STRENGTH TRAINING PRINCIPLES FOR CONTACT SPORT A/R FOOTBALL - By David Sedunary

In 2017 I became the strength coach of my local Australian Rules Football Club. I could see the need for getting the players stronger and bigger, for obvious reasons such as preventing them being intimidated on the football field, becoming better conditioned and the prevention of injuries. I contacted my friend Bob Whelan through WebStrengthCoach.com to help me design a program based on the goals and equipment available.

Unfortunately, after 8 weeks the Coach of the team saw no benefit in strength training for his players, and the program folded. He was a non-believer, after 5 years the Club continues to be unsuccessful, and lose on a regular basis, and are still bullied and intimidated. Regardless of what others think of strength training I am a firm believer in getting athletes stronger and better conditioned, they will benefit, have less injuries and play longer and stronger. I hope you get benefit out of the principles below; they are basic and true. It would be great if you could instigate them into your local Football Club, it will take time, but eventually with discipline and consistency you will be successful.

How to get the most out of your workouts

• Muscular Strength is one of the most crucial factors to a Footballer.

• It is my feeling that strength training has had the greatest effect on the improvement of athletic performance, more than any other variable.

Why? 

1. It provides the power behind every movement.

2. Because of the role it plays in protecting the Footballer from injury.

• Stronger muscles enable a Footballer to kick farther, hit the ball harder, tackle harder and not get knocked off the ball so easily.

• Stronger muscles also provide increased joint stability- whether it is ankle, knee, shoulder, hip, neck, elbow, or wrist.

• Many Athlete/ Footballers have strength training programs of some form or fashion. The results that are gained through from the vast amount of training time and effort fall far short of what they should be.

• Most Footballers lightly scratch the surface of their potential

The problems seem to stem from:

1. Faulty training techniques, which limit results and contribute to injuries, and 

2. Lack of understanding built on extensive list of myths and superstitions, such as what is the right way to build strength? How often should I train? Which methods should you use? What exercises are best?

How can one distinguish between Fact and Folly?

This presentation was put together to answer these questions and provide Football players with some basic guidelines to use in establishing sound strength training knowledge and programs.

I will present 6 basic strength training principles

Principle 1. 

Strength training must be progressive: you should constantly attempt to increase the resistance or repetitions in every workout.

(Force your body to use its reserve ability; it forces muscle to get stronger).

 In general, best results will occur when repetitions are kept in the 8 to 12 range.

If you perform less than 6 reps of an exercise, little in roads are made into your reserve ability.

 When you perform 8-10 reps in good form increase the resistance by 5%, in that exercise at the next workout.

 Never terminate a set simply because a certain number of reps have been completed.

Training should be done to build strength, not to demonstrate it; therefore, how much you can lift for one rep should be avoided. (Do not throw a weight or jerk a weight it5 will damage connective tissue)

THE CORNERSTONE OF STRENGTH TRAINING IS PROGRESSION, OR CONSTANTLY TRYING TO INCREASE THE WORKLOAD AT EACH TRAINING SESSION.

Principle 2.

The building of strength is related to the intensity of exercise; the higher the intensity, the better the muscles are stimulated.

The set that is terminated prior to the point of failure, will not involve the maximum number of muscle fibers.

 If one decreases the intensity of effort, a reduction in results will occur.

Example of working hard or hard training-   is the last 2 reps of an exercise are extremely hard to perform in good style.

HIGH INTENSITY OF MUSCULAR CONTRACTION IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN EXERCISE PERFORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCREASING MUSCULAR STRENGTH.

THAT IS WHY your workouts are supervised.

Principle 3.

Each repetition should be performed with special attention given to a slow speed of movement, a vast range of movement, and pre stretching of the involved muscles.

 The speed of movement must not be too fast, or too slow. Reps performed in a slow smooth manner, apply steady force throughout the entire movement. (2 to 3 seconds up)

Special attention should be given to the lowering portion (eccentric contraction) of all exercises. (4 to 6 seconds down)

Jerky movements should be avoided at all costs.

3 to 4 times the actual; weight is directed on the muscles and joints if we jerk or throw a weight.

 The range of movement from full extension to full flexion of each rep should be as great as possible.

LIFTING A WEIGHT IS NOT ENOUGH, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. HOW YOU LIFT A WEIGHT IS A FACTOR OF GREATER IMPORTANCE.

REMEMBER: TAKE APPROXIMATELY 2 SECONDS TO RAISE A WEIGHT AND 4 SECONDS TO LOWER A WEIGHT. I PREFER TO REST THE WEIGHT FOR 2 SECONDS AT THE BOTTOM, BEFORE RAISING AND 2 SECONDS AT THE TOP BEFORE LOWERING. THIS CREATES GOOD FORM, AND FAR LESSENS THE CHANCE OF INJURY.

Principle 4.

Exercise should be selected that involve the greatest range of movement of the major muscle groups.

 The greater mass of muscle involved the greater the value of the exercise. For example, the Squat, Dead lift, Chin up, Dip, Press, Bench press, Lat Pull downs. (Compound exercises, which involve rotation of two or more joints, the standing press involve movement around the elbow and shoulder joint).

The following exercises, grouped by muscle group and equipment, are applicable to most strength training programs, such as the program the West Football Club are using.

Buttocks/lower back ----    Squat /Trap Bar Dead lift, Leg Press,                    Hyper extension

Quadriceps-------------- Squat, Leg press, Leg Extension.

Hamstrings ------------Squat, Leg press, Leg Curl.

Calves-------------------Calve Raises, Leg Press

Latissimus dorsi----------Chin up, Pull down on lat machine, rowing

Deltoids --------------------Press, forward raise, side raise.

Pectorals -------------------Bench Press, Parallel dips,

Biceps--------------------- Curl, chin up.

Forearms ----------------Wrist curl, wrist roller

Abdominal muscles--------------------------Sit up, side bend, leg raise.

Neck-- Neck harness, tension using ball.

 Principle 5.

Increases in strength are best produced by very brief and infrequent training.

 High intensity training must be very brief. It is impossible to have both high intensity exercise and a large amount of exercise. Many Footballers / Athletes make the mistake of performing far too many exercises, too many sets, too many workouts in each period. (Total recovery between workouts becomes impossible)

 Seldom perform more than 1 set of any exercise in the same training session.

 A well supervised, (as we do) properly conducted, strength training session should not exceed 30 minutes.

Can look like below:

 Program 1# of B Press, or  Dips, Chins,   or Dumb bell rows , Squats,

 calve raises, crunch sit up , and neck  exercises performed to the limit, of one all out set per exercise will take no longer than 30 minutes and covers the whole body.

Program 2# Overhead press, Lat pulldowns, Trap bar deadlift, barbell curls, side bends, neck, c raises.

There should be at least 48 hours rest between high intensity workouts, sometimes longer. Strength training breaks the muscle tissue down and you need give it time to replenish and grow. Do not exhaust the nervous system by training to hard and too long. Less is always best.

An advanced trainee does not need more exercise than a beginner; he needs harder exercise and, in most cases, less exercise.

DURING THE OFF-SEASON TRAIN TWICE A WEEK, DURING THE SEASON A PLAYER/ATHLETE NEEDS ONE HARD SESSION A WEEK OR TWICE ONE WEEK AND TWO THE NEXT WEEK, TO KEEP AND INCREASE THE STRENGTH GAINED DURING THE OFF SEASON.

Note:

During a hard football season of 20 matches a player trains his skills twice a week and plays once a week.

He needs to rest and is prone to overtrain, therefore less is best during a season in regard to weight training.

I found when I played Football at the highest level for 14 years weight training for 30 minutes twice one week and once the next week was plenty.

And after 6 weeks I had a week off, when I came back, I attempted to get stronger.

Strength training: advantages for football

1. Increases all round physical toughness and hardihood.

2. Supreme health builder.

3. Correct training improves flexibility.

4. Strengthens joints and connective tissue.

5. Improves speed (muscle can contract quicker).

6. Improves balance and c o ordination.

7. Improves performance on the field.

8. Reduces and protects against injury.

9. To intimidate a strong, strength trained Footballer, who has reached his potential in strength, is not a good move.

David Sedunary in his Playing days.

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Abbreviated, Not Minimalist Training - By RJ Hicks, MS, CSCS

There are many lifters that are confusing an abbreviated training philosophy with a minimalist training approach. This group of lifters look to do the minimal amount of work in a training session and take long layoffs between workouts in fear of over training. Many of them refuse to do any additional exercise outside of their lifting, as it is dangerous and will cause them to lose strength. No workout they do seems to take longer than 20 minutes. 

Most of the lifters who fall into this category are over sensitive to injury and over training. They often have an average build and look lean, but in dress clothes you could never tell they were lifters. They love to read and talk about training, but hate to do it themselves. For some lifters, they use it as a weak excuse to not work hard. These lifters will tell you they respond best to a low volume. Then with the next breath claim that they have reached their genetic potential after two years of training. Many of these lifters haven’t been training long enough to know this and have most likely made it up in their mind.

This minimalist philosophy stems from the believe of performing the least amount of work possible to stimulate muscular growth.  Many lifters love this approach, but then are confused as to why they are not bigger and stronger several months down the road. They do not want to dedicate the time and effort it takes to train the whole body hard and progressively. Many of them have never overtrained before, but find it easier to explain their lack of results. They fail to realize that performing the bare minimum amount of lifting, cardiovascular training and eating will only bring them minimal results.

Too many lifters confuse high training volume and high training frequency. Training volume is the amount of exercise you perform while you are at the gym for a given workout. Frequency is the number of times you go to the gym. Most lifters are going to the gym too many times rather than performing too much volume during their workout. The body needs less visits to the gym not shorter workouts. An hour-long workout is an abbreviated workout if you are training your whole body. You are not going to over train by doing more than one set per muscle group. More than likely, you will actually obtain better results.  

Read any of the muscular hypertrophy research by Dr. Brad Scheinfeld. His studies suggest up to 10 sets per muscle group per week is required to maximize muscular size and strength in most lifters. Many of the basic compound exercise have a great deal of muscle overlap, but performing only four or five total sets in a routine is far from optimizing your potential. It can really benefit you to perform a second work set on many of the basic exercise or include a few additional exercises for a more rounded workout. This will put you closer to Dr. Scheinfeld’s research and is a far cry from what drug infested bodybuilding champions try to promote.

Minimalist training is the result of taking abbreviated training to the extreme. There is a big difference between having an extra day of rest and taking a whole week off between workouts. Once a week is not enough training to maximize the potential of most people. Certain exercises such as the deadlift are best trained once every seven to ten days, but a majority of the other basic exercises will benefit from a slightly higher volume of exposure.  Too much time off in the weight room will lead to deconditioned muscles and eventually atrophy. Especially if you are training with such a low training volume. If you hate lifting and only have time once a week, then once a week is better than not training at all. But if you are serious about maximizing your potential then you will find a way to train the whole body twice every seven to ten days most of the time.  

Many minimalists avoid all extra training outside of their once weekly workout to include any cardiovascular exercise. They like to pretend it is redundant and unnecessary for the body to preform any additional anaerobic or aerobic work. One workout a week with short rest intervals and a high level of effort may be enough to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but it is not enough to maximize the health benefits of being active and your cardiovascular ability.  Two to three cardiovascular workouts should be completed to help you recover better during workouts, burn more calories and improve your endurance outside of the gym.  The current literature on concurrent training (performing both weight training and cardiovascular exercise) shows that a moderate amount of cardiovascular training has no significant negative affect on strength training. As long is cardiovascular training is not over done your weight training workouts will not be affected at all. 

This same group of minimalists often times push long fasting windows, usually eating only one meal a day, hardly ever eating any carbohydrates. Diet recommendations should always come from a registered dietitian, but I can tell you eating one meal a day is not going to maximize your muscular growth. Registered dietitians may recommend a heavy protein feeding once a day to a client who is pre-diabetic or attempting to lose weight by reducing blood sugar levels and caloric intake. Not to someone who is looking to build muscular size and strength. Fueling your body with enough proper nutrition is just as important as your training, you cannot skim on either! 

If you want to be a closet lifter where nobody can tell you lifts weights, then train once a week in a minimalist fashion. You will still capitalize on the numerous health benefits and slowly continue to improve your strength if you remain progressive with your training. If you want to maximize your muscular and strength potential then you will need to train and eat more than just the bare minimum. Stop looking at how little you can do in the weight room and start looking at the optimal amount of work for the greatest results!

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Less Is More - By David Sedunary

I have always been a hard gainer, found it exceedingly difficult to gain size, but fortunately the strength was there but not always the size. From 1980 through till the year 2000 I operated a gym in the back yard of my home.

The gym was a shed 16 feet by 20 feet in size lined and filled with a power rack, benches, plenty of plates, dumb bells, bars, a boxing bag, skipping ropes, dip and chin bars, lat pulldown machine, heavy bags to carry and use for farmers walk, and odd bars and devices to strengthen one’s hands and grip. I taught weight training and my father taught boxing, it was old style, it brought results, and the people who attended loved it.

Those who trained, trained no more than three times a week and most only twice a week. The basics were used, and all were instructed to use correct form and focus at all times. I tolerated no talking throughout the workout only hard work and concentration.

Anyone under eighteen paid $3-50 and an adult paid $5 a workout and I was always there to offer instruction. My main source of information was Peary Rader’s Iron Man Magazine, not only for training information, but also the weight training equipment Peary offered in the back of his magazine.

I was having problems gaining size and terrible frustrated, so in August 1985 I decided to write to Peary Rader for help. Peary wrote back in September 1985 (letter enclosed) I explained to him I was working hard, but the gains were not forthcoming. Peary thanked me for my letter and explained to me I was doing too much and needed to take, a two-week break, reduce my workout from three days a week to two, reduce the number of exercises I was doing and perform one hard set on the basic movements.

Take two weeks off said Peary Rader, and you will come back strong, your body will soften and respond better for growth after rest. Concentrate he said on the high rep squat, aim for ten reps, the first ten reps are warmups take 5 to 6 deep breaths between squats and do number 11, repeat, and do twelve until you get 20 reps.

Keep the squat your last exercise.

The other exercises will be the Bench press for ten reps, then do ten reps of a rowing exercise, Peary suggested a curl and a behind neck press. Only do one set for each exercise, and see if that is enough, he said. Train twice a week, drink two quarts of whole milk a day and eat well, you may get a bit soft around the waist, but do not worry about that said Peary.

It was only a small program, but Peary Radar gained near one hundred pounds in a year on it, he went years with no gains at all on a mainstream program that promised the world.

So, I took my rest for two weeks, got my mind positive into believing Less is More, and done exactly what Peary Rader suggested. I ate three large meals a day and added to two quarts of milk a day with one cup of skimmed milk powder and cocoa for taste to the milk.

I gained ten pounds in bodyweight in 3 months and my squat went to 280 pounds for twenty tough repetitions in good style., bench press was 250 pounds for six reps, behind neck press 140 pounds for 8 reps, Dumb bell rows 122 pounds for 8 reps, and curls 120 pounds for 6 reps.

At 34 years young my body weight went from 178 pounds to 188 pounds, with a 36-inch waist.

So as Peary said you will accumulate a bit of softness around the waist.

After that experience Less is More for me and has been since 1985 when I wrote to Peary for advice, and he responded in his honest and knowledgeable style

So, after 37 years I still use Peary’s advice Less is More it is hard to get through to people today who want to train four and six days a week a week using split programs. They last 6 months and never train again,

Weight training is for life, I am into my 55 year of weight training and still love it. Started when I was 15 am now seventy. I train once every 5-day one hard set to failure on each exercise, use good form, and focus strongly on a horizontal push exercise, a horizontal pull, vertical push. Vertical pull, a compound exercise, and a curl that is it. I never get injured.

 I am going to stick with Less is More.

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Gronk Visits the Troops at Randolph AFB - Signs RJ Hicks football

Captain RJ Hicks, USAF, gets his football signed by Rob Gronkowski at Randolph AFB, TX. Pretty cool! Gronk is huge! 

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Piecing Your Workout Together - By RJ Hicks, MS, CSCS

There are many unaccounted variables that are not laid out when a beginner is presented the basics of training. It is easy to say, train the whole body twice every seven to ten days, progressively, with the basic compound exercises, but it can be challenging to write out. You may not know what exercises are best to use to cover the basic planes of motion or which method of progression is best. It is tough to create a routine without specific training goals. 

Your specific training goals are the most important question to creating the best training routine for you. General goals of increasing size and strength are good, but the more specific you can get the more likely your program is to be successful for you. The specific goals of your training help determine the best exercises and equipment to use, the priority of exercises they should be completed in and the best methods of progression to implement. 

Exercise Selection

When designing your own routine, you want to first ask yourself what exercises do I want to improve on? The exercises you decide to perform are the specific exercises you are going to increase your strength with. If you train progressively with the barbell bench you can expect your barbell bench pressing numbers to go up. If you train progressively on the Hammer Strength Chest Press you can expect the same for your numbers on the Hammer Strength Chest Press. Both horizontal pushing movements will increase the size and strength of the same muscle groups, but will not guarantee an increase in strength between the two. 

There is no direct correlation between free weights and machines. You cannot compare them because they are completely different exercises. Just like if you were trying to compare a barbell bench press and a dip. The muscles used are similar, but the movements are different. The barbell bench press and Hammer strength Chest Press have their own specific motor learning patterns. Your nervous system looks at each exercise as an individual skill. A skill that takes several weeks of practice to enhance performance. Motor learning experts suggest that practice must be exact, not similar, for there positive transfer in skills. 

It is inefficient to train with a barbell in hopes to increase your strength on a specific machine and vice versa. What determines which exercises are better are your training goals. If your goal is to increase your barbell bench press then you will include the barbell bench press in your routine. If your goal is to increase the amount you can perform on the Hammer Strength Deadlift, then you will have to include the Hammer Strength Deadlift. You can perform the Hammer Strength Chest Press and a barbell deadlift to assist some with both of the aforementioned exercise, but the most effective way to improve your performance on a specific lift is to train that specific lift.

Pick a specific compound exercise or two for the horizontal/vertical pushing and pulling for the upper body. Then do the same for a lower body push and pull movement. There is no answer on what you should pick, other than which ones are safe for you to perform and that you have interest in improving on. If you chose an additional compound lift you can alternate between two workouts for the added variety. These exercises can change overtime, but it is wise to give them at least four to five months of consistency to give your training enough time to work.

Sequencing your Exercises

When it comes to sequencing your exercises, you want to ask yourself two things. What are my priority exercises and how can I maximize by performance on my selected exercises? There is no one best method for sequencing your exercises. It doesn’t matter if you start with lower body first or upper body first. It doesn’t matter if you start with a pulling exercise first or with a pushing exercise instead. It doesn’t matter if you perform your vertical pushing and pulling movements before you perform the horizontal pushing and pulling movements or vice versa. What matters is that you sequence your exercises based off of your specific goals.

The most important exercises should always be sequenced at the start of the routine. This is when you have most energy and will most likely do the best at the exercise you do first. If your main priority is to increase your performance on the chin-up then chin-ups should be the first exercise you perform. You want to perform the chin-ups when you have the most amount of strength, performing any other exercise that may take away from the chin-up’s performance. From there you would be able to sequence the rest of the workout picking either the next priority exercise if you had one or by strategically sequencing your exercise for optimal performance. 

The goal of sequencing exercises should always be on how to maximize your individual performance on each movement. You selected each exercise for a purpose so you should order them in a way that benefits you the most. Do you do best training legs first? Or are you physically drained after performing heavy squats, deadlifts and or leg presses? Can you do back-to-back compound exercises for the upper body or do you need more built-in rest? Obviously if you are competing in a specific strength sport there is a set sequence you must follow, but outside of that you need to sequence your exercises to optimize your performance. 

There are many different tactics you can use to strategically sequence your workouts for optimal results. Most good routines follow an upper body pushing movement with an upper body pulling movement to allow more rest for the primary muscles involved. A common example of this is performing the seated row followed by the military press. If more than one set is desired you would continue to alternate between the two exercises until all sets were complete. A second tactic for more rest is to sprinkle in the tinkering exercises, as Bob refers to them, (abs, grip, neck, calves) periodically into the routine to act as additional built-in rest. Sticking with the first example you could follow the first set up seated row and military press with neck flexion and neck extension prior to performing a second round of the seated row and military press. A more extreme example would be placing an easy exercise between each compound movement. You could perform the seated row, neck flexion/neck extension, military press, abdominal flexion then repeat the cycle or move on to another compound exercise. A third tactic is to save your hardest compound exercises for the end of the workout. You can place the leg press after the two cycles of seated row and military press so there is no concern of the leg press negatively affecting the amount of weight you can lift on the seated row and military press. It is all specific to your individual goal. You can decide what order is best as long as you end up getting all the exercises done and stay consistent with the order you perform them. 

Number of Repetitions

As a beginner it is important to understand that all reasonable sets and reps’ schemes work If done in a progressive manner. You can get stronger utilizing low reps or high reps, as long as the weight is heavy relative to the number of repetitions being performed and that the set number of reps falls within the anaerobic energy system timeframe. The key however, is that each set needs to have a repetition goal. The repetition goal is a guide for adding weight. That being said your set/rep goals are specific in nature just as the exercises you choose and the order of exercises you perform. 

Progress in a specific repetition range is specific to the number of repetitions you actually perform. You will always improve the most on the repetition ranges you consistently perform for a given exercise. If the goal is 8 repetitions you will be improving your ability to lift heavier weights for around 8 repetitions. The further away your goal becomes from the actual number of repetitions you perform the least effect your training becomes. This is common sense, but many exercise programs will have you train with moderate to high repetitions for several weeks then have you attempt a one repetition maximum.  

Your goal determines how many repetitions you should utilize not the recommendation of an on-line authority in the field. If you are competing in a strength sport you will program low repetitions a majority of the time in the competition lifts. If you are an athlete looking to compete in a non-strength sport, your goal will be a repetition range that utilizes primarily the same energy system as does your sport. If your goal is to improve your 20-rep squat then you must squat for 20 repetitions. If you are consistent in a specific repetition range your weight you can handle for that repetition range will significantly increase.

Putting it all Together

Spend sometime and determine your specific personal strength training goals. Most people who lift weights want to increase muscular size and strength, but the more specific you can be the more effective your training will be. Spend some time and determine your specific personal strength training goals for right now. Find the exercises you want to improve on the most, determine how you want to measure the performance and the most effective way for you to complete all of the exercises and stick with it for four to five months. Your specific goals will (and should) always change down the road, but you must give the current routines enough time to work. 

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Remembering Marvin Eder - By Bob Whelan

Editors Note: I already wrote this in HardGainer 2.0 (issue #12) but I just realized I did not put anything on NaturalStrength, so here it is: 

I wanted to acknowledge the passing of Iron Game legend Marvin Eder on February 1, 2022, at the age of 90. Marvin was known as “the biceps from the Bronx” and was one of the greatest figures in the history of Physical Culture. In my opinion, he was pound-for- pound the strongest drug-free man ever!

My good friend and great Iron Game historian, Osmo Kiiha, gave me Marvin’s phone number in the late 1990s, and we became friends. We had many long conversations over more than 20 years. I even had him as a guest on my podcast. Marvin was the recipient of the Physical Culture Award at my final Capital City Strength Clinic.

Here’s what Osmo wrote about Marvin:

“Marvin set the strength world on notice in the early 1950s. His incredible power, along with a world-class physique, set him apart from other men of his era. He had tremendous natural gifts: thick joints, great leverage. All his lifting was done way before the era of drugs.

“Marvin’s strength feats were almost superhuman; he was able to surpass the efforts of almost all super-heavies of the time, [although] weighing only 196-198 pounds. He was the third man in the world to bench press 500 pounds and the only man under 200 pounds to accomplish this fabulous feat in the 1950s. His one single parallel bar dip has never been equaled: 434 pounds, at the bodyweight of 198. He cleaned and military pressed 355 as a middle-heavyweight in 1953, which exceeded the official American record by 74 pounds; but due to being declared a professional athlete at the time, he was unable to claim his rightful place as the American and world record holder.

“Marvin was the original high intensity training kid; very few could stand up to his training volume or load. Truly, Marvin Eder was pound-for-pound the Strongest Man who ever walked the face of the earth.”

Rest in peace Marvin. You’ll be missed! 

Below is an autographed picture that Marvin gave me. It was on the wall at WST for many years. I still have it hanging in my bedroom. 

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A Training Philosophy - By Jim Duggan

     The July 1971 issue of Strength and Health magazine was devoted to the idea of family fitness.  There were articles extolling the virtues of exercise and how everyone- young, old, men, and women- can and should practice a healthy lifestyle.  Even Bob Hoffman’s editorial, “Physical Fitness for All,” addressed the need for health, fitness, and exercise.  You might think that there was nothing of interest for someone who followed weightlifting and was interested in getting stronger.  

     Alas, on page forty-four under the heading of “Lifter’s Platform” there was a nice article that could have easily have escaped the attention of most readers.  I’m so glad that it caught my attention because it was written by five-time world champion Yuri Vlasov of the old Soviet Union, who passed away a little over a year ago.  It’s worth doing a little research on Mr. Vlasov if only because he was not only a world class lifter, but he led what can only be described as a remarkable life after he walked away from the platform.  

     While the article itself does go into detail about sets, reps, and percentages, there are numerous references to his overall training philosophy as it applies to competing and getting stronger.  While at first it may seem a bit incongruous for an article written by a Soviet era lifter to be useful to a drug-free lifter, his thoughts and ideas can easily be used by anyone seeking to build strength.  Anyone who “hoists the steel” can benefit from the words of wisdom that Mr. Vlasov first shared with the readers of Strength and Health over fifty years ago.  

     “The absolute guarantee of success in sport is the creative approach to training.”  My interpretation of this is that while there are many requirements for any successful strength training program- hard work, poundage progression, adequate recovery- you must find out what works for you specifically and, just as important, what does not.  You cannot simply follow the routine of someone else.  This is where the “creative approach” comes into play.  If you train long enough, you will find out what works for you and develop methods to maximize your gains.

     “It is useful to keep a scrupulous training diary from year to year and later choose those exercises and methods which are most reasonable and suitable for you.”  This is related to the previous paragraph insofar as it relates to being creative and choosing movements that work for you.  However, it is only after keeping meticulous records of your training over the period of months and years that you will be able to adequately determine just what exercises work best.  This underscores the absolute importance of keeping a training diary or journal.  Many strength authors have commented on the importance of maintaining a workout notebook, so I will not repeat what should already be obvious.  I’ll just say that training journals are an invaluable tool for not only tracking your progress, but measuring what works and what doesn’t.

     “An essential circumstance, on which much depends, is the individuality of training for each sportsman.”  Basically, you cannot try to use a “one size fits all” approach to training.  Naturally, if you want to get bigger and stronger, you must utilize the basics.  Squats, Bench Presses, Deadlifts and other basic movements.  But how often should you perform each lift?  Should you do your squats using a wide or narrow stance?  No two lifters are alike.  My friend Larry Licandro used to squat three times per week.  I was never able to follow such a schedule. On the other hand, Larry could never figure out how I was able to make gains by Bench Pressing only once per week.  But it worked for me, and that’s what mattered.  We each trained according to what was best for us.  “It is inadmissibly nearsighted to mimic the training of so-called authorities.”  You know yourself better than anybody else.  If you try to imitate someone else, you will wind up being a poor imitation.

     “By no means should you overwork yourself.”  These words, when they appeared in Strength and Health in 1971, were intended for Olympic weightlifters.  However, they are equally applicable today to any person who lifts.  This is particularly important for drug-free trainees.  It  has been stated many times that you can train hard, or you can train long, but you cannot do both.  This is why it is foolish to try to follow some split-routine, bodypart routin, unless you are simply engaged in a “pumping” routine, in which case you are already wasting your time.  Two or three full-body workouts per week with adequate rest between workouts will build size and strength more effectively than any “pumping routine” gleaned from the muscle comics.

     “The psychological factor also plays a large role in success.”  This is the ability to believe in one’s own strength and success.  It is also crucial to not fear the weights.  One of my favorite all-time favorite quotes is as follows:  The weight must not be feared.  It must fear you.”  You have to have confidence in your ability to lift the heaviest of weights.  But where does that confidence come from?  It comes from years of training and demonstrated ability.  It doesn’t happen by magic.  You have to pay your dues and put in the requisite work in order to develop the ability to approach a heavy weight with confidence.  

     “In training, it is necessary to be patient and not expect miracles-almost instant results.”  This one should be obvious, especially to anyone who has been lifting weights for any appreciable length of time.  Building strength requires hard work, determination, persistence, and patience.  Ignore anybody who guarantees instant results.  There is no secret routine, no miracle supplement which will transform you overnight.  “Whatever path you take it is a path of labor.  Hard, thoughtful labor.  Only then your dreams will come true, without fail they will come true.”  The final sentence was one of encouragement, but in lifting, as in life, hard work usually leads to success, and success means happiness.

     There is one final quote from Mr. Vlasov that I would like to include.  It didn’t come from the article in Strength and Health, rather it was after a world championship in which he battled it out with American lifter Norbert Schemansky.  “Norbert Schemansky is the greatest and strongest athlete I have ever seen.”  I couldn’t end this article without a reference to one of the greatest weightlifters that America has ever produced.  Schemansky and Vlasov competed against each other many times and developed a mutual respect for each other that transcended politics.  Any person wishing to get stronger would be wise to listen to the words of wisdom from either of these legendary lifters.

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Leadership - By David Sedunary

When I visited Brad Steiner and trained under him for 2 weeks, in May 2014, we spoke of many subjects and issues, one such subject was Leadership.

I had just retired from my job, and I had taught leadership with the help of another trainer. The course I taught was broken into subjects such as Communication, Leadership, and Managing Difficult people, which what we all do every day. I was fascinated to ask Brad as to me he was a natural Leader, had attended no College and had not completed any such courses in Leadership.

During the training I encountered many difficult people along the way, and Brad’s knowledge on the subject allowed me to answer some of those questions and difficulties I had. In our lives we have to show Leadership in all we do such a raising a family, Weight training , fitness and health,  working at a job you love, and generally being a good person. I used my tape recorder for all our conversations I am glad I did, as what I recorded for 2 weeks was gold. 

Below is mostly Brad Steiner’s interpretation plus some of my own.

 Leadership

To be a good leader you first must become so good in what you are intending to lead others in that they seek and appreciate your leadership (Australian Rules Football or Soccer two). They have respect and confidence in you. 

My advice is not to worry about "being a leader" at all. Just concentrate on doing what you love and enjoy and doing it so well that you rise to a level of achievement that draws others to you. Learn to be patient, courteous, respectful of everyone who comes to you (until or less they betray you) and treat all with whom you deal with, with utmost dignity and honesty. "Leading" them then becomes easy. 

Pay no attention at all to leadership "programs" or "courses". These teach you gimmicks and tactics for MANIPULATING people. Sooner or later, even if you become good at that garbage, it will backfire on you. Competence, reliability, trustworthiness, fairness, an uncompromising willingness to take responsibility for those under you, and compassion coupled with sympathy and empathy would be what I recommend to any "leader" if he really wants to be a leader. Not "seeming" to be all those things; but and truly BEING THEM.

Do not worry about the past. Nothing can be done about that which has already been done. Just resolve to do your best from here on in and learn from past mistakes.

Personal confidence come from demanding of yourself that you do that which instils a bit of fear and anxiety. Not terror and a paralyzing fear that you will never make it, but a moderate amount of fear. Then continue doing this, always increasing the challenges. Start right now. What means a lot to you, yet you have hesitated to begin? Do it now. Then pick something else. Follow that road. As you accumulate the experience of seeing that you can accomplish what you were not able to do previously, your confidence will grow. If that which you want to do is legal, harms no one, and is fundamentally rational, you should have no hesitation about forging ahead. And do not stop trying. Failures are steppingstones to successes. If you do not fail a lot, you will never succeed.

You be the judge of what success means to YOU. Listen to no one who tells you what you "should" succeed in or desire in your life. No one cares about your happiness and success more than (or even as much as) Y O U.

Life skills are achieved by living life and by approaching the skills you want and need and learning them; one at a time.

Look and search for ways to improve your skills. Need ability interacting with people? Look for ways and opportunities to interact with people —— preferably people who share, at least in part, your values. Whatever the skill set, participation and personal, persistent commitment is how to master it.

Along the way in life, you will encounter people who will prove to be mean-spirited, treacherous, saboteurial, phony, self-serving, dishonest, jealous, and so on. Shrug them off and out of your life immediately you perceive what they really are. Waste not another second on them. Just as you flush the toilet to get rid of excrement, mentally "flush" forever out of your life the living excrement you inevitably encounter. Focus your time, energy, love, and thoughts on that which is important to you and will bring you rich rewards. Waste nothing on life's debris.

Be extremely careful when dealing with friends who do not want the best for you. They can do more to wreck your life and happiness than a prison sentence! Be very, very careful when choosing a friend, a good friend is a reflection of yourself. One must take on leadership and responsibility when you marry, marriage is a potentially great institution. But the operative word there is "potentially" . . . so do be careful, patient, open-eyed, and rigorously honest with yourself, before you permit yourself to marry. You are far better off single than unhappily married. And most people are at times very unhappily married —— or soon will be! 

Several books I would recommend which would increase your knowledge of Leadership are

Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill

The Magic of Thinking Big, by Dr David J Schwartz

How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, by Harry Browne

A New Guide to Rational Living, by Dr. Albert Ellis and Dr. Robert A. Harper

Our Inner Conflicts; Self-Analysis and Neurosis (and) Human Growth, both by Karen Horney, MD

The Virtue of Selfishness, by Ayn Rand

The Art of Selfishness, by Dr. David Seabury

Will, by G. Gordon Liddy

Rules of Life by Jordan Peterson

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