2009 Plan Of Training For Year

Ok, it's 2009 – a New Year of training and competitions. I am always thinking how to better my training; how to add more weight to my lifts.  This year I have got four comps, the first being a club lift in March, followed by the Otago Champs in May, South Island Champs in June and then the N.Z Champs in August – so five months to get my training on track and into action.
Since I am now taking the west side approach, training includes two heavy days (Max effort) and two speed days (Dynamic effort).

Dynamic effort squat deadlift day

On Fridays I’ll do box squats just touching the box for depth not sitting right onto it.
With a wide stance for 8 to12 sets of 3 reps and thirty second breaks in-between. I don’t really use a percentage as long as the speed is fast enough.
I’ll also use bands for this and chains every second or third week for a couple of weeks.

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Then speed pulls which is just a conventional dead lift with bands attached on either side of the bar giving me about 50k of tension at the top (when I stand up with the bar.)
I also use different height boards to stand on from half an inch to two inches.
I use chains as well.
I go by how I feel and not so much the weight I use as long as the speed is fast.

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Band walks are where I take a light jump stretch band fold it in half and place it around my ankles and then take a step creating as much tension as possible on the band.  I repeat this about six times each leg going both forward and backwards.

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

An upper back exercise I’ll do after those using high reps from 15 to 25.

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Power Lifting - Steve Varga

Then some sort of neck work.

Article written by Steve Varga

Steve Varga is 35-year-old and began lifting weights at age 20. He competes in competes in the 100kg weight class in powerlifting competitions.

He has made strength and power training his business and sole means of income as a personal trainer, willing and enthusiastic to help others and in turn further his achievements.