Strength Training Chronicles

Dinukh Anthony - we will miss you

2011-03-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend we have not only seen the tragedy unfold in Japan but another tragedy as well. Dinukh Anthony, 30 years old, Power Lifter and talented singer passed away in Sri Lanka.

I remember going to the Global Fitness Center (now Body Bar) and seeing Dinukh lift some amazing weights. He would scare people at the poundage he put on his squatting. I considered him the power lifting champ of South Asia. My Bench max of 186Kg he could exceed beyond. The Incredible Hulk. A big guy, or 'massive' but with the heart of a gentle giant. He was always welcoming, friendly, a warm personality and clearly loved by all. He is a character, not replaceable.

We will miss you bro. I know we will see you again. Until that day, keep liftin! God bless.

West Side Bench Press Training - supplement post

2010-06-06T18:42:00.000-07:00

We spoke of WEST SIDE TRAINING last week and in particular how it helps power lifters bench press heavier weights. We dived into explosive lifts on your SPEED day. I have had a few things to get done with work and life per say that has effected my speed day at the gym. I have got down to doing some push ups when at home to feed my SPEED day. While I know this doesn’t count for 60% of my 1 Rep Max but it is something which is better than nothing. In effect a push up uses about 60% of your body weight. When doing push ups, ensure you tuck your elbows in to focus on your triceps and do the 8 sets of 3 reps. Remember to explode up and use minimal rest. Doing inclined push ups - i.e. with your feet elevated against a well would pivot more body weight on the push up but hit your upper chest more.

Krav Maga Session 2

2010-06-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

I headed out to Krav Maga session 2 last evening at the IDF training centre in Caulfield South. It was an open class for beginners such as myself and intermediate practitioners. Benji (here in known as the X-Man) was our instructor as was last week. The training focused on warming up (running around the ‘dojo’ whilst doing spontaneous push ups, sit ups and squats as well as ‘pumping up mentally’), 360 degree defense basics (sparring with a partner and attempting to slap them on the face whilst defending – the aim being to block the attacks and slap your opponent), followed by pad work (stance, jab, cross, groin kick with left leg, ‘push’ kick with the back lag, stop forward and ‘push’ kick with the back leg) and then on to more intensive defensive techniques (how to defend oneself against being hit with a stick/ baseball bat, cricket bat, poll, railing, etc.). We finished off with the 'usual' task of being attacked by 5 opponents.

While on the pad work (with myself holding the pads), my opponent was meant to kick me / pad and make the pad holder move back a few steps with that force. My opponent didn’t manage to do this too well (possibly because I weigh in around 120Kgs) hence to my dismay X-Man decided to demo how it is done. The shit did hit the fan and I don’t recall the moment from being kicked to being thrust backwards by about 10 metres. I didn’t quite believe documentaries on the History channel or Discovery when speaking about martial arts and the human legs together with the momentum and force generated from the hips that could dissipate so much force. The human kick is supposed to be able to generate almost 2000 psi (pounds per inch) worth of force. That’s enough to kill a man or more crack his ribs inward into his heart. I have attempted to bench press real heavy weights in the region of 200 KG and understand what it feels like to fight a weight when it comes down on you. But I have never felt so ‘banged up’ as I did after that kick. I wouldn’t advice a novice to do it given a miss of that pad and one could be killed on the spot.

Krav Maga is not a martial art. It requires a military mindset. It was developed to defend oneself against Nazi Germany during WW2. It is not an art form but more so a strategy to immediately and effectively decimate an opponent. It should be used with caution. In most cases, Krav Maga requires that one AVOID conflict and confrontation.

Response from Krav Maga specialists when asked how they would handle gangs that frequent Melbourne’s rail network in packs –

Man injured as teenage thugs terrorise train passengers

“what we teach in Krav is to do everything possible to avoid confrontation and get help.. in the case that you are pinned to a corner in the coach that’s when the techniques that you have been taught can be put into use.. not to "win" the fight rather to get you out of imminent danger and get some help.. we are not all X-Men like Benji, so we don't need to act like heroes when trouble is brewing.. but know where your personal space is and don't allow anyone to invade it ever!”

“would think it would be to not even approach them in the first place and let them throw rocks from the outside. Most assaults occur because someone says or does something they shouldn't. Asking thugs to stop only antagonises them and escalates (assuming the sequence in the paper is true). I'd rather someone call the police and hit the emergency buttons on the train. Your own safety comes first. Trains aren't as easy to fight on moving and full of people and seats”

Racism rife in Melbourne, Australia

2010-06-02T00:55:00.000-07:00

I just got back to the office from an early dinner at Melbourne Central food court. They got a real good deal for $5 rice and honey chicken, $2 for chicken wings. I was minding my own seated on this communal table when two white men, seemed to be like builders, bit scruffy, one in the 30s and the other maybe closing in on 50 sat down next to me and started having a chat amongst each other. They were loud and distinct. I understand that every country has there fair share of a#@holes and these two suited the bill.

They started off by pointing out that the Asian food store had good value food but the only thing missing was a 'paki' store for them to eat some curry. Then the younger one starts ranting off (excuse the language but this is what he said)

'Thats the whole problem with this country now, let every f@#ker in' 30yr old idiot

'oh yeah we're international now! we an international country!' 50 yr old

' yeah these mother f@#ckers come over here and they get f@#ing $1000 straight into their hand. They come here to f@#ing study and sh@t, and bring their f@#ing curries and shit here. We shouldnt f@#king let them in. They f@#ing pu$$ies cant handle their own problems in their own countries. They f@#ing come here f@#ing afghans, nig@ers, them damn nig@ers, ch!nk mother f@#ckers. They should sort their own shit out f@#cking sort their shit out and not come over here. That's what i d do if i were them. I d stay in my OWN country. Not come to OUR country!'

He starts raising his voice to the Chinese people around 'i mean look at all these chink mother f@#kers !'

Stupidity. This isn't your country to begin with. But it's a waste of space and time to tolerate people like this or blog about them to be honest! I heard the other day - why is it that while the whole of Australia is watching Masterchef all 50+ white Australians watch Border Patrol? I don't know. Is Robin Williams right in describing Australia as a bunch of rednecks?

I m not here to judge anyone. Two idiots at Melb Central don't change my mind about a country. Each country has their own share of them. Some of the nicest people in the world are white Australian.

Change is something that's tough to get used to. The world is changing rapidly and its now international. Racism is a force exerted by people unwilling to change. The corporate world handles this pretty well - if you don't change your bound to go bankrupt and fail.

West Side Bench Press Training

2010-05-31T23:43:00.000-07:00

West Side Bench Press Training

Philosophy -
i) For power lifters.
ii) Focusing on strength and hypertrophy
iii) Split your power lifting exercises into 2 days, one for power (max out) and one for speed.

Strategy -
i) Two bench press days - Speed and Max Out
ii) Speed bench press day - use 60% of your one rep max for 8 sets of 3 reps (Do these reps as fast as possible - explode up. You can vary your grip. Rest periods of 40-60s).
iii) Max out - pyramid-up 4 sets with the last set benching your heaviest for as many reps as you can. In my case it works out with reps 10, 8 , 5, 2. (Few minutes rest between sets).
iv) Build strong triceps and lats

StrengthTrainingChronicles Implementation -

Day 1 (MAX OUT) -

1) Lat pull down (Strong lats are essential in support for benching)
2) Bench - Max out (pyramid up)
3) Inclined bench (about 50-60% of your 1 rep max flat bench press, pyramid up to failure)
4) Triceps - one arm cable extension (Build strong triceps - key muscle for benching)
5) Biceps - one arm cable pulley (effective biceps training)
6) Shoulder press (a key bench press ingredient)
7) Lower Back and abs (strengthening the core)

Day 2 (SPEED) -

1) Row light (Lat attack)
2) Speed bench (8 sets of 3 reps at 60% of 1RM. [Grip - 3 sets close (2" in from competition grip), 3 sets med (2" outside of competition grip), 2 sets competition grip])
3) Hack squats (good support for a strong bench)
4) Triceps press down (Build strong triceps - key muscle for benching)
5) Barbell biceps curls (effective biceps training)
6) Lower Back and abs (strengthening the core)

Famous athletes who use this training - Ryan Kennelly, Ken Lain

Krav Maga

2010-05-30T20:24:00.000-07:00

Whilst I will always be a power lifter and strong man, I have always been fascinated about training oneself for combat. I have long been a fan of the Samurai, Ninja's and now in MMA and the UFC.

The UFC has brought on a renewed interest in martial arts. Most fighters are experts in striking and grappling / wrestling. The UFC has sparked off an interest in Brazilian Ju Jutisu so much so that every where I go see martial arts schools popping up claiming to train people in the BJJ and use the UFC to pivot off their marketing.

I went for a lesson to BJJ but came off a bit disappointed. The key movement in BJJ is to get your opponent to the ground. There is no striking. Once on the ground effective techniques neutralize your opponent. The key negative factor is - what happens if you have more than one opponent. You are screwed.

After doing a bit of work on the net, having verbally sparred with a mate of mine and strong Japanese Ju Jitsu promoter I looked at Krav Maga. Brought to fame by the Israeli Special Forces and TV series by the History channel - Human Weapon, Krav Maga is probably the most realistic and effective martial art in the world. Despite my friend claiming its all ' Japanese Ju Jitsu' I embarked on some Krav Maga training at the IDF Training Centre in Cauilfield, Melbourne (Australia).

It is a one hour class and there were about 8 of us. The class began with some warm ups (running) and then on to basic stance, punches, kicks to the groin, defense against choke holds from the front and back and then on to something like sparring which is renown to Krav Maga. You are surrounded by 7 opponents who 'attack' you at their own will and you have to fight them off with kicks, punches and any means possible. You then close your eyes whilst someone tried to attack you with a choke hold which you need to defend against.

The Krav Maga philosophy soon dawned on me. Its kill, kill, kill. It mimics real life threatening situations and if you are not with it, you are either mugged, bashed by a racist, shoved by a bouncer or killed in war. Krav Maga is all about using every weapon at your disposal to survive. You hear the critics of UFC rant on about it being human cage fighting, well the stuff you learn in Krav Maga is banned by the UFC. So have a think about it.

The FLU Jab

2010-05-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

Went to get my FLU jab last week. There were 2 elderly nurses and i was in my office gear i.e. smart trousers and long sleeve shirt. To get the flu jab you need to roll your sleeves up to your triceps and with big arms I couldnt do it ! Had to take a few buttons off before the nurse tells me 'take it all off', 'i told you about these weight lifter sorts', ' we ve seen a lot more as a nurse than you think'. 'Ooooh look how nice and tanned you are, you ve obviously been in the sun a lot and not too shy to take your shirt off!'

GREAT !!!

One of my work mates tell me - Hi man just got my flu shot...they are like..there was another guy
yesterday you was a gym go'er, he struggled to get his sleeve up, i thought it must be you hah !

Food Inc. MUST READ

2010-05-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

I just watched a movie out in the cinemas via you tube called Food Inc.

I was keen to watch this in light of the fact that -

A) I am an animal rights man who hates to see animals being tortured /suffer (any killing for meat should be quick, painless and ensure the animal had a good long life, and
B) I do eat a lot of chicken and meat and tend to focus a lot on this due to the protein I need to feed my strength training / recovery desire.

Food Inc is a must see. I was schocked at the conditions in which animals are made to live in. They are like Nazi Concentration Camps for animals. It is a factory system of dealing with animals treating them as commodities as opposed to living breathing creatures that feel pain, hurt, feel and suffer. 'Systems thinking' is the assembly line / fast food business model that is often strived for by corporations. It is a sin to put animals into the assembly line. Disgusting.

Chickens in these Nazi camps in the heart of the West are made to live 1.5 months as opposed to their full life span. They are genetically engineered to grow faster and bigger. They grow too fast such that there bones cannot carry them and they collapse to the ground after a step or two. They are engineerd to develop more white meat i.e. bigger breasts. They are not given sunlight so they are boxed in cramped environments. When they dont know day or night they eat more. I have often wondered why the chickens in America, Australia, England and Europe are a lot bigger than in Sri Lanka or Asia. It's because of this sick process in place. I have often loved giant chicken wings at American restaurants - they call them buffalo wings. Now I understand. I even understand why some chicken legs are weirdly bent. Young chicks are literally sent along an assembly line from their eggs while being branded.

Food Inc goes to show a cow with an opening valve / hole into its stomach where people prod and poke into the stomach bowel of the animal to determine bacteria levels while alive and standing. Cows are fed corn. Cows cannot eat corn, they are not made to eat corn, they are made to eat grass. Grass is too expensive it seams. From now on, any steak i eat will be grass fed steak. Cows are often showed around by trailers or fork lifts. Cows are shown with distorted bones.

Corn is a product that is used to make so many things like $&%@ etc. The US govt is headed by people in vested interest in these business corporations hence will not allow legislation to stop the torture to follow through. It's up to the consumer i.e. you and i, to tell them we dont want to eat your shit anymore. The seed / corn industry is run like a druge regime. Lawsuits and 'visits by the agency' follow anyone questioning their 'norm'. It's like a godfather system! Farmers are not allowed to save their own seed. 'Lady justice stands with her scales and whoever pours the most money and experts onto the scale wins' - hence farmers are often devoured and ravaged by big corporations.

Power lies with the consumer - eveyr time you buy something you are voting for it.

As a strong man what can you do to change the world -

1) when you go into supermarkets choose foods in season and organic
2) read labels and know what's in your food
3) buy foods grown locally
4) shop at farmers markets
5) plant a garden
6) re inroduce kevin's law
7) you can change the world with every bite
8) take part - www.takepart.com/foodinc
9) no more fast food - it drives the system thinking business mentality
10) Start demanding good wholesome food.
11) buy from companies that treat workers, animals, the environment with respect
12) only eat grass fed steaks

There are healthy alternatives to eating meat which I will be experimenting with -

1) Drink whey milk protein shakes
2) Cut down on chicken. No more a chicken every two / three days.
3) Cut down on meats and fish
4) Try other rich protein sources - chick peas, baked beans, tofu, lentils, muesli, egg, almonds, cashews, soya milk, tempeh
5) Meatless Monday implementation

Useful Links -
Food Inc on You Tube

10 simple things you can do to change our food system

What next?

The movie web site

Follow the blog

Movie Review - Legion

2010-05-25T23:57:00.000-07:00

The new movie Legion out in the cinemas is about angels being sent to earth by God to destroy mankind for the second time. The first time being in the time of Noah where God sent a flood to destroy the earth except Noah and his family. In the movie, angels (more resembling demons) seek to destroy mankind. One angel – Michael, apparently rebels against god’s will and seeks to save a few people. This is a rather strange twisted movie that has been beaten to a pulp by Rotten Tomatoes.

The storyline is rather disturbing (i know its fiction! but there are idiots out there who claim the da vincci code is the truth) as it lacks understanding of the truth. Attacking its main storyline, God is not out to destroy mankind. If He wanted to, you and I wouldn’t be here too long to talk about it.

Here are a few common Q&A s on the subject which I am sure a lot of people will have –

What happened during the time of Noah that God chose to destroy mankind?

God made man to love Him. God made man for Himself, to love and adore. Man was made to share a loving relationship with God. God gave man the freedom of choice to do his own will within a set of laws which He wired into man’s conscience. There were -

1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol
3. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God (e.g. using Jesus’ name as a cuss word)
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy
5. Honor your father and mother
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery (To look at a woman / man to lust after them is adultery of the heart)
8. You shall not steal (not even a pen from work)
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (i.e. lie)
10. You shall not covet (want something that does not belong to you e.g. a woman / man, a car, a house, etc.)

We know when we break these laws because our conscience is a witness to it. When men break these laws God has no option but to punish man. A good judge cannot let murderers, thieves, etc. get into Heaven. A good judge punishes an offence. God is a good judge. The world at the time of Noah was in a sad state. It is somewhat similar to the world we live in today. People have lost all sense of morality and sin is rampant. Murder, wars, destruction of nature, fornication, rejection of God, pursuit of riches, etc. are everywhere. God had no choice but to punish the world for the sins it accrues.

What about angels?

Angels were created by God too. The main difference between man and angels is that God made man in His own image. We bear so many similarities with God e.g. creativity. This seemed to tick of one angel – Lucifer, who decided to rebel against God. Satan is jealous of man and will do his best to make man desecrate the image he is made in. Since then his mission has been to pervert man’s image before God. He took 1/3 of the angels with him. Michael is an arch-angel but an angel so powerful and mighty would not dare tread on ground that people so arrogantly do and insult and mock God. The Legion movie seems to have lost the plot in terms of who’s who.

Will God judge mankind like in the time of Noah?

Yes.

But there is more to it than that. Remember God made us to be loved by Him. God masterminded the most elaborate rescue mission in the world. He came down to earth in the form of a man. He led a simple life that was sinless and laid an example for others to follow. He gave himself up to be butchered and murdered in our place. Yes, remember the laws we spoke of. Everyone of us is guilty of one of them if not all. Our penalty is death. So God paid our fine, he bailed us out and gave Himself up instead. There is hope for us men. That hope lies in you believing He did this for you through Jesus. When you do that He restores that experience where you are able to walk with Him and talk with Him. He also calls you to turn back from breaking those laws and seek to lead a good life. He said it wouldn’t be easy to do this – the world, people and the enemy are out to kill you. Its up to you to pick up that sword and soldier on with God by your side.

Sex at Doherty's

2010-05-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

I was training at Doherty's City gym in Melbourne (Formally Underworld - a 24 x 7 gym in the Melbourne CBD frequented by strippers and other clientelle) as I have been for the past few months. I was listening to the radio station and heard some commentery about sex and its purpose. The DJ stated that Christians believe sex is purely for procreation and there is no other reason for it. What a load of uneducated toss. As a Christian i firmly believe that God made sex for pleasure between one man and a woman to be enjoyed within marriage. Procreation is a purpose for sex between a man and a woman within marriage but other aspects include pleasure, bonding, friendship, affection, etc. Come on DJ s, dont assume get it right or shut the hell up.

Creatine and lumps on your body

2009-11-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

A recent article on the BBC stated that bodybuillders in the UK were getting lumps on their chests after the taking of creatine. These were non cancerous lumps that formed on the chest and had to be surgically removed. The man being interviewed claimed creatine was the cause of this as creatine increases your testestorone levels and some of it (excess) is then turned into oestrogen. This is news to me. As far as I knew excess creatine is usually pissed out. The only side effect of creatine i assumed was that it was dangerous if you had kidney problems as creatine requires the drinking of a lot of water. Anyway, i have taken creatine in the past without issue and its worrying to hear these new developments. Keeping an eye on it.

DIG DEEP.............. an epiphany

2009-11-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

DIG DEEP.

This is what differentiates an army private from a Royal Marine Commando. Dig deep to run that extra mile, dig deep to push that extra push up, dig deep to handle that freezing ocean water or dessert heat.

This is what differentiates a regular gym geezer from a professional body builder. Dig deep to push that extra rep, dig deep to work negatives, dig deep to welcome lactic acid, dig deep to handle the pain, dig deep to cry out in pain and rip your muscle fibre to induce growth. This is what differentiates a pill pusher from a real Spartan.

This is what differentiates a strongman competitor from a wannabe. Dig deep to push the human body beyond its capacity to the point your blood explodes from your nose. Dig deep to be the strongest in the world.

This is what differenties an Olympic weight lifter from the boys back home who didnt make it to the tournament. Dig deep to welcome the bone crushing weight and pain. Dig deep when your body says no, and your mind says yes.

This is what differentiates a power lifter from the irritating pisser who drops the weights and screams out like he's lifting the weight of the world at the gym. Dig deep until unleaded pertrol flows through your body. Dig deep until you light a match and your muscle fibre and nervous system turn on fire. Dig deep until you hate going to the gym! IF you enjoy your work out you are not truly working out.

Digging deep is a mental state. It is warrior training. It is the ability to reach your maximum, the most you are humanly able to achieve, when the pain is horrific and you still......you still......you still continue to do what you are doing. It's that one more rep, that one more lap, that one more lashing. Dig deep. That's what separates the warriors from the men.

Dig deep.

Apologies for the Silence and back in Melbourne Australia......with a scuffle in the CBD

2009-11-14T21:27:00.000-08:00

A big apology for the long silence. I was making the move back to Australia after being in Sri Lanka for the past 3 months. I have been away from this blog for a while and now back with a vengeance.

I hit the Monash University gym on Thursday to start off the training down under.

Last night i strolled out into the Melbourne CBD area. Whilst walking along the Christmas light filled streets and admiring the giant trees there was a bit of a scuffle along the streets. Girls were screaming and men shouting. It seemed two white australian blokes had got into a bit of a scuffle with a group of asians. There were about 4 or 5 asians and some girls with them. I saw one of the asians land a huge right hook on the aussi who also retaliated with a punch before being thrown to a shop door and rolled out on the floor. In the mean time his buddy got a beating and made a run for it being pursued by two asian boys. He reached the street end before lifting his hands up in surrender before the two asians let him go. The other bloke staggered to be reunited with his friend. It took about 5 minutes before the asians screamed out cops and bolted. The cops eventually turned up in force, about 50 of them. They came in squad cars as well as regular civilian cars. I later found myself walking by the same asian boys a little while later.

The cops seemed to have a busy night entering many clubs including the Spice Market bar which i hear has a good rep. Cities all over the world, just a like. Summer brings in the ladies wearing nothing short of belts as skirts.

Big man on the move.

Rugby 7s accepted into 2016 Olympics, about bloody time.

2009-10-13T01:27:00.000-07:00

The Olympic committee seems to have finally woken up. Finally super sports make it into the Olympics. While I love watching the boxing, martial arts, weights lifting and 100m, some of the games just take the mickey out of it don't they, a classic - beach volleyball. Come on, that's not a sport, its just something you want to watch the girls do while downing a beer. Finally, a proper competitive sport. I am glad to see that Rio will host the event and that there are people out their campaigning to bring the balls back into the Olympics.

Ernie Davis - The Express - American Football Superstar

2009-10-13T01:11:00.000-07:00

I watched the movie 'The Express' starring Dennis Quaid and Rob Brown. This is the story of Ernie Davis an American Football legend from the 50/ 60 s who despite tough race related issues in the States made it to the very top. His incredible speed and athletism on the field made him an incredible force to be reckoned with. During these years race related tension in the States was at a high and being a black man made his life very difficult. Segregation was widespread.

Despite the forces against him, Ernie didn't aspire to be the best black man on the field but more so the best American Football player that lived. Playing for Syracuse University, Ernie faced his toughest competition in the Cotton Bowl against the Uni of Texas. Being a truly physical game with cheap shots and hard tackles, Ernie excelled. He was the first black man to win the Heisman Trophy. Ernie never saw a professional NFL career as leukemia stole him from Earth and at the age of 23 he succumbed to the disease. Yet his memory lives on forever and his name has now reached as far corners of the world as Sri Lanka and Australia. More than 10 000 people attended his funeral.

John F Kennedy congratulated Ernie Davis personally after receiving the Heisman Trophy and was said to have spoken of Davis as -

'Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship. The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements. It's a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth. I salute you.'

Ernie was a superstar because -

1) His talent spoke more than his words. He did not need to showcase himself like athletes do today, he just went on the field and his action spoke louder than words.

2) Incredible commitment to be the best, hard work and raw ambition.

3) Talent nurtured from his youth by running along rail tracks.

4) Drawing from past experiences e.g. overcoming bullies by breaking through gang formations in American Football style

5) A patient grand father who mentored him, looked out for him and patiently taught him to be the best through motivation and inspiration rather than rebuke.

6) An incredible coach who stood up for his team and made them be the best. His coach was a tough man, hard on his team and almost militant. But he did not let his arrogance dominate the sport, he was a person who worked with people to get the most out of them and make them the best at what they do. He was a mentor and an inspiration, almost the star General the army looks up to or would love to look up to.

7) A team who performs like a team on and off the field. After beating Texas at the Cotton Bowl, segregation demanded that black men were not allowed to the country club function afterward. Not even the MVP - Ernie Davis! The team told the country club to stick it where the sun doesn't shine and they all had their own private function.

8) He was the Martin Luther King Jr and the Gandhi of his moment in time i.e. his generation and placement in society. He did not resort to violence and did not work to antagonize people but rather through peaceful means worked hard to make his point through his talents so that the world would listen and begin to see that the bullshit segregation of his day belongs in tragic history rather than the future or present

9) He is an inspiration to the countless numbers of people living in the world today (2009) under segregation or persecution of their own kind. Thousands today are faced with political, ethnic or religious persecution. Violence only breeds violence and those who live by the sword die by it. Peaceful means, through sport, arts, peaceful protests, ecological or economical means should be much more sought after than violence.

10) No matter who you are, or where you are, don't ever let people put you down. The world is bent on putting you down. Do not let the world put you down. You have the potential to be the best, no one can take that from you. All you need to do is work extremely hard and the rest will be history.

The Bible verse that Ernie recites as a little boy in the Express movie -

1 Corinthians 15:10: "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

which is simplified as -

But God was kind! He made me what I am, and his wonderful kindness wasn't wasted. I worked much harder than any of the other apostles, although it was really God's kindness at work and not me.

Strength, Training & Conditioning for the Rugby World Cup 2011 by pulling a 12 tonne Truck or Plane

2009-10-08T23:54:00.000-07:00

Strength, Training & Conditioning for the Rugby World Cup 2011 by pulling a 12 tonne Truck or Plane: What does a Rugby player have in common with a Strongman competitor?

by Johann Tambayah

Have you seen the strongman competition? Won by Žydrūnas Savickas in 2009, it is held annually and often involves giant men such as Bill Kazmaier, Mariusz Pudzianowski and Magnus Ver Magnusson performing feats of strength that are unimaginable and awe inspiring. Performing stunts like lifting atlas balls, the ‘Hercules hold’, keg toss, flipping over giant tyres, ‘duck walk’ and car carry, against both the clock and competitors; the strong man competition is the ultimate strength event in the world. The strength and conditioning of these athletes is phenomenal. There strength conditioning not only involves the ability to lift massive weights but to carry them over distances which takes into consideration the cardio vascular aspect of their training. When you see the strongman events you cannot help but notice that some of these athletes push themselves to the point of bleeding through their noses. The effort and dedication put into the event is out of sacrificial love to be the best no matter the cost. I would not want to tread lightly into the gym workout or training program of any of these Incredible Hulks let alone compete in Strongman.

One of the strongman events is the pulling of a truck or airplane with a rope. Vehicles such as transport trucks, trams, buses or airplanes are pulled across a 30 metre course by hand as fast as possible. In 2007 a fire engine truck was pulled and in 2008 a coal truck. The truck itself sometimes weighs over 12 tonnes. How is a human being able to pull a truck that heavy? What kind of weight training, strength training exercise, strength conditioning or gym workout would one follow to attain such monster proportions of strength? Some of these athletes are able to pull the truck past 30 metres in approximately 30-40 seconds. This demonstrates raw strength together with endurance and speed. How is a human being able to perform such a feat? Does science hold an answer to this? Is this all geometry and physics? Or is this something to do with the strength training anatomy of the individual concerned i.e. is he a superman?

Yes it takes phenomenal strength to do this. But is there more to it? Examining the truck or airplane pull in detail – when you look at the stance of the athlete in the event, you notice his stance is somewhat similar to a 100m sprinter in the blocks. Have a close look at Dwain Chambers, Usain Bolt or Assafa Powel in their blocks before their sprint off in the 100m. The strongman stance is similar. They all tend to lean forward at a 45 degree angle.

A ball thrown into the air at a 45 degree angle travels the furthest. A cricket batsman like Vivian Richards from the West Indies or Aravinda De Silva from Sri Lanka are able to hit the leather cricket ball out of the cricket ground, past the spectators, over the sea gulls and into the nearby housing complexes by targeting their hits at a 45 degree angle. This is pure physics. A projectile fired at 45 degrees travels the furthest as at this angle most distance is covered at maximum force. This theory is implemented in firing missiles and rockets. Therefore by maintaining a 45 degree angle to the ground, the strength training anatomy of a strongman is able to drive the most force against the truck / plane he is pulling. A higher angle exerts less force and possibly causes difficulties in balancing as his centre of mass / gravity is thrown off course. A lower angle reduces the frictional pull the strongman has on the ground. The strength exertion at a 45 degree angle is the greatest.

Having a look at the truck / plane pull reveals that a strongman does not perform one single pull (or thrust forward), but instead exerts a sustained set of continuous repetitive pulls. His strength conditioning involves momentum. He does not explode with one pull alone but uses the speed from each pull to drive the next pull. Bodybuilders often avoid this sort of training as momentum uses physics rather than muscle fibre to make the weights move in their training motion. Each pull from the strongman slackens the rope before being pulled again. Friction causes the truck to slow down after each pull. This strongman event is likened to a strength training exercise of performing a 220 Kg squat for more than 40 repetitions in less than 30-40 seconds. Does that sound doable to you?

What does all this have to do with Rugby? The World Cup is not too far away and a lot needs to be done in preparation. Strength training and more so – functional strength training, is likely to be the decisive factor in the Rugby World Cup 2011. The Tri Nations 2009 revealed that strength, force and endurance crowned South Africa the victors. There is just about time for teams across the world to tap into functional strength training and drink the spoils of warrior grade training. Who better does one learn from than the kings of strength and endurance? The strongman.

Rugby League or Rugby Union; it really does not matter which version of the game you play. Driving forward with consistent force, sustained waves of attack with the hope of penetrating the opposition defences and forming thundering walls of defence are part and parcel of the game. The strongman truck pull immediately reminds me of the Rugby Union scrum. The body positioning, the stances and the goals i.e. moving forward against a force, (the force of the opposition scrum and the frictional force on the truck are in the same directions!) are strikingly similar. Following the strongman example, if a rugby player positions himself at a 45 degree angle when driving forward, he is likely to exert the most force and power. Thereby he is able to achieve the most from his strength training through the leverage of his angle of attack. When the whole scrum comes together in this formation they are a force to be reckoned with. Some scrum teams weigh over a tonne and I wonder how many 747 s they would be able to pull. The scrum also needs to move forward in repetitive bursts of thrusting forward. They all need to be synchronized to exert the most force. I immediately begin to envision the movie 300 where the Spartan Warriors came together to form a defensive shielded group that thrust forward in synchronized harmony. The maximum force is exerted in this manner.

Most crowd pleasing moments in the game of rugby are when a carrier or defender are pummelled to the grass in a tackle. The more ‘road runner cartoon type’ the tackle, the more reaction one gets from the crowd. We are like the ancient Romans during the gladiator battles. Most ‘victims’ of such tackles are those who stood tall in the tackle. We learned that if you position yourself above 45 degrees you may have issues with balance and you certainly cannot exert much force whilst you are not balanced. Your centre of gravity / mass is easily shifted from a point of balance and you could easily be tipped over no matter how strong, powerful or heavy you are. If you are below 45 degrees you are likely to fall forward or slip in wet grassy conditions. At 45 degrees any defender has a fair chance of using his utmost strength to floor an attacker. Any attacker is most effective when maintaining a 45 degree angle when charging forward. Any defenders caught above or below 45 degrees are vulnerable and open up a weak link in the 300 Spartan Warrior formation. They will also find it hard pressed to get down to position quick enough. As a carrier, keep your eyes always open for such opportunities. As a defender, always keep to formation.

Have you ever wondered why Power Lifters perform their movements rapidly? Whilst bodybuilders perform slower repetitions but much more of them. Power lifter movements such as the bench press, dead lift or squat are performed rapidly. Power lifters are the pinnacle; the top of strength conditioning individuals. In fact, for bench pressing or squats, lowering the weight quickly and using that momentum to burst upwards is one way to trick your muscles to pushing heavier weights; although that would have bodybuilder Olympia gurus like Dorian Yates swear out at you. Momentum is critical. Physics dictates that F = MA i.e. Force = Mass multiplied by Acceleration. The faster a player is moving, the more force he is likely to exert on impact. In the scrum, charging, rolling mauls or defending, the more momentum the more force. The opposition needs to exert an equal force to stop you. Even if they tackle you by your ankles, their forearms, arms and shoulders will have to absorb the force of your impact and they are guaranteed never to forget about you. Strength and speed attribute to power. Power will decide who wins the Rugby World Cup 2011. Will it be the All Blacks? Or the Springboks? England? Fiji? Functional strength training will reveal the new champions.

Olympic lifters (watch out for them in the London Olympics followed by Samba in Rio!) also capitalize on speed. In strength conditioning it is important to include repetition. That is, train your muscles repetitively for the movement you want to perform. There is a very good reason why Olympic athletes may not be able to bench press as much (I often find people on the internet criticize strongman competitors when they find out they cannot bench as much either).That is because of our strength training anatomy. Diving into human biology, our brains build neural pathways. A neural pathway tells the brain that a certain set of muscles need to be used in a certain sequence under a certain amount of force. Our bodies adapt to the strains imposed upon them and build the necessary strength training anatomy to handle the load. This adds strength to the statement – practice makes perfect. Determining one person’s strength over another is futile as it all depends on the function they have been training for. Sometimes the lanky looking guy is more dangerous down the dark alley than the big bench monster. Using momentum together with conditioning your body (by repeating the strength exercises) is what delivers the most power. As a part of your strength training, weights training, gym workout or training program, include speed and repetition to push or pull heavier weights.

There is still a lot be learned from the science of strongman competitions. Strongman competitors, Power Lifters and Olympic lifters all provide unique learning points for Rugby players. It is wisdom to learn battle plans from Spartan Warriors; it is wisdom to learn about combat from Gladiators and it is wisdom to learn from the professional strongmen of this world on how a physical game like Rugby could be mastered and taken to a whole new level.

There will be much more to come.

Lean Hybrid Muscles

2009-10-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

Lean Hybrid Muscles -

Mr Hulse, good stuff.

The Monday and Tuesday you got listed there reminded me of Ken Lain’s training involving one day of heavy benching with low reps and the other day with lighter weights but for more reps. Of course he did it 3 days apart and with no strong man day on the Wed.

I got to hand it to both yourself and Mike, I havent hit the gym in months. I got a set of barbells at home and a skipping rope. Since you guys introduced me to barbell thrusters i just do 5 sets of 5 reps of barbell thrusters using a weight of about 65 Kgs total. In between each set i do about 100 jumps on the jump rope. I ve gotten more out of this than i could have imagined. Shoulders are bigger, lats wider, legs more defined and i feel just stronger.

I hit the gym the other day and had no issue benching about 150 Kg after about 2-3 months off the bench. When i get back into proper gym training im going to attempt the above i.e. high intensity low reps on day 1, low intensity high reps day 2 and on day 3 i am going to remove concrete slabs from the curve outside and carry them into my back garden. In 3 days time I will reverse and put them back

Rugby League Superstar Jason Stevens in Melbourne for a FREE motivational talk at Redline Men's Conference

2009-10-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

Join NRL (Rugby League) superstar Jason Stevens this Thursday 8th October at the Redline Men's Conference in Melbourne Australia as he gives a motivational talk for men of all ages. Entrance is FREE.

Jason Stevens -

Played Rugby League for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. In 1997 that he was selected for Australia and made his International debut against Great Britain at Wembley Stadium. The 3 match series was won by Australia 2-1 with Jason Stevens taking part in all 3 test matches. He has played 8 State of Origin games and appeared on the Footy Show. He has plated 16 international games for Australia including the World Cup in 2000.

Doors open 7pm at -

RedLine Men's Conference,
CityLife Church - Knox
1248 High Street Road
Wantirna South,
Victoria 3152
Melway Ref 72 E2

Best of the Best Selection for October 2009

2009-10-05T09:36:00.000-07:00

Yes as Queen would often sing it I want to break free!! Wait hang on that s the theme for another post but on this one we focus on We are the Champions i.e. featuring the choicest Ten posts, a special for the month of October from the inception of this site.....these are the October Pics for

www.StrengthTrainingChronicles.com

p.s. the caption above is from the Queen production at the Dominion Theatre in London - Tottenham Court Rd. If you are in London, its a fabulous production. Also on Sunday Morning check out the Hillsong version of it for free!

Here we go, the October 2009 Top 10 of ALL TIME

1) The World Cannot Accept a Strong Man - a humorous look into the day to day obstacles big boys face! Like trying to squeeze through two cars in a lot but you are just too damn broad!

2) How are some men able to break concrete slabs with their hands and heads. Here s how.

3) South Afirca win the Tri Nations Rugby Tournament

4) Hey we are on Facebook!

5) A bit of CrossFit

6) A bit of poetry from way back!

7) Functional Strength Training - award winning and also published on article bases across the net

8) FREE RUGBY Training eBook - "10 Rules to take you from Rugby Mediocrity to being a Rugby WARRIOR!

9) The 300 workout

10) Rugby Legend Jonah Lomu takes up bodybuilding

Hear from ya soon !

Watch out we're mad !

2009-10-05T01:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of Terence Hill and Bud Spenser?

They are two of my favorite actors from my by-gone years aka childhood. Watching their movies today still brings out a smile.

Some of their movies include –

Watch out we re mad,
They call me Trinity,
Trinity is still my name,
Double Trouble,
Miami Supercops,
I m for the hippopotamus
Blacky the pirate,
God forgives I don’t,
Etc.

p.s. Terence Hill went on to star in the TV series Lucky Luke.

What I really enjoy about these actors is there constant unchanging characters in their movies despite the change of actor personas. For example Terence Hill plays the good looking guy who always gets the gorgeous looking girls and is always up for a laugh. Bud Spenser is the tubby bearded guy who cannot be bothered in the most part to do anything but when he gets mad he gets mad alright. Terence Hill always tends to piss him off despite being on the same team! Put a meal in front of them and they eat like there is no tomorrow. In 'Trinity is still my name' the duo eat a roast buzzard for supper with worse mannerism than the poor buzzard itself. That is probably one of the funniest westerns I have ever seen. Check out this clip where they venture into an upper class restaurant.

So what does this have to do with strength training or weight training or gym routines or workout routines?

Nothing. Except that these two characters are extremely strong despite one being lanky and the other being tubby. They always end up fighting more opponents than available and they always beat up the bad guys using humor and comedy type maneuvers. Even in the wild west where guns are the norm, its always the good old fists that are thrown around. You got to love it with a smile and a dash of salt.

In 'Watch out we re mad', the duo are rally drivers who win a dune buggy. The buggy is smashed up by a mobster. The duo make it a point to get a brand new dune buggy, a red one with a yellow top from the mobster. The mobster is not interested and is keen to make a point. From hilarious sparring with the thugs in the gym (typical gymnastic type beatings and boxers) to a professional sniper who has his gun stolen and replaced with a violin that he is forced to play at the mobster s restaurant, the movie is good fun and great to watch over a beer or three.

When you get back from a hard day of training and its time to chill out, get some of their movies, get a big roast chicken and a protein shake, kick back and enjoy.

Jonah Lomu takes up Bodybuilding

2009-09-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

I was at the pub the other night and a friend of mine said to me 'hey did you hear Jonah Lomu has taken up bodybuilding'.

The thought ran through my mind and I do vaguely remember reading about it on the net the previous morning whilst half asleep and before the coffee had kicked in. Whilst doing some research on Mr Olympia 2009 I came across a You Tube clip of Jonah at his first contest.

Lomu is probably the most famous superstar All Black and Rugby player of all time renowned for his explosive bursts of power on the wing pummeling his way through walls of defense to break through the try lines. Lomu's career was cut short with kidney problems that led to a transplant and a sad end to his promising All Black career. No doubt he will always be the superstar rugby player but its good to see him get into bodybuilding. Any rugby player has to lift weights. It seems a natural transition to shift from rugby to either power lifting, strong man, body building or just breaking bench / squat records! I myself had to lay down the rugby boots following a knee operation. But the weights training never stopped. Once its in your blood, its there forever.

Having a look at the video clip of Jonah's first contest there seems to be room for a lot of improvement in the chest area. I am pretty sure he will sort that out for the next one, hopefully he ll start reading this blog and pick up a few pointers on chest training. Its good to see bodybuilders from the natural realm.

Jonah, still one of your biggest fans bro, keep lifting, keep bodybuilding and keep playing Rugby (Show the French how the game is played in Marseille)!

The SCIENCE behind SUPERMAN - Wolff's law

2009-09-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how Superman is able to break things so easily and be so damn strong !?!?

Have you seen some guys able to bend metal rods into two or smash layers of concrete slabs with such ease? Are they superman too?

I m not talking about cryptonite (spelling!?!) here either.

Have you heard or seen these before -

1) Martial artists break planks with their hands,
2) Martial artists break bricks with their kicks,
3) Strong men break slabs of ice with their shoulders,
4) Strong men break concrete slabs with their hands,
5) Strong men break concrete slabs with their HEADS,
6) Strong men bend metal rods with their teeth,
7) Rugby players getting up and walking after being speared to the ground whilst the rest of us are hospitalized after tripping over a staircase,
8) The lanky guy is sometimes stronger than the Hulk
9) Strong men able to roll up sauce pans with their hands

etc, etc, etc,

These amazing feats of strength are remarkable to watch. But does it not make you wonder how these men are able to achieve such super human feats of strength? What do we need to do to train to become that strong? Are they just super humans ?

Well the theory is more scientific than meets the eye. A lot of the guys who perform these feats of strength don't really resemble Ronnie Coleman or Toney Freeman or the HULK nor are they able to break bench press records like Ryan Kennelley. They are, yes extremely strong, but not necessarily because of muscle tissue. They are a living example of the theory behind Wolff's law. With no reference to Wolverine or the X Men, this is the theory where the bones of a normal human being get stronger and denser with usage. That is the more pressure applied on bones they more layers they tend to grow on them hence becoming denser and stronger. Strong bones are the answer to a lot of super human feats of strength. This takes both time and training to develop.

This is also the reason why older folk are advised to exercise frequently even on lighter weights so that their bones remain strong and denser.

South Africa 2009 Tri Nations Victors

2009-09-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

The All Black game plan - defeat South Africa in Saturday's game and then go on to defeat Australia next weekend. That would secure them as Tri Nations champions. Of course, history was not recorded as such.

Playing in All Black country would have been pressure enough to win however the All Black performance in the first half was rather shoddy. They couldn't get a single line out right. There error rate was high. However there performance in the 2nd half was a lot more like the Black's were reputed for. Attempts to keep the ball alive, explosive dashes while running the ball were beautiful to watch.

Despite Carter putting on the first points on the score board via a penalty it wasn't long before the Sprngboks fought back with the ominous boot of Steyn (Francois Steyn that is! Mr M Steyn was called in for the closer kicks - 'you take the shorter ones mate'). He managed to lob two penlaty kicks from beyond the half way mark! Amazing strength. This meant the Black's couldn't or shouldn't concede penalties outside there half.

Jean de Villiers intercepted a Black's pass to score the first goal. Du Preez's form was amazing throughout the game as it has been the entire tournament. He managed to score the 2nd Bok try.

Dan Carter, being in impeccable form, led the All Black fight forward. A quick dash and breakthrough by Toeava set up a beautiful try for Sivivatu. Carter setup McCaw for another try by kicking the ball towards the oposite end of the field into the unguarded arms of McCaw who was by the try line and made no mistake in planting the try. This reminded me of the days when Carlos Spenser used to do the same extremly successfully. Unfortunately with the clock against them, the 2nd attempt by Carter to nail another try in a similar manner saw hiw overkick the ball out of the playing field thereby ending the game that had run into extra time.

This is the first time the Blacks have been defeated by the Boks 3 games in a row since 1949! An incredile entertaining game is consolation for All Black supporters however I doubt the Black fans would be as forigiving if they conceded to the Wallabies next weekend.

Click here for 10 rules to take you from Rugby Mediocrity to being a Rugby Warrior!

Train Your Weak Link for a Big Bench

2009-09-07T01:35:00.000-07:00

Train Your Weak Link for a Big Bench
By Dr. Mike Ozaki

"I was curious on your opinion about over head presses. I read in Powerlifting USA that many big benchers feel that overhead work such as dumbbell presses can cause strain on the shoulder joints and rotator cuffs. Many top benchers completely avoid this type of training. What do you think?"

Thanks, Mike Westerdal Shoulder Anatomy

"I do not agree that overhead presses weaken the shoulders. I think this misperception comes from many big benchers failing to develop the rotator cuff adequately. I think weak shoulders result from failing to develop the rotator cuff, the four small muscles that secure the head of the humerus to the glenoid fossa of the scapula. The result of pressing heavy overhead is a tear in the rotator cuff in the weakness position, which is the subscapularis muscle. As you know many heavy benchers fixate on the bench and muscular imbalances develop in the rotator cuff of the shoulder. The weakest position of the shoulder is when you overhead press, because it has only a single muscle, the subscapularis, to hold the head of the humerus in place. Heavy weight in an undertrained muscle will tear it in it's weakest position. If you don't train the rotator cuff, it will tear, no if, and, or buts. That is why the device the "shoulder horn" is supposed to work. It isolates the rotator cuff and by selectively building this group you can improve your bench. You are only as strong as your weakest link and as you know every big bencher has problems with the rotator cuff. To ignore the overhead work totally, is to set up imbalances in the rotator cuff that will come back to haunt you. I have never used a shoulder horn, but it is supposed to strengthen the rotator cuff. Too many people feel they have to go big all the time...the rotator cuff are four small muscles that secure the head of the humerus to the glenoid fossa of the scapula. If the rotator cuff is built up slowly, it only stands to reason that your bench will improve because you are training your weak link. Train the weak link and you will prevent injury, and improve your lift overall. If you are interested let me know and I will get together with some physical medicine docs and give you a program to isolate and strength the rotator cuff. Again I am not a sports medicine doc, or an orthopedist, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but I am a pediatrician for 18 years with the last 5 of those being into weight training."

Sincerely, Mike Ozaki

Increase your bench by 50 lbs. Click on -
http://tinyurl.com/mlrmud

How To Be A Good Bench Press Spotter

2009-09-07T01:30:00.000-07:00

How To Be A Good Bench Press Spotter
by Ben Tatar

Having a good spotter is very important. For one if you have a reliable spotter who motivates you, your bench press journey on Critical Bench will be that much more successful. The thing about training partners is that it's always hard to find someone who is as dedicated to training as you are. However, when you do find a training partner who is as dedicated, reliable and understands the "art" of spotting, then every time you step onto the bench you will feel more confident, energized and you will have one less thing to worry about. Remember, if you change your circumstances in the gym, then you will have better and more productive workouts every-time you step foot into the gym. So get together with your spotter or alone as we all have to spot at some point! In this article I will provide you with new insight about how to spot and coach the bencher effectively.

1)The timing of the handoff

When you are lying on the bench, you always want to communicate with your spotter. For example if you are lying on the bench, have your spotter count to 3 and after your spotter counts to 3, he will then un-rack the weight and hand it off to you. I find the 3 count to be important because if you aren't prepared to take the weight, you will either get hurt or you won't have your technique down right when it's time to attempt the heavy lift! Not only do I find the 3 count beneficial for safety but I also find the 3 count as an opportunity to get prepared for the lift. Once the spotter counts to 3, you can then begin to squeeze the bar extra hard, get tight, and take the weight! Once the "1, 2, 3" command starts, you will be ready to go, it's crunch time now, baby!

2) The magic touch when un-racking the weight

The spotter needs to help balance, and control the weight as he helps the bencher un-rack the weight. For example, if the spotter gives the bencher an un-even hand off and un-racks the weight with too much force, then that can throw the benchers groove completely off. This can be hazardous to the bencher's performance. The last thing that the bencher needs is to get the "press" command, when he doesn't have the weight in proper groove.

So in conclusion, some lifters spot with too much force when un-racking the weight, some lift one side more so than the other and some don't assist enough off the rack. These bad spotting techniques put the bencher at risk of missing the weight and potential injury. I think in order to master the art of "hand offs" the spotter and bencher will need to practice handoffs (taking the weight off the rack) with lighter weights.

3) Practice hand offs with lighter/medium weights

A bencher and spotter should both step under a lighter weigh, ex: 135, 185, or 225. As the spotter hands the weight to the bencher, the bencher should say "Yes, good sport", or "Do this differently". So the bottom line is practice hand offs with the lighter weights so you can be confident with the heavier weights. Practice makes improvements.

4) The Spotter's role during the lift

A good spotter should always say something positive to the bencher before the bencher steps under the weight. For example the spotter could yell "Light weight", "Bench Fast" ,"Fill your belly with air, belly filled with air", "Elbows in, elbows in, bench lower" flair out your lats, I said flair out your freakin lats", "stay tight", "arch higher", "yeah you got it, keep showing me that animal desire"! The thing is, if a spotter motivates the lifter before and during the lift, it's going to bring out the lifters "higher self", into play instead of their "regular selves", allowing the bencher to be more intense and aggressive on the bench when they are benching. The bench press is all about technique and mechanics, if the spotter can remind the bencher and yell positive cues, this will help the bencher propel the weights to lockout.

5) The Spotter's role after the lift

At the end of the lift, the spotter should give the bencher feed back. The spotter can yell "You're a strong animal, however, next time control the weight, bring it down slower, squeeze your quads into the bench and use your legs more. When you're benching 500lbs everything needs to be perfect, so make 315 perfect too". So the spotter should also give the bencher little detailed tips to improve their technique for the next time that the bencher attempts to bench again, this way the bencher continues to grow. If you are training a day with drop sets, tri sets, or speed benches, the spotter should say "Let's go, don't rest, keep moving", If the bencher is doing a heavy day, the spotter can say, "put your sweat shirt on, relax, keep warm and practice mental imagery for your next attempt". Also the spotter should always be educating themselves like on a speed bench day the spotter can say "It's more effective to do 8 sets of 2 reps then 8 sets of 3 reps, as training has evolved, that's right speed benches are 8 sets of 2 now". Finally, the spotter could give the bencher little pointers like "put your index finger on the ring to bench wide, so you don't have to bring the bar down as far, and this will help you widen your back. You know, wider backs, means bigger bench". On the other hand if the bencher is doing a burn out set after 2-3 heavy bench sets, the spotter can say "Pause on every rep and use a narrow grip, this will improve your competition max"! All of these details of attitude and communication between the spotter and bencher should take the benchers benching ability to new heights. So, the bottom line is that your spotter should be like your "coach", instead of just a person just existing to keep you safe.

6) A little spot can add higher intensity, resulting in better gains

Sometimes a little spot and assistance is healthy for the lifter. If the spotter keeps his hands on the bar during the lift, this can actually increase the intensity of the lift and help the bencher get stronger. For example, let's say a bencher can only do 315x3 on their own, but with the assistance of a spotter they might get 6 reps. This could actually help the bencher train harder and this could be effective if it's done every once in awhile and not during every single workout.

7) Dangers of assisted reps for the spotter

On the other hand if a bencher can only bench 315x1 and the spotter assist the bencher so he does 315x15, or 365x8, then that isn't useful for the bencher or the spotter. The bencher is actually putting the spotter in a great deal of danger because during every single rep, the spotter has to perform an awkward rowing motion to help the bencher get the weight up. The spotter is doing most of the work and he could fall onto the bencher while the bencher is benching. This puts both the spotter and the bencher at great risk of injury.

8) Mental dangers of assisted reps

If the bencher is always doing force reps, then it's a great way to get weak fast and ruin your journey of strength. For example if a bencher struggles benching 240 once and then if they throw 300 on and have a spotter do the weight with them, the bencher might believe that they are doing the weight. This will automatically give the bencher a false sense of strength and the bencher won't learn to control the weight on his own. Most of all, the bencher will have doubt and never want the spotter to let go of the weight because the bencher knows that he isn't as strong as his self proclaimed benching ability. The thing is, if a bencher has a 200lbs bench max and they are being assisted with 250lbs, and the bencher wants to get to 300lbs, then they are 100lbs away from their goals instead of 50lbs. Forced reps are one of the biggest mistakes that rookies and young benchers make and they are a habit that is very hard to break. Early on in the benchers training careers, they should do their reps on their own and get assistance when they can't go anymore. If you are stuck in a rut and you can only train with force reps, then I suggest you get a home gym and train where people can't see you. This way you can get stronger and trust me you will see a 50lbs increase in your bench press fast.

Finally, remember being happy with yourself is the key to being a good bencher. For example, some guys can bench 350 but they think that 350 isn't a strong bench because they desire 500lbs in their minds and feel that is where they should be. So they refuse seeing the best benchers in the world and getting help. On the other hand there are guys that only bench 250lbs as a max and they will say "I'm okay with myself, it's okay that I only bench 250", since the second guy thinks that it's okay that he benches 250lbs he has an open mind, he will learn from the best, do the lifts on his own and obviously improve.

Remember, there are many 700+ benchers out there and they aren't the brightest and they have awful technique, and that is why they bench in the 700s instead of the 900s. They have so much hubris (excessive pride) that they aren't willing to look at their bad habits. The guys who are comfortable with themselves even if they bench 225 will eventually be the strong and happier benchers in the end because they can train right without letting the concept of "never being good enough" ruin them.

9) How to spot an ego lifter

bench press spotting If a bencher comes into the gym and loads the bar and says spot me, give them a tiny bit of assistance. A tiny bit means, gently guide the weight up as the bencher is trying to move the weight from off their chest to lockout. For example let's say a bencher loads the bar to 275lbs and this is their one rep max but for whatever reason they want to feel secure and want your hands on the bar. So, spot them in slow motion for the first rep. Then if they want to attempt another rep, spot them again in slow motion so that the lift takes 5-6 seconds for them to perform. Trust me they are going to want to rack it and not do three painful reps with 275. The purpose for a "gentle guide" instead of "force reps" is that if you forced their reps the lifter will do 10 reps and he will keep going heavier. If he goes too heavy then the lifter is putting him self at danger. Some lifters will in fact step under weights 100lbs over their max, if they get a good spot.

I know that there are lifters like Jimmy the Bull who benches over 1000lbs with 3 spotters assisting him but that is a different type of training and if you want to gain mass that way, then make sure that you get many spotters for safety. I also understand that there are plenty of men whether they are training with boards, bands, shirts, or even without any equipment at all, who always load the bench press bar past 500,600, and 700lbs. If you are one of these men then having reliable spotters is important because you can't mess up. So if you are ever in need make sure that you have 3 strong spotters with 3 extra buddies along the side because you can't mess up with 700lbs, or you will get hurt. This is the world of bench press extreme.

10) Get the right spotter

Remember, everyone is different and everyone has different goals. The best advice is to find what works for you, as nobody knows what you truly want as much as you do. Some benchers want a spotter that cranks up the volume, yells in their face and others want silence and concentration. As there are others in the grey, who want some intensity but they want to focus at the same time. So follow some of these tips of course but remember some lifters want more assistance and others are against forced reps completely. So, find the spotter and training partner that works for you! I believe by finding a spotter that is always trying to find "what could be better", a spotter that sees huge weights as being "attainable", and who is always believing that you can make consistent progress is the way to go. Get a spotter who thinks that benching 500lbs is not a big deal because the stronger your mind is the easier it will be to bench 500lbs! So get a good partner today and let the attitude of training and gaining begin!

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