Meet Prep/Offseason
How do we structure training over the year?
Meet Prep
Through hell or high water.
Meet preparation can often be difficult on the mind and the body. With all the information available today and many conflicting viewpoints, finding an approach that works best for you as an individual can be frustrating, along with adding another stress to the process of coming to the platform as the best lifter possible. Many questions often go through a lifter’s mind: How often should the competition lifts be done? How can I setup my training to balance it out with my life? How can I optimize my training to fulfill my potential as a lifter? What about my diet, fluid intake, managing stress, and keeping myself injury free? All of these questions and more can lead to decision fatigue. Let our well-educated coaching staff work to make your meet prep and future as a powerlifter the best it possibly can be. With a science-based training approach tailored to your meet preparation needs, The Strength Athlete will help you avoid overtraining, injury, plateaus, mental frustration, and any other setbacks to ensure you have the best meet experience possible.
Nutrition
It's important that a healthy off season is as long as possible, without the need for fat loss phases from over-eating. Moderation and tracking caloric intake in the off season is a clear winner in keeping metabolism healthy and firing, making the weight drop to a competitive weight class as easy as possible (without a loss in strength!)
To this end, we develop nutritional profiles for our athletes and adhere to them on and off season for gains year-round.
Training
On a more technical note, we favor a basis of full ROM compound barbell movements, and assistance exercises that attack a person's weak points. From there and depending on the athlete's needs, we modify and personalize things. Programming is largely individual, though at earlier stages in an athlete's development, many stimuli can result in the same level of progress.
It's our understanding that even the best 'powerlifting programs' boil down to a manipulation of the same exercises, and it is through a cognitive approach and understanding of one's own needs and stage in lifting that we can truly maximize the competitive prep.
Mobility
Training can be demanding, and an understanding of those imposed demands on range of motion will allow us to work with you, improving position and avoiding injury. Not all injuries are related to structure of the body, but we'll work on a defined dynamic warmup and regularly check in on how you're recovering and moving.
“A proper meet preparation is specific to the athlete. We rely on experience and willingness to create the perfect plan for you.”
Programming for meet preparation includes:
Application designed to gather the most crucial details relevant to your past training history and future goals and desires
Initial Skype (or phone) call to discuss in detail: strategies, services, and expectations for the preparation
A customized program including: powerlifting training, complete nutritional guidelines, weekly reporting, and adjustments
Constantly changing training approach as needed to maximize your abilities as a strength athlete
Science-based supplement recommendations that support your overall health, well-being, and strength goals
Unlimited email communication to answer any and all questions, and to ensure the coach-athlete relationship thrives
A complete peaking program with increased communication during the final week will be planned, so that no crucial detail is missed in your preparation leading into the meet
Offseason
Many powerlifters choose to take a portion of the year to take time off from competing so they may make continued investments in building their strength and skill without the stress of meet prep. This time does not come without its challenges. Without a meet on the horizon, training can sometimes feel unfocused. However, here at The Strength Athlete we believe in a strong work ethic both in and out of season. A good off-season can set up an athlete for an excellent series of meets during the year. In the off-season we look to build skill in the competition lifts, and build muscle to potentiate further strength gains. The Strength Athlete will optimize these qualities in your training with the latest in scientific strength protocols. The off season is also an excellent time to address nutritional concerns, such as dropping a weight class. TSA believes in a flexible-approach to dieting that will allow you to live your life while reaching your goals. We at the Strength Athlete truly believe anyone can become the best in their sport with hard work, dedication, smart programming and the right attitude. Let us help optimize your off season.