USPF California Powerlifting Newsletter March 2009

USPF California Powerlifting Newsletter
March 2009
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The D1 (single ply) California State Championship is coming up on March 28 along with the D2 (Monolift, Multiply) California State Championship on March 29 in Los Alamitos, CA. Entry deadline is March 6. No late entries accepted after March 10.
Entry forms can be obtained by going to http://www.powerliftingca.com then click on the upcoming meets.

March 28, 43rd USPF California State D1 PL, BP, DL Championship
Single ply with walkout squats using combo racks.
Location: Los Alamitos, CA
Meet Director: Steve Denison
Phone: 661-333-9800
Email: PWRLFTRS@MSN.COM

March 29 USPF California State D-2 Powerlifting and Benchpress Championship
Location: Los Alamitos
Meet Director: Steve Denison
Phone: 661-333-9800
Email: pwrlftrs@msn.com
Definition of USPF D-2 allows double ply bench shirts and the full use of the monolift which will be used at all D-2 meets.
squat suits can be double ply with a double ply briefs with legs. USPF D-2 meets follow GPC rules.

Past meets results have been posted for the USPF American Pro Invitational Cup and the LA Fit Expo Benchpress and Deadlift Challenge from Jan 24-25.
Go to the meet results section on http://www.powerliftingca.com

The D1 and D2 West Coast meet results from Feb 21 have been posted as well.

Check out the USPF California Forum to post your comments and the new Training Log section:
http://wvuspf.com/smf1/index.php/board,2.0.html

Joe Dentice will be hosting the Las Vegas Open and the Collegiate Nationals on April 4th at UNLV. Go to the upcoming meet section on http://www.powerliftingca.com

April 4, USPF Collegiate National Powerlifting Championship (PL, BP, DL, PP)
Location: Las Vegas, NV (UNLV)
Meet Director: Joe Dentice
Email: lvjoe700@aol.com

April 4, USPF Las Vegas Open PL, BP, DL, PP
Location: Las Vegas, NV (UNLV)
Meet Director: Joe Dentice
Email: lvjoe700@aol.com

Mark Bell will be hosting the Sacramento Open on Sunday, April 26.
Entry forms are available online in the upcoming meet section at http://www.powerliftingca.com

April 26, USPF Sacramento Open PL, BP, PP Championship
Location: Sacramento, CA
Meet Director: Mark Bell
Phone: 530-574-1070
Email: smellybell80@yahoo.com

A few tips on the squat from Super Training Gym in Sacramento.

1- If you are a new lifter start out with fairly loose gear. Take your time to learn how execute the movements properly. Having looser gear will allow you learn your gear faster. When you are comfortable with what you got you could have a seamstress take the suit in or order a smaller one.

2- Continuing on from my point in tip # 1 it is a good idea to have different levels of squat suits. We all work hard for our money but we all bust our ass in the gym to. Invest the time and money to acquire 2 or 3 squat suits.Years ago you would call Titan or Inzer and say I need a “Training Suit” This would tell them ok this guys measurements say that he needs a 52 suit but for training we will get him the next size up. The bigger suit will allow you train with better form, but it will make you work hard for the bigger weights. A suit that is too tight can cripple your form.

3- Make sure you are ready for game day. There are many factors that go into getting you ready to lift big on the platform. A huge factor is where your head is at. If your head is 3 quarters of the way up your arse then chances are you will NOT perform well on game day.
Set yourself up to do well by working on weak points. Start to work your weak points about 6-8 weeks prior to the meet. A week point could simply that you get nervous and mess up the commands given by the judges. Take the time to have training partner yell the commands to you. Another issue could be you have a hard time walking weights out. Well why not practice it? If your looking to squat 500 pounds for the 1st time in a comp why not walk that weight out and more in training. Also visualize yourself nailing that weight in the contest over and over again.

4- Lastly get your gear squared away. Like I mentioned earlier take the time to learn your gear. Order your gear 8-12 weeks before your contest so you have plenty of time to work in it. Do not change your gear last minute.

5- The more lifts you make the more fun you have. Well you need Personal Records to but if you make a lot of your lifts let’s say 7 out of 9 then I bet you beat a lot of your own records anyway. Your day on the platform starts with the squat. Set up your attempts so you have a good shot at going 3 for 3. If your goal is to squat 500 then you may want to open pretty light with like 402-424 to get in the meet, then go to a new PR or close to it 474, then go for 500. Now if 474 moves like crap and it was just brutal make a small jump of about 12 pounds and just focus on padding that total. Those extra 12 pounds could mean a lot towards reaching your total goal for the day.

None of what I mentioned is true…Just kidding! None of what I said is set in stone every lifter is different so find what works for you.

If anyone has any questions please write me on my training forum at http://www.SuperTrainingGym.com

If your not getting better then your getting worse,

Mark JackAss Bell
Owner of Super Training
http://www.SuperTrainingGym.com

May 2, USPF San Diego Open PL, BP, DL Championship
Location: San Diego, CA
Meet Director: Steve Denison
Phone: 661-333-9800
Email: PWRLFTRS@MSN.COM
Get entry form at http://www.powerliftingca.com Upcoming meet section

May 23, USPF Military Nationals PL, BP, DL Championship
Location: Venice Beach
Meet Director: Steve Denison
Phone: 661-333-9800
Email: PWRLFTRS@MSN.COM
Get entry form at http://www.powerliftingca.com Upcoming meet section

May 24, USPF Muscle Beach BP/DL Championship
Location: Venice Beach
Meet Director: Steve Denison
Phone: 661-333-9800
Email: PWRLFTRS@MSN.COM
Get entry form at http://www.powerliftingca.com Upcoming meet section

Project Westside PowerBeach: проект западзапад властьберег

I have switched my training over from the traditional Eastern Bloc Progressive Periodization over to Block Periodization perfected by Westside Barbell.

Westside Barbell Club trains year-round to promote strength gains.  Westside style focuses on building Speed-Strength and Power year round.  Many of the theories proven by years of Westside Barbell Club breaking records left & right come from clinical sport specific studies done by rhew Russians and other Eastern Bloc scientists.

I have been training using methods I pieced together from reading translated Russian texts.  Until a couple of weeks ago I didn’t have a full understanding of how to use my knowlege to put together a program that will make me strong and that will keep me healthy.

The Westside way of doing things is the best training system I have found to take me to the next level.

This is the 1st article of many to be written in the future about how to use the Westside Strength Training System to your advantage.  No matter what your sport or your gym I will show you how to modify your training to get the best strength results of your entire life. 

My goal for 2009 is to get Westside Certified.  Westside Barbell Club training style is amazing, I haven’t felt better in my life.  At age 43 I am stronger, better & faster than ever.

Be on the look out for many more reports.  2009 will be a Record Breaking Year for me.  What about you?

YouTube Video: Dan Gilliland doing a 565 LB Squat @ 163 LB

Maximum Muscle Podcast # 1

Maximum Muscle Podcast will take you to the fast track of muscle growth, fitness and better nutrition.

This 1st Podcast describes what the future will hold.

I will explain why you can get great advice from a Championhip winning Powerlifter with 17 years of nutrition experience from working in the Sports Nutrition Industry. I am currently working for Max Muscle Sports Nutrition. This podcast and all of the opinions from the podcast and my blog are my opinions and not those of Max Muscle Sports Nutrition.

My goals and mission of Maximum Muscle Podcast is:

1. I will inform you of the newest and most important nutrition and muscle building news.

2. I will spotlight Max Muscle products and explain what result to expect from the product.

3. I will put into context how to mashup your workouts with your supplements. Some people have no idea why they are taking what they are taking. Growing mass while losing weight will never happen. Taking a dieting, appetite suppressing supplement while trying to pack on mass won’t work.

4. Lessons From the Masters is a how to do from the All time Great & Successful people the world has ever known. Everyone from Napoleon Hill, Anthony Robbins, Arnold, Jay, Ronnie, Sun Tzu and many, many more.

Louie Simmons: How to Do the Squat

[http://sreishus.blogspot.com/2008/07/squatting.html]
By: Louie Simmons
How to Do the Squat
What is good squat form?
What does it take to develop a great squat? First you must develop the hips, hamstrings, spinal erectors, glutes, and abs. Without a strong posterior chain (the muscles on the back of the body), you will not sit back into the proper squat position. That’s right. Sit back, never down. If the knees go forward in the yielding phase, they could hit the floor and the hips still would be above parallel. I talk to strength coaches from major universities on how to squat. I tell them that we have 24 guys who have squatted over 800 and six over 900 by box squatting with a wide stance. Many times these coaches will reply, I like Olympic squatting. One reason I guess is that Olympic squatting is what they were brought up on. But why do powerlifters use a wider stance? Because you use more muscle, and isn’t that what we’re after on the sports field? Only a wrestler would find himself in the weakest joint angles of an Olympic squat. That’s probably why there are no old, great Olympic lifters. Their joints are gone. When a prominent pro basketball coach said that Olympic squats were the best for his players and that a two-times bodyweight squat was all an athlete needs, I realized that a weak coach can only produce weak players. This coach and many like him must have a huge library and a very small weight room. Take Ben Johnson, for example. He squatted 620 at about 200 pounds. That’s three times bodyweight! Football players’ careers are being shortened not by the competition but by the fact that they are too frail compared to 10 years ago. I saw Brett Favre come out of the locker room and squat cold with the linemen using the same weight. That’s like having five quarterbacks protecting your quarterback, and that’s bull. Let’s get to squat technique, starting with the feet. They should be pointed straight forward. This forces the hip muscles into play. It is much harder to break parallel because the hip extensors and flexors are put in a very strong position for flexion. Turn the feet outward slightly if you are not flexible or if you are very thick in the waist and upper thighs. If you see someone who walks with their feet turned outward, they have weak hamstrings. As far as shoes go, Converse Chuck Taylor’s are best. Don’t have $100 shoes and a 10-cent squat. When squatting, think about pushing your feet out, not down. This will ensure that the hip muscles are working correctly. Push your knees out the entire time, starting from when you are unracking the bar. You should feel this in the hips. Next, start pushing the glutes to the rear as thought you are searching for a hair that is too far behind you. Arch the lower back and keep the chest up. Lean forwards as much as necessary to keep the bar over your center of gravity. To ensure correct bar placement, raise the chest and pull the shoulder blades together, to place the bar back as far as possible. This creates better leverage. However, if one carries the bar too low, it causes the lifter to bend forward, destroying leverage. What stance should you use? Everyone should box squat with a wide stance, because this builds the all-important hip muscles. Thirty years ago, the great Jim Williams said to train as wide as possible and pull your stance in, to a point, to break parallel at meet time. If you watch a great squat technician, you will notice that he bends only at the hips, the knees don’t go forward, and his back does not move. While descending in the squat, never squat down. Always squat back! If you push the glutes back, the knees will not go forward. In fact, if you sit back far enough, the shins will be past vertical. This is only possible with box squatting. And it’s important because this causes a great stretch reflex. Also, by forcing your knees apart, you are significantly increasing your leverage, by shortening the distance between the hip and the knee joint. If you pull your knees together, you increase this distance and create poor leverage. In addition, this is a sign of weak hip muscles. After breaking parallel, you must first push against the bar. After all, the bar is what we are trying to raise. Unfortunately, you see many lifters who push with their feet first. This causes you to bend forward Into a good morning position, which is opposite of what you are trying to achieve, in addition to being dangerous. When your back bends, you are likely to miss a squat or get injured. Most people think of squatting as a multi-joint muscular action. I see it as flexion of the spinal erectors and hip flexors and slight flexion of the knees. It’s much like trying to jump onto a high box; you flex as much as possible in the beginning and hope you make it. Others push gradually through the lift; just enough to accommodate the external force that is being applied. As far as equipment, in a meet, wrap the knees toward the inside. This means wrap one clockwise and the other counterclockwise. This helps to stabilize them. Wear a suit that allows the knees to be forced outward ad the glutes to be pushed out to the rear. Don’t wear straps that are too tight. This will cause you to bend over. In training wear a suit with the straps down and a belt. This will help the technical aspects of squatting. When someone must wear full gear for 3-4 weeks before a meet, their technical skill is low. To summarize, build the posterior chain: calves, hams, glutes, lower and upper back. Strong abs are a must. They are what you lean on to descend and push off of to ascend. Out of our top 100 squat-ters, four use an upright back position. That means that 96% lean forward, with – of course – a great arch. While descending, the glutes move first and the head and bar move last. So, in the concentric phase, the opposite happens. You must push against the bar first. One workout per week must be devoted to speed (box squatting) and one for maximal effort, with a variety of core exercises such as good mornings and squatting with special bars that change your center of gravity. To all strength coaches: the next time you have your athletes do Olympic squats, ask yourself why. The joint angles are not advantageous for the stretch reflex. If a lineman were to use that position on the field, he would easily be pushed backward. The Olympic lifts require flexibility. There are many drills better suited to increase flexibility. Everyone thinks the Olympic lifts are so quick. While your cleans at 60% look fast, so do our box squats at 60%. The athlete who can power clean 400 uses 240(60%). The lifter who can squat 800 uses 480 (60%). Who do you really think would be faster and stronger? Compared to a powerlifter, an Olympic lifter can’t squat with the Sunday paper. A kid that can hang clean 400 would look frail to an 800 squatter. And don’t forget, in Olympic lifting, as the bar is raising, the lifter is lowering himself, making it appear that they are moving the bar at great speed. Olympic lifting is the biggest bust in the United States. We have not placed a single lifter on the “A” list, yet strength coaches still advocate the Olympic lifts.

http://sreishus.blogspot.com/2008/07/squatting.html

Powerlifting For Beginners: An Intro

Powerlifting For Beginners

What is Powerlifting?
Powerlifting is a mix of 3 lifts; the squat, the benchpress & the squat. The object of Powerlifting is to lift as much as you can for 1 rep in each of these lifts. Contests are held and a lifter has 3 chances to lift as much as possible.

How is it different from Bodybuilding?
Bodybuilding is completely subjective and the training style is completely different. Powerlifting has very little subjectivity to it. Most of the time judges will give the same type of calls to everyone in the meet. Bodybuilding has more politics in it than Powerlifting. The best way I’ve found to strength train is doing no more than 5 reps per set. On average I do 3 reps per set and if I want to increase my volume I will increase the number of sets instead of number of reps. I make sure each rep is done in a fast but controlled manner. Bodybuilding training has much more volume involved in it. Most bodybuilders get the best results from doing 5 sets of 8 – 12 reps. Most Bodybuilders do more isolation exercises while most Powerlifters do compound exercises.

Why do I Powerlift instead of Bodybuild?
As a powerlifter you can still maintain the bodybuilder look as long as you pay attention to your diet. Bodybuilders look like they are a lot stronger than they really are. Bodybuilders are training to create more muscle and Powerlifters are training to create more Power. I like to compete in a more objective arena than Bodybuilding. In Powerlifting you either got the lift or you didn’t, people don’t talk about if you need to work on your delt symmetry.

Why you should at least mix it in to your Bodybuilding routine?
A great way to mix bodybuilding with powerlifting is to Powerbuild. You can build functional strength wile maitaining the look you want.

Wisdom From A World Record Holder

Nine Things By Matt Rhodes Learned from World Record Holder Vincent Dizenzo
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/ten_things_dizenzo.htm

1. Psychology
“No matter how he feels, he’ll always answer, “I’m feeling f***ing great!” There are no excuses for having a bad day. It’s your job to put yourself in the right frame of mind to succeed.”

Every day is your best day. Whatever the universe throws at you, just take and learn from it. You will only become stronger if you accept reality and move forward changing your perception and you will get better control of your reality.

2. Breathing
Without O2 you can’t do anything. BREATH properly and you will get plenty of your number one nutrient.

3. Toes up
“We all know that we need to have most of our weight on our heels when we lift”

Do you want an instant 20 pound jump in your Squat? Put on some Wrestling shoes.
I’ve found incredible results using wrestling shoes while working out. Wrestling shoes offer no cushion for your feet. Cushion is great for running sports but terrible for Powerlifting. Wrestling shoes allow to push the power from the resistance of the floor directly into your muscles and the weight being moved.

4. Video
“This is the best way to see what you’re doing. Your training partners can tell you what you’re doing wrong or right, but it will only really click when you see yourself doing it.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8JjqhkmYAk

5. Leg drive in the bench
“It’s just like you’re “on the bottom.” Drive those hips as if…”

I make sure my legs can drive resistance straight through the floor making the Benchpress exercise a whole body movement.

6. Breathing revisited
“Hold your breath.”

This is HUGE!!!!!! Holding your breath during an exercize will put internal pressure on your core muscle tightening them. Forget the Swiss Ball, just practice holding your breath during reps, your core muscles will respond like never before. WARNING: If you have high Blood Pressure holding your breath will increase it even more ,so be careful.

7. Diet and supplementation
“Put the good stuff in your body. Every big bastard (275 and above) eats crappy food. We love it. The cholesterol flows through our veins and our hearts skip beats as if to say, “WTF is wrong with you?”

Diet and supplementation is everything. If you aren’t giving yourself the proper nutrients to recover you will never get anywhere. Ever wonder why a lot of guys call themselves “hard gainers”? Just ask them to list you what they eat and as them if they are eating well enough. You will find the “hardgainers” don’t eat well enough and usually do the same workout year after boring year.

8. Sleep
“You’re supposed to get one hour of sleep for every two hours that you’re awake.”

How many people do what they are supposed to do. When you are tired, rest, go to a park, rest and relax. Meditate. I watched a video of Tibetan Buddhist Monks who were released from prision and wasn’t allowed to sleep for 18 years. He was locked up in solatary for all of those 18 years and had bright lights and loud music played 24/7 for all 18 years. he put himself in a deep meditive state for 18 years. They released him because he could never be broken and wasn’t going to fight back violently when released.

http://www.brainsync.com/

At least get 6 hours of sleep per night and catch up during your days off. You won’t grow if you don’t allow yourself to rest.

9. Expect to move big weights
“Expect greatness from yourself and you’ll get it. Greatness isn’t measured in world records. It’s measured in setting and breaking your own goals and records.”

So many guys at the gym think if they keep lifting puny weights on machines for 12 – 15 reps that one day they will become strong. WRONG!!! In order to become strong you have to lift heavy weights, plain and simple.

My standard Leg workout is simple
Squat 3 sets of 3reps, 2 sets of 2 reps, 3 – 4 sets of fast moving singles
Hack Squat 2 sets of 3, 2 sets of 2 fast reps
45 deg Leg Press 5 sets of 3 fast reps

my Squat Personal Record is 515 lbs @ 162 lbs set 6-4-08

Desire: The Starting Point of Achievement

Everyone has a burning desire. Your friends and family may make fun of you about your “silly” dreams but we won’t. Think about what you would do with your life if you win the lottery. After all the travel and partying you will have to get back to doing something with your life. What will it be?

You will remember what your burning desire is after you play this game.

Determine an exact goal. It maybe to gain wealth, gain health, drop fat or build muscle or something all together different. Write down and develop a specific goal. How much money do you want to make? How will you feel when you are healthy? What body fat percentage will you be at when you have burnt enough? How will you look like in the mirror when you have reached your goal? What will you be able to do that you can’t do right now that will make you know that you have hit your goal?

Establish exactly what you will give to get your goal. Will you give more time to workout at the gym? Will you give extra money to your creditors to pay your loans off faster? Will you give yourself better food to shed those unwanted pounds? Will you give yourself more quality time so you can celebrate the success you are achieving?

Set a Definite Time for your goal to be finished. Have a calender hanging in a place where you can see it every day. Break your big goal into mini-goals so you can track your progress. Sometimes goals are too big and with mini-goals you can see if you are slacking or going for the unrealistic at this time.

Write this plan out and start today. On day 1 think of a mini-goal that is real simple that may only take 5 minutes to do and check it off as completed.

Read your goal out loud like you mean it at least twice a day. Stand in front of the bathroom mirror before brushing your teeth in the morning and at night. Repeat your goal with feeling and confidence knowing that it will be done. The more you speak your goals the more you will become your goals.

Life gives you what you ask so ask for your world of desires.

Get ready to receive because what you ask for will show up on your doorstep.

Be careful what you wish for because you will get it.

Imagine yourself successful. Think of all the positive things that will happen to you because of your success.

Reflect on your Past Successes. Remember how you satisfied you felt when you hit that last goal. Picture it in your mind, make that picture bigger and brighter. Think about the praise you heard from your friends when you completed your goal. Think about how good you felt when you completed your goal.

Set Definite Goals. The most successful people are those who are those who stay the course but are nimble enough to dodge and weave around unforeseen events. Have the balls to stretch for the sky but know when ego is getting in the way of success.

Respond to life with a positive outlook. Perception is everything. What we give to the universe is what we get. Playas only attract more playas. The only shortcut is to get go and let the flow begin.

The article is inspired the Napoleon Hill book “Your Magic Power To Be Rich”

YouTube Video: Dan Gilliland Playing with 455 lbs