John Broz interview

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To quote an American Weightlifting Icon - Norb Schmanski "The only way to lift big weights is to put more biscuits on the bar"


Ask yourself this question before you take off your shoes and pack your gym bag to head home. If my life depended on it, could I have done another set? how bout 5 more kg? If the answer is yes then I would get back to lifting.

Thanks John,
very inspirational!!!

I was talking in regards to a new lifter who is trying to increase the amount of sessions per week.

How do you know if they are ready for more sessions?

If they are only at 3, how do you know to move to 4 sessions, how do you know when to go 2 times a day?

Or does your original answer apply?

[crackyflipside]

Thanks John,
very inspirational!!!

I was talking in regards to a new lifter who is trying to increase the amount of sessions per week.

How do you know if they are ready for more sessions?

If they are only at 3, how do you know to move to 4 sessions, how do you know when to go 2 times a day?

Or does your original answer apply?

For me it was when I could stomach the idea of being nasty sore for a few days while adjusting to the new workload. It took about two weeks for every transition from max every three to four days, to max every other day, to max everyday, to max twice a day.

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For me it was when I could stomach the idea of being nasty sore for a few days while adjusting to the new workload. It took about two weeks for every transition from max every three to four days, to max every other day, to max everyday, to max twice a day.

That sounds like a good plan.
I am not to worried about the soreness, but more the fear of setting back my progress due to my body not being used to the workload.

But I have been thinking about it.

Say I go in with a max squat of 250, and I increase the workload and start maxing out everyday. I overtrain and cant recover properly. I can only squat 200 as my max on most the sessions...some more some less.
Because the volume is lower and the weight I am using is less, I would assume that I would start adapting, and the weights would creep back up again.

Is that making sense?
Almost like your body is controlling the intensity.

or do you just dig yourself a hole?

[crackyflipside]

Nope, you kind of explained it right there. If you build up the workload the whole "I'm overtraining, my lifts are crap, and I want to die" phase is more bearable. Then again, the weight I lift is much less than you but since I'm still lifting to body's limit, it's basically the same. Since you are lifting more weight, expect it to be tougher on connective tissue and joints so maybe you will need to transition longer. I'm sure Broz can tell you how the big guys adapt to the sessions, I'm still a weakling.

[endpoint]

Nope, you kind of explained it right there. If you build up the workload the whole "I'm overtraining, my lifts are crap, and I want to die" phase is more bearable. Then again, the weight I lift is much less than you but since I'm still lifting to body's limit, it's basically the same. Since you are lifting more weight, expect it to be tougher on connective tissue and joints so maybe you will need to transition longer. I'm sure Broz can tell you how the big guys adapt to the sessions, I'm still a weakling.

I will see what John has to Say, cause I think its going to be a very unique experience for me. I expect my squat to jump up back to my previous best in a short period of time.
I expect BIG jumps. Due to poor choices in programming and a period of mental toughness issues I have been squatting much lower than my previous best.

With more intensity based work, I expect me to be able to return, and surpass my full raw capability's. But Yes whilst this happens, i think it will be tough on my joints.
I am stocking up bottles of fish oil, supercissus and curcumin. the knee sleeves are in the wash

[Shaun_W]

Mr. Broz, this is the thread I was refering to, you might want to check it out:

http://ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24961

What's funny is that Iron Addict and his staff on his board talk like their cumulative knowledge is greater than everyone else's in the business put together, and always put this site down. I'm not denying that this side is ridden with 160lbers giving advice, but going by their training journals, they're generally much weaker than the guys who post here in the Powerlifting section.

Good of Broz to go over there and set the record straight. See if anyone responds.

[GoJu]

What's funny is that Iron Addict and his staff on his board talk like their cumulative knowledge is greater than everyone else's in the business put together, and always put this site down. I'm not denying that this side is ridden with 160lbers giving advice, but going by their training journals, they're generally much weaker than the guys who post here in the Powerlifting section.

Good of Broz to go over there and set the record straight. See if anyone responds.

god forbid someone squats more than once a week there, alot of their guys are strong but they brush off people with the opposite experience that they've had as having either superior genetics or steroids, pretty dumb

[ZidaneValor]

http://ironaddicts.com/forums/showth...t=24961&page=4

How do you eliminate the eccentric portion of a squat? Isn't that what Jean Pierre Fux did?

[GoJu]

http://ironaddicts.com/forums/showth...t=24961&page=4

How do you eliminate the eccentric portion of a squat? Isn't that what Jean Pierre Fux did?

lol thats fuked up

[ZidaneValor]

lol thats fuked up

Yeah, I guess that was rude. I just found the quote to be interesting:

BTW Broz, in case you missed the point already made this is not and Oly lifting forum and training specificity is an important part of programming. Oly lifters by and large do a lot of lifts with the eccentric portion eliminated. This is a large part of what allows more frequency and most well versed lifters that understand cross platforms understand this. Posting this type of thins on BB'ing forums IS misleading. You are going to make a lot of young impressionable guys think they can squat, pull, row and bench 7 days a week--good luck with that working.

His argument is that Olympic lifters don't focus on eccentrics, yet pulls and rows don't have eccentrics, right? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding his argument (which is entirely possible.)

[Ka0s]

Can somebody please post over in the IA thread, pointing out that squats do have an eccentric phase. Mr. IA himself refuses to acknowledge that.

[pwrlifter96]

Dont waste your time with IA. IA is an internet wannabe and John Broz is a real lifter who actually lifts in competitions and is strong. By the way John, I pulled today for the first time since squatting on a daily basis and pulled a PR. Thanks again.

[Ka0s]

Dont waste your time with IA. IA is an internet wannabe and John Broz is a real lifter who actually lifts in competitions and is actually strong. By the way John, I pulled today for the first time since squatting on a daily basis and pulled a PR. Thanks again for the advice who actually lifts.

This; IA is a huge douchebag.

[GoJu]

Yeah, I guess that was rude. I just found the quote to be interesting:



His argument is that Olympic lifters don't focus on eccentrics, yet pulls and rows don't have eccentrics, right? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding his argument (which is entirely possible.)

nah its cool it was funny

his argument being that we OLers don't lower the bar controlled on the O-lifts we just drop it and that's most of our training is one of the main reasons why O-lifts could be trained everyday and there's some validity to it but the body is an amazing adaptive machine and (done reasonably) it can adapt to frequent training, depending on the lift of course

[BrotherWolf]

lol thats fuked up

That's a nice way of putting it

IA post sounds like pure BS.. no concentric in a squat? ok so in a couple of movements you drop the bar but oly lifters do a lot more heavy squatting than bbers, they also use speed and power, so what you save (in terms of energy) in dropping the bar you make up with speed and power moves(x10)

I can understand the skepticism and some of his reasoning but not that it's the lack of concentric movements..
It would have sounded more educated if he simply pointed out that the goals of BBing (hypertrophy) is not well served by this kind of intense training..

[BrotherWolf]

Good of Broz to go over there and set the record straight. See if anyone responds.

You know.. who really cares what other people think over there or over here, JB is a winner and a coaching track record which none of those guys have ... it's that simple

[skinnycalves]

John,

What barbells do you have in your gym? Eleiko, werk san, pendlay? Also which plates?

[BrozKnows]

John,

What barbells do you have in your gym? Eleiko, werk san, pendlay? Also which plates?

We have: 2 brand new Eleikos, 1 Eleiko that is about 9 yrs old (just replaced the clips in one side) 1 Ooooold Eleiko (probably over 35yrs old), 1 York (the newer version), 1 Uddeholm and 1 Ladies Eleiko. All are competition bars. We have York, Eleiko, Uddeholm and some Ivanko's (for squatting only).

I personally like Uesaka bars best. I trained on one for years but I haven't been able to get a grip on a used one anywhere.

[BrozKnows]

pulled a PR.

Nice job. Keep pushing and there will be many more.

The 'voice of reason' at IA is a little misinformed. Everything he quoted that I said was either taken out of context (without full understanding of the goals) or simply incorrect. I wasn't going to try to correct him until he called me ignorant.

Some people will embrace new ideas, and some will not. It's ok either way. My feelings won't be hurt. These are the simple facts of life. There are winners and losers, leaders and followers. It's the leaders that look for new ideas or routes to success where complacent people are just fine with being average, not thinking for themselves and follow the road to mediocrity. That is ok, we need those people too. They are the ones that pay for the tickets to watch the winners lift and cheer for us when we are doing things they can't even imagine possible!

[CelticTheTruth]

After reading this thread I will also start squatting 7 times a week. Now I realize how little I trained, so foolish of me to be afraid of overtraining so much. Thank you Coach!

[creb]

Last week I managed 4 workout sessions. I incorporated some back off sets in the first, but on the second and third was just too beaten up to get much done. Had a day off after that and the last workout of the week went well after 1 day of recovery.

This Mondays workout was really excellent. On Tuesday I went for a run which might of been a bit of a mistake because on Wednesday my workout was absolutely diabolical (although I used this as an excuse to work really hard on hamstrings). I had a couple of nasty tension points on my quadricep that needed some 'ironing' out, because they were seriously making my knee ache. Again needed some time-out on Thursday and fridays workout was average, for a total of 1 great, one average and one poor workout if you discount the mammoth hamstring session.

I don't think the extra prescribed volume is working out too well- my impression from the comments so far is to keeping working on the intensity and frequency then up the volume once I get used to working out more than 3-4 times per week. I hope I'm on the right track here.

[Neuro_Doc]

I just tried to post on the thread over at Iron Addicts. I love it. I think my total dropped 50lbs just by being there... lol

[Ka0s]

I just tried to post on the thread over at Iron Addicts. I love it. I think my total dropped 50lbs just by being there... lol

Neuro_Doc, check out post #54 from yours truly

[Neuro_Doc]

Well, we pissed them off but good. Iron_Addict just banned me and locked the thread. Job well done, gentlemen.

@Ka0s - I never got to see your post. What did you say?

[Ka0s]

Well, we pissed them off but good. Iron_Addict just banned me and locked the thread. Job well done, gentlemen.

@Ka0s - I never got to see your post. What did you say?

I will PM you good sir. Sorry to Mr. Broz for clogging up his thread w/ this.

[Shaun_W]

Someone fill me in on what happened, please.

Just curious. People quote that IA guy like he is gospel. If he was gospel, then he'd surely have some good arguments to put up, rather than banning people and deleting the thread.

[the iron addict]

Someone fill me in on what happened, please.

Just curious. People quote that IA guy like he is gospel. If he was gospel, then he'd surely have some good arguments to put up, rather than banning people and deleting the thread.

I'll fill you in. People here went to my forum and were taking a lot of Olympic lifting concepts and trying to state that they apply over all strength training platforms. My forum is primarily a bodybuilding forum, and telling people there is no such thing as overtraining and that bodybuilders should be training bodyparts seven days a week is irresponsible IMO.

John is certainly entitled to his opinions, is an elite level lifter and trains many and it seems to be working well with his OLYMPIC lifters, but I do my best to keep my forum filled with information that will help out average lifters, not elite level lifters and not Olympic lifters.

It's my forum, that's how I choose to run it. If you don't like it, don't go there. But don't go there and insult me and the forum and expect not to be sent away and have a thread like that deleted. For those that are interested in OLY lifting and want to try super high intensity lifting. Here is the place and I read through the entire thread and while I still do not agree with a LARGE percentage of the content. John has put things in context for those that want to try it.

Context is usually at least as important as content. And you simply can't always take certain content and apply it without understanding context and that was exactly what was being done.

I am not going to start a debate over here, so take what I just stated for what its worth to YOU.

Iron Addict

[Neuro_Doc]

Hey Shaun,

I put up a post early this morning about the scientific reasons why "overtraining" does not exist, and "genetic limitations" only show themselves with improper training. I work as a neurobiologist, and yeah, what Broz says matches up well with what I was taught, and how the human body actually works.

Iron_Addict and some other guys did not like me putting down their sacred cow excuses, and started really laying into me. (not the info I posted, me personally) So I called them on it. Ka0s did the same thing shortly after. I guess they did the only thing they could, they banned me and locked the thread.

So IA basically took his ball and went home. You're right, not exactly a good argument on his part.

I don't know any of them. I post to online forums maybe once or twice a year. I thought the whole thing was pretty funny to tell you the truth. If people really do quote IA like he's gospel, then god help them. He's not exactly the kind of person I would take advice from (ie: weak and never accomplished anything on his own).

Ka0s made a good point. The people IA trains never really make progress, and he uses "genetics" as an excuse for giving them s*itty programs. If they don't expect much, they won't be disappointed when they get it. Food for thought.


(P.S. - And now he comes over here and tries to make nicey-nice. A few hours ago he was calling us lying, delusional a-holes. His arguments amounted to name calling, and were just as juvenile. Not exactly the bastion of free exchange and debate he'd like you to think. He'd make a great politician.

I like how he banters on and on about how this is purely "Olympic Lifting" training, yet he uses ideas from Westside barbell. In case you weren't paying attention Louie Simmons took most of his ideas from eastern bloc Olympic lifters. Excuses, excuses...

To quote Ivan Abajiev: "If you pay attention to what I am saying and if you think logically about what I am saying then you will see that this method is applicable to almost any sports training." )

[the iron addict]

Hey Shaun,

I put up a post early this morning about the scientific reasons why "overtraining" does not exist, and "genetic limitations" only show themselves with improper training. I work as a neurobiologist, and yeah, what Broz says matches up well with what I was taught.

The "CNS" fatigue thing people always bring up is BULL****.

Iron_Addict and some other guys did not like me putting down their sacred cow excuses, and started really laying into me. (not the info I posted, me personally) So I called them on it. Ka0s did the same thing shortly after. I guess they did the only thing they could, they banned me and locked the thread.

So IA basically took his ball and went home. You're right, not exactly a good argument on his part.

I don't know any of them. I post to online forums maybe once or twice a year. I thought the whole thing was pretty funny to tell you the truth. If people really do quote IA like he's gospel, then god help them. He's not exactly the kind of person I would take advice from (ie: weak and never accomplished anything on his own).

Ka0s made a good point. The people IA trains never really make progress, and he uses "genetics" as an excuse for giving them ****ty programs. Food for thought.

Take care.

These are direct quotes from John, so perhaps you better read his posts closer.

2) Doing just the lifts your CNS will limit the amount of volume you will be able to do. When you are totally busted down and thinking about jumping under a heavy snatch just won't happen you can always go squat, squat, squat to get in more work which is essential. BS are just too easy on other parts of your body and I believe a fundamental necessity to get overall power and work volume.

Squats take no or very little mental energy or stress on the CNS. squatting heavy should become as regular as a walk down the street.

Here is an example of a guy that I trained that "never made any progress:

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/sh...ike1107&page=5

IA

[Shaun_W]

OK. Looks like I've heard both sides of the story. That's the last I'll speak of this incident in this thread, and I apologise to Broz for cluttering up his thread (and Iron Addict for other reasons).