Nothing will kill a deadlift more than weak lats or a less-than-comfortable-it’s-nearly-slipping grip on the barbell. No thank you! The antidote to both situations is using accessory work to plug all the weak leaks in your deadlift. Or, maybe you just don’t know how to deadlift correctly, which is a topic I cover at length here. Most people start deadlifting with …
A Case for Deadlifting With Chains
When we think explosive, the last thing that comes to mind is the deadlift. Yet any lifter worth his or her salt will tell you that the deadlift is anything but slow. Once we get past the learning curve of the barbell deadlift and start building strength, adding in chains (or bands) is a great training tool to build the …
Training Beyond the Sagittal Plane
Whether we’re new to strength training or crushing WODs like it’s our jobs, getting strong in the sagittal plane is necessary for strength and power development. As a powerlifting wannabe, squats, deadlifts and presses are my life, but it can’t be my whole life. Lifters are required to be really great at just a few main lifts (three for powerlifting …
Swapping Road Races for Powerlifting
For years, I dedicated 90% of my workouts to cardio. I ran 2-6 miles as early as 5:30am several times a week, and finished the day with an evening spin class. Even on days I focused on strength training, I still ended the workout with a run on the treadmill. Unlike most cardio bunnies, my aggressive cardio sessions were driven …
Meet Recap: Right To Bear Iron Powerlifting
Some people brunch hard on the weekends and others prefer to lift heavy things. This past Saturday marked my second powerlifting meet, the Right To Bear Iron competition in Poway, CA. We lifted hard and won hard. Take that brunch! But first, let’s backtrack to my first meet earlier this year (Read about it HERE). At the time I was …
Tips to Improve Your Squat Form Right Now
Believe it or not, but once upon a time I hated to squat in any way. Bodyweight squats? No thank you. Barbell back squat? No sir. Loaded front squat? Pass. Fast forward 10 years later and I’m preaching the Good Gospel of Squats like a good meathead disciple. The squat appears in all my clients’ programming and my own workouts …