The value of light weights and technique

Many lifters rush and add too much weight too soon in training. The weight becomes too heavy when technique breaks down and speed slows down. It's important to take a step back and make adequate time to polish up technique using submaximal weights preferably at low percentages between 50% and or 70%

PASM = Process of Achieving Sports Mastery
This was a term that came out of the Soviet Union that related to their athletes journey throughout their athletic career. The goal was to maximize the athletes potential through a systematic process deliberately aimed at creating the best athletes in the world to promote Communism and to show the west how superior the Soviet's were. And it worked. The Soviets were the first to combine year long training and to combine science, doctors, engineers to developing training methods to achieve the highest athletic potential.

As Weightlifters, we are still encouraged to adopt a similar process. Often I slow down lifters and encourage them to train with light weight to master their technique. Only later will we load the bar to heavier loads once their technique is solid, sound and efficient. This is an ongoing process that never stops frankly speaking.

Light weight and technique development
It's very important to allocate time dedicated to perfecting technique development using light weights. Not everyday you are going to lift weights over 90%. Training with light weights 50% to 70% will give you active recovery while developing timing, speed, and position to the classical lifts such as the snatch and clean n jerk.

Make sure that you emphasize timing, speed with the goal of placing that bar where you want it to go. Have the mentality that you are deliberately putting the bar in the positions you want to achieve the greatest bar path trajectory and efficiency. This can be greatly achieved using light weights and dedicating time to lifting lighter loads.

Coach Cano

SAVE MONEY with this approach to cutting weight!!!

Diets, meal plans, cutting weight for meets

If you are using a meal plan, macros, or diet program...you probably aren't really that determined to win or medal at your next competition. Why? Because if you really are that determined to win no amount of food or socializing will take away from you your opportunity to succeed.

Cutting weight usually comes with a extra work of cardio and skimpy eating. To many, it's no fun!!!! In the Powerlifting community many federations allow up to 24 hour weigh ins so it's common to hear stories of lifters making weight and then gaining anywhere from 10 to 20lbs the next day. Hardly seems fair at all considering that you're suppose to be competing with someone your same weight in the same class. Make sense right? 

In Weightlifting, we weigh in 2 hrs before lifting. So cutting more than 5lbs the day or day before is not very smart at all. There are different approaches to cutting weight and I'll share with you my approach. You don't need to spend money on those online diet programs which I'm sure work. However, I want to offer you my approach towards cutting weight and save you money. 

My approach = Coach Cano's approach
The best rule of thumb is to not train more than 5 to 6 kilos above your weight class for heavy weight classes and no more than 4 to 5 kilos above your weight class for the middle classes and light weights. Light weight classes, no more than 4...please. You don't have much to lose. You're already skinny. 

Off Season
This is the most important time of the training cycle to add volume and to build strength. I compete at 77kilos so my training weight off season is 82 to 81 kilos. At this heavier weight I can train for volume and strength. The extra volume will increase calorie burning and effort. Therefore, the extra calories to eat is for recovery and for energy. You need extra energy or else you will burn out and not have enough substrates for energy during training. 

3 to 4 months out
At this time I'm cutting back the volume and increasing the intensity. I drop to 80kilos body weight and stay in the range but no more than 4 kilos over competition weight. This phase of training I'm increasing my percentages and the strength goes up.

4 weeks out
This time I'm training at 79kgs and stay there. Volume drops but intensity is up there. Increasing speed in the lifts is important in this phase. It's important to drop calorie consumption since your volume is less. Less volume gives you the opportunity to increase your intensity and your strength should peak at this time. 

1 week out
This time of training I'm only about 1 to 2 kilos above body weight. This weight range is easy to manage. The last 2 or 1 kilos over body weight can easily be cut 2 days before or even the night before. This last week I'm focusing on speed in the lifts and maxing out on the lifts. All accessory work is eliminated from training. 

Competition Day
If you time it correctly which isn't hard to do you should be at peak strength at the competition. If you're not...you messed up. Seriously. It's not a science. It's timing and programming. You don't need meal plans or diet programs. If you are extremely motivated to win and do your best no amount of food will distract you from achieving maximum performance on competition day.  If you're using a meal plan, diet program, or macros...why? Question your determination. Question if your drive is there. Question if you are hungry to succeed...and not just hungry for pork chops.

Coach Cano

How to get stronger? Everything will change for you when...

Training to get stronger is the pinnacle of Weightlifting or any strength sport for that matter. For Weightlifters, a higher total, a P.R. on their snatch or clean n jerk would mean the whole world for them. We can train for years just to add 1kg to your snatch or clean n jerk max. It took me 3 years to add 2 kilos to my clean and jerk max. Still I'm waiting to P.R. my snatch max. Everything will change for you when you change your mindset.

Motivation and sense of urgency
I want you to think about the last time you were so motivated to pursue a passion, an obligation, or to achieve something out of the ordinary. It requires an absolute sense of urgency to protect and finish an obligation that can cost you. Take for example, if you just became a parent your mindset has shifted from thinking about you to now having the obligation of raising a child. Parents would understand this obligation. Think about the last time you entered a competition and how serious your training got especially if you were a contender to place. I remember, several years ago I would train twice a day for 3 days during the week. I would do my squats at 6am in 39 degree weather 3 days a week!!! Then in the afternoon train doing my snatches, cleans and accessory work. I didn't mind the training since my hunger to succeed was so high. In addition, I had a sense of urgency that drove me to succeed.

Mindest
Everything will change for you when you change your mindset. The sense of urgency will come for you when your motivation to succeed is so high that your energy will be so focused on becoming stronger that you will do whatever is necessary to succeed. This is the great change. This is the change you've been looking for that will grant you the gainz you've been wanting.

Wanting and Needing
Lastly, there is a difference between wanting and needing. You might say, "I want to snatch 100kilos." "I want to squat 200kilos." But wanting is not going to be enough for you to push yourself to the next level. A need and having a strong need to succeed will give you that sense of urgency. Many powerlifters WANT to deadlift 900lbs. In strongman, IF you don't deadlift 900lbs you will not advance to the next round!!! This is the major difference! You can see that having a strong NEED will push you to succeed.

Change your mindset. Look for a reason to succeed by having a sense of urgency. Do you want to get stronger or do you need to get stronger? It's up to you.

Coach Cano

My visit to Coffee's Gym PT. 1

Hi everyone.
I traveled from California to Coffee's gym in Marietta Georgia (30min north from Atlanta) this past weekend to meet some friends but more importantly to train there. Training in different gym environments gives you an opportunity to perform at a higher level because you are not familiar with the people, energy and environment. Coffee's gym gave me an EXPLOSIVE energy and I didn't disappoint!!!


Coffee's Gym
John Coffee is a legendary Weightlifting coach out of Georgia. In the early 1990's his gym was the dominant Women's Weightlifting gym for years. Many girls came to John Coffee and still do and turn out to be amazing lifters. One of Coffee's gym most successful Weightlifters is Robin Goad who became IWF World Champion in 1994. This is a very rare achievement in the USA. She is just one of numerous lifters who have come out of Coffee's gym with huge success.

When you enter the gym it's divided into 2 sections:  one section is for fitness/bodybuilding which is generally seen throughout all gyms and the second section is entirely dedicated to Olympic Weightlifting. When you enter you notice the walls full of placards of achievements that go from top to bottom. Then there are framed pictures of both national lifters and international lifters all over the walls.

In one corner lies John Coffee's coaching couch where he spends a lot of time coaching...and napping. Around Mr. Coffee are endless newspapers and magazines and kinda looks like a bomb went off. Some people are just special like that.

Coffee's gym has so many lifters from different age ranges from junior lifters, senior lifters and many masters lifters. But don't be fooled, all these lifters are taking their training serious!!!! You just don't walk into Coffee's gym haphazardly!! You are there for a purpose!!!! 

I stated my training with the one and only Mr. Juan Sepulveda aka THE KING!!! IF you don't know who THE KING is let me tell you something about him. At 63 years old, he can snatch 100kgs, clean and jerk 300lbs and created his own Crossfit workout called Crossfit 'WHO?' It's 8 reps of 100kg power cleans. I saw it in person and said, 'WOW!!!!" I couldn't believe it. He was going to another planet!!!!

I'll write more about it next time in PT. 2 of my Coffee's gym experience. I'll introduce you to some of the people I met there and other details not mentioned here. 

Till next time,

Coach Cano

The 2 most important lifts in competition

So you are entering a Weightlifting competition. GREAT!!! Whether it's your first one or you are an experienced lifter there are 2 attempts that are the most important ones in competition. Far too many lifters make attempts and miss too often. In the sport of Weightlifting you have to make lifts. PERIOD!!! This cannot be underestimated. Last years nationals score card looked like a bloodbath with so many missed attempts. Without at least one successful snatch lift and one successful clean n jerk you cannot total. It's called bombing out!!! Let's look at those 2 attempts that are the most important.

Snatch:
Your first snatch attempt should be the most important one because it should be the easiest one!!! The rule of thumb is that your opening snatch should be something you can double in training. You don't want to miss your first attempt because now you're in trouble. You start to enter doubt into your mindset and you don't want that to happen. Make your first attempt count.

Clean n jerk:
Your opening clean n jerk should be something you can do in training any day of the week. The more attempts you make the more confidence you gain while progressing in the competition. A clean + front squat + jerk is a great combo lift to practice as an opener in training. Whatever weight that is for you consider that an opening attempt weight. You don't want to start too heavy because then you might not have enough strength for the 3rd attempt. Depending on the competition you can open slightly heavier.

Final thoughts:
Your first attempts should be the most important ones because then you can total. You have trained hard for months and you don't want to show up on competition day bombing out or going something like 2 for 6. Your training should be your preparation and selecting weights you can make as openers improves your odds at success. I recommend at local smaller meets to aim for 6 for 6 and open with lighter weights to build confidence. These smaller meets are great to get in those kilos. Make your lifts, make your openers and make it count.

Coach Cano

How to have a STRONGER back

The back is a very sensitive yet important area not just for competitive reasons in our sport but for daily living. Estimates of 80% of American's suffer with low back pain and is second reason for doctor visits. A good friend of mine says, "A strong back is a healthy back." It's hard to argue that since having a strong back protects your back from injury and can help you prevent injuries.

Strengthening the low back involves strengthening several syst and I'll show you how.
1. Posterior chain strength: this is strengthening the muscles of the back of the body such as glutes, hips, thighs and upper back. The stronger these muscles are the greater in support they will contribute to the integrity of your spine.
2. Anterior chain strength: training the front of the body aids in support of the low back. Muscles such as the quadriceps, chest, shoulders helps keep the back strong and stable.
3. Trunk strength (core): trunk strength involves the muscles of the abdomen, serratus, and surrounding muscles that make up the center of the body.

FOR COACHING: contact me at capscave@gmail.com or call 805-402-6335

Strength coaching for low back strength and performance

Trunk strength is relatively important because it's the muscles most closely linked to the low back. Therefore, these muscles have to be strong to keep the back neutral. The two exercises I recommend to strengthen the low back are: back extensions and reverse hypers. I do these two exercises BEFORE training and AFTER training. Watch the video for a demonstration on how to execute these two exercises:

Kill Kilos Not Animals

I've gotten in contact with other Weightlifters who are vegetarian and plant based. Sometimes I wonder if I'm the only one. Thankfully, that's not the case. My compassion for animals drives me to continue this path of eating a plant based diet and finding support especially with other strong well known lifters inspires me and only stamps my resolve for continuing my path.

I want to encourage you to support the following blog:

Kill Kilos Not Animals

It's written by Brandon Lowski who is another Weightlifter who is Vegetarian. He shares my compassion for animals and life. And he's really strong too. Please support!

http://killkilosnotanimals.blogspot.com/

The younger you start the better off!!!

It's never too late to start but the younger you are the better chances you have. Kids in Europe, China, Colombia, Russia start as early as 10 years old.

The 3 Things Most People Don't Know About Muscle w/ Dr. Andy Galpin

Having leg speed and leg power is a key to preventing falling as we get older. It increases quality of life. What other benefits does having muscular strength offer? Check out the video by (Click Here)