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My Weekend at Westside and Nazareth Barbell
I posted this in training, but I'll copy it here for those of you that don't frequent that board:
What a weekend!
We drove to Columbus, OH Thursday night. Friday morning we had breakfast with Liftbig and DBCooper. Then we headed over to Westside. We messed around on the equipment until everyone showed up...Dave Tate, Chuck, Louie, Mike R., DBCooper, etc. We watched their DE squat/Dead workout, and the session after that, which included Liftbig and a few other guys. After that, Lou and Dave Tate worked with the 10 of us one on one through a DE squat/dead workout. They were both so generous with their time, and are truly teachers. The very best teachers are the ones that never quit learning, and those two are prime examples. I was impressed with them before I ever met them, but I can't tell you how much better they are in person. They were so patient with all my questions. I have asked people questions before, and when I ask for clarification the "expert" gets defensive, when all I was really fishing for was more info. For that reason, I sometimes don't ask everything I want to. These guys were not like that at all. They are great listeners...great ears, great eyes. I'm pretty sure Lou remembers every lift anyone ever did in the hitory of the gym. lol
I was really there to get help with my squat. Unfortunately, I still left a little confused. Louie thought my form was great, and Tate thought it sucked. lol
Some of the things they were telling me to do, like sitting back more and spreading my knees more, were things I always do when I'm raw, but I had my briefs on. Those really throw off my form. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't worn them, so I might get a more accurate critique. Lou was shocked that I couldn't squat 500, and Tate figures it's a form issue. Tate also said I'm all quad, and I need bigger hamstrings. I explained my chain suspended GM problem to them, and they agreed. Lou said that the 44" chain suspended GMs, which are HIGHER than my max squat, are a wasted exercise for me. Two weeks ago I dropped those and started subbing in RDLs and SLDLs, which jives with what Tate said about my hammies, so I think I'm on the right track. I'm still not sure what's up with my form though. Lou also said that when it comes to squat I have a LOT of speed and not enough strength. When I told him I was a sprinter that made sense to him. I'm very explosive, but lack strength-speed. So on DE days, I'm supposed to decrease the weight and increase the band tension. He said to do this 2 weeks on/2 off. He also showed me some hamstring moves I could do, other than the things I was already doing (inverse curls on the GHR, for one).
The most gratifying part was being there and realizing that our crew is doing things right. We started with hundreds of articles, some videotapes, and Hannibal (who had been to a Westside Seminar). So we didn't have anything solid to go on. To walk in there and see the same equipment, being used the same way, with the same techniques....it was just very reassuring to walk in there and feel that at home. It seemed very familiar and comfortable. Just like my gym, but with Halbert on the bench rehabbing his shoulder. lol Oh, and a monolift. Gotta get a monolift ASAP.
Louie gave me one of the best compliments: He said, "The difference between you and other lifters is that you're an athlete." I'm sure that meant very little in the grand scheme of powerlifting, but it meant a lot to me because that's what I've always strived for. I really appreciated that.
Then we hopped in the car and drove to Nazareth, PA to train with Mike Miller and the Metal Militia. I don't even know where to start.
Mike is awesome. Deb Ames is awesome. Ulrich, Castone, McVicar...
I'll cut to the chase. I worked up to 180 something raw, then shirted up, and they taught me how to set up with an arch. I couldn't get 250 or 260 to touch. So Mike said screw it you're gonna do 290. Just last weekend at Animalmass' house I failed 295, 3 times in a row. Never got it. Saturday, I did 290 for 3. Then I came back for 315 x 1. Then I went for 330 x 1. I locked it out, and then proceeded to dump it forward with my arms straight. I can't count it, because I didn't have control of it at the top, but dammit, it went up! lol I came back and tried for it a 2nd time, but I was spent. Next time....
Jeff McVicar walked me through everything, let me use his belt so I wouldn't need my lever belt, got me in position, and talked me through the lifts between sets. He was great! He had just won best overall lifter at the Bench America, too. He was already back in the gym hitting it hard. Scot must've been hitting it hard too, because in the middle of our session Deb got a phone call and it was Scot saying he's just done 875 (and some change).
Mike was wearing a tee-shirt that said that we weren't finished until our eyes were bleeding. Well, I blew my eye on the 290x3, then I blew it again on the 330. So my eye is pretty nasty:
I also have war wounds from hell all down my arms and lats. I will post some of the training video when Project gets it all rendered.
After doing some lockouts, we all drank beer, ate dinner, and went to Mike's to watch the Bench America.
I had an awesome time, and learned SO much. I'm 4 weeks out from comp and more fired up than I've ever been. I'm ready to GO!
I posted this in training, but I'll copy it here for those of you that don't frequent that board:
What a weekend!
We drove to Columbus, OH Thursday night. Friday morning we had breakfast with Liftbig and DBCooper. Then we headed over to Westside. We messed around on the equipment until everyone showed up...Dave Tate, Chuck, Louie, Mike R., DBCooper, etc. We watched their DE squat/Dead workout, and the session after that, which included Liftbig and a few other guys. After that, Lou and Dave Tate worked with the 10 of us one on one through a DE squat/dead workout. They were both so generous with their time, and are truly teachers. The very best teachers are the ones that never quit learning, and those two are prime examples. I was impressed with them before I ever met them, but I can't tell you how much better they are in person. They were so patient with all my questions. I have asked people questions before, and when I ask for clarification the "expert" gets defensive, when all I was really fishing for was more info. For that reason, I sometimes don't ask everything I want to. These guys were not like that at all. They are great listeners...great ears, great eyes. I'm pretty sure Lou remembers every lift anyone ever did in the hitory of the gym. lol
I was really there to get help with my squat. Unfortunately, I still left a little confused. Louie thought my form was great, and Tate thought it sucked. lol
Some of the things they were telling me to do, like sitting back more and spreading my knees more, were things I always do when I'm raw, but I had my briefs on. Those really throw off my form. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't worn them, so I might get a more accurate critique. Lou was shocked that I couldn't squat 500, and Tate figures it's a form issue. Tate also said I'm all quad, and I need bigger hamstrings. I explained my chain suspended GM problem to them, and they agreed. Lou said that the 44" chain suspended GMs, which are HIGHER than my max squat, are a wasted exercise for me. Two weeks ago I dropped those and started subbing in RDLs and SLDLs, which jives with what Tate said about my hammies, so I think I'm on the right track. I'm still not sure what's up with my form though. Lou also said that when it comes to squat I have a LOT of speed and not enough strength. When I told him I was a sprinter that made sense to him. I'm very explosive, but lack strength-speed. So on DE days, I'm supposed to decrease the weight and increase the band tension. He said to do this 2 weeks on/2 off. He also showed me some hamstring moves I could do, other than the things I was already doing (inverse curls on the GHR, for one).
The most gratifying part was being there and realizing that our crew is doing things right. We started with hundreds of articles, some videotapes, and Hannibal (who had been to a Westside Seminar). So we didn't have anything solid to go on. To walk in there and see the same equipment, being used the same way, with the same techniques....it was just very reassuring to walk in there and feel that at home. It seemed very familiar and comfortable. Just like my gym, but with Halbert on the bench rehabbing his shoulder. lol Oh, and a monolift. Gotta get a monolift ASAP.
Louie gave me one of the best compliments: He said, "The difference between you and other lifters is that you're an athlete." I'm sure that meant very little in the grand scheme of powerlifting, but it meant a lot to me because that's what I've always strived for. I really appreciated that.
Then we hopped in the car and drove to Nazareth, PA to train with Mike Miller and the Metal Militia. I don't even know where to start.
Mike is awesome. Deb Ames is awesome. Ulrich, Castone, McVicar...
I'll cut to the chase. I worked up to 180 something raw, then shirted up, and they taught me how to set up with an arch. I couldn't get 250 or 260 to touch. So Mike said screw it you're gonna do 290. Just last weekend at Animalmass' house I failed 295, 3 times in a row. Never got it. Saturday, I did 290 for 3. Then I came back for 315 x 1. Then I went for 330 x 1. I locked it out, and then proceeded to dump it forward with my arms straight. I can't count it, because I didn't have control of it at the top, but dammit, it went up! lol I came back and tried for it a 2nd time, but I was spent. Next time....
Jeff McVicar walked me through everything, let me use his belt so I wouldn't need my lever belt, got me in position, and talked me through the lifts between sets. He was great! He had just won best overall lifter at the Bench America, too. He was already back in the gym hitting it hard. Scot must've been hitting it hard too, because in the middle of our session Deb got a phone call and it was Scot saying he's just done 875 (and some change).
Mike was wearing a tee-shirt that said that we weren't finished until our eyes were bleeding. Well, I blew my eye on the 290x3, then I blew it again on the 330. So my eye is pretty nasty:
I also have war wounds from hell all down my arms and lats. I will post some of the training video when Project gets it all rendered.
After doing some lockouts, we all drank beer, ate dinner, and went to Mike's to watch the Bench America.
I had an awesome time, and learned SO much. I'm 4 weeks out from comp and more fired up than I've ever been. I'm ready to GO!
Can you see out of that eye? How many fingers am I holding up?
