Nothing is quite as frustrating as getting pinned in the rack by a heavy squat.
Except for maybe getting pinned by a heavy bench and having your spotter curl it off your chest.
Or maybe it’s deadlift that feels like it’s welded to the floor.
Whatever your own unique situation, you may have noticed a pattern of how, and more specifically, WHERE you tend to get stuck.
These would commonly be called “sticking points” and we’ve all experienced them.
People will re-watch their failed attempt 100 times trying to figure out exactly what failed and how to address it.
But here’s the thing, for 90% of you reading this, there is no riddle as to why you get stuck, and there is no super-secret program you need to follow or exercise you need to perform in order to fix it.
For novices and intermediates it is VERY common for the “sticking point” to not be a sticking point at all.
It’s often a problem of insufficient speed out of the bottom.
Especially lifters who tend to be highly analytical and “in their own head” about mechanics, they tend to think their way through the lift.
This isn’t a bad thing except that it very often results in a very non-explosive, non-aggressive Squat, Bench, Deadlift, or Overhead Press.
So how do you become more explosive?
Good news.
You don’t have to.
The problem is not a lack of innate explosiveness, it’s a lack of intention.
Read that again, because I cannot stress enough how important this is for many of you who keep getting stuck.
I have given lift offs and spotted for 100s of clients over the years. I’ve watched thousands of sets.
One of the most useful cues I’ve ever used in coaching is this (drum roll……) – Push Harder!!!!
That’s literally it. Push Harder.
Why does that work? Because the client wasn’t pushing very hard.
They thought they were pushing hard, but the reality is they were putting 186 lbs of force into a 185 lbs barbell.
What happens when the client realizes there is another gear? When they actually try to explode into the bar?
They blow past the sticking point.
It never existed.
Keep missing a deadlift at the knees?
You probably don’t need rack pulls. You probably need to actually use your quads to explode the weight off the floor instead of easing it off the floor.
Keep missing a squat a couple inches above parallel?
Don’t rely on the rebound to take you to the top. Hit the hole and explode back up.
Bench Presses keep getting stuck 2 inches off the chest?
You don’t need board presses, you need to learn to blow the bar off your chest like you’re trying to put it through the ceiling. Couple that with some actual leg drive and your sticking point will disappear.
You don’t need a special program to do this.
Although incorporating strategies like CAT or Dynamic Effort can certainly help ingrain this habit into your lifting.
You can actually fix this problem between sets! Even between reps!
Often it’s as simple as telling yourself to try and move the barbell with more speed! Or as Bill Starr said – “always try and make the plates rattle at the top!”
And of course remember what the late great Louie Simmons said – “Heavy weights cannot be lifted slowly!”
But what about for you guys who feel like you’re already putting maximum effort into your big lifts?
If not technique, then the issue must be a weak muscle group?
Triceps? Hamstrings? Abs?
What’s causing me to stall halfway on my Bench and get folded up like an accordion at the bottom of my Squat?
So, are sticking points caused by a “weak link” in the chain?
Yes and no.
There is no doubt there is a limiting factor. There always is.
But it’s not that easy to identify.
Did you stall halfway up in the Bench because your triceps lack the strength to finish the lift or because your pecs generated insufficient force out of the bottom?
Yes.
From a practical standpoint it makes almost no sense to try and identify and target just one weak link!!!!
Address them all.
In the above example….if the triceps were stronger they might be able to make up for mediocre pec strength. If the pecs were stronger they might be able to generate enough speed out of the bottom to make up for weak triceps.
See what I’m getting at?
From a program design standpoint, for 99% of you reading this I would consider just about everything to be a weak point!!!
But how do you really know what’s weak and what isn’t?
The visual test is honestly as good as any in my opinion.
Can you crack a walnut between your pecs? No? Then they’re too small.
Can get your shirt sleeves to fit over your arms? Then you need more triceps.
I’m using a little bit of hyperbole here, but you get the idea.
If a given muscle group is visually very unimpressive……….then make it bigger.
Bigger muscles are stronger muscles (or at least have the potential to be).
This is the role of assistance work for a strength athlete.
It’s bodybuilding.
Not for the stage, but for building muscle that will improve your main lifts.
But shouldn’t I just Bench Press to build my pecs?
Have you been Benching for the last 5 years and still have small pecs? Maybe the Bench Press isn’t the best builder of pec mass for you.
Doing more volume of things that are already not working is not the best strategy!
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Looking for a program that allows you train for Maximal Strength, Explosiveness, and Hypertrophy?
Look no further than the Conjugate Method, inspired by Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell.
My own Conjugate Method Programming is not available as a template.
It is only available through my online coaching group – The Baker Barbell Club Online.
If you think this article might apply to you, then the conjugate method might be something to consider.
Weekly, there is a focus on lifting submaximal weights in the squat, bench, and deadlift for speed. This will teach you to become a more explosive lifter.
Additionally, there is a structure in place for strategically building muscle mass that support all 3 lifts.
If you aren’t progressing, this might be just what you need.
