Power House Steve lifting Jeremy prior to Jeremy demonstrating
lift escapes.

Steve Varga 2008 Training Profile

Another competition year has ended for me from the first club lift in March with an 800kg total to the N.Z champs in August with an 840kg total. I have put 25kgs on my squat 10kgs on my bench and 5kgs on my dead lift.

My training has been steady. I have tried some new things out and changed some of my training to make it a bit more efficient. I have two days in the week where I now do plyometrics, one day for my squat and bench and two days later for my dead lift. It seems to be working quite well. I squat on a Monday so on Sundays I do jumps with bands I use jump stretch bands that I fold in half and put one on each side of my weight belt so they hang down and then attach them to karabiners on the ground. I will use different strength bands and do sets as low as six up to as high as twelve and reps of two with thirty second breaks in-between. And some times without bands so I will do sets of jumps on to a box or bench.

Band jumps

 

I use my lifting gear in my squat training a lot more almost always. Not so much in my bench though as I am trying to build up my natural strength. I have stopped doing conventional deads in my dead lift training. I only do them on the day of competitions. I may have only added 5kg to my dead but I have been having grip problems. The weight really hasn’t been the problem I am working on it and I am slowly getting there.

National power lifting champs

320kg

15 March 2008: Club Lift

Body weight 107.7kg
Weight class 110kg

	Lift 1	Lift 2	Lift 3
Squat	290kg	305kg*	320kg miss
Bench Press	185kg	195kg	200kg miss
Dead Lift	275kg	290kg	300kg
Total	800kg

Placing: first

3 May 2008: Otago Champs

Body weight 108.4kg
Weight class 110kg

	Lift 1	Lift 2	Lift 3
Squat	290kg	310kg*	320kg*
Bench Press	190kg	200kg( miss)	200kg
Dead Lift	285kg	305kg	312.5kg*
Total	832.5kg*

Placing: first (South island record *)

21 June 2008: South Island Powerlifting Champs

Body weight 108.9kg
Weight Class 110kg

	Lift 1	Lift 2	Lift 3
Squat	300kg	315kg	325kg*
Bench Press	190kg	202.5kg	207.5kg
Dead Lift	290kg	310kg( miss)	310kg( miss)
Total	822.5Kg

Placed: first and overall(South island record *)

16 August 2008: New Zealand Powerlifting Champs

Body weight 109.1kg
Weight Class 110kg

	Lift 1	Lift 2	Lift 3
Squat	310kg	320kg	330kg miss
Bench Press	190kg	200kg	205kg
Dead Lift	280kg	305kg	315kg
Total	840kg

Placed: first and overall

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Have you done any martial arts or combat sports training before?

Some boxing before starting CQB training in 2008. Jeremy Hall one of the Todd Group instructors trains under me in power lifting and strength training and in exchange instructs me in CQB.

How have you found the phase one CQB training?

Really good its stuff I never seen or done before and is all-new to me. I find it all makes sense to me and once you have learned the skills they come easy.

Does the CQB training fit well with your power lifting?

Yes it does but for a lot of the techniques you do not need massive power over a little more finesse.

Do you find that you require a high level of physical fitness for CQB?

No not at all.

The Todd Systems unarmed offensive assault package comprises of long-range stamp kicking and close range empty hand striking what is your preference?

I am more familiar with the kicking at present and prefer kicking however when we revise phase one I will concentrate more on the hand strikes.

Do you find any of the training creates risk of injury that would affect your power lifting training?

No not at all as the techniques are easy to do and do not overly load or extend your limbs or muscles.

Do you find your power training hinders your speed of kicking or striking?

I find when you do anything properly and repetitively you get better and faster at it. I included in my power traing stretching for flexibility and Cardio to ensure I do not become muscle-bound and as a result slower or stiffer. My muscles are well used to being worked physically under cardio and strength conditions and the CQB is well with in this type of training and range.

Now that you have undertaken basic offensive and counter offensive close combat do you find that you would prefer in a real-life situation to go offensive or counter offensive?

That would depend on the situation and if it were a single attacker or more than one attacker but by nature I would prefer to attack over defending.

Could you inform us of your personal preferences in relation to your preferred long-range unarmed offensive assault skills and your close range unarmed offensive assault skills?

I personally like the axe-kick attack and the leg stamp with an escape action, the axe-kick offers very close direct attack access and the leg stamp with an escape action enables you to attack from the greatest distance and with deception.

With the hands I prefer the palm jab entry and palm strike finishing and sometimes the hand edge entry and chin jab finishing.

Do you find counter offensively that the stances and guards are similar to positions for power lifting and complement each other?

Definitely as they are very similar and both provide the base balance and position for both lifting heavy weights and for a major struggle at close quarters.

Todd Systems method of stationary counter offensive assault comprising of crouch and cover guard and deflection if required, does this suit and fit with your needs and physical make up?

Yes as I said earlier the stances and guards are very similar to power lifting and only having one method of defense when static reduces the likelihood of getting it wrong. With my physical size and shape I had to practice quite a bit to ensure I brought my guard straight up from my slides and only guarded my body mass.

When you have had to fight in the past what have been your used skills and preferences.

Mainly clenched fist punching.

Now that you have learnt combative skills would you change the way you would fight or not and why.

Yes I would, as I now know how to kick and know the benefits of palm striking over clenched fists. Also defensively to defend that would not be such a surprise as I've learned how to make myself ready and am confident to deal with an attack.

You have been exchange training with Jeremy Hall, a Todd Group instructor, giving him individual tuition power lifting training in exchange for him training you in close combat. Has this arrangement work well for the both of you and why?

The arrangement benefits us both as we can ensure the training fits my power lifting needs and does not increase any risk of injury and at the same time can introduce Jeremy to training that will benefit and enhances close combat. Jeremy has been improving on a weekly basis with his strength training and making good gains in both the weight he can lift and the amount of repetitions he can lift it.

Have you started on your self-defense modules training yet and have if so how do you find them?

We've started on the knife and machete disarming and I've found this very easy to learn as I already have learnt the basic footwork from the unarmed combat training. That's one of the great things about the Todd System it all follows the same practices and fundamentals and fits together perfectly.

Steve training with Jeremy Hall

The preventing an attacker getting you in a hold and escaping the holds training how have you found that?

I found this to fit with my thoughts on not wanting to grapple with anyone or go to the ground. Learning a whole new awareness I believe reduces the chance of being locked up in a hold and will increase your chances of preventing it happening. My physical size combined with the things I am being taught to prevent a hold work well together. The escaping holds especially the poo position that fits with my squatting and dead lifting practices as well as my bulk give me a good chance of getting out of holds.

What are your thoughts on individual physical bulk and size and the advantages and disadvantages provided?

Well all things being equal being bigger and stronger combined with skills really does provide advantages. The Todd Systems dirty tricks are designed to reduce any advantage physical size and stature may provide and I like that. But in a close quarter grapple having a considerable size and strength advantage is a real advantage and has been proven time and again. Of course knowing how to use bulk and strength is also important and a must.

To date are there any other additional advantages the training has provided you or benefits that come to mind?

Yes just how the training provides not only a new awareness but also the means to get out of the way or make yourself safe from stationary and think and decide on what to do next based on what you've been taught. Time to think and decide safely is a big part of what I've learned.

Has the basic phase one training taught you how to use both your physical size and strength as well as skills to outsmart and defeat your possible attacker?

Definitely a lot of the time you do not even need to use a lot of physical strength. Even though your training partner may not be physically as strong as you I have been taught to presume they are bigger stronger and better and to conserve physically and use skills that are safe and effective against someone bigger and better. The training from the start has provided choice and skills to suit not only the physical aspects but also the situation. If I was much smaller I would have chosen different skills and the good thing is you have options to suit the situation and how serious or less serious it may be. You can be less or more aggressive and less deadly to suit the situation.

Steve, with your previous knowledge of fight sports and martial arts and now having been involved in Todd Systems training what opinions have you formed?

Well it's nothing like what I had seen before or thought it was going to be like. It's certainly not like any fighting sport or any martial arts movie and I personally would not be interested in anything that was not extremely practical and had a useful purpose for me. I'm looking forward to getting through phase one training and starting it again and increasing my speed power and improving my application.

The phase two training with its grappling would be well suited to my build and I would like to learn a ground combat as well. My aim is to continue with phase one training until I have it down pat and then do the test.

The phase one training really does provide all a civilian needs to know to defend themselves and I can see myself keeping up its practice even when I progress on.

What are your opinions on the Todd Group HQ facility and the instructors and exponents?

A great atmosphere and you can't beat it, its just the way and what I like. You cant beat that special feeling and history of being very old school tried and true hard core. The people that train there are simply down to earth and have respect for each other. There is no ego tripping or pushing their status around or weight around type BS.

I know you train with free weights and rubber bands for explosive power. Do you think this training would be beneficial for CQB.?

You don't really need training with the bands for CQB as you do not really need the benefits they provide for CQB however the free weights really enhance strength and stability. The rubber bands are more for specific sport related explosive power.

In relation to pushing weights what repetitions and weight would you suggest for CQB training?

Heavy weights low repetitions promotes instant short-term power base performance. Its like 100% of what you've got in one movement and with CQB wanting to end a situation in an instant maximum output in an instant is of use. So like a soldier carries a pack for practical purposes as well as conditioning weight training provides similar benefits in strength and stability. In the practice of low repetition maximum lifts or like in competition one repetition maximum lifts provides instant 100% performance.

If prolonged performance is required in a confrontation situation then this is where your varied training in the gym where you work on increased repetitions and sets would come into play and aid with performance for increased duration where endurance would be needed.

What other exercises do you think would complement CQB training?

Olympic lifting movements like the clean and jerk as well as power cleans. Any exercises with free weights especially like exercises with movement like striding or lunging would be of advantage as well as the static deed lift and squatting exercises to improve stability and static strength. Building up your back muscles hamstrings and glutes is going to make you stronger in attack with combative movement coming from your back and core.

The exercises with lesser weight and a lot of balance and good technique involved will really help CQB training like power cleans Hindu squats and lunges.

Could you give the readers a general outline on what to do to increase strength and fitness in relation to the weights and repetitions?

If you want to get real strong three to five repetitions at very heavyweights. nd if you want to put on size 6 to 12 repetitions. And if you want increased endurance 16 repetitions to as many as you want.

Can you tell us what type of core exercises you do and to what extent.

Once a week for about an hour I will focus on core exercises such as old-style core crunches with or without weights, German twists on the decline with a dumbbell, rope crunch pull downs. The good old Roman chairs and boards or core exercises with dumbbells are all great for CQB.

The full range sit-ups that were stopped many years back through misinformation have since come back into play and are a great conditioner. Any problems with them were often through weak backs and not the exercise if it was correctly executed. Forward and reverse hyperextensions are great core exercises that I also do.