Before reading this nugget filled article, don’t forget to check out the Mash Mafia Learn 2 Lift Clinic at the Mash Compound on January 10th. Here is the link, and we are still running a $50 off coupon. Use coupon code: MASHSEMINAR
Here is the link: Mash Mafia Learn 2 Lift Clinic at the Mash Compound
We are still running the coupon for $50 off Coaching with Coach Mash! Coupon Code: MASHCOACHING
Click on the link to find out more: Online Coaching with Coach Mash
I have to admit that my life is super blessed. I want God to know that I know. The people that I know and work with are so incredibly smart; it’s like working in Graduate School. I have been blessed my whole life to meet the most incredible people in my field. There are a couple of reasons that I am constantly meeting these people.
First, I have been blessed with some talent that constantly puts me in front of these people. Whether weightlifting, powerlifting, or football, I have been blessed with good genetics. Those genetics landed me in front of great coaches. You don’t have to be talented to meet great people, but it sure does help. After meeting the people, my personality took over.
After meeting someone, the key is confidence. Too many people meet me and instead of walking up to me and saying hi, they hang back out of fear. Look, I am the easiest guy in the world to meet. I pretty much love everyone that I meet, so don’t be afraid. If you want to meet me, come say hi. Almost everyone in this industry is nice. If you want to meet them, then meet them. Don McCauley and I are always amazed that you guys like us at all. We are used to the world when no one cared about the barbell, so we are glad to share what we know.
The biggest key to lasting relationships is sincerity and listening skills. I have always genuinely cared about the people that I have met. Coach Kenn, the Carolina Panthers Head Strength Coach, will tell you that I genuinely love him, and his wellbeing is important to me. People will know right away if you are genuine. They will know by your ability to listen with intent. If you listen to what people say with intent, you will earn their respect for life. If you just want to talk about what you are doing, they will forever write you off.
Don McCauley has been the top coach at MDUSA since Coach Pendlay’s stroke. When I was asked to be one of the coaches at MuscleDriver, I was excited for a couple of reasons. I was going to coach some of the best weightlifters in the world, and I was going to be coaching with two of the greatest weightlifting coaches in American history. I was determined to not waste one day.
My ability to continue learning is what will separate me from all the other coaches in America. I will never be satisfied with the amount of knowledge that I possess and neither should you. Every time that Don or Glenn open their mouths, I am all ears. These last six months have been absolute Gold to my coaching career, and the staff at MuscleDriver has been simply incredible. I am so blessed to have them in my life.
In 2015, I am so excited that Coach McCauley and I are partnering in a lot of different areas. Don is partnering with me in my online team as Co-Head Coach. We are also going to team up on come clinics. Finally, we are going to sell his awesome book, and a few other weightlifting specialty items. I am just super excited to partner up with a Level V Senior International Coach. Don gives my online team the distinct advantage of having a coach that has actually coached athletes all the way to the Olympics not to mention countless World and Pan Am teams. This will make our Mash Mafia Online Team and our Clinics the clear choice over the competition.
In honor of our teaming up, I wanted to give you all a few of the nuggets that I have learned from Coach McCauley. I have watched that man add serious kilos to the totals of athletes that are already great. That is the true test of being a great coach. Any coach can add kilos to a brand new athlete, but only the best can affect the elite athletes. Here are some of the nuggets.
First, the plywood platform is a miracle worker. This is a small 1-2 inch thick platform that is about 4×4. Don uses this device on athletes that are struggling to keep their weight shifted back during the pull. A lot of lifters will shift their weight to the toes super early in the pull causing the barbell to be pushed out in front. Don will have the athletes hang their toes off the end of the platform, so that they are forced to stay back towards the heel. I watched him use this technique with Jess Kinzler. He increased her total by over 15 kilos in 3 short months. She went from a top 10 performer to almost winning Gold at the American Open. Her Silver performance surprised everyone in her class, but it didn’t surprise her coaches.
Don loves to help people with their jerk. He has a couple of cues that really work. He tells people to stay on the back edge of their heels. This one verbal cue helped Hannah Black, one of my Mash Mafia Weightlifters, jerk 110k/242lbs within her first six months of training. He also wants the lifter to focus on getting vertical during the drive phase. Too many people try to sneak under the bar with a wide split, but the higher percentage technique is to get vertical. Finally drive the back foot aggressively into the ground with the back knee bent but firm.
Last, Don likes to say, “Stay with the legs longer during the first pull.” Too many people want to start the second pull way too early. Don likes to tell people to pretend that their legs are longer than they really are. Drive through the legs, sweep the bar back with the lats, get the knees back, and stay of the bar. The longer that you can stay with this pull, the more power that you will generate during the second pull.
2015 is going to be an exciting month for us. We hope that we can help as many people reach their goals as possible. Here are a couple ways that we can help you:
1. If you are a weightlifting purist and are searching for a team and coach, try out the Mash Mafia Weightlifting Team. I am going to keep the prices the same for the first couple of weeks, and then they will increase to reflect the quality. To check out the online team, click on the link below:
2. If you are looking to get a hold of your nutrition and/or workouts, check out the “Eat and Lift What You Want” Online Team. To check it out, click on the link below:
If you want to host Coach McCauley and me for a Learn 2 Lift Clinic, email me at: Travis.Mash@MashElite.com.