Written by: Kevin Cann That title is part click bait and part truth. For those of you that know me, know that I feel that Westside style training is very inadequate for the raw powerlifter. Multiply and raw are vastly different sports. Best way I have heard it explained is through this analogy. Racquetball and tennis are both racquet sports, but vastly different in how they are played. The same goes for raw and multiply. Read More
Written by: Kevin Cann Dave Tate of EliteFTS posted this question on Instagram the other day: “Most coaches I speak to that only endorse the “sports specific” angle for powerlifting (only do the specific competition lifts) would have a more expanded view of the training process if they took the time to learn what dynamic correspondence is.” The wording of this question bothers me a bit. Explain why you do things a specific way instead Read More
Written by: Kevin Cann I typically write posts about training. This one is going to be a little different. The last month has seen some major changes for the Precision Powerlifting Systems crew. We are no longer affiliated with Total Performance Sports as of January. We are our own entity now. We are now located at RX Strength Training in Somerville. Jeff, the owner, is an awesome guy and has created a great training environment Read More
I often see a lot of hate towards Powerlifting coaches these days. Recently, I stumbled across a Reddit thread from 6 months ago where lifters shared their personal experiences of working with a Powerlifting coach. It seems many had a bad experience and didn’t receive the services that they’d expect. I think the main reason for this is the lifters are going with someone who is a “programmer” and not a professional coach. A “programmer” Read More
Written by: Kevin Cann Progressing a program is something that is a necessary part of getting stronger. However, I feel many athletes and coaches may not know how to do it appropriately. There are a number of ways in which you can progress a program. The most usual are adding weight to the bar or adding in more repetitions. However, when do we know when it is appropriate to add more weight on the bar Read More
Written by: Kevin Cann No matter what program you follow, it has to abide by the scientific principles in order for it to be effective. The more principles that the program abides by and follows, the more optimal that it will be. I am going to give a quick rundown of these principles. Most of which are well explained in Dr. Mike Israetel, Dr. James Hoffman, and Chad Wesley Smith’s book “Scientific Principles of Strength Read More
Written by: Kevin Cann This is a question that I receive a lot from my lifters. “Hey Kev, when do we get a deload?” In most cases it is more of a joke than anything else. However, I feel the need to explain the concepts of the deload in a Sheiko based program. Often times we see deloads put into a program every 3 to 8 weeks or so. The time frame here can vary. Read More
The safety squat bar (SSB) is a barbell that has a camber at the end and a harness that sits on the shoulders in the middle. This is a very valuable bar to have in any gym, I am not arguing that. The harness makes it easier on the shoulders and elbows to load up a squat. This can come in handy with a field sport population, especially throwing athletes. However, I find it to Read More
Following a training program is crucial to success in powerlifting. Some programs are better-suited to certain individuals than others. Additionally, certain general principles are almost always universally better than others. But any structured and systematic training plan will yield significantly greater results than simply going to the gym and “playing it by ear.” There are many reasons for this. I will focus however on three benefits that highlight the necessity of following a program; confidence, Read More
We made it. 2017 is here. A lot happened in 2016 that was pretty impressive. More than a few 1000 lb squats at the World level, several Massachusetts lifters taking medals at Worlds, and membership and interest in meets are through the roof. Many of you though are probably pretty glad 2016 is over. For you all, I would like to share some insight on the never ending debate between Equipped and Raw lifting, something Read More