There are levels to good technique. And what you have to do to make it better changes as you develop.

When you say the phrase “technique work” to most powerlifters, it conjures images of light training with a focus on body positioning. Perhaps even with an exaggerated slow tempo. And that’s fine for a basic competency in technical execution, but that’s about all.

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You DON’T Have “Plenty of Time”
By Mike Tuchscherer

I’ll never forget my first 800-lbs deadlift in competition. Prior to it, I was still relatively unknown in the powerlifting world. I’d won a Jr. World championship, but I’d bombed out of four (4!) other national level meets. It was well before Facebook (at least for me) and unless you were paying attention, I was easy not to notice. It was 2007. I had recently left the collegiate ranks and I was looking for a meet and I found one in Hemet, California. Read more…

It sounds unbelievable. I can scarcely believe it myself. But here’s how it went down.

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This article is for the coaches…

It’s not that athletes have nothing to gain from it. It’s just that if you’re an athlete interested in evaluating your coach it should be primarily on two factors — results and enjoyment. If you are getting results and enjoying the process then I would recommend that you stay where you are. If you are not getting results or not enjoying the process then it may be time to reevaluate.

Yes for the coaches…  I have some questions to ask you.

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So there I was… It was 2009. I was at the Raw Unity Meet. At the time, this was the BIGGEST raw competition on the planet. It was put on by my friend Eric Talmant and was a way for all powerlifters — equipped or raw… tested or untested… to compete at the same event under the same rules. I was in the 125kg class competing against Scott Smith, an impressively strong untested lifter from the USPF.

WHEN NOT TO COMPETE, (OR THOUGHTS ON WHY WE DO) by MARK ROBB

There have been times when I struggled with the choice of whether to withdraw from a meet that I had already registered for or not, and as I have thought about this subject more, the broader the subject became. In interactions with some of my lifters, RTS teammates, USA National Teammates, as well as my own experiences, I have learned several things that I believe are worthy of consideration when you find yourself with that decision to make.

My hope is that this article might help you organize your thoughts, and maybe bring up something that you hadn’t thought about, so that you have more clarity about whatever you decide to do.

Why are you competing?

The answer to this question will help determine your choice as to whether to compete or not. And the answer to this question may actually Read more…

I’m writing this because as an athlete, it’s something I need to keep in mind.  And as a coach, I know many of you need to keep it in mind as well.  Here’s to getting better.

Today’s Front Squat session was objectively awesome. I managed 565×1 @8.5 RPE. This ties what I did last week — which is one of my best Front Squat reps of all time. Only twice have I gone heavier — and even then only 5lbs and 10lbs respectively. And those lifts ware a LOT slower.

by Mike Tuchscherer, 16 March 2020

With many gyms around the world now closing for the next several weeks due to COVID-19, we’ve had several of our lifters suddenly without a place to train. Over the last few years, I’ve often found myself on the road for various reasons also without a training facility — just making due with what I could carry in a suitcase and do in a hotel room. In the case of my move a few years ago, I kept this up for basically a couple of months. While this isn’t the same thing as what lifters are facing now, I do feel it’s given me perspective on what a powerlifter could do in a situation like this to make sure this bump-in-the-road has minimal impact.

Correcting Max-Effort Technical Deviations
By Mike Tuchscherer, 10 September 2017

I’ve written before about why I think including assistance work is a good idea.  And I do mean *assistance* work, not just supplemental work.  And the more I think about it, the more convinced I become that this is the best way to develop strength over the long term.

Quick aside on exercise classification before we get started…

Competition Exercise:  The exercise as it’s performed in competition. If you squat low-bar in competition, then high bar squats are not a competition exercise.  If you wear a belt in competition, beltless work is not a competition exercise.

Assistance Exercise:  Exercises that are very closely related to the competition exercise, but contain 1-2 small changes to give the lift a certain emphasis.  Things like pause squats, deadlifts with chains, or board presses all fall into this category.

Supplemental Exercise:  Exercises that train the same muscles, but not the same movements.  Usually trained for higher reps as well.  Exercises like lunges, military press, and good mornings fit into this category.

Read more…

High Stress Training Weeks
By Mike Tuchscherer, 3 October 2017

From the inbox:

“Why vary weekly fatigue percents at all? Why not move from high reps to low reps at [medium stress] each week? The high reps provide the stimulus and the low reps allowing fatigue to dissipate? A week of 3’s at [high stress] vs week of 8’s at [medium stress]. The latter has a lower fatigue percent but higher volume- so what’s the difference in effect between the two?”

Read more…