I just got back from Marty Gallagher’s Power Lifting Workshop. He and Donald Berry, RKC set up a small group for about 3 hours to work on the three power lifts. I am not a big power lifter, but as an olympic weightlifter I am certainly concerned with getting raw strength. Marty is a former National Champion and has coached lifters on the world level. He is the author of The Purposful Primitive – a staple in the strength and fitness world for real results strength training and clean all natural nutrition.

We started first with the squat, citing the form during the goblet squat as the mirror for a strong a solid structure during both the front squat and back squat. How many of us have learned to hinge at the hips, anteriorly tilt the pelvis BEFORE the decent. This robs us of the straight vertical power the squat is supposed to illustrate. I personally found this portion to the most beneficial. As a participant in a “squat” sport, I found that my back is much stronger than my legs. I will make the modifications and do only front squats for about 8 weeks – 1xweek (not counting the squats I have to do when I snatch or clean). Marty is a big guy for pause for a full 2-3 seconds at the bottom. It’s similar to what Dan John talks about in his dead start squats – IT JUST GETS YOU STRONG.

For clients, for anyone interested in getting stronger (everyone should be – because it’s the key to healthy and pain free movement) the proper goblet and/or front squat is the staple. Add in a moderate overhead squat to work more on balance, posture development, and core activation and you have a progression model for movement and strength for years and years.

Thank you to Marty, Donny, and all the participants. I had a great time, and learned a lot. I will keep the reach out as I hope to see some or all of you again at other workshops or even just for a training session.

Brian Wright MS, CSCS, RKC, CPT