Your First Powerlifting Meet
No one's going to judge you as a person on how much weight you lift; and if they do, their opinions aren't worth a watery dump. Since you are new to this, let me offer a few points.
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Weekend Q/A: A Plethora of Souls Guided to Swing Their Richards Again
Question: I wanted to get your thoughts on this. I'm a college student and next week I'm taking a new job unloading trucks at UPS. I worked there over Christmas peak season and my training went to shit. When I start next week I'll probably be working around five hours a day, five days a week. After a couple days of working there it begins to be a bitch. I'm planning on adjusting my training schedule from 4 days/week to 2 days/week. Keep in mind, I'm trying to stay as north of vag as possible, but I was wondering how you would recommend balancing my training schedule with my work schedule and avoid burning out.
Answer: I did this for a year as a job. I lifted 4 days/week and ran hills 4 days/week. You’ll be fine. First week sucks but you’ll adapt. Quick tucking it and let it swing.
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Answer: I did this for a year as a job. I lifted 4 days/week and ran hills 4 days/week. You’ll be fine. First week sucks but you’ll adapt. Quick tucking it and let it swing.
How to Darken Your Sonic Palette
These two bands have been on repeat in the Wendler house and weight room for last few days and they both have elicited metal boners, invisible oranges and spontaneous horns. I also got a band that makes Nails sound like Karen Carpenter.
Support the Underground - Be the Bra and Spanx to Extreme Music.
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Support the Underground - Be the Bra and Spanx to Extreme Music.
Boring But Big, 3 Month Challenge
Since I released the first edition of 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Building Raw Strength in 2009, I've been asked many questions about supplemental and assistance work.
The most popular, effective, and brutal accessory plan is something I called Boring But Big.
The Boring But Big supplemental program is simple. After completing the strength work with the basic exercise (squat, press, bench press or deadlift), you perform 5 sets of 10 reps with a lighter weight. This might not seem like much work, but it'll lead to new gains in strength and hypertrophy.
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The most popular, effective, and brutal accessory plan is something I called Boring But Big.
The Boring But Big supplemental program is simple. After completing the strength work with the basic exercise (squat, press, bench press or deadlift), you perform 5 sets of 10 reps with a lighter weight. This might not seem like much work, but it'll lead to new gains in strength and hypertrophy.
Uppers, Bars and Your Yearly Goal
Q: I am not a huge fan of caffeine (aside from my morning cup of coffee) but there are times when after a long day at work it is really tough to get up for a good workout. My drug of choice here would be sugar-free Red Bull, but I am leery to start introducing something like that to my routine. What do you think - good, bad, who really gives a crap if it works for you?
A: If you can tolerate it, it’s fine. If not, don’t use it. It’s not like you are injecting heroin so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Stimulants, especially the older you get, have a bigger price so be sure you are willing to pay it.
Diet Queens, Squats and Fat Kids
Give your child some of the greatest gifts - the gift of physical fitness, athletics and healthy eating. By doing this you will eliminate most of the social bullshit and drama that many kids face. They will be emotionally and physically stronger, have better self-esteem, skin will be better, they will be confident for new challeges and carry themselves better.
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Training Advice for an Older Lifter
Question:
I know there are a lot of variables to this question but do you find that older lifters (over 55) respond better to full body training 2 days a week or focusing on one main lift a day 4 days a week?
Answer:
It doesn't matter at all - for any lifter. People get so caught up in this stuff, and I totally understand why, but it doesn't matter at all. Just like where you put the bar when you squat, what kind of grip you take on chins/pull-ups, casein vs. whey...I should write an article on this. Just a lot of bickering and ridiculousness.
Anyway, with an older lifter there are a couple things that need to be addressed/looked at. First...
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I know there are a lot of variables to this question but do you find that older lifters (over 55) respond better to full body training 2 days a week or focusing on one main lift a day 4 days a week?
Answer:
It doesn't matter at all - for any lifter. People get so caught up in this stuff, and I totally understand why, but it doesn't matter at all. Just like where you put the bar when you squat, what kind of grip you take on chins/pull-ups, casein vs. whey...I should write an article on this. Just a lot of bickering and ridiculousness.
Anyway, with an older lifter there are a couple things that need to be addressed/looked at. First...
Effective Simplicity for the Busy Man
Although I love weightlifting, and it is a very important part of my life, I am also a busy person with many other interests outside the gym. 5/3/1 allows me to get in, get the work done and get out in a reasonable time, while still making excellent progress over the span of the year.
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5 Ways to Increase Your Press
Ever since I started pressing, I have been obsessed with making it better. Partly because I was so weak at it for so long (which meant that it had no place to go but up) and because it is simply a cool exercise to do. The death of the Press as a movement can be attributed to a lot of things, none of which actually matter. BUT, if you view this lift with as much enthusiasm as I do, use these tips to improve what I consider to be one of the most fun movements in the gym.
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Blood, Sweat and Football: A 5/3/1 Family
Note from Jim: I've gotten a lot of success stories over the years, great testimonials from all over the world. Not one of them goes unappreciated; I am humbled by each one of them. This time of year (and hell,...
How to Make Money in the Fitness Industry
I was surprised when recently asked about the keys to making money in the fitness industry. I never really thought about it much – I don’t know if there are any real secrets to putting out a good product, service or idea other than having a good product, service or idea. I do know...
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5/3/1 and LEO
I had decided January 2016 that I was finally sick of it. I had jumped on the crossfit train for several years and it ended with stupid injuries that were avoidable. I had tried power athlete for a while, but don't have 4 1/2 hours to workout everyday.
I returned to 5/3/1 but modified it depending on my work schedule. The only hardline constants I focused on was hitting the numbers for that day...
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I returned to 5/3/1 but modified it depending on my work schedule. The only hardline constants I focused on was hitting the numbers for that day...
N.O.V. Lifter Award
The USPA Oregon State Powerlifting Championships, run by long-time friend and Forum member Ric Rabourn, was held on December 3-4, 2016 at Hallmark Resort Newport. We sponsored the meet and had special N.O.V awards for two lifters to be decided by Ric not necessarily by pound for pound success but by overall excellence.
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What it Takes
Without a doubt, the strongest and best lifters in the world have consistently busted their ass in the weight room. For decades. Not weeks, not a year, but decades. There are genetic freaks out there that achieve a high level of strength quickly, but comparing yourself to them is unfair and will probably drive you out of the sport and into a 10-year Pop Tarts & Vicodin bender. Now, consistency doesn't always mean they're going balls out, every day. It means they chip away slowly, but surely.
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Bench Press - How To Set Up In 8 Steps
However you choose to bench press, make sure every single rep, regardless of weight is done with perfection. This goes for the squat, deadlift, press and any other big barbell lift. I've never seen any strong, experienced lifter take any set lightly - they demand perfection from the bar to their max. Think back to the last time you bench pressed - did you have a perfect set-up on the very first rep with the empty bar? Did you treat it with the same importance as your last max attempt? The beginner still thinks there must be some kind of special secret or trick. A veteran lifter always makes sure the simple things are taken care of; they aren't ever sexy but they always work.
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