Articles – Page 3543 – Mass-Lift Powerlifting

Your Powerlifting Coach Should Be More Than Just A Programmer

02/14/2018 Arian Khamesi 0

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

Understanding Progression

02/06/2018 Kevin Cann 0

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

Scientific Principles of Strength Training

01/30/2018 Kevin Cann 0

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

Dissecting the Deload

01/25/2018 Kevin Cann 0

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

Why the Safety Squat Bar is Suboptimal for Raw Lifters

01/23/2018 Kevin Cann 0

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

Benefits to Lifting with a Program

02/21/2017 Mass-Lift 0

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

5 Reasons Why You Should Not Lift in Gear

01/24/2017 Roy Apostle 0

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

2017 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code Update

09/30/2016 Mass-Lift 0

September 29, 2016: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published their 2017 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods; along with, the 2017 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes. The List – which designates what substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition, and which substances are banned in particular sports – was approved by the Executive Committee on 21 September and comes into force on 1 January 2017. “WADA is pleased to publish the Read More

SSPT Pull-up Program

01/21/2015 Matthew Gary 0

Every human should be able to do one pull-up. If you can’t, you’re either too fat, weak, or both. Pull-up ability is largely a function of strength to bodyweight ratio. This explains why some men can deadlift 700+ pounds while some women are well into the 400s and beyond, but neither is able perform a single pull-up. While deadlifting may be the truest test of total body strength with a barbell, pull-ups demand greater balance Read More

SSPT Training the Deadlift

10/14/2014 Matthew Gary 0

How many times has some curious onlooker at your gym come over to and asked, “So, how much can you lift?” My stock reply is, “I can deadlift 639 pounds.” (see picture to the right). For a powerlifter, the deadlift is the purest test of total body strength. This is true for a myriad of reasons. Firstly, the deadlift recruits and utilizes as many muscles as any other exercise. The only exercise that rivals the Read More