Improve your Form and Power by doing sets of 3, 2, or 1

A general rule: Do mini sets with ~50-75%, with short, 30-60 seconds of rest, intervals while performing reps as quickly as possible.  

Squat – 2 reps per set (15-25 total reps)

Bench press and Overhead press – 3 reps per set (18-30 total reps)

Deadlift – 1 rep per set (10-20 total reps)

The time in between sets should be a QUICK REFLECTION on how well you did during the set and what you will try to improve with the next set.

Below are some generic examples of things a lifter may be paying attention to. Keep in mind each lifter will have their own set of “things they need to focus on” and what needs attention is not restricted to the examples below.

Squat –

·         Fast?

·         Bracing hard?

·         Sitting back?

·         Driving the knees out?

·         Depth?

·         Chest up out of the hole?

Bench press –

·         Fast?

·         Bracing hard?

·         Chest up?

·         Legs tight?

Overhead press

·         Fast?

·         Bracing hard?

·         Legs tight?

·         Pressing backwards?

Deadlift

·         Back Flat?

·         Lats tight?

·         Weight back?

·         Bracing hard?

·         Pulling the slack out?

·         Fast?

I recommend the lifter solely focuses on the top 2 issues they consistently exhibiting errors in. As the sets persist, if the lifter is doing good with the top 2 issues, they can add another thing to focus on.

FAST!

Take a look at the generic list again and notice that each lift has FAST as a bullet point. We must assuming that the lifter has experience with the lifts and has a clear idea on how the lifts should be performed. If this not established doing the lifter is not ready for speed work just yet.  The goal of strength training is to be stronger. To be stronger you must produce more force. There are two ways to do this.

1.       Put more weight on the bar

2.       Move a weight faster

Why Dynamic Effort Works

Doing mini sets at a weight that is 50-75% allows us to focus on the key component for force development, speed. We want to improve movement quality at the fastest speed possible because this will recruit more motor units and increase the rate of force production. Thus, allowing us to develop the ability to improve form at a high speed.

Final Note

There is a time and place to train slow. When you first start off training and when you are coming back from an injury or training around an injury. Keep in mind training slowly makes you slow and it inherently reduced the weight off the bar. You must push your body ability to have the best form possible at the highest speed. So, listen to your body, reflect, pay attention and train fast!

How to Use Video Replay to Improve Form

Before you should analyze your own form you must know

1)      What you’re looking for

2)      How to correct it

3)      How to attempt to correct and then notice a change or no change

Here are a few common errors to look for in the Powerlifts

Squat - knees traveling forward, lack of depth, heels coming off the ground

Bench press - Body is moving a lot , chest either stays flat or moves up then down, lifter bar path is not in a smooth path

Deadlift - back rounds , jerking the weight off the floor, bar drifting away from the body

Here are few mental cues that can help with the above issues.

Squat - “butt back”, “knees out”, feel the weight over the middle of the foot

Bench press - “Big brace”, “chest up”, “Press back”

Deadlift - “chest up”, pull slow off the floor until it breaks the gound, “tight arm pits”

The example below is a session I had. I was performing a Cambered Bar Chain Box Squat. I used video review, analysis and intra set mental cueing to help improve my form.

First I must know how to perform a box squat

Box squat is performed by sitting the hips back, driving the knees out. Settle on the box and explode up using the hips. The shin angle should remain vertical throughout the duration of the lift.  (the shin angle is an indication that I am using my hips properly).

Set 1

I noticed the movement started with my knees moving forward and the the knees slide forward on the way up as well.

 Set 2 – Correction, Start by sitting the hips back

I did a good job sitting the hips back, but I saw my knees sliding forward ont eh way up

 Set 3 – Corrections, sit hip back then on the way up slide the knees back

After reviewing the third set, I was pleased with my shin angle, it was much more steady and the cues “sit the hips back” and “slide the knees back” seemed to work well because I saw a noticeable improvement in my shin angle throughout the third set.

There are many reasons to film your sets. But in this instance, I am only highlighting how to use video review to improve your form. Getting good at this is a beneficial skill a lifter, in my opinion, needs to development to get the best out of a training session. At the heart of it all is understanding what you are looking for and knowing  what  you should be trying to do.

CAUTION: after a certain percentage of 1RM the amount effort for perfection should be reduced to one simple cue.

In most cases its “Stay tight”, “Go fast” or “Stay with it”.

How to Plan Out Your Attempts at Your First Powerlifting Meet

So you signed up for your first powerlifting meet and you’re not sure what your attempts will be. Here are some guidelines that will help you pick the best attempts.

First and Foremost. LET YOUR EGO GO!!!.

You want to base your attempts off of objective factors like what you hit in the previous training block and if the lift was up to the powerlifting federation standards.

Hit a single two weeks out in all three lifts then analyze.

Squat

-          Was it deep enough?

-          How was the bar speed?

If hip crease was a it higher than depth but bar speed was very fast. Make it your third attempt at the meet. If it was very high and bar speed was slow, look to take off 20-30lbs and make that your 3rd attempt.

Bench press

-          Did you pause on the chest long enough?

-          Did you butt come off the bench or your feet move?

-          How was bar speed?

Holding the bar for what may seem like and extended amount of time is usually a big change. Also, the pause of the chest in training “seems” a lot longer than contest day. I recommend to pause on the chest for 3 seconds in training. If your last single was a short pause and was a grinder think about making your third attempt 5-10lbs lighter. If your butt comes off the bench aggressively and the bar moves fast consider taking 5-10lbs off and widening your foot stance to limit but coming up.  

Bench is tough because 5lb jump is a lot. One attempt may feel fast and explosive while 5 more lbs. to the bar you just seem to hit a wall

Deadlift

-          Did you ramp or hitch to get the weight up?

-          How slow was the bar speed?

-          Can you hold lockout for 5 seconds?

If you find pushing your knees forward after it passes your knees but the bar speed was good use the same weight or up to maybe 5kg heavier at the meet BUT make sure you keep your shoulders forward of the bar before you lockout. If the bar speed was slow but form standards were met 5 more lbs. at the meet. If you can’t hold the lockout for 5 seconds at the top lighten up 10-30lbs. if you cant hold on to the bar no one cares how much you can deadlift because it doesn’t count.

Reverse Engineer Success

So you have you’re third attempts lets back

Say these are your projected 3rd attempts (these are in kilos)

SQ – 130kg (286lbs)

BP – 65kg (143lbs)

Deadlift – 170kg (374lbs)

Here is what all three attempts will look like

SQ – 115kg/122.5kg/130kg (7.5kg/16lb increases)

BP – 60kg/62.5kg/65kg (2.5kg/5lb increases)

DL – 150kg/160kg/170kg (10kg/22lb increases)

Openers should be around 90% of your projected 3rd attempts.  

Extra Pointers

If you create your attempts and the openers you created are weights that you cannot hit any day of the week under any conditions LOWER THEM to a weight you can do on your worst day ever.

If a lift is much heavier than expected but you get it do 2.5kg jumps. This is your default increase option and supersedes your current plan.

If it is your first attempt and you miss a lift due to technical issues, like missing a command, not going deep enough, or not pause long enough or ramping TAKE THE SAME WEIGHT AGAIN. You need to get a successful attempt under your belt for a total.

Be Open and Accept the Outcome

Powerlifting has high standards on what is considered a good rep. Competing at powerlifting meets tells you how…

-          Good your technique is

-          Adaptable you are to variables

-          Well you plan in advance

-          Well you handle stress

-          Well you handle your ego

-          Well you handle your own thoughts and

-          Well you perform under pressure

-          Well you picked your attempts

You might have a great meet; you might set PRs you might not. The key to successful powerlifting is being objective, create a successful plan, perform to the best of your ability, not listening to your ego and reflecting after it’s over. The faster you can accept the outcome the faster you will be a stronger lifter.