yearly holiday indulgence. Without fail, 99% of them have about as much bloat as the antenna on my car. For a long time practitioner of the bloating arts such as myself, I imagine I feel just like C.J. Murphy does watching the amateur drinkers on New Year's Eve. On second thought, since Murph rarely knows where or when he is, he probably just stands there wondering why his favorite bar is so crowded at 2:00 a.m. on a Tuesday and why all the drunks are wearing paper hats.
I'm getting off-topic.
Just because you are "full" doesn't mean you are "bloated," and I can't sit idly by for yet another year and watch the same mistake being made over and over again. When you fill your car with gas, you tell people your car is "bloated" or "full"? Any amateur can keep eating until their stomach is full and distended, but only the real lifters know how to reach their full-faced potential.
RELATED: Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
Here's a simple test to see if you are really bloated. Do you need a shirtless, full body shot to display your "bloat"? If so, you're doing it wrong. A good bloat will be noticeable from the neck up. A great bloat will be obvious from the eyes to mid-forehead. Otherwise, you're no more bloated than the typical fitness chick who eats half a sandwich at Panera, then Instagrams her "food baby" while 86 desperate dudes chime in with "Don't be silly, you're beautiful!" along with bug-eye emoticons and pictures of flowers.
The Art of Thanksgiving Eating
Although so many lifters seem to think a great bloat just magically appears after a big meal, there is an art to it. Here's what you need to know:
Turkey
For starters, f*ck turkey. It's one of the worst bloating foods there is. Ever notice how cutting diets all include a shit-ton of lean poultry and bloating protocols never do? Exactly. For the holiday bloater, turkey is the Netflix in a "Netflix and chill" session. Sure, it's the pretense necessary for this all to take place, but nobody actually needs or wants it. Pretty much everything on the table, including the napkins, will do more for your bloat than the turkey will.
Take one or two slices to be polite and move on.
Gravy
Gravy is the shit. Continuing with my N&C analogy, if turkey is the Netflix, gravy is the third glass of wine because "hey, it's Friday night right? And if you can't drive, don't sweat it, my roommate's out of town and you can totally just crash right here on the couch." Gravy is the glue that holds the bloat together. Pour it liberally over everything, including the pie. Not only does it contain valuable sodium, but it will help everything slide down your gullet and on to victory.
Yams, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Casserole
All in a tie for second just behind gravy, but beating turkey by a mile. These staples should be the majority of your plate and you should have at least three helpings each with a liberal pouring of gravy.
Jello Mold
Seriously, what is up with this stuff? I never know if this is supposed to be a dessert, side dish, garnish, or what. Why is this stuff a tradition, and does anyone actually look forward to it? Still, it does contain valuable sugar, so rather than try to make sense of it over dinner, I just get to the house early when my mother-in-law is just putting this stuff in the refrigerator, then sneak up and drink it all while it's still liquid.
Word to the wise: If you go this way, don't forget about it and freak out when you drop your next deuce. Because if you show up at the emergency room thinking you're about to die, and suddenly realize you drank a whole jello mold six hours ago, the ER staff, already pissed they're working the holiday will not have an ounce of sympathy, and will probably schedule a colonoscopy just to be dicks.
Cranberry Sauce
Eh, makes dry turkey taste less like crap, so use it as you wish, but only in addition to, NOT instead of gravy.
Pie
What could possibly go wrong with pie, aside from convincing white chicks everywhere that pumpkin spice is actually a thing to be desired? Load up on as much pie as you can, preferably doing that old cartoon move where you cut a small piece out of a full pie, then take the majority of the pie for yourself, leaving only the small piece. Note: Don't really do that, everyone will hate you, especially if you've already drunk the jello mold.
Logistical Concerns
As with all facets of training, those who pay attention to the little details of their competition misses are most likely to enjoy the greatest reward.
The Day Before
You might think the best approach is to eat lightly the days leading up to the big show, but this might be the worst approach you can take because it will shrink your stomach up something awful, making it nearly impossible to eat to full capacity. Instead, eat like a Viking the days leading up to the big meal, then chug a gallon of water before bed, just to make sure you're good and ready to fill'er up. You'll sleep like crap with all the bathroom trips, but since it's a national holiday, you can sleep late and hit the table like a runaway train.
Abdominal Distress
Let's face it, you are about to go to war, and with war comes casualties. Sometimes, the casualty is laying a nasty ass-blast at the Thanksgiving dinner table. This is a tricky one, but I've found the best solution is to make up a "blame list" well in advance of dinner. That way, when I release a vicious SBD between shovels of stuffing, I already know who else to shoot the disapproving glance to. The key here is to pick on those that can't defend themselves. Pets work great, as do babies, or old, senile relatives. The aged tend to fart often and audibly anyway, so your best bet here is to hold it until you hear them release the hounds, then quickly sneak one out right on its tail. It's the perfect crime.
Pants
Everyone is familiar with the unbuttoning of the pants following a big meal. This to me is nothing but a sign of poor preparation. What were you doing with your pants buttoned to begin with? By the time it takes you to realize your pants are too tight, you've probably already restricted the intake of food by a few valuable ounces. Elastic is the only way to fly if you even bother with pants at all. I prefer to dress from head to toe in Under Armor. I can't really say if this offends anyone or not, but by this point, everyone is already pissed and giving me the silent treatment for accusing grandma of cutting the cheese.
Football
What better tradition than the All-American game of football to go with this most All-American holiday? But in order to continue your gastric march to greatness, you need to be careful about how you watch, because if done improperly, the simple act of watching the game can have a disastrous effect on your bloat for a multitude of reasons.
First off, you'll probably want to watch the game from a comfy chair with a beer. This means you'll be nodding off like a narcoleptic within minutes. No good, as long as there is food in the house. You should be awake and eating! Do you want this or not? Another reason to stay away from the TV is that watching football might actually make you want to play football, and right now this is the worst idea ever. Not only is vomiting a 100% certainty sitting in a chair for the last three hours, but you're also tighter than usual and you WILL pull something.
WATCH: Table Talk — Dave's Best Cheat Meal (13,909 calories!)
On the flip side, the game can be the biggest bloat fuel there is because the worst time to watch football is when you're at your absolute unfittest, which you now should be. At this low point in your life, the last thing you want to watch is a bunch of 26-year-old millionaires in their physical prime perform skills that are now a distant memory. Even if you were NEVER athletic, you will for some reason invent an alternate universe in your head where you were a stud, just you can lament the loss of your "abilities."
For an example of this phenomenon, just observe the dads at any little league game. This whole situation will lead to a mild depression, which is exactly what you want, because how do most people deal with depression? OVEREATING! The trick is to get just depressed enough for that fourth helping of pie, but not enough for that third Vicodin.
The next day it will be time to put that bloat to work. I highly recommend geared squatting or benching so that you can best take advantage of your new awesomer leverages. This is where all the discomfort of the previous day pays off.
Author of Gear: The Ultimate Guide to Equipped Powerlifting, Dave competed in powerlifting from 1997 to 2020. As a competitive powerlifter, his best total was 2061, weighing 181 pounds. Dave totaled 11x times his bodyweight in two weight classes and benched 3x his bodyweight in four weight classes (all in full meets). He retired in 2020 at the WPO Semi Finals at the Arnold Expo.
Dave was born in NYC. He resides in Connecticut with his wife and son.
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Although so many lifters seem to think a great bloat just magically appears after the big meal on Thanksgiving, there is an art to it. Here’s what you need to know.
Isometric training can make you brutally strong. Just tie up with someone who has been wrestling or grappling for years. Combat sports involve a lot of scenarios and positions that are isometric. Think of fighting against an armbar or avoiding a takedown, for example.
Benefits of Isometric Training:
- It improves muscular endurance.
- They take less time to perform in a workout.
- Minimal equipment is needed.
- It is easier on the joints.
- Less inflammation (the mechanisms responsible for inflammation during normal weight training are not present during isometric training).
- They typically do not add muscle mass, which can be great for those who want to stay in a certain weight class.
- It can reinforce technique in crucial positions.
- Maximal effort can be demonstrated longer than with dynamic work.
For these reasons, I incorporate some form of isometrics in every training session.
When talking about muscle action, there are three types:
- Eccentric, also known as muscle lengthening.
- Concentric, also known as muscle shortening.
- Isometric, also known as static or "same length."
The eccentric and concentric phases are known as dynamic or isotonic muscle contraction. This is essentially the opposite of an isometric contraction.
Two forms of purely isometric training are useful for building strength, stability, and endurance. These are known as yielding and overcoming isometrics.
Yielding Isometrics
Yielding isometrics involves holding an external load or position against gravity. The goal here would be to resist the movement and maintain the position without allowing the load to overcome you.
An example would be deadlifting the bar to a certain height and maintaining that position for a given amount of time. When deadlifting, I hold 315 pounds at my sticking point for 40 sec (the goal was 30 sec).
While this amount of time is more suited for endurance training than strength, research shows that with isometric or slow reps for at least 30 seconds, you get a shortening of the muscle and a lengthening of the tendon. With that slow tendon lengthening and a strong muscle contraction, you get viscoelastic creep, which stimulates collagen synthesis and tendon growth. You need a sufficient load; however, typically greater than an 8 out of 10 intensity or 80 percent of your one rep max (1RM). Furthermore, the load must be directed specifically to the tendon you are training. For example, if you are targeting the tendons of the knee, you would use something like a leg extension versus a back squat where the load is distributed across other joints as well.
Overcoming Isometrics
Overcoming isometrics involves exerting force against an immovable object or load. Unlike yielding isometrics, where you are just focusing on holding the position, with overcoming isometrics, the goal is to push/pull with maximum effort against an object that does not move.
An example would be deadlifting against pins. However, if you use an empty bar, the rack will most likely need to be secured to the floor or weighed down. If that is not possible, you can use 50-75 percent of your 1RM. Using 50 to 75 percent of your 1RM will allow you to start the lift with good form and exert the amount of force necessary to reap the benefits of isometrics while limiting the chance of flipping the rack over.
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As seen below, you can also use bands to overcome isometrics. In the video example, I am training an arm-wrestling force vector known as side pressure. Arm-wrestling and the training involved comes with a lot of tendon pain. I have found relief by overcoming isometrics for at least 30 seconds. I have no doubt this would be the case for other tendons of the body.
Bruce Lee was a huge advocate of isometric training and used a device that anchored a chain to the ground where he would do various pushing and pulling movements. This would be a good example of overcoming isometrics, which can also be done using very heavy band tension, any immovable object like a wall, or a heavy spring made for arm wrestling training, as seen below.
The major difference (other than how they are performed) between these two forms of isometrics is that yielding isometrics seems to work more for endurance and stabilization while overcoming isometrics focuses more on generating maximum force. Yielding is often held for longer durations, whereas overcoming is performed in short bursts of maximal effort, typically 6-10 seconds. However, if you are experiencing tendon pain, experimenting with sets of 30-45 seconds may be worth experimenting.
While dynamic and isometric exercises should be trained, some interesting points should be considered when comparing the two.
Isometric Verses Dynamic Training
Although muscle tension over any full range of movement is lower during the eccentric phase than the concentric or isometric, the eccentric phase is attributed to muscle soreness. Many athletes have reported that they can recover much easier when only using concentric or isometric training.
With isometrics, strength is developed at the precise angle you are exerting from and in a radius of 15 degrees either way. Therefore, while holding the weight at your sticking point (like I am in the above deadlift video), you get to spend more time getting stronger and at the 15 degrees below and above this position. You can also take advantage of this 15-degree carryover another way. For example, if your sticking point for the deadlift is right below the knees, you do not have to use that exact position because that will limit how much weight you can use. However, holding the position right at the knees will allow you to use more weight while still getting the strength carryover to your sticking point.
Another benefit of using isometrics is their ability to teach proper lifting techniques and positioning. The dynamic movement tends to hide weaknesses. When doing a normal rep, you blast right through your sticking point if the weight is too light. And the faster the rep, the more you can hide these weaknesses. With heavier weight, maximal strength is displayed at your sticking point for a fraction of a second. Even if it is so heavy that you fail at your sticking point, you are not spending enough time to really take advantage of getting stronger in the position you are most weak in. This sticking point is also known as the mini-max.
Cardiovascular Health
During isometrics, blood pressure can rise as high as (300/250) for a few seconds. The rise in blood pressure is because so much of your musculature is contracting while blood flow is occluded (stopped). The pressure at the right ventricle of your heart gets so high because the system sends a signal there to increase blood flow. This stimulus signals the body to improve blood flow through improved capillary density, which makes the arteries and vesicles more expandable. Therefore, you get a lot of cardiovascular adaptations from a five to seven-second hold. With greater vascular adaption, you can move substrates around more efficiently. Now, you can recover better, too, because of increasing the ability to remove waste.
Potential Drawbacks of Isometrics
As mentioned, a significant increase in blood pressure can occur. While this acute increase is usually nothing to worry about in most people, caution should be used if you suffer from chronically elevated blood pressure.
They can exhaust the central nervous system.
If done exclusively, coordination, mobility, and speed loss can occur.
It should not be performed by athletes who have not yet hit puberty.
But if you are old enough to drive to the gym and not ready to stroke out, here are a few ways to implement some isometrics into your training.
Dynamic Isometrics
One good way to implement isometrics into your training is by using dynamic isometrics. For instance, in a squat, you would un-rack the bar and, as you descend, do several three to four-second isometric holds during the eccentric. After holding the last position at the bottom, perform the concentric portion at a moderate or explosive rate of speed. This movement would be good for someone who is interested in increasing muscle mass while still some of the benefits of isometrics. This way of training can also allow someone to train with lighter, more joint-friendly weights while still feeling like they are training at a higher intensity.
Flexing
Yes, before you make fun of the local gym rat who is constantly flexing in the mirror between sets, there is another (non-ego boosting) benefit. In the early 1900s, two Russian scientists, Anokhin and Proshek, proposed the idea that strength can be increased by tensing the agonist and antagonist muscles. This was studied and confirmed years later, in 1978.
Quasi-Isometrics
Other than simply flexing, this is another good way to ease into isometric training. Quasi-isometrics involve pushing or pulling very slowly over a certain range of motion. Using a pushup or bodyweight squat, try to work up to where you can do a two-minute rep- 60 sec down and 60 sec up. These pushups are no easy feat; even a one-minute rep will struggle for most people. For someone who is decently strong, their max pushup or bodyweight squat will be limited by muscular endurance and the ability to deal with acidosis. This would be a novel way to train to increase your max reps.
References
- "Isometric Training." Sport Manitoba, October 14, 2022, www.sportmanitoba.ca/isometrictraining/#:~:text=Keith%20Baar%20recommends%204%20sets,repetitions%20of%2010%20second%20holds.
- Rickson, J. J., Maris, S. A., & Headley, S. A. E. (2021, November 1). Isometric exercise training: A review of hypothesized mechanisms and protocol application in persons with hypertension. International Journal of Exercise Science. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8758172/
- Verkhoshansky, Y. & Siff, M. C. (2009). Supertraining, chapter 4.2.4
- Kurz, T. (1987). Science of Sports Training: How to plan and control training for peak performance. http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA60575230
- Kounoupis A, Papadopoulos S, Galanis N, Dipla K, Zafeiridis A. Are Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Stress Greater in Isometric or in Dynamic Resistance Exercise? Sports (Basel). 2020 Mar 28;8(4):41. doi: 10.3390/sports8040041. PMID: 32231128; PMCID: PMC7240596.
- ISOMETRICS. (n.d.). Westside Barbell. https://www.westside-barbell.com/blogs/the-blog/isometrics?srsltid=AfmBOopSb6L6TlEb3kJFkI3jKLCIXufH5Byqc9ZCpzpZ0sx6qlfwq18t
- MacDougall, J.D., Tuxen, D., Sale, D.G., Moroz, J.R., & Sutton, J.R. (1985). Arterial blood pressure response to heavy resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 58(3), 785-790. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1985.58.3.785
Scott Hayes is a top-level analyst for the Department of Justice and the owner of Ways of Hayes Fitness LLC. He uses his 20 years of experience in fitness, nutrition, and competition to help his clients improve their total well-being.
Improve your maximal performance while reducing inflammation and tendon pain with isometric training.
Welcome Pak Androulakis Korakakis to the 318th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast.
Pak Androulakis Korakakis is an exercise scientist, educator, and coach. He earned his PhD with research focused on "the minimum effective training dose for powerlifting strength." Currently, he is a Visiting Scholar at the Applied Muscle Development Lab at Lehman College in New York City, where he conducts research on strength and hypertrophy. As a coach, Pak assists a diverse range of clients, from novice lifters to competitive athletes in strength and physique sports.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
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All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
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Find out how his research supports maximizing gains with minimal effort.
As coaches, it is important to always remind ourselves where we came from. It is easy for me to lose sight of that and let myself get frustrated with the many mistakes lifters of all levels make. The fact is we all start somewhere, and we all make mistakes. I feel it should be a goal to help clients avoid the mistakes we made in strength training and to solve their mistakes faster than we did.
The idea is that strength takes time, which is the biggest limiting factor for how strong someone can get. I want more time to work on the struggles at a much higher level of strength than I get. Strength will always be about learning, and to me, a coach's job is to help lifters learn how to negotiate the peaks and valleys of higher and higher levels of strength. As each lifter gets stronger and journeys into uncharted territory, I may not be able to say I have been to that exact place; I can, however, help them negotiate that situation more efficiently and effectively because I have been thrust into new territories so often.
Coaching is not just about spotting mistakes and telling them what to do. For me, coaching is more about helping them recognize issues as they arise and teaching them to figure out the best solutions. I do not want to give them a fish but rather teach them how to catch their fish. First, I suppose I have to let them know they can eat fish and it has protein!
Types of Lifters
I always find it funny when people say, "There are two types of people in this world." I always think, "Come on, just two?" At the risk of making myself look funny, I will separate lifters into three types for my purpose here.
Some lifters just do not do enough or do not have enough intensity. These lifters have to be pushed all the time and are the biggest group. Next, we have the lifters who do too much work and need to be held back. These lifters are way less than the first type. Then the third type is the lifters that, either naturally or through work, have learned to listen to their bodies. These lifters go hard when they feel good and back off when something does not feel right. These lifters are the rarest of the three types. This type is also the one we should all strive to become.
Training With Intent
The major problem is that many lifters I see have no real idea how much work and intensity they should be doing. The worst-case scenario I see is when lifters believe they are "busting their ass," while to an accomplished lifter, they are not working hard at all or just doing the bare minimum to make minor progress. Going to the gym and working out is not busting your ass. Eating somewhat healthy 60 percent of the time is not busting your ass. Doing some lazy cardio once or twice a week is not busting your ass. If you are going to lift the weight up and down with some struggle but zero focus on intent, you are not busting your ass.
This is one reason I like the idea of the EliteFTS Train Your Ass of seminars. They show you what training hard feels like and help you find out what you have inside you. Most people find out they can push harder than they ever thought possible. The seminars also translate into a better understanding of Reps in Reserve (RIR) and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE). With a faulty baseline, these ideas have little meaning.
The Role of Recovery in Strength Training
On the other side are the people who actually kill themselves every single day but still feel like it is not enough. These people will work very hard and with great intensity but have no real concept of how hard they are working or realize how much recovery their body will need from such tough training. This balance of training to recovery is where the best gains live.
In the end, this idea is simple in principle but complex. We must work hard enough to stimulate the body to grow. Next, we must recover from the training session and allow the body to adapt to the growth simulation. This idea will stay constant for however long you train. Your skill level at training will change, though. If you are a newer or younger lifter, you do not have the skills, practice, or knowledge to push yourself too hard. In these years, you can have super high intensity and push yourself very hard.
Recovery Flex
As you progress, so will your ability to push yourself and get much more out of your body. Your technique will improve, allowing you to lift heavier weights, which therefore allows you to stress your body more. Your CNS will improve and allow for stronger contraction, enabling you to push your body more. Also, your muscle control, mental strength, training efficiency, and actual muscle strength will all improve, allowing you to push your body even further. The day will come when you look back at your early years, and even though you thought you pushed yourself so hard, it is nothing compared to how hard you can push yourself now. This means you will need more recovery time to recover and grow. Just because you have been training for years does not mean you have increased the time you can train. Remember, this is strength training, not an endurance sport.
How hard you are training in the gym matters, but how much effort are you putting into the rest of your training outside the gym? This is a big "how-to fish tip" that I see getting missed quite often.
Strength Training Goes Beyond the Gym
Say a lifter comes to me for help because his bench is plateaued. He asks me to look at his technique. His technique looks pretty good, so he asks me if I can see a weakness. His lats are weak, and he gets stuck at the bottom of the lift. So, I change his training routine and add some good exercises to fix that. A month later, he comes back to me and says it did not work and his bench is still stuck. He tells me he trains very hard with good intent all the time. At this point I decide to go deeper into all the information he had told me.
Well, come to find out that this 270-pound guy eats around 1800 calories daily and gets 150 grams of protein. So, it turns out his biggest weak link is his nutrition, and no matter how he trains, he can not outwork shitty nutrition.
Strength Training as a System
The point is that strength is a whole system, and all parts of that system work together. Training is not just what you do in the gym but what you do outside the gym. In fact, you will spend a lot more time outside the gym than in the gym, and I could argue that being outside is even more important.
Your nutrition is not where this whole system ends, either. Nutrition gets broken down into macros and micros, but there is still much more. Your flexibility, mobility, cardio, sleep, mentality, etc all play a role in the system.
A lifter comes to me complaining he keeps getting stuck at the bottom of the squat. The first thing I see is his horrible position in the hole. It is going to be difficult to drive major weights in that position. So, we worked on his technique, but it turns out he understands what he is supposed to do but can not do it. In this case, his flexibility does not allow him to be in the strongest position. This, simply stated, means his inflexibility is making him weak by not allowing him to lift the weight he can lift. I do not know about you, but not being able to lift the weight I worked so hard to lift just because I was too lazy to stretch would piss me off. Which is why I always stretched, even when it bored the hell out of me.
Everything plays a role in this system. Some things play a bigger role than others, but they are all important.
The Power of Technique
We must learn to see the system as a whole. I look at this like a mechanic would look at a car. The first step is to see how it runs, stops, and handles. If the horsepower is at the right output, if the brakes work great, if it handles well, and if everything meets the specs, drive away. If any of these areas do not meet the specs, you start searching. Of course, if the horsepower is good but the brakes suck, this could be bad. What is the point if brakes and steering are good but power is low? If you want optimum performance all the time, then you have to stay aware of the whole vehicle.
I continue to see many lifters who seem to feel it is just about picking up heavy weights. I will even admit to a time on my journey when I got to focusing on just picking up heavy weights. Yes, I made the mistake of thinking I needed to strengthen my muscles during these times. I was not thinking of the system as a whole. Suppose you are just at the gym, only focusing on lifting heavy with intensity. You are missing out on tons of gains. Just lifting and having no intent or attention to technique means you are not lifting as heavy as you could be. So then, are you stressing your muscles or CNS as much as possible? You are not stimulating growth to the best of your ability.
For example, if you are squatting 315 pounds for your reps with shitty technique, it may feel hard, and you may feel you are putting high intensity into it. If you fixed your technique and lifted it with intent, you could lift 365 pounds for the same reps. This would push your body much harder, stimulating growth.
RECENT: The DOs and DO NOTs of Picking Your Next Training Program
In a similar situation, let's say you are doing a face pull because you want to train your upper middle back. It turns out you are not performing these face pulls with intent or the correct technique, so you are not training the muscle you are supposed to be and not to the level you should be. You are also working on other muscle groups, which can increase the recovery needed from that session.
So, you took an exercise planned into your program for a specific reason and did it incorrectly, basically throwing a wrench in the work. That exercise is there for a reason, and it is meant to train specific muscles. Maybe they are a weak link or need to increase in size. In this case, you can not blame the coach or program because you did not execute the exercise correctly. You must be vested in your training, even if you have a coach. You must use your mind to develop knowledge about what you are doing and why.
Fueling the Machine
I want to talk about one of the biggest mistakes I see when it comes to nutrition itself. Would you put a lot of money and time into your car's motor so it can put out major horsepower and then put the cheapest fuel in it? Would you expect it to run to its top performance with cheap fuel? I continue to see so many lifters not know what their nutrition should look like. The worst part is the misconceptions of what they are eating. It is similar to the lifters that think they train hard or bust their ass, while to the advanced lifter, they are doing the minimum.
Over and over and over, I get clients who say they do not track their nutrition, but they know they are around so many calories, and they hit certain macros. So, I ran a quick generic addition problem with what I usually eat in a day. Big-ass surprise, they are not even close to the calories or macros they should be getting. The only people I have seen close when not tracking are those who have previously tracked their nutrition over the years. You are not going to build big, strong muscles without enough nutrition. That is like saying I am going to build a whole car out of this piece of 4" x 4" sheet metal. You cannot build something with nothing.
I am not a huge stickler for a certain nutritional plan. I feel that if there was one plan that worked for everyone, then why would we have so many different nutritional programs? Also, I feel nutrition is very important, and I think, in many cases, nutrition is the weakest link. Which macros are best, which micros are best, should I eat this, should I eat that, etc. I say find a program that makes sense to you and the one you are most likely to stick to. Try it out for a few months and slowly tweak stuff to fit your needs. Most of all, except that you will be building a machine that uses a lot of fuel but does it efficiently. This means getting used to eating even when you do not feel like it and eating all you are supposed to, even if you feel full.
Is Strength Progress Linear?
I often say lifting is life, and life is lifting. You will not be able to successfully compartmentalize the gym and your life. You may think you can, but they are intertwined and locked together. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you can begin to learn. Once you understand how they fit together, you can begin to master this system in your favor. When most people think back to their training, they will usually find training was the best when life was good, and when life was bad, training was subprime. Understand you will need to adjust life to training at times and adjust training to life at other times. If you know you have a competition coming up, you must be clear with people in your life and plan training as a higher priority for that time. Sometimes, you must adjust your training to fit your life priorities.
For example, you are getting married, and this is a very special time for your spouse. They have sacrificed for you before, so you set your training up around this event this time. Say you are up late one night with a sick child. Adjusting your training the next day would be best because you got little to no sleep. I get that blue-collar mindset of "so what? I can still kill it today," but this is not optimal. It is better to have the mindset that I am an intelligent, hard-working athlete. Still, make your training and focus with intent, but adjust it knowing your recovery has been less than optimal. This mindset and vision of your life as a whole are not just ok but, in the long term, will give you an outstanding life and exceed your training goals.
Is strength a linear curve progression? This is a great question I love to ask and answer, but it depends on perspective. Are you zoomed in or zoomed out? If I put points on a graph daily, it will look like the Saw Tooth Mountains silhouette. If I put points on the graph from month to month, it will begin to look like a much smoother curve with much fewer drops. Spread these points every six months; you should see a pretty linear upward curve. The fact is there are going to be ups, downs, and plateaus. This is unavoidable, but the smarter you train, the smoother it will become. Do not fret about the small stuff; day-to-day is the small stuff because this is a sport of years or even decades.
Key Principles for Lifters
- Do not be the lifter that trains too much, and do not be the lifter that does not train enough. Balances stimulation of growth with recovery and growth.
- Do not assume you are busting your ass. Find out what busting your ass looks and feels like.
- Never forget that training continues after the gym. There is a whole lot more than just lifting weights.
- You are only as strong as your weakest link. You will always have a weakest link. The faster you fix it, the faster you will reach your goal.
- It is not just about picking weight up. Intent, mind-muscle connection, technique, and intensity must always be present in all aspects of training.
- Fueling the machine is enormously important, so do not guess what you are putting in and how much. Know exactly.
- Life is lifting, and lifting is life. These two will always interact, so use this to your advantage.
- Strength and growth do not look linear when up to focus, but from further away, they are, so do not fret about the small downs.
Here are some foundation principles I have used throughout my powerlifting career. Ones that kept me on the best path when I veered off. I challenge you to see if these are in accordance with your training. I challenge you to write down your list that you can look at when progress is not as you want. Do not go after one fish when you can learn to fish in all situations.
Chad Aichs is a world-class and elite powerlifter in the SHW division. He began training seriously for powerlifting in 1999 in Sparks, Nevada, where he currently trains at American Iron Gym. In the ten years since he started, Chad has proven to be one of the strongest lifters in the world. His best lifts are an 1173 squat, 821 bench press, and a 755 pull. Aichs' best total is 2733, which makes him one of the top lifters of all time.
It’s better to learn to fish than receive a fish. This guide will help coaches and lifters avoid common mistakes and build a solid foundation for long-term progress.
Welcome Heidi Howar to the 317th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Heidi Howar began her powerlifting journey in 2012 as a stay-at-home mom aiming to stay fit. This journey evolved into breaking world records. She holds the women's multiply 132 and 148 squat, deadlift, and total records. Heidi has trained under some of the strongest coaches in the sport, including Louie Simmons. After recovering from a compound fracture of her radius and ulna, she continued to break records. Now retired from multiply, she is entering the raw division to compete, eager for the new challenges ahead.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
Heidi has trained under some of the strongest coaches in the sport, including Louie Simmons. Listen how she’s transitioning to RAW.
After almost 50 years in this Iron Game of ours, a few truths have stood the test of time. I believe these few truths can be considered the Laws of the Iron. I have always wanted to do the presentation below at a fitness or strength and conditioning conference to make people fully aware of the reality of training. Basically, to inform people that training is nowhere near as complex and confusing as many who complicate it in order to profit would have you believe.
A few years back, Bryan Mann wrote a brilliant article on program design, The Four Cornerstones of Sound Program Design, in which he detailed an excellent process for assisting coaches in developing winning programs. He detailed the what, why, how, and where of training and delves into trait selection, what is being trained, and what the goals of training are. I have used a programming process based on his ideas in developing my programs.
These programming processes focus on determining priorities: neural (speed and power), mechanical (size and strength), metabolic (fitness), hybrids, selecting methods, focusing on training days (full body or split) and how many sessions a week, select movement categories and exercises, and finally on sets, reps, loading and rest.
The Laws of Iron
1. Determining Priorities
I developed classifications of training based on the needs of the players I coached, heavily influenced by the genius that is Louie Simmons. All qualities need to be trained concurrently, otherwise, gains will be diminished if you train in a traditional periodised style. Prioritisation places the emphasis on the. Training on the area of weakness but does not exclude the areas of strength in the training process, these are the areas I came up with for the individualization of training. Neural (speed and power), Mechanical (size and strength), Metabolic (fitness), Hybrids. In a hybrid, there is usually a bi-modal aspect to training, whereas in the other three, it is a more uni-modal approach.
2. Select Methods
To borrow from Louie, “Everything works, but nothing works forever.”
This is not an exclusive list by any means, but I have trained in each of these styles/methods over the last five decades. Each method produced results, some more than others, and I have come to the conclusion that there is no perfect program. Instead, you need to experiment to find what works for you and then commit to it for a good period of time, at least three to six months.
“Plan your Work, then Work your Plan” Napoleon Hill.
Heavy and Basic is for beginners and anyone who wants to get bigger and stronger. I started my lifting journey in a gym filled with powerbuilders, who readily corrected my technique and kept me on the path. Any signs of "ego lifting," lifting above my current level that needed a break in technique, were met with a clip around the ears, and heaven helped me if I was seen to do concentration curls or similar movements. A quote from one of these men was, "You can't carve a spatchcock." Stick to the big exercises until you are the size of a turkey, at least before you even think of isolation (carving) routines. Bill Pearl or Reg Park, or probably both, have been credited with saying, "If you can press behind the neck 300 pounds, you do not need to do lateral raises".
3. Training Days
Often, training days will be dictated by the methods you choose, but there are so many variations between them. You could trial a variation of full body and split training over a year to determine what works best for you and the time constraints you have to train within. Full body, Upper/Lower Split, Anterior/Posterior Split, Body part Split, and Push/Pull/Squat split, just to name a few, are all splits that work over time.
4. Select Movement Categories and Exercises
The first task I set for myself when I begin in a new weight room is to list the movement categories that best suit the group I am about to program for. I tend to favor the following for my groups based on my training priorities of Neural and Mechanical, which match up well with the Bill Starr approach of a Pull, Push, and Squat and the Dave John approach of a Squat, Hinge, Upper Body Push, Upper Body Pull. I also currently have both planes of movement in my upper body selections, both bilateral and unilateral categories.
5. Sets, Reps, Loading and Rest
I can develop a three—or four-week plan to optimize performance. My preference currently is a three-week, basic linear intensification plan that caters to the various aspects of training with my group.
| Weeks Types | Unilateral, DB/KB, Machine and Hypertrophy | Bilateral Strength and Power | Plyometrics and Med Ball | CARE |
| 1 | 4 x 12, 10, 8, 8 | 4 x 3/3 Cluster @ 80+% Or 4 x 6 | 4 x 6 | 2 x 12 |
| 2 | 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 | 4 x 2/2 Cluster @ 85+% Or 4 x 4 | 4 x 4 | 2 x 10 |
| 3 | 4 x 8, 6, 4, 4 | 4 x 1/1 Cluster @ 90+% Or 4 x 2 | 4 x 2 | 2 x 8 |
My Laws of Iron
- Strength underpins all other qualities, Train for Strength and Size will Follow.
- Performance exercise choice is based on movement patterns, CARE programming is based on muscles
- Training time should be 60 – 90 minutes in total
- Unilateral movements should be included in any good program to identify and help correct weaknesses
- Focus on the muscles you cannot see (pulling movements for both upper body and lower body). As Louie said, "You're not quad dominant. You are hamstring weak."
- Technique should ALWAYS dictate the load used, not the opposite.
- Change the main movements and assistance exercises every three to four weeks to attain the best adaptions from the neural system. Use a variety of angles, bars, loading patterns, exercise selections, and equipment variations to sort out what best works for you.
- The ability to train is governed by the ability to recover, so less is often more.
Here is the weekly plan I am currently implementing with the group I am working with. There is usually a game on Saturday; if not, the back end of the week will follow a similar structure to Monday and Tuesday, which is more like an off-season plan.
Weekly Program Plan
Monday Beastly Circuit + 1 x UB Strength Push s/s Pull + CARE
OR
UB Size + CARE
Tuesday LB Strength and Power + Unilateral Squat s/s Hinge + CARE
OR
LB Size + CARE
Wednesday Recovery
Thursday FB Power and Strength + CARE
Friday Recovery
Here are the programs I am currently implementing with my group at present.
Upper Body Size Complexes
Pectoral Complex
Triple Drop DB Bench Press 45°, 30°, 15° 3 x 5 at each angle, no rest, + Hands Elevated Push Ups to concentric failure immediately after last angle, 60-90 seconds rest between sets
Delts Complex
KB Single Arm Savickas Press/Lu Raise/Seated Plate Raise to Overhead position/Banded Victory Raise
3 x 12 on each with zero rest in between exercises and 60-90 seconds rest between complexes
Upper Back Complex
Seated KB Shrugs (slight lean forward, shrug straight up)/Seated Long Cable Row/Close Grip Pulldowns to Chest/Banded Face Pulls
3 x 12 on each with zero rest in between exercises and 60-90 seconds rest between complexes
Arms
Triceps: Low Incline DB Tate Press 3x12 s/s Dips 3xmax
Biceps: Matrix EZ Bar Curls 3x (5 full/5 top half/5 bottom half/5 full) s/s Chins 3xmax
Beastly Circuit
Hang Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Bent-Over Row
Romanian Deadlift
2km Watt Bike or 750m Row or 500m Ski Erg or 6 lengths Sand Bag Carry
Upper Body Size (Hypertrophy)
Choose from the Exercise Selection Chart
1 x horizontal push s/s pull (bilateral)
1 x vertical push s/s pull (bilateral)
1 x Unilateral push s/s pull (unilateral)
Using only DB’s or KB’s or Machines (Hypertrophy sets and reps)
Lower Body Size Complexes
Quad Dominant
Leg Extension/Leg Press/Slant Board Goblet Squat
3 x 12 reps, / means no rest between exercises, 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down, do not let the weights touch on the Leg Extension, do not lock the knees on the Leg Press or Goblet Squat
Hamstring Dominant
Seated Leg Curl/Romanian Deadlift/Harrop Curls
3 x 12 reps, / means no rest between exercises, 3 seconds up and 3 seconds down, do not let the weights touch on the Leg Curl
Unilateral Finisher
Bulgarian Sprinter’s Squat super set Single Leg Hip Thrust
3 x 12
French Contrast Method Lower Body
| Option One | Option Two |
| 1a: Deadlift variations | 2a: Squat variations |
| 1b: Wk1- Repeat Hurdle Hops Wk2- Knees to One Foot Wk3- Single Leg Depth Jump to Split Landing | 2a: Wk1 - Seated Box Jumps with Feet Stamp Wk2 – Box Jumps Wk3 – Depth Jumps |
| 1c: Band Box Squat 40%/50%/60% or Jump Squats | 2c: Clean variations |
| 1d: Wk1 – Assisted Long Jumps Wk2 – Borzov Hops Wk3 – Repeat High Hurdle Jumps | 2d: Wk1 – Band Assisted Vertical Jumps Wk2 – Low Box Speed Hops Wk3 – Band Assisted Sprint |
+
Unilateral Squat s/s Hinge
Lower Body Power + Upper Body Power and Strength Training
Lower Body Power Complex
1A: Power Clean/Snatch or Hang Clean/Snatch or Clean/Snatch Pulls or Trap Bar Jump Shrugs
1B: Assisted Long Jumps(wk1), Seated to Box Jumps(wk2), Depth Jumps(wk3)
1B: Knees to One Foot(wk1), Single Leg Box Hops(wk2), Single Leg Drop to Split(wk3)
1C: Jump Squat or Band Box Squats or Banded Step Ups or Jump Split Squats
1D: Repeat Hurdle Hops(wk1), Band Assisted Sprint(wk2), 10 metre Run Rocket(wk3)
Upper Body French Contrast Method
1A: Bench or Incline or Military Press
1B: MB Drops (wk1), Clap Push Ups (wk2), Wheelbarrow Arm Jumps (wk3)
1C: Push Press or Landmine Split Jerk or Band Bench Press
1D: MB Chest Pass to Wall (wk1), Partner MB Pass (wk2), Plyo Push Ups (wk3)
Full Body Power
1a: Overspeed Acceleration (short bungee) 10 meters
1b: Knees to One Foot (week 1: 4 x 6)
1b: Single Leg Box Hops (week 2: 4 x 4)
1b: Single Leg Depth Jump to Split (week 3: 4 x 2)
1c: Resisted Acceleration Run Rocket 10 meters
2a: Explosive Pull 2b: Explosive Push 2c: Explosive Squat
Ashley Jones has worked in three professional sports across 30 years and four continents. He was awarded the NSCA's Professional Coach of the Year in 2016. Ashley holds his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) since 1988 and is an honorary lecturer in the School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA.
Use these laws to set up your next program.
Welcome Tanner Tattered on this 316th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk.
Tanner Tattered, a newcomer in enhancement and biological optimization, offers free, accessible information to the fitness industry, focusing on harm mitigation for younger users. Bridging the gap between generations, he simplifies advice from mentors for a younger audience while promoting safer alternatives. Outside bodybuilding, Tanner advises businesses, helping generate millions in revenue. In his free time, he enjoys cocktails and romcoms with his girlfriend, Elizabeth.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
Bridging the gap between generations, he simplifies advice from mentors for a younger audience while promoting safer alternatives.
Powerlifting challenges lifters to push their limits in the back squat, bench press, and deadlift. In competitions, lifters get three attempts at each lift, adhering to specific judging criteria. The sport is divided into eight weight classes for both men and women. An overall winner is determined by a formula that spans all weight classes depending on the specific powerlifting federation.
Raw vs. Equipped
Two main divisions exist in drug-tested powerlifting: Raw (Classic) and Equipped (Single-Ply). The equipped division allows additional supportive gear, setting it apart from the raw division, where lifters go without such aids. In the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), the raw division consists of lifters wearing supportive equipment, including a belt, wrist wraps, and knee sleeves. In addition, lifters are required to wear an IPF-approved singlet. The IPF recognizes single-ply as their approved equipped powerlifting category. The IPF-equipped division consists of additional supportive gear, including squat suits, knee wraps, bench press shirts, and deadlift suits. All articles of equipment are required to have specifications approved by the IPF. The gear used in the equipped category is designed to provide extra support to lifters, allowing them to lift more weight than they could in the classic division.
Historically, the equipped lifting division dominated powerlifting, but this changed in the 21st century with the rise of raw powerlifting, specifically after the IPF introduced the World Classic Powerlifting Cup in 2012.
Popularity of Raw Lifting
While powerlifting has grown significantly in the past decade, the growth has not been equal across the raw and equipped divisions. According to Open Powerlifting, 1,243 total lifters competed in the raw division in the IPF, compared to only 636 lifters in the IPF-equipped division. That equates to nearly two times the amount of raw lifters versus equipped lifters. This shift could be due to raw lifting having a lower barrier to entry compared to the equipped division. Less training equipment is needed to compete in the raw division than in the equipped division, making it more accessible to the average lifter. In addition, the rise in popularity of raw powerlifting on social media platforms appears to far exceed that of equipped lifting.
It has been long theorized that the gear used in equipped powerlifting helps to protect lifters' bodies from the wear and tear of competitive powerlifting. This theory will be further analyzed by comparing the ages of first-place finishers in the 2022 IPF World Championships for the raw and equipped divisions. The hypothesis is that the equipped IPF World Champions' ages will be higher than their raw counterparts due to the gear supporting lifters' bodies and thus prolonging their powerlifting careers. If lifters can excel at more advanced ages in the equipped division, perhaps we will see a new influx of lifters to the equipped division as they age.
Age by Weight Class
The ages of lifters in the 2022 IPF World Championships from all eight male and female weight classes in the raw and equipped divisions were compared, bringing the total number of lifters examined to 32. This data is available on the Open Powerlifting Project website. Table 1 below demonstrates the ages of each lifter in their respective weight class and division.
Average Age of Male Lifters
Table 1
| Men’s Weight Class | Raw | Equipped | Female’s Weight Class | Raw | Equipped |
| 59kg | 26yrs | 38yrs | 47kg | 20yrs | 51yrs |
| 66kg | 27yrs | 39yrs | 52kg | 31yrs | 22yrs |
| 74kg | 33yrs | 33yrs | 57kg | 29yrs | 27yrs |
| 83kg | 27yrs | 33yrs | 63kg | 34yrs | 43yrs |
| 93kg | 27yrs | 24yrs | 69kg | 29yrs | 29yrs |
| 105kg | 25yrs | 32yrs | 76kg | 27yrs | 22yrs |
| 120kg | 34yrs | 37yrs | 84kg | 25yrs | 33yrs |
| 120kg+ | 23yrs | 26yrs | 84+ kg | 33yrs | 38yrs |
The average age of the men's equipped lifter was 32.75 years old compared to 27.75 years old in the raw division. There were no weight classes where the raw lifter was older than the equipped lifter. However, in the 74kg weight class, both lifters were the same age, 33 years old. Additionally, the oldest lifter was 39 years old in the equipped division compared to 34 years old in the raw division.
Figure 1 (Men’s Division)
Average Age of Female Lifters
The average age of the women's equipped lifter was 33.12 compared to 28.5 in the raw division. In the women's division, there were three weight classes where the raw lifter was older than the equipped lifter, differing from the men's division. The women's raw side also had the youngest overall champion at 20. Interestingly, the equipped women's division had two lifters with ages over 40 (43 and 51 years), while the raw side had zero lifters over 40. Like the men's side, the oldest raw lifter on the women's side was 34 years old.
Figure 2 (Women’s Division)
A key finding revealed the average ages of male and female equipped lifters in the 2022 IPF World Championships were over four years older than their raw counterparts. The results demonstrate that both male and female-equipped lifters excel at more advanced ages than raw lifters in both the male and female categories. These findings could be important in allowing lifters to continue their competitive powerlifting careers as they age.
A limitation of this comparison is the small sample size of 32 lifters. There is also a significant discrepancy between the number of lifters in the equipped and raw divisions, which could skew the data. Evaluating lifters outside the IPF World Championship could help determine the application of the hypothesis outside of high-level competitive lifters to the average lifter. A more extensive future follow-up study could be beneficial in the confirmation of the results.
Conclusion
Conceivably soon, there could be another paradigm shift in powerlifting from raw to equipped. Additionally, raw lifters near their maximum genetic strength could experience more rapid progress with a transition to the equipped division. As the sport of powerlifting continues to grow, perhaps more aging lifters will transition to equipped lifting to prolong their competitive careers.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to acknowledge the Open Powerlifting Project for its open-source powerlifting database, which was used for data collection.
References
- Siem, B. (2023). Raw vs. Equipped Powerlifting. BarBend. https://barbend.com/raw-vs-equipped-powerlifting/
- Powerlifting rankings. OpenPowerlifting. (n.d). https://www.openpowerlifting.org/rankings/raw/ipf/2022
- Powerlifting rankings. OpenPowerlifting. (n.d.). https://www.openpowerlifting.org/rankings/single/ipf/2022
- Warpeha, J. (2013). History of Powerlifting by Joe Warpeha as in the USAPL Coaching Certification Curriculum. p. 7-8.
Nicholas Farison has been a competitive powerlifter for 10 years, competing in both raw and equipped Powerlifting. Most recently, in 2024, he placed 1st in the 74kg Open equipped Division at the North American Powerlifting Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is also active as a referee for Powerlifting America in his home state of Arizona. When not lifting or volunteering on the platform, Nicholas works as a Registered Nurse in Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Lifters’ longevity in the sport may ultimately dictate which division becomes the most popular.
In this 315th podcast episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk, Dane Miller takes a seat.
Dane Miller is a certified International-Level coach in USA Weightlifting and USA Track and Field. In 2021, he attended the Olympic Games in Tokyo with athletes representing the United States, Canada, Samoa, and Nigeria. In addition to the four Olympians in Tokyo, Dane has coached 8 Olympic trial qualifiers, 20+ national champions, dozens of state champions, and NCAA all-Americans in multiple sports. He took 5 athletes to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
As the owner and master coach behind Garage Strength, Dane Miller is one of the United States’ most well-known and recognizable names in weightlifting, track and field, and coaching expertise. In addition to the undeniable heights his athletes have reached, Dane is the recipient of the USA Weightlifting (USAW) Larry Barnholth Award for Coaching Excellence, has been appointed to assist at USAW training camps at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, and was named team leader and team coach to 6 Team USA squads. He has had the honor of training under and with athletic luminaries including Anatoliy Bondarchuk, Zygmunt Smalcerz, and Charles Poliquin.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
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Whether you coach top-tier athletes or beginners, you’ll be able to take something away from this podcast to improve your approach.
I find it odd that people will always look for and find the things that separate or divide us and use them against another group, no matter the demographic. It happens with politics, religion, and judging the police, and it happens within marginalized groups of people, as well. As a society, we find those differences and judge others for those differences.
I have been involved in bodybuilding for over forty years. Some people believe that social media is to blame for society's shift in judging everyone for everything, but there was plenty of hate before social media; there just was not a platform large enough for everyone to opine and be heard until social media came along. It is not a social media problem; it is a resentment problem. I have always said that those who can not and do not will resent those who can and do. Natties are the worst, and they have been under my skin lately.
Understanding the "Natty" Concept in Bodybuilding
For the few of you who may not be familiar with the term, "Natty" is a colloquialism known in the bodybuilding industry to describe someone who does not use performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). It is short for "natural."
Let me be clear from the start that I have zero issues with natties. I respect anyone who has decided not to use PEDs and fight for every ounce of muscle they can get. The vast majority of people who are geared (those who use PEDs) also have zero issues with people who are natty. We couldn't usually care any less because it does not impact us at all. Geared guys have issues with natties only when natties run their mouths and single us out as if the only reason we are big is from taking PEDs. That is when discussions and dialogue on social media devolve into vitriol and pablum. In short, I do not care what you do until you come after me. Then I care a LOT.
The Resentment Problem
I have watched a trend develop on social media over the last few years where anyone with any amount of muscle is quickly accused of steroid use—usually by someone who looks like they have never seen the inside of a gym.
I have also witnessed discussions about training and nutrition turn into a shit show and be taken down the rabbit hole of, "You do not know how to train. Take away the steroids, and you would not be big at all." That is like saying, "Take away protein, and you will not be big at all." It is an odd situation when you have been training for forty years and then are told you do not know what you are talking about because you use PEDs. It is so much of a head shake that I sometimes find myself sitting there, unable to respond, because I just do not know what to say. How do you counter a comment like that? I had to sit there and think of something better than, "Oh yeah?"
Social Media: Amplifying Division
I am curious how we have come to this divide. Essentially, we are all aiming for the same thing: improving our physiques as best we can. You would think we would all be on the same page within this "brotherhood" or community of lifters who are quite often looked down on as outcasts, meatheads, or obsessive.
Nah, we need to find the differences among us, argue with each other about who is better and who should be respected, and then belittle anyone who does not approach working out the same way we do. We already do this with politics, social topics, and pretty much anything we can use to judge someone else in a negative light. Why not go after someone who is bigger than you and has a better physique than you do? Don't take into consideration that I have been training for forty years and deserve some bit of respect; instead, try to steal the hard work I have put in and tell me how you would be just as big if you took PEDs, too. And here is the real kicker: I honestly believe that THEY believe what they are saying.
There are egos in every group, every profession, and every career. My wife often reminds me of this. When I bitch about how people act in our industry, she is quick to remind me that it is not specific to just our industry; it is rampant in every industry. She is a professional with a "real" job, and she has to deal with the same thing. The difference between my wife and me is that she does not get to write about the things that irk the shit out of her, but I do.
RECENT: When is the Dream Dead?
My Letter to You
Dear Natties,
It is ok to be natural. I respect your position of not wanting to use PEDs. Five seconds after you tell me how natural you are (because natties WILL tell you), I have forgotten about you being natural. Why? Because I simply do not care. You care that I am geared, but I do not care what you do at all, ever.
Please do not argue health and fitness with me. Listen, I am not about either one. I am extreme. I want to push the envelope to get the most out of my physique. No, I did not read a muscle magazine when I was fourteen and thought, "I sure want to be healthy and fit." I thought to myself, "I want to be jacked AF, and I want people to notice me when I walk down the street." Shallow? IDGAF. Again, I do not care what you do or how you do it; it is your business. Return the same respect to me and try not to care what I do, either.
Defining "Big"
Please quit turning social media posts into a cacophony of responses about how big you all are. Big is a relative term, and each person has their own definition of what "big" is. You are likely bigger than all your friends, but you are not big by bodybuilding standards. If you can walk down the street without someone noticing that you are a bodybuilder, you are NOT BIG. And anyone who knows me knows I do not consider myself big, either. If I do not think I am very big, and you are not as big as I am, where does that leave you?
Most guys on PEDs are so focused on getting bigger that they also do not consider themselves big. We tend to have high expectations for ourselves and are typically never satisfied. Yet you will go on and on about how big they are "for not using PEDs." I just checked your pics, and you are lying. You are either big or you are not, and if you have to tell everyone you are big, you are probably not.
Experience vs Youthful Egos
You do not know more about training or nutrition because you are natural. That is a silly argument that has no merit or basis. You want everyone to believe that because you grow muscle so much slower than someone using PEDs, you must know more about training and nutrition. I have trained for over FORTY YEARS. To make a statement like that to someone like me when you are not even thirty years old is comical to everyone except you.
Do not invite me to train with you because you think you will bury me. After training for forty years, I have built a tolerance for intensity that you probably can not even begin to understand. I would likely bury you, and I would do it being fifty-four years old. It would be pretty embarrassing to be out-trained by someone old enough to bang your mom.
And keep in mind that I am talking about INTENSITY, not strength. Hypertrophy is not reliant upon moving as much weight as possible, and quite frankly, training heavy in the 6-8 or even 8-10 rep range is nothing like training to failure in the 15-20 or 15-25 rep range. Take a set of pendulum or hack squats to failure at 20+ reps, and before you respond, do it a few more times before moving on to doing the same thing for the next exercise for legs. Let me know how that goes for you.
Embracing Differences with Respect
I know a ton of natties who are friends or clients, and none of them are assholes. I am not going after every single natty lifter; I am going after those who resent someone being bigger, so they try to discredit the geared group. It is no different than being poor and hating someone who has more money or having an ugly girlfriend and hating the guy who has a hot wife. We are not competing against you, and we are not going to steal your wife or girlfriend. I have seen her on your Facebook; she is not worth stealing. Plus, she very clearly prefers someone softer with less muscle. Just Sayin'
Ken “Skip” Hill has been involved in the sport of bodybuilding for almost forty years and competing for over twenty years. Born and raised in Michigan, he spent 21 years calling Colorado home with his wife and their four children. 4 years ago, he and his wife traded the mountains for the beach, relocating to South Florida. His primary focus is nutrition and supplementation, but he is called upon for his years of training experience, as well. He started doing online contest prep in 2001 and is considered one of the original contest prep guys when the bodybuilding message boards were still in their infancy. Skip’s track record with competitive bodybuilders is well-respected, and he also does sport-specific conditioning, including working with professional athletes.
Natties are the worst, and they have been under my skin lately.
Are you struggling with your squat stance? Maybe you think you have tight calves and need to stretch more to be able to squat deeper. Some trainers might tell you that you need to put something under your heels to be able to squat deeper. Well, in that case, you should tell them to fuck off and mind their own business. The reason is that there are different squat positions that fit different people. We are not all like each other. That is why you need to find your own unique squat position. I wrote an article about this six years ago, Find the Perfect Squat in Five Minutes. This article is still a must-read for everyone.
Your Unique Squat
Your squat is like your fingerprint; it is specific for you. An easy way to find your best position is to perform a box squat, and from the box, you should be able to stand up without pushing your upper body forward too much before standing up. You should more or less be able to stand up with a fixated upper body. The hip should be the part that moves the most. It will be a game changer for you when you realize your best squat position and get it right.
Squat Stance Thoughts from Boris Sheiko
My friend, Professor Boris Sheiko, wrote about different squat positioning on his Instagram:
"Let's talk about the squat today. Or to be more precise: leg stance in the squat. As you know, we are all different in many ways, including in terms of anatomical structure. Someone's arms are shorter or longer relative to his height, and so on. Did you know that the structure of the pelvis is also unique for every athlete? The shape of the head of the femur and the acetabulum of the pelvis (the place where the bone is attached) is individual for everyone. The anatomy of the pelvis affects the technique of squats — a fundamental exercise of strength sports.
I heard about this recently at my seminar in Sweden last May from the organizer of the event, Stefan Waltersson. Stefan said that there are already several studies on this topic. All you need to do (from Stefan's words) is to put the person on his back, bend the leg in the knee, imitate the squat movement down, and try to find the best femur angle where the knee is able to approach his chest very close. This angle will be the most optimal width for setting the feet.
On the other hand, I use the visual method to determine the best leg stance. It is based on years of experience and the trial-and-error method. When a new athlete comes to my gym, I look at his squat technique and immediately suggest some changes (if necessary). If the athlete feels confident in these angles after a month of training, we leave everything as is. If he does not like something and I agree with him, we make adjustments and work again for another month. In most cases, one adjustment is enough, but sometimes you must change the angles again.
Additionally, an athlete's changes during a sports career affect working angles in the squat—for example, growth (height), a transition to a heavier category, etc.
And now, there is a question for you, my dear followers. Which method of leg stance determination do you like more? Also, is this method based on the individual structure of the pelvis important for powerlifting? Since in powerlifting, you do not need to squat too deep (ATG)."
Posted 25 January 2018.
Hypermobility in the Squat
So, what I can add to Professor Boris Sheiko’s thoughts is that some people, mostly ladies, can have a hypermobility that allows them to squat deep in any position. So, what do I suggest for them? Well, a close stance might feel good to perform in, but the mobility allows your ass to hit the floor between the reps. This hypermobility is not useful in powerlifting, even if it builds good muscle strength. It is not useful because when you squat deeper than you need, you leak out the power for a one rep maximum. The solution is to widen your stance to a maximum so your mobility will be restricted to a tight hip position.When you squat, it will feel like your squat is just a quartz movement from the squat you performed earlier. This is a game-changer and will kick your numbers up extremely. Be patient because it could take some time. You might give it a few months before you get strong in the new position. I promise you, it is worth it!
If you’d like to read more on the topic, I have released Advanced Strength Training – Book of Principles. Check it out!
Stefan Waltersson has been a personal trainer for more than 20 years. He is Westside Barbell certified as a special strength coach. He was also educated and trained by Professor Boris Sheiko, who also wrote the preface for Stefan's book Advanced Strength Training—Book of Principles. Stefan works as an author, lecturer, and strength coach and runs a gym in Sweden. Previously, he worked as a nurse assistant in healthcare, with neurology as his main focus. You can also find him on Instagram as @coach_waltersson.
Squat stance matters. Find yours to move big weight.
Dr. Dwyane Jackson joins us on this 314th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Dr. Jackson, a renowned health and performance specialist from Yale University School of Medicine, combines expertise in exercise science, sport psychology, nutrition, and neurovascular physiology into practical applications.
His award-winning research on chronic stress and its effects on immunity, inflammation, and mental health has led to numerous influential publications and presentations. Dr. Jackson's discoveries in skeletal muscle blood flow and performance have advanced our understanding of muscle physiology.
Dr. Dwyane's IG: https://www.instagram.com/drdnjackson/
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
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Do the thing you love the most for a really long time. Dr Dwyane sifts through sophisticated science to create practical application.
Whether you compete in a sport with overhead events like Strongman or you just like being able to press something heavy overhead, a strong overhead press is a great thing to have. However, getting a strong press isn’t easy for many lifters. Especially if you’re not a naturally strong presser, an overhead press will take work, and every five-pound PR will be earned the hard way.
For non-competing lifters who are just looking to work on all-around strength, I like to make standing strict overhead press a primary movement in the program. We measure strength improvements on that lift, and then use secondary pressing movements and variations to build the strict press. Assistance work plays an important role in building the overhead press as well, with a strong back necessary to support the press, and effective biceps and triceps training important to maintain healthy joints/muscles and eliminate weak points. This 8-week program will provide a structured example of how you can accomplish all of these things.
RECENT: Max Effort Modifications for Lifters with Anxiety and/or Depression
I think it’s also important to note that I’ve found strict overhead pressing is affected dramatically by bodyweight changes and recovery. Often times, eating to gain weight will help accelerate your pressing progress, and dramatic losses in body weight will require a lot more patience in developing your pressing strength. Take that as you will, and keep that in mind as you evaluate your goals and timeline. No matter what your body weight goals are, make sure that you’re getting optimal nutrition to fuel training and that your recovery (overall programming strategy, sleep, stress management, etc.) is in check. Small dips in recovery will take a big toll on your press.
The following 8-week program will provide two upper-body days per week to help build the overhead press. The other days of your program will depend on your squat/deadlift/lower body goals. I recommend making sure it is wisely organized so that you aren’t pulling your recovery in too many different directions. I also recommend making sure you are working on your overhead press technique, as small technique issues will make a dramatic difference in what you can press overhead. Click on the link below to download the program. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
8 Weeks to a Stronger Overhead Press
PDF Download
An overhead press is going to take work and every five-pound PR is going to be earned the hard way.
Brandon Morgan joins this 313th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Brandon Morgan has spent the last decade in the fitness industry, primarily coaching, and in the past five years, he has also made significant contributions to education. As the Director of Education at Kabuki Strength, he led seminars nationwide for clinicians, trainers, strength coaches, athletes, and professional sports teams. He also developed both long and short-form educational content.
Recently, Brandon left Kabuki to start his own business, which quickly expanded to three ventures. In the past few months, he opened two new gyms in the Pacific Northwest, where he oversees education and content creation, while continuing to coach both virtually and in person.
Brandon specializes in coaching individuals with hypertrophy goals, powerlifters, and MMA athletes. His wrestling background has naturally led him to work extensively with MMA athletes.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
Brandon specializes in coaching individuals with hypertrophy goals, powerlifters, and MMA athletes.
Call me crazy, but there’s something special about aggressively throwing as much weight as possible over your head. If you happen to think the same, this article is for you. In the next few minutes, we’re going to be looking at exactly how to design your Olympic weightlifting program. We’ll start with two of the biggest pitfalls to avoid before moving on to the key rules you’ll need to follow. Then we'll end with some detailed examples of what a solid weightlifting program might look like.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Weightlifting Programming–2 Ways to Mess It Up
Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to review A LOT of people’s weightlifting programs (including newer coaches), and I’ve noticed two big errors.
1. Not Including Enough Strength Work
Newer lifters and coaches tend to forget that weightlifting is fundamentally a strength sport. If you can’t deadlift 180kg (about 400lb), then you’re not going to be able to clean it. Full stop.
Squatting two sets of three at 70-75% isn’t going to develop the leg strength necessary to make big lifts. Similarly, if you deadlift 200kg, but your weightlifting program has you doing nothing but pulls at 60-90kg, it isn’t going to increase your pulling strength all that much.
2. Relying Too Much on Strength Work
On the flip side of the coin, you have coaches and lifters who focus so much on strength work that they don’t actually get enough quality Olympic weightlifting practice.
I’ve seen guys who regularly squat over 200kg and deadlift over 240kg and yet can’t even snatch triple digits. No amount of strength work is going to improve their weightlifting. What they need is more practice of the specific movements.
How to Design Your Weightlifting Program
Alright, now that we know what NOT to do, we can jump into the specifics of what we SHOULD be doing. To keep things simple and actionable, I’ve broken it down into three key rules that you’ll need to follow.
1. Frequent Practice of the Olympic Weightlifting Movements
The weightlifting movements must be practiced at least twice per week, ideally three times, to maximize results. There are two reasons for this. First, research shows (Edwards 2010) that you need regular exposure to a motor pattern to master it. Second, you need to build speed strength in a biomechanically specific way to see the adaptations you want.
The good news is that because the movements are typically lighter and have no eccentric component, you can quickly recover from them (especially snatches).
2. Regular Inclusion of Squats, Deadlift Variations, and Overhead Exercises
Just like we talked about earlier, weightlifting is still a strength sport, and your squatting, pulling, and overhead strength needs to keep on improving.
A good rule of thumb is to schedule two squatting sessions, two overhead sessions, and one heavier pulling session each week.
- With the squatting sessions, I would probably have one session focus on back squats, and the other focus on front squats to maximize the carryover of strength to the clean.
- With the overhead sessions, I would recommend one session using a push press variation, and the other using a strict press variation. That way you get a good balance between learning to stabilize larger weights overhead, but also getting in some more focused shoulder strength work.
- And last but not least your deadlift variations. I say variations because I’m referring to the clean deadlift and snatch deadlift movements, in which you start your pull in the exact same position as your weightlifting movements. In my mind, they offer the best compromise between heavy lifting and positional specificity.
Obviously, you can vary the amount of strength work you do to suit your own needs, but those recommendations should give you a decent place to start.
3. Schedule Both of the Above in a Way that Allows for Recovery
So now you’ve got snatches, cleans, jerks, back squats, front squats, deadlift variations, push presses, and strict presses to fit into your training week. Ideally, you’re gonna want some core work and back work in there too. It can get a little overwhelming, and it’s easy to make a mess of it.
The best way to solve this problem is by using a heavy–light–heavy type of structure. On your heavy days, you’ll either a) go heavier, b) do more volume, or c) both of the above. Then on your lighter days, you’ll back off a bit by doing the opposite.
In the next section, we’ll jump into some examples of what that might look like in practice.
Example Weightlifting Weekly Program Structures
Training 3 Days Per Week
Note: Every session can (and should) be a challenging session because you’ll have plenty of days off to recover in between.
- Monday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Squats, Overhead Work
- Wednesday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Squats, Overhead Work
- Friday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Heavier Pulls
Training 4 Days Per Week
- Monday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Squats
- Wednesday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Squats, Overhead Strength Movements
- Friday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Pulls
- Saturday: Lighter Power Variations and Overhead Strength Movements
Training 5 Days Per Week
- Monday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Squats
- Tuesday: Lighter power, hang or no foot variations, overhead strength movements
- Wednesday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Squats
- Friday: Snatches, Clean and Jerks, Pulls
- Saturday: Lighter Power Variations and Overhead Strength Movements
Suggested Set and Rep Schemes
For your strength work, there’s no need to overcomplicate this. Aim for something in the range of three to five sets of three to five reps for your squats, pulls, and overhead strength movements.
With your weightlifting movements, you’ll have to think a little more about the distribution of intensity. What I mean by this is that you have three distinct intensity ranges to work with.
- 70-80%, which allows for good technical practice and high training volumes (think six sets of three reps)
- 80-90%, which allows for exposure to challenging weights and moderate training volumes (think four sets of two reps)
- 90%+, which primes the body to lift maximally and allows for minimal training volumes (think three to five singles)
The heavier you lift, the greater the specificity to competition, but the training is more taxing, and your technique is likely to break down. This is why I generally recommend performing the majority of lifts at 70-80%, some of your lifts at 80-90%, and only a handful of your lifts at 90%+.
As you become more experienced, you can slightly alter this distribution in favor of higher-intensity workouts. As a reference point, even the best lifters in the world only tend to spend around 1/8th of their training time with weights in the 90-100% range.
Programming
The following program is an example of a four-day weightlifting split that puts together everything we’ve talked about so far. It contains a decent amount of specific weightlifting training, alongside twice-weekly squatting and overhead work, plus once-weekly heavy pulling. It’s spread across the week using the high-low-high format, and it utilizes a balanced mix of intensity ranges for the weightlifting movements.
For progression, you would increase intensities by 1-2% per week (assuming technique was good) until a back-off week was necessary. You could then re-test your maxes at the end of the back-off week and restart the program with your new, improved numbers.
Monday:
- Snatch: 5x3 @ 75%
- 2 Hang Clean + 1 Jerk: 5 sets @ 70%
- Back Squat: 5x5 @75%
- Core and Lower Back
Wednesday:
- Hang Snatch: 5x3 @ 70%
- Clean and Jerk: 5x2 @ 75%
- Front Squat: 5x3 @ 80%
- Strict Press: 5x5 @ 75%
Friday:
- Snatch: Single at 90+% then 2x2 @ 85%
- Clean and Jerk: Single at 90%+ then 2x2 @ 85%
- Clean Deadlift: 3x5 @ 75% (of best clean deadlift)
- Core and Lower Back
Saturday:
- 2 Muscle Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat: 3x3 Light by feel
- Power Clean + Power Jerk: 3x2 @ 60%
- Push Press: 5x3 @ 80%
- Pull-Ups: 3 Sets of Max Reps
Conclusion
If you’re the type of person who skipped right to this section to get the CliffNotes version of the article (yes, you), weightlifting might not be the sport for you. On the other hand, if you’ve taken the time to read all the way through, you should now have a decent grasp of the fundamentals of weightlifting program design. In summary, you learned how to write a truly effective Olympic weightlifting program through these main points:
- Two major pitfalls to avoid
- Appropriate frequencies for weightlifting and strength movements
- Specific exercise, set, and rep scheme recommendations
- The high-low-high scheduling model
- Three main weightlifting movement intensity ranges
Header image credit: satyrenko © 123rf.com
References
- Edwards, W. (2010) Motor Learning and Control: From Theory to Practice. Cengage Learning. Pages 425-428.
Alex Parry is a strength and conditioning coach and weightlifting tutor. He currently runs his own coaching and education business, Character Strength & Conditioning. Alex also delivers education for British weightlifting.
Here are the key rules to setting up your Olympic weightlifting program. Included are some sample programs.
In today's 312th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast, guest Matt Wenning sits down.
Matt Wenning is a three-time world champion powerlifter. He has directed over 6000 troops in strength, conditioning, and wellness for the U.S. Army, including Infantry and Ranger Divisions. He holds a Masters Degree in Biomechanics and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Ball State University.
Matt grew up in Indiana, raised by a hard-working, middle-class family. His mother was a nurse, and his father was a Marine and truck driver. When he was six years old, Matt was hit by a car going 50 mph, which took a toll on his physical development. After undergoing 12 months of full leg casts and 12 months in a boot, his legs were underdeveloped.
Four years later, Matt discovered lifting. It allowed him to see he was capable of anything, despite what he had gone through during recovery from his injuries. Then, when Matt was 13, his father passed away due to cancer; a result of complications from agent orange. That's when he started lifting in competitions.
In the beginning, lifting was just a stepping stone to the goal of football. But it became a much larger pathway in his life. Lifting inspired Matt to attain higher education and become a strength coach. He excelled with a 3.9 GPA.
He has been an adviser for the NFL, an international speaker for the NSCA, and a contractor for border patrol, airborne divisions, and the pentagon.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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Undecided on adopting the principles of conjugate? Let’s weave through the pros and cons of it as Matt weighs in.
I have been writing programs for various people and groups for over 40 years now, and it has always been one of the great joys in my life. The key has always been for me to educate each person or group on the WHY of the program, building a level of self-redundancy into the process. As in most aspects of life, we are judged by the outcomes, but if we focus purely on them, we miss the opportunities to refine and develop the processes.
Learning from Legends
I was raised in the era of Peary And Mabel Rader's IronMan magazine, and as a 15-year-old new "gym rat," I would pester the local newsagent trying to find out when the next volume would drop. I would devour each new edition, dive into new routines, and try to understand the writer's intent in each of the articles within. Authors such as Norman Zale, Dennis B Weiss, Peary Rader, David P Willoughby, Clarence Bass, and Carl Miller, to name just a few, cover an array of topics from nutrition to training for the strength sports and programs of the current crop of bodybuilders and lifters. Add these names to the list of phenomenal books and authors available through Bill Hinbern's Super Strength Training.
We miss a great opportunity to grow if we do not heed Sir Winston Churchill's words: " The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you can see."
I have always attempted to adhere to the "heavy and basic" concept in my programming while still spicing it up with an array of different sets and reps protocols to give the person I am writing the program the best chance to realize their potential. The "perfect" program has been a lifetime goal, and whilst probably unattainable, I have continued to develop my skills.
Guthrie Govan once said, "If you steal from one person, it is theft, and if you steal from lots of people, it is research." This has been a cornerstone of my programming development. Over the years, I have borrowed from many, and as Bruce Lee said, "Don't get set into one form. Adapt it and build your own, and let it grow. Be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless—like water. "
The 80/20 Rule
I like to keep about 80 percent of my programming similar over time, basically, the aspects of training and programming that have stood the test of time, while the other 20 percent is a fluid environment, seeing what new aspects are available, trialing them and either including or putting them to the side. As Bruce Lee again said, "Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely your own."
I have been honored and privileged to share this journey through the medium of elitefts over the last 12 years, and this is my current program based on my working with a group of international rugby players who have come to Christ Church to improve their rugby skills through an immersive four-month program at the Crusaders International Academy and local club rugby teams.
This is an in-season plan, and the different types of programs will reflect whether a player has played a game on the weekend and their playing status at the back end of the week. The needs of each player, specifically size, strength, power, and fitness, are all discussed with the player, and what I consider to be the best type of daily monitoring is simple. I ask, "How are you feeling today? Are you good to go?" If the answer is a yes, let's get into it. If it is a no, I consider what we need to modify and then allow the player to recover for the following week's game.
The Decision-Making Flow Chart
I developed the following decision-making flow chart as the starting point for each of these discussions with players. It’s based on a Saturday-to-Saturday game schedule, with Wednesday being a rugby-free day dedicated specifically to recovery. The focus of the programming in the front end of the week (Monday and Tuesday) is developmental.The back end of the week (Thursday and Friday) is getting ready to play if selected or addressing aspects of the physical development needed to be chosen the next week.
Here then, is the complete set of programs to work from the chart above in detail:
Circuit Options
| Beastly x 6 | Canterbury x 5 | Strongman x 4 | T-Rex x 3 |
| Deadlift/Hang Clean/Push Press/Front Squat/Bent Row/RDL 6 reps on each, followed by 2km Watt Bike or 750m Row or 500m Ski Erg | 20 m Sandbag Carry Push/DB Hang Clean/Hand Release Pushups/Gorilla Row/See Saw Shoulder Press/KB Swing 5 reps on each | Zercher Carry 20m Overhead KB Carry 20m Sand Bag Clean to each Shoulder x 5 Trap Bar Frame Carry 20m Prowler® Push 20m | KB Power Snatch KB Push Press KB Overhead Squat KB Hang Clean KB Single Arm Swing KB Single Arm Row KB Single Leg RDL KB Waiter’s Walk 20 meters |
Upper Body Size (Hypertrophy)
Choose either a workout from each of the Size programming columns.
Chest, Back, Shoulders and Arms
or
Choose from the Exercise Selection Chart
1 x horizontal push s/s pull
1 x vertical push s/s pull
Using only DB’s or KB’s or Machines (Hypertrophy sets and reps)
Body Part/Hypertrophy/Armour Plating Size Sessions
LEGS | CHEST | BACK | SHOULDERS | ARMS |
| Quadzilla/Wowstrings | Pectoral Punishment | Big Back Maniac | Boulder Shoulders | Arm Race |
| 1a. Front Squat (6) 1b. Reverse Lunge (12) 1c. Goblet Squat (25) | Triple Drop Incline DB Bench Press (45/30/15) | Head Supported Yates Row s/s Landmine Kroc Row | 1a. Savickas Press (6) 1b. Dips (12) 1c. DB Laterals (25) | EZ Barbell Curl s/s Swiss Bar Close Grip Bench Press |
| 1a. Back Squat (6) 1b. Leg Press (12) 1c. Leg Extension (25) | 3-way Standing Cable Flys Complex: Low to High, High to Low,Horizontal to Floor | 1a. Pullovers (6) 1b. Pulldowns to Chest (12) 1c. Straight Arm Pull Downs (25) | Shoulder Press Ladder on Hammer Press 1 – 10 alternate sides | Seated DB Hammer s/s Skull Crushers |
| 1a. RDL (6) 1b. Hip Thrust (12) 1c. Reverse Hyper (25) | Mechanical Advantage Push-Ups Complex: Feet Elevated, Normal, Hands Elevated | Mechanical Advantage Chins Complex: Wide/Shoulder/Close | DB Lateral Raises s/s Bradford Press | Incline DB Curls s/s Lying DB Rolling Extensions |
| 1a. Trap Bar Deficit Deadlift (6) 1b. Back Extension (12) 1c. Banded Good Morning (25) | Mechanical Advantage Dips: Ring Dips, Parallel Bar Dips, Bench Dips | 1a. Muscle Snatch (6) 1b. Fat Man’s Chins (12) 1c. Face Pulls (25) | 3-Way Shoulder Raise 1a. DB Press (6) 1b. Seated DB Lateral (12) 1c. Cable Bent-over (25) | DB Twist Curls s/sLow Incline Tate Presses |
Full Body Strength
| Program A (Week One) | Program B (Week Two) |
| Explosive Pull/Plyometric | Explosive Squat/Plyometric |
| Squat | Deadlift |
| Unilateral Hinge (Hip Pattern) | Unilateral Squat (Knee Pattern) |
| Bilateral Horizontal Upper Body Push s/s Upper Body Pull | Bilateral Vertical Upper Body Push s/s Upper Body Pull |
| Unilateral Vertical Upper Body Pull s/s Upper Body Push | Unilateral Horizontal Upper Body Pull s/s Upper Body Push |
Upper Body Strength
1 x Bilateral Horizontal Push
Super Set
1 x Bilateral Horizontal Pull
1 x Bilateral Vertical Push
Super Set
1 x Bilateral Vertical Pull
1 x Unilateral Push (any plane of movement)
Super Set
1 x Unilateral Pull (any plane of movement)
Lower Body Power/UB Strength
Explosive Pull s/s Lower Body Plyometric
Explosive Squat s/s 10 meter Run Rocket
Then;
Bilateral Upper Body Push
Super Set
Bilateral Upper Body Pull
Full Body Power
1a: Overspeed Acceleration (short bungee) 10 meters
1b: Knees to One Foot (week 1: 4 x 6)
1b: Single Leg Box Hops (week 2: 4 x 4)
1b: Single Leg Depth Jump to Split (week 3: 4 x 2)
1c: Resisted Acceleration Run Rocket 10 meters
2a: Explosive Pull 2b: Explosive Push 2c: Explosive Squat
Lower Body Strength and Power French Contrast Method
(Choose one movement from each category)
30 seconds rest between exercises and then 3 minutes rest after the complex
After you complete the French Contrast Method
1 x Unilateral Squat
Super Set
1 x Unilateral Hinge
Lower Body Power and Strength French Contrast Method Exercise Selection Chart
| 1a: A heavy compound lift: Bilateral Strength/Power | 1b: A force-oriented plyometric movement: Plyometrics | 1c: A speed-strength movement: Bilateral Strength/Power | 1d: A speed-oriented plyometric movement: Plyometrics |
| Back Squat | Seated Box Jumps | Prowler® Push | Band Assisted Vertical Jumps |
| Front Squat | Box Jumps | Hang Power Clean | Band Assisted Long Jumps |
| Box Squat | Knees to Feet | Band resisted Jump Squats | Band Assisted Sprint |
| Zercher Squat | Depth Jumps | Hang Power Snatch | Hops |
| Deadlift | Depth Jump to Split Landing | Band/Chain Box Squat | Ice Skater |
| Trap Bar Deadlift | Hurdle Jumps | Hang Split Snatch | Band Assisted Borzov Hops |
| Prowler® Push | Hurdle Hops | Band Assisted Deadlifts | Band Assisted Split Squats |
| Power Clean | Bench Blasts | DB Hang Cleans | Low Box Hops |
In the case of the French Contrast Method, if the player would like me to be more prescriptive, then they have the following pre-planned options to choose from over time.
French Contrast Method Workouts
Option One Option Two Option Three
A1: Trap Bar Deadlift A1: Box Squat A1: Power Clean
A2: Knees to Feet Jumps A2: Box Jumps A2: Seated Box Jumps
A3: Band Box Squats A3: Hang Power Clean A3: Band Assisted Deadlifts
A4: Band Assisted Vertical Jumps A4: Band Assisted Long Jump A4: Low Box Hops
Option Four Option Five Option Six
A1: Zercher Squat A1: Back Squat A1: Deadlift
A2: Depth Jumps A2: Hurdle Jumps A3: Repeat Long Jumps
A3: Resisted Sprint A3: DB Hang Clean A4: Band Jump Squat
A4: Band Assisted Split Jumps A4: Band Assisted Borzov Hops A4: Assisted Sprints (10 m)
Plyometrics, Jumps, and Med Ball Throw Options
Lower Body | Upper Body |
| Box Jumps/Hops | Drop Push-Ups |
| MB Forward Throw | Clap Push-Ups |
| Lateral Bench Blasts | Band Assisted Plyo Push-Ups |
| Repeat Standing Long Jumps | Wheelbarrow Arm Jumps |
| Repeat Hurdle Jumps/Hops | MB Drops with Partner |
| Borzov Hops | Crossover MB Push-Ups |
| Squat Jumps | MB Lateral Throw to Wall |
| Depth JumpsVariations | Kneeling MB Overhead Throw to Wall |
| Knees to Feet Jumps | MB Half Kneeling Side Toss to Wall |
| MB Overhead Throw | Standing MB Slam |
| Split Squat Jumps | Feet Elevated Plyo Push-Up |
| Hops (In Place/Travelling) | Wall MB Chest Pass |
| Seated Box Jumps with Foot Stamp | Partner MB Chest Pass |
| MB Scoop Toss | Kneeling MB Push to Wall |
| Band Assisted Repeat Vertical Jumps | Swiss Ball Sit Up And MB Throw against Wall |
| MB Scoop Toss | Forward MB Throw |
Players can choose from an array of movements listed below, or if they have an exercise they have used to good effect previously, then we can discuss its inclusion in the program.
The final piece in this programming journey is the sets and reps for each session over a three-week training cycle. After this, the players will start back at week one in the schedule and change exercises where appropriate, so there is no need for a download week.
Sets and Reps
| Week | Unilateral, DB/KB, Machine And Hypertrophy | Bilateral Strength and Power | Plyometrics and Med Ball | CARE |
| 1 | 4 x 12, 10, 8, 8 | 4 x 3/3 Cluster at 80+% | 4 x 6 | 2 x 12 |
| 2 | 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 | 4 x 2/2 Cluster at 85+% | 4 x 4 | 2 x 10 |
| 3 | 4 x 8, 6, 4, 4 | 4 x 1/1 Cluster at 90+% | 4 x 2 | 2 x 8 |
Stay with your selected exercises for three (3) weeks, then change all movements for the next three (3) week cycle.
Header image credit: peopleimages12 © 123rf.com
Ashley Jones has worked in three professional sports across 30 years and four continents. He was awarded the NSCA's Professional Coach of the Year in 2016. Ashley holds his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) since 1988 and is an honorary lecturer in the School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA.
Discover why understanding the “why” behind workouts matters, how to blend classic and modern techniques, and what it takes to tailor programs for athletes, especially rugby players.
I want to provide a list of five pieces of equipment that I believe provide the biggest bang for your buck to get in effective workouts no matter where you are or what your goals are. If you are just starting out buying equipment or looking for things you can have on the go, look no further than these items. All of these take up minimal space in a vehicle, are cost-friendly, and can be used for a variety of things. Whether you have 20 minutes or two hours, all five of these items can provide GREAT workouts anywhere, anytime.
#1. Sled
The sled is my favorite piece of equipment due to its extreme versatility. The sled provides many great options, as you can use it for restorative purposes, conditioning, or a full-body workout. Many sleds are easy to leave in the car, so you can always be ready to get some work in as needed. I am a fan of sled dragging both forward and backward, and I usually do this twice per week. Sled rows are another favorite to get in a good back pump. Dragging the sled sideways is also great and something I utilize often with clients of mine. It presents a good challenge of coordination working through a different plane of motion.
#2. Med Ball
Med Balls are another great piece of equipment that can be used for various purposes, such as slams, throws, core exercises, push-ups/dips, squats, or even hamstring curls. Utilizing the med ball can provide some intense activity that allows for plenty of variety while increasing your heart rate. You do not need a lot of time for a grueling med ball workout. Burpee med ball slams are a go-to when I feel like I have not done any heavy breathing in a while. Rotational slams are also done fairly frequently, simply because they allow us to move through a different plane of motion than we typically perform exercises in.
#3. Kettlebell
I am biased towards a kettlebell over a dumbbell for the sole purpose that you can perform kettlebell swings. I believe the kettlebell to be one of the best pieces of equipment as, again, it has lots of versatility. You can do practically anything with a kettlebell that you can with a dumbbell and then some. Rows, presses, snatches, hammer curls, farmer carries, or even putting the kettlebell on the sled for some extra weight are some great ways to maximize what you have. If you are looking for a good backside burner, perform kettlebell swings for anywhere between one to five minutes straight. Do not be afraid to swing around some heavyweight, either! Long bouts with a kettlebell will really develop that posterior chain.
#4. Bands
Bands offer restorative benefits for joints, tendons, and ligaments. They can easily attach to kettlebells for added resistance and provide a convenient way to achieve high-volume workouts without the wear and tear of heavy weights. Compact and easy to store, bands are perfect for getting a full-body pump on recovery days, during vacations, or in the week after a competition to promote recovery.
#5. Weighted Vest
The weighted vest is a game changer. A weighted vest can take your workouts to the next level if you are crunched for time or low on equipment. An easy way to increase resistance is to add an extra conditioning factor, which helps build up your work capacity over time. Wear it while performing all other exercises, especially when dragging the sled, and watch your progress skyrocket. The weighted vest also makes regular bodyweight movements more challenging. If you have a park nearby, you can also do pull-ups and potentially dips. Your vest will be great for those as well. Truly, though, you can not go wrong with squats and push-ups. If you have access to something to perform a pull-up on, then more power to you, but I can not tell you how many times on vacations or even in my college dorm room where I would do a quick circuit of air squats and push-ups on days I knew I would not have a chance to go to the gym. Having a vest on hand simply allows you to take simple workouts like this and make them all the more challenging.
No Excuses
It is very easy to come up with excuses such as:
- “I don’t have a gym membership.”
- “I don’t have time.”
- “I don't know what equipment I should start with.”
- “I don't know how to work out.”
Dragging a sled, picking a med ball up and throwing it down, and squatting up and down take minimal thinking and skill to perform. You can find a 30-minute block in your day to intentionally exercise. I also guarantee you can get all of this equipment for under 200 dollars. If working out is a priority and you do not think you can afford this equipment, cancel your Netflix or Hulu subscription.
6 Workouts
5 Rounds:
- 100 ft Backward Sled Drag
- 10 Push-ups
- 50 ft Sled Rows
5 Rounds:
- 6 Rotational MB Slams
- 25 KB Swings
- 10 KB Goblet Squats
Band Circuit - x2
- 50 Pull Aparts
- 50 Tricep Extensions
- 50 Hamstring Curls
- 25 Bicep Curls
- 25 Side Bends (per side)
EMOM: 21 Minutes
- Min 1: 4 MB Overhead Throws
- Min 2: 6 KB Snatch per arm
- Min 3: Max Band Push-ups in 25 seconds
TABATA - :30 seconds on, :30 seconds off
- :30 Backward Sled Drag
- Rest :30
- :30 KB Swings
- Rest :30
- :30
AMRAP in 15 Mins with a vest:
- 5 Burpees
- 5 Push-ups
- 10 Air Squats
Bio
Jackson Abe is a strength and conditioning coach who competes in powerlifting and is looking to start competing in strongman in the next year. Originally from Bellevue, NE, he now lives in Fairbury, NE. He played collegiate football at Doane University in Nebraska. Currently, he works as a personal trainer at Hilltop Fitness & Performance in Crete, NE, and serves as the strength coach for Crete High's football team, where he is also a member of the varsity coaching staff. He holds a BA in Health and Physical Education and is a Certified Specialist in Strength and Conditioning (SSC).
As a novice or pro, these pieces of equipment should always be at your disposal.
Welcome Ben Mayfield-Smith to Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast!
Ben Mayfield-Smith, founder and head coach of Matter Athletica, hosts the "Matter Mentality Podcast." He explores performance, nutrition, and training through expert conversations. With a background in competitive sports, bodybuilding, and literature, Ben aims to bridge the gap between athlete and coach, offering unique insights into sports psychology and performance.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
SPONSORS
Marek Health
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
Save 10% on your first order with code TABLETALK.
LMNT
A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
RP Hypertrophy App
An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
CODE: TABLE TALK
elitefts
Offers a wide range of gym equipment and apparel.
Save 10% with code TABLETALK.
CODE: TABLETALK
All profits support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
SUPPORT THE SHOW
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Support Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast by Joining the Crew
Join YouTube — Don't miss a podcast: Ad-Free and Early!
SPONSORSHIP/PODCAST INQUIRIES
DOWNLOAD OUR PODCAST HERE!
Ben aims to bridge the gap between athlete and coach, offering unique insights into sports psychology and performance.
Speed work for bench press is not meant to be done forever. Let me tell you why. I did speed work, or dynamic method, for bench press for fifteen years. I first read about it in Powerlifting USA Magazine, Westside's Book of Methods, and elitefts ebooks.
Then, I continued to do it for the four years I trained REAL Westside. ("REAL" Westside means you either trained there or a member trained you; I did both.)
I did speed work week in and week out with a multitude of different bars. Fat bars, cambered bars, bench bars, squat bars, swiss bars, football bars, even to boards, flat, incline, decline, on the floor, with another multitude of accommodation resistance including chains, bands, and/or a combination of the two. I did this once a week, one of my two scheduled bench press days. For many, many years, I never missed a day.
READ MORE: Is Shirted Board Work Killing Your Bench Press?
If you have read my previous articles, you will know that when I trained REAL Westside, I developed a great squat, and my bench press went to hell. Actually, it went from a Canadian record-breaking 672.5 pounds to a barely passable 560 pounds.
My coach and I had no clue how to fix it. We even consulted with Lou, to no avail.
I finally had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life, and I made it right after I squatted 1,000 pounds and benched only 560 pounds at a meet in Newtown, PA.
It really bothered me how great my total could have been with that 1,000-pound squat if I had maintained my high 600s bench press.
Do What It Takes To Improve
I made a call and got myself invited to train at Adirondack Barbell Club (ABC) in Glens Falls, NY, with bench press guru Bill Crawford. Unfortunately, my Westside coach was not pleased, ultimately ending our four-year friendship. However, as powerlifters, most of us will do what needs to be done to improve, regardless. He saw it as me losing confidence in his training, and I saw it as the fact that I would never have a decent bench again unless I made a change.
As I said in my previous article, My Time Training Metal Militia Style at Adirondack Barbell, about training at ABC, Bill immediately removed me from speed work for my bench press. It was way more benching than my body could recover from, and in a moment, we will delve into the difference between too much work for beginners/intermediates and seasoned pro lifters.
Dynamic effort bench day, after 15 years of training it, week in and week out, was replaced by a day committed solely to tricep strength and a few other accessories like pecs, back, and delts in a bodybuilding style rep/set scheme. In a matter of weeks, my shoulder pain all but disappeared, and my shirted bench began to climb once again. I am not saying stopping speed work fixed everything because it did not. We also did some extremely grueling training for technique on shirt day, but it definitely contributed to my bench press being revived and to me narrowly averting a shoulder injury.
Dynamic Effort Bench Press For Beginner and Intermediates
The thing here is that the Dynamic Effort bench press is fantastic for beginner and intermediate lifters.
Does it make you fast and train you to recruit more muscle fibers? YES. Does it reinforce setup and bench pressing technique, bar path, and extremely important things like breathing? YES.
Was it a great tool to teach all of this to my clients and lifters at my gym? YES.
Was it still worth the time and effort and damage it did to my bench press and my body after fifteen years of doing it? NO.
Not Meant For Forever
After 25 competitive years in the sport, I no longer needed to reinforce those things, they were second nature, and the other thing is you cannot get infinitely faster. It is impossible. You will develop speed and explosiveness with it. Still, at some point, you will not become any quicker or more explosive. At this point, you would be fine with just maintaining by making Dynamic effort occasionally in training rather than beating your body to death with it, week after week.
Another issue with doing speed work constantly is the volume of work I was asking my body to do. With a nearly 700-pound bench press, you are pressing in the 300-pound plus realm, including the accommodating resistance, for six to nine sets of three, week after week, after week, plus your maximum effort day. Too much! You do not need that volume of work that often as a seasoned powerlifter- you just don't!
It took many changes and hard work, including dropping speed work for the bench press altogether, but I got my bench press back and then some. My point of this article is: do not lock yourself into one type of training or one particular coach. We are all different, and finding what works for you is the key to success and being the best powerlifter you can be genetically. Like Lou says in the Book of Methods, you must turn over all the rocks, you must try everything to find what works and what does not work for you as an individual and ultimately be your own coach. You know your body better than anyone, so only you can lead yourself to be the best lifter you can be. Just do not be scared to ask for help along the way.
Bio
Nathan Robertson is the previous owner of Amherst Powerlifting Club in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the current owner of Berserker Barbell in Saskatchewan, Canada. He competed for 25+ years in powerlifting, is an IPA Canada Chairman, and is an IPA and WPC International Judge. Nathan is one of only six 1000-pound squatters in Canada and a Top-10 overall Bencher in Canada. He is also a multiple IPA World Record Holder.
Key words: bench press and forever. It took Nate 15 years of speed work to come to this conclusion.
Welcome Kurt Havens to Dave Tate's Table Talk podcast for the 310th episode.
Kurt Havens, 48, is a fitness coach and father of two with a passion for fitness since age 12. A former athlete, he placed in the top 100 in the Body For Life challenge, which launched his coaching career with EAS Supplements. After a break from the gym for family and career, he returned to fitness in his late 30s, began testosterone therapy, and saw renewed success in competitions.
During the pandemic, he noticed the lack of reliable information on steroids and decided to pursue an MD/PhD in endocrinology to educate others. In 2023, he launched a social media presence, rapidly growing his coaching business. He continues to coach, create content, and study endocrinology.
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ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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Here’s what you need to know…
One of the most common questions a tactical strength coach gets asked is the infamous "How should I train for selection?" The answer is simple in some ways but can be complex and dynamic in others. Selection can mean many things depending on the organization you are assessing for. Although, there are a few rules that should be in place no matter what the selection process is. I will shed some light on how to set up a selection training program and provide some inside tips on how I train operators for selection.
Any Wind is Favorable if You Have No Direction
Before starting to train for a selection, the first thing to do is to look up the selection criteria. It sounds too simple to be true, but you would be surprised how many people show up for a selection without having looked at the free information available online. The organization's web page typically details what to expect during the selection process and often how to prepare for it. Most organizations are no longer very secretive about their selection process. Many have entire web pages dedicated to detailing the entire process. Usually, you can find the PT events and standards posted online. A wealth of information is available online to help you start training if you only look for it.
You may find a training program to prepare you for selection during your Internet search. Many of these programs were written by someone with firsthand information on what will be asked of the applicants during the selection process. Officially sponsored programs like these are designed to be a basic template anyone can follow with access to minimal equipment. I have been a part of writing these programs before, and while they are in no way specific to anyone's individual needs, they cover the basics. If done correctly, they will prepare you for the events during the evaluation. No matter what, if there is a training program provided by the organization, it is a good idea to at least reference it to make sure you are on the right track.
Prove that you care enough to at least investigate the process and prepare yourself.
A Pyramid is Only as Wide as Its Base
Building a training base is the most important thing you can do. Training needs to focus on a few specific qualities that build a foundation for many different abilities. While the emphasis of the selection may vary depending on the organization, you should focus your effort on aerobic capacity training, high-rep calisthenics, and lower body and grip strength. Every energy system will be tasked throughout a selection. However, one system will support all the others throughout the process: Aerobic Capacity. Upper body strength will be tested in several events. However, there are a few general strength qualities that need to be stressed more than others.
Always Improving
Training for selection must center around improving your aerobic capacity. It would be best to do this using several different methods, but your training base should be Zone 2 steady-state cardio. Even in the early stages of training, you should spend 90 minutes to two hours a week developing your Aerobic Capacity. It is important to understand that aerobic capacity will not only be the main system you are stressing during selection, but it is also how you will recover in between more intense bouts of activity throughout the selection process. Keep in mind that a varied approach to metabolic conditioning is still going to be best. Conditioning circuits, short sprints, and mid-distance intervals will all need to be a part of your training program as you prepare for selection.
However, Zone 2 steady-state cardio is the most effective way to improve your overall aerobic capacity. Therefore, it must be prioritized. The best thing about steady-state cardio is that you can vary the training methods and prevent a lot of wear and tear on the soft tissues of the lower leg. Use various cardio machines, sled dragging, and shorter road runs all combined to get your necessary amount of Zone 2 cardio every week and drive up your aerobic capacity without damaging your feet and shins. Zone 2 must be the most important part of your training base if you want to be successful at selection.
The Role of Calisthenics
Calisthenics needs to become your first, second, and third most preferred upper body movements. Upper body strength is important, but upper body strength endurance is more significant when it comes to selection. Every organization has its own PT standards, and calisthenics will be a part of almost every single selection process. You cannot afford to be out of shape when it comes to push-ups, pull-ups, or sit-ups. Bench press and overhead press are excellent movements, but there is not enough room to fit them in the training program when it comes to selection. When training for these events, I will typically eliminate barbell upper body movements the final six weeks before selection.
From that point on, the only upper body movements that I prescribe are high-rep dumbbell exercises and lots of push-ups and pull-ups. Muscular endurance in the torso is also important for selection, so each workout concludes with high-rep abdominal movements. There is only so much time and energy you can expend during workouts, so make sure anything you do is worth the effort.
Since upper body movements should mostly consist of calisthenics, the main emphasis of weight training sessions will be closed-chain, ground-based, multi-joint lower body exercises. At some point during almost every selection, the participants will be asked to pick up something heavy and move it. Deadlifts, specifically trap bar deadlifts, probably have the most carryover to the events of a selection. To build as much strength as possible while conditioning as much as possible, squats, deadlifts, and single-leg movements must be stressed during every weight training session using both maximal and submaximal loads.
The Importance of Grip Strength
Stressing posterior chain movements during training is also important to develop strength and prevent injuries and imbalances from occurring. Grip training should also be done during every weight room session. Grip strength consists of two different kinds: crushing strength and holding strength. The ability to hold on to a moderately heavy dumbbell or other implement for several minutes up to an hour or longer is something you need to prepare yourself for. If your legs and hands are strong, then you are strong.
These three training concepts make up the base of a selection prep program. The program's specifics should be based on the information gathered when researching the process. However, the meat and potatoes of any program will be the same. Zone 2 cardio should be emphasized to increase Aerobic Capacity. Upper body strength endurance should be trained by using calisthenics to mimic the demands of selection and to train for PT standards. Lower body and grip strength should be the main goals of all weight room sessions.
Warm-Ups are Warm-Ups; The Game is the Game
I have adopted a catchphrase that I use when training people for selection, "Availability trumps ability." So, I use this phrase repeatedly as we progress through the program. I find it necessary to combat the questions concerning why we are not running longer, rucking more, or doing more of any training method that seems to be in the zeitgeist at that moment.
This is a concept that I cannot stress enough: if you are 85 percent trained but 100 percent healthy, that is better than being 100 percent trained and 85 percent healthy. If you are as healthy as you can be, you can better express your true capabilities. If you are trained up to a higher level but can only express a fraction of that ability due to injury, it will limit you more and more over a several-days-long selection. Also, if you show up to selection with any existing nagging injury or overuse issue, it will become exacerbated quickly.
Selection: No Rest for the Weary
Selection for any organization is designed with no rest and no recovery in mind. You do not have time to pause and heal a small injury during selection. You will have to limp through as best you can and hope you meet the standard or risk being medically removed. Be as healthy as you can be when you show up on day one with plenty of reserves in the tank and give yourself the best chance at survival.
You must also bear in mind that failure is the goal when it comes to many of the events of selection. The raters want to see you go until you physically cannot go any longer. That is more of a mental task and not something you can train. More importantly, you cannot train for an event that requires failure very often without it leading to negative health outcomes. Even worse, you may find yourself stopping before you have truly reached exhaustion to save yourself for more training in the future. If you get into that habit, it may be hard to truly give your all when it is time. It is best to train hard, but train smart and save those max effort bouts for when they matter.
Structuring a 12-Week Training Program
When training for selection, I believe a 12-week training block is as long a program as anyone should attempt. In keeping with the concept that "Availability trumps ability," I believe any intense selection program longer than 12 weeks runs the risk of overuse and overtraining. My program is divided into a six-week general prep phase and a six-week special prep phase. The purpose of the general phase is to prepare the body for the special phase, which will prepare the individual for selection.
The goal of this program is to be as general as possible for as long as possible to reduce overuse injuries. The last six weeks of this program rely on the residual effect of the strength built in the general phase as we shift our focus to the things that will matter most during selection, keeping in mind that once selection is over, we will return to those more general concepts.
During the general prep phase, the program is four days per week of lifting and six days per week of conditioning, with one day completely off. During this phase, the focus in the weight room is on accumulating volume with submaximal weights on our main strength movements, such as squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and overhead presses. The assistance lifts are all done with high repetitions for hypertrophy and to build a base of strength for the special prep phase to come.
Conditioning Techniques for Endurance
The conditioning is mostly interval training and circuit work with about an hour of Zone 2 per week. The intervals are executed on cardio machines as well as on the road. They are done with the intent of increasing galactic and lactic capacity in 7–15-minute sessions. Zone 2 work is a mix of cross-training, running, and rucking to build a base of Aerobic Capacity without tearing down the lower leg.
When the program shifts into the special prep phase, the strength training takes a back seat to conditioning and rucking. The program shifts to a three-day lift, six-day conditioning, and one rest day template to focus on relevant abilities and recovery. The upper body lifts are removed and replaced with dumbbell movements, push-ups, pull-ups, and ab movements. The volume on the calisthenics will wave between 200 and 400 repetitions per workout. The lower body barbell lifts will focus on maximal strength on trap bar deadlifting (as this is the only tested lift in most tactical settings).
Incorporating Grip Work in Training
Grip work is included in every workout using various methods, including bar hangs, farmers carry, and even Zone 2 work done while holding a dumbbell in hand and switching it back and forth for the duration. The interval conditioning shifts to longer mid-distance sprints done on the pavement from 400m up to two miles. The few conditioning circuits done during this phase will all last 45 minutes or more and will be done in full kit.
Rucking is done no more than once a week, every week, for the entire special prep phase. The ruck workouts alternate between shorter ruck runs and long-distance rucks for time. The long-distance rucks never exceed a reasonable mileage and weight. These are less than what may be asked at selection and are done after a pre-exhaust cardio workout performed on the fan bike. The pre-exhaust is to better simulate a longer ruck without putting the same wear and tear on the body. Rucking can easily be overdone and should be approached more as a skill than a raw physical ability. No one prepares for a marathon by running 26.2 miles every week, and rucking should be viewed in a similar light. I have seen individuals prepare for a 26-mile ruck while never rucking more than 12 miles in a session leading up to the event.
Quality is more important than quantity when it comes to rucking. If it is being touched on a couple of times a month, and Zone 2 work is dominating your conditioning, you will be set up for rucking success.
Send It
Selection will be hard, but it is supposed to be hard. The training that leads up to it needs to prepare you for that difficulty, but not at the expense of your current health. The goal should be to get as strong and conditioned as possible, but above all else, you should show up healthy and ready to take on the challenge. Never forget that your mindset going into selection is more important than your physical condition. There will be multiple events where failure is the goal; you must know that and be prepared for that going in. Be ready to give everything you have and leave nothing in the gas tank. Show what you are truly capable of. Trust in your abilities and know you are as prepared as possible, then send it.
Kelsey Hite is a Strength Coach with two decades of experience working with high school, collegiate, professional and tactical athletes. He is currently employed as a contractor strength and conditioning coach working with USAF Special Tactics Operators at Hurlburt Field, FL.
Train for selection with this how-to guide with strategies ranging from aerobic capacity to calisthenics.
Swede Burns is back for another Dave Tate's Table Talk episode.
Swede Burns, the creator of the 5thSet methodology and owner of Keyhole Barbell, is a distinguished lifter and coach with over 20 years of competitive experience. A published author of several highly-rated books, Swede has made a significant impact on the powerlifting community. He is an Orthodox Christian, as well as a devoted husband and father.
WATCH/LISTEN TO THE SHOW
ABOUT THE HOST
In a three-decade Strength & Conditioning career, Dave 'Under The Bar' Tate dedicated 40,000+ hours to training and consulting. Beyond the gym, he's a prolific speaker, authoring 20 books and contributing 2000+ articles to magazines and esteemed websites.
As a powerhouse powerlifter (1983-2004), Dave achieved elite rankings. Beyond professional success, he shares life with Traci Arnold-Tate, elitefts co-founder, in London, Ohio, raising their two sons.
Dave's community commitment shines in his credo: Live, Learn, Pass on™ – a legacy of knowledge and inspiration shared with the strength and conditioning world.
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A zero-sugar, naturally-formulated electrolyte drink mix suited for athletes and those on hydration-focused diets.
Receive a free 8-flavor sample pack with any purchase!
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An advanced training app designed for maximum muscle growth. Early access pricing starts at $24.99.
Visit the provided link for more details and discounts.
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Swede’s back and excited to share with you his new Foundations series on hypertrophy.
Westside Barbell, renowned in the world of strength sports, has a storied history of pushing the boundaries of human strength and performance. As the birthplace of countless world records and revolutionary training ideas, Westside Barbell is the pinnacle of excellence in powerlifting and strength training. Achieving the milestone of being the first person at Westside Barbell to bench press 700 pounds was a personal triumph and a monumental moment for the gym itself. What makes this feat even more memorable is that I was the youngest person in history (22 years old) to achieve such a lift. This record-breaking lift underscores the relentless pursuit of greatness that defined Westside Barbell. It also set a new benchmark for future lifters to aspire to.
Training for Greatness
Leading up to the Greatest Bench in America event, my training was nothing short of grueling and relentless. Each day was a testament to dedication, marked by intense sessions where I built my strength and pushed my limits alongside some of the greatest training partners in history. The journey was a continuous climb up the proverbial mountain. It was fraught with challenges yet driven by an unwavering commitment to excellence. The culmination of this journey was the prestigious invitation to the Greatest Bench in America event, a recognition of the countless hours of sweat and perseverance. This invitation not only marked a significant milestone in my career but also validated the hard work and sacrifices I made along the way.
The event was hosted at the historic Majestic Theatre in Dallas, TX. It served as venue that added a touch of grandeur to an already prestigious competition. The Harvey Hotel in Dallas served as the host hotel. There, renowned powerlifting figure John Inzer ensured that all invited lifters were comfortably accommodated. In the days leading up to the event, the hotel buzzed with the familiar chatter before any meet. The air was thick with anticipation and the camaraderie of athletes preparing to showcase their strength. Fueled by adrenaline and testosterone, the lifters exchanged predictions, shared stories, and mentally prepared to make their mark on this monumental stage. The atmosphere was electric, setting the perfect prelude to the epic displays of power that would soon unfold at the Majestic Theatre.
Competing Among the Best
Many of the world's top bench pressers were invited to showcase their strength. And I felt honored just to be there. The roster included elite benchers like Anthony Clark, Jesse Kellum, JM Blakely, Greg Warr, and one of the fiercest lifters I had ever seen, George Halbert, who I was blessed to call a training partner for the last several years. Training with a competitor like George prepared you for any competition, making the actual meets seem relatively easy. But now it was time to put up or shut up; meet day had arrived.
The Moment of Truth
I kicked things off with a solid 644 pounds (292.5 kilos). It felt conservative at the time, but in this high-pressure arena, anything could happen. My first attempt? I nailed it with ease! Riding that momentum, I called for 683 pounds (310 kilos) on my second attempt and crushed it. Then came the game-changer. The world record stood at 711 pounds (322.5 kilos). After a quick, intense chat with Louie Simmons, we made the call: 712 pounds (323 kilos). This was my shot to break the all-time world record by a hair.
I felt an unfamiliar fire igniting within me as I approached the bar—a raw, primal rage. This was uncharted territory; I usually kept my cool. But this time was different. Louie gave me the handout, and it was go time. I was on the brink of making history as Westside's first 700-pound bench presser on the biggest stage, surrounded by the best benchers.
The bar came down smoothly. When I got the press command, I unleashed every ounce of strength. The bar came off my chest powerfully but slowed to a crawl. Louie's voice cut through the noise: "DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE." His words were all I focused on. The lockout felt like it took forever, but finally, I heard the head judge's "rack it" command. Time seemed to freeze as I rolled off the bench, a massive weight lifted off my chest. Then, chaos erupted. Louie jumped on me, my training partners swarmed, and we reveled in the victory. I shared this incredible moment with Eskil Thomasson, Bob Coe, Joe McCoy, and Louie. We did it! Westside Barbell had its first 700-pound bench presser, and I had shattered my first all-time world record.
Setting a New Standard
Breaking my first all-time world record was just the beginning of an incredible journey in powerlifting that lasted 19 years. This achievement was a turning point, pushing me to reach new heights in the sport. Over the years, I broke 14 more all-time bench press world records, thanks to being part of Westside Barbell, having the best training partners, and dedicating myself to excellence. I also showed my strength by holding world records in three different weight classes—220, 242, and 275 pounds—at the same time. Each record was a milestone, highlighting my strength, versatility, and determination as a top lifter.
My historic moment at Westside Barbell, becoming the first person to bench press 700 pounds at just 22 years old, not only marked a personal triumph but also set a new standard of excellence for future lifters. This achievement paved the way for others to push the boundaries of strength and performance at Westside Barbell. By breaking barriers and shattering records, I contributed to the legacy of the relentless pursuit of greatness that defines this legendary gym. My journey underscores the belief that with dedication, unwavering support from training partners, and the guidance of mentors like Louie, anything is possible.
BIO
Kenny Patterson, from Columbus, Ohio, channeled the loss of his father at 14 into a drive for excellence, shifting his focus from high school football to powerlifting. At 23, he set his first world record in bench pressing, leading to a 19-year career with 15 all-time world records and numerous teenage and junior records. His best lifts included 712 pounds at 275 pounds bodyweight and 716 pounds at 220 pounds.
Kenny also excelled in logistics, starting as an entry-level associate in 1991 and rising to Senior Director of Implementation over 33 years. Now in Goodyear, Arizona, he balances his career with a healthy lifestyle and offers powerlifting mentorship through social media, inspiring future lifters with his dedication.
Kenny Patterson shares his intense training to his historic event of being the first to bench press 700 pounds representing Westside Barbell.
Since accommodating resistance was introduced, many have used it to enhance their performance on the platform and the field of play. Many articles and research papers show how it can improve performance, but how are we using it to stay healthy? In my opinion, accommodating resistance is just as much a longevity tool as a performance enhancer. By utilizing different forms of accommodating resistance and smart planning, we can build and preserve our joints while getting stronger! To do so, we must know WHY, WHEN, and HOW to use it.
WHY Should You Use Accommodating Resistance?
it can become tricky to understand why you should use accommodating resistance. There are endless amounts of different training styles and systems to meet a vast amount of individual needs. Accommodating resistance should be there to ACCOMMODATE the individual and their program. Utilizing different bands and chains can help people address their specific weaknesses while also maintaining joint health.
We all know that when you utilize bands and chains, the resistance is heaviest at the top and becomes the lightest at the bottom. When you think about the main movements, such as Squat, Bench, and Deadlift, they often become the most unstable towards the bottom end range of the movement. If you are using chains and bands, you take a lot of pressure off the joint when it is the most vulnerable and continue moving it. This may help a lot of people train in pain or rehabbing with the lightened load at the bottom range of movement but continue to gain strength.
WHEN Should You Use Accommodating Resistance?
With the high variability of band tensions and the number of chains you can use, it can be difficult even to understand where to begin. I will lay out some common problems that occur and show you when to use specific types of accommodating resistance.
- Your Lifts Feel Slow – If your one rep max (1RM) takes longer than five seconds to complete, you would probably benefit from using bands. Because they are elastic in nature, it forces you to push through with a lot more power. Technically, you could say the same thing with chains. However, bands change the velocity at which they apply a force, which then forces you to exceed that velocity to finish the lift. Ask many of the seasoned lifters how many people they have seen grind against a banded weight longer than 10 seconds on a single rep. The answer will be not many.
- Your Lifts Feel Unstable – If you shake a lot or have trouble bracing, chains would be a great way to improve your stability. Unlike the bands, the chains are just hanging on the bar. They can swing any which way and unload unevenly on the ground as you descend, making it challenging to keep your body and the weight stable.
- You Struggle at the Lockout – If you struggle at the lockout it simply means you are probably not strong enough for the weight you are attempting at the moment. Overloading your lifts can help your Central Nervous System train to adjust to that type of load by going above and beyond what you normally can do. With minimal load towards the bottom of the lift, you can use that energy to strengthen the top portion of the lift while it is overloaded with either bands or chains.
- Your Struggle at the Bottom – In this case, you probably should not be using accommodating resistance in the first place. This is the one area the bands and chains do not help with because the load is minimal. So, you should use straight weight and variations of pauses to help build your strength at the bottom of the lift instead.
- You Have Some Pain/Discomfort – You need to consult a professional while having pain. If they deem lifting weights safe, you can use Bands and Chains to help train around the pain. Depending on the type of pain and what causes it determines what you will use. I have worked with some clients where bands were extremely helpful because the tension felt constant through the lift. Other clients found chains were better because they completely unloaded the joint. Pain is difficult and should always be addressed by someone who has a lot of education and practical experience working with that type of population.
HOW Should We Use Accommodating Resistance?
We went over WHY and WHEN we would use accommodating resistance. Now, it is time to put our bands and chains together to see how to use them! As I have said over and over again, this is highly individualized, so I will leave a few examples of how I would use them based on the problems addressed in the WHEN section. No matter your particular issue, there are a few things you keep in mind when implementing accommodating resistance.
Bands
- There should be tension in the band throughout the entire movement.
- Place them on the inside of the plates to prevent them from flipping while loading and unloading weights.
- Be clear of any tears to prevent them from snapping during the lift. I have done that one, and it does not feel good!
Chains
- They should be hanging off a leader chain so the weight is unloaded and loaded evenly in a fast fashion.
- There should always be at least two links of the chain when the lift is at lockout so they do not swing excessively.
- Place the outside of the plates to prevent hitting the bottom of the rack or bench
Both
- It should rarely exceed 30% of the total weight on the bar. Exceeding that frequently will diminish transferability to strength in that particular movement.
- The areas around the accommodating resistance should be clear to prevent from damage or stoppage of the accommodating resistance.
- Always start with an empty bar to get used to the accommodating resistance, especially if you have never used it before. It can feel extremely different and be difficult to judge jumps in weight from set to set.
Your Lifts Feel Slow
| Monday Max Effort Upper Main Lift Bench Press Straight Bar -Working up to a 3RM within 6-8 Sets -Double Mini each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or less -Double Monster Mini each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or more | Tuesday Dynamic Effort Lower Main Lift Speed Squats Straight Bar -Using 30% of 1RM for 8x2 -Light Band each side if1RM Squat = 400 or less -Average Band each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or more Speed Deadlift -Using 30% of 1RM for 8x2 -Double Mini Band each side | Wednesday REST | Thursday Dynamic Effort Upper Main Lift Speed Bench Straight Bar -Using 30% of 1RM for 8x3 -Double Mini Band each side = 300 or less -Monster Mini Band each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or more | Friday Max Effort Lower Main Lift Back Squat Straight Bar -Working up to a 3RM within 6-8 Sets -Average Band each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or less -Heavy Band each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or more |
Your Lifts Feel Unstable
| Monday Max Effort Upper Main Lift Bench Press Football Bar -Working up to a 5RM within 5-6 Sets -2 Chains each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or less -3 Chains each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or more | Tuesday Dynamic Effort Lower Main Lift Speed Squats Safety Squat Bar -Using 30% of 1RM for 8x3 -2 Chains each side if1RM Squat = 400 or less -3 Chains each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or more Speed Deadlift -Using 40% of 1RM for 8x2 -Straight Weight -Comp Stance | Wednesday REST | Thursday Dynamic Effort Upper Main Lift Speed Bench Straight Bar -Using 30% of 1RM for 8x3 -1 Chain each side if1RM Bench = 300 or less -2 Chain each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or more | Friday Max Effort Lower Main Lift Back Squat Cambered Bar -Working up to a 5RM within 5-6 Sets -2 Chains each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or less -3 Chains each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or more |
You Struggle at the Lockout
| Monday Max Effort Upper Main Lift Bench Press Straight Bar -Working up to a 3RM within 6-8 Sets -2 Chains each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or less -3 Chains each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or more | Tuesday Dynamic Effort Lower Main Lift Speed Squats -Using 30% of 1RM for 8x2 -Light Band each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or less -Average Band each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or more Speed Deadlift Using 40% of 1RM for 8x2 -Straight Weight -Comp Stance | Wednesday REST | Thursday Dynamic Effort Upper Main Lift Speed Bench -Using 30% of 1RM for 8x3 -Straight Bar -1 Chain each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or less -2 Chain each side if 1RM Bench = 300 or more | Friday Max Effort Lower Main Lift Back Squat Safety Bar -Working up to a 3RM within 6-8 Sets -Average Band each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or less -Heavy Band each side if 1RM Squat = 400 or more |
You Struggle at the Bottom
| Monday Max Effort Upper Main Lift Bench Press Duffalo Bar -Working up to a 3RM within 6-8 Sets | Tuesday Dynamic Effort Lower Main Lift Speed Squats -Using 40% of 1RM for 8x2 Speed Deadlift -Using 50% of 1RM for 8x2 -Straight Weight -Comp Stance | Wednesday REST | Thursday Dynamic Effort Upper Main Lift Speed Bench Straight Bar -Using 40% of 1RM for 8x3 -Slight Pause at the bottom each rep | Friday Max Effort Lower Main Lift Pause Squat -Working up to a 3RM within 6-8 Sets |
Conclusion
Accommodating resistance is a great way to break through sticking points and accelerate your progress. It may also allow you to train around the pain you are having if implemented properly, but you should always seek a medical professional before doing so. However, just like using tools, you need to ensure you use the right one for the right job. Use the accommodating resistance that matches the problems that YOU are having.
Bio
Teddy helps clients achieve performance and wellness goals, working with athletes, first responders, and the general public, both in-person and online. Using the conjugate method, he builds injury resilience, enabling clients to pursue their passions. As the owner of Agoge Performance and a trainer at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center for Upper Arlington Fire Department, Teddy applies his athletic background to coaching. A former cornerback, pole vaulter, and powerlifter, he's now training to better understand the firefighters he coaches. He holds a BA in Exercise Science, an MS in Sport Performance, and certifications including NSCA-CSCS and Precision Nutrition Level 1. teddy.cox@agoge-performance.com
Bands and chains can improve joint health and longevity. Understand the HOW, WHEN, and WHY so you can program these tools logically.
We have a new group arriving shortly, and I am very excited to try a slight variation of my programming. Usually, I have programmed unilateral movements for the lower body after doing heavy bilateral movements. Also, I have used the standard French Contrast Method (FCM) for the heavier bilateral movements.
With this new program, I want to do a traditional FCM first and then do a unilateral FCM, then onto a CARE program for the lower body. A short (30-minute) acceleration speed session will be performed before the gym session. Below is a selection of acceleration activities that can be programmed after a 10-minute dynamic movement warm-up; all acceleration sprints will be at a distance of 10m to 30 m.
Acceleration Drills
Push Up Start
Lean Fall Start
Bound into Sprint
Jump into Sprint
One Knee Kneeling into Sprint
Prowler Marches/Sprints
Hurdle Jumps into Sprint
Skip or Bound into Sprint
Heavy Sled Drags
Short Hill Sprints
Medicine Ball Throw into Sprint
Mountain Climber Starts
Acceleration Starts over 10 – 22 metres
- Prone position, hands
- Seated facing away
- Beach flags start
- Supine roll and go
- 3 point stance
- Tall, Fall, and Go
- Jump into Sprint
- Push Up into Sprint
Following on from the Sprints:
| Session 1 | Session 2 |
| Lower Body Bilateral FCM | Lower Body Bilateral FCM |
| 2a: Split Stance Romanian Deadlift 2b: Mini Hurdle Hops 2c: Hang Split Snatch or Banded Step-Ups 2d: Triple Jumper Drop Hops to Split | 1a: Deadlift 1b: MB Forward Throw 1c: Power Clean from Floor 1d: Band Assisted Broad Jumps |
| Lower Body Unilateral FCM | Lower Body Unilateral FCM |
| 2a: Prowler March 2b: Borzov Hops 2c: Bulgarian Sprinter’s Squat aka RFESS 2d: Box Hops | 1a: Deadlift 1b: MB Forward Throw 1c: Power Clean from Floor 1d: Band-Assisted Broad Jumps |
| Lower Body CARE | Lower Body CARE |
| Hip/Groin, Knee, Hamstring/Glute/Lower Back, Ankle/Knee, Loaded Carry | Hip/Groin, Knee, Hamstring/Glute/Lower Back, Ankle/Knee, Loaded Carry |
Here is a link to exercises in the program that you may be less familiar with.
Sets and Reps
French Contrast Method
- Week 1: 3 x 5 reps
- Week 2: 4 x 4 reps
- Week 3: 5 x 3 reps
CARE Programming
- Week 1: 12, 10, 8
- Week 2: 10, 8, 6
- Week 3: 8, 6, 4
If performing this program in the off-season, do it twice a week, ensuring that you have a recovery day before the session. Ideally, a Monday and Thursday schedule works very well since most programs I have been associated with will have a Sunday and Wednesday as full recovery days. If I were to program this session style in the season, I would alternate sessions each week.
2024 Lower Body CARE Programming
Select one (1) exercise from each of the five (5) categories and perform after the main program.
| Groin/Hips | Knee | Hamstring | Loaded Carry | Ankle/Foot |
| Monster Walk | Reverse Nordic | Pull Throughs | Farmer’s Walk | Single Leg Standing Calf raise |
| Copenhagen Planks | Poliquin Step Up | Natera Hamstring(Landmine RDL) | Sandbag Carry | Seated Calf Raise |
| Goblet position Lateral Lunge | Single Leg Squat to Box | Reverse Hyper® | Waiter’s Walk | Mini Hurdle Hops |
| Side Plank with Leg Abduction | Banded TKE | Sliders in Bridge position | Suitcase Carry | Towel Crunches |
| Banded Clams or Fire Hydrants | Kneeling to Step Up | Harrop Hamstring | Combo Waiter/Suitcase | Skipping |
| Banded Hip Distractions | Peterson Sled Drag | Knees to Feet Jumps | Magnusson Cross Carry | Ankle Inversion Eversion with band |
| High Hurdles Series | Spanish Squats | Bosch Hamstring(Single Leg Iso Hold on Back Extension) | Zercher Carry | Ankle Dorsi Flexion |
| Hip Lock Variations | Isometric End of Range Iso Hold on Leg Extension | Glute Ham Raise or Inverse Leg Curl or Nordics | Tire Flip | All Fours Bear Hold |
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Ashley Jones has worked in three professional sports across 30 years and four continents. He was awarded the NSCA's Professional Coach of the Year in 2016. Ashley holds his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) since 1988 and is an honorary lecturer in the School of Therapeutic Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, SA.
A new programming approach for stronger lower body strength and speed.