Powerlifting Gear...Why do we need it?

It's clear to me that my post today will be considered somewhat controversial. But I make no apologies, if you wanted main stream viewpoints you would be reading a Men's Health article about how to work out in your lounge chair.

So here it is: I am not a fan of geared/equipped powerlifting. Now before the howls of protest start let me make my case. Oh and yes I am no record holder but I have been watching this shit since Ted Arcidi hoisted 705  back in the mid eighties so I am coming at this with a little background.

The more I involve myself in this game the more I seek the true effort, the honest lift. I love the concept of man/woman against the bar. The pure simplicity of it all appeals to me. Call me a purist but if you get 40kgs from your bench shirt how is that your value add? Yes I understand the weight still needs to be lifted but if your poly/denim multi ply shirt takes that strain then what is the point. Not to mention equipped lifting changes the whole strength curve.

I'd be the first to admit that drawing the line at what is natural is hard in our game. The link between supplements ingested and real benefit is often nebulous with all but the basics of protein and creatine where it  is very clear that one of the hi tech modern shirts adds significant pounds to a lift. Hey even Arcidi wearing a first generation basic shirt in the mid eighties leveraged an additional 35- 40 pounds above his best.

It's not such a big deal Thomo I hear you say? Well for the fella's out there its like having a 5 inch pecker but buying a 9 inch sex toy and then telling everyone you are well hung!!!! Doesn't make sense if it isn't you doing the work!

I think deep down the use of equipment says something about our ability to chase an outcome without understanding the journey. I'd much rather see a heavyweight hoist 600 pounds raw and unaided then watch him work himself into a ridiculous open backed shirt for the sake of a few more pounds.

Call me old fashioned but I want my lifting as natural as possible!

Stay Strong
Thomo

4 Mistakes in Strength Training

1. Don't tell me something works in your training unless you FUCKING MEASURE IT: This is a big one for me, as an analyst I rely on evidence and logic only. Therefore it shits me no end when people take a supplement or other aid and suggest it works based on nothing more than a feeling. Actually the whole supplement industry is predicated on the fact that most trainers don't measure their progress and therefore "convince" themselves that supplements work.
2. Don't overdo functional exercises: I understand that most of us have imbalances that require remedial measures but that does not mean 90% of your training should be one legged bulgarian split squats on a bosu ball. Do the remedial work as assistance exercises..after your main work sets on the big lifts.
3. Regularly review your form on the big lifts: We are in the age of portable media devices where every smart phone can take high quality video. So if the functionality is there make sure you use it. I learn so much from freeze framing my key lifts at various points e.g. on the deadlift is my back angle correct at the first pull, are my hips too high, do I drive my hips under the bar at the right time? Just recently a new member at PTC  was training the deadlift but lifting far too heavy: hips to high in the opening stance, no lordotic curve, complete breakdown of from at initiation as lumbar flexion occurred. Interestingly this person thought their lift was perfect but without the video evidence it would be very hard to illustrate  form errors. Bottom line take a video weekly!
4. If you bench heavy and often..then do some rows! Get someone to take picture of you side on. Notice that shoulder rolled forward, that winged scapula? Yes its because you bench like a maniac and do far to little opposing work for the upper back and rear delts. Bend over and do some damn Pendlay rows.

Oh and on a non related point....note the word anything..it doesn't have a K on the end.I keep hearing people say 'anythink'...its not  A FUCKING WORD!

Stay Strong
Thomo

Week 1 Wendler is always the Hardest!

Despite de-load week firmly in the rear vision, the hardest week of Wendler 5/3/1 kicks in..week 1. Yes weird as it seems I always feel like crap on week 1. I am not sure whether its the transition from the 50% weights of de-load or just the great gods of Iron fucking with me. Regardless I always struggle with my bench top set of 5, hell even deadlift feels like someone added extra plates.

Actually I think it is more likely I have incremented the last 3 cycles just a little to much so while I am kicking the top sets on week three, for some reason the rep days are kicking my ass. In fact at this point I am close to shutting down this macro cycle. Not withstanding my squat issues (now fixed with the cambered bar) last cycle I hit 1RM's on Bench, Deadlift and Military Press so a de-load month of volume reps and active recovery is probably on the cards.

My goal in the next year is to lift at nationals in the 75kg class masters and hang with the PTC crew, though I should get a first comp in possibly in January depending on how the totals go. Though the short term short term goal is to kick back with holidays over X-mas and enjoy 3 weeks off just eating lifting and sleeping..bring it on!

Stay Strong
Thomo

Bench Press PB - Ohhh yea

Tough day at work yesterday, fires to fight, meetings to grind through and after that I still had to drag my sorry ass into the gym. I arrive home spend time with my daughter and then the pre workout caffeine kicks in. The buzz starts and the weariness starts to dissipate.

Fast forward, I am in the car and Foo Fighters and booming through the speakers. Its funny after feeling shit early in this cycle I have hit PB's on this final week, first in the Deadlift then Military Press and now lining up for the bench.

Three sets...5/3/1 not too much to ask for a PB. I look around its quiet in the gym tonight, most of the Monday night crowd are absent, recovering from a competition on sunday. Between sets I pump out sets of 7 on the chin bar. Wendler advocates sets of chins between each set of bench and by now I have worked up to 9 sets. Interestingly as big Andy Bolton suggests these mini sets between work sets build lots of volume without eating into your primary sets.

Final set is here and despite no ACDC playing I grind out a nice 1 rep bench PB. This has been a tough cycle with wild variances between good and bad, but I showed up and my reward is 3 PB's in three weeks.

Damned de-load week and I am raring to go, bring on cycle 8!

Stay Strong
Thomo

Hottest Bodybuilding Supplements

My old friends at a certain popular bodybuilding website are at it again. It appears they are in the process of releasing a new supplement and this means their guerrilla marketing activities kick into high gear.

The normal modus operand i works this way. One of the popular staff or feature writers will mention in passing a supplement they are taking as part of their regime. The clever part is they won't say much about the supplement in question just a couple of positive assertions about how good they feel post ingestion or that they were a bit low until said supplement kicked in.

The merest mention of a possible new supplement drives the faithful into a frenzy. Consequently the forums of this particular site go apoplectic with queries about the supplement: when's it out, what's it called, when can I get it etc.  If they stick to their form they will stoke this flurry of interest by cheeky but deliberate snippets of information. This usually takes the form of:
  'well its a top secret black ops item we have only be offering to pro bodybuilders"

This serves to drive even more activity on the boards and voila in 5- 6 weeks the demand for this product is overwhelming just in time for the heralded release.

Once released the price will be exorbitant and if they are unlucky the customers will be told that to get the most from the supplement they must sign up for an automatic re-order requirement on their credit card!!1

Stay tuned for this must have supplement and yes this crew really do give me the shits!

Stay Strong
Thomo

Want to get in shape - Pick up Heavy Stuff

Well I kicked off the day reading my local newspaper and needing a little laugh I decided to have a read of the 'Healthy Mind and Body section.

As always there is the ubiquitous article discussing obesity and general weight loss. What I find a constant source of annoyance is that these articles are written by individuals that have no first hand experience of good body composition. Consequently they often suggest the most inane activities to supposedly kick start the path to health.  As case in point I present you the following list that was suggested as 'excellent' ways to get active:

1. Stand up while on the telephone
2. Take the stairs (not so bad)
3. Walk, cycle or use public transport (!!??) 
4. Wash the car by hand
5. Play a game of mini golf
6. play hopscotch with the kids

Based on this truly execrable list our chubby friends above will be washing themselves into world class shape in no time.Why is it we always play to the lowest common denominator. If these approaches worked we wouldn't have the persistent obesity issues that are facing the normal population.

Let's be clear doing 1-6 above will make no damn difference unless you automatically graduate to normal accepted activities such as weight training etc and we know from the literature most people don't follow this path.

So lets get hard with people and articulate what they should be doing rather than enabling their bad habits. Bottom line if you want to get healthy get off your fat ass and doing meaningful exercise!!!

Stay Strong
Thomo

Best Strength Training Program Ever

1.Pick a program that is based on common sense and incremental progression

2.Train regularly

3.Eat lots of lean healthy food

4.Sleep

5.Rinse and Repeat...over a long time...years

ITS NOT THAT COMPLICATED!!

Deadlift 101...Listen to Wendler 5/3/1

I have to confess that I love the deadlift. There is truly something primal about pulling a loaded bar off the ground. I know that the squat is the freakier lift, primarily because always at the back of your mind you know that if something goes wrong you are under that load of iron.

Lately I have been enjoying the training videos of the Oly lifters at MDUSA and props to those guys and gals but again its the slow grinding pull of the deadlift that does it for me. What better lift showcases the true power that can be applied to raw steel. Check out the old school lifter in the opening shot:  I just love that bar bending under the load.

Tonight I felt like shit but 5/3/1 had me chasing a PB. It helped that a number of the lads at PTC Perth were grooving their opening lifts for a competition at the Muscle Pit on Sunday. While they were banging out sets I sat quietly and focused on my preparation.  Warm-ups felt light (always a good sign for me)  my preceding work sets were good and then up went my PB. As always the lads stop what they are doing and there are plenty of shouts of encouragement and filming. Regardless of how motivated you are you can't help squeeze another 5% from the crew willing you on.

Bar slams down, another milestone reached, this isn't then end just the next step. Next week more weight, more sweat, more shouts of encouragement. I love this shit!

Speaking of PB deadlifts, check out the insane deadlift from the 1988 Hawaiian record breakers meet. If memory serves me this was also where Dr Squat broke 1000 pounds in the squat. Now despite the fact the guy is the video is about 5 foot nothing and he has arms longer than a baboon he lifts 300+ at 60 kg bodyweight. Absolutely insane!!!




Stay Strong
Thomo

Biggest Biceps in the World...No Dipshit of the Week

Now I am not sure who is stupider...this lovely chap who has a years supply of Synthol in his arms...or the Guinness book of records that has entered him in its 2013 list as biggest biceps of the year!!

Yes this humble??!! petrol station owner from the states has achieved his 15 seconds of fame by hoodwinking the mainstream media into thinking this is natural. His interview reproduced on Yahoo is a sad sound bite of tragic self delusion the likes of which I haven't seen since Greg Valentino of Muscular Development first claimed no synthol and asked us to believe it was steroid site injections.

Well Moustafa and the Guinness organisation, congratulations....

Stay Strong,
Thomo

Old School Lifting - Friend for life

You know when I was younger I learned the hard way that there aren't many pure souls out there. People with a strong moral compass, that never waiver in their commitment  people who are straight up every time. Fortunately I have a couple of lifelong friends that fit this criteria but as I sat there at PTC Perth today it got me thinking about the Iron.

Strength training is like a tonic, it doesn't matter if the weather is crap,that you had a fight with your partner or you are buried in a tonne of work. At the end of the day that cold hard steel bar and those plates are your 'pure friend'. 

The iron is consisten, it persists and never falters. It always asks the best of you.  Fads come and go...crossfit, pilates, Zumba, Tai Bo. Longevity prevails: simple raw strength forged by nothing more complex than a power bar and 20kg plates.

Between sets I watch some of the younger members, guys still in the flush of it all in their 20's. I wonder if they realise the friend they have in this iron. I have watched this sport, this endeavour for 25 years and while much as changed in that time the simplicity of the Iron endures. I wonder if my young friends will still be hitting the weight in 20 years time. Will the passion be there when like me they are juggling work, kids and the myriad of complications that life sends your way. I hope the do, I hope they remember that this is a marathon not a sprint and that these sessions build character as much as they do muscle.

There is nothing more pure that stepping up to a loaded bar with nothing more than blood, guts and willpower. 

Stay Strong 

Thomo

The John North Appreciation Society!

So there I am minding my own business at PTC Perth, the remnants of a long day at work still turning over in my mind as I reflect quietly on the days events. I am draped against the power cage contemplating my  cambered bar squats. Tonight's session won't be hard but the tweaking adductor in my left leg is a persistent reminder that I may need to rest legs for a few weeks to heal...always something! As I slowly emerge from my reverie I zone back into the cacophony of the gym surrounding me. It's later in the evening so the early rush has moved on, no doubt relaxing at home scarfing down protein laden feasts in post workout bliss.

I scan the gym: Dan is hitting arms (it's assistance bodybuilding day post GPC worlds), Yianni is finishing up, Shanks is slowing down and starting his accessory work while Paul looks to be hitting his core. As my gaze shifts across the gym it starts to dawn on me....someone is stealing peoples T-Shirts and by the looks of it right off their fucking backs! Well either that or I have been magically transported to some wacky Mykonos rave or stumbled into a John North appreciation society meeting!

Now that can't be right??! I shake my head and refocus, perhaps there was something wacky in my pre-workout drink that is screwing with my perception. Ok try again, I scan the room...Ricky, no shirt, Aaron..no shirt, Yianni...no shirt. Fuck has Dan noticed this...what the fuck... for the love of god....Dan...NO SHIRT!!!

Cambered bar squats are now the last thing on my mind as I frantically try and make sense of the scene unfolding before me. Thankfully  not everyone has taken leave of their fucking mind!! Big Mike, bandana firmly in place has had the good sense to keep his shirt on and is pushing through his Oly lifts.

Now I am going to be subtle here and for the sake of discretion. I won't name who I think was the root cause of this man sweat love fest, lets just call him 'Aaron' for the moment. 

Now its no secret... 'Aaron' has been as giddy as a geek at an I-Phone launch since he attended the Glen Pendlay seminar last month (good to see ya happy and enjoying the lifting Bro!!). This has resulted in reinvigorated lifting and some great individual lifts. But there is a dark side as he was also instigator of the 'Nike Romaleos 2 Volt' cool kids lifting shoe club.

Now lets be clear I love my brothers at PTC Perth but the only place I want to bump into your sweat covered torsos is if and I mean if...Faith no More re-form, tour and we get prime position in the mosh pit!!

Oh and another thing not only were shirts missing but so was the hair. In the words of Jess Ventura 'if you want to be a god damn sexual  Tyrannousaurus Rex like me' don't shave your fucking hair! When you get the urge to manscape start the process, then stop half way through, look up into the mirror and take a lonnnng look at yourself razor or Veet applicator in hand. Now how hard core do you look boys ;)

Now if this trend persists I am going to start training bottomless on squat day and every second session jocks will be optional, I am just saying!!

Stay Strong!

Thomo

Mr Olympia 2012 - Phil Heath

As you  know I rarely if ever give space to our bodybuilding brethren but with the 2012 Mr Olympia done and dusted I thought I should pay respects to the 'sport' that got me started in the iron.

No obviously I have no desire to throw on the trunks, oil up and hit the posing platform, hell if you saw my physique you would be grateful of that fact. But even spectating is hard for me. Generally bodybuilding leaves me cold these days, I just can't get into it. The natural shows are shit and if they are truly natural then the guys look emaciated, while the pro shows just have lumbering fat fuckers that only resemble an athletic physique in certain still pics. Notwithstanding Ronnie Coleman's classic training videos are still some of my favourite training motivational material.

However back in the dark ages (1980's) for the Y Gen amongst you, Muscle and Fitness introduced me to bodybuilding.  Lee Haney was dominating the platform against guys like Rich Gaspari and my favourite bodybuilder Lee Labrada (Check out the 1988 cover below). Now despite a mustache that would make a 70's porn star proud guys like Labrada  epitomized the classic physique.

Part of the appeal of those days was that while guys juiced their doses were so small compared to today that you felt their look was still attainable by the average guy. Similarly the absence of the internet meant the governing body (IFBB) could tightly control the flow of information regarding the sport and its athletes. Consequently every athlete appeared to be an articulate wholesome representative of the sport.

So for an emaciated road cyclist the lure of weights was slowly fanned by regular doses of Muscle and Fitness and training sessions at the old Curtin University Dome Gymnasium.  Fast forward 20 years and here I am baby, mortgage and trying to compete in GPC masters next year! So those of you studying now with relatively free schedules and commitments (big Mike and Shanks I am talking to you!) enjoy because it changes in the blink of an eye!

Till next time.....

Stay Stong
Thomo!