Power Swings

by Al Myers

The top picture shows the starting position of a Power Swing, while the bottom picture shows the finishing position.

Another exercise that I really like to do after my heavy leg/back training is power swings. I have done this exercise “off and on” for many years. Years ago it was one of my favorite training exercises for helping my weight over bar.  The positions are just the same as throwing the WOB (standing style that is!), and builds quick explosive strength in the hips.  This exercise is easy to do.  Take a parallel stance with feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Grip the swing implement with both hands and swing it up to 90 degrees, keeping the arms straight. As the weight hits the peak, drive up the hips to a standing position.  Multiple reps can be done by allowing the weight to “sink between the legs” and performing another attempt without setting the implement down. I like sets of 10 reps or so.

This exercise can also be done one handed.  That is the way I use to train it when I was in throwing in the Highland Games. I felt the one-handed training more directly applied to the WOB.  However, now I prefer the two-handed style as I’m using it as a “finishing movement” to my heavy leg/back day.  I  use an adjustable powerstairs handle to add weight to.  Kettlebells also work well but they are more difficult to grip two handed. Years ago I made a full set of what I call SWING WEIGHTS (now swing bells, as that is another type of training implement) to use for training one-handed power swings.  They are fixed weight implements.

The Power Swing pin loader and attached handle.

The handle can easily be removed from this pin loader to add/remove weight.  All it takes is removing one bolt. The total height of this implement is 16 inches, which I feel is the perfect height to allow the weight to swing to a deep position. Performing 4 or 5 sets of 10-20 reps in 15 minutes at the end of your workout is all you need.  You will feel the work in your lower back and hip flexors.  I really do think these type of exercises following a training session of heavy deadlifts and squats “loosens” thing up, and speeds up the recovery process afterwards.  Of course, that is just my opinion.  But it will leave you “feeling good”, as this always works up a sweat and gives my a little cardio training to end a  good heavy workout.

Zercher Pull Throughs

by Al Myers

The top picture shows the bottom starting position of a Zercher Pull Through, while the bottom picture shows the finishing position.

I have written a blog before about how we “at the Dino Gym” do some light accessory movements after our hard Squat/Deadlift workout.  In that story I covered one exercise that we really like – the Rounded Back Platform Deadlift.  Look back in the blog archives to refresh your memory of that lift, as it is an excellent “finisher movement”.   The purpose of these exercises is NOT TO BUILD STRENGTH (as hopefully your heavy training in the session up that point has already done that), but rather, to “wind down” a workout with an exercise that will increase the blood flow to the lower back and hips, and aid in the recovery process.  I also like doing these movements as it is mentally refreshing as well.  Up till this point the entire workout is about going ALL OUT, and then you get to “change gears” and do a movement that is not strength demanding to finish off the night, but instead stamina demanding.  I’m not saying these movements are EASY though, sometimes they can leave you quite worn out.   I’m not a big fan of high reps to build strength as I’ve never had success with getting stronger by training high reps.  In my heavy stuff I never go over 5 reps, and most of the time it is 1-3 reps on lifts.  But with these “finisher” movements I like to hit lots of reps – like up to 20 or so.   I keep the rest short in between sets and do 3-5 sets total.  It will leave you breathing hard as well!   All the time you need to allot for a finisher movement is 15-20 minutes.  Not a big commitment time wise – most guys spend more time than that packing their gym bag up after their workout.

Now onto the Zercher Pull Throughs. Pull Throughs are a popular exercise for lifters.  The movement focuses on the lower back and hips.  I have done them several different ways – with straps around the arms, ropes to the hands, etc.  But the way I like them BEST is doing them Zercher style.  I have not really read about anyone else doing them these way, but I’m sure others have done them this way as well.  So I’m not presenting this movement as something original by me, but rather describe how I do this movement and why I like it.  I perform this exercise using my lat pull.  I have a low pulley that mounts below the seat that is used for the low lat seat.  I attach a cable through this pulley to a short bar handle.  The cable is the length that allows me to position with the bar handle in the crooks of my arms in a low stance (as demonstrated in the picture).  I lean slightly forward and thrust upwards, extending the hips and straightening the legs.  I lower slowly, and at all times keeping tension, and then do another rep.  There is never a break in the action during these high rep sets.  Use a weight that forces you to work hard but not cause a break down in proper form.  Focus on maintaining proper breathing and just “feel the burn” in the hips and lower back as you add reps!  It is a very simple movement. 

Why do I like these Zercher Pull Throughs more than other types of Pull Throughs?   Like I’ve said, I’ve tried all types and even have special straps made to do them other ways.  I would like to say the reason is because I just love Zerchers so much as that is the reason, but in truth, it comes down to TWO REASONS that have nothing to do with loving the Zercher Lift.  The number one reason is that these Zercher Pull Throughs takes all stress of the arms and shoulders. Other Pull Throughs require you to be holding a strap of some kind in front of you.  This puts pressure on the arms and shoulders, and makes those muscles come into play enough that they become the limiting factor in the exercise, and not the hips and back as it should be.  Reason number two is kinda personal, lets just say a strap being rubbed continuously between the legs can result in friction burns to any body part in the vicinity.   That’s not a desirable thing in any type of exercise!

Rig up your lat pull machine to give this exercise a try.  I assure you that you will be impressed!

Building Bigger Legs

By Roger LaPointe

Wilbur Miller knows the value of building leg strength through squatting. He just recently did a 320 pound 12 inch base squat at the Dino Gyms Record Day at the age of 79!

The secret to building bigger legs is really knowing the tools of the trade. You simply don’t build a skyscraper without a solid foundation. To build that foundation you need the right tools.

I had a great conversation, which did result in a sale, with a very high level basketball coach. As you might expect, he is dealing with very tall men who really are not built to be weightlifters. Yet, they do need the strength and explosiveness in their legs that serious weightlifting will bring them. We talked about the various bars I personally use, unsurprisingly, they are the same type of bars he uses, with slight variations. I regularly use an Olympic weightlifting bar with super smooth rotation, a stiff thick bar, a shrug/trap type bar, and a safety squat bar. At a height of 5 foot 3 inches, I am using them somewhat differently than his potential NBA recruits.

These are the exercises you need to do for building big and explosive legs:
1. Back Squats
2. Clean Pulls or, better yet, Power Cleans
3. A grip building exercise, such as Thick Bar Deadlifts
4. Front squat type movement – for some coaching situations, based on sport, facility resources, and/or body type – shrug bar deadlifts or a safety squat bar squats will be best

Now you need to apply these correctly.

Live strong,
Roger LaPointe

PS. If you can possibly get there, you need to come to the Atomic Athletic Great Black Swamp Olde Time Strongman Picnic. The real draw is the other people who attend. We have had coaches from the worlds of: football, track & field, basketball, mma, wrestling, cycling, boxing and a wide variety of other sports. This is your chance to pick their brains. Don’t miss it. Who knows, they might surprise you and try to pick your brain…

My Friend Andy Goddard

by Steve Gardner

Steve Gardner lifting Andy Goddard overhead at the 2003 IAWA World Championships in Perth, Australia.

I have been asked to write a bit about the late Andy Goddard, as time moves on and newer members join, not everyone knows who he was and why we have a postal match named after him …….

I first met Andy 20 years ago when he wandered into my gym to watch an all round competition that was taking place.  He lived locally and told me he had been in the Army for a number of years, where he was an Army light flyweight boxing champion.  Andy was struck down with a stomach cancer and had an emergency operation, he nearly died, but he pulled through and was invalided out of the Armed Forces. This had all taken place a few years before he came to see me, and he told me he had been given the all clear from Cancer re occurring and thought he would like to start and do some training to see if he could lift with us.

I was delighted to help him and we cautiously worked together, but in no time it was obvious he was a strong little critter, and he took to weightlifting like a duck to water.  Andy started to compete and he thrived on competition. Not only did Andy become a great champion, several times IAWA British Champion in the Open and many time World Champion in the Masters, he was a thoroughly nice man. He was a great friend to everyone, and always had a good word to say.  Andy always helped to encourage new lifters in the sport and was the kind of guy who would do anything for anyone at the drop of a hat.

Andy’s favourite lifts were the Deadlift, Hacklift, Straddle and Trap Bar Deadlift, all of which he performed with more than 3 times bodyweight!  Andy became a great friend of mine and my family too, he was like family to us. Andy was always there to help me every time we had a competition he would be helping me set up and move the weights, or collecting foreign lifters from the airport and helping me put them up. Andy was a quiet man, he wasn’t married but spent a lot of time treating and looking after others.  It was the proudest moment for me to make the presentation to my friend when he was inducted into the IAWA(UK) Hall of Fame in 2007, this was a fitting reward for a true champion and holder of many, many records who had travelled the World and taken part in as many IAWA events as he could, a true all round weightlifter and supporter.

In 2008, Andy started to have some internal pain problems in his groin, though he insisted it did not stop him lifting, it continued to niggle at him and eventually the pains spread to his chest and back. Andy lifted in the World Championships in 2008 and was magnificent, but we knew all was not right. After countless visits to the Hospital they said they were not sure why he had the pain? We all worried in case there was something deeper, and in the end sure enough, eventually a scan showed a shadow near his spine. Andy went in and had some painful surgery on his back, the cancer was in his spine, it had returned after 20 years. Whilst operating they discovered that the cancer had spread to his organs and there was nothing anyone could do. They gave him six months, and that would have taken Andy up to his 50th birthday…he didnt make it, passing away just a few weeks before. It was so sad to see this wonderful light go out, we visited him and talked to him to the end, and were with him on his last day.

I had commented one time on Andys ‘Northern Ireland’ Campaign medal he had been awarded in the Army, having seen two tours of service over there in the early and mid 70’s, when he showed it to me I told him he should be justly proud of his achievements in such dangerous and difficult times. I was very moved when, after the funeral, his girlfriend said Andy had asked her to give the medal to me. I treasure it to this day.

We all miss Andy, and his belt and lifting boots remain at the gym so he is always with us. Andy loved competition, and the postal bearing his name is a fitting tribute to him.

Notes to my younger self

by Al Myers

This is a photo of myself in a powerlifting meet when I first started competing, when I was 20 years old. If only I knew the things then that I know now!

A while back  I was discussing with Dave Glasgow  everything we have learned “the hard way” during our long lifting careers, and how we both wish we knew THEN what we know NOW.  The lifters nowadays have much more training information “at their fingertips” by the volumes upon volumes of training wisdom found on the internet (not saying it is all good info, but there is alot of good information).  Back in my early training days the only source of training information was from other lifters and the most recent edition of Muscle and Fitness that I read in the store off the rack.  Eventually I was able to  afford a subscription to Powerlifting USA so my learning curve expanded.  I want to make these “notes to myself” just in case somehow, by a modern day miracle, I am transformed back into the mind and body of my early 20’s.  

1.  STICK TO THE BASIC MUSCLE BUILDING EXERCISES

I remember when I was a young lifter I often got “sidetracked” with unproductive training programs (usually out of the latest issue of M&F!).  I kept looking for the ultimate program and truly believed there was one. I would “jump around” from training program to training program.   Now I know there’s not a “secret training program”   – many programs can be very successful and there is not a single program  that is always better than the rest.  Looking back, I realize now that most of my strength gains came from the most basic of exercises – squats, presses, and deadlifts. 

2.  STAY CONSISTENT IN YOUR TRAINING

The most important thing a young lifter can do is to stay consistent in their training.  This means lifting year round, and not taking extended breaks.  I know when I was young I would often lose focus on my training, and participate in other non strength activities for long periods of time.   I also took alot of things for granted – and just assumed that I wouldn’t lose the strength I built up while taking time off for a couple of months to play slow pitch softball during the summer. 

3.  MAINTAIN ATHLETICISM AND FLEXIBILITY

When you are young you are at the peak of your athleticism.  Try to maintain it for as long as  you can because it will leave you eventually!   One thing I’m very glad of was that I was introduced to the Highland Games right at the same time I started lifting weights.  The Highland Games require a great deal of athleticism as several of the events require you be quick on your feet, and be able to move with weights in your hands.  The combined training of weights and the games allowed me to keep my athleticism as I got stronger in the gym.   I have seen several lifters spend so much time with their feet set solid in the squat rack under a set of squats that the ability to move the feet quick is lost.  Also don’t take your flexibility for granted, because as you age this will soon disappear as well.  Take the time to do your stretches.

4.  EAT A HEALTHY DIET

Young lifters often eat the very worse of diets during the course of a weight  training program.  Fast food seems to be the norm when you are in college.  I know now that  my progress would have been better if only I would have spent a fraction of the time paying attention to my diet as I did to my training.  Also, there are no secret supplements that will quarantee success in the gym.  I have spent money I didn’t have on supplements that I was convinced would help me (remember the liver tablets???), when I should have been buying extra meat and milk instead.  

5.  LISTEN TO COACHES

Young lifters are the worse when it comes to listening to advice.   Find a good mentor and listen to the coaching advice as it will pay off. 

6.  AVOID HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES

I just think of things I did when I was younger and I am just thankful none of them resulted in a major injury that would have sidelined my lifting career.  I remember feeling when I was young that I was invincible and there was no way I could get hurt doing anything!  Well, all it takes is a couple of serious injuries and you soon realize that the body is NOT invincible and any injury will set back your training!!!  But I did enjoy that fast motorcycle in college.

7.  COMPETE AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE

This is an understatement.  I have met several lifters through the years  that didn’t compete, and when asked about it, would reply that they were waiting to get stronger before hitting a competition.  I know now that more competitions makes you a better lifter as you learn from the competitions and it gives you a gauge of your progress. It also serves as a source of motivation. Plus if you are waiting to get stronger to compete – you will NEVER compete because you will never feel you are strong enough to do it. 

(FINAL NOTE:  I’m not delusional or senile yet so I know my chances of being transformed into a “younger self” will not happen, so I just hope these bits of wisdom somehow helps a new young lifter.   )

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