He taught discipline, discipline and more discipline. Plus Waterman showed up as well. He was not happy to say the least. The first WPO meet was in Florida and ran until about 2 am the next morning when they shut the place down. They need GPP, so dragging a sled, pushing the Prowler, and using the wheelbarrow and strongman yoke. putting me third in the Open World plus fourth in the total, at 50 years old. Chuck is known for his incredible squatting prowess, but as Louie says it is improving your weakest lift will make you a champion. He was a very strong bencher. Max effort training is the greatest training method because it teaches your body to strain for longer periods of time. I wore my special Westside t-shirt sans sleeves that day in honor of Chuck]. I could not talk for once. It could be too many phones in the gym. EFS: Im sure all the diet experts will want to know. Chuck V: Sometimes, but its what I know. Chuck V: I should point out that if youre here and not giving 100% than get the fuck out. Compound sets will get you there. Lifting in the 242-pound class, I set the world record at 1,140 pounds. Kenny P. was not doing well, and I said, Kenny, I am going to come out of retirement after tearing my patellar tendon in half, plus almost dying in 91. This was now 1995. Joe McCoy was a young, great lifter at the time, winning a WPC world at 19 years old. With the explosion in the internet since the late 1990s, Powerlifting competitors and fans around the world have been able to see the best lifters compete and train. I saw him do 1,100 lb. Then 545, to KPs 550. In this 45 minute workout, both Jujimufu and Joey do 2-5 box squats per set. Chuck V: Youve got to master technique. I told him we were going to Texas for the meet and he said he would come along to report it in the magazine he was writing for. If you can jump higher you can run faster. A lot of this information came from George, as he helped me write this. Stretch more and do more mobility work. He wanted to learn what I had been doing since 1982, about the time he was born. You must switch up the exercises to avoid the law of accommodation. The bench came from Kmart, it was about 8 in. . cambered bar, it bent so much under heavy weights. The key to making someone run faster is jumping. And that he must stay and train others and teach them like he was taught, not only by me but by the other greats before him and his training partners. It's all based on you. EFS: Now that you are reaching the big 4-0, do you plan on competing in the Masters Division? Geared and raw All time world record holder Matt Wenning described how Chuck led the greatest squatting crew of all time from the front by an emphasis on technique and ferocity. In one month, I would do 1,025 pounds to push my 220-pound world record up. Tom Waddle knew George and said he would like him to come bench with us on Sunday, at Tim Vanhorns place. I can thank Kenny for my success. Along with the Brandon Lilly and his cube system. Chuck Vogelpohl is an American powerlifter that set numerous world records and was known for his unmatched tenacity. Thats the nature of the sport. Tate said this was the hardest squatting training session of his life. WATCH: Ed Coan and Dave Tate Coach the Squat One such legend is Chuck Vogelpohl, widely known for his extreme intensity and longevity with regard to powerlifting competitions. Count me in! The reason is recovery you have to recover for the next workout to make progress. Here's how. The original plan was to do 8 sets of 2 reps. But, Kenny never did break his 728 world record again. This is footage of a workout in Westside from Video power magazine. Our guys had always had it out for Waterman, after he had become the first 181 to bench 600 lbs., and said he not only was the greatest bencher, but also the best looking. This builds mechanical power. I took Chuck Vogelpohl to his first meet. His 1,180 lbs. But, George finally got it right. We are not EliteFitness.com. Sign up for Patreon and get the exact programming Matt recommends for each modality. This consisted of a 1,050 lbs squat, 635 lbs bench press, and 820 lbs deadlift. We were at a local bench meet when I saw a jacked up guy lift without gear. On speed-strength day you train with high volume and moderate intensity. You later opened a gym on Demorest Road, and I joined up. Chuck, you had a very high tolerance to high volume, and you maintained it for your entire lifting career. I see that a lot more info could be added to his Wikipedia page,, With respect to direct lat work, you will neither find it in the detailed 1982 article by Ron Fernando, disclosing, I was there, front row at the USF SunDome in Tampa covering the contest for The Tampa Tribune when Jeff, Dave was 7 years my elder and my teen years weightlifting idol. The epitome of Vogelpohl's will to win was demonstrated in a head to head 40+ set squat workout with fellow Westside Barbell lifter, Dave Tate that you'll learn about below. KP was always on. This put a real kick into our training in the squat and deadlift, but also the bench. People get wrapped up about how we train, as far as numbers and exercises, but they dont know, and will never know HOW we train. My legs would never grow until I started using bands over the bar. Although Vogelpohl isnt breaking world records these days, you can find him showcasing some of his wisdom on his Instagram page, with his latest post showing hamstring glute sit backs using the belt squat and of course a box. On the other hand, when I got AJ Roberts he already had a 2400 total. I think he made a 770 lb. Orders shipped out within 1 - 5 business days. You'll reach your top potential while many others don't, as they'll get injured or get frustrated and quit. I cannot stop training. in a shirt. wide bench. Tate alludes to the fact that it takes a village, and coaches should never let their egos get in the way of that community aspect of the sport. I need to pull something heavier than I will pull in a competition. You'd train at 50-60 percent for speed strength with a bar speed of 0.8 meters per second. Louie:Today I am interviewing Chuck Vogelpohl to talk about his time at Westside, the place where he has spent more than half his life. He is the man behind the JM Press. Free Shipping with a $69 qualifying order. But, we finally killed the rabbit. The first 800 pound squatter Pat Casey in 1970 was a box squatter from the original Westside Barbell in Culver City. Chuck has had numerous upper body injuries to overcome to include a broken neck which caused severe nerve issues in his upper body. Drug free. I said, I told you its in your head. At that he came after me, all 370 lbs. Louie has done more for powerlifting across the world, the United States, Columbus, Ohio and has yet to always been able to give 1000 times more to his lifters in the gym. That's the key. He made 495 close, but afterwards missed 515 close. Stay strong, Eskil, you fag. Powered by Shopify, 9 Best Zinc Supplements For Immune Health, New Year's Fitness Resolution? This is important, as everyone has a role helping with loading and with the lifter. It takes a lot of time. I got George to use a cambered bar with an 11/2 in. Some people say, "Louie is only successful because he hand-picks the strongest lifters in the world!". world record at SHW in the 80s. He made it possible for me to make a 1,885 lb. Chuck Vogelpohl is best known for his record-breaking squats, but he did have a respectful bench and deadlift, especially considering that he suffered from some serious injuries such as a broken neck. First, Matt Dimel broke my neck playing around in the gym. First George, then KP. And, of course, your four-wheeling on the weekends. out of the best shirts. I think the heavy sled pulls made a huge difference in my lower body strength as well. 1180 high or not is insane. George was lifting in their first big money meet. Jim says: Chuck was serial killer intense and he had a reverence for that place (Westside Barbell).. Their names will never die. Louie:At that time, you were always calling people out in the gym for some kind of a contest in some lift or exercise. This first 4 week block is designed to help lifters get used to dropping reps and really gauge their max effort movements. This keeps you from getting injured. For speed strength, for a power or Olympic lifter and even a sportsman, do box squats with 40-45% bar weight plus band tension in the bottom of 10% and at the top, 20%. And, Chuck, I know you know why Westside left the USPF. At the end, there was $10,000 in cash and prizes for the winner. We dont accept new members but this is close. If you take the first gear out of a Mack truck, how fast will it take off? Chuck is the man . Dave was very explosive and also very crazy. No Powerlifting competitor has captured the imagination of the strength community like Chuck Vogelpohl of Columbus, Ohio. Mark notes that Chuck squatted over 1000lbs in the 220, 242, and 275 lb class. Chuck was a National champion by the late 1980s, a World Champion in 1995 but injuries kept him from fully realizing his potential until the early 2000s and once professional meets with prize money and championship belts were created in the mid 2000s, Chuck entered the zenith of his career. These are not easy workouts though. In some cases, the hype would even stand to detract from his technique. Chuck:Oh, yes. Chuck Vogelpohl Talking About Squat Form. to beat me. The gym had up to 155 lb. They had no idea who would show up for that kind of cast. But raw should be just a beltno three-meter knee wraps. For example, on Wednesday's Chuck will bench before J.L and I. Westside was all about pushing each other to the absolute limits. We were the only gym with three 600 lb. Chuck Vogelpohl (242) squatted an all-time record of 1,110 pounds today at the IPA Iron House Classic in Columbus, Ohio. I was moving up to the 242-class for the first time. Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases, killer workouts, actionable fitness content and more. And next weekend, we'll have five. He then says, Youre right buddy. Seeing how Chuck lifts and the weights he handles in training is truely impressive, not to mention the fact he is the lightest lifter to squat over a grand (1025 @ 220lbs) [yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, he lifts in the WPO so he is guilty of early weigh-ins, 2-ply canvas suits and briefs, monolifts, I mean SURELY we all could out total Chuck if we had all of . we ran 4 week cycles starting with first week 70% percent of our one rep max, second week 75% Third 80% then 85% of our one rep max, at the end of the four weeks we would all strive to hit a NEW one rep max. Explosiveness is maximum velocity, but you don't develop that by lifting you develop it by jumping. In such a situation, not only would the coach be doing their trainee a disservice, but they might also be denying themselves an opportunity to learn something new as well. Chuck and I would workout for 30-45 minutes before anyone else showed up. What I do is now is not for everyone. He later changed it to 1000 pounds! For me, and many guys here, its my second family and weve been here through bad times and good times. Kenny P. was just the opposite. I have Matt carry a barrel wrestlers have to get their hips to the opponent, and the only way to carry a 55 gallon barrel is to jam the hips up into it. It was given to Clark. In doing so, they help paint a picture not only of who he is as a powerlifter, but also as a person. One of his many remarkable feats is that he squatted over 1,000 lbs while in three different weight classes; 220, 242, and 275 lbs. Chuck was taught by the legendary powerlifting coach Louie Simmons to have a critical eye in order to coach every one of this team mates. If not, you fail. So a novice should do one extra workout a week for upper body and one extra workout for the lower body, targeting whatever's needed. It doesn't matter what your age is, whether you're natural, even your gender. Had knee issues because I didn't squat deep enough. With Doug Heath, George, KP, and Rob Fussner holding world record benches, we were the most dominant benchers the world had ever seen. And since you only have so long to complete a maximum rep 2 seconds, maybe 3 if you're very endurance minded you have to be fast to be strong. George made 650 and missed 672 and then sat in the front row to watch KP make a 716 world record. I remember, at one point, Paul made 615, KP made 625, JM made 610, George made 625, Mike Wolfe made 620 (now 639), and Nick Winter made 700. If there was a problem, it could be solved inside Westside, by someone, including Drex Welch, Gabe Reitter, and many, many others. But George went on to his first 600 lb. J. M. Blakely also benched with us. Westside was always evolving, through countless hours of intense work. Box squats become a love hate rerlationship, long story short,I left the prison August 1998 with a 600lb bench press .. with the shirt, a 785lb and a 600lb dead lift. Furthermore, Tate notes that although the intensity that Chuck displayed at meets may have seemed extreme to most, that was nothing compared to what was going on inside his head. You two scared me to death. I laughed. As they strive to make me better, I strive to make them better. I remember that on the day before, you had found out you had a broken vertebrate in your thoracic spine. On the next ME day, he chose to do close grip. Speed training is that important first gear. In terms of rep volume, the bench, squat, and deadlift make up 20% of our training at Westside. And if they really wanted to be like Chuck, theyd have to be able to do all of that and have the lifting strength to back it up. These things will kill your bar path when you get to heavier weights; this will screw your lift. I did not think we would get out of that town alive. Follow these steps to try the Chuck Vogelpohl x Dave Tate squat challenge. But that's how we are. bodyweight. Dave Tate thought I was crazy, but that would soon change everything at Westside. Very few of you here actually compete, so I assume are RAW lifters. At this point, Chuck finished with a couple of sets of elevated glute-ham raises and went home. He is known as the ninja, because of how he disappears and reappears all the time. rack pulls from just above the knee and a good box squat with 885 lbs. In the original session, powerlifting legends Dave Tate and Chuck Vogelpohl put themselves and each other through a squat workout that, decades later, is still discussed in strength circles. Chuck:Louie, I am like you. The epitome of Vogelpohl's will to win was demonstrated in a head to head 40+ set squat workout with fellow Westside Barbell lifter, Dave Tate that you'll learn about below. He has more 2900 totals than anyone on the planet. At the time, in 1991, a shirt was only good for 25 to 50 lbs. As they hit the mid 30 set range, Dave was trying to gauge how much further Chuck was willing to go. This was only the start once you had lots of equipment and strong training partners. Dave Hoff came to Westside as a 15 year-old high school football player. Chuck:Yes, I was tired of cutting weight and just put on 10 pounds. Scan this QR code to download the app now. of band tension. George had a bad day but came through for some cash. Lots of volume on small exercises. I was putting up $3,000 for a meet one month, so you came in at 265 pounds and killed a 1,150-pound squat for a new all-time world record. EFS: What are you views on powerlifting equipment? lets GO COME ON LETS GO HE WOULD YELL. The workout consisted of a cambered bar, a power rack, a box, and a ton of sweat. No 100s on a Kmart bar. Ed Coan, Gene Bell, Arcidi, Bridges, Ricky Dale Crain, Rick Guagler and Ausby to name a few. On Max Effort day we work high intensity but low volume, basically 50 percent of the volume of speed day. I asked him, What do you get out of lat pull downs? He said, Nothing, I just like to do them. I also asked him, What do you get out of those heavy pulls? He said they taught him how to strain. And then there's inverse curls, ab work, upper pec work, etc. I was very proud of our men. Chuck fully takes this teaching to heart, and in doing so has one of the best eyes for dissecting and improving another lifters technique. The WPO was starting, and it had money to win. I have been wearing the same squat suit for years now and Dave has been helping me design a Metal squat suit. At 220 lbs. Check out the science. EFS: You have a reputation for being intense and hardcore. At that point, we were lifting at many meets and kicking everybodys asses. This is what people will never understand about Westside Barbell and the gym and the attitude. While its always nice to give back to the lifting community, its also a huge task full of months of hard work preparing for the event. The name Jujimufu came from his AOL profile, and its been with him since. You said you would like to do personal training along with your BJJ. However, the point of this post is to highlight the insane squat workout inspired by Chuck Vogelpohl. He said that the rack pulls taught him how to strain against heavy weights. Eskil was bigger than me and he could not out-squat, out-bench, or out-total me. Yep. Not for the beginner. I now present to you The Iron Man; Chuck Vogelpohl. Let us know if you give the Chuck Vogelpohl squat challenge try! I was putting up $3,000 for a meet one month, so you came in at 265 pounds and killed a 1,150-pound squat for a new all-time world record. Chuck: Yes, I was tired of cutting weight and just put on 10 pounds. Kenny P. and George were the best coefficient benchers in the world for almost ten years. All Rights Reserved. These guys could bench about 600 lbs. For a while, I did some tough man fights and won a couple of tournaments, but got the power bug. Chuck Vogelpohl became his training partner and his understanding of the deadlift changed forever. In referencing Louie Simmons, Tate says that he engrained in them that its their responsibility to make everyone else better. Simply put, Dave said that he is the most dependable, hardest working, most competitive lifter hes ever seen. and got to keep the bench. He will help coach and spot any lifter in the gym. Chuck, you got bigger and bigger, but kept cutting to 220 pounds. It's sports science. Chuck blossomed into a serious powerlifter at Westside as he was surrounded by some of the best powerlifters of the day. It helps with confidence. Chuck Vogelpohl is an American powerlifter that set numerous world records and was known for his unmatched tenacity. Chuck V: A lot of lat work, low back work on the 45 degree back raise, Reverse Hyperextensions, Back Attack, glute ham raises. First off, back in early 2002, Chuck Vogelpohl became the first man under 300 pounds to squat over a 1000 in competition so it was needless to say that more was expected out of him this time around. Louie, I knew you kept track of all our training, and you were always trying to get me to taper back for a meet and not squat all the time and pull a weight sled, but I would not listen. I need to put that weight in my hands. Given the amount of respect that people have for him as a lifter, many would be surprised to learn that Chuck has that much more respect for the sport itself. Chuck was a National champion by the late 1980s, a World Champion in 1995 but injuries kept him from fully realizing his potential until the early 2000s and once professional meets with prize money and championship belts were created in the mid 2000s, Chuck entered the zenith of his career. You were right; the 220-pound class was no more. I remember, George had just got off work and was in his work jacket when he came in the gym with the blacked-out windows. He drove me through them and into the wall, and all the bulbs went into my back. Chuck:First, you showed all of us the box squat and what exercises would build it. Lumberton is a very small town where if you wanted to take a girl out to impress her, you took her to Dennys. Westside is more than training and powerlifting. This time George beat Dave, 650 to 628. The legendary powerlifter Chuck Vogelpohl used to perform rack pulls with over 1,000 pounds! But, Marcus won best lifter. He always had a lot to say, like if he did not win The Arnold he would retire. You also won your heavy weight division for your second belt. This allows you to bring out your strengths. And Waterman always did great, but not on a slippery 8 in. ", Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more, 2023 SET FOR SET. But one of the best exercises is the belt squat. I said sure. Not there long after, Chuck stepped into the bare-bones Westside gym. It also builds cardiovascular and muscular endurance at the same time. You said you would see what they wanted. KP said to me, Old man, you will never have 700 lbs. Louie, you asked me how I got my legs to grow, and I said the bands. I dont know who is coaching these days. After getting up, there was blood all over the bench, and lots of glass stuck in my back. Thread starter Sherro; Start date Mar 7, 2011; Tags chuck insanity . That was nothing to you, and I knew then that you had what it would take to be great. Chuck V: When you and Dave told me that beginners were using bands; high school kids and below I couldnt believe it. in a shirt. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. He is the other half of this absolutely mental squat workout/competition with Vogelpohl. wide, and the head ref. I had played high school football and had lots of fights, so I was ready for something new. That was Westside in the 90s. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. We have four. After the interview I sat down with Dave and talked about what its been like training with Chuck over the past several years. As Tate prepares to respond to the question, he acknowledges that in all his years of conducting seminars, he probably receives more questions about Chuck than anybody else. You earned it. George started losing body fat but kept his bench strong. As youll see in the video, Dave Tate, another powerlifting great from Westside Barbell, details how this squat workout with Chuck Vogelpohl came into existence. Due day at Vanhorns, George went to out-bench the great Larry Pacifico, who I saw bench 590 at 228 in the early 1970s. Chuck Vogelpohl (242) squatted an all-time record of 1,110 pounds today at the IPA Iron House Classic in Columbus, Ohio. One day I challenged Chuck V., who had the number one bench, to bench and he said, Mother Fer, catch us when we are out of shape, I said You mother Fers are always out of shape! When it was done, they beat us by 10 lbs. They should put their weights away, help maintain their training environment, and take responsibility for making sure that other lifters in the gym are getting the coaching that they need. This isnt him being cocky; its just the way he is. Arnold Coleman was just starting and later became the world record holder in the squat and total at 181. EFS: What are your tips for mastering technique? So it's instinctive, but with a purpose. Everyone takes shots at Westside. I still hear him in my head.. come on one more.. lets go, what the fuck are you doing move the eight, speed, speed speed he would yell.!! I began eating, giving my body all the protein and carbs needed to fuel the grueling workout chuck would put four of us through. In truth, Chuck is far from the person that people think he is. Long live King George. In fact, Tate admits that he was hardly concerned with the external component it was the internal intensity that mattered, and that he had to work with Chuck to regulate. raw bench at 275. He had a terrible injury to both knees and was having trouble with it, he felt the fear of pain. His 1,180 lbs. But, being very good at math, I found that Kenny had actually won instead. Chuck Vogelpohl on his squat technique (circa 2003) - YouTube Chuck Vogelpohl explains his squat technique, this was filmed around 2003 in preparation for the WPO in 2004! You pick the muscle that you need and that's what you train. Joe McCoy was one who thought that the weights might be light at the big money events, but after his opener he said to me, The weights are real. Eskil Thomasson came to visit Westside from Sweden a few weeks before the money meet because he did not believe that we trained like we said we did. I just liked to workout. Chuck V: When I started training at Westside, I think in 1986, I was just another lifter, another member of the team. ), some of the answers were hard to understand upon listening to it. But all still holds the world record at 42 of 1,140 lbs. EFS: So do you still do your speed stuff before you work up to a heavy single or double on the squat? It's too easy. One reason he was having a problem was that he needed to gain more size on his legs. If you are at a higher level, you instinctively know where you are, what numbers you need to hit and how weight is supposed to feel. While driving I said, Look you fat Fer, it is in your head. Now I am waiting for him to smack me in the mouth, like he did many times. Note: During the BFCM sales period all sales are final.Thus, no returns will accepted. Since his new video is out and we knew thered be a lot of questions about his different training style we thought that this would give you an inside look at why he does what he does. And dont be offended if he doesnt sit down and bullshit with you for an hour. Matt uses 365 pounds strapped around his waist and he'll walk with it on for five minute rounds forward, backward, and to the side. You cutting that much weight finally caught up to you. He will be greatly missed through out the community to those who knew chuck was on his way to a powerlifiting meet would fear him showing up, knowing their hands were full trying to out total him. I took Dave Tate with me. This builds incredible strength in the glutes and hips, which is where punching power originates. I remember, at The Arnold one day, we were leaving when I heard some young guy call out to me, Mr. This was the last time I lifted in a USPF meet. deadlift. He left Westside and quit competing in gear shortly after breaking the total record in the 308s. I still do weighted sit-ups. But things were getting weird, and we left for the IPA. What happened was I broke my neck and had a lot of injuries that occurred outside of the weight room and I had to make a lot of adjustments. This DVD was insane. Having lifted with you, I know you are a big believer in mastering technique. Then in his next meet, he broke the world record twice, with 744 and then 766. All right reserved. Like many, George was convinced that board pressing was the key to a big bench. For us, that's moving the bar at 0.7 to 0.9 meters per second (mps), with bands attached to limit bar deceleration. Gerry O was to win a national championship. And I had never heard of jump stretch bands. Its not like I count the number of carbs and fat. Like nothing happened. He was not only a lightweight 220 lb. He made a 625 lb. He was going to Ball State and wanted to come train at Westside. It was very profound when George said he learned a lot from JM and Kenny, but that they never learned anything from him. record did not last long before George finally had a good meet. Nevertheless, from a coaching perspective, one persons opinion is never enough to take a lifters performance to the next level.
