27 Nov Things I’ve learned From Being a Part of Team PRS: Part 1

By Brian Carroll

Being a part of a team so diverse as PRS, I’ve been lucky enough to get to know quite a few very gifted, talented and cool people. But cool is only breaking the surface and won’t get you far in athletic endeavors without planning, experience, wisdom, adjustability and tenacity.  I really envy and try to emulate the strongpoints of my peers and friends, especially if they are highly successful.

[wa-wps]

What I want to do is explain what these coaches and athletes have taught me (while not even realizing it) in hopes to not only to get you to understand how they could potentially help you but also to thank them and show them how they have impacted me and others all over the world.

Everyone has a talent, in my opinion. Everyone has an ability unique to them but it’s up to them to figure out how to exploit and utilize it. I really believe this as I’ve seen some amazing things over the years. Unfortunately, some choose to succumb and underachieve, these are the ones that some would say do not have much ability due to their fruits. Don’t mistake someone’s laziness, or lack of embracing their special gift for lack of ability or talent. There is a difference.

Daniel Dalenberg: Organization

I’ve known Daniel Dalenberg since 2010 and have coached him off and on since. Daniel has recently converted to equipped lifting after achieving a 2006 total, raw with wraps. Daniel,  being an engineer, is very dedicated to the details and organization of a diet, supplements, training programs, spreadsheets and other nerd toys that I have no interest in (*had none).  With that said, Dan is super-efficient with things that I miss at times and helps keep me organize and always has helpful advice with sometimes a very unique perspective. From Daniel, I’ve learned to slow things down, not get ahead of myself, take a breath and take my time with things that frustrate me. Get my sh*t together, organize a plan, stick to it and execute a sensible and good solution for whatever the barrier might be.

Jonathan Byrd: Stubborn not quitting

I’ve been training with Jonathan Byrd for about three years and some change. He’s probably on the edge of reckless at times, to be honest, but that’s just him. He grew up playing a smash-mouth style of football that was a tape-it-up, shut up and get it done. I’ve seen him hurt and down many times both in training and competition, yet he seems to find a way to get things done, regardless.  In 2015, I saw him tear his biceps on his opener deadlift, wrap it up and come back and make the lift. I’ve learned a different style of mental toughness training and lifting with Byrd, and have adopted some of his suck-it-up approaches when necessary. You have to pick your battles and sometimes, the only way to it, is through it. This is not the fix for everything but sometimes it’s the only way to get done what is necessary.

Adam Driggers: Strategy

I’ve been training with Adam Driggers, the founder of Team Samson for over 13 years. Adam is OLDER and much WISER than I. I’ve learned a lot from Adam as he always has good advice about things in general but specifically plans and strategy, especially on a whim. With powerlifting, strength training, programming and day to day training with big weights, things can and will change rapidly. So, you have to be able to roll with the punches and ‘train for chaos’ at times. This phrase ‘train for chaos’ is something Adam coined many years ago and we do our best to adjust on the fly (think Murphy’s law). At meets or just in training when things start to go sideways, or I need to make a decision, I bounce things off my teammates, and Adam always has good advice. This has been a huge help in both my lifting, coaching and life. “WWAD” – What Would Adam DO? Just kidding.

Allison Lockhart- Details

I’ve known Allison for five years. I’ve coached her on and off for powerlifting for a long time (I stay out of the way for strongman – take note coaches).  But, I have to admit, I have never realized just how detailed she truly is with her diet, training and recovery until she stayed here in August. In particular, how precise her diet and supplementation was all weekend – right on point. We discussed this some about how on point her nutrition was in training and I sure payed attention. I have reminders of this because of her left-over oatmeal, banana chips, mixed nuts and coconut chunks are still in my kitchen cupboard.  She had a rhyme and reason for everything she bought from Walmart, the timing was just right before, during the competition, and after.   She didn’t let any wrinkles or inconveniences change her approach from what I noticed, all weekend. I’ve struggled at times with over-thinking my post-weigh in refeed, my meet day nutrition and things of this nature. I didn’t tell Allison this but it made me want to be much more precise with everything that I do, and stick to it no matter what.

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Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com

Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC). Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff. Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back. After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.

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