Post by Joey Smith on Mar 11, 2008 23:58:42 GMT -5
Coaching Strategy 101
By Dr. Patrick Anderson
Coaching Committee Co-Chair
The purpose of this article is to discuss powerlifting coaching strategy as it pertains to in-meet coaching, with particular emphasis on national and international meet coaching. There are many equally important aspects of coaching such as: technique, nutrition, equipment, mental preparation, training routine, etc. that will determine a lifters ultimate performance. Meet strategy is one of the most overlooked and least understood aspects of becoming a champion powerlifter. What follows are six basic principles that will help you maximize your lifters performance at the meet.
1. Pre-meet preparation
With the recent advances made in technology, it is much easier to determine your competition and study their strengths and weaknesses. Through internet research and various powerlifting magazines, just about all USAPL meet results can be found. Internationally, it is a little more difficult but the progress of the majority of the top lifters can be followed online. The first thing you want to do is find the “knowns” in the particular weight class you are focused on. At most national and world championships there will be lifters returning from the previous year or years. In many cases, you can predict their upcoming total by tracking their progress from previous years. If you can get a hold of meet results listing all nine attempts that is an even bigger asset that will allow you to anticipate what kind of jumps your competition likes to take. When looking at past meet results expect history to repeat itself. In powerlifting, one meet is an indicator, two meets are a pattern, three or more meets are a trend and trends whether good or bad are difficult to break. Nothing is 100%, but don’t expect a lifter who has made 7/9 attempts or better three years running to get stuck with openers. On the flip side, a lifter who bombs out or comes close meet after meet, is probably going to total not much more than openers. The main areas you want to focus on are bodyweight changes or significant increases in one particular lift. When it comes time to deadlift, knowing what your competition can and can not lift becomes extremely important. It will put you in the position of “calling their bluff” so to speak when an attempt is posted that you know is out of their reach.
2. Open light, VERY light
I know this sounds obvious, but based on the number of bombouts at national and international meets it is not obvious enough. To emphasize the benefit of a light opener, imagine this scenario. Your lifter has consistently trained for 12 weeks leading up to the meet. Now, on the biggest set of the 12 weeks when the weight is near max and everything needs to be just right, you have your lifter pack up his gym bag and walk to the new gym next door. There, he does his heaviest training set on a completely different set of racks, on a different surface, with the platform elevated, and surrounded by bright lights and hundreds of people. He would think you were crazy for changing everything at the most crucial time. That is what you do every time you send your lifter out for his opener at a national or international meet. After warming up with different equipment, on a different surface that is located at ground level and with a wall five feet in front of the racks, you are forced to attempt your opener under completely different circumstances. The question you need to ask your lifter is how much can you make if you get to the platform late with just seconds to complete the lift? If you get out of the groove, if the lift off is bad, if you set-up uneven etc., what weight can you be assured of getting passed? The best rule of thumb is to open with something that you can complete successfully if everything goes wrong.
3. Value each attempt as if they were made of gold.
In football, offensive possessions are treasured and you may get 10-15 of them in a game. In powerlifting, attempts are like offensive possessions. It is your opportunity to put points up on the board and you only have nine of them. Every time you miss an attempt it is like a turnover, you lose a chance to score and momentum swings against you. With this in mind, choose your attempts carefully and avoid giving them away at all cost. It is not hard to find examples of this in action. At the 2002 USAPL Men’s Nationals, three classes were decided on the final deadlift attempt. In 2003, two classes (67.5 and 125 kgs) had only 25 kgs. separating the winner from 5th place. Every year at the Worlds it is even deeper and more competitive. When one or two missed attempts can mean the difference between winning a medal or watching the medal ceremony, significant attention needs to be put on attempt selection. There is no precise formula for how much you should jump between attempts, it varies from lifter to lifter and from lift to lift. A good constant is if you come down to two numbers to choose from, select the lower one in most cases. Overall, the benefit of making more meet lifts will outweigh the pounds left on the platform when the lift turns out to be below a maximum effort.
4. Second attempts build a bridge to a big total.
We’ve discussed the importance of openers, but if you get stuck with just them the meet is essentially over. If openers are the appetizers, then 2nd attempts are the entrées that put the meat into your total. A good strategy for picking your middle attempt in each discipline is to select a number that you can be sure of hitting in two tries. You never want to plan to miss an attempt, but even the best lifters have close calls go against them. Comeback lifts in powerlifting are an integral but difficult part of winning close battles. If the 2nd attempt is too high, you are going to be stuck with an opener and give away significant pounds. Often times on a comeback lift, the judges are going to be looking for whatever the reason the lift was turned down the first time. (more depth, a longer pause, etc.) In rare instances you might want to take a small jump after a missed 2nd attempt. Two things need to come together for this to be warranted. First, the attempt must be in the lift that your lifter is most confident about completing. As discussed above, there is enough built in pressure on a comeback attempt there is no need to add a lack of confidence into the mix as well. Also, this should only be tried when you are trailing or the underdog in the competition. If you are in the lead, the last thing you want to do is to give your competition hope. Repeat your 2nd attempt, put a few more pounds on your total, and watch your opponent squirm as their upset chances fade away.
5. Swing for the fences in your best lift.
Every lifter has one lift that he has the most confidence in making a successful big 3rd attempt. It is common in powerlifting to not worry about your competition until sub-total time and then attempt to pull whatever you need to win. The problem with this method is when your lifter is a great squatter or bencher but struggles in the deadlift. Then he leaves pounds on the bar on an easy third squat or bench and can’t budge the winning lift because it is 10 kgs. too heavy. In baseball, a prominent theory is to go for the big inning when the chance arises. Whether by swinging on a 3-0 count with the bases loaded or by taking an extra base on an errant throw, the goal is to put pressure on the other team and record a knockout punch early. In our sport, that translates into going for a big third attempt. It easy to load everything up on the final pull for the win, all that takes is a kilo chart and a calculator. A more aggressive attack is to take a big jump on a 3rd attempt squat or bench when the meet is still in doubt. The key here is knowing your lifter. Wade Hooper and Rob Wagner need to go for the win on their 3rd squat, leaving much less for the deadlift. The reverse is true for lifters like Charr Gahagan and Brad Gillingham. The other benefit to this strategy is that it builds momentum. Every great squatter or bencher will tell you that their confidence soars after hitting a big third attempt.
6. All attempts are not necessarily created equal.
We discussed the value of attempts earlier. Now it’s time to explain which ones are the most valuable and why. Regardless of strength level, deadlift attempts are the three most important lifts for winning close battles. If you are not one of the better deadlifters in your class, the best plan is to take just enough on each attempt to move you back ahead of your competition. When your lifter is in this position, the opener is crucial. If at all possible, you want to make a last minute change that will put you ahead of your opponent after openers. Then take conservative jumps and force your competitor to make three pulls to beat you. Even for the best deadlifters in the world, making three pulls at the end of a long hard day can be challenging. If you are not in the lead after openers the plan becomes simple. Go right to whatever you need to pass your opponent on your 2nd attempt and then do the same on the 3rd. Again this will force someone to make three pulls in order to beat you. If your lifter is the better deadlifter, the world is your oyster. You control all of the cards and your strategy is to suffocate your foe by making him run out of attempts while you wait him out. The opener isn’t as critical here because you will be following your opponent in future rounds anyway. However, if you need less weight to stay in front than your posted opener, lower it to just enough to stay in the lead. There is no use wasting precious strength at this point in the meet. The next attempt will be dictated by your competition and will allow you to watch the 3rd attempts to see where you stand. If the meet is still in doubt, pull the winning pull and go home. If you have clinched the win, it is PR/record time and you have the opportunity to go all out with nothing to lose.
There you have it. Six basic strategies to maximize your lifters performance on the platform. Add these to the other tools on your coaching belt and be prepared to be on the winning end of the close battles that await you in the future. Just make sure to keep this information out of the hands of the Russians!
By Dr. Patrick Anderson
Coaching Committee Co-Chair
The purpose of this article is to discuss powerlifting coaching strategy as it pertains to in-meet coaching, with particular emphasis on national and international meet coaching. There are many equally important aspects of coaching such as: technique, nutrition, equipment, mental preparation, training routine, etc. that will determine a lifters ultimate performance. Meet strategy is one of the most overlooked and least understood aspects of becoming a champion powerlifter. What follows are six basic principles that will help you maximize your lifters performance at the meet.
1. Pre-meet preparation
With the recent advances made in technology, it is much easier to determine your competition and study their strengths and weaknesses. Through internet research and various powerlifting magazines, just about all USAPL meet results can be found. Internationally, it is a little more difficult but the progress of the majority of the top lifters can be followed online. The first thing you want to do is find the “knowns” in the particular weight class you are focused on. At most national and world championships there will be lifters returning from the previous year or years. In many cases, you can predict their upcoming total by tracking their progress from previous years. If you can get a hold of meet results listing all nine attempts that is an even bigger asset that will allow you to anticipate what kind of jumps your competition likes to take. When looking at past meet results expect history to repeat itself. In powerlifting, one meet is an indicator, two meets are a pattern, three or more meets are a trend and trends whether good or bad are difficult to break. Nothing is 100%, but don’t expect a lifter who has made 7/9 attempts or better three years running to get stuck with openers. On the flip side, a lifter who bombs out or comes close meet after meet, is probably going to total not much more than openers. The main areas you want to focus on are bodyweight changes or significant increases in one particular lift. When it comes time to deadlift, knowing what your competition can and can not lift becomes extremely important. It will put you in the position of “calling their bluff” so to speak when an attempt is posted that you know is out of their reach.
2. Open light, VERY light
I know this sounds obvious, but based on the number of bombouts at national and international meets it is not obvious enough. To emphasize the benefit of a light opener, imagine this scenario. Your lifter has consistently trained for 12 weeks leading up to the meet. Now, on the biggest set of the 12 weeks when the weight is near max and everything needs to be just right, you have your lifter pack up his gym bag and walk to the new gym next door. There, he does his heaviest training set on a completely different set of racks, on a different surface, with the platform elevated, and surrounded by bright lights and hundreds of people. He would think you were crazy for changing everything at the most crucial time. That is what you do every time you send your lifter out for his opener at a national or international meet. After warming up with different equipment, on a different surface that is located at ground level and with a wall five feet in front of the racks, you are forced to attempt your opener under completely different circumstances. The question you need to ask your lifter is how much can you make if you get to the platform late with just seconds to complete the lift? If you get out of the groove, if the lift off is bad, if you set-up uneven etc., what weight can you be assured of getting passed? The best rule of thumb is to open with something that you can complete successfully if everything goes wrong.
3. Value each attempt as if they were made of gold.
In football, offensive possessions are treasured and you may get 10-15 of them in a game. In powerlifting, attempts are like offensive possessions. It is your opportunity to put points up on the board and you only have nine of them. Every time you miss an attempt it is like a turnover, you lose a chance to score and momentum swings against you. With this in mind, choose your attempts carefully and avoid giving them away at all cost. It is not hard to find examples of this in action. At the 2002 USAPL Men’s Nationals, three classes were decided on the final deadlift attempt. In 2003, two classes (67.5 and 125 kgs) had only 25 kgs. separating the winner from 5th place. Every year at the Worlds it is even deeper and more competitive. When one or two missed attempts can mean the difference between winning a medal or watching the medal ceremony, significant attention needs to be put on attempt selection. There is no precise formula for how much you should jump between attempts, it varies from lifter to lifter and from lift to lift. A good constant is if you come down to two numbers to choose from, select the lower one in most cases. Overall, the benefit of making more meet lifts will outweigh the pounds left on the platform when the lift turns out to be below a maximum effort.
4. Second attempts build a bridge to a big total.
We’ve discussed the importance of openers, but if you get stuck with just them the meet is essentially over. If openers are the appetizers, then 2nd attempts are the entrées that put the meat into your total. A good strategy for picking your middle attempt in each discipline is to select a number that you can be sure of hitting in two tries. You never want to plan to miss an attempt, but even the best lifters have close calls go against them. Comeback lifts in powerlifting are an integral but difficult part of winning close battles. If the 2nd attempt is too high, you are going to be stuck with an opener and give away significant pounds. Often times on a comeback lift, the judges are going to be looking for whatever the reason the lift was turned down the first time. (more depth, a longer pause, etc.) In rare instances you might want to take a small jump after a missed 2nd attempt. Two things need to come together for this to be warranted. First, the attempt must be in the lift that your lifter is most confident about completing. As discussed above, there is enough built in pressure on a comeback attempt there is no need to add a lack of confidence into the mix as well. Also, this should only be tried when you are trailing or the underdog in the competition. If you are in the lead, the last thing you want to do is to give your competition hope. Repeat your 2nd attempt, put a few more pounds on your total, and watch your opponent squirm as their upset chances fade away.
5. Swing for the fences in your best lift.
Every lifter has one lift that he has the most confidence in making a successful big 3rd attempt. It is common in powerlifting to not worry about your competition until sub-total time and then attempt to pull whatever you need to win. The problem with this method is when your lifter is a great squatter or bencher but struggles in the deadlift. Then he leaves pounds on the bar on an easy third squat or bench and can’t budge the winning lift because it is 10 kgs. too heavy. In baseball, a prominent theory is to go for the big inning when the chance arises. Whether by swinging on a 3-0 count with the bases loaded or by taking an extra base on an errant throw, the goal is to put pressure on the other team and record a knockout punch early. In our sport, that translates into going for a big third attempt. It easy to load everything up on the final pull for the win, all that takes is a kilo chart and a calculator. A more aggressive attack is to take a big jump on a 3rd attempt squat or bench when the meet is still in doubt. The key here is knowing your lifter. Wade Hooper and Rob Wagner need to go for the win on their 3rd squat, leaving much less for the deadlift. The reverse is true for lifters like Charr Gahagan and Brad Gillingham. The other benefit to this strategy is that it builds momentum. Every great squatter or bencher will tell you that their confidence soars after hitting a big third attempt.
6. All attempts are not necessarily created equal.
We discussed the value of attempts earlier. Now it’s time to explain which ones are the most valuable and why. Regardless of strength level, deadlift attempts are the three most important lifts for winning close battles. If you are not one of the better deadlifters in your class, the best plan is to take just enough on each attempt to move you back ahead of your competition. When your lifter is in this position, the opener is crucial. If at all possible, you want to make a last minute change that will put you ahead of your opponent after openers. Then take conservative jumps and force your competitor to make three pulls to beat you. Even for the best deadlifters in the world, making three pulls at the end of a long hard day can be challenging. If you are not in the lead after openers the plan becomes simple. Go right to whatever you need to pass your opponent on your 2nd attempt and then do the same on the 3rd. Again this will force someone to make three pulls in order to beat you. If your lifter is the better deadlifter, the world is your oyster. You control all of the cards and your strategy is to suffocate your foe by making him run out of attempts while you wait him out. The opener isn’t as critical here because you will be following your opponent in future rounds anyway. However, if you need less weight to stay in front than your posted opener, lower it to just enough to stay in the lead. There is no use wasting precious strength at this point in the meet. The next attempt will be dictated by your competition and will allow you to watch the 3rd attempts to see where you stand. If the meet is still in doubt, pull the winning pull and go home. If you have clinched the win, it is PR/record time and you have the opportunity to go all out with nothing to lose.
There you have it. Six basic strategies to maximize your lifters performance on the platform. Add these to the other tools on your coaching belt and be prepared to be on the winning end of the close battles that await you in the future. Just make sure to keep this information out of the hands of the Russians!