Powerlifting advice - How to get strong

By: Delroy Mcqueen, British Deadlift & Powerlifting Champion

Commonwealth Games Weightlifting Champion 105kg (3 Golds Snatch, Clean & Jerk and Total
London Powerlifting Champion 110kg & Best lifter (BWLA/IPF)
British Powerlifting Champion 110kg (BPC/GPC)
World Championships Silver Medallist 110kg (GPC)
South East Champion 125kg (BPC/GPC)
British Powerlifting Champion 125kg (BPC/GPC)
British Deadlift Champion 125kg

I started Olympic Weightlifting in 1991 when I was 15 years old, A weight lifting coach called John Jackson came in to my school and started teaching weight training in PE, I went along to his weightlifting and powerlifting gym. The journey began there.

I started to make the transition to powerlifting May 2004 after the European weightlifting championships. I just did not enjoy weightlifting any more. I just knew powerlifting would be for me.

What influenced me to transition from Olympic Weightlifting to Powerlifting was when I started training in Marks Cullimore's Gym formerly named 'Maximus' now 'The Gallery in Windsor', where a lot of good powerlifters train.

Mark had the impression I would be a good powerlifter, so the transition started. I found a website Irongame.com which has a lot of powerlifting videos, I saw Steve Goggins squat 500kg and Andy Bolton's all time deadlift record of the time of 423kg.
It just started me thinking, what could do if I went over to powerlifting? After that, a good friend and now rival on the platform Nathan Scott was training, he let me try a pair of his knee wraps and a belt to squat, I got a 330kg squat first time out, I was hooked from then.

My best Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting lifts to date are, Olympic Lifts in competition where a 165 Snatch and a 210kg clean and jerk, I done those lifts at the 2002 Commonwealth Games where I won 3 golds. My Best powerlifting lifts at the moment are Squat 435kg (BPC British record), 220kg bench press and a 375kg deadlift.

My worst injury came about at the end of 1999 when I was Olympic Weightlifting. I was training on a Saturday morning on the Snatch, on my 3rd rep with 140kg, I lost the lift behind me and dislocated my right elbow and tore the medial ligament in half!!

A lot of people through my lifting career had come to an end. In February 2000 I had elbow reconstruction surgery; the specialist at the time only gave me a 30-40% chance of ever being able to lift again at any level! I loved the sport so much it was some thing I just had to do.
Surgery went very well; the doctor said it would take about 18 months before I could lift again. I competed in my first competition after only 9 months and after 11 months I broke the British Clean and Jerk record.

Monday
Barbell Press 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Lateral Raise 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Front Dumbbell Raise 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Rear Delt Dumbbell Raise 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Bent Over Row 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Wide Grip Lat Pull Down 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Single Arm Dumbbell Row 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Shrugs 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Barbell Curl 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Hammer Curl 5 Sets of 10-15 Reps
Grip Work

Thursday
Heavy Squat
Heavy Deadlift
Leg Press 5-6 Sets of 15-20 Reps
Leg Extensions 5-6 Sets of 15-20 Reps
Leg Curl 5-6 Sets of 15-20 Reps
Calf Raise 5-6 Sets of 15-20 Reps
Abs

Saturday
Heavy Bench Press
4 Board Press
Plus Heavy Tricep work

My diet consists of 3-4 Meals per day; I eat healthy most of the time.
The main Supplements I use are:
LA Whey (highly recommended to me by Ben Agboke)
Centurion
Multi_Protector

Squat 475kg
Bench 260kg
Deadlift 400kg

To defends my BPC British 125kg Powerlifting title, to break a world record. I think with the help of La Muscle these goals are very realistic a may even be able to surpass theses goals for 2007.

1. Be very careful no to over train. I used to train times per week. I took advice and cut down to training three sessions per week now. I have better quality train sessions and have more recover time which has helped me improve a lot.
2. Cycle your training. I never stay at my peak for too long. I build you to a peak for competition drop down to the beginning of the cycle and build up for the next competition. Doing this you reduce the chance of injury and over training.
3. Protect your Joints! Just remember look after your joints use support i.e. Knee wraps, Wrist wraps and Belts when training heavy! This will reduce the chance of Joint injuries. I also use a joint Care supplements i.e. Injury Pro to help your joint recover from your workouts.
4. Make sure you never go too heavy too soon when building up to heavy weights. Remember good technique is more important then lifting heavy weight. You will lift heavy weight in time you just have to build up slowly and be patient.