I thought I would start a thread on speed or dynamic effort training, but before I start, I want to clear up a couple of things.
There are a couple of weak individuals among us, who are light years behind the strength curve of a normal lifter with a similar ammount of training years. They post threads about random lifters or random articles that get no response, then claim that all I do is speak about PTC.
There right, thats all I do, I dont speak about things I havent tried, unlike them who search the net and post things we could care less about, attempting to make themselves strong by association.
Now, I want to talk about the role of speed work in lifting. We can all go and read Westside articles or any other massive ammount found on the net, but I want to talk about MY experiences with it.
Recently Oli dismissed the role of speed in powerlifting. I dont agree with him, nor do I totally disagree with him. I'll explain why.
All my initial strength gains were made before I had ever heard of Louie or speed work. I made good progressive gains by simply using tried and tested progressive resistance. I used the same methods to train 2 boys to State Championships in the early 90's.
Moving ahead to 2003, I discovered lots of Westsides principles. I hadnt trained for 8 yesrs and had a chronic back condition. Using Louies ideas I strengthened my back to a never before attained level. For that, I will always be indebted to him. I only trained for 3 months back then, but it was enough to convince me he had the smarts.
Moving on to 2006, I started lifting again. I still had a severed pec, so I hadnt benched heavy since 1995. PTC wasnt around (est:2008) I was training with Nina and an old lifting mate. Nina had a PB bench of just under 60kg and I was starting from scratch.
We did a maximum effort day and a dynamic effort day. This worked very well for a period, I benched 150kg @ 90kg and Nina ultimately benched 72.5kg raw @ 58kg.
I stopped training shortly after (Nov 2007) as I had developed quite a few niggles (shoulder, knee, elbow).
I looked back and reviewed what we had done and I came to this conclusion. Nina has always been a grinding kind of lifter, very little bar speed. Amazing lockout, slow off the chest. I was the total opposite, the bar always flew off my chest and I used that speed to lockout heavy weights. I could close grip 140kg for reps in the early 90's, so I didnt have a weak lockout, its just that speed was my asset.
So after all the Westside training, I discovered that for a drug free unequipped lifter, the load MAY be too much. I was 45, so that would play a role, but Louies template is designed for HIS lifters, training in HIS gym. They are all world class athletes who will do whatever it takes to recover, as any world class lifter should.
So, back to speed work, does it help?
I believe it does. The latest test I did was with Nick. His bench had stuttered, and from memory, he was benching 117.5kg after a break, it may have even been less, I have it documented but I cant be stuffed going back to look for it. Nick ultimately benched 145kg using speed work once a week, and has since gone further.
Talking to Nick, he is going back to speed benching on Saturdays again, with Max, Dim and Alen. Nina and Annie have as well, so I'll have more to report.
Now what about other lifts? I have tried speed squats, sitting down on a huge cushion on a box, never felt right. I tried bands as resistance, still didnt feel right. During the last week, I have used bands to deload the weight. With the band offering the most help at the bottom, and accelerating the bar out of the hole, I feel it may work best for unassisted lifters. Max has made 200kg this way, Nick tried 250kg but was overcome, Nina made 130kg last night and Annie got 100kg.
The bands offer no assistance at the top, so the lifter needs to lock the squat out, where it helps is the hardest part of the lift, the bottom. It rapidly increases bar speed. I will play with this for awhile and see how much carry over we get.
As far as deadlift goes, I am very wary of having a lifter go too fast and coming out of the groove and hurting themselves. I have mini bands that will help a lifter with a weak upper back lockout deadlifts, but I feel there are better exercises to strengthen the upperback.
So who will benefit the most with speed work? Obviously the slower lifters, but thats not to say that even the faster lifters wont gain. Some exercises are easier to implement speed work, try for yourself and see.
And if your unsure if being faster makes you stronger, ponder this.
Max powercleans 115kg @ 70kg, he could easily do 120kg + right now.
He has 2 National Deadlift records, and is chasing a 3rd in August. As his powerclean went up, so too did his deadlift. His mum is the opposite, a slow lifter, and the deadlift is her worst lift. Annie is a very good powercleaner, approaching 70kg, she deadlifted 25kg more than Nina at the Nationals, yet squatted 7.5kg less. On deload band squats, where the band accelerates the bar, Nina squatted 30kg more than Annie, who has a faster squat than Nina without bands, so she gets less help.
Being fast is a definite advantage.
Whether its for you or not, you'll have to decide. Base that decision on trial, not an article.
When Nina was using speed bench on a weekly basis, she benched 72.5kg, now that she isnt, she only made 62.5kg at the States. We'll check back in 12 weeks and see if it makes any difference now that its been added.
There are a couple of weak individuals among us, who are light years behind the strength curve of a normal lifter with a similar ammount of training years. They post threads about random lifters or random articles that get no response, then claim that all I do is speak about PTC.
There right, thats all I do, I dont speak about things I havent tried, unlike them who search the net and post things we could care less about, attempting to make themselves strong by association.
Now, I want to talk about the role of speed work in lifting. We can all go and read Westside articles or any other massive ammount found on the net, but I want to talk about MY experiences with it.
Recently Oli dismissed the role of speed in powerlifting. I dont agree with him, nor do I totally disagree with him. I'll explain why.
All my initial strength gains were made before I had ever heard of Louie or speed work. I made good progressive gains by simply using tried and tested progressive resistance. I used the same methods to train 2 boys to State Championships in the early 90's.
Moving ahead to 2003, I discovered lots of Westsides principles. I hadnt trained for 8 yesrs and had a chronic back condition. Using Louies ideas I strengthened my back to a never before attained level. For that, I will always be indebted to him. I only trained for 3 months back then, but it was enough to convince me he had the smarts.
Moving on to 2006, I started lifting again. I still had a severed pec, so I hadnt benched heavy since 1995. PTC wasnt around (est:2008) I was training with Nina and an old lifting mate. Nina had a PB bench of just under 60kg and I was starting from scratch.
We did a maximum effort day and a dynamic effort day. This worked very well for a period, I benched 150kg @ 90kg and Nina ultimately benched 72.5kg raw @ 58kg.
I stopped training shortly after (Nov 2007) as I had developed quite a few niggles (shoulder, knee, elbow).
I looked back and reviewed what we had done and I came to this conclusion. Nina has always been a grinding kind of lifter, very little bar speed. Amazing lockout, slow off the chest. I was the total opposite, the bar always flew off my chest and I used that speed to lockout heavy weights. I could close grip 140kg for reps in the early 90's, so I didnt have a weak lockout, its just that speed was my asset.
So after all the Westside training, I discovered that for a drug free unequipped lifter, the load MAY be too much. I was 45, so that would play a role, but Louies template is designed for HIS lifters, training in HIS gym. They are all world class athletes who will do whatever it takes to recover, as any world class lifter should.
So, back to speed work, does it help?
I believe it does. The latest test I did was with Nick. His bench had stuttered, and from memory, he was benching 117.5kg after a break, it may have even been less, I have it documented but I cant be stuffed going back to look for it. Nick ultimately benched 145kg using speed work once a week, and has since gone further.
Talking to Nick, he is going back to speed benching on Saturdays again, with Max, Dim and Alen. Nina and Annie have as well, so I'll have more to report.
Now what about other lifts? I have tried speed squats, sitting down on a huge cushion on a box, never felt right. I tried bands as resistance, still didnt feel right. During the last week, I have used bands to deload the weight. With the band offering the most help at the bottom, and accelerating the bar out of the hole, I feel it may work best for unassisted lifters. Max has made 200kg this way, Nick tried 250kg but was overcome, Nina made 130kg last night and Annie got 100kg.
The bands offer no assistance at the top, so the lifter needs to lock the squat out, where it helps is the hardest part of the lift, the bottom. It rapidly increases bar speed. I will play with this for awhile and see how much carry over we get.
As far as deadlift goes, I am very wary of having a lifter go too fast and coming out of the groove and hurting themselves. I have mini bands that will help a lifter with a weak upper back lockout deadlifts, but I feel there are better exercises to strengthen the upperback.
So who will benefit the most with speed work? Obviously the slower lifters, but thats not to say that even the faster lifters wont gain. Some exercises are easier to implement speed work, try for yourself and see.
And if your unsure if being faster makes you stronger, ponder this.
Max powercleans 115kg @ 70kg, he could easily do 120kg + right now.
He has 2 National Deadlift records, and is chasing a 3rd in August. As his powerclean went up, so too did his deadlift. His mum is the opposite, a slow lifter, and the deadlift is her worst lift. Annie is a very good powercleaner, approaching 70kg, she deadlifted 25kg more than Nina at the Nationals, yet squatted 7.5kg less. On deload band squats, where the band accelerates the bar, Nina squatted 30kg more than Annie, who has a faster squat than Nina without bands, so she gets less help.
Being fast is a definite advantage.
Whether its for you or not, you'll have to decide. Base that decision on trial, not an article.
When Nina was using speed bench on a weekly basis, she benched 72.5kg, now that she isnt, she only made 62.5kg at the States. We'll check back in 12 weeks and see if it makes any difference now that its been added.
