I began my gym journey as a power lifter like many guys who first enter the gym. The truth is, I didn't know what I was doing. I did lifts for back, chest, legs, shoulders, biceps and triceps. My goal was to simply get bigger and stronger.
Everything changed the afternoon I met Kerry Overfelt (KO). He began telling me about the Scottish Highland Games, and how as a professional athlete, he would train for these competitions. After talking to him, he converted me, and I wanted to start training for the Highland Games. I began training with Kerry, with the thought of competing in the Highland games still in the back of my mind. Kerry introduced me lifts like the dead lift, high pulls, power cleans, box squats, front squats, Zerchers, muscle snatch and push press. I had never tried any of this exercises before, it was going to be a whole new "ball game". When performing these lifts we would never sacrifice form for strength.
Kerry and I would train weights 3 to 4 days in the gym consistently. At first, my form was terrible, and I realized I was not as strong as I had thought. After many intense workouts, I fell in love with this style of training.
Along with weight training, we also spent at least 4 days a week practicing for the Highland Games events. Every Tuesday and Thursday we would warm up with weight training. After warming up, we would go outside to train with the "tools" for our events.
Foot drills were essential before and after every work out. These are one of the most important parts of the Highland games. During the season we would lift only to maintain our strength and prepare us for the seven different Highland Games events. Here is and example of some of our training, give it a try if you're looking for power and explosiveness.
- Deadlift and power clean with the focus on these movements for explosiveness and power. Perform 3 reps doing 10 sets.
- Vary forms of dead lift, Sumo, 18 inch, trap bar, and traditional with the use of bands and chains.
- Finish off the back with pull downs, one-arm rows, and hyperextensions. On these exercises do 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
Monday
- Push press, high pulls, some shoulders, and chest.
- Push press and high pull for explosiveness 10 sets of 3 reps.
- Shoulder and chest exercise will be 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
Wednesday
- Leg day, choice of box squats, front squats, and Zercher squats. Do 10 sets of 3 reps work on being explosive.
- Hit some light hamstrings like stiff leg dead lifts and leg curls.