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MAGAZINE

ISSUE 1, VOLUME 1 • NOVEMBER 2009

I’ve never read a book cover to cover, not even in

school. To this day, if something is too wordy or PUBLISHER
messes with my head too much, I won’t keep looking Andee Bell
at it. I’ve never been accused of being the sharpest
530-661-7585
PowerMagazine@ymail.com
knife in the drawer, yet here I am, Editor-at-Xtra-
Mark and his big brother
Mike “Maddog” Bell Large of Power Magazine. How did I get here? EDITOR-AT-XTRA-LARGE
Mark Bell
BACKSTORY SuperTrainingGym@me.com
On Dec. 13, 2008, I jumped into my first single ply meet. It was a great day of lifting
for me and I broke the 308-lb. United States Powerlifting Federation (USPF) record. I was MANAGING EDITOR
feeling good, because any all-time USPF record is pretty damn tough to beat. Heather Peavey
The next day I got a phone call from my dad. “Michael is dead!” he shouted. “I am so
sorry. Michael is dead.” The news hit me like a bomb. My oldest brother, my hero, was ASSOCIATE EDITOR
dead. Mike got me into weight lifting, football and pro wrestling, and gave me the nick-
April Donald
name Smelly. Some brothers don’t get along, but growing up it was always the three of ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION
us — me, Chris and Mike — and we were always close. Paul Graff
There are rumors and theories about how Mike died. The reality is that he was paul@graffixdesign.com
bipolar and addicted to drugs. Over 15 years, I watched him rot before my eyes. It broke
my heart, and I worried about him every day. I love you and miss you, big brother.

FAST FORWARD SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

Ever since my brother’s death, my mind races. I think more clearly — or maybe I’m US Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$29.00/1 year
finally thinking period. It’s like a side of my brain has awakened. I started thinking of US Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$49.00/2 years
new business ideas for my gym, Super Training; my website; even designing my own International Addresses . . . . . . .$65.00/1 year
International Addresses . . . . .$115.00/2 years
line of Super Training equipment. And, in this flurry of brainpower, I created Power.
SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE AT
POWER www.SuperTrainingGym.com or
Power is dedicated to raising the profile of the strongest athletes in the world. www.Amazon.com
Powerlifting is made of up of the strongest men and women on the planet, and we want
POWER Magazine (ISSN 2150-5411) is
to give them an international platform to show the world what they can do. published bi-monthly by Power Media. POSTMASTER:
Bodybuilding has become popular through print magazines; the same can be done in please send address changes to POWER Magazine,
powerlifting. I’d like to become the Joe Wieder of powerlifting, minus the big ’stache. 609 Crystal Springs Dr. Woodland, CA 95776
POWER Magazine is trademarked by Power Media
POWER LINEUP 2009, All rights reserved.
Power’s outstanding lineup of powerful writers will give people the kick in the ass
they need. Here is a quick snapshot of a few members of our advisory board:
Scott “Hoss” Cartwright is one of the greatest squatters in the world right now, with a
1,025-lb. single ply and a 1,160-lb. multi-ply squat to his credit. After seeing him train
every day, these massive numbers are no surprise. Hoss is a throwback lifter. No frills. No
gimmicks. He fixes problems with hard work, aggression and maybe some duct tape, if
needed. His days of shoveling shit and digging trenches on a milk farm helped mold him
into a great powerlifter.
Gene Rychlak is the only man to ever squat and bench press a grand. He was also
the first lifter to break the 1,000-lb. bench barrier. Big Gene is the International
Powerlifting Association chairman and is getting ready for a return to the platform. Gene
provides readers with a rant they won’t soon forget.
Rob “Belly Bencher” Luyando has smashed world records at a frantic pace from 220
all the way up to 308 lbs. Rob’s mental toughness and full-bore training style made him
one of the best benchers ever.
These contributors, as well as many others, will help us make POWER the best pow-
erlifting magazine out there. As you will see with this premier issue and the others to
follow, this is not your average strength magazine.
As my brother Mike once stated, “I'd rather be dead than average.”
Thanks for reading,
MARK BELL
Cover Illustration by Sheri Greves-Neilson,
Editor-At-Xtra-Large Source Material by Marty Gallagher

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ISSUE #1, NO. 1 • NOVEMBER 2009

28 Features
14 10 Steps to a Huge Squat BY SCOTT “HOSS” CARTWRIGHT
20 Big Iron Gym dominates at the
SPF Powerstation Pro-AM BY MICHELE COGGER
28 One on One with Ed Coan BY MARK BELL
32 Practical Powerlifitng
BY 2009 WORLD GAMES GOLD MEDALIST MIKE TUCHSCHERER

36 Lose Weight, Not Strength BY STAN EFFERDING,

IFBB PROFESSIONAL BODYBUILDER AND NO.1-RANKED RAW
POWERLIFTER IN AMERICA

40 Starting a New Powerlifitng Gym

BY WILD IRON GYM OWNER MARCUS WILD

Columns
10 One to Watch: Jannet Loveall
45 Training Tip: Boards: Use ’Em or Lose ’Em?
46 Rant of the Month BY GENE RYCHLAK
50 Get to Know… Stan Efferding

Departments
4 Editor’s Note
BY EDITOR-AT-XTRA-LARGE MARK BELL

11 Out and About

PHOTOS FROM THE SPF POWERSTATION PRO-AM,
2009 MR. OLYMPIA AND MORE

48 New Products
49 Ad Index

14 20 32
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ADVISORY BOARD

Meet POWER Magazine’s Advisory Board

POWER Magazine is proud to be working with these accomplished lifters and strength coaches. Articles from our advisory board
will appear in every issue of POWER magazine.
If you have any questions for our board, please email them to powermagazine@ymail.com. Please include the name of the board
member that the question is for in the subject line.

SCOTT “HOSS” ROB LUYANDO ZACH EVEN-ESH MIKE TUCHSCHERER

CARTWRIGHT Rob Luyando has been in the Zach Even-Esh is a perfor- Mike Tuchscherer is an accom-
Scott “Hoss” Cartwright has game for more than 17 years and mance coach for athletes and the plished powerlifter with 12 years’
been a powerlifter for more than has held all-time world records in owner of The Underground experience training and researching
15 years. His best lifts in the SPF 220-, 242-, 275-lb. weight classes Strength Gym in Edison, N.J. You the best training methods in the
at SHW are a 1,160-lb. squat, 710- in the bench press. His best lift to can find his articles in magazines world. He has competed in raw and
lb. bench and 755-lb. deadlift for date is a 948-lb. bench press. Rob such as TapOuT, Men’s Fitness and single ply competitions. He repre-
2,625 lbs. total. Cartwright trains at is sponsored by MHP Muscle & Fitness. Zach’s gym is sented the USA and won the gold
Super Training Gym in (www.GetMHP.com), Overkill quickly becoming the hub for medal at the 2009 World Games.
Sacramento, Calif. He and his wife, Strength Equipment and Super strength coaches around the world Tuchscherer’s best lifts in IPF com-
Alice, have three children: Jonah, Training Gym. Luyando is also who want to learn how to turn their petition are a 903-lb. squat, a 644-
9; Jack, 7; and Carly, 6. available for online consulting at passion for strength into a full-time lb. bench press, an 826-lb. deadlift
www.supertraininggym.com/consul profession. For more information and a 2,342-lb. total in the 275-lb.
ting/benchconsultingwithrob.html. visit www.ZachEven-Esh.com. weight class.

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JESSE BURDICK
Jesse Burdick has spent the
last decade working as an NSCS
Certified Personal Trainer and
Certified Strength and
Conditioning Specialist. He is a
licensed massage therapist, as
well as an Active Release
Techniques Level II specialist,
GENE RYCHLAK making him one of the most CHRIS CARLISLE
(RICH-LACK), JR. sought after rehab/prehab consul- Chris Carlisle is in his ninth
Gene Rychlak Jr. is the first tants in strength sports. Jesse year as the University of Southern
LAURA PHELPS man to bench press 900 and 1,000 was an NCAA Division I baseball California’s (USC) head strength
Laura Phelps represents lbs., first to lift over 1,000 lbs. in player and has competed at the and conditioning coach. He joined
Westside Barbell in Columbus, two different disciplines (squat and semi-pro level in Canada, Upstate the Trojan program in February
Ohio, and is coached by her hus- bench), and the first active com- New York, and California. Currently 2001. He was named the 2006
band, Shane, and legendary petitor to be inducted into the Jesse competes as an Elite level National Collegiate Strength and
strength training coach Louie Powerlifting Hall of Fame at York powerlifter in two weight classes, Conditioning Coach of the Year by
Simmons. She has broken all-time Barbell, York, Pa. He has more is an amateur strongman, and also the Professional Football Strength
world records 20 times in her four- than 27 years of lifting experience, runs the Prevail Power Team out of and Conditioning Coaches Society.
year career. She holds all-time 12 years in meet promotion, has ReActive Gym in Pleasanton, CA. He came to USC from Tennessee,
world records in the squat at 165 been sponsored by Inzer Advance His best lifts are: 903 lb Squat, where he was the associate head
lbs. (740-lb. squat) and at 181 lbs. Designs for the past seven years, 585 lb Bench and 711 lb Deadlift. strength and conditioning coach
(770-lb. squat). Phelps also holds and is the IPA (International Check out www.reactivegym.com for three years (1998–2000). The
the all-time world record in the Powerlifting Association) vice pres- and www.prevailfitness.com for Volunteers football team won the
bench press at 165 lbs. (465-lb. ident. Rychlak trains at Southside more info on Jesse! 1998 national title and
bench press) and at 181 lbs. (500- Iron, 1901 S. 12th Street, Southeastern Conference champi-
lb. bench press). She holds the all- Allentown, PA 18103. For more onship. Carlisle, 46, began his
time world record in the total at information on Rychlak, upcoming career as the head football coach
165 lbs. (1,720-lb. total) and at 181 meets and Southside Iron visit and strength coach at Dodge High
lbs. (1,770-lb. total). Phelps holds www.RychlakPowerSystems.com. School, Neb., in 1985. He then
the highest pound-for-pound total For more on the IPA go to spent six seasons (1986–91) as an
in history, as well as the highest www.IPApower.com. offensive line coach and strength
total of all-time by formula, making coach at Blytheville High School,
her the strongest female power- Ark. He was a strength and condi-
lifter in history. tioning graduate assistant coach
at Arkansas for two years
(1992–93) before becoming the
head football coach and strength
coach at Subiaco Academy, Ark.,
for four seasons (1993–96). He
spent 1997 as an offensive line
coach and strength coach at
Trinity Valley Community College in
Athens, Texas, for its NJCAA
national championship season.
After playing offensive line at North
Iowa Area Community College in
Mason City, Ia., in 1980, he was a
three-year (1981–83) starting
offensive lineman at Chadron State
College, Neb., earning All-Area
honors. He earned his bachelor’s
degree in education from Chadron
State in 1985 and, later, a master’s
degree. He was born Aug. 7, 1962.
He and his wife, Louon, have a
son, Alex, 7.

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One To Watch:

Janet
Loveall Team Super Training’s Janet Loveall may be the most
interesting character in women’s powerlifting today. A
former pro wrestler and amateur bodybuilder who
found her true calling on the platform, Janet is a
grandma with a 500-pound squat. Growing
up in a large traditional Cuban family, admit-
ted tomboy Loveall roughhoused and played
football with her brothers. But she also
trained in ballet, which she credits for her
core strength and amazing legs.
A late bloomer, Janet didn’t start power-
lifting until age 33. Teammate Scott
Cartwright spotted her training for bodybuild-
ing at a local gym and suggested she give pow-
erlifting a try. At about this same time, Janet was
diagnosed with Essential Tremor Disorder, a condition
related to Parkinson’s Disease. She was forced to undergo
brain surgery to install a shunt, which helps regulate the
nerve impulses from her brain to her muscles. Six weeks later and
against doctor’s orders, she was on the platform at her first power-
lifting meet. She lifted raw as a superheavyweight and totaled
around 700 pounds.
From that day forward, it has been full speed ahead for Loveall.
Now, seven years later and lifting as a single-ply 198 pounder, Janet
has best lifts of 501 in the squat, 347 in the bench and 479 in the
deadlift. She dominated at this year’s United States Powerlifting
Federation Nationals, winning her class and taking Best Lifter honors.
Loveall attributes her recent lifting success to two things: the
encouragement and support of her Super Training teammates and the
excellent handling of her husband, Steve. Anyone who has seen
Janet on the platform can’t help but be impressed by and even a lit-
tle jealous of Steve’s outstanding handling. He is a huge support both
on and off the platform, making sure Janet stays positive, eats right
and gets to the gym no matter what. Steve is a talented raw lifter as
well as a gifted coach. When asked how he has gotten Janet to suc-
cess on the platform, Steve talks about knowing how to read where
his wife’s head is and keeping her focused through each attempt. For
years Steve selected her numbers without Janet ever knowing the
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weights. With his skillful

handling, Janet has been
able to add 250 pounds to
her total in less than two
years.
Both Steve and Janet
admit that it was a long
and difficult road to get to
this level of partnership
and understanding.
Although married for 16
years, Steve began acting
as Janet’s handler just
three years ago. Where
Janet can be fiery, Steve
is thoughtful, observant
and patient. Janet
describes him as a quiet
but powerful presence,
and notes how frequently
other lifters whom he has
never met are drawn to
him for help. For Janet,
there is a special commu-
nication between them on
the platform that is invaluable. arship programs, federations can ensure
Loveall’s immediate goals are to repre- the future of the sport. With the level of
sent the United States well at the W.P.F. violence in schools and rampant childhood
Worlds in November. She is excited about obesity, Loveall believes weights can liter-
meeting and competing with lifters from ally save children’s lives.
other countries. She is already hard at As for the future, Loveall is already
work on new PRs, setting a meet goal of a excited about being able to teach her
525 squat, 347 bench and 500 pull. three-year-old grandson, Trevor, how to
She doesn’t place a lot of importance in lift big, like grandma. PM
setting records, but instead is driven by
personal achievement. When Loveall sets a A TIP FROM JANET: To increase the
goal, she will work tirelessly until she deadlift, periodically pull off the floor while
attains it. One of these goals is to encour- standing on one or two foam pads.
age more women to take up the sport of
powerlifting. Loveall wants to ensure that
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE
women know they can compete and have WHO IS “ONE TO WATCH”?
muscle while still remaining attractive. She NOMINATE THEM!
is concerned that there is very little expo- Using 500 words or less, tell us
sure for women lifters and too many who should be next month’s
“One to Watch”.
stereotypes. Very few women are able to
Don’t forget to include a photo!
find sponsors. On a more global scale, she
Send the email to:
hopes to see young people encouraged to powermagazine@ymail.com
be involved in lifting. By exposing teens to with “One to Watch” in the
subject line.
powerlifting in school and creating schol-

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Out and About

POWERSTATION PRO-AM

Shawn Frankl and Michael Cartinian Treston Shull relaxing after his big lifts

SUPER TRAINING RAW MEET

Flex Wheeler interviews Stan Efferding with his PL coach, Mark Bell

Dan Harrison looking sexy in his very short singlet Wheeler and his daughter

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2009 MR. OLYMPIA

Super Lifting main stage POWER publisher Andee Bell and Ed Coan Keith Williams, Ed Coan, Mark Bell and Stan Efferding

Strongman John Connor and Mark Bell Kent Gillingham, Mark Phillipi, Ed Coan, Brad Gillingham, Mark Bell and Wade Gillingham Mike Bridges, Ed Coan and Mark Bell

Former UFC champ Forrest Griffith and Mark Bell Mike O’Hearn and Ed Coan Mark Bell, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bigger, Faster, Stronger director Chris Bell

Stan Efferding calling out Ben White and Johnnie Jackson Jon Anderson and Mark Bell
during “Worlds Strongest Bodybuilder” contest

Mark Bell and Tiny Meeker Coan and Mark Bell-what a cute couple!
Ben White warming up backstage Johnnie Jackson warming up backstage

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10 to a
Steps
Huge
Squat
BY SCOTT “HOSS” CARTWRIGHT
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAM MCDONALD AND JUAN LAJIA
MY NAME IS SCOTT “HOSS” CARTWRIGHT. MY BEST
SQUAT IS 1,160 LBS. (APF) IN MULTI-PLY AND 1,025 LBS.
IN SINGLE PLY (USPF). LISTED BELOW ARE THE TOP 10
MOST IMPORTANT KEYS TO A HUGE SQUAT, AS I SEE THEM.
YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH ME, BUT FOR ME THESE ARE
THE IMPORTANT KEYS TO MY SQUAT SUCCESS.

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“Huge squats require fearlessness.

The squat is such a mental movement that to
be successful, I need to put fear aside”
CULTIVATE FEARLESSNESS. Plenty of people that plan if squat training is getting easy. You may need to adjust

1
say they need to feel the weight on their backs your training, as well.
before a meet so they are conditioned to it. Well, I It usually takes an act of god to get me to back off my squat
have found that it doesn’t matter how conditioned training. For my training partner, Mark “Jackass” Bell, and I, backing
I am; the squat is always heavy. This means that off training is a sign of mental and physical weakness. It happens,
when the weight is on your back in a meet or training, you must but the reasons need to be huge. I need to be aggressive when
understand that it’s heavy. training, and this sometimes requires some pain.
Huge squats require fearlessness. The squat is such a mental
movement that to be successful, I need to put fear aside. We have BREATHE PROPERLY. Taking a breath at the
all seen videos of the damage that can happen when a squat goes
bad. These images are in our minds and can, on occasion, create
some fear. But there is no room for fear in the squat, and that’s why
when I am under the bar I need a no-fear attitude to go big!
3 right time and not letting it out can gain plenty in
the squat. I went through a phase of having
tremendous shakes when doing any heavy squats.
After 10 minutes of talking to Louie Simmons, I
realized I had been taking a breath while unracking and not breath-
TRAIN AGGRESSIVELY. Most people develop ing again until reracking the weight. Now, my preferred method is

2 some sort of training plan 10 to 12 weeks out from

a meet. But if I am going to put into a motion a
squat training plan, then I also plan to adjust to
to take huge breath while unracking and take another breath when
I get the squat command. This method has stabilized my squat and
allows me the stability to go big.

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“It usually takes an act of god to get

me to back off my squat training.”

This two-breath method is also the same in single ply. I take feet around in a meet and waited for the squat command. I get to
one big breath when I walk out the squat and another big one the point where I think it doesn’t it really matter where I am on
when I get the squat command. Too often people let their air out the platform. All this moving around takes too much energy, so I
when they walk out a squat and that puts the lifter in a bad posi- stop and just squat where I am. It is true that a solid walkout can
tion when they set up. be repeated and your feet can get to the right spot, but when
you’re at PR weights it’s not likely to happen. The monolift helps
FIGHT PAIN. Squats can hurt, and unless I deal with getting in the perfect foot position, but I make sure my feet

4
with it I’m not going to go very big in the squat. If I are always in the right spot. Make it a habit in the monolift to
can walk away from nine- or 10-week squat train- setup exactly right and you’ll go huge in the squat.
ing cycle without a little pain here and there, I’m
not training hard enough! DEVELOP CORE STRENGTH. Developing

6
My body is cracking and popping toward the end of training strong abs will develop a huge stable squat. I
cycle, but aches and pains are nothing. Fight the pain and you’ll was stuck in the mid 800s for a while, and when
squat big. I started doing weighted ab work my squat went
up 100 lbs. This ab development helped me
CORRECT FOOT PLACEMENT. Get your feet in become more stable with the weight on my back.

5
the right position before squatting. This is difficult Also, with strong abs I can better stay in an arched position as I
when it comes to single ply squats. The reality is, squat. Heavy ab work is just that: heavy. This is not about doing
most of the time my feet will not get to the spot crunches for the beach, but rather heavy weighted ab work. This
they need to be. I have often stopped moving my means sit-ups in the rack with 100 lbs. and dumbbell on the chest.

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“Develop core strength. Developing strong

abs will develop a huge stable squat.”
keep trying. I would argue that many of us settle for what works and
KEEP HEAD, ELBOWS AND CHEST UP. Keeping don’t try enough new combinations. Work through multiple combi-

7
my upper body arched and stable is paramount to a nations to find what best fits you.
huge squat. This idea of keeping my head, elbows
and chest up is most important when I get to TRAIN AT DIFFERENT DEPTHS. The squat can
weights that require maximum effort.
I go through a mental checklist before I squat to make sure my
head, elbows and chest are up. Very often you see people put their
head down, which causes a snowball effect to their chest and
elbows. This caving in shifts the lifter forward. When lifters goe
9 be trained the same way the bench can be trained.
This means hitting an extra-deep squat and a high
box squat are all acceptable training methods.
Doing extra-low squats will help your squat and
also contribute to your pull.
forward, they rarely finish the squat. The great Steve Goggins was Say your parallel box height is 14 inches. There is nothing wrong
likely the only lifter who could ever lift like that. with going to a higher box at, say, 15.5 inches on occasion. The
concept can be similar to that of using boards to bench. It’s also a
USE THE RIGHT GEAR. Having the right gear huge confidence builder. I generally do my working sets on dynamic

8 for my squat helps keep my technique solid.

Narrower stance squatters may need a heeled
shoe instead of flat shoe. If you descend quickly in
the squat, maybe canvas isn’t for you.
Do plenty of experimenting to find the right gear setup. This
day and then work up to a heavy single on a higher box then paral-
lel. Don’t do all your work on a high box, but work in a higher box
for a few sets to help you go big in the squat.

experimentation should be an ongoing process. You will likely

never find the absolute best setup with regards to equipment, but

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“Get the bar right and lift it

out of the rack right, and you’ll
go big in the squat.”

CRAFT A SOLID UNRACK. I’ve often heard people say, “I missed it

10
at the unrack.” In my opinion, if you can’t unrack the weight and han-
dle it, you shouldn’t squat it. It is, however, very important to unrack
the weight properly. A proper unrack will ensure proper bar placement
and help with the initial descent and how the weight feels on your
back. Get the bar right and lift it out of the rack right, and you’ll go big in the squat.
There are hundreds of other ways and reasons that squats go big. These are just a few
that have worked for me. I hope some of these tips are helpful, and stay strong! PM

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Big Iron
DOMINATES at the
SPF PowerStation Pro-Am
BY MICHELE COGGER

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Rick Hussey and the Big Iron lifters showed up

in Ohio with plans to break records and win titles,
and this time they did not disappoint. After nearly
all of the big lifters bombed at the Columbus Lexen
Xtreme Pro-Am in January 2009, they went back to
the gym to work. The game plan doesn’t always
work out at meets, but rather than backing down
they came back with a vengeance. At the
Sharonville Powerstation Pro-Am Aug. 22–23 they
did exactly what they had trained to do, and at the
end of the weekend the Big Iron team came home
with five world records and $10,000.

Coach Hussey and the BIG team -

Shawn
Tom Bollig, Shawn Frankl, Al
Caslow, Aaron Wilson, and Frankl
(198)
Michael Cartinian

Shawn Frankl opened with an easy 960-lb. squat

and moved up to 1,010 lbs. on his second attempt. He
smoked it, securing a 2-lb. PR before attempting the
record on his third. Because the weights were feeling
good, Hussey called for 1,055 lbs. on Frankl’s third
attempt, 5 lbs. over Sam Byrd’s record of 1,050.
Strength wasn’t an issue at that point — it all came
down to hitting the right form on each attempt.
Frankl made 1,055 look solid and strong on
his third attempt, getting three white
lights and a new world record.
Frankl’s bench opener was 800
lbs. and it was an easy press. He
jumped to
825 on his second attempt but
missed the lift when he got out
of his groove. For his third
attempt, he took 825 again
and it was a good lift. The plan
was to jump to 855 on his third
attempt to go after the bench
record, but Frankl was conserv-
ative because the bigger goal was
the total record.
He went into the deadlift with a subtotal of
1,880 lbs. He opened with 700 lbs., which he
lifted like it was just a warm-up. This lift gave

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Frankl collecting his paycheck for a hard day's work

HUSSY TOLD
CARTINIAN TO
“GO AHEAD
him a total of 2,580 lbs., breaking his previous
record at 198 of 2,470, and also breaking his Michael
AND BREAK
PARALLEL ON
personal best at 220. His second attempt of 725
went up just as fast, breaking his record a sec- Cartinian
THIS ONE.”
ond time and also breaking the 2,600-lb. mark.
He took 750 on his third attempt, a number he
has never pulled at 198, and smoked it.
(181)
Michael Cartinian got red-lighted on his first
Frankl clearly left quite a bit of weight on the squat of 870 lbs. because he cut it high, but that
platform, as he could have easily pulled more, was just to see what Phil Harrington had in the
but said he would rather have undershot it then tank and to save his strength for the battle
gone too high and missed. He finished the meet ahead. After seeing Harrington miss his opener,
with a total of 2,630 lbs., two world records and they “unleashed the beast,” said Hussey. He told
a pile of cash. He won $2,500 for best light- Cartinian to “go ahead and break parallel on this
weight, $1,000 for best squat and $1,000 for one” for his second and third attempts. Cartinian
best bench, and took home the $4,000 pot as squatted 910 on his second and 930, a new all-
Champion of Champions. time world record, on his third.
Hussey had Cartinian open with 685 lbs. on
his bench. It was a strong press, so he took 705
on his second attempt. Cartinian’s 705 was slow,
but he got the lift and set a new world record.
He didn’t take a third attempt to save strength
for the deadlift.
With a subtotal of 1,635 lbs., Cartinian was
set to beat his total record with his opening
deadlift. He pulled 625 easily and moved up to
650 on his second attempt. Although he has
pulled 650 before, he wasn’t able to stand up
with the weight after a full day of squatting and
benching. He took 650 again and missed on his
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third attempt. solid 930 on his third. “BIG IRON

At the end of the day, Cartinian finished with With the pain he was still fighting in his LIFTERS ARE
2,260 lbs. and three world records for his squat, arms, Wilson was cautious on his bench. He TRAINED TO
bench and total. He placed second behind Frankl opened with 680 and it was a good lift. Hussey IGNORE PAIN,
in the lightweight division and took home gave him 700 on his second attempt. It went up
JUST LIKE
$1,500. slowly, but he locked it out. Wilson didn’t take a
third attempt.
RAMBO.”

Aaron On the deadlift platform, Wilson pulled his

opener of 680 lbs. easily. On his second attempt

Wilson he went up to 700, another easy pull. He went

up to 720 on his third deadlift, which was the

(242)
Aaron “Kid Power” Wilson is a former bencher
number he needed to beat Jo Jordan in their

who recently began squatting and deadlifting.

He had only 20 weeks of training for full power
under his belt, and had been battling bicep ten-
donitis and a partial fascia tear in his lower back
throughout the training cycle. He clearly didn’t
let it stop him and, as Hussey said, “Big Iron
lifters are trained to ignore pain, just like
Rambo.”
Wilson opened on the squat with 870 lbs. On
his second attempt he went up to 900, which
looked easier than his opener. He squatted a

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Three of powerlifting's greatest: Hussey, Frankl, and Simmons

THAT’S WHAT
WE CALL
battle for first place of the 242s. They were at
the same total at that point, but because Wilson Al
MANNING UP
WHEN THE
weighed in lighter, he would win if he got the
720. It was a slower lift than his first two Caslow
GOING GETS
TOUGH!
attempts, but he was determined to pull his third
attempt all the way to lock out, earning three
white lights. That’s what we call manning up
(181)
Al Caslow was planning on competing at 165,
when the going gets tough! but since he is already so lean he had a very dif-
Wilson finished the meet with a 2,350-lb. ficult time cutting weight. He weighed in at 167,
total and won first place in the 242-lb. weight which meant he would be competing against
class. Cartinian at 181. He wasn’t feeling himself and
had trouble putting weight back on after weigh-
ing in. When Hussey saw Caslow on Friday
night, he said could tell when he saw that
Caslow’s face hadn’t filled out that he wasn’t
going to have a good meet.
Caslow opened with 825. He brought the
weight down okay but he just didn’t have his
usual power. His second and third attempts went
the same way. Caslow’s training had been up
and down over the training cycle, but the
strength was there throughout. He had squatted
880 a few weeks prior, yet with all of the stress
of the meet this was not his day to shine.

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THE SHIRT THAT’S ALL THE RAGE IN POWERLIFTING. THE RAGEX IS

THE SENSATIONAL SHIRT THAT’S HELPING POWERLIFTERS SWEEP
THE EARTH WITH MASSIVE BENCH PRESSES. THE RAGEX IS A STEP
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EFFECTIVENESS. THE RAGEX IS THE MOST AMAZING POLY BENCH
SHIRT IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME.
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ments the already super RageX system.
• SOLID SEAM™ technology keeps the sleeves where they are supposed to
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• RAGE X IS FOR EXPERIENCED BENCH PRESSERS ONLY PLEASE! RageX
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• The RageX is the bench shirt for those who want an immediate step up to
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• RageX in DOUBLE LAYER. Go Double Layer and increase the longevity and
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• Seamless, zinc plated steel roller buckle is unmatched in strength and
durability, and it looks great.
• The buckle prongs do not waver back and forth. They slide one direction
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in the hole, saving you time when getting ready to lift.
• Six rows of lock-stitched, corrosive resistant, hi-density nylon.
• The edges of the belt are finished with refinement but not rounded.
Rounding of the edges lessens the effective width. Therefore the complete
competition legal width is maintained in the Forever Belt ™.
• Finished with top quality, fine suede providing non-slip surface.
• Does not turn soft and fold over as another brand’s belt tends to do.
Conforms to your body shape over time and forever stays rigidly supportive.
• High compression riveted with the same rivets as used in the Space
Shuttle program. Not bradded. Will never come loose.
• Tongue loop is riveted instead of sewn providing further security.
• Closer prong holes for more choice in precise fitting.
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One on One with

Ed Coan
BY MARK BELL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CSS PHOTO DESIGN

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Ed Coan entered his first

powerlifting competition at 16
years old, he went on become
one of the best (if not THE best)
powerlifters in the world. Here
is my candid coversation with
The Legend, Ed Coan

POWER: How did you get into powerlifting?

ED: I saw Kaz [Bill Kazmier] on TV. That was the
beginning. I was in awe.

POWER: What did you lift in your first meet, and at

what bodyweight?
ED: I weighed 150 lbs. I did a 485-lb. squat, a 295-lb.
bench and a 495-lb. deadlift.

POWER: What were your best lifts as a teen?

Ed: At Senior Nationals in 1983, I went 699-429-727.
I missed weight by a pound and had to weigh in later
with the 181-pounders. Unfortunately, Mike Bridges
was lifting, but I took second. I was 19.

POWER: Your first 2,400-lb. total was done with a

raw deadlift, a raw bench and a
single-ply squat suit.
ED: It was at the 1991 Nationals in Texas. I weighed
in at 218 lbs. with two-hour weigh-ins. That’s just the
way it was done back then. You didn’t give it a second
thought.

POWER: What was the breakdown for that 2,400-

lb. total?
Ed: A 959-lb. squat (I missed 986), a 545-lb. bench, a
898-lb. deadlift (weighed out to 901). I missed 920-
plus.

POWER: Tell us what it’s like to break the all-time

total record weighing only 242 lbs. Who held the
record previous and who broke yours?
ED: It was great. I had something to go after. I didn’t
care if it was done in a heavier weight class. The
great Dave Passanella had the record at the time, and
Gary Frank broke mine with a string of big meets.
PWR-0911-p20-p31.qxp 10/7/09 9:46 AM Page 30

POWER: Who are the top three lifters you have ever ED: I tore an adductor and a hamstring on different legs and
seen lift? didn't want to risk going sumo. I did conventional deadlifts in
ED: 1, Hideaki Inaba; 2, Gene Bell; 3, Kirk Karwoski. There are the offseason and even up to a few weeks before the competi-
many, many more great lifters I have seen lift. I was very fortu- tion, so it wasn’t a big deal.
nate to see Rickie Crain, Mike Bridges (but only a squat), Doug
Furnas, Fred Hatfield, Wade Hooper and Brian Siders. For the POWER: Let’s talk shop. How did you build such explosive
multi-ply guys, I have seen Shawn Frankl, Al Caslow, Andy power that you were able to deadlift raw “sumo” so well? A
Bolton and a few others. 901-lb. pull at 220, 859 at 198 — the list goes on and on.
What kind of training were you doing to build such strength
POWER: In your mind, who is the greatest lifter ever? and precise form?
ED: The greatest (in my time) was Inaba, from Japan. He had a ED: Raw? I had a belt on! I found a deadlift style that fit me and
lot of world titles and longevity. The greatest ever is a toss-up. I worked the shit out of it. I used to try to make myself tight by
People have quite different views on this. grabbing the bar, taking all the slack out of it and pulling myself
into the bar until I couldn’t get any tighter. I did that for the
POWER: Who do you think are the best lifting now? squat, as well. I also did a lot of sets of five reps, experimented
ED: Stan Efferding, raw; Siders, Balaeyv and Milanochev, sin- with what assistance work helped the most and killed it.
gle-ply; Frankl, Greg, Panora, multi-ply. I like Jeremy Frey and I
can’t leave out Bolton. POWER: Give us three quick tips we can all use, regardless
of what federation we prefer.
POWER: I'm not an old timer, but I’ve been in this sport ED: 1, technique; 2, don’t over-train; 3, create small goals for
since around 1991. It is my understanding that you broke the each training cycle. It cracks me up when a guy does a big lift
all-time total record without being able to use your signature and everyone says he’s good for a hundred more pounds within
“sumo” deadlift. six months.

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POWER: What was the worst lifting injury you ever had? finished the set, took 15 minutes to clean up and finished the
ED: I blew out my knee at the 2002 Mountaineer Cup. The first workout.
person to contact me after that was Louie Simmons. He sent me
a free sled to help me rehabilitate. POWER: Who was your greatest competition?
ED: Gravity.
POWER: What’s your take on raw training?
ED: To each his own. I like it. I do it practically all the time, POWER: When will you return to the platform? We all know
anyway. Whatever makes your ass get in the gym and do some you can't stay away.
powerlifting. ED: It is hard to stay away. I will return only when I am
healthy. Pain tends to keep me away very easily. I’m getting
POWER: Did you ever tally up an unbeaten streak? better.
ED: No. I only wanted to be able to lift what I thought I was
capable of on that day. POWER: s it true there is a book that documents your out-
standing career? Tell us a little bit about is, because you bet
POWER: Roll out a four-week bench squat dead program. your ass it will be a www.supertraininggym.com product.
Let’s say it’s the first four weeks of a 12-week program. ED: Coan: The Man, The Myth, The Method takes you through a
ED: The program would depend on whether you’re peaking for lot of competitions and some training. It documents my training
a meet or in the off-season. What are your strengths and weak- exactly as I did it. No big frills, just basic hard work.
nesses? Is your form off? I usually do more reps and condition-
ing at the beginning. You have to solidify your form all the time. POWER: I can’t thank you enough for your time, setting the
bar so high and being such a bad ass. Hopefully at some
POWER: Did you ever crap your pants in the middle of a set point I’ll do something cool in this sport and I’ll have some
of squats? If yes, what did you do afterward? idea of how you felt all the time.
ED: Yes! I did a set of fove with 900 lbs., straps down, and on ED: Thank you, too. You’re already doing cool stuff by having a
the second rep … oops. It was like an old Playdough machine. I great gym and team, and starting Power! PM
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Practical
Powerlifting
BY MIKE TUCHSCHERER

For a powerlifter, I write a lot (sometimes too much).

I post a lot on my website and write articles, too. Much
of what I write is centered around the principles of
strength training. And that’s a good thing, in my opin- KEEP A
ion. Principles help guide your programming and the TRAINING LOG
rest of your training system, as well. But sometimes it Many powerlifters already do
can be very difficult to apply principles to your training. this, but some do not. Keeping a
Here’s a short list of practical things you can start training log is a very good way to
doing now that will help you in powerlifting. learn from your training mistakes.
There are all manners of ways
to keep a training log. Many people write down their workouts in a notebook.
Even something this simple can be very useful when re-attacking problem spots.
The more detailed the log, the more helpful it is likely to be. At Reactive Training
Systems, we help clients keep the Cadillac of training logs. This log compiles all
relevant training numbers in terms of volume and intensity, and gives clients an
PWR-0911-p32-p43.qxp 10/7/09 10:04 AM Page 33

indication of the stress caused by the workout. They can

then use that information to refine their training over
time. The idea is that clients will develop the best, cus-
tom-built training possible.

USE MENTAL CUES

WHEN LIFTING
This isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s important enough to
repeat. Refine your technique at all times, and once you
find your mechanically sound way of performing the
movement, find a mental cue to help keep you on track. It
doesn’t have to be special — just something you say to
yourself that reminds you what to do. I had (and still
have) problems keeping my knees out when squatting, so
repeat certain things to myself that help keep me on
track. It takes a lot of effort to do that on every set —
being diligent enough to remember the cues every time.
But the payoff is big. Improved mechanical efficiency that
leads to bigger lifts.

DON’T FORGET
YOUR HEART
Powerlifters, by tradition, hate cardio. But remember,
the heart is a muscle. What happens if you neglect a
muscle? It gets weaker. What would happen if we

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If you neglect training your heart for too long,

your progress will stagnate. And when I say
“progress,” I mean progress on everything.
neglected, say, triceps? Our bench would stagnate at
some point. The same is true with the heart. If you DO EVERY SET
neglect training your heart for too long, your progress will THE SAME
stagnate. And when I say “progress,” I mean progress on From the time you set up to the time you rack the
everything. weight, every rep should look the same. This goes from
On the other hand, improved cardiac function will your first warm-up set to your last work set. The only
result in a multitude of health benefits, the most interest- exception is in the beginning of the workout, when it’s
ing being better sleep and improved recovery. This means good to do some movement with greater range of motion
you’ll be able to train heavier and more often with better to get warmed up. But you should still do some identical
gains. Yes, good cardiovascular fitness can help you get practice reps with each weight. This is to help ingrain the
stronger in your sport. movement pattern in your brain so when the weight gets
Now, I’m not telling you to go out and run a 5k. Start out heavy, you keep your form and finish the lift.
with just a little more than you currently do. If you don’t do
anything, start with one or two sessions a week where you OBEY THE LAW
elevate your heart rate into the 120-130 beats per minute You should obey most of the laws of the land, but
range and keep it there for 20 minutes. I promise, you won’t the one I’m referring to is the Law of Individual
burn muscle and you’ll actually get stronger. Differences. By now, most people know about the Law

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Everyone will respond to training with subtle

differences. This is to say that even people who are
very similar will respond somewhat differently
when they do the same training program.

of Individual Differences, but in case you don’t, here it act on these five practical points now, whether you’re
is in a nutshell: Everyone will respond to training with planning training, executing training, competing or
subtle differences. This is to say that even people who reflecting on your training program. PM
are very similar will respond somewhat differently
when they do the same training program. Just to be Mike Tuchscherer is the owner of Reactive Training
clear, I don’t mean vast differences — a squat program Systems, a company dedicated to individualized physical
won’t make one person a good squatter and another training. The goal of RTS is to help you become a domi-
person a marathon runner. I mean the same program nant force in your sport! Learn more by visiting
may be optimal for one person, but not optimal for www.reactivetrainingsystems.com. Mike is an accom-
another. Because of this law, we have to pay attention plished powerlifter with 12 years’ experience training
to these individual differences and address them in and researching the best training methods in the world.
training. By all means, obey the principles of good Mike has competed in raw and single ply competitions.
training. These are universal. But keep in mind that He representing the USA and won the gold medal at the
these principles will almost certainly require “tweak- 2009 World Games. His best lifts in IPF competition are
ing” to make them work for your body. It can be a long a 903 squat, a 644 bench press, an 826 deadlift and a
process, but who said powerlifting was easy? You can 2,342 total in the 275-pound weight class.

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LOSE
WEIGHT,
NOT
STRENGTH
BY STAN “RHINO” EFFERDING

IFBB professional bodybuilder

PHOTO CREDIT SAM MCDONALD

No.1-ranked raw powerlifter in the World

All too often, powerlifters trying to make weight will

sacrifice strength by dieting away hard-earned muscle
along with body fat. It’s no wonder, considering all the fad
diets and cardio programs that somehow make their way
into a weight-loss program that was never intended for
elite athletes who depend on strength and power.
My first experience with this phenomenon was back in the
early 1990s, when I was training offensive and defensive
linemen for the University of Oregon football team, as well as
professional heavyweight boxer Joe Hipp. Like many athletes,
they have a nasty habit of packing on unwanted pounds in
the off-season that slow them down on the field or in the
ring. Invariably, their coach tells them to drop weight — and
fast — or stay home. And that’s where the problem begins. Not
knowing much about nutrition, these athletes typically adopt some drastic, calorie-cutting diet
they overheard from a pencil-neck personal trainer at the local fitness club. Next thing you
know, they cut back to somebody’s idea of a bodybuilding diet, eat only two or three meals a
day consisting of a can of tuna and some rice cakes, and start up a long-distance, muscle-

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EASY "HEALTHY" ASIAN BEEF SKEWERS

Ingredients:
1 pkg Bamboo skewers
1lb top sirloin*
1 bottle Soy Vay Hoisin Garlic Asian Glaze & Marinade (this stuff is amazing, if
you can't find it at the grocery store you can sub in your favorite asian marinade)
Optional - cut up mushrooms, onion, pineapple, bell pepper
To begin soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes, this way they don't
burn up on your grill. Cut the sirloin into large bite size chunks, about 1 1/2
inch by 1 1/2 inch. Put the sirloin into a ziplock and dump enough marinade to
coat. Put the ziplock in the fridge for at least 2 hours and flip the bag about
every 30 minutes to make sure all of the beef marinates evenly. If you are
using veggies cut them up now and set aside. Skew up the meat and alternate
with veggies if using. Grill and serve.
Why top sirloin? At the grocery store you have numerous options when you are
choosing beef. For this skewer recipe you want beef that is lean, soaks the
marinade well and is not chewy and tough. Additionally, top sirloin is moderate-
ly priced so you get more bang for your buck.
fats and carbs, then make adjustments based on body
burning cardio routine. Then they get so weak and tired type, workload and results. Here’s a general guideline to
that they get knocked around all over the place. help get you started. I would start a 250-pound athlete
That’s where I come in, to fix the damage and quick! on 5,000 calories a day. Let’s start with 2 grams of pro-
tein per pound of bodyweight. A 250-pound person
LEARN TO COUNT CALORIES would take in 500 grams of protein, about 2,000 calories,
The first question athletes ask me is, “How many calo- and would make up 40 percent of your total caloric intake
ries do I eat?” The answer is different for every individual in a 40/30/30 split. Fats would make up 30 percent of the
since we all come in different shapes and sizes, and have diet, or 1,500 calories (which is approximately 150 grams
different basal metabolic rates and workloads. But the fre- of fats). Carbs would make up the other 30 percent of the
quency and types of foods are the same for feeding mus- diet, or 1,500 calories, which is 375 grams of carbs.
cles. Once the basics are implemented then we can adjust In this diet, proteins come mostly from lean red meats,
the quantities to achieve the desired, gradual fat loss such as top sirloin steak, but can also include chicken and
without burning up valuable muscle. fish — but not exclusively. Fats are already present in the
In order to properly feed the muscles, you need to eat meats so they don’t need to be added. Carbohydrates consist
frequently throughout the day. Ideally the diet begins of rice, potatoes, oatmeal and other complex carb sources.
with six daily meals spaced about three hours apart. The first thing athletes discover is that it is a lot of
The muscles also need high-quality protein the body food to eat. The reason it’s more food but fewer calories is
won’t burn through in 30 minutes, leaving them wanting. because it consists of less fat than was being consumed
This is why I always include lean red meat in each meal, on the typical powerlifter’s diet, and fats have more than
such as top sirloin with the fat cut off. In addition to twice as many calories as proteins and carbs. But it’s
being an excellent protein source, red meat has creatine clean, high-quality food and will feed the muscles and
and is high in iron and B Vitamins. It also digests slowly, starve the fat, allowing athletes to slowly lose body fat
which provides your muscles with a constant source of without losing strength.
protein — unlike eggs, milk and protein powders, which
are good quality proteins but burn up too quickly. WHAT ABOUT CARDIO?
Let's also take a minute to talk about cardio. As I men-
SHOULD YOU CUT FAT OR CARBS? tioned earlier, many athletes assume that going for a jog
The next question I’m asked is, “Should I cut out fats will help them lose weight. While that might be true, it’s
or carbs to drop fat?” The answer to this is neither! mostly muscle they will lose. I never incorporate long jogs
Strength and power athletes need nutrients from all the or aggressive treadmill work in a strength athlete’s program;
sources to maximize performance. I never cut out carbs or it’s simply contrary to what the athlete is trying to achieve.
fats, nor do I drastically reduce them. Distance runners jog, powerlifters lift. It’s that simple.
Besides, an honest assessment of the foods being con- In recent years, most of the best trainers in the coun-
sumed in comparison to the diet I suggest most often try have recognized that explosive strength athletes do
demonstrates that fats in a powerlifter’s diet are well over not benefit from lengthy cardio sessions and instead
50 percent of total calories consumed. And, carbohydrates incorporate HIIT (high intensity interval training) for opti-
are usually from undesirable, simple sources such as sug- mal results. Football, sprinting, powerlifting and many
ars, sodas or white flour products like pancakes, which other sports are a series of brief explosive power move-
affect insulin levels and lead to excessive fat storage. ments, not two-mile jogs.
I initially shoot for 40/30/30 distribution of proteins, I remember training two collegiate sprinters and foot-

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ball players who went on to play pro football, and one

even ran in the Olympics. The first thing I told them is
that they would have to add muscle if they wanted to get
faster. Remember, this was about 15 years ago, so imag-
ine the feedback I got from their coaches when they
heard I wanted to make their sprinters bigger! You see,
speed is a by-product of strength. Now you’re starting to
see why this is important to powerlifting. Explosive
strength, power and speed are important when imple-
menting and completing a lift.
I told two collegiate track athletes not to jog two miles
with the team for warm ups. It was making them smaller
and weaker. One of their coaches actually chastised an
athlete in front of the whole team, calling him selfish and
accusing him of letting down the track team to focus on mill for thirty minutes daily, but should keep their heart
football. But we held firm and instead only trained with rate low. It’s preferable to use sport-specific training and
sport-specific, explosive movements and multi-joint diet to shed fat and hold on to muscle.
strength exercises. The coach made a public apology Now you know what to eat and how to train to lose fat
when, three months later, this athlete (with 15 pounds weight and not muscle weight so you can make that
more muscle) ran a personal best 100 meter dash and weight class and still be able to put up big numbers.
took second in the PAC-10 championships. He went on to Remember to start well in advance of the competition and
set records for most yards and most touchdowns that fall lose the fat slowly, so as not to get behind on your goal
as running back for the football team and that team went and find yourself excessively reducing calories or jumping
to the Rose Bowl that year. on the treadmill and burning up muscle. You might as well
I hope I’m getting my point across. Don’t let anyone stay in the heavier weight class and lift bigger weights
start you on some lengthy cardio program. Those with than diet wrong or diet fast and lift little, teeny weights.
significant body fat to lose can slowly walk on the tread- Stay strong! PM

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Starting a
Powerlifting

Gym

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By Marcus Wild,
owner of Wild Iron Gym
www.wildirongym.com

U
nless you are fortunate
enough to live in
Sacramento, Omaha or
Columbus with one of the nation’s
top powerlifting gyms nearby, then
most powerlifters struggle to find
training partners. The thing is,
Super Training, Big Iron and
Westside did not start out as the
strongest gyms in the country.
Those gyms were built. They are
the direct result of the knowledge
and dedication of their coaches:
Mark Bell, Rick Hussey and Louie
Simmons. The coaches are the foundation of the gym — not
a power rack, a monolift or bands.

Most people probably expected this article to start with a list of

must-have equipment. But starting a powerlifting gym starts long before

you purchase your first piece of equipment. If you really want to start

your own powerlifting gym, then you need to dedicate yourself to

learning as much as possible. That means reading articles and training

logs, spotting/loading at meets, judging and handling other lifters at

meets, and talking to as many top lifters/coaches as possible. That

knowledge is the foundation of your gym, not the equipment. Help

other lifters improve and watch your gym grow!

A garage is the perfect location for a start-up powerlifting gym. The

rent is free, which is the perfect price and helps lower the financial

risk. The big expense will be the equipment. Search Craigslist or the

local paper for used plates, weight trees and anything you can find. You

can cut your costs in half this way. Do not buy gym mats for flooring.

Horse stall mats are half the price and twice as thick. If you are lucky,

then other lifters will purchase equipment for the gym, too. I have been

very fortunate with that.

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An often overlooked step is establishing a name for

your gym. This helps establish an identity and brand.
Gym t-shirts will help you advertise at meets. It makes
you more than just a group of people who train together.
Today, we have Internet tools like YouTube, Twitter,
MySpace and Facebook. They are free and let you get
your information out there. Remember the part about
helping other lifters improve? This is how you spread
positive word-of-mouth. Once lifters see the progress of
your gym members, then they will want to be a part of
your gym.
Now you are to the point where people will inquire
about joining your gym! Your ability to convert inquiries
into memberships — and retain those members — is the
key to your success. Experts say it takes three weeks to
form a habit, and you want members to develop the habit
of training at your gym. When a new member joins, Wild

Most powerlifting gyms are housed in

industrial space because it is the cheapest
to rent per square foot.
Iron Gym coaches do not make any drastic changes dur- to rent per square foot. Look for something you can afford.
ing their first few training session. We teach them our That way you are not stressed about the monthly bills
training template and help them select accessories that and hoping you can find enough members to pay for it.
will address their weaknesses. Once the habit of training And if you outgrow it in the future? That is always a good
with the team is formed, then we get more serious about problem to have.
addressing form issues. The goal is to retain members. Yes, there are a variety of business entity, tax and
You do not want to make them so frustrated they leave legal concerns when it comes to starting a powerlifting
right away. gym. I definitely recommend consulting with an attorney
The next big moment is when you outgrow the garage and an accountant. The best direction for your business
and need to rent a larger space. Most powerlifting gyms depends on whether your end goal is a gym in your
are housed in industrial space because it is the cheapest garage or to be a full-time gym owner. PM

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TRAINING TIP OF THE MONTH

Boards:
Use ’Em or Lose ’Em?
BY ROB LUYANDO

I
am often asked about using boards and its affects, both positive
and negative, for shirted competition. The truth is, they can be
good and bad. Boards allow you to handle extreme weights that
you are either not capable or confident enough to handle full-range.
Training high boards raw to work on your lock-out strength is a must
for me. High boards are the best assistance exercise I have found for
strengthening lock-out power.
Training boards in a shirt can be very beneficial when targeting
your weak points. And, at the same time, it can be very detrimental
to your full-range groove. Using boards in a shirt also lets you do
overload sets without tearing up your shoulders. The important
thing to remember, especially for less experienced lifters, is that
you have to master the shirt and master the full-range movement
before you can rely on boards for training. You can be the strongest
guy in the gym with a two-board press, but if you can’t touch in a
meet, what good is it doing you?
I rarely go below a single board in training. Keep in mind that I then you can throw more boards work.
have been doing this for more than 17 years. I utilize a lot of three- If you are still scratching your head and looking for an answer to
and two-board work in my training to build strength in a shirt. whether or not boards are for you, try this: Less experienced lifters
When approaching a meet, lose the boards and use more full- should rely on full-range training with shirts and use boards for raw
range work. I would recommend hitting a minimum of two full- assistance work. Experienced lifters can utilize boards more in their
range reps per training week. Get proficient with full-range and training, but still need to throw in some full-range work.

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RANT OF THE MONTH

Giving Back? by Gene Rychlak

Before I get started on my inaugural Rant, I would like to chronic offenders. It gets old.
take the time and thank Mark and Andee Bell for giving me I strongly feel that lifters who are new to the sport should
this forum to speak my mind on certain issues in this sport. I take it upon themselves to do some homework, find out
hope to repay their trust and provide you with some worth- where the next meet is happening, show up and offer to
while reading. help. This way they are learning the nuances of why things
My first topic is my No. 1 pet peeve, which those who fre- are done certain ways. They learn about their fellow lifters
quent my website’s message board know all too well is the by not seeing them as an adversary, but an equal. If more
selfishness of today’s lifter. lifters did the right thing and volunteered at meets, then
For the last 10 years I’ve noticed a disturbing and growing meet directors like myself wouldn't be forced to continually
trend. More and more lifters are taking and very, very few count on the same group of people day in and day out to
are giving back. I see a lot of lifters who will only show at a ensure a meet comes off without a hitch.
meet when they are competing. When these lifters aren’t Yes, times have changed — unfortunately, not for the bet-
competing, they are nowhere to be found — not even when ter. I was brought up old-school and try to impart those val-
guys they train with are competing. These lifters offer excus- ues to the next generation. But it hasn’t been received very
es like, “I had to give the dog a bath,” or “Gotta help the wife well. I have clashed with many lifters over their lack of effort
with grocery shopping,” and many more. Yes, it’s easy to to help at meets. Now I try and encourage lifters to give
point the guilty finger at the newbies, since they often don’t back, but I don’t push it. I graciously take what is offered and
know any better, but some the main offenders are the elite, leave it at that. But unless things change, the sport will be in
top-level lifters. Most times they come off as if they feel it’s for a rude awakening. There will be fewer and fewer indi-
beneath them to get their hands dirty. They should be lead- viduals willing to put in the time and effort to undertake such
ing by example but, unfortunately, in most cases they are not. endeavors, and good meets will be few and far between. So
I’m not painting the sport with a wide brush. There are top in the long run, the lifters will lose out.
level lifters who do give back. They are at every meet they I have been running meets for 13 years, and I can count
can get to, whether they have a lifter in the meet or not. on my two hands the number of people I can count on every
When I got into this sport 26 years ago and joined my first time I put on a meet. That number hasn't changed very much
powerlifting-oriented gym, it was brutally hammered into me over the years, and neither have the people. Ask them why
that whether or not I was competing, my ass better be at the they do it and you get two answers: they love the sport and
meet helping wherever I could. If I failed to do so, I’d better who else will help if they don’t? But more help is still need-
not show my face in the gym for a few weeks until the heat ed. Sometimes we get lucky, and sometimes we don’t.
died down. And, in turn, I’d better not expect help from the I will say loud and clear that this year has given me some
other guys in the gym at the next meet I lifted in. In an age surprises. At some recent meets I’ve run, some individuals
where we have become servants to the beck and call of ring stepped up and wanted to do whatever it took to keep the
tones, the demands on our time are sometimes more than we show moving. I treat them like gold and do whatever is nec-
can handle. I understand that family and work complicate essary to compensate them for their effort — and I wish I
things, but if a lifter legitimately wanted to be at a meet, they could do more. But they are satisfied with our gratitude and
would find a way. walk away with a high head, knowing what they did was
Most lifters only see one side of the picture: showing up appreciated. Why does it seem there are so few of them left?
the morning of the meet, sitting around waiting for their Don’t look at helping at meets like you are wasting a day.
attempts and cruising out of the parking lot with their tro- Think of it as giving back to the sport you love. You might
phy in hand. But by assisting with set up/teardown, spot- learn something you may have overlooked while competing.
ting, loading, judging, announcing, expediting or being a You might see a guy who you’ve had a rivalry with in a dif-
general gofer, you develop a different perspective of what ferent light. You might learn things from people you’ve never
it takes and can begin to appreciate how much effort goes had the opportunity to talk to while you were competing.
into making a meet happen. Most lifters would rather piss There are too many opportunities to ignore, and by being
and moan amongst themselves about how the meet is pro- selfish you are only limiting what kind of powerlifter you
gressing, oblivious to the underlying situations that cause could be.
delays. And the ones who cry the loudest are usually the Stop making excuses, get to a meet and lend a hand.

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NEW PRODUCTS

Super-Lift
The Super-Lift combines the functions of a competition bench press, power
rack, competition monolift and more into one device. It comes with a
competition safety bench attachment and PR maker pad and operates in
front opening and standard reverse directions. Users can quickly adjust it
to any position with a bar range of 7-plus feet. The Super-Lift has hard-
ened steel rollers for hooks, which extend 4 feet and face either direction,
along with easy bar and hook positioning. It has adjustable swing-out and
setup for single or no-spotter operation, and band hooks for added tension
and band de-loading. Super-Lift has a 6-foot base for super-wide squats
and adjustable self-spot attachments for squatting and benching. It breaks
down in minutes with no tools and fits in a pickup bed. Now available!
Email supertraininggym@me.com for price and shipping info.

PR Belt™
Inzernet.com
A unique step forward in Powerlifting Belts! For the first time ever a
powerlifting belt provides you with the power to fit yourself differently
each set, precisely how you need it. The new, patented PR Belt™
(POWER-RATCHET BELT™) gives you the freedom of unlimited adjustabil-
ity and precise fit.

The Prowler
www.elitefts.com
The Prowler develops strength in the legs, hips and arms. It can be used in
team situations and competitions and help create a great atmosphere. Weight
plates can be added for increased resistance. The Prowler is great for general
conditioning, all types of sled dragging, Prowler pushes (push sled), lower
body strength and endurance, and more. The Prowler measures 43x36 inches
and breaks down to fit in a trunk or truck bed. Upright pipes are easily
removed. Purchase the Prowler at for $269–$439.

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6030 Mono lift CON-CRÉT

www.con-cret.com
from Nebula CON-CRÉT helps to increase the body’s production of
www.nebula-fitness.com adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a source of energy or fuel
Nebula’s new 6030 Mono lift is designed for cellular and muscular
to be hard working, awesome looking and function, and can bene-
smooth operating. Its joints are lined with fit those who have
precision bronze bushings that moving on restrictive animal pro-
1-inch polished stainless steel shafting. tein diets. It does not
This unit is also made to tear down and require a loading phase
pack up easily for meets. It comes stan- or cycling off because it
dard with band training on the front feet and a wide 60-inch span is micro-dosed, with 1/4 tsp. or one capsule for every
for sumo squats. A new option is rear wheel-out riggers that fold up 100 lbs. of body weight. CON-CRÉT does not cause
out and of the way, and pin in place to help move the unit. The bloating, water retention or gastrointestinal issues and
6030 Mono lift has easy T-handle adjustments to slide hooks from offers steroid-like results in strength, endurance and
wide to narrow positioning, and easy counterbalance. Its 5-ton muscle recovery. In a University of Nebraska Medical
hydraulic jack moves the lifting head up or down, and quickset locks Center creatine uptake study, CON-CRÉT was shown to
set lifters’ bar height and counterbalanced swing-out action on the be the most soluble creatine on the market. It is avail-
bar hooks. An optional meet shipping crate is available. able in powder or capsule form.

AD INDEX
COMPANY NAME PAGE WEBSITE

Con-Cret (ProMera Health) IFC www.con-cret.com

Anderson Powerlifting page 3 www.andersonpowerlifting.com
Bodybuilding.com page 5 www.bodybuilding.com
MHP page 7, 25, 44 www.mhpstrong.com
Team Alan & Bonnie Aerts page 11 no website listed
Elite Fitness Systems page 17 www.elitefts.com
Powerliftingwatch.com page 19 www.powerliftingwatch.com
House of Pain page 23 www.houseofpain.com
INZER Advance Designs page 26, 27 www.inzernet.com
Critical Bench page 33, 37 www.criticalbench.com
Bell Financial page 35 bell1040@verizon.net
Super Training Gym page 42 www.SuperTrainingGym.com
Power Magazine page 47 www.SuperTrainingGym.com
Titan Support Systems, INC IBC www.titansupport.com
Nebula Fitness Equipment BC www.nebula-fitness.com
POWER MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2009 49
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Get to Know …
Stan Efferding
Stan Efferding is currently the #1 ranked RAW powerlifter
in the WORLD, he also happens to have his IFBB Pro
Bodybuilder card…and did I mention he is also a very
successful business man?
Take a moment to get to know the “Rhino” Stan Efferding.

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Lifting 2,250 lbs. RAW and qualifying for Mr. Olympia
2. What is your greatest fear?
Anything less than the above.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I’m weak.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
When I’m dieting for a competition and they eat ice cream in
front of me.
5. What is your greatest extravagance?
Strawberry shortcake at the Cheesecake Factory. Just don’t share
one with Mark Bell; he has no concept of what half is.
6. What is your current state of mind?
Hungry. 19. Who are your favorite writers?
7. On what occasion do you lie? All the fans who write about my videos on the forums. Now,
Is it a lie to say your max bench is the one you did in the gym that’s some good literature.
while wearing elbow wraps, with a huge bounce, your ass so 20. Which historical figure
high you could drive a truck under it, and a spotter to pick it off so you most identify with?
your chin — and there’s no video to prove otherwise? Then when I don’t make any comparisons; I’m just me.
someone asks me how much I bench, I lie on every occasion.
21. What is it that you most dislike?
8. What do you most dislike about your appearance? Steak and rice. Ugh!
No matter how much pizza and ice cream I eat, I just don’t seem
to be able to grow one of those big, round, pregnant-looking 22. What is your greatest regret?
Santa Claus bellies all the guys at Super Training Gym are sport- No regrets; we learn from our mistakes.
ing. Those are sexy. I think that’s why they get all the girls. 23. What talent would you most like to have?
9. Which living person do you most despise? Remembering names. The comedians at Super Training Gym let
No room for that in my life. me call people by the wrong names for a week while they
goofed on me.
10. What do you most value in your friends?
When they have stuff I can borrow. The best friends have the 24. How would you like to die?
most stuff. Happy.
11. What or who is the greatest love of your life? 25. What is your motto?
What: I love training. Who: I have many, including my family Die happy.
and friends. I’m grateful for all of them. 26. Which living person do you most admire?
12. When and where were you happiest? My pops. He’s always the voice of reason.
Never been happier. 27. What is a quality you most like in a woman?
13. If you could change one thing about yourself, what Honesty.
would it be? 28. What is a quality you most like in a man?
I’d relax a little, but not yet. There’s so much more to do and I’m Huh? Who wrote this question?
not getting any younger over here. 29. Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
14. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Johnnie Jackson, “World’s Strongest Pro Bodybuilder.” Now
Reaching my goals. There are always new goals, so the greatest there’s some fiction.
achievements are always ahead of me. 30. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
15. Where would you like to live? Nothing that makes sense, just lots of grunting.
In my house. I’ve been living out of hotels lately and haven’t 31. If you were to die and come back as a person or thing,
been home in months. what do you think it would be?
16. What is your most treasured possession? A hydraulic wench. Then nobody could out-lift me.
My IFBB Pro Bodybuilding Belt, given to me by Flex Wheeler. I 32. Who are your heroes in real life?
trained for 24 years for that. My folks.
17. What is your favorite occupation? 33. Favorite movie?
Unemployment. Bigger, Stronger, Faster.
18. What is your most marked characteristic? 34. Favorite lifter?
The noises I make when I’m lifting. Ed Coan.

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