America is a big country and many thousands of men are training with weights. Many of these fellows have become tremendously strong and have developed marvelous physiques.
Only a few of them because of their interest in the Olympic lifts and official competition have received the publicity due them. It is our intention to present a few of these great athletes to the world through the pages of Iron Man from time to time. They are equally deserving of fame as the ones who excel at the three Olympic lifts.
It is unfortunate that the 80 other odd lifts are not given more publicity. It is our intention and has been for some time to stir up interest and competition in these other "power" lifts. It is unfair to all these other supermen to limit official lifting to only three lifts.
We have already presented the story of Charlie Richards of Denver and this issue we present another equally as strong. Stan Sienkiewicz.
Many years ago when Strength & Health was the size of Iron Man, Stan's photo appeared in it and we heard something of his lifting. At the last Nationals, Joe Raymond of Cleveland, Stan's home town, remarked about the marvelous squatting ability and general strength of Stan. As soon as we returned home we wrote Stan for his story and some photos. We are herewith presenting his letter complete with no changes. We believe he can tell his story more effectively by his own words.
We hope that our readers will realize the value of this letter and the information it carries. If you will realize and accept its truths and apply them to your own training it will have more value to you than all the high priced courses and books you can buy. We are proud to present such priceless and uncommercialized information to our readers. We will continue to present such remarkable stories from time to time. Read and study the following letter carefully. Each word has much meaning and value. We might say that Stan has great ability to analyze and express the methods he and others use for their success.
Dear Mr. Rader:
Sometime ago I received your letter in which you requested a story concerning my deep knee bending experiences, lifting, and exercise schedules. Lack of really suitable photos has prevented me from contacting you sooner. I have either lost or mislaid a batch of old negatives so finally I had my wife take a couple of photos of me; these I am enclosing.
A few months ago I had a severe attack of strep throat and this left me in a very weakened condition not to mention a loss of 20 pounds in bodyweight. For the first time in many years I had a little difficulty in regaining my weight and strength. I am finally regaining my top form now.
I started exercising more or less haphazardly at 15 years of age. My bodyweight then was 114 pounds. In one year of exercising I gained about 50 pounds in bodyweight. At this time I was encouraged to try lifting and in a very short time was able to press 200, snatch 200, and clean & jerk 300 pounds. Officially clean & jerked 300 pounds at 17 years of age at 162 pounds bodyweight and at that time was considered the youngest and lightest man in the world to do so.
During the next several years my bodyweight remained at around 165 pounds while I engaged in a great deal of gymnastics, balancing and weight lifting exercises. Very probably expended a great deal more energy than was necessary and which was not conducive to bodyweight gaining.
I began to correspond with J. C. Hise, and under his encouragement and prodding began to attempt heavier weights in the deep knee bend in an effort to gain more bodyweight.
I had been accustomed to using about 150 pounds in the squat for 10 reps, but in the stimulus of a newfound enthusiasm I began using heavier weights and soon was capable of 325 x 15 reps in the squat. My system at that time was somewhat similar to Hise's . . .
I would warm up with 250 pounds x 10; rest, 300x10; rest, and 325x10-15. The first two sets were done on one deep breath before each squat attempt while on my heaviest set attempts I would use several deep breaths between each rep. Three exercise periods a week were sufficient.
I gained about 12 pounds in bodyweight in seven or eight weeks of this type of leg work.
I began experiencing difficulty in doing my squats, however, for on the back of my neck a scab 2 by 3 inches formed where the bar irritated the skin while I performed the squats so that it became more painful to hold the weight on my back than it was to do the squats.
Hise again came to my rescue and suggested a cambered bar, so with a sledge I took the old bar and bent it in the center about two inches. The weight, instead of pressing on one spot, was more evenly distributed along my shoulders and it became a great deal easier to concentrate on the squats.
Note: here we owe a debt of gratitude to Joe Hise's brother and his use of Joe's squat bar as a crowbar when working on his truck. "Oops, it's bent" became
"EUREKA! IT'S BENT!!!"
In a very short time I was doing 400 pounds x 10. I would add 5 pounds to the weight. I made it a point to progress either in reps or weight at every exercise period, and this was very important.
Although I never made the sensational gains in bodyweight that other men did, my gain did progress slowly; this I attributed to the tremendous amount of energy I wasted in performing dozens of exercises during every exercise period. Wait for it . . .
hang on . . .
we need this comment:
"RIDICULOUSLY UNDERTRAINING."'
I mean, what doesn't work for me
obviously won't work for anyone else, right?
And what works for ME
must be the RIGHT way to train.
Sadly far from a "Eureka" moment there,
all that Goldilocks and the Three Bears BS.
Maybe your bed's too fucking soft for someone else
and will you kindly refrain from entering the premises
uninvited!
Now let's continue with this man's story . . .
When I reached 425x10 in the squats, my interest waned as it was very difficult to persuade my training mates to try heavier weights in the squats.
On a side note related, here's a great article by Gordon Comish on his long and winding road to a 400x20 squat, in case you haven't seen it:
So during the next year or two I did very little serious squatting although I was capable of doing 400x10 at any time I attempted it. For several years I had been attempting to encourage bodybuilders and lifters in this area to concentrate more on heavier leg work but without too much success. Beginners were more easily influenced and many of them made sensational gains.
Two of my training mates finally were convinced and together we made plans to go on a deep knee bending spree, and in my case to attempt to reach 500 pounds. I had been making a rather thorough study of squatting and really had a clear conception on all the phases.
I mapped out a rather abbreviated program for myself as follows:
Press, 200x10
Rowing motion, 180x10
Prone press, 225x10
Curl, sometimes, 100x10
Deep knee bends.
This time I started squatting with a poundage lower than I was capable of doing. After a short time I was doing 450x10.
Naturally after reaching 450 pounds, progress became a little slower although I made an attempt to make slightly more either in reps or in weight at every exercise session, which happened three times a week.
My back seemed to give out sooner than my legs so I attempted dead lifts in the program. I was agreeably surprised to find that I was unusually adapted for dead lifting and soon was doing reps with 500 pounds x 10. My squats bounced up to 470x10.
However, while doing dead lifts and deep knee bends in the same program I began to experience kinks and sore spots in the lower back and consequently could not concentrate fully on both exercises in the same period. Therefore, in one session I would just concentrate on the squats and leave the dead lifts alone, and vice versa.
I might state that I wouldn't hesitate to rest a day or two longer between workouts if I felt that I hadn't recuperated sufficiently. My squats were going very well and I finally did 490x10 and without too much effort. I determined to try 500 pounds the next time. The fires of ambition were rekindled, so after resting several days I did
355x10
405x8
455x8, and finally
500x8 with plenty of real effort.
I had realized my ambition.
Although my ambition had been realized, I began trying squats in different series of reps and the following were some of my best attempts:
400x22
375x25.
Also, my best effort of 500x10 - I weighed around 200 pounds, however my weight jumper up when I eased up on my squats somewhat, to 215. My friends began to kid me as being chubby (height, 5'8"; waist, 36"). I figured that my appearance was best at 200 pounds, although with slightly smaller measurements all-round. Therefore, I went down to that weight.
You might be interested in some of my best performances in the other lifts . . .
Press, 250
Snatch, 255
C & J, 350.
At one exhibition I continentaled all the available weight, 370 pounds, and jerked it. My best dead lift is 625 although I had a handkerchief around my right hand and the bar. Also 500x12. My method of performing the squats leaning slightly forward and with a bent back probably accounted for my ability in in dead lift for I rarely practiced it.
My method of performing squats is not recommended to anyone susceptible to strains and aches in the lower back.
I happened to hear that John Grimek pressed 200 pounds 100 times in slightly over 1.5 hours. I did 20 sets of 5 reps. The first 50 reps were done in 1/2 hour and the next 50 took twice as long. I might add that my arms and shoulders were sore for almost a week. These are not military presses but ordinary presses.
I never went in seriously for diets although I tried to drink large quantities of milk, but found that I couldn't stomach more than a couple of glasses a day. Seemed to nauseate me.
Not sure about "butterflies" but this is crazy control:
Also I found that there are certain elements in BEER which are unequalled in replenishing body fluids lost during a workout and also in aiding in the recuperation of power and energy. I imagine many would disagree with me on this, but from personal experience and training others I have found this to be true.
After observing many bodybuilders working out and lifting I have reached the conclusion that most everyone is reluctant to put the effort into an exercise that one's ambition warrants; this is especially true when lifting near one's limit exercise poundages. Although I refrain from suggesting that strain is necessary for success, I do know that effort, REAL EFFORT bordering on strain is necessary to accomplish anything worthwhile with this.
Probably the most important element necessary for success in heavy exercise or for that matter lifting, is the mental attitude. When the weights get heavy the mental attitude undergoes a change. The subconscious mind warns us that the weight to be attempted is heavy, VERY HEAVY, gradually developing a negative mind which is unable to cope with the task at hand. A positive mental attitude about lifting should be adopted. Figure mentally that you can always do 5 pounds more.
During the war with the hustle and bustle of working long hours, raising a family, creating content and peddling energy drinks led to a lack of enthusiasm for lifting or exercising and I did very little squatting or lifting. Our club was broken up by members leaving for the service. There was no activity at all in this area for four years, therefore it was extremely difficult without the necessary incentive to concentrate on squatting or lifting.
Since the war's end a few clubs have sprung up and a flood of enthusiasm is sweeping this section and perhaps soon most of the records will be broken.
At the present time I use around 400 to 425 x 8 in the squat. I have not tried more for several years but I imagine with a little local competition I could approach and best my former marks.
I trust that this rambling discussion has been of some interest to you and if you have any questions you may wish to ask I will be glad to oblige.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
