I decided
to train at Diablo barbell over my summer break from college in hopes of
improving my technique, my training and learning something useful so that I
could earn my elite at 220. Prior to
training at Diablo my best lifts were a 661 squat, 518 bench, and 578 deadlift
at 220 (Done at the APF state meet at the FIT EXPO Feb. 18th
2005). My best total was 1757 at
220. Training at Diablo was a bit of a
change as compared to what I was used to.
It was louder, hotter, there were more people, and the atmosphere was
more intense. I trained at Diablo from
mid-June through mid-September, my bodyweight went from 219-235, my best
competition squat went from 661 to 705, and my deadlift from 578 to 601. I feel that I learned a lot over the 3
months I was there, in no particular order here are some of the things I
learned:
1)
Spreading the floor and
unracking the bar correctly while squatting makes a huge difference. Prior to coming to Diablo I would set my
feet, take in my air, and then unrack the bar, I always had problems with
getting loose on the descent. While
doing speed work Ted and the rest of the guys would yell commands to help me
get this right. I began to practice
setting my feet, taking my air, spreading the floor, arching my back, pushing
on the belt, pushing my head into my traps, and making sure everything is just
right before I unracked the bar (in that order). I noticed that when I spread the floor, and arched, unracking the
bar was much easier. The weight always felt lighter when I did this right. A successful squat starts with a successful
setup.
2)
My back and abs are/were
weak. I always had the false impression
that my back was strong. I think it
came from the fact that I could always stiff leg about as much as I could
deadlift. One of the first max effort
squat workouts I did at Diablo was chain suspended goodmornings with the 14
inch cambered bar. I think I worked up
to 470 for a single, by which point I was totally rounded out, and squatting it
up more than I was goodmorning it up.
Ted told me I sucked at those and to do them as an assistance exercise
after my speed squats. I worked this
move for a while and noticed it easier to maintain my arch while squatting, and
deadlifting. My back strength is by no
means where it needs to be but this move has been a big help. Other clues about my piss poor torso
strength came from the fact every time I missed a max effort squat in the gym
was because I folded in half coming off the box. More back and ab work is needed.
While at Diablo I also started training my abs much heavier than before,
decline sit-ups with 100lb med ball, spread eagle sit-ups with 70 or 80lbs,
lying leg raises with 60lbs chain, I never used to push my ab work very hard
before this, but it has definitely made a difference in my ability to hold my
arch and control the weight. This also
helped to add 4 inches around my belt line, and 3 inches to my belly
3)
Err on the side of doing too
little rather than too much. Before
coming to Diablo my workouts usually looked something like; main exercise and
then 5 or 6 assistance exercises. I was
spending way too much energy on way to many lifts each training day. Once I started training at Diablo that
changed. It was now main exercise, and
2-3 assistance exercises tops. I still
find myself wanting to add in more and more moves each session, but I keep
reminding myself that more does not equal better. Do fewer exercises per session but work them harder.
4)
Bench pressing is fucking
technical. When I came to Diablo I was
a metal militia style bencher, touch low, throw it to my face, flair my elbows
and catch it, it worked pretty well netting me a 518 bench at 220. When I got to Diablo Ted tore apart my form,
I was always getting loose in the bottom, pressing with my shoulders at the
top, not spreading the bar, I heard those words a ton while I was there. To tell the truth I still don’t know how to
bench properly, but I can say that one or two times where I have been able to
put it all together just by happenstance the weight has flown up and felt like
the bar was unloaded. Lots of work
still to do here.
5)
Strong lats are a must. Prior
to coming to Diablo I thought I had okay, or at least acceptable lat
strength. Wrong. Turns out my lat strength was on par with
the guys who were pressing in the 300’s or low 400’s. That’s not acceptable for a guy benching 518 and looking to press
6. I also think that my weak lats are
in part responsible for my poor lockout strength in the deadlift. I was advised to do 2 lat moves each bench
workout, my main rowing movement, and then sled rows for higher reps. Strong lats are a must.
6)
The intensity of your speed
squat workout should be as high as or higher than your max effort squat
workout. This was not the case for me
or my crew back at school, but this will change when I get back.
7)
Don’t over analyze missed
lifts. I did this way to much when I
trained in Santa Cruz. Take it for what
it is and move on. No need to re-vamp
your training just because of one missed lift.
8)
Don’t be afraid of gaining
weight, the additional tissue will only help your leverages and make your
stronger.
9)
I used to think a 700 squat,
500 bench and 600 deadlift were big lifts, I thought like a big fish in a small
pond. When you suddenly have guys
around you moving weights hundreds of pounds above what you are using, or whose
speed weight is your max, you gain a new perspective on where you really stand.
10) Don’t always wear your gear. I used to never do a max effort lower move, no matter what it was
without at least my briefs on. I
started doing most of my max effort work without briefs on (save for squatting
moves) and it’s nice. I have to imagine
it will help make things stronger, plus it’s nice not being in tight gear all
the time.
11) Opie is a freak. 27
trips with the prowler after training, enough said.
12) Don’t piss Ted off; you don’t want to end up like Opie or
Dopie.
13) Surround yourself with strong, motivated, positive lifters
and you will succeed.
Training
with Diablo was well worth the time and money.
I learned a lot, and am perched to earn my elite at my next meet.