One of the important lessons in life is learning to separate the message from the messenger. As many of you remember from our Amazon best-selling book, The Saga of the Tijuana Barbell Club, we trained at a gym that served as a gathering place for an eclectic array of characters. A graduate of the local high school, where he had a successful, if not stellar, career on the football field and baseball diamond, John was well known around town.
One of the reasons we were reluctant to grant him our adoration was because he only seemed to lift what we called subprime weights. Yet there was something about his careful discretion, recognizing only the best of the gym. Keep at it and you'll get some shoulders like this,' he said, hitting a lat spread to show off a set of shoulders that would catch the attention of pretty much any Farrah Fawcett lookalike club girls.
For example, he didn't advocate back squats for men because of what he saw as overdevelopment of the glutes, but he recommended them for women (thus, long before Sir Mix-a-Lot was spitting lyrics, Gironda advocated the large exchange movement). But before we could ask questions and delve deeper into this concept, he completely changed the trajectory of the conversation. How about you round up some of the hottest chicks you know and bring them over to me.
Um, yeah, we can't do that.' We mumbled an excuse about volunteering for the local Lion's Club chapter and walked to the ramps.
The Powerlifter’s Off-Season
For the powerlifter chasing that heavy weight, the costs may be minor, such as muscle fatigue or mental burnout. These potential costs can be a major problem, but with our 8 x 8 Off-Season Powerlifting Program you now have the solution. Even if your long-term health isn't your current top priority, you'll be much stronger and more "swipe right" (for you Tinder users) by implementing our off-season 8 x 8 Powerlifting program.
The off-season is the time during your training year when you are not training specifically for a competition. Off-season programs can last 4 to 12 weeks and must be conducted a minimum of 16 weeks per year. For this program we apply the concept of phase potentiation, which means that the off-season program sets you up for great preparation for the meet.
And on meet day, you'll drop PRs like Eminem drops rhymes at a Detroit warehouse rap battle. There are five primary benefits to using this 8 x 8 program: (1) increased work capacity, (2) muscle hypertrophy, (3) exercise variation, (4) correction of weaknesses, and (5) prevention of overuse injuries.
Increased Work Capacity
Muscle Hypertrophy
Exercise Variation
Bench Press: Close Grip Bench Press, Wide Grip Bench Press, Neutral Grip Bench Press, Weight Bench Press, Bench Press, Decline Press. Deadlift: Strong deadlift with counter stance (ie sumo to conventional and vice versa), bar deadlift, deficient deadlift, block pull, Romanian deadlift.
Fixing Weak Points
Preventing Overuse Injuries
Final Thoughts
Just north of the beachside community where we grew up, there is an Indian reservation. To get to this buffet, you had to make your way through a thick cloud of cigarette smoke (climate control was not yet a feature of this establishment) and a motley crew of flotsam and jetsam from civil society. But as soon as we reached the door, we saw a familiar figure carrying his gigantic frame through the tears.
It was Coach Chiefy, the JV football coach for the rural high school off the reservation. He definitely recognized us, as it is the duty of the responsible coach to recognize all the good athletes in his area. Putting that question to rest, we walked Coach Chiefy across the casino floor and into the restaurant.
Before we could say anything, Coach Chiefy put a hand on our shoulders and took control of the situation. Half-mumbling, the intruder told Coach Chiefy to perform a seemingly impossible act of self-love, and then turned to shove Coach Chiefy. With the man's arm still extended while pushing, Coach Chiefy delivered a shovel punch to the exposed liver, a right uppercut to the body, and a beautifully timed left hook to the chin.
Without skipping a beat, Coach Chiefy stepped over the guy and called over his shoulder to us, “Oh, look, the chest is already out. Sure, take this breast," he says, referring to the piece of meat still on his fork. In fact, a simple walk or light jog is one of the best ways to start your warm-up.
Actually, that's why I parked so far from the entrance," he said, tilting his chin toward the parking lot. Don't forget that a good warm-up makes your body function better and reduces the risk of injuries.” We also made it a habit to park far from the entrance of a kick-and-stab establishment or dive bar, using the walk around the grounds as a warm-up for what was around the corner.
Some of the benefits of a proper warm-up
In a world of instant gratification, it's hard to remember that it takes time to do something right. Whether you're talking about dating, smoking briskets, or warming up, the key is to take your time and get it right.
General Warm-Up
In the meantime, we'll take you through a quick look at the benefits of warming up and, more importantly, how to warm up.
Dynamic Stretching
Warm-Up
Warm-Up Weights
So, after completing the warm-up described above, if you are squatting, continue your warm-up by squatting. Warming up in a certain way will prepare you mentally and physically to dominate the training session. Volume equals weight x sets x reps, so by squatting progressively heavier submaximal weights for 3 sets of 5 reps (nothing even close to effort) you add significant extra training volume without adding extra time to your training session.
Squats
Bench Press
Deadlifts
After you have warmed up and performed the core movement work sets, you are ready to tackle the 8 x 8 accessory work. We recommend one warm-up set with a submaximal weight for each accessory movement, just to familiarize yourself with the movement pattern you will be performing. And remember, as our friend and mentor the late Charles Poliquin says, if your warm-up takes longer than your workout, you're a “twatwaffle.”
Final Thoughts on Warm-Up
Some key points to remember
Day 1/Weeks 1 to 3
Squats should be progressed by adding one to two sets weekly in weeks 1 to 3 without increasing the weight on the bar; perform each squat with perfect technique (they are included to build technique). By set five this should become difficult, by set eight you will feel on the verge of meeting your maker. Advanced lifters can do sissy squats or split squats (lunges in place); intermediate/beginner powerlifters can do bodyweight squats.
Day 2/Weeks 1 to 3
Bench presses should be advanced by adding one set each week in weeks 1 through 3; perform each press with perfect technique (they are included in the construction technique). If the technique is already sound for the veteran powerlifter, suitable substitutions are the close-grip bench press (same sets and progression, increasing the number of repetitions to five), the incline press (same sets and progression while the number of reps increasing to five per set), dumbbell bench press (same sets and progression increasing the number of repetitions to six per set), and any loaded push-up variation (same sets and progression increasing the number of repetitions to eight in groups). The key is resting on the chest as the lower back works hard on other days of the program.
Falls: add weight if applicable; the weight can be reduced using a band or machine if necessary. Neutral Grip Pulleys: The advanced lifter can replace neutral grip pull ups or any variation of the pull up. Bands can be used to lower the lats. and all variations of sweaters that focus on the lat.
Day 3/Weeks 1 to 3
Perform each deadlift with perfect technique (they are included in building technique); volume and weight will not progress during weeks 1 through 3. Farmer's walks can be performed with farmer's walkers, dumbbells, a trap bar, or even a barbell. Alternatives to seated barbell presses include stand-up presses, landmine presses, viking presses, or any shoulder press.
Day 4/Weeks 1 to 3 (Optional)
Day 1/Week 4 (Reload Week)
Day 2/Week 4
Day 3/Week 4
Day 4/Week 4 (Optional)
Day 1/Weeks 5 to 7
Sled pushes can be done on a walker, your car, or any sled or equipment you can push. Suitable substitutions include hill sprints—the higher the grade the better—or plank pushups across the floor.
Day 2/Weeks 5 to 7
The bench press should be promoted by adding one set weekly in weeks 5 to 7; perform each press with perfect technique (they are included to build technique). If the technique is already good for the experienced powerlifter, suitable substitutions include narrow-grip bench presses (same sets and progression, increasing reps to five), incline presses (same sets and progression while increasing reps to five in sets) , weight bench press (same sets and progression while increasing reps to eight across sets), and any loaded push-up variation (same sets and progression while increasing reps to seven across sets). The experienced lifter who has chosen a bench press variation can further develop that variation or switch to a new one, for example by switching from a close-grip bench press to an incline press.
Chain fly substitutes include any other chest fly movement using dumbbells, cables, a machine, a TRX, or bands.
Day 3/Weeks 5 to 7
Day 4/Weeks 5 to 7 (Optional)
Day 1/Week 8 (Reload Week)
Day 2/Week 8
Day 3/Week 8