04 Nov Brian Carroll | Week 4 | Fluff and buff

The book above “back mechanic” is a GREAT book that I read recently by Dr. McGill. Anyone that could potentially suffer from back pain should buy and read this book. Its very easy to understand and gives you the tools to be your own ‘Back Mechanic’. You can get it HERE

I just finished competing at the RPS Conquest Meet on 10/3/15 where I squatted 1100, benched 780 and pulled 760 for a 35lb squat PR and a 30lb total PR with a 2640tot for second alltime.

Am I happy with the results? NO, but I’m content for now. I realize I have a few things I need to work on going forward as well as some things to dial in.

Get some 10/20/life Swag HERE

I’m doing a LOT of rehab work lately with no bar in my hands or on my back pretty much. I’ve been doing a crap load of McGill big 3 every day as well as stir the pot and rolling the crap out of my ITB/lateral quads and hips.

Saturday – I didn’t train. I was supporting a teammate at his meet and he did very well. He competed at a LIGHT 220 and hit 650, 400, 680 – 1730ish in just a belt and wraps.

Monday –

Normal warm-up
Mcgill big 3
Band fly
Band skull

Band fly – 3×15
More band skulls: 3×15
Banded Incline DB press: 4×15
Bench dip: 3×15
Driggers press (multiple angle skull): 3×16
Explosive push-up: 5×5
Hammer curl: 3×12

Done. Great session and felt good to be back in the gym after missing Sat. I should be done traveling for a couple of weeks so I should have more consistency. Thank god.

Tuesday, I did a recovery session – check it out:

Normal warm-up:
McGill big 3
Band fly

More birddogs: 5 sets 10 sec hold
Band fly: 4×15 – different angles
Band skull: 3×15
PNF quad stretch – 3x
Foam rolling – quads, ITB, hips, glutes – 4 rounds

I’m back on my walking game so my legs are kinda jacked up. Keep in mind, I only do what is necessary for my goal and never do just to ‘do it’. right now, I need some rolling and active ROM work on my hips and quads, so that’s what im doing.

BTW…

Some might assume that I’m coasting at this point. In some ways, you are right.

What the younger guys and gals should and need to learn/ realize is that you can’t push too hard year round, indefinitely. I’m talking to the guys that have been competitive for 5 years or less that still think you can and will continue to progress in a linear fashion…. Trust me, something will eventually give. You cannot keep this up and will be the end of YOU, in most cases.

There has to be down time to let your body heal. Mind needs a break and time to refocus on the goals. This is not a race. Powerlifiting training is a specific approach to building the squat/bench/deadlift – nothing else. Relieving stress, blowing off some steam and pushing hard all the time may be good for the mind, but concerning powerlifting and being good at it, blowing off steam in the gym with maniacal sessions more than once a blue moon… might be the worst thing you could do. IMO, You must always have a plan, downtime, deloads and only do as much as you need to do, not as much as possible. Build up to it, sure – but this takes time to actually KNOW how much stimuli (work) your body actually will need.

What I’m doing now

I’m doing a lot of pre/rehab – back, shoulder and hip work right now. I’m at the point now where being healthy and available is far more important than significant strength gains over each cycle. Yes, I attack my weak points and put work in but your body will be a complete weak point if you push volume/intensity too hard together for too long and it falls apart.

** keep in mind, I have ZERO pain in my body. It’s preemptive. It’s prehab to prevent and the rest of the work is rehab bc my I will always be rehabbing my back. It’s a life sentence but I’m pain free and wouldnt have it any other way.

I have the Arnold next march. I have not even thought about the meet to be honest. Time will come for that but no need for that now. Right now the focus is on healing and recovery!

Focus of this 5 week block
No bar in hands or on back – all DB work to work the muscles not the movement
Direct ham and quad work without loading spine – Bulgarians, One leg GM etc
Hip mobility – Bw squats, goblets
Biceps tendon/shoulder health – rear delt work, band shoulder dislocations
Back health with unloading the spine – mcgill big 3, walking daily

Next 5 week block
Work all three lifts on same day – light RPE and raw. Will be good for work capacity, high volume with lower intensity and allow for LOTs of assistance work throughout the week!
Day 1 -Pause squats – work hip mobility
Floor press – great movement for me to build raw bench power
Deads – pause conv deads – working below the knee to keep perfect position and work the mid range.
Day 2 – crap load of upper body work/bench ass. DB presses, dips etc to add mass to triceps and pecs
Day 3 – direct upper back and quad work – leg press, piston squats etc

I’m looking forward to finishing up this block and rolling into the next one!

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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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