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TEN THINGS I LEARNED LAST YEAR by Bob Youngs
1)If you help enough people attain their goals, they will do the same for you.
2)Anyone who keeps telling me why they can’t be successful at something will fail on belief alone.
3)Being a leader is about action and not words. Do as I say will not cut it. Do as I do is the only way to lead a group.
4)The more knowledge I acquire, the more I realize how little I know.
5)A person’s attitude will determine how successful or unsuccessful they will be.
6)The best lifters have a huge amount of respect for all other lifters.
While those that can’t lift shit blame everyone but themselves for their mediocrity.
7)Too many people try and reinvent the wheel. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
8)I cannot stress how important it is to surround yourself with the best lifters in your area.
9)There is no replacement for good ole fashioned hard work. No training system in the world can make up for laziness.
10)I relearn this every year. I love power lifting. I love going to the gym and training everyday. I have a shit load of fun and can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing.
10 THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THE SPORT OF POWER LIFTING!
BY JOHN BOTT “in classic Bott all Caps format”
1. IN ORDER TO REACH YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL, YOU NEED TO BE PATIENT! GIVE
YOURSELF TIME. ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY! DO NOT TRY TO PROGRESS TOO
QUICKLY. OFTEN I SEE NOVICE LIFTERS PROGRESSING TOO QUICKLY IN TERMS OF
PROGRAM DESIGN, SUPPLEMENT USAGE, AND EQUIPMENT USAGE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF
YOU ARE A NOVICE LIFTER YOU SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED WITH ADVANCED
TRAINING METHODS (IE. SUPRA- MAXIMAL AND CIRCA - MAXIMAL CYCLES), STEROID
"STACKING" METHODS, OR ADVANCED TYPES OF EQUIPMENT (IE. THE
DOUBLE/TRIPLE PLY "OPEN BACK" BENCHS SHIRTS OR THE CANVAS SQUAT SUITS).
2. OUTSIDERS VIEW POWERLIFTING AS A STRICTLY INDIVIDUAL SPORT, BUT IT
IS FAR FROM THAT! IF YOU WANT TO TRULY REACH YOUR POTENTIAL YOU NEED TO
FIND YOURSELF SOME SERIOUS AND COMMITTED TRAINING PARTNERS! GO TO GREAT
LENGTHS TO FIND THEM BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL NEVER REACH ALL OF
YOUR POWERLIFTING GOALS. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE DRIVEN TO IRON ISLAND GYM
IN OCEANSIDE , NY (@ 45 MINUTE RIDE WITH NO TRAFFIC) EVERY SATURDAY FOR
THE PAST 11 YEARS TO TRAIN WITH THE BEST GROUP OF POWERLIFTERS I COULD
FIND. MY GOOD FRIEND, PAUL CHILDRESS DRIVES FROM BUFFALO, NY TO
CLEVELAND, OHIO EVERY SATURDAY TO TRAIN WITH THE "WILD BUNCH" AT BLACK'S
HEALTH WORLD. DON'T LEAVE ANY STONE UNTURNED IN YOUR QUEST FOR STRENGTH!
3. REMEMBER THAT AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR TRAINING PARTNERS ARE TO YOUR
SUCCESS, SO ARE YOU IMPORTANT TO THEIR SUCCESS. ONE HAND WASHES THE OTHER!
IF YOU EXPECT THE HELP OF YOUR TRAINING PARTNERS THEN BE THERE TO HELP
THEM AS WELL. IF YOU NEED THEIR SUPPORT AT A MEET THEN BE THERE TO
SUPPORT THEM AT THEIR MEETS. DON'T BE SELF-CENTERED! IF YOU ARE SUPPORTIVE
OF OTHERS THEY WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOU!
4. WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL.....YOU ARE ABOUT TO STOP MAKING
PROGRESS! ED COAN SAYS “WHEN YOU STOP LEARNING, YOU STOP GROWING!" AND
LOUIE SIMMONS HAS SAID THAT “EVERYTHING WORKS, BUT NOTHING CAN WORK FOR
EVER!" ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN MIND! TAKE IN AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE,
ANALYZE IT, AND SEE IF IT CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER LIFTER. GIVE THESE NEW
CONCEPTS A TRY IN A PRE COMPETITION PHASE OF TRAINING TO ASSESS THEIR
WORTH IN YOUR PROGRAM.
5. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE BASIC "WESTSIDE BARBELL CLUB" TRAINING
TEMPLATE BUT YOU MUST ALLOW FOR INDIVIDUAL VARIATION. THE BASIC
TRAINING TEMPLATE CONSISTS OF FOUR MAJOR WORKOUTS PER WEEK. DAY ONE IS THE
DYNAMIC BP WORKOUT, DAY TWO IS THE MAX EFFORT SQUAT AND DEADLIFT WORKOUT,
DAY THREE IS THE MAX EFFORT BP WORKOUT, AND DAY FOUR IS THE DYNAMIC
SQUAT AND DEADLIFT WORKOUT. EVERY POWERLIFTER SHOULD BE ADDRESSING
EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH (DYNAMIC DAYS), ABSOLUTE STRENGTH (MAX EFFORT DAYS), MUSCLE
HYPERTROPHY (THROUGH THE USE OF THE REPETITION METHOD) AND GENERAL
PHYSICAL PREPAREDNESS (THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF "FEEDER" WORKOUTS),
BUT THE VOLUME AND INTENSITY OF THESE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF STRENGTH
WILL/SHOULD VARY FROM LIFTER TO LIFTER. FOR INSTANCE, JUST BECAUSE LOUIE
TRAINS 14-16 TIMES PER WEEK DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERY LIFTER WHO FOLLOWS
HIS SYSTEM CAN OR SHOULD DO THE SAME. GEORGE HALBERT HAS HAD TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS USING "TONS" OF BAND TENSION BUT THAT DOES MEAN THAT YOU CAN ALL
FOLLOW GEORGE'S PROGRAM TO A TEE
6. MOST POWERLIFTERS DON'T TRAIN THE "CORE" OFTEN OR HARD ENOUGH! WHEN
SOMEONE ASKS ME WHY THEIR SQUAT/DEADLIFT HAS HIT A PLATEAU, I USUALLY
ASK THEM TO EXPLAIN TO ME IN DETAIL WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR LOW BACK AND
AB WORK. 90% OF THE TIME THEY ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH LOW BACK AND AB
WORK. I BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD BE TRAINING THE LOW BACK AND ABS A MINIMUM
OF FOUR TIMES A WEEK (2 - HEAVY WORKOUTS AND 2 - LIGHT WORKOUTS)! A
STRONG CORE SUPPORTS THE SPINAL COLUMN AND IS NECESSARY
FOR LONGEVITY IN THE SPORT OF POWERLIFTING.
7.IT IS ONE THING TO GET STRONGER......IT IS ANOTHER THING TO BE ABLE
TO EXHIBIT THAT NEW FOUND STRENGTH COME MEET TIME! KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT!
I SUGGEST THAT YOU TRY OUT YOUR EQUIPMENT IN THE GYM 4-6 WEEKS BEFORE
THE COMPETITION TO MAKE SURE IT FITS PROPERLY. ALSO CHECK TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE EQUIPMENT DOES NOT ALTER YOUR NORMAL GROOVE. DOES YOUR SQUAT
SUIT ALLOW YOU TO BREAK PARALLEL WITH YOUR OPENER? DOES YOUR BENCH PRESS
SHIRT ALLOW YOUR OPENER TO TOUCH YOUR CHEST IN THE PROPER SPOT? ARE THE
STRAPS ON YOUR DEADLIFT SUIT TOO TIGHT NOW (SINCE YOU GAINED 20 LBS.
SINCE THE LAST MEET)? THE LESS SURPRISES YOU HAVE ON MEET DAY THE BETTER
OFF YOU WILL BE!
8. INJURIES DON'T HAVE TO STOP YOU FROM REACHING THE GOALS YOU HAVE SET
FOR YOURSELF! IF YOU DO GET INJURED, GET IT FIXED, REHAB. IT PROPERLY
AND MOVE FORWARD. DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF AND DON'T LET OTHERS
TELL YOU THAT THE SPORT IS NOT WORTH THE FRUSTRATION, PAIN, AND AGONY YOU
WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO RETURN. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THIS, THOSE
PEOPLE MAY LOVE YOU AND BE LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR SAFETY BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A CHAMPION ATHLETE. MY GOOD FRIEND, ROSS ALTHOUSE
LOST HIS LEG IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT BUT THAT DID NOT STOP HIM FROM
COMPETING IN THE SPORT HE LOVES! HE HAS HIS GOALS AND IS WORKING HARD TO
ACHIEVE THEM. WHEN I RUPTURED MY PATELLA TENDON IN JUNE OF 2000, MANY
PEOPLE CLOSE TO ME TOLD ME I WAS NUTS FOR TRYING TO RETURN! I THOUGHT OF
PEOPLE LIKE ROSS ALTHOUSE, LOUIE SIMMONS, JOHN BLACK, CHUCK VOGELPOHL,
MATT DIMEL, AND SAKARI SELKARNAHO AND SAID TO MYSELF, "IF THEY CAN DO
IT ....I CAN DO IT TOO!"
9. SHOUTING "ATTACK" SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE ATTEMPTING A PR SQUAT, BENCH
PRESS, OR DEADLIFT WILL NOT HELP YOU MAKE THE LIFT! THE WEIGHTS ARE
MADE OF STEEL AND DON'T FRIGHTEN EASILY! IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, SPEND MORE
TIME PERFORMING SOME MENTAL IMAGERY AND FOCUSING ON THE TASK AT HAND. GO
THROUGH A SHORT MENTAL CHECKLIST FOR EACH LIFT. SAVE YOUR ENERGY FOR
THE ACTUAL LIFT. (SORRY JIMMY, BUT I HAD TO PUT THIS IN THERE! LOL!)
10. SPEND MORE TIME TRAINING AND LESS TIME ON THE INTERNET POWERLIFTING
FORUMS! THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN CREATING CONTROVERSY AND
BASHING FELLOW LIFTERS THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO
HELP ONE ANOTHER ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. THE FORUMS SHOULD BE A PLACE TO
EXCHANGE IDEAS NOT BE-LITTLE FELLOW POWERLIFTERS!
1)If you help enough people attain their goals, they will do the same for you.
2)Anyone who keeps telling me why they can’t be successful at something will fail on belief alone.
3)Being a leader is about action and not words. Do as I say will not cut it. Do as I do is the only way to lead a group.
4)The more knowledge I acquire, the more I realize how little I know.
5)A person’s attitude will determine how successful or unsuccessful they will be.
6)The best lifters have a huge amount of respect for all other lifters.
While those that can’t lift shit blame everyone but themselves for their mediocrity.
7)Too many people try and reinvent the wheel. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
8)I cannot stress how important it is to surround yourself with the best lifters in your area.
9)There is no replacement for good ole fashioned hard work. No training system in the world can make up for laziness.
10)I relearn this every year. I love power lifting. I love going to the gym and training everyday. I have a shit load of fun and can’t think of anything else I would rather be doing.
10 THINGS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THE SPORT OF POWER LIFTING!
BY JOHN BOTT “in classic Bott all Caps format”
1. IN ORDER TO REACH YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL, YOU NEED TO BE PATIENT! GIVE
YOURSELF TIME. ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY! DO NOT TRY TO PROGRESS TOO
QUICKLY. OFTEN I SEE NOVICE LIFTERS PROGRESSING TOO QUICKLY IN TERMS OF
PROGRAM DESIGN, SUPPLEMENT USAGE, AND EQUIPMENT USAGE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF
YOU ARE A NOVICE LIFTER YOU SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED WITH ADVANCED
TRAINING METHODS (IE. SUPRA- MAXIMAL AND CIRCA - MAXIMAL CYCLES), STEROID
"STACKING" METHODS, OR ADVANCED TYPES OF EQUIPMENT (IE. THE
DOUBLE/TRIPLE PLY "OPEN BACK" BENCHS SHIRTS OR THE CANVAS SQUAT SUITS).
2. OUTSIDERS VIEW POWERLIFTING AS A STRICTLY INDIVIDUAL SPORT, BUT IT
IS FAR FROM THAT! IF YOU WANT TO TRULY REACH YOUR POTENTIAL YOU NEED TO
FIND YOURSELF SOME SERIOUS AND COMMITTED TRAINING PARTNERS! GO TO GREAT
LENGTHS TO FIND THEM BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL NEVER REACH ALL OF
YOUR POWERLIFTING GOALS. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE DRIVEN TO IRON ISLAND GYM
IN OCEANSIDE , NY (@ 45 MINUTE RIDE WITH NO TRAFFIC) EVERY SATURDAY FOR
THE PAST 11 YEARS TO TRAIN WITH THE BEST GROUP OF POWERLIFTERS I COULD
FIND. MY GOOD FRIEND, PAUL CHILDRESS DRIVES FROM BUFFALO, NY TO
CLEVELAND, OHIO EVERY SATURDAY TO TRAIN WITH THE "WILD BUNCH" AT BLACK'S
HEALTH WORLD. DON'T LEAVE ANY STONE UNTURNED IN YOUR QUEST FOR STRENGTH!
3. REMEMBER THAT AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR TRAINING PARTNERS ARE TO YOUR
SUCCESS, SO ARE YOU IMPORTANT TO THEIR SUCCESS. ONE HAND WASHES THE OTHER!
IF YOU EXPECT THE HELP OF YOUR TRAINING PARTNERS THEN BE THERE TO HELP
THEM AS WELL. IF YOU NEED THEIR SUPPORT AT A MEET THEN BE THERE TO
SUPPORT THEM AT THEIR MEETS. DON'T BE SELF-CENTERED! IF YOU ARE SUPPORTIVE
OF OTHERS THEY WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF YOU!
4. WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL.....YOU ARE ABOUT TO STOP MAKING
PROGRESS! ED COAN SAYS “WHEN YOU STOP LEARNING, YOU STOP GROWING!" AND
LOUIE SIMMONS HAS SAID THAT “EVERYTHING WORKS, BUT NOTHING CAN WORK FOR
EVER!" ALWAYS KEEP AN OPEN MIND! TAKE IN AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE,
ANALYZE IT, AND SEE IF IT CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER LIFTER. GIVE THESE NEW
CONCEPTS A TRY IN A PRE COMPETITION PHASE OF TRAINING TO ASSESS THEIR
WORTH IN YOUR PROGRAM.
5. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE BASIC "WESTSIDE BARBELL CLUB" TRAINING
TEMPLATE BUT YOU MUST ALLOW FOR INDIVIDUAL VARIATION. THE BASIC
TRAINING TEMPLATE CONSISTS OF FOUR MAJOR WORKOUTS PER WEEK. DAY ONE IS THE
DYNAMIC BP WORKOUT, DAY TWO IS THE MAX EFFORT SQUAT AND DEADLIFT WORKOUT,
DAY THREE IS THE MAX EFFORT BP WORKOUT, AND DAY FOUR IS THE DYNAMIC
SQUAT AND DEADLIFT WORKOUT. EVERY POWERLIFTER SHOULD BE ADDRESSING
EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH (DYNAMIC DAYS), ABSOLUTE STRENGTH (MAX EFFORT DAYS), MUSCLE
HYPERTROPHY (THROUGH THE USE OF THE REPETITION METHOD) AND GENERAL
PHYSICAL PREPAREDNESS (THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF "FEEDER" WORKOUTS),
BUT THE VOLUME AND INTENSITY OF THESE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF STRENGTH
WILL/SHOULD VARY FROM LIFTER TO LIFTER. FOR INSTANCE, JUST BECAUSE LOUIE
TRAINS 14-16 TIMES PER WEEK DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERY LIFTER WHO FOLLOWS
HIS SYSTEM CAN OR SHOULD DO THE SAME. GEORGE HALBERT HAS HAD TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS USING "TONS" OF BAND TENSION BUT THAT DOES MEAN THAT YOU CAN ALL
FOLLOW GEORGE'S PROGRAM TO A TEE
6. MOST POWERLIFTERS DON'T TRAIN THE "CORE" OFTEN OR HARD ENOUGH! WHEN
SOMEONE ASKS ME WHY THEIR SQUAT/DEADLIFT HAS HIT A PLATEAU, I USUALLY
ASK THEM TO EXPLAIN TO ME IN DETAIL WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR LOW BACK AND
AB WORK. 90% OF THE TIME THEY ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH LOW BACK AND AB
WORK. I BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD BE TRAINING THE LOW BACK AND ABS A MINIMUM
OF FOUR TIMES A WEEK (2 - HEAVY WORKOUTS AND 2 - LIGHT WORKOUTS)! A
STRONG CORE SUPPORTS THE SPINAL COLUMN AND IS NECESSARY
FOR LONGEVITY IN THE SPORT OF POWERLIFTING.
7.IT IS ONE THING TO GET STRONGER......IT IS ANOTHER THING TO BE ABLE
TO EXHIBIT THAT NEW FOUND STRENGTH COME MEET TIME! KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT!
I SUGGEST THAT YOU TRY OUT YOUR EQUIPMENT IN THE GYM 4-6 WEEKS BEFORE
THE COMPETITION TO MAKE SURE IT FITS PROPERLY. ALSO CHECK TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE EQUIPMENT DOES NOT ALTER YOUR NORMAL GROOVE. DOES YOUR SQUAT
SUIT ALLOW YOU TO BREAK PARALLEL WITH YOUR OPENER? DOES YOUR BENCH PRESS
SHIRT ALLOW YOUR OPENER TO TOUCH YOUR CHEST IN THE PROPER SPOT? ARE THE
STRAPS ON YOUR DEADLIFT SUIT TOO TIGHT NOW (SINCE YOU GAINED 20 LBS.
SINCE THE LAST MEET)? THE LESS SURPRISES YOU HAVE ON MEET DAY THE BETTER
OFF YOU WILL BE!
8. INJURIES DON'T HAVE TO STOP YOU FROM REACHING THE GOALS YOU HAVE SET
FOR YOURSELF! IF YOU DO GET INJURED, GET IT FIXED, REHAB. IT PROPERLY
AND MOVE FORWARD. DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF AND DON'T LET OTHERS
TELL YOU THAT THE SPORT IS NOT WORTH THE FRUSTRATION, PAIN, AND AGONY YOU
WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO RETURN. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THIS, THOSE
PEOPLE MAY LOVE YOU AND BE LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR SAFETY BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A CHAMPION ATHLETE. MY GOOD FRIEND, ROSS ALTHOUSE
LOST HIS LEG IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT BUT THAT DID NOT STOP HIM FROM
COMPETING IN THE SPORT HE LOVES! HE HAS HIS GOALS AND IS WORKING HARD TO
ACHIEVE THEM. WHEN I RUPTURED MY PATELLA TENDON IN JUNE OF 2000, MANY
PEOPLE CLOSE TO ME TOLD ME I WAS NUTS FOR TRYING TO RETURN! I THOUGHT OF
PEOPLE LIKE ROSS ALTHOUSE, LOUIE SIMMONS, JOHN BLACK, CHUCK VOGELPOHL,
MATT DIMEL, AND SAKARI SELKARNAHO AND SAID TO MYSELF, "IF THEY CAN DO
IT ....I CAN DO IT TOO!"
9. SHOUTING "ATTACK" SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE ATTEMPTING A PR SQUAT, BENCH
PRESS, OR DEADLIFT WILL NOT HELP YOU MAKE THE LIFT! THE WEIGHTS ARE
MADE OF STEEL AND DON'T FRIGHTEN EASILY! IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, SPEND MORE
TIME PERFORMING SOME MENTAL IMAGERY AND FOCUSING ON THE TASK AT HAND. GO
THROUGH A SHORT MENTAL CHECKLIST FOR EACH LIFT. SAVE YOUR ENERGY FOR
THE ACTUAL LIFT. (SORRY JIMMY, BUT I HAD TO PUT THIS IN THERE! LOL!)
10. SPEND MORE TIME TRAINING AND LESS TIME ON THE INTERNET POWERLIFTING
FORUMS! THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN CREATING CONTROVERSY AND
BASHING FELLOW LIFTERS THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE GOING OUT OF THEIR WAY TO
HELP ONE ANOTHER ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. THE FORUMS SHOULD BE A PLACE TO
EXCHANGE IDEAS NOT BE-LITTLE FELLOW POWERLIFTERS!
