A few weeks back, I hosted my Powerlifting Program Design seminar and got to present my coaching and programming approach that I’ve developed over the past decade. That’s the good news. The bad news: I only got through about 75 percent of the material I planned to present. I guess I can be a bit long … Free Webinar: Hypertrophy for Powerlifters Read More » The post Free Webinar: Hypertrophy for Powerlifters appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

Here’s an age-old sports cliche: it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. When it comes to the bench press, it’s hard to finish what you started if you can’t lock out heavy weights. The lockout relies mostly on the triceps to extend the elbows. And while it doesn’t take much convincing to get … Top 5 Triceps Exercises to Improve Your Bench Press Lockout Read More » The post Top 5 Triceps Exercises to Improve Your Bench Press Lockout appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

Training for a powerlifting meet is like shooting at a moving target. It takes a delicate blend of art and science to be at your very strongest in all three lifts on one specific day.  A taper is a strategic reduction in training intensity and/or volume to reduce fatigue and improve performance on meet day. … How Long Should You Taper Before Your Powerlifting Meet? Read More » The post How Long Should You Taper Before Your Powerlifting Meet? appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

You’ll hear some coaches say, “Bigger isn’t stronger. Stronger is stronger.” Being jacked isn’t the only prerequisite for maximal strength. Otherwise, top bodybuilders would also dominate the powerlifting platform. But I firmly believe that being jacked gives you the potential to be a better powerlifter. More muscle mass means you’ve got more cross sectional area … You Probably Don’t Need to Train These 3 Muscle Groups Read More » The post You Probably Don’t Need to Train These 3 Muscle Groups appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

“Everything should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.”Albert Einstein I try to keep things simple when I coach. Lifting can be intimidating and this anxiety can interfere with the learning process. The worst thing I can do is muck it up with lots of complicated words and explanations.  Everyone learns differently, but over … My Top Coaching Cue for Each of the Big 3 Read More » The post My Top Coaching Cue for Each of the Big 3 appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

They say the journey is the destination. The chase is better than the catch. I think that’s why powerlifting is so fun. There’s so much preparation and build-up to a competition. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying to put yourself out there on one single day.  With that said, I see so many people piss away … 5 Things Powerlifters Should Do During Meet Week Read More » The post 5 Things Powerlifters Should Do During Meet Week appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

Coaching powerlifters on meet day has come to be one of my favorite things in the world. I take tremendous pride in watching my lifters lay it all on the line, channeling months (or even years) of effort into one single day. The drama, the attempt selection strategy, and ultimately, the satisfaction once the meet … 7 Strategies for Powerlifting Meet Attempt Selection Read More » The post 7 Strategies for Powerlifting Meet Attempt Selection appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

Specificity is one of the most important principles of strength training. The SAID principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) states that, in short, you get what you train for. So if you want to get better at squatting, you’ve gotta squat. Same goes for any of the other competitive powerlifts. However, the longer I’ve trained … How to Build Your Squat without Squatting Read More » The post How to Build Your Squat without Squatting appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, life has a way of cutting you down to size. That’s how I felt at last week’s IPL Drug Tested North American Championships in St. Louis. We took six lifters to this national-level meet and had a great showing, coming in second place in the … 5 Ways to Improve Your Squat Depth Read More » The post 5 Ways to Improve Your Squat Depth appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more

Few things can derail a lifter’s progress and send motivation spiraling into the gutter like lower back pain. The nature of powerlifting places high amounts of stress on the spine. Even when technique is on point and weight selection is appropriate, it’s common for lifters to experience lower back fatigue, tightness and even pain. Because … The Powerlifter’s Guide to Working Around Lower Back Pain Read More » The post The Powerlifter’s Guide to Working Around Lower Back Pain appeared first on BONVEC STRENGTH ..read more