RESCINDX - Strength From The Shadows by RescindX

Strength From The Shadows

7 RescindX Nordic Thunder 21 IPF Sweden 24 View From The Bar 27 Atlantic Provincial Strongman 40 OPA Ottawa Open & Bench 46 Simple Massage Therapy Myths 49 Pride & Prejudice: Commercial Gyms 53 CPF Nationals 59 Low Intensity Laser Therapy 61 Mike Sinclair Road to 800 lb Raw DL 64 Strongman Champions League Canada Warwick Festival Gallery 79 Ontario Strongest Man Provincials 106 Athlete Profile : Maggie Rafferty

Strength From The Shadows

30 Training Accountability Paul Vaillancourt

32 Strongman to Powerlifter Dallas Hogan

34 Quebecâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Strength Athletes(AFQ) Jean Frechette

35 Women & Toning Sarah Leighton

70 High Bar Squat VS Low Bar Squat Chris Fudge

94 Building a Powerlifting Gym Michael Petrella

99 Heavy Static Hold For Strength Chris Lutz

Our first issue is now in the books. While there are so many incredible people to thank ,I am sure I would forget someone. Let us just offer a huge thank you, to all the organizations and federations, our advertisers, all the people that contributing with writing or just brainstorming but mostly to the Strength Athletes. This magazine is dedicated to you. Without any of you, none of us would be involved in this wonderful world of strength. If you have any ideas, criticism or you want to write an article for us. Drop us an email to sales@rescindx.ca. Same if you are interested in advertising. Strength From the Shadows, it is within all of us. Strength From The Shadows

This is Ontario Strongman - home of the Ontario Strongman Association, and your Internet source for Strongman information in the Province of Ontario since 2003. Check out our Resources section for articles and workout spreadsheets. Although rapidly increasing in popularity, Strongman is a relatively new sport in Ontario. This site exists to promote the sport, provide training resources, advertise all levels of provincial competitions, spotlight the athletes, and to provide a tool to bring promoters, athletes and fans together.

Strength From The Shadows

When RescindX started, one of the main goals was to provide sponsorship and assistance to athletes. We started off with bodybuilding which worked for a bit. But then we were approached about sponsoring a male strongman competitor and a female powerlifter. Both were high calibre athletes. Initially we weren’t sure, we knew very little about the sports to be honest. Finally a decision was made after discussing details with both people. Turns out they were husband and wife and pretty incredible people. We then attended a few powerlifting meets, sponsored a few and got involved with the organizations themselves. At that point, we were sold on the integrity, spirit and pure enjoyment that competitors of these two sports had in them. We credit Paul Vaillancourt & Sarah Leighton with a great deal of the success & support that RescindX now receives.

everything in between. First day was a little ragged but the second day flew and went extremely well. So many people to thank and I won’t get to everyone. But we have pictures to document everything. Quick thanks to Grant Buhr, Scott MacDiarmid, Paul Vaillancourt, our judges, especially our volunteers on the second day, Dane Blinkie, Taylor Wilson and many more. As well as all our sponsors, we couldn’t have a show without them. Our first PRO and Amateur was a success and RescindX will have many more to come. Check out our gallery, the feats of strength are pretty astounding. Look forward to an even bigger Nordic Thunder next year. Bruce Millward President, RescindX Apparel

Next thing we knew, RescindX was approached about putting on our own strongman event. Who knew how much had to be learned and how much work went into these events. We found out in a big hurry. With the help of Grant Buhr, Ontario Strongman President and all the PRO competitors invited, we were well on our way both before pre-show and post event and

Strength From The Shadows

Total Fitness Solutions is committed to helping you achieve your personal fitness goals. Our trainers are well versed in all aspects of training including fat loss, athletic training, post-rehab, and much more. Services Athletic Training Programs: Training programs aimed to improve an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mobility, power, strength, speed, agility and metabolic conditioning. This is a total package that ensures maximal performance and injury prevention. Each program will be provided in 4 week blocks to be updated and coached at the end of each week. Unlimited email support included.

Weekend Warrior Programs Not a full time athlete, but not over the hill yet? Do you want to dominate in the Sunday morning league? This plan is for you. This is a modified version of an athletic training program adapted to account for your individual time and recovery challenges. Each program will be provided in 4 week blocks to be updated and coached at the end of each week. Unlimited email support included.

Fat Loss Training Programs If you are looking to lose a few pounds, tone up or get ready for beach season then this is the plan for you. This plan will include both resistance and cardiovascular training. BONUS: Free nutritional template to compliment your training program and help you achieve a lean physique. Each program will be provided in 4 week blocks to be updated and coached at the end of each week. Unlimited email support included.

Professionally certified trainers offering individualized training programs.

http://www.totalfitnesssolutions.ca

Strength From The Shadows

Calendar of Events Atlantic Raw Records Meet September 8, Charlottetown, PEI MD: Jay Mosher, 902-892-7224, www.nfpei.ca Entry form in MS Word or Adobe PDF. Belle River Bench Press Only Contest September 15th, 2012, Belle River, ON Jerry Marentette, 519-727-6096 Northern Ontario Open Sept 30, 2012 2nd Annual Calgary Festival of Strength October 13, Calgary AB MD: Mike Armstrong, 403.519.9511 Entry form in MS Word or Adobe PDF. National Records: Yes 2012 Saskatchewan Provincials November 10, Moose Jaw, SK MD: RhaeaStinn & Ryan Stinn Entry form in MS Word or Adobe PDF. 2012 Eastern Canadians November 17, Digby N.S. MD: Paul Gidney: 902-245-4302 Entry form in MS Word or Adobe PDF. National Records: Unknown

Strength From The Shadows

Calendar of Events

Keystone Klassic Nov 18, Winnipeg, MB MD's: Brock Haywood (204) 886-3860, Guy Page, (204) 479-9503 Entry form in MS Word or Adobe PDF. Ontario Bench Press and ON 3-Lift Classic Champs. November 24, 2012, Belle River ON MD: Jerry Marentette - Ph: 519-727-6096 Edmonton PowerSurge December 1, 2012, Edmonton, AB MDs: Jon Stewart 780-934-2073, Shane Martin, Anthony Burden. Entry form to follow National Records: TBD 2013 CPU Nationals March 18-24, 2013, Vancouver BC MD: Joe Oliveira

Strength From The Shadows

There were 170 athletes registered at the inaugural IPF World Classic Cup held in Stockholm Sweden from June 11 to 17. Team Canada was represented by Jackie Sandu, 52 kg class, Cydney Arnold, 63 kg class, Connor Lutz, 83 kg class, and Chris Marron, 93 kg class. Jackie, from British Columbia, is a very accomplished 52 kg Master 2 lifter holding National unequipped records in the squat, bench and dead lift.

lifting for just under 6 months. Cydney has the background of a former national stream gymnast who also loves to climb mountains. Cydney is the current holder of the unequipped 63 kg National record in the bench press as well as the provincial junior records for squat, bench, dead lift and total.

tempt missing 105 kg on her third. In the bench, Jackie smoked 62.5 kg on her third attempt. In the dead lift, Jackie successfully pulled all three attempts including a meet PR at 155 kg good enough for a tie for bronze missing it based on body weight. Jackie left nothing on the platform on that last lift.

Connor, also from Saskatchewan, has been powerlifting for a couple of years. This former University of Saskatchewan Huskie football player has made huge strides over the last year. Connor currently holds unequipped provincial records in both the 74 and 83 kg for both junior and open categories. Chris, from Manitoba, is also relatively new to competitive powerlifting. Chris, who flies for the United States Air Force, holds provincial unequipped records in the squat, bench and total in the 93 kg open class.

This meet was Cydney's third meet since this February and the third meet of her powerlifting career. Cyd opened the squat at 85 kg and got her second attempt at 92.5 kg. Cyd squatted 100 kg on her third but it didn't pass due to depth. In the bench, Cyd opened at 52.5 kg and missed two attempts at 57.5 kg. The coach was too aggressive here. In the dead lift, Cyd got her opener at 105 kg and her second at 115 kg but missed her third at 122.5 kg.

Additionally, Jackie also holds the equipped Master 2 National records for squat, dead lift and total. Cydney, from Sas- Jackie opened the squat at 100 kg getting it on her second atkatchewan, has been power-

Strength From The Shadows

Connor had a great day hitting PR's in all lifts. Connor smoked every attempt in the squat and bench hitting 227.5

Team Sweden did a great job hosting this event. Acknowledging that no meet is perfect, the meet itself was very well run. Everything from weigh ins to the first lift was on time. The venue was great with a large, well equipped warm up area including free chiropractic services accommodating the 170 registered lifters Chris came to Stockholm not throughout the week. I found planning to compete as he had the coaches and lifters from hurt his back some 6 weeks other countries respectful and ago training. Chris arrived supportive. It was great to Wednesday with the 93 kg have had the opportunity to class to lift Friday. After a meet a lot of really good peolight workout Thursday eveple again thoroughly enjoying ning, Chris felt he was able to myself. give competing a go. After Stockholm is a beautiful city borrowing Connor's belt and knee sleeves and buying some with so much to see with squat shoes, Chris was ready much of it within walking disto lift. Chris opened conserva- tance. We did find food and beverage to be expensive but tively and got 210 kg on his never had a meal we didn't second just missing his third enjoy. The people were alattempt due to depth. The bench press went really well ways friendly and nearly all spoke English - much better with Chris getting all three than my Swedish! attempts and pressing 187.5 kg on his third attempt good enough for a bronze! Dead lift In closing, I would like to conwas going well with Chris get- gratulate the lifters representting 252.5 kg on his second. It ing Canada. Not everyone looked like Chris had his third came home with a medal but all represented themselves and attempt put away until a pec cramp (272.5 kg) derailed that Canada with class. I would also like to thank Billy Jamilift. kg on his third squat and 177.5 kg on his third bench press bringing home a silver medal in bench press. In the deadlift, Connor got his opener, 230 kg and second, 245 kg but just ran out of gas for the third attempt at 250 kg. Outside of the dead lift, Connor still had a few kgs left!

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son for his help getting our athletes ready to compete. To sum up the meet, "Great people, great time, serious iron moved". Respectfully, Chris Arnold BIO Master 1 powerlifter in the Canadian Powerlifting Union Vice President of the Saskatchewan Powerlifting Association Registered Dietitian in Saskatchewan (MSc Nutrition) Bachelor Science Physical Education Lives in Saskatoon Trains at Iron Works Gym Team Canada coach - 2012 Eleiko World Cup IPF Classic Cup

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Life and lifting have a lot in common. Anyone who has approached the bar knows that it’s not only physical strength that is going to make a lift or a squat successful. It’s the mental strength that can make or break the lift. Mental and physical go hand in hand. A lesson I already know, but was reminded of sharply during today’s training session. Last week, while training for an upcoming power lifting event, I had the worst accident I’ve had in this sport. This beats out dropping a 45 lb plate on my thumb – which by the way – happened just before ‘this’ accident; beats out face planting during some weird Swiss ball ab rollout attempt, beats falling off the treadmill – although that IS one heck of an ouch! This time, I was training alone, at home – not in a safety cage. I was doing banded box squats with 165 lbs on the bar. On the last rep of the last set, I failed. I could not get up. I tossed the bar off my back and it landed on the bench behind me. Long story short, although the long story complete with hand and facial gestures really is the best way to hear this story, I began to unload the bar on one side, then went to the other, thinking I would leave equal amounts of weight on both sides so it would teeter-totter on the bench. However, math and vectors and equations were never my strong suit, so with the bar being on a slant – in a gravitational manner, the weights on the lower side slid off, ALL of them, so fast I didn’t see it coming. The bar snapped up and nailed me in the face! I truly thought my nose was wiped off my face, somewhere over by my ear, but apparently once I had the courage to feel for my face through the blood, my nose was where it was meant to be and in the same shape I’d last felt it in. It was a bloody mess but not broken, the blood eventually stopped, the swelling started and I got over it.

Or so I thought. Tonight, I trained box squats again. This time it was at my trainer’s, Frances Manias, who has just happened to become, through years of baring my soul to her and the iron, one of my best friends. This time it was in a proper squat cage. This time there was no possible way the bar was coming at me again. I was safe. I decided to do my first warm up set at 135. It felt heavy, uncomfortable. I didn’t feel in control of the weight but I got my 3 reps in. Second set, 150 lbs. I got down to the box and went to get up and somewhere with my butt about half way up, my legs froze. I couldn’t move. I didn’t have the strength to get up and I was terrified of going down. The fear was so strong. If I went forward the bar was going to have to go over my head and if a face can feel fear, my face was scared &^&%$! My trainer was right behind me, she had her arms under me but I was losing my grip on the bar and if I dropped the bar I was going to hurt her and if I fell backwards I was STILL going to hurt her! We were locked together and eventually, in what seemed like a lifetime, I managed to move my feet enough to gain a bit of control over my body and that gave her enough room to grab the bar in a front squat style and together we got it back on the hooks. I leaned against the bar and my whole body started to shake. I started to cry. I was afraid of failing, afraid of failure, afraid of hurting my friend. I am always strong. I expect to be strong. I failed my expectations. But Frances, my trainer, is my spotter. She supports me, she guides me, she pushes me and she catches me when I fall, and fail. Don’t we all need a spotter? Whether we lift or not? In this sport we expect, demand and count on safety’s and spotters. Be it a metal bar or the strength of a person, never underestimate the importance – and TRUST – of a spotter, or of being a spotter. Personally I have gone through a tough personal ‘fail’ in the last few months. The person I

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thought who would be my life spotter decided to walk away and I crashed. And it hurt. I’ve been struggling with finding my ‘strength’ , my trust, the courage to ‘get back under the bar’ since then. But today, after allowing myself to truly feel how scared I was after the smack in the face, and then getting back under the bar and failing again, with the solid strength of my spotter, I tried it again. I belted up – gave myself a little personal support – and walked into that cage with fierceness. Damn you bar, I am grabbing you and I will succeed! I will tighten my body, tighten my soul, visualize controlling that weight on the way down and then use all my power to stand up and OWN that weight! I did it! Not only did I acknowledge that roaring lion of fear within me, but I let that other little kitten of ‘unworthiness’ roar right back - and I got a personal best of 182 lbs to go with it! Training, or exercise, whatever you want to call it or at whatever stage you may be with it, more often than not, causes pain. Much like life. We all go through pain be it from other’s who just fail to see how awesome we are or from working our muscles and body in a way that it’s not used to. You remember the pain you have when you try a new exercise, or exercise in general ... the unbearable “I really don’t want to go to the bathroom ‘cause sitting is going hurt!!!” kind of pain. Or the “I’m never going to love anyone/date again/try for that job/get that ‘A’ – again kind of pain. You can either decide to just let the pain ride, sit on the couch and stop whatever life challenge or muscle ache you have at the moment or you can look at that bar (that challenge), visualize what you want and walk right up to that SOB and know that where ever you are at right now, you’re only going to get stronger, get better, lose that pain and your personal best is just waiting for you to own it! All pain ends and all fears subside eventually. They can cripple us or we can conquer them. Who are YOUR spotters and why have you chosen them? Acknowledge your fears but have the strength to know that your BEST you is just waiting for you to own it! That’s my view from the bar.

Strength From The Shadows

ALBERTON -- Home field advantage paid off for the Prince Edward Island contingent in the Atlantic Strongman championship, held Sunday during the Prince County Exhibition. The three Islanders in the competition placed first, second and third, with Kaelan Brennan, 24, edging out fellow Elmsdale resident Alex Wallace for the title. As first and second place finishers, Brennan and Wallace get to represent Atlantic Canada at the Canadian Strongman championship next month in Quebec. After finishing dead last in the first event of Sunday's competition, the farmers' walk, Wallace dug himself out of a hole by winning the next four events. That tied him with Brennan for first place heading into the final event, the stone carry. Wallace finished first in four of the events and Brennan had first in the other two events. The Atlantic champion was second in two events and third in the other two. The events, in order, were Farmers' Walk, overhead press medley, 1200-pound tire flip, progressive truck dead lift, atlas stones (onto a 50-inch high platform) and the fieldstone carry. Brennan finished with 36 out of a possible 42 points and Wallace earned 35 points. Luke Bryanton, from Darnley, took third place with 26.5 points. Rounding out the scoring were Terry MacKay from Bridgewater, NS, with 23, Cody Brown from Moncton with 15.5, Danny Sutherland with 15 and Jonathan Beaulieu with 12. Competitors earned seven points for first place in each event, down to one point for seventh place and zero points if they failed to complete a task. Grant Connors, the seven-time defending Atlantic champion, and now retired, was a judge for the competition."Train hard, go healthy and don't hold back at all," was the advice he offered to Brennan and Wallace heading to the nationals. "It's a lot bigger pond up there." Connors said they will find the events at the nationals significantly tougher, but said they have an advantage that they already train together."Mentally, I think they're ready." courtesy of http://www.journalpioneer.com

Strength From The Shadows

I coach and train people in the gym for living. I’ve been doing it full time since 2005. In that time, I’ve had many successful clients and probably an equal amount of people that have trained really hard and made little or no change to their physical appearance. For the latter group, 99.9% of the time (If they are training hard and showing up consistently), the lack of success is directly related to what the individual is doing with the other 23 hrs of the day. Most training sessions last only 45-60 minutes. One hour is a very short piece of our lives. Training hard 3-4 times per week is very important, but what you do with the other 23 hrs of your day is what will ultimately make or break your success. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been lied to, when people tell me “oh but I eat really good all the time” oh how many nickels I would have. Nutrition is the main item that needs to be discussed when we talk about your “other 23”. If you’re “eating really good” and you’ve not lost fat and you do NOT look and feel the way you want to, then there’s a serious discrepancy with your version of “eating really good” and what nutritional strategy is going to help you reach your goals. If you fall into this category, then you need to buy an ebook, or hire a professional to help you with your nutrition. Hiring a professional is the best option as the accountability to another person and paying for something always seems to make the biggest difference regardless of the actual details of the nutrition plan. Activity outside of gym training also plays a role in reaching your goals. Chances are, if you’re like most people these days, your job has very low physical demands and likely spend the majority of your time sitting in a chair. Chances are you sit in the driver’s seat of your vehicle on your way to and from work, and when you get home, if you’re spending your evening sitting in front of the television, your total physical activity level is less than desirable. Often times, an increase in your basic activity level can make fairly drastic changes in your body composition. Basic activity doesn’t mean going to the gym and/or running marathons. Taking 20 minutes in the evening and going for a walk is an increase in your basic activity.

Obviously going to the gym and training hard is important, but adding some extra activity throughout your day and week will also add up and pay off. So to make the best of your “other 23”, here’s 3 take away points: ● Have a nutritional strategy and don’t be afraid to hire someone or read a book. ● Be responsible for what you put in your mouth at all times. ● Increase your daily, non-gym, activity level. Implementing these actions will make all the time you spend in the gym busting your ass, seem that much more worthwhile. Paul Vaillancourt Strength Training specialist Co-Owner of Ultimate Fitenss Gyms Professional Strongman Powerlifting Coach

Strength From The Shadows

Well I was told to expect a longer day compared to competing in a Strongman competition and boy was that an understatement. I was onsite at 1030 am, rules meeting at 11:15 am and did my last lift of the comp at 11:30 am.

even test my openers but this is what I chose to open with Squat=550 lbs/ Bench=400 lbs/ Dead lift=700 lbs. I knew these would be easy to hit but I wanted to make sure I got my openers and wanted to see what the judges lift commands would be like.

My belt was a little too tight so I re-adjusted and picked 640 lbs for my 3rd and final attempt. I have never pushed myself with a 1 rep max squat in training but I figured this was about all I left in for squats today.

This time I chose not to walk Well 5 pm rolled around and the weight out and instead our flight (3rd flight/last) be- squatted in the mono-lift. My gan to warm-up to squat. Oth- stance ended up being closer than my previous lifts but deer than feeling a little light headed my body felt great. My cided to just SMASH IT!! I warm-up was good and I was took a BIG breath of air and that’s exactly what happened. ready to lift!! I started with 550 lbs and SMASHED it like It was my best squat out of the nothing, depth/form was per- 3 attempts and got my 3 white lights. fect and I obviously started too light. Then we had a few hours of down time before the bench Next I chose 600 lbs; it felt My last week/ week and a half great until about 3/4 the way press. I tried to re-fuel and relax, I was glad to have the of training I was feeling run- up when I got a little light squat over but found it hard headed but still got the lift. down and beat up, I didn’t I only had 5 weeks of prep for this comp and wasn’t able to follow my program exactly but none the less I figured my "base" strength would be good enough to break the records in my class. I lowered my goals about 2 weeks before the comp when I realized I needed to be realistic considering my prep time and never having done a sanctioned meet before.

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to stay focused for the bench given the lengthy down time. It was good that my buddy Tye Pulsifer was there to go over technique, refocus me and joke around with his demented sense of humour.

bar, didn’t focus on taking the tension out and PULLED!....it came up to my knees and that was it, no lift. As soon as I put it down, I knew I screwed up and didn’t get my hips down!

Bench warm-ups felt great, not sure if I would like the thinner bar but it felt awesome! No bicep/tendon pain like I had been feeling in training.

For my punishment I got to watch Mike make the 804 lb pull and the meet was over. All though it drove me NUTS to see him make it, it was also very inspiring and motivating.

So.....obviously I wasn’t going to wimp out and I called for 804 lbs!! Now Mike told me to stay calm and focus BUT I was so JACKED at this point that I ran up to the

Mike is definitely "dialled in" when it comes to technique. All in all I made 7/9 attempts and set Provincial records in the

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squat/bench/dead for my weight/age category and learned a TON! 1) bring a crap load of food 2) stay calm as possible till you're at the bar 3) I now know to make my openers approximate. 50 lbs heavier so I don’t have to make as big of weight jumps for my attempts. It was a crazy long day/night finishing my last lift at 1130 pm but I had a fun time and got to witness some great lifters male/female.......I’m just getting started!!!

Athlètes de force du Québec (Quebec’s Strength Athletes) By Jean Frechette, AFQ owner Athlètes de force du Québec (Quebec’s Strength Athletes) was born on a freezing night of February 2010, the perfect night to stay inside, start a new website and earn geek points.

and still are, very generous, offering time and advice.

Once a French-Canadian site only, it is now bilingual. The website, as well as the Facebook page, is being written both in French and in English since more and For you to understand, I need to introduce myself. I am Jean Frechette, I am a more athletes from other provinces and countries come to get the results of the strength athlete and I live in a town in the province of Quebec. Everybody here competitions held in Québec. speaks French. I fell in love with the One can find the results, the athlete’s sport in 2008 and I wanted to know names, the records, the events and much where the competitions were taking more. place, where I could find the stuff and gear to practice this sport, who were the The site is fan oriented. The success of best athletes. AFQ relies on the participation of people. I receive scores, time of events and inforI have been doing research on strength athletes for a while, but the information mation from everywhere on a daily basis, making this site so up-to-date. in French was hard to find. There was only one website entirely dedicated to the sport in Québec. Sadly, it was neglected I’m really proud of working with the and lacked the passion. Being a geek and strength athletes and promoting this a strongman, I decided to put all the stuff sport. The AFQ is my way of contributing to the success of the sport. Visit the I could find about the sport online. I found that the pros were very interested site and the Facebook page! in helping this website grow. They were, Website Link Athletes de Force du Quebec Strength From The Shadows

Hey ladies, want to get “toned?” I will start by saying that the most common question that I hear from women when performing a personal training session is: “But won’t I get big and bulky from lifting heavy weights?”

(a) Perform any sort of muscle building exercises using your body weight or (heaven forbid) weights (b) Reach a low percent of body fat

For these two possibilities to become a reality there is a lot of hard work required. I am not going to lie. Lifting weights is hard work, perThat is the question that bugs me almost as forming cardio training at 100% effort is hard much as “what exercise can I do to get rid of work, and keeping a clean diet in check is also this?” while grabbing at their mid-section hard work. None of these are for the weakwith a look of disgust on their face. That minded. Results will not occur overnight eiquestion will take a whole separate article to ther. You must work hard, consistently, for a cover, so hold tight, I will try to get to it the long time. This is obviously why we don’t see next time. all kinds of wonderfully “toned” middle age Back to women women walking around like it’s nobody’s lifting weights. When women come in and say, “I want to get toned” this tells me that the individual would like to have some muscle definition, or what we like to refer to as an “athletic look”. That is what I am assuming because everyone has his or her own definition for this word “toned.” To have muscle definition, or an athletic physique, you must;

business.

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male body is capable of. For the average woman, the existing low levels of testosterone in our bodies will prevent us from building muscle like our manly counter-parts, and this also makes it tougher for us to maintain a lean physique. Heck, there are men who even have trouble putting muscle mass on their skinny frames. If a woman was to train as hard and heavy as the strongest man in the gym, chances For women to become bulky by lifting weights, are she still wouldn’t have the athletic phythey must want this to happen. By this I mean sique that she desired. Now, don’t let me discourage you. Let me enlighten you. By challenging yourself and lifting weights, you are putting out great effort and, in turn, burning loads of calories and building muscle at the same time. And as you may already know, muscle burns more calories when the body is at rest than our friend fat does. (Up to 50 to 100 calories more per day)

that they are taking a testosterone supplement to help them build muscle beyond what the fe-

Of course, there are obviously going to be the exceptions. Some women are lean and sport the athletic look without the help of regular exercise. Let’s not hold this against them. Yes, it would be nice to be able to sit on the couch and not be able to develop a muffin top or bat wings, but this isn’t a reality. Most of us have to do it the hard way. Exercising and lifting weights can actually be an enjoyable past time. The rewards of lifting weights and regular exercise are too many to be listed. The results of a sound, healthy body image are far more rewarding when you have worked your ass off in the gym to get them. Not everyone who is “thin” is healthy, and don’t ever forget that.

Strength From The Shadows

Take any long-term personal training client at Ultimate Fitness and ask them if they enjoy their time with us. We use primarily free weights and body weight exercises in our sessions, and of course, a lot of hard work. Guaranteed our clients at some point will mention that it isn’t easy, but they will also tell you that they feel like they are in the best shape of their lives. Seriously, ask any one of them.

So, bottom line ladies, lift weights, get stronger, and don’t be afraid to put the men in the gym to shame. I take great pride in doing so myself, I won’t deny it. You know, it is self gratifying to be physically strong and not have to ask your partner to open the pickle jar for you. With some hard work, soon enough he will be asking you. Get your name up on that record board.

I am confident that they will tell you the same thing I did. With all of our clients, confidence Sarah levels are increased in all aspects of life, and there is always a personal record to beat in the gym. With this I mean any record that you have set for yourself individually, or maybe even putting up a number on one of our gymlift record boards. Having a record board with everyone’s best lifts provides a competitive edge that pushes people to try that much harder in whatever it is that they are doing, just to get their name displayed in front of all the other members. It is a great feeling to achieve.

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Ontario Powerlifting Association The OPA strives to be the standard in Ontario Powerlifting offering lifters the option of competing in both the Classic and Equipped divisionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; three lift and bench press competitions throughout Ontario.

Annual OPA memberships provide lifters with Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU) memberships allowing lifters to lift in OPA sanctioned powerlifting meets throughout Ontario. Competitions are open to both men and women in arious age and weight categories.

Additional Information can be obtained from the OPA website at http://ontariopowerlifting.org or by sending an e-mail to: info@ontariopowerlifting.org

Strength From The Shadows

Dispelling Some Simple Massage Therapy Myths When you first think of massage therapy, you may picture someone lying face down on a table, getting their back rubbed with lots of lotion, candles lit in the background, and ocean sounds on the radio. Right? Well, that depiction may be true of some settings involving massage therapists, but it is not true of all massage therapists. There are many different practice settings that a massage therapist can practice in. This is due to large scope of practice that defines the profession of massage therapy. “The practice of massage therapy is the assessment of the soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissue and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain. (Massage Therapy Act 1991)”

Just like mechanics vary in their specialty, so do massage therapists. Would you take your transmission to Maaco? Or how about getting your vehicle’s body work done at Mr. Transmission? Both employ mechanics, but with very different interests, knowledge bases, tools and skill sets. The same can be said for massage therapists. After receiving a diploma of massage therapy, and passing the registration exams with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, therapists tend to branch off into their own areas of interest. Much like I did when I finally realized I wasn’t going to be making a living playing professional sports.

focus on fascial treatments, having had a lotion free practice for the last 6 years. Applying more focus on the fascia structure of the body has allowed me to move more into the bio mechanics of the athlete. Needless to say, my practice is far from the candles and ocean sounds of the spa world.

I became a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) in 2002, after receiving my Diploma of Massage Therapy from Centennial College. Although my treatment style has changed over the years, it has always stayed in the same area – orthopaedics. My practice is solely for injuries, surgeries, and athletes. I also

Even though I practice in a sports medicine clinic, more than once a week I will hear the words, “You can treat that?” This is usually said by a patient (yes, some of us therapists use the term ‘patient’ in place of ‘client’) who has come to see me for treatment of the more popular parts of the body – the

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back and neck. Patients are usually stunned to hear that massage therapists can aid in the treatment of plantar fasciitis, trigger finger, nerve injuries and joint problems (to name just a few). I like to joke that we can treat the back - which is made up of muscles, joints, joint capsules, ligaments, nerves, tendons and fascia - but we can’t treat the foot which is made up of those exact same structures. Another phrase I often hear is “Oh, it’s a joint injury, you can’t help me”. To go back to the scope of practice, we are trained to treat the “soft tissue and joints of the body”. Not only are massage therapists trained in joint mobilizations to treat the joint specifically, but also in treating the structures that move the joints! Aside from a traumatic injury, joints just don’t go ‘out of alignment’ just because. A force has to act on them. This may be from muscles that are tighter on one side of the joint than the other. Or a muscle that has become inhibited and is not firing because its antagonist is too tight. Simply mobilizing the

joint back into place, without treating the force that acted on it, will simply cause that joint to move out of alignment in a matter of time - only to be needed to be manipulated back into place once again.

“Justin, I’m not hurt. I don’t need any treatment”, is yet another phrase that rears its ugly head from time to time in my clinic. Sometimes you don’t know how dirty your car is until you clean it. The same can be said for the body. We become used to our “normal”, and forget that our bodies are amazing machines that have the ability to reach great potential. Massage therapy can be an effective tool that can allow an athlete to work more efficiently, achiev-

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ing greater times, weights, lifts and personal bests. Strength before full range of motion increases your risks of injury and trauma. Just as when you first have a cast removed, full range of motion is the first priority – strength is second. The greater the range of motion, the greater potential of strength can be gained. “But Justin, my doctor says that massage therapy will only make me feel good, nothing else”. It is very true that there are problems with the quality and amount of research into evidence based massage therapy. Part of this is due to not being able to study massage therapy to the gold standard of research – the randomized controlled double blind study. Comparing massage therapy outcomes to that of other therapies is not looked upon as favorably in the research community given the number of variables it presents. A highly respected therapist, professor and researcher - Trish Dryden, M. Ed., RMT - has just released a great book (Massage Therapy: Integrating Research and Prac-

tice) dealing with this issue spe- competitions can all be adcifically. dressed, along with other topics of interest provided by you, the Another great initiative has reader. been to study the structures we as massage therapists can work So the next time you hear with. The International Fascia the term massage therapy, I hope Research Congress that we have broadened your vi(http://www.fasciacongress.org) sualization. By no means is there has led the way in researching anything wrong with going to a and presenting the anatomy and spa to enjoy the relaxation provided by a massage therapist. I functionality of fascia. have a number of patients who I hope that in the coming use a spa or wellness clinic for issues we will be able to bring just that very reason, but seek more information on how mas- out my treatments when an injusage therapy can help with spe- ry arises or their training prepacific conditions, injuries or ration needs help. You just need training scenarios. Foam rollers, to be smart in your training, and reciprocal inhibition, tendon in- choosing the appropriate masjuries, and other specific condi- sage therapist for your goals is a tions to the world of strength great first step. Strength From The Shadows

Justin has been a massage therapist since 2002, having graduated from Centennial Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Massage Therapy program, where he is now currently a part time faculty member. He practices out of Boomers Sports Medicine Clinic in Bowmanville, and its sister clinic Park Road Physiotherapy & Foot Clinic in Oshawa. He has been involved in Ontario Physique Association shows since 2004, and currently organizes and leads the Massage Therapy Crew for the Toronto Pro Super Show. He can be reached via email at justinlewisrmt@hotmail.com

PRIDE and PREJUDICE: Powerlifting and the Prejudices Of Commercial Gyms By Nathan Robertson · · · · · · ·

The rattling of the chains scares some of the other gym members You take up the squat rack for too long Bringing in outside equipment, chains, bands, etc. No tank tops or sleeveless shirts allowed You're grunting too loud We’re scared you will hurt yourself Various times getting the blame for things we did not do, leaving weights out, making a mess, etc.

Number One complaint, I have been in the power lifting game for over 15 years. In NO this time I have been ousted from four different gyms, one CHALK twice over, and disciplined many times for conducting I've alpower lifting training. Some gyms I have told them what we do up front and have been turned down flat at the desk. ways It seems power lifters are just not wanted in today's facili- cleaned up any ties. This is pretty frustrating and even harmful to the leftover sport, as athletes are openly discriminated against. My chalk, question is why? I certainly know the excuses that were made to chase me out of the gym, but what is the real rea- put son why regular gym Joes don't want power lifters training away my weights and tried not to make too much noise. Do whatever it is the gym owner cried about, but in the in the same gym they do? Jealousy? Do I scare you? Do end, you're out the door. In my mind it would be good for you think I make you look bad? Or is it the rattle of my the gym to have some strong guys in the facility for a little chains that distract you from your workout? motivation. It would certainly work for me if I was trainHere are some of the things I have been disciplined for or ing at a gym and there were larger, stronger guys training there. Sounds like a perfect place to get bigger and stroneven chased out of gyms for in the past: ger to me. · Using too much weight, not allowed more than In the end, when there were no more facilities in the area three plates on the bar that would have us, even the one I was traveling 45 min· Exposing your bare chest to put on a bench shirt Strength From The Shadows

utes one way to get to, the only answer was to open our own facility. It was not the easiest thing in the world, but it is very doable, and it was so worth it when it actually happened. We registered the place non-profit, so that we could apply for government grants to get going and most of the guys threw in $200 each as well. We found a dingy basement in a 150 year old building we could afford the rent

· · · · · · · · ·

Texas Squat Bar Texas Deadlight Bar Buffalo Bar Fat Bar Swiss Bar Bamboo bar Reverse Hyper Extension Machine Deadlight Platform Sled

Since we have opened, everyone is making fantastic gains and PRs just because of the atmosphere of the place. The group training atmosphere has been fantastic for everyone. I am breaking PRs that have stood for a year. Lifters here have put 100lbs on their squats in the time we have been open. The average new lifter puts on 20lbs of lean muscle in four months. We hold over a dozen national records at the club. We had our first contest earlier this year and we have another slated in the fall. The on, and in a month we were training there full time. We have been operating for almost a year and we already have point of this artithe following equipment at the facility: cle is to · Metal Militia Monolift let those · Metal Militia Comp Bench Press power · Power/Squat Rack lifters · Dumbbells 5 to 120lbs out there · Kettle bells that are · Chest Supported Row being · Pull down/Low Row Machine discriminated against, being held back by commercial · Belt Squat gyms, that don't think they can ever do something like this, · Zercher Harness that they too can open their own facility, without a lot of · Shrug/Row Machine money to invest, and have your dream place to train in. It · Glute/Ham Raise CAN be done! · 45* Back Raise · 1600lbs of Plates · Safety Squat Bar About the author: Nathan Robertson is the president of · Cambered Bar Amherst Powerlifting club, a certified Metal Militia power · 240lb Chain + Band Set lifting trainer and hold multiple national power lifting re· Flat Benches x 2 cords in the CPF. · Incline/Decline bench · Texas Power Bar

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Raw and Equipped

Amateur and Pro

- First Raw federation in Canada- Wrist wraps and belt - Multi Ply Equipped Division Novice Friendly - All first time lifters succeed in their first meet - Judges educate lifters Lifter Friendly - Bench press pause is just that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a pause - No Steamboats or Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - Squats must break parallel - Top of knee below crease of hip

- Amateur competitions feature random drug testing - Separate Records for Pro and Amateur - Pro and amateur meets are always separate Fun - Always loud music - Always people laughing - No Membership fees WPC/AWPC Affiliate - Lifters auto qualify for world and North American Amateur and Pro championships - No qualifying required for any CPF Meet

Canadian Powerlifting Federation www.canadianpowerliftingfederation.com Follow us on Facebook Strength From The Shadows

2013 Meets

2012 Meets August – No Frills Bench Meet in Waterloo October – Autumn Armageddon in Amherst Nova Scotia November – WPC Worlds in Las Vegas December – Third Annual Celtic Power bash for high school in Waterloo December – Ontario Pro and Amateur Championships in Waterloo

February – Paris Iron Man in Paris Fourth Annual resurrection Push Pull for High School in Waterloo April – Atlantic Canada Power Challenge in Amherst Nova Scotia June – Canadian High School Championships Canadian Amateur and North American championships Canadian Pro and North American championships August – AWPC Worlds November - WPC Worlds

Canadian Powerlifting Federation www.canadianpowerliftingfederation.com Follow us on Facebook Strength From The Shadows

The Canadian Powerlifting federation, CPF, supports both Amateur and Professional divisions in our lifting community. The difference between the 2 is drug testing, all Amateur meets are randomly tested. In 6 years the CPF has never had a positive drug test result in any of our amateur meets.

and Mike Guay. Clint in fact was the first person in Canada to bench 800 pounds!

When you look at our records you will see a composite set of records that reflects all lifting in Canada associated with the WPC going back to the early 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. We have maintained our historical perspective to honour some of the original The CPF is affiliated with the World Powerlifting lifters in our sport in Canada. Congress, which supports amateur lifters As a federation we are not opposed to lifters through the AWPC world championships and competing in any other federation, we view the professional lifters through the WPC world championships. The AWPC and WPC champion- growth of the sport as of primary importance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ships alternate between Europe and North Ameri- how it grows is less important. We do have some differences between ourselves ca each year. and some other federations. We like to have fun is one big difference. Our meets typically are acIn 2012 the AWPC worlds are in Kiev, Ukraine companied by loud music, lots of screaming, and the WPC worlds are in Las Vegas, Nevada. The CPF supports both Raw and Equipped pow- some people head butting the squat bar and usualerlifting, in fact the CPF was the first powerlift- ly a lot of audience audio involvement. ing organization in Canada to support Raw. Our But we also view meets as learning events for rules are stringent, raw means belt and wrist ourselves and in particular for new lifters. Novice wraps. No knee wraps, knee sleeves or elbow sleeves. Raw lifters like Mike Sinclair, Jay Nera, lifters always succeed in their first meet in the CPF. We have them identify themselves with a Kade Weber and Greg Doucette all set world chalk mark so that when they go lift the first time standards for others to live up to. the judges will give them their first lift if they complete it. Judges then spend the time to tell the We support any number of plies in our geared lifter what they got wrong and more importantly division, with 2 ply being the most popular what they got right. As the novice progresses choice amongst lifters. We have boasted some pretty amazing lifts in our past such 1100 pound through the day judges tighten up the criteria so squats by Matt Court and Alan Mehan along with that the novice lifter has a chance to learn under fire and progress rapidly on their first day. some amazing 800+ benches by Clint Harwood Strength From The Shadows

The CPF is located in a number of provinces across the country with active lifters and meets in BC Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI. There is typically one meet a month in the CPF and you can see our schedule at www.canadianpowerliftingfederation.com.

There is also a list there of people to contact in your respective province to get more information. So â&#x20AC;&#x201C; get out, come and join us and just lift. There is nothing more fun than getting under the bar and leaving everything you have on the platform! 3 events, 9 lifts and no excuses!

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Scott MacDiarmid is a 44 year old strength athlete who got started with bodybuilding at the age of 21. Forced to quit weight training for 18 months due to a lower back injury which included three herniated disks, his competitive nature turned him to grip strength training where he has successfully closed the Ironmind Captains of Crush #3 gripper on several occasions. During this injury is when he met Dr. Fullarton who helped him overcome this injury without the need for surgery. The rehabilitation period afterward saw Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interests turn to strongman training that he did with a group of guys including Brian Dunham, Dave Elder and Shawn Roach. Together they formed the Stone and Steel Strength Club who promoted no less than 30 competitions including two Provincial Strongman Championships. Scott recognized his limitations and turned to powerlifting. Never having any luck with squats or deadlifts partly due to his previous injuries he specialized in the bench press where he has attained national records in both raw and equipped over three different federations. Scott enjoys the teaching aspect and now gets more enjoyment giving back to the sport as promoter of competitions, judge and as a coach to younger athletes. Scott has been employed with Health Within-The Wellness Center as a Low Intensity Laser Therapist for over 5 years now. Below is a lay description of what laser therapy can offer.

nous and laser diodes to irradiate abnormal tissue with photons. These are particles of energy that are absorbed by a variety of micro-molecules within the cell, a process which initiates a number Light in its various forms has of positive physiological responses. been used for healing from the time of the ancient Egyptian and Greek civilizations. In essence, light energy is converted into biochemical With recent advances in the energy. The result- normal engineering of devices and the development of appropri- cell morphology and function are restored. The process is ate protocols for effective therapeutic application, dra- curative and as logic dictates, matic benefits and treatment symptoms disappear. of many complex medical Some of the advantages of conditions are achievable Low Intensity Laser Therapy This dynamic emerging tech- or LILT are that it is non-invasive, non-toxic, highly efnology utilizes super lumiPain is a product of abnormal cell function due to a variety of factors including trauma and various conditions some of which will be mentioned later in this article.

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fective, no known side effects, easily applied and a cure rate in excess of 95%. In the short term the process stimulates the production and release of beta-endorphins that inhibit the sensation of pain as well as Cortisol which helps the body to combat the stress associated with trauma or the disease process. Some patients do report short term relief however due to the cumulative nature of the therapy the long term curative results are more important. Some of the long term or cumulative benefits are improved cellular metabolism, increased DNA production-

protein building block of tissue, improved neurotransmission, replacement, regeneration and repair of abnormal cells, formation of new blood vessels and the regulation of cell membranes. Other effects are improved immune response, Lymphatic drainage, histamine response, growth hormone levels and in general the body’s natural healing processes are enhanced.

Dr. Chris Fullarton D.C. is available for a consultation to discuss your suitability for treatment by myself, Scott MacDiarmid, Certified Laser Therapist, using the Bioflex Laser and K-Laser here at Health Within, the Wellness Center. Laser appointments are available 6 days a week and we work to accommodate your schedule. Should you be in pain as a result of carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fascii-

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tis, arthritis, shoulder, neck, back….well you get the idea…if you are tired of living with pain give Dr. Fullarton a call! 613-933-7884.

I have always been a competitive person. I don't really believe in limits. Since I was young, I always played competitive sports; Hockey, Tennis, Squash, Track and Field. The majority of my life before the age of 20 was spent on the ice rink. I played a high level of hockey for 16 years. When I finished high school and went to University, it became time to call it a career and focus on school. I had always trained during the summers between hockey seasons, but it was not until I quit playing hockey that I started lifting seriously.

In my mid 20's I was able to start squatting and deadlifing again. Since I was essentially starting from scratch, I made sure that I was squatting deep and deadlifting with proper form. Most of my training consisted of higher repetitions and lower weight. I was still benching heavy. By the age of 26, I was able to bench over 500 lbs. Spending 2 hours a night at the gym satisfied my need to lift, but I never really felt like I was training for a purpose. In 2009, a friend of mine introduced me to powerlifting and suggested I try a meet. I spent 4 months leading up to the meet focusing on the three main lifts. I went into my first meet not knowing what to expect. I squatted a little over 600 lbs, benched 507 lbs, deadlifted just over 700 lbs and totalled over 1800 lbs. I missed best lifter by a few points, it actually came down to the last lift.

Like most new lifters to the gym, I had a lot of energy and drive but not a lot of knowledge. And of course, all I wanted to train was chest and arms. When I was 20 years old I could bench 315 lbs. I couldn't tell you my deadlift or squat because I was squatting well above parallel and rarely deadlifted. In my second year of University, I slipped and fell and hurt my back quite bad. A bulging disc in my back prevented me from squatting or deadlifting any real weight for almost 2 years. But I could still I was pretty much hooked right away. I felt bench. By the time I was 22, I could bench 405 like I had a lot of room to improve on both my squat and deadlift. More than anything, I now lbs.

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felt like my training had a purpose. So my training changed drastically. I spent 65-75% of my time at the gym training the main lifts. No more biceps days. I had entered my first meet at a bodyweight close to 125 kg. I felt like this was much too high for me, so the plan was to drop to 110 kg for my next meet.

and with a little more than my openers I was able to total 1835 lbs and break the record.

A month later was my first CPU/OPA meet. Since the weight classes are different in the CPU I pretty much went in at my regular bodyweight which is around 250 lbs. With my back All the time I spent benching in my younger feeling better, I was able to break 1900 lbs. years had paid off. I was learning quickly that Training went well for a while and in my next it is much harder to add pounds to a bench couple meets I was able to total 1962 lbs and press than to a deadlift or squat. As a young 1969 lbs, deadlift 805 lbs and squat 705 lbs. lifter, my favourite lift was the bench, but as I grow older and more experienced, I would have I am lucky because my lifestyle allows me to train properly for powerlifting. Being self emto say that I enjoy squatting more than anyployed allows me to train when I want and get thing. When entering a meet I am confident that I can bench upwards of 470 lbs and dead- plenty of rest and recovery. With all going lift in the 800 lbs range. I usually have no idea well, something had to give. I was pushing my what to expect when squatting, I usually open body pretty hard at the gym. My workouts would consist of 5 sets of 7 reps, 7 sets of 4 up somewhat conservative, and then just try reps and 9 sets of 1 rep. I trained in a cycle and add as much weight as I can. where in a 2 week period I would train each of the 3 lifts 3 times. I honestly felt like my squat was on its way to 750 lbs and my deadlift to the The 242 all time drug tested world record mid 800's. And then 8 weeks out from the (without knee wraps) regardless of federation was approximate 1820 lbs. I felt like I could go 2012 CPU nationals on a working set of about close to 1900 lbs at 242. Three weeks out from 80%, I tore a muscle in my groin. There went the 2011 CPF Nationals I suffered a back inju- my hopes of travelling to Sweden for the 2012 ry. I spend a lot of time at the chiropractor try- IPF worlds. ing to recover so I could lift. I was able to lift

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For about a week I could barely walk, my chiropractor had me working the area about 4 days after the injury. Very light of course, just some simple movements. After an intense 8 weeks I was able to compete at Nationals and was able to squat just over 500 lbs. The silver lining was that, because I am a conventional deadlifter, the injury had very little effect on my deadlift. I took home best lifter by a slight margin.

a sports to gain fame or money, so you have to have a passion for lifting. Rarely can you find a sport where a 10 year old and an 80 year old can compete at the same event. I am still learning and facing new challenges, but I plan to break the elusive 2000 lbs total and push my deadlift close so 900 lbs. One thing is for sure, with the sport growing and some great federations in Canada, it is going to be fun trying to get there.

So now it is time to prepare for next year. I have realized that I need to add some assistant work back into my training to strengthen any weak points in my lifts. I am looking to peak for the 2013 Arnold Classic and the 2013 IPF worlds in Russia. Barring any more serious injuries, I plan to put up some big numbers. Although I am relatively new to the sport, I have met a lot of great people, the spirit and comradery that exists in the sport must be experienced to fully understand. Powerlifting is not

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Strongman Champions League… Canada! By Jean Fréchette The Strongman Champions League is an international federation which did not host events in Canada in the past. Strongman Champions League Canada Inc. is a new corporation born from the vision of M. François Vanier, director and promoter. He wanted to create an organization for the strength athletes in Canada. He was surprised to see how badly our athletes needed funds and a platform to help them reach their full potential. He asked sponsors to give him a hand and held the Strongman Champions League semi-finals in New-Brunswick last year.

The Strongman Champions League Canada also sponsors the Festival Hommes Forts Warwick (Warwick’s Strongest Man Festival) in July. The combine strength of the two organizations facilitates access to the North-American top athletes from the USA and Canada. This association also has positive effects on the other competition events held in Warwick, amateurs and semi-professionals.

M. Vanier is relentless in his desire to make the corporation grow and to continue providing help to the athletes. He enlisted strongman Christian Savoie to stay in touch with the milieu and have information on the field. He also recruited his successful partners from the Vancouver Olympiques. He turned to AFQ’s Jean Fréchette to contact athletes. Mike Saunders also brings his passion to the corporation by hosting the events, in French and in English.

If 2012 is going well for Strongman Canada, wait to see 2013. Big things are coming and we have the big guys to make it happen!

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Thesis: If you are reading this article COMPARISON chances are you are a strength athlete of some sort and want to maximize your High Bar Squat- (Olympic Squat) squat. As an athlete, coach and strength The use of the high bar squat originated and conditioning specialist, I have spent from the sport of weightlifting. In a high many hours analyzing and adjusting the bar Olympic lifting style squat, the bar is squat to maximize the end effect of the lift placed up high on the trapezius muscles and to understand the benefit of low bar and on the cervical vertebra of the spine. compared to high bar placement for the During an Olympic squat the initial break sport of powerlifting. In relation to the of the movement occurs at the knee as the sport of powerlifting and the rules that hips descend low with as little hip extengovern it, the International Powerlifting sion as possible, resulting in large Federation requires â&#x20AC;&#x153;the lifter must bend the amounts of knee flexion. The spine is knees and lower the body until the top surface of loaded starting high thoracic and/or low the legs at the hip joint is lower than the top of cervical. This squat is very anterior chain the knees.â&#x20AC;? (1) The idea is to descend low dominant as a result of muscle fibre reenough for the hip to be beneath the top of cruitment. (2) During the eccentric phase, the thigh and then return to the starting the knees travel past the toes resulting in position With a low bar placement in the anterior displacement of the center of squat, a lifter can (1) maximize muscle mass (COM) to keep the bar over the mid recruitment, (2) minimize lever arm length, foot. (2) The purpose for this style of squat (3) reduce shear force on the knee and is the carry over into the two disciplines of lumbar spine, and (4) optimize posterior Olympic lifting; the snatch and the clean displacement. In this way, squat perforand jerk. mance will be maximized. Low Bar Squat- (Powerlifting Squat)

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The low bar squat is predominantly used in powerlifting training programs and has the bar placement down on the low cervical vertebra and high thoracic vertebra and across the contracted posterior deltoids. In contrast to the Olympic high bar squat, to keep the bar over the mid foot and maintain a strong COM, the body must go into hip extension to maintain balance. This places a different load on the spine and, contrary to belief, produces less shearing than the traditional high bar squat. (2) In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a cross-sectional repeated measures design was used to compare the kinematics and kinetics of the traditional Olympic squat with the powerlifting squat. The experimental approach tested twelve male powerlifters performing various styles of squatting using loads of 30, 50 and 70 percent of their recorded one rep maxes. (2) â&#x20AC;&#x153;Researchers used markers placed on the spinous process of the 7th and 3rd thoracic vertebra, suprasternal notch, inferior

tip of the xiphoid process, left and right anterior superior iliac spine, left and right lateral femoral epicondyle, left and right malleolus, and left and right heads of the second metatarsal.â&#x20AC;? (2) Using a nine camera motion analysis system, researchers were able to identify large anterior displacement on the knee and surprisingly, greatest amount of peak joint torque at the lumbar and sacrum (L5/S1) were not from the powerlifting squat style but both from the traditional Olympic squat style. (2) 1.

MAXIMIZING CRUITMENT

MUSCLE

RE-

To maximize any movement of power two things must be considered. One; the amount of muscle tissue involved and two; the total force produced. Every time a muscle is lengthened it is the antagonist of a prime mover this is known as an eccentric load. (3) When a muscle is loaded eccentrically it can store more energy and have a higher stretch reflex therefore, a squat recruiting more muscles to load eccentri-

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cally will result in a better stretch reflex thus resulting in a higher rate of force development. 路 Many high bar squatters have a narrow stance because it seems more natural. It will seem more natural because of what is about to happen. When squatting with a high bar Olympic style, the initial break is not the hips but rather the knees and ankles causing your lower body to go into massive knee flexion and ankle dorsi flexion. This position primarily loads the quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscles eccentrically. From here there is a strong stretch reflex within the quadriceps as they are being lengthened. Your bar placement can affect your foot placement. A low bar squat forces you to externally rotate your feet, tibias, and femurs to allow a wider and

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stronger base of support where about 30 degrees is common for most people.(6) As soon as your femurs go into slight external rotation the hip abductors, tensor fascia latae (TFL), a small muscle that connects the hip at the anterior iliac crest to the lower leg, plus the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus all work together to abduct the distal end of the femur.(5) During the decent of the squat, the hip extensors begin to shorten through a concentric contraction when feet are externally rotated about 30 degrees.(6) From there the adductors, primarily the adductor magnus, begins to be loaded eccentrically as you descend. Pushing the hips back into hip extension while maintaining a contracted erector spinae greater loads the hamstrings as long

as the tibia stays less dorsi flexion than a high bar squat. High bar squat promotes a large amount of ankle dorsal flexion, resulting in anterior displacement of the center of mass (COM) where the hamstrings are not being lengthened as much thus not generating as much eccentric load.(2) With more eccentric load, the hamstrings can effectively contract as they reach the limit of elasticity. This concept is known by exercise physiologists as the stretch-shortening cycle (SCC). Elastic energy in the musculotendinous components is increased with a rapid stretch then stored (3). After an SCC occurs, a rapid concentric contraction allows the stored energy to be released, maximizing total force production. However, if the concentric contraction does not occur rapidly enough, the elastic energy is released as heat. (3) Using a low bar position in the squat utilizes the posterior chain more than the anterior chain. When the hips go into extension the stance must be wider to allow for greater extension and efficient use of the posterior chain. This hip position will load primarily the gluteus, hamstrings, hip abductors

and adductors while still involving the anterior chain with the quadriceps being eccentrically loaded. (2) Muscles in a low bar squat are recruited more effectively than the high bar squat resulting in maximizing muscle involvement. Maximal muscle involvement means more muscle fibers are involved with an eccentric load, and more stretch shortening cycles (SSC) occurring resulting in firing of more contractile units equalling a higher force production. 2. MINIMIZING LENGTH

LEVER

ARM

Maximizing your lift by minimizing your lever length will produce a greater strength benefit. In a study published in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Journal, it was determined that â&#x20AC;&#x153;low-bar squatting techniques involve greater hip flexion and thus greater hip moments of force, while in the high-bar technique the load is more equally distributed. The greater amount of hip flexion allows the lifter to balance the bar closer to the knee, reducing the moment arm

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between the knee and the weight. This reduces knee moment forces and the patello-femoral compression force. This also results in greater reliance in the hip and back musculature, allowing the individual to lift more weight, which is crucial to powerlifters.â&#x20AC;?(4) It is important to understand the biomechanics before you decide your bar position. From The Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning textbook: Lever: is a rigid or semi rigid body that, when subjected to a force whose line of action does not pass through its pivot point, exerts force on any object impeding its tendency to rotate. Fulcrum: is the pivot point of a lever. Moment arm (also called force arm, lever arm, or torque arm): The perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the fulcrum. The line of action of

a force is an infinitely long line passing through the point of application of the force, oriented in the direction in which the force is exerted.(3) In the squat, the lever arm is the distance between the bar and the hip and the fulcrum or pivot point is the hip. The longer the lever, the more stress on the fulcrum. In a powerlifting squat using hip extension, if the bar is placed high on the vertebrae and the lifter begins to hinge at the waist the stress on the fulcrum is much higher and the COM is less likely to be over the mid foot. This occurs when lifters miss squats as the hips raise first (hip drive with hip extension) and the COM goes to the front of the foot. (2)The stress on the fulcrum becomes too much and a lifter falls forward or loses thoracic extension and rounds out causing excessive spinal flexion. We have all done this at some time in our lifting careers and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m no exception. That as how I used to squat and after weeks of having constant low back soreness, I re-evaluated my technique. If you stay with the high bar squat and do not want to cause exces-

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sive loading on the fulcrum, you must go into higher amounts of dorsi and knee flexion which doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allow as much hip involvement, therefore less muscle recruitment, less eccentric load and less posterior chain involvement. 3. REDUCING SHEAR FORCE ON THE KNEE and LUMBAR SPINE There has been much controversy over the two styles of bar placement in relation to injury and power output. Because lower back and knee injuries are a result of chronic overuse and shearing, one would suggest that a low bar squat would be safer long term in comparison to a high bar squat. (2) Shear is the sliding-across strain that results from the stress of rotation along the back at non-vertical angles, and increases with horizontality. Shearing is the sliding movement between adjacent vertebrae where the back muscles, the spinal ligaments and tendons, and the anatomical overlap of the vertebral bones themselves fail in their job of holding their position. (5) The structural tolerance of the spinal column is dictated by the integration of the spinal erec-

tors, thoracic retractors and extensors and trunk muscles within an isometric contraction. (5) The hip extensors assist in maintaining the lumbar arch and if these muscles do their anatomically correct jobs, there will be no intervertebral movement and thus shearing cannot take place. Research has shown that compressive and shear forces at the knee increase with larger flexion angles and greater displacement of the femur relative to the tibia.(2) Being able to squat often and properly can only happen if there is no injury present. You can only train as hard as you can recover and if excessive shearing is taking place, you cannot squat frequently and stay injury free long term. 4. OPTIMIZING PLACEMENT

POSTERIOR

DIS-

Having the bar placed high on the traps and leading with the knees as in the high bar squat causes more load on the anterior displacements. (4) The muscles involved with hip extension or the hip drive in a

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low bar squat are the hamstrings, the glutes, the adductors or groin muscles, abductors, erectors and together these are referred to as the posterior chain in hip extension or as strength coach Mark Rippetoe calls it, an â&#x20AC;&#x153;active hipâ&#x20AC;?. (6) As mentioned earlier, being able to load these muscles eccentrically creates more elastic energy and a higher SSC thus more muscle recruitment equals more force production. To optimize this effect the bar must be placed low on the back followed by a wider stance with slight external rotation of the feet, tibias and femurs. This will now not only allow you to eccentrically load the posterior chain but allow you to optimize the hip drive while maintaining a strong COM. (6) This does not work with a high bar placement because if you attempt to load the hips maximally with the needed trunk flexion, your COM is now over your forefoot thus lengthening your moment arm and causing more than needed stress on your fulcrum. Do not misinterpret what I am trying to explain, that style can be done, but from a mechanical advantage and geometry standpoint, it will not allow any lifter to optimize posterior displacement or maximize their squat.

CONCLUSION Both styles of bar placements work in the sport of powerlifting. This information is based on the studies comparing the two styles and the findings published. There always is an exception to the rule. Olympic lifters train the high bar squat because of the carry over into the two disciplines of their sport. They also rely on a very deep squat to maximize eccentric loading and a SSC of the quadriceps. Powerlifters only have to squat too just below parallel thus squats as deep as an Olympic high bar back squat are not as necessary. The above information in addition to research and scientific evidence is also based on my years of coaching and practising both the high and low bar squat. Until the low bar squat becomes the norm, lifters will rely on a style of bar placement on what they feel is right based on comfort. The NFL still uses the 225 max bench press test for repetitions as a test of strength but in reality it is actually testing muscular endurance for an athlete whose average play only lasts 3-6 seconds. The field of

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exercise science is always evolving and it is within an athlete’s best interest to stay current with this research. Did I also mention that bar placement on the squat can have a straight correlation with increasing your deadlift or if not in the right place can hinder your deadlift? REFERENCES 2. International Powerlifting Federation. Technical Rules. http://www.powerliftingipf.com/fileadmi n/data/Technical_Rules/IPF_rulebook_01 _2012.pdf (2012) 3. Agouris, Ioannis, Ray Lloyd, Justin Keogh et al. A Biomechanical Comparison of the Traditional Squat, Powerlifting Squat and the Box Squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 26(7): 1805-1816, 2012. 4. Baechle, Thomas and Roger Earle. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. Champaign, Il: Human Kinetics, 2000.

Arborelius, U.P., Y. Feng, and P. Wretenberg. High- and low-bar squatting techniques during weight-training. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 28(2): 218-224, 1996. 6. Riptoe, Mark. The Squat, or How I Learned to Stop Leg-Pressing and Use My Ass. Starting Strength, (startingstregth.com) 2009. 7. Riptoe, Mark. You don’t know Squat without an “Active Hip.” Crossfit Journal Articles, 2008.

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This years event was organized and promoted by the folks at Powerfest Productions. John and Jennifer Dungey and their team of volunteers went all out for the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strongest man competitors. All events were weight matched to approximate what competitors would be up against at the Canadian Nationals. Competitors certainly had their strength and skills challenged John also surprised a lot of folks by unveiling his newest implement for the athletes. A truly amazing Atlas Stone Pentagon setup. As always, having competed himself, John knows what keeps the athletes and fans coming back. Look for the next Powerfest Productions Event during Octoberfest in Kitchener, October 6th from 12 PM to 6 PM. Check out their website at Powerfest

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So what is a powerlifter to do? The answer is quite simple. Build your own gym. I have helped many people setup and build their own private training space, most of the time with minimum space and a limited budget. Single car garages, unfinished basements, back yard sheds and even cheap for-rent industrial units can all be turned into a space where real workouts can once again be performed by the men and women looking to really work hard Certain gyms, which will go unnamed, have and forge a stronger body, mind and spirit. started removing squat racks, forbidding deadlifts and removing dumbbells over 65 Let’s start right from the beginning. First lbs. They have gone out of their way to engi- thing you will need is a heavy duty power neer hard work out of exercise. The worst part rack. Most decent welders can make a custom is they are very successful at doing this. power rack at a reasonable price. Even cheapThese gyms have become very profitable. Real training centres have, for the most part, been replaced by fitness facilities that are more “user-friendly” and generally have cardio theatres with more televisions then 45 lb plates. There was once a time in Iron Game history when everyone in the gym, regardless of their personal goals, was there for one reason HARD WORK! This was a time before the term “powerlifting” was even used. Sadly as the sport of powerlifting has progressed, the gym in which strength is forged has regressed. It is now common place for commercial gyms to cater to mediocrity.

Living in our current age of entitlement, selling hard work may not be an excellent business strategy, but as any strength athlete will tell you, it is the only way to truly make the strength gains necessary to achieve a level of strength and development rarely seen in our er deals can be found doing a quick Internet current society. search for used equipment. Remember some gyms are literally scrapping these things.

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There are a couple points you will want to consider when buying/building a rack. First make sure the rack is made out of at least 1/8” (11 gauge) steel. This is considered to be commercial grade for exercise equipment. Second I would advise to make sure there are horns on the rack to store plates on. If you are working with limited space, having plates on the floor becomes a huge inconvenience and takes up valuable real estate. Lastly, make sure the rack will fit in your available space. An 8 foot rack won’t do you any good if you have a ceiling height less than that. Also please remember to include the length of the Olympic bar plus space for loading to the width of the rack. That is a very important aspect to take into consideration.

ready, then you will need a better barbell. Most power bars are rated at 1500 lbs. Power bars, in general, have a more aggressive knurling for superior grip and in many cases don’t use a chrome finish. While a chrome finish may look great, it can make the gripping service slicker and, thus, less productive. Having access to deadlift bars, squat bars, thick bars, safety squat bars, trap bars and a host of other specialty products can benefit training and give a lifter more options, but on a budget they aren’t necessary as long as you

Next you will need an Olympic barbell. Now this is the one place I don’t want you to skimp on money. Spend the funds right at the beginning and you will never have to make this purchase again. Your average run-of-the-mill Olympic barbell is usually only rated to withstand loads of 500 lbs or less. have a solid power bar that can perform well for all lifts. This may be suitable for many commercial gyms, but when you are looking to build a Naturally, you will now need the weights. place where serious lifters will hopefully Once again going online and looking for used move above this number, if they haven’t al- will be your best bet. In general, they will be

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half the price of buying new. The two things I want you to make sure are that the plates are steel and that they are Olympic plates (i.e., they have a 2” hole). Standard plates (1” hole) don’t hold value as well and, in most cases, aren’t made for bars to handle heavier weights.

plates claim to be. Eventually you will want to upgrade to calibrated weights, but for the sake of budgeting, just get your hands on any steel Olympic plates you can. In the powerlifting world making small progress over long periods of time will be the deciding factor in overall success. Microloading, when used properly and progressively, can be a very powerful tool. However, in many cases buying micro-plates (anything smaller than 2 ½ lbs) can be expensive. Here is a quick tip. Go to any industrial fastener store. They sell washers that will fit on an Olympic bar. Most of these washers are just over .5 lb. These washers as extremely cheap and can be ground down or glued together to create any micro load you want. They may not be pretty, but this is a fast and inexpensive solution to round out your weight set.

Standard plates are frequently made using hardened clay or even sand in plastic. Over time these will break down and tend to be well off the mark of how much weight the

The last essential piece is a moveable adjustable bench. If space and money allow, having a competition one-piece bench press is ideal, but it is not necessary. Putting a bench into the power rack will easily accomplish the same thing while saving on space. I recommend getting a commercial quality adjustable bench. If you have anyone lifting over the 300

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lb mark on the bench, I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend muscles strong while hopefully speeding up recovery. home quality equipment. Making sure the bench is adjustable is for versatility. This will allow for flat, decline, incline and overhead pressing from within the confines of the power rack. From this alone you will be able to devise and implement a success powerlifting routine. However, there are a couple small things you can add to allow for a greater diversity that will hopefully allow for greater gains and the potential to work around or prevent injuries.

The cheapest and smallest option here is the simple glute ham raise bench. If money and space allows, I recommend a Hip and Back machine or a Reverse Hyper due to their superior range of motion and ease of loading additional weights. Either option can work well though. Two of the best upper body builders are still the dip and the chin-up. You have many options here. You can get the necessary metal and fashion a homemade bar that will bolt onto a wall or from a ceiling joist. To save even more room, you can buy or build attachments that will fit most standard power racks.

A set of dumbbells can be expensive. Also you need to buy a rack to hold them, which again is taking up a great deal of space. Buying Olympic dumbbell handles allows you to make more use of your plates and when they are unloaded, take up almost no space. All of this and at a fraction of the price of buying a These options add effective exercises to your facility without taking up any additional floor whole set. space. My favorite option if space and money Most powerlifters know the importance of allow is the old Nautilus multi-exercise. From training the posterior chain and this is accom- a very small foot print, you have a machine plished well by simply squatting and deadlift- that allows a user to not only perform chining. However, in both of these lifts the ups and dips, but also to easily and quickly effective range in some of the musculatures add additional weight via a built in hip belt can by minimal. Also, a lifter with an injury attached to a movement that picks up a 250 lb may not be able to complete these lifts safely stack. The machine also has stairs built in that but still need to find a way to keep these allows for negative-only exercise.

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Negative-only exercise has been known for decades to be a very intense and result-producing way of training. I may touch on this more in future articles. Generally, these can be found used online and at a reasonable price. Nobody wants these old gems because the new models take weight off your body, instead of adding it back on, but that is what strong lifters require.

smooth or textured surfaces. They are extremely heavy duty at ¾” thick. I have witnessed 600+ lb deadlifters pick up and put down the weight onto these mats repeatedly with both tile and concrete floors underneath, without so much as a hairline crack in the floor underneath. Also, in general, they are about half the price per square foot of any other rubber mat option.

Exercise bands have been widely used in many serious training centres for years now. For a very small investment you will have the ability to easily and safely change resistance curves and force vectors of almost every free weight exercise you have in your gym. Again they can hang on a wall hook and take up no additional square footage. Many lifters I have met carry them in their workout bags. Now we are just giving them a proper home.

So there it is - a simple blue print that, with limited space and limited budget, any powerlifter can create and utilize their own training space and get back to that old-time atmosphere where hard work and progression was all that mattered. Enjoy using chalk, listening to whatever music you want, as loud as you want and enjoy the big lifts and PR’s that I guarantee will come from training is this kind of environment. Don’t be surprised if your fellow lifters start dropping by to get a real The last thing I want to discuss is flooring. workout in. My original basement gym had one large problem when I started out. We had tile flooring. I did not want to damage the tiles for the sake of lifting, but I wasn’t about to stop my deadlifting. I searched high and low for the right kind of matting that would be both strong and cost effective. In my travels, I have never found anything as perfect as stall mats. For those unfamiliar with them, a stall mat is a large, normally 6’ x 4’ rubber mat made to be put in cow stalls. These mats can have

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Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had great

better loading of the muscular structures

success

over

because of avoiding leverage problems,

the last 2 years

a non-moving static hold might be even

using

better.

heavy

static hold training. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve added

Static hold training is different from regu-

almost 20 lbs to

lar isometric or static training.

my frame. Not

that type of training, you are exerting

all lean, but the vast majority of it. Some-

effort against an immovable object. With

times those static contractions have

static hold training, you are lifting your

been down in the 5-10 second range.

normal training weight or slightly more

During

and holding it in a position that is advanSometimes, resistances well more than

tageous leverage wise.

double your 1 RM can be used for heavy static hold training. If using something

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to make use of your strongest

like a heavy static hold technique which

area in your range of motion for this kind

is well over 100% of your 1RM, a little bit

of training. For example, a bench press

of a warm up set is definitely warranted

will be holding just before elbow lockout.

though. This can be one of the very best

So lifting off and flexing the elbows 1-2

ways to build a serious amount of

inches only and holding. Be sure to use

strength and power very quickly.

a rack here so that when you fatigue, the

Progressing with the line of thinking that

resistance will just sit down a few inches

a shorter range of motion could lead to

on the safety bars.

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ing your muscles to fatigue on the For a pulling exercise like a pull down

negative as opposed to the positive

or row, you’ll want to be in the same

which should make the fatigue a little

position with the elbows. So just before

more thorough. Indeed, one of the draw-

full extension, not in the fully contracted

backs to negative only training is that you

position. You CAN do that, but in this

have to unload to get back to the top

case, we are trying to make use of the

position in order to lower again. Static

strongest part of the range where you

hold training is a way around that prob-

can handle the biggest magnitude of

lem. It also helps drive the point home

resistance.

that you are not just trying to move something and you are trying to load the

The reasons I like this method and espe-

muscles against overloading resistance.

cially for those training on their own are

I find this is the hardest concept to get

that it doesn’t require as much focus on

across to trainees.

form because there is no form. All you have to concentrate on is staying posi-

Trying to move something while tired

tioned or aligned properly. In addition, it

even though I am trying to get the trainee

forces you to apply a more consistent

to a point where they can’t move it, en-

and continuous contraction.

courages bad form. This actually prevents

the

trainee’s

own

progress

The very fact that you are moving gives

because if they don’t understand this, it

opportunity to unload and make the exer-

ends up sloppy and I don’t progress

cise less effective. You will also be bring-

them because of poor control and form.

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100

I have been using this static hold tech-

It sounds unreasonable, but it’s not un-

nique with great success for my clients.

usual to expect increases of 25-30 lbs

I believe it is as good or better than

from workout to workout.

conventional even though, from what I can tell, there is relatively little research

But, remember, you’re not going all the

dedicated to the subject.

way through a range where you are severely limited by that particular portion of

It’s been previously thought that if you

bad leverage. We’re taking that out of the

train statically in 1 given part of a range,

equation. Additionally, you will probably

you’ll only get strong in that range. That

quickly outgrow some of the equipment.

sort of make sense because of the principle of specificity, but we have enough

On selectorized equipment like a lat pull

info to show that that isn’t the case.

down, a simple thing you can do is “pin”

Although, not 100% transfer, static hold

another weight plate to the stack. If you

training does have a very large (probably

have an extra weight stack pin, that is

more than half) transfer of the strength

ideal, but you can use the one that is

gained to a full range movement. But, not

attached to the apparatus.

to worry about that either, we have another means to address that later.

Let’s say the stack has 200 lbs. You can easily lift well over that now. You can pin

NOTE: You will get VERY strong using

another Olympic size plate flat to the

this technique. Initially, you may make

face of the weight stack by using the

resistance increases that are too small.

weight stack pin. Depending on how

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101

many pins you have and how long they are, you could potentially get hundreds

I suggest shooting for a range of time

of pounds more attached to the stack

under load (TUL). Initially, it might be

should you outgrow the apparatus’ built

good to practice with using something

in stack.

longer like 30 sec. When you can exceed 30 seconds on the hold, increase

For other equipment like a 45 degree leg

the resistance. However, that’s not ideal.

press, you’ll probably exceed well over

You’ll want to get to a point where you

1000 pounds with both legs (bilaterally)

can hold and control a resistance for only

quickly. There may not be enough room

5-10 seconds.

on the bars for all the plates. In this case, I suggest you train unilaterally using 1

If you can hold for long than 10, increase

leg at a time.

the resistance next time. As you do this, you’ll see that you will have to bump up

Be careful here though as this will be a

the resistance a LOT to get down to 10

lot of pressure on your hips and lower

sec. or so. Again, it won’t feel like much

back as well as being uneven. I suggest

is happening, but I assure you, this will

you get it into position with 2 legs, care-

produce big strength gains quickly.

fully transfer the load to your 1 leg, keep the safety stops in place at the top posi-

Just give it a chance consistently over a

tion so it doesn’t come rocketing down

few workouts and see what I’m talking

on you, and hold. Repeat on the other

about. You can use this technique on

leg.

any exercise using these principles.

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102

Again, be sure to use equipment like a

start at the top and work down, so to

power rack as the loads are very, very

speak. Set the bar with the given resis-

heavy and even a spotter may not be

tance at the top end of the movement.

enough.

Set the pins to the shortest range possible. Perform a dynamic, but short range

Range Progression (More on Us-

movement to positive fatigue.

ing the Power Rack) Over time and from workout to workout, Another way to build very strong muscles

you KEEP the same resistance and

and size is to make use of the power rack

MOVE THE PINS DOWN one hole at a

again except in this case, you are not

time. So your progression is in the form

using double or triple progression in

of range of motion, not the other vari-

terms of resistance, reps, or time. And

ables.

you’re not holding like you would in a static hold.

Over time, you should be able to lower down and press back up what you previ-

In this case, let’s take the bench press

ously could not positively lift at all. This

for example, you select a resistance that

may be one of the quickest and most

is higher than you can perform now.

effective ways to gain strength quickly.

Let’s say 20-30% more than you can lift

Heavy static hold contractions and using

positively.

Instead of doing full range

the power rack like this with very short

dynamic reps trying to increase up to

durations has produced great results.

that, although that will work, you can

AND I feel awesome afterwards and the

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103

next day compared to lower resistance and longer duration workouts. I believe the combination of these 2 methods can maximally increase a trainee’s strength and power over the full range of a given movement.

This method actually feels “easier” to me, but by definition could actually be more “intense”. I don’t get the same edema and fatigue type feelings. It’s almost like I didn’t do anything even though I heavily loaded my structures. This is more along the loading end of the spectrum and I think has a great place in your training if your goal is maximum strength performance.

Chris Lutz-Master Trainer S.P.A.R.T.A.-Sports Performance And Resistance Training Association http://www.spartatraining.com/store

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Justin Lewis, RMT Registered Massage Therapist Treatment of injuries, surgeries, and athletes only. Boomers Sports Medicine Clinic 164 Baseline Road East Bowmanville, ON L1C 1A2 Phone: 905-623-3221 Fax: 905-623-9082 justinlewisrmt@hotmail.com http://www.medicalrehab.ca/

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people, cutting weight and competing. I spent hours working on my training pro“Start” grams, nutrition and researching statisJust over three years ago I attended my tics of other lifters, I completely first powerlifting meet, the Ottawa Open immersed myself in the sport. I fell in in 2009. I was so inspired by the lifters love. and what they were doing that I was eager to get to the gym and try it myThere were also some funny moments and heartbreakers in my first year of self. I could not even deadlift 95 pounds, I then proceeded to cry in the lifting. I was so inexperienced and nervous at my first provincials I used chalk gym and I went home. What I did not realize at the time was the amount of on my knees to deadlift (and was politetime and dedication such a sport takes, ly told by a ref what the chalk was actuand the next three years would be a ally used for) and was shaking so hard from nerves during my squat that I altrue testament to this. In the next six months I competed to qualify for provin- most did not get the start command (I can still hear the plates clinking togethcials, achieved gold at nationals and then was invited to be part of team er…). Later that year I travelled all the way to Texas for Bench Worlds and Canada for the World Bench Press Championships in 2010. It was a com- missed all three of my benches. After plete whirlwind of training, meeting new missing my last lift I walked off the platStrength From The Shadows

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form to see the rest of the members of team Canada standing there with open arms and a handful of stories of how far they have traveled to ‘bomb’. It was then when I really understood the community nature of the sport and the unwavering support of fellow lifters.

decided I wanted to win, achieve personal bests and commit myself to the sport and I knew this is what it would take.

Two years of intense training has showed me what is possible. I am currently ranked second in Canada for classic wilks, hold three national re“Press” cords, and three national gold medals. In the years following my ‘rookie’ year I No one at the gym ever wants to share a squat rack with me… Through the have accomplished more than I even thought possible, but it often came at a demands of the training and what I have achieved over the past three price. I committed myself fully to my years I have gained a strong sense of training and spent countless hours at the gym while attending school full time self-worth and confidence. I believe and then subsequently working full time that confidence and successful lifting go hand in hand. It was not until I deas a teacher. Finding the time to train cided that I would never miss a lift often meant missing out on social events, spending late nights at the gym again did I start to see a new focus and dedication in my training. and sacrificing my leisure time. I had

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All of my achievements have not just come from me but from a number of people in my life. The support of my family, my team (Ironworks) and most of all my coach and now husband, Chris Fudge. Becoming a good lifter does not happen on its own, you need training partners, coaches and friends – and I had them all. Training is not easy, the equipment hurts, the weights are heavy and some days are just harder than others. Without the incredible support, dedication, customized training and recovery programs from Chris, I would probably still be doing Body Pump classes at the gym. Powerlifting has also given me the opportunity to travel, meet new people, and best of all train at Metroflex in Arlington, Texas – home of Ronnie Cole-

man. Where the use of chalk for a deadlift meant lifting it with “no excuses” and where the dumbbells only started at 50 pounds. These memories I have forged along the way will stay with me for the rest of my life.

“Rack” I am currently taking some time away from my own lifting to give back to the sport through refereeing and coaching. This upcoming year I will be working on completing my Master’s in Education at the University of Ottawa as well as supply teaching in secondary schools in Ottawa. Chris and I will be working towards establishing powerlifting at the high school level in the city. Since I have started with Ironworks we have

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recruited six new lifters to the sport, two of which earned gold medals at this year’s nationals. Chris and I are conStatistics and Awards stantly working to bring new lifters into the sport and share with them our pas- Ranked 2nd all-time best female classic sion. lifter (426.47 wilks) Ranked 23rd all-time best female lifter I could not imagine my life without powequipped (449.44 wilks) erlifting in it. I am eager to get back Three National Classic Records (57 kg) into lifting and fulfilling a number of per– Squat 135 kg, Deadlift 362.5, Total sonal goals in the future. Above all else 365 kg reaching for personal bests is the only Best Classic lifts- Squat 140 kg, Bench thing you can really ask of yourself in 75 kg, Deadlift 160 such a sport. I would love to have the Best Equipped lifts- Squat 142.5, Bench opportunity to compete again at the 92.5, Deadlift 167.5 world level, being able to represent my Best female lifter – London Open 2010, country on the world stage has always Ontario Provincials (classic) 2012, Monbeen a lifelong dream. Powerlifting is treal Earthquake 2012, Ottawa Open something that will be in my life forever, 2012 continually inspiring me to work harder and lift heavier.

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