USA Powerlifting Nationals Training

I am about half way through my training cycle for the USA Powerlifting RAW Nationals. The contest will held in Spokane, Washington on October 14, 2018. My training is going as planned and I am starting to hit some heavier training weights. At the same time, I have continued to train a high volume of sandbag carries, farmer’s walks and sled work at the end of my workouts. We have had some great workouts this summer with this equipment in the back of Jackals Gym.

I should probably start putting all of my energy into peaking for the meet, but I really enjoy this type of training. To be honest, I have not had this much fun training in many years. This puts me at somewhat of a crossroads of trying to peak for a meet while continuing to really be fired up about training these strongman and functional strength movements.

Garage Wall Ramblings

Following up on what I talked about in my blog last month, I have decided to try to replicate some of my Fathers lifting workouts that he completed over the age of 50. I have incorporated one of his partial power rack squat workouts into my Nationals training cycle. He had a method of training his power rack movements at various rack heights, and then he would keep track of his personal records. When he was chasing a particular PR, he would sometimes record his workouts over a period of several months on the walls of his gym in permanent marker.

I am trying to complete the majority of this training in his lifting garage using the same equipment. I have already found it very challenging to squat in the old power rack. He had it built in a machine shop around 1970. This kind of equipment was simply not available at that time. He had no blue print to follow just a vision of what he wanted to have built. He modelled it after a wooden one that my grandfather had previously helped him build. This power rack is very narrow with a low, wide supporting brace on the top.

It has been many years since I tried to lift with this equipment. I am having a hard time avoiding hitting my head on the rack at the top of my squat. His record, over age 50, at the rack height (1/4 squat) that I am currently training is 1,260 lbs. Three weeks into my training; I have progressed to 905 lbs. I am going to increase my training weights gradually towards my quest to hit 1260. At this point, I really doubt that it is possible.

Fall Coaching

I have the privilege again this fall to work with the Minneota High School Volleyball team, and the Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) Volleyball and Wrestling Teams. My youngest daughter Lizzy is in her senior year at Minneota. We finished last season as Minnesota Class A State Runner Up. The team is currently ranked second. We are scheduling the in-season strength training workouts between games and weekend tournaments. Their training consists of mobility, plyometrics, Olympic style cleans, back squats, bench press and assistance. The girls have started the season 2-0 against other ranked teams. It is going to be an exciting season.

Fuel Your Training

HMB has rebranded the product line. Same great products with a different logo. Make sure to add myHMB, myHMB Clear, myHMB Clear + Peak ATP and myHMB + Vitamin D to your supplementation plan. These are all great products, available at your local GNC store. They are designed to supplement your strength, energy and recovery needs. Train smart, stay healthy, set your goals high!

Stay Strong!