PLJay, The Mann, B. Mincher & Cubanito

[Screwball]

PLJay & The Mann,

Good luck at the St. Pete meet everyone. It's a little ironic that Florida is a hotbed of powerlifting activity and I'm in Oklahoma now. About a year and a half ago I lived in Brandon, FL. I was unaware of the powerlifting going on around me and was unable to take advantage of the situation. Damn, I dropped the ball (the stability ball that is) big time on that one. Now I'm stuck in Southwestern Oklahoma where there is little to no powerlifting. Anyway, I read a previous post where PLJay was advocating increasing bodyweight to gain strength and then cut the excess weight for weight class requirements. I could not agree more! Gain the weight then lose the excess (hopefully all fat and water weight) and attempt to maintain as much lean muscle mass as possible. It's important to lift as heavy as possible, within reason, so that the body adapts (i.e. increased lean body mass, strengthening of ligaments, tendons & joint stability and most importantly central nervous system adaptation). When you cut weight you still maintain all of these benefits and thus you will increase your strenth and power at a lower bodyweight - lb. for lb. stronger. Being fat and happy is a good thing.

Brain Mincher & Cubanito,

What's up fellow Okie? I've read your previous postings and respect your knowledge of the sport as well as your accomplishments. Anyway, I read your post response to Cubanito and I'm impressed with your tricep strength. Cubanito may be genetically gifted when it comes to elbows-out dumbbell extensions, V-outs or Tate Presses - take your pick. If that be the case then he needs to define his weaknesses and work them, possible chest, delts, lats or upper back. I can't understand how he can have such big numbers for his triceps yet a relatively weak competition bench. Do you think his technique is poor? One more question for you. When you do your elbows-out tri extensions are the 15 second breaks between sets a static hold at the top of the movement (continuous sets) or do you put the weight down briefly and then continue your sets after 15-20 seconds? If you haven't tried the 15 second static holds between each set then give them a try. The continuous sets are a killer burn that really fatigue the triceps - lots of muscle fiber recruitment. If this is the way you do them then all I can say is, "Damn you have some freaky tricep strength like PLJay". Good luck and good lifting.

Cubanito please don't take offense at my posting. I mean no disrespect. I sincerely want to make sense of your apparent freaky tricep strength. My goal is to help you and other forum members increase all of their lifts. If I can be of any help please don't hesitate to ask. I respect your enthusiasm and dedication at your age. It is to be commended and positive results are sure to follow. If only I was 17 again.

 

[The mann]

awesome post man,.......shit ,if you were still in florida you would competing right along with us.....

 

[GRIMMER]

I agree man , good post. And a word for cubanito is if yur tris are that strong thn they are not whats holding your bench back. Look to wrere you are week not strong in order to incease your max , maybe chst or sholders i would concntrate on lats myselfs. If your tris can bench 400 and your shoulders can bench 400 , but yur lats /back can only handle300 t hen what do you think you are going to lift. 300 , get your week points up before your focus on your strenghts. WE WILL see you at the comp. in march and cant wait.

 

[Screwball]

Thanks

Thanks Mann & Grimmer. I wish I could attend the St. Pete meet, if not to compete then at least assisting the rest of the guys. I know all of you are going to hit big numbers with the support you give each other.

Grimmer hit the nail on the head with his post. One of the most basic principles of Westside training is to define and work your weaknesses. You are only as strong as your weakest link. This common-sense approach is applicable to any training system in the world. Sometimes the tricky point is objectively defining your weak points. It helps to surround yourself with knowledgeable, experienced lifters that can evaluate you honestly and without bias. I've read numerous articles by Louie and Dave that state, "if you work your weaknesses you will get stronger but if you work your strengths then you will get weaker". Good luck and train hard!

 

[powerlifterjay]

Screwball as usuall good post. Another knowledgable bro on board. I am heavy as we speak i am stronger this way. I told my wife last night i was going to spend my 30's (27now) very lean. 220lbs . But i said i just need to get teh numbers i want first. If was lean all the time it would take me longer to acheive my goals.

Cubanito it will be a pleasure to meet you and grimmer and see the mann again. St Pete will be fun. BUt i will show you how i do elbow out extensions. These are on eof my favorite execises after a heavy pressing movement. So what ever you are doing on them if i am correct you said you were doing 55lbs dumbells, now coreect me if i am wrong but what is so un heard of about that? You did say 55 not 155 right? All i can say is make sure your elbows are out and try to keep them as still as possible. Hell i wont even post what dumbell weights i use on any moves! Ya'll wouldnt believe me! Screwball you moved away too soon. It seems in Oklahoma you will have to travel to lift anywhere. NO APF or APA, Or WPO. Should have stayed in FL! But you can still lift big!

 

[brianmincher]

Screwball, great post and great handle. As you can see I was not very imaginative when I came up with my handle. Drop me a line on my e-mail at [email protected].

I appreciate the compliments. I have not been doing this very long, but I read extensively, have the Westside Bench and Squat video's and am lucky enough to have the ear of a few very accomplished lifters, including Kim Brownfield, a current world record holder in the bench in 2 weight classes, and I have certainly learned a lot by such board notables as PLJay.

As far as the triceps go, I also appreciate that compliment, but I am nowhere near PLJay . . . yet. I have been busting ass strengthening my triceps, and I have had a good deal of success training them, both strength and size increases in the last 8 months have been great.

PLJay was right as far as there not being a whole lot in the way of powerlifting competitions in Oklahoma. Ironic that some very very strong and famous powerlifters live hear, but nobody seems to want to put on a meet.

I will be lifting at the Oklahoma Bench Press Championships in McAlester, OK on March 16th at the expo center. Drop me a line, and I would be happy to give you more information. You should come and lift.

I have not tried leaving the arms extended on the Tate Press, but it sounds like a real ass kicker. What town in the southwest are you living in?

Stay strong,

B

 

[TheFng]

Screwball, great post and great handle. As you can see I was not very imaginative when I came up with my handle. Drop me a line on my e-mail at [email protected].

I thought your name was brainmuncher. It wasn't until I took a close look at your name that I realized that it was brianmincher. That's no shit either.

 

[Cubanito17]

Hey guys sorry it took so long to post but I havn't had time. Well I will be at the meet, but I won't be competing like I said earlier I don't know if I specified. Screwball I take no offense and I want to learn from my mistakes if I'm doing something wrong. Now Grimm I believe that my chest isn't that weak, but lats and shoulders are here's the thing what should I do according to my workout to improve this and about the DB elbow out ext I do keep my elbows straight and I make sure that the bottoms touch at all times. PLJay now for real these are a cool lift and I love doing them especially since my coach a 400lb bencher can't even do them with 50's, ITS SWEET!!!. What do you do them with PM if you don't wanna post on here it's cool. And PL I believe the pleasure will be mine what are you up to totaling now 3,000lbs , Well I'll love for you to show me how to do them there and I will do them first to see if I'm doing them right if that's cool.

What workouts can I do to bring up shoulder strength and sets/reps. Also lats the only lat workouts I know are high pulls, lat pulldowns, and bent over rows( i think these are for lats). And shoulder workouts I know are push presses, split jerks, DB alternating press. Any others that are good.

 

[GRIMMER]

A rule of thumb is to do your max work and speed work first and then the second movement should be your supplementary work. Most people do tris second because you can't go wrong by having stronger tris. It sounds like yours are strong so you might want to put htem third and hit back 2nd. Back movements should for the most part be worked in the same plane as the bench. Bent over rows barbell and dumbell , and chest supported rows are the big three. throw in a few lat pulldowns to switch it up every now and then. don't be afriad t go heavy and cheat alittle on these but not all the time or to much cheat. Keep the weights heavy reps anywhere from 5-8 or whatever works for you everyone is different.set 4-6.
Shoulders keep with your high pulls, front side and rear raises , push presses and some db military. Whatever you feel week in that day do 2nd or else you will always run out of steem and slack on them at the end. Try it and see what you think.

 

[Screwball]

Cubanito

Hi Cubanito,

Looks like all of you Florida Boys are having some nice weather. Enjoy it! As far as your training, I have a few thoughts that may help.

- I know your competition consists of the clean or the clean & jerk so you need to perfrom those movements but that lift will benefit from box squats, good-mornings and speed deads. If you're not incorporating these movements then I think you're not maximizing your training.

- Be careful not to overtrain the shoulder girdle muscles. These small muscles take a beating when training upper and lower body. I, personally, do very little direct shoulder work. Every once and a while I'll throw a pressing movement in for shoulders, but only if I feel rested and strong. Typically, I hit the side and rear delt with laterals (light to medium weight) or reverse pec deck. That's it.

- It sounds like your triceps are a strength for you. Not a bad thing at all! But Westside is all about working your weaknesses so I think that taking Grimmer's advice will do you some good. De-emphasize your tricep training a bit and focus on your chest, lats and upper back. You can use illegal-wides, cambered-bar presses, declines and dumbbell work for your chest (full-range movements). You can use bent-over rows, T-bar rows, dumbbell rows, low seated cable rows and chest supported machine rows for the lats. You can use face- pulls, reverse pec deck, bent-arm rear laterals and wide-grip pulls to the throat/chin/forehead for your upper back. I think that lighter powerlifters can really benefit fron chins and pullups (weighted if necessary). Try changing your rep ranges up from workout to workout and don't be afraid to lift in the 10-15 rep range from time to time for all accessory movements. It is important to pull in the same plane as your bench and, often, to the same point that your bench press touches. Pull to your belly-button, your upper abs and to your throat for total muscle fiber recruitment and central nervous system stimulation. Throw in static contractions as well. Hold reps at peak contraction for 5-10 seconds. When doing any of the three core lifts the back muscles must contract statically for the duration of the lift so throw some simulation training in there. This really has worked well for me.

- Technique, technique, technique. Always perform every rep you do as perfectly as possible - from warm-ups, to working sets, to back-off sets, to burn-out sets). Don't be afraid to experiment a little with your technique for possible improvements. Sometimes the placement of the bar in the hands or simple breathing techniques can make tremendous differences in you lifting ability. When you are in St. Pete I would take advantage of your forum brethren and have them critique your form. They will be able to spot your weaknesses and offer suggestions for improvement. Don't pass this opportunity up. With the collective knowledge of these guys; you can't go wrong.

- One more thing to remember. Don't neglect your speed training. Strength + Speed = Power/Explosiveness = Big Numbers Chains and bands can really be effective for increasing speed. Use them if you have access.

That's it for now. Good luck and train hard.

- Screwball