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Hello everybody, Welcome back to another episode of the pile
lifter den. I'm your host, Cam Smith, and
today I wanted to bring on a female pile lifter who, although
hasn't been competing for that many years, has one of the
highest totals in all of women's multiply.
Taylor, why don't you introduce yourself?
Hi. I'm Taylor Schaefer.
All right. So to get started, I love
getting a background on kind of where everyone came from, from
how they they started into how they got into the platform.
So I know for you, you had a sports background as well as
kind of grew up in that farm life.
So maybe tell us about how that kind of got you from basically
starting out in a pile of thing to where you are now?
Yeah, so I grew, I played sports, you know, from I could
barely walk. I was always active.
And then growing up on my family farm too, like just doing tours
and whatnot. I developed musculature really
early in life, especially for a female high primary sports where
soccer, softball and volleyball. Dabbled in that throughout high
school and whatnot. Started strength training
training in 8th grade and then throughout high school went and
played at the collegiate level, played volleyball for four
years. And then when I was actually
freshman in college, but my strength and conditioning coach
was like, oh, I've never, I only know what person that has bigger
cats than me. Her name's Laura Phillips.
I'm like, who's this lady? Like there's no way.
And then I looked Laura up. So when I was a freshman, I'm
like, you're right. Her cats are bigger than mine.
And so, like, you know, graduate college started, you need
something to do. Really kind of lost my identity
of like, who am I? What am I doing here?
And then I started just training again at a small gym in
Sharonville, met my husband, who had been competing in
powerlifting for two or three years and started training with
him more consistently. And I was actually like, oh,
he's like, you're pretty strong. And then he did our program from
there. And I just did my first meet in
2020. That's how I kind of got got
hooked into the powerlifting realm.
Yeah, so I know a lot of people kind of either find powerlifting
just randomly or a lot of people come from a a sports background
and a lot of collegiate athletes.
So I think everyone gets a different perspective of
powerlifting kind of coming into it.
So for me, I learned a lot of discipline and regiment through
football and things. So what are some of the things
that you took from your sports life into powerlifting?
Yeah, in that regard, I would say like the routine and
regimen, you know, getting up early, making sure I have doing
the things that are priority, whether I'm nutrition wise,
recovering, doing what I need to do in out of the gym, whether
it's sports specific or even like training wise, strength and
conditioning or even like in injury prevention stuff.
Those were those were big, especially on my rest days, like
doing the things that I needed to do so I could be able to
perform at that level. Yeah, and then as far as
competing itself too, I know that you kind of stumbled onto
into Laura's world and now you're kind of looking into
trying to be her total. So what's it been like working
with Laura? Obviously many people have been
on the podcast that have been coached by her.
She's obviously a very influential person in the sport
so I like to get everyone's kind of perspective of their
relationship with her. Yeah, I am.
So when I was, because my husband for the first year, I
reached out to Alice McDonald, who she and I actually went to
college together. She had recently transitioned to
training with Laura. I was like, is she like, how is
she? Like she's in the area I'm
thinking I'm wanting to take this to the next level.
Like, you know, I know you're start with her, but how do you
feel about her? And Alice was like, she's pretty
cool. She's not that scary.
And I was like, all right, I'll message her.
And her husband was actually connered in the same meet that I
was doing. So I was able to just, she was
there, she helped supported me, helped me like warm up my jump
selection. She just kind of jumped head on
into helping me and which was absolutely awesome.
And then I was kind of, you know, history from there.
I did start out with raw with her.
So Alistair and I were both primarily her individual, like
raw, raw individuals at that time.
But you know, Laura's great. She's a great coach, remote, let
alone having your having the opportunity to transcend a
person is just like a whole new level.
Yeah. And as far as kind of your
transition in the gear, was that something you you found just
generally easier just because of obviously having an athletic
background or is this something that you think would have been
more difficult if you didn't have Laura with you?
I think it absolutely would have been significantly more
difficult. When I I remember the first day
even like went to sweatshop, I was she's like, hey, come out,
let's train one day. You can train with Jenny and
Whitaker and Alex Donald, which if you're in the powerlifting
realm, you're like Jenny and Whitaker.
OK, like I guess I'll go have later embarrassed myself.
It was a reverse band deadlift with a reverse minis and I
remember like I was like, oh, I'm here, this is this is
happening. And I was able to hang right
with them. At the time I was competing at
165 and it was it was kind of crazy and I was able to stick
with them and basically I think I even petition uphold them that
day, which was even sillier. And I was like, oh, I can hang
here. This is this is good.
Accessories were great. And then Laura's like, hey, come
back like on Wednesday, like if you want to come like one or two
days a week, you know, we'll see if we'll see how things go.
I can kind of help you with like box wash your Max efforts, stuff
like that. And from there, I was kind of
taken under the wing by Sarah Buckley and Katie Brandt, like,
hey, you're kind of strong. You want to stay with us, which
they were multiplied at the time.
And so I was doing my raw stuff and then they were in their
multiplies gear and whatnot. And then my next two preps, I
was still raw. And then I was like, well, I
think I'm going to get a pair of fruits just to do speed lower.
Does it kind of help save my hips?
I was like, I'm only going to box squat in them.
I'm not going to deadlift in them just solely for box squats.
And then, you know, I did one meet like that and meet prep
like that. And there's like kind of history
from there. I got my shirt.
I got a shirt for the first time, touched 365 to A1 board.
I was like, oh this is cool. This is neat.
Yeah, it's it's something that like basically once you put on
your first pair of briefs, it's it's there's no going back.
Like you might still compete raw but you you get bit by that bog
if like I could stay to this day out of anything and geared
lifting just squatting and briefs and wraps has to be my
favorite thing. I would agree, but my favorite,
my favorite variation. I love a bench shirt.
Anything benching, I just love like I'm just like this is this
is sick. I like the like going to that
dark place and just like hang on tight because you just got to be
super patient. Like the same with briefs and
rats where it's just kind of kind of lean into the darkness a
little bit and just like be extra patient because there's no
other rush like it. Yeah, and I think that's
something that why I try to push like even raw people, even if
they just want to stay competing raw to like got to get into the
things. And you learn a lot about
yourself how much you can kind of handle.
And obviously the the stimulus you get from the overload is
going to translate back to raw because a prime example is my
raw bench went up like 50 lbs just from one training cycle in
the gear. Absolutely.
Yeah. And then as far as competing in
the gear, when was your first multiply meet?
It was in I believe 2003. I did north of border, so I
didn't travel for I didn't travel for that one.
That was my first one. I went.
I think I weighed in like 170 lbs.
Like it was fun. I was like, my only goal going
to that meet was just not to bomb.
Yep, that should be everyone's first goal like.
That was just, it was literally to only get a total.
That was it. We did have like no numbers in
mind. We're just going to kind of see
baseline kind of where we're at and just to get a total.
You know, I think I was really set up for success in that realm
where we didn't rush too much too fast.
It wasn't so much like a strength issue as it was like
learning the gear, learning how to use the gear, and really
being comfortable in the gear. Yeah.
And I think this kind of segues into the being caught up in
numbers talk that you mentioned in your questionnaire.
It's kind of something that if you could almost go into a meet
with the beginners mindset of like, I'm just here to get a
total. I'm just going to do the lift
instead of kind of worrying about what kind of adjustments
you have to make to hit these certain numbers and stuff.
Like you take away so much pressure on yourself.
That's why what if like I had the same goal my first meet and
I went very well. So I think trying to get that
mindset of not necessarily chasing the numbers or being
like, OK, maybe you're 1m away from this gold number, so.
Because right, it's, I mean, it's a slippery slope.
And I know especially training of kind of like pushing the
envelope. I learned especially probably
within the last year, like, you know, things I'm getting pretty
close to some numbers. And it's like, I'm like, let's
let's see what I got today. Like I feel good.
Everything's even good. And I'm like, can I do one more?
She's like, yeah, I'm like, OK. But then sometimes she's like,
no, feel like save it. It's so early.
But it's kind of learning when to push and when to kind of hold
back a little bit, you know, to get, it's a give and take.
Like it's early on a prep. I'm going to save a jump or
sometimes I can be more aggressive early on and then,
you know, I'll save a jump or two towards the end of prep.
So I'm just like, I either need to smoke it or if I make it
harder than need be, I'm going to, it's going to take longer
for me to recover and then everything else is going to
suffer. Yeah.
Then when it kind of like comes to meet day, like I would say in
general, I'm way less of a head case than I used to be.
But in terms of like all the numbers and all like the math
and like, what do I need to do on this bench if I miss this
squad and like getting all wrapped up in that?
It's like putting extra stress on yourself when you don't need
to do that, especially if you have a coach that you're
literally paying to do that. Yeah, I know.
The biggest thing for her, she just wants to have a good day.
Whether we have numbers in mind, like, you know, this is fun.
We get to do this. Like in the end, the day like
this is this is supposed to be fun.
It's a big thing that she kind of reiterates.
Yeah. And then as far as like kind of
the mindset of meet day, obviously everyone has their own
rituals, their own things like that.
But something that you notice among the professionals is there
a lot more calm, cool and collected?
They're hanging out, they're having fun and warmups.
They're not necessarily like headphones on, super serious.
So I think being able to like kind of turn it on when it's
time to go to the platform is something that you learn along
the way. So as far as your meat day, what
are some of the things that you do to kind of stay focused?
So I know. So even pre meat like the night
prior, my last meal is always a filet.
Yellow potatoes and asparagus. Yeah, every, every single time.
It doesn't matter if we're traveling, we kind of make it
happen. So at least some type of red
meat, potatoes and a vegetable, like that's every single time.
And then we end the night with ice cream.
That's just kind of what I do Meat day.
I always shower the morning of. I'm kind of crazy in the realm
of even if I'm the last fight, I'm going to be one of the first
people at the video. I just, I just need to go.
I need to settle in just kind of Mosey around and then I'm in
between attempts. My husband, he it would make him
so mad in between attempts. I would actually be yawning in
between attempts. He's like, are you going to wake
up? I'm like, I'm all right, I'm OK.
I'm like, I'm just hanging out. So it's funny in that realm that
I'm able to just kind of like shut it off and completely.
I just try to relax and kind of just in between.
Yeah. And I think that's something
that in terms of like, I guess like the the science behind it
is like when you when you got to get raise your heart rate to go
out for an attempt. Like after that attempt, you
want to bring it right back down.
You want to kind of reset like each attempt at its own thing.
You don't want to like build up your heart rate, build up your
tension, build up your stress for each attempt because by the
time you get the deadlift, half the time we don't want to even
be there anyways because we're exhausted.
So if you just compound that, you're going to miss your
second, third, even your opener. Yeah, I know, like I can kind of
tell especially, you know, the first squat is like it's the
most nerve wracking thing. Like I'm just like once you get
the first squat in, you're like, oh, I can, I can breathe.
We're good. Like it's going to be a good
day. And I know after the first
squat, if I'm still pretty antsy and kind of flighty, I'm like,
I'm going to have to really, really like try to down regulate
myself actively, you know? And it's just kind of like
learning that and practicing that even like in the meat prior
to the meat day. Yeah.
And. That's one of the quirks of
multiply, like for raw, if you're opener move slow, like
you're kind of you're kind of fucked for the day for the most
part. But if you're you're opener and
multiply move slow, like it could straight up just be from
all the nerves. You change your technique just a
little bit and then you get it and you're like all right, time
to reset. Then you smoke your second.
I think that's what early on, you know, I heard someone say
like multiply is what you can do raw.
Think once you put multiply like a magnifying glass, like every
little imbalance that you have or weakness, it's going to be
magnified intensely. And you know, even if it's like
you set up like your foot, your foot angle is off by 1/2 an
inch. It's going to kind of make a
break whether your pick's good or not.
If you're able to sit back and actually hinge and load the
gear, like something that small can make or break a lift, yeah.
And for, and that's why I like one of the biggest things for
for multiply in general, single ply, any sort of equipped
lifting is the best way to get better at is time.
So for for you to have such a high total only been in it for a
few years. What are some of the maybe the
current struggles you have with the gear, some of the things
that you need to improve upon? I know for myself is that I was
really fortunate like I was, I started off and like especially
like deadlifts was probably the hardest transition for me.
It's because solely because of the straps I could pull raw.
I mean, I was a strong raw deadlifter.
I pulled low. I pulled 515 like low fives raw.
So you know, we you don't get a ton out of your deadlift suits.
So, you know, we didn't really know what to expect and we just
kind of winging it. But the straps are like they
still will give me, still give you the most kind of struggle of
like, am I pulling my chest through too soon or I'm not
pulling it? My chest through enough is like
the timing of everything because it's like, you know, you got to
shoot for the bar. But you're like, look, my hands
are the right spot. I guess it's too late.
I guess we're going to figure it out.
It's a, it's a, it's a trial on error.
But it's like once you shoot like you got to go.
Yeah. And for me, that's something
that this prep like my deadlift has gone through the roof.
And because one day I was training, I was I was lifting, I
had the straps that I wasn't using, using the straps that
tight. Same with squat.
And then ski boat was like, all right, we're cranking the straps
now. So it happened.
And then I was going to deadlift.
I was like, I'm getting to the bar so easily.
Why aren't I tightening the straps?
As soon as I started tightening, I was like, all right, I can
still get to the bar relatively easy, but now the weights way
easier to pull. So that obviously helped with
getting stronger and stuff. But I went from pulling bra
conventional to sumo and I wasn't really using the gear.
I was basically just learning sumo, so when I went back to
raw, I really figured out the sumo pull itself.
And now that I'm in gear, I'm actually learning to use the
gear itself. And it's kind of exciting to see
like where my deadlifts going to be in the next year or so, yeah.
That's, that's like the exciting part.
I know I think the most challenging for me to was going
from like getting stronger, being OK with like, you know,
growing into a weight class where my leverage has changed.
And then so like my squats feeling so good.
My bench is feeling awesome. My dad feels like crap.
I'm like that. I can't get in position with
shit. Just like, you know, figuring
that out and figuring out my new leverage is a little bit that
has primarily been my biggest, I would say my one of my biggest
struggles, yeah. That's something that I'm trying
to fill out 275. I'm like 257 right now.
So obviously I got plenty of room to go and I'm hoping it
doesn't take a hit on my deadlift.
I think I might be able to get away with it just because of how
long my legs are. But I'm just really hoping I can
get some better leverages on bench because I got long.
Arms. Yeah, dude.
It's not. It's not good.
It's I know. Have you ever measured your like
arms fan like you're? Yeah.
It's like, I think it's like 6/5 or 6/4.
How tall are you? 6262?
Yeah, by but my hands, I'm 57, but I'm only 5 two.
And I know it's I don't look like they don't.
My arms don't look that long, which is kind of crazy, but I
just it's it's weird. It's, it's so weird how it works
out, yeah. So obviously you just compete at
the wins pro am Obviously we've had several people on about that
and it's still to this day one of my favorite meets a pile of
thing for multitude of reasons. I know you've done it a couple
times. So the times you've done it may
be your first time, your first experience with it with and then
kind of like the future of it. How What have been some of your
favorite moments in it? I started.
I'm trying to think we're my first 2021 was my first women's
pro am I was still doing it raw. It was I mean, you know, it was
it was wild. It was wild to see.
I've never been exposed to really multiply before, but
seeing how everyone support each other and the people from
amateur day came to pro day and just how everyone supported
everyone and it was like just awesome being under the same
roof and to see that kind of has grown over the past couple
years. It's even cooler like in the
setup, like Laura Hood like does an unreal job.
You know, she she puts her part and soul into the woman's
program. Like all the hard work and the
the background stuff like that. No one even knows about.
Like, like, it's, it's truly amazing and one-of-a-kind and
it's. And if you've ever been to a
women's program, like, it's, it's magical.
Like magical things happen at the women's program just because
the atmosphere itself. Yeah.
And I think I went last year and I went this year, and I think my
favorite moment, even though it was 3 misses, I think my
favorite part of the whole meet was you, Alex and Deanna's third
pole attempts. Because they were just, they
were like perfect attempts and they were just, they were all so
close and it was just insane to watch.
Yeah. That was It was similar this
year too, between last year and this year.
I think it was us three the last also.
And I think they were still for like all time world records and
we're all above 600 lbs. Like we're right on, you know,
especially Alice's the role after she's around the cusp of
that 600. It's it's crazy.
I think Laura in the next like a year or so is going to have a
handful of women that are pulling over six.
Like it was 500 was crazy before.
Like 600 is like the new norm. Yeah, it's crazy just how much
the totem pole shifts in the sport as a whole, but especially
in women's now because it's it's getting so much more traction.
It's bringing a lot more women to the sport that have these
great genetics and have these great drives and work ethics
that wouldn't know about the sport without people like you.
Which is even crazy even think about like I just, you know, I,
I put a lot of pressure on myself like that.
We're just having fun. But I think I was even showing
Jordan, she just posted like the women's like top five total and
whatnot. And I showed my husband look at
these names. Like look, I was like to think
like my name is kind of even the list of the top ten of the the
wrong with these women that have been competing in the past 20
years and they're safe. Like, you know, their numbers
still stand. It's it's mind blowing.
It really is. It's it's crazy to think about
of where, you know, we they were 20 years ago, even 10 years ago
and where it's going to be the next 10 to 20 years.
Yeah. And as far as like the top five
and top 10s of like different weight classes or even just all
the time, you talk to these people and I feel like almost
everyone in this, this top 10% has such an like an imposter
syndrome of like they look around and like, whoa, I'm in
the same area as this person and they say the same thing about
the other person. So it's just it's just fun to
see people's perspective from that top five.
Yeah, yeah. And it's even even, you know,
reflecting after the women spray on too.
Like not the day I wanted, but you know it.
Sometimes that's the way they called cars fall and that's OK.
But like still still say like looking back, I'm like, I was
being absolutely ridiculous. Like, Taylor, you had a bad day
and you still you still totaled like top like top three in your
weight class all time. And like, you know, simply stuff
like that. Like that's you're being
ridiculous, yeah. And as far as like the judging
and stuff goes, like obviously at a pro level meet like that,
it's it's strict, but and obviously people have complaints
and stuff, but we're not going to get into that because I don't
even like bothering to talk about it because I think if
you're a professional, you just have to make the adjustments and
people that kind of sit around and complain about maybe calls
that were questionable or honestly right and they just
don't want to admit it. I think that's something that
it's kind of a separator for between like a a professional
and a rookie, even if they have a professional total.
I, I would agree. It's really kind of like
establishing that standard. You hold yourself to that
standard. If you are holding yourself to
that standard, it really should be, no doubt.
And I think that's where we're lucky to have Laura because
she's she's she's she's rough on us, man.
She has no problem burying us, you know?
And she'll she'll be the first to tell you.
She's like, I'm like, I was there.
She's like, no, OK. But that's where we're also
really lucky and fortunate, too. Yeah.
And I. Think that's why I think when
you have training crews that hold each other accountable in
that aspect when it comes to meet day.
And maybe you, you guys were training to like at depth and
then at the meet it has to be a little bit lower.
But you've been training to that strictness for a while that you
can make the adjustments and not let it completely ruin your day.
Yeah. Absolutely.
And be able to make that transition, like, OK, you went
one to three on squats, but that's what you still have to
bench. Yeah.
Like regardless, you're still in the meet.
You still have to put a total together.
Yeah, and. Like for squats example, I just
pick an arbitrary number. Say you want say your goal with
1000 for the day, but you have to bury it.
Like, OK, just get in the mindset right away.
Like all right, maybe only 960 is going to be there today and
just adjust from there. Make the adjustments.
Still try to put together either PR total or when the meet if
there's money and things like that.
There's so many different variables that you have to
consider that you can't have your perfect day.
Yeah, and. That's the thing like where it
kind of came down, I think for me at the program too, like got
my opener, missed my second and I was like, OK, let's just
fucking send this. Let's just see.
And we're like, we'll we'll go, we'll go for that, we'll go for
it. And you know, still missed it.
But I'm like I took a chance. Like I was like I wanted to see
what like I wanted to know like even as a confidence, I'm like,
you know, I didn't get buried by it.
I didn't fold me. I just have to be more confident
and more patient, you know, like I think that does a lot also of
taking those chances, but you have to be OK with taking those
chances at the end of the day also.
Yeah, I. Totally agree if you like
especially multiply. Like no one goes 9 for 9 in a
multiply meet. Even if you are sandbagging all
your lifts like there's something going to go wrong at
least one of the lifts, it's almost a guarantee.
Which I can't say much. This is the first time I've gone
less than 8 for 9 in a meet. What do you?
What's that? Go ahead.
What's the missed? Attempt usually.
They this is the first time I've missed a squad when I missed 2
at WPOI, missed a bench for my butt coming up and then and on
my opener and I was like we're going to go up anyway.
Yeah, I think the. Yeah.
As far as like the the whole discussion of like if someone
misses an opener, whether to go up or not, I always find that
something very funny and it's very coach dependent because I'm
in the mindset of like depending on what you missed it on.
If it's like obviously if you get buried by it, like take it
again. But if it's like you missed on
depth and you still smoked it or you got some stupid red light
for something like I'm in the mindset of just always go to
your next attempt. Like at that point you got to
get in the meat. And if it's not something that
is due to you being weak that day, then why not send it?
I think it does come to the level of the athlete though,
like if he's a beginner, like, you know, and we're just trying
to get a total like, hey, we take your opener.
Like we take your opener. If you miss, if it's technical,
even learning, like even if it's within your first year of
multiply, I think it's still going to be important.
Take the opener. Don't don't make the silly job.
Just get more confident with that weight and then and then
you can be more aggressive than your second if you want, but you
just you got to do it right. And that's not the biggest
thing. I think even making the decision
from missing my second slot, like, you know, Sarah Buckley
looked at me. She's like, we going to what do
we do? What are we going to do in the
gym? She's like, you're going to if
you get it right, you're going to get it.
She's like, but what we would we take we take it in the gym,
Like, what are we doing here? I'm like, all right, it's fine.
We'll we'll we'll take it. Get you out of your ass, Taylor.
Like we'll just do it right. Yeah.
And. That's I think it.
Comes with maturity of the lifter also, yeah.
And that's. Another thing with multiply 2 is
when it's when it's raw, you can just retake it and or you can
kind of open way lighter than you really need to to kind of
get yourself in the meat. But when it's multiply, like if
you go to light, then you can't get to depth.
You can't touch like it's it's such a you have such a smaller
window. They're right.
In that that Gray area, almost of like, OK, I know my bench,
this is the lightest I can touch.
But then it's like, can I hit depth with my squat?
I don't think, you know, it's a gamble.
Yeah, that's. One of the things with time in
the gear to like obviously a prime example is a shirt like if
you can't touch, obviously you're not getting a press.
So and some people their window of what they can touch to what
they can press is a lot shorter than some people who've been
doing it for years. I can bench 700 but can touch
with like 315. Like obviously the shirts tight
and whatever different variables like that, but and you can set
the shirt and stuff, but that that window is something that
you need to be able to adjust to because if you can only touch
485 and your Max is 550, like if you're having a bad day, you're
you're fucked. Yeah, there's, there's not a lot
of wiggle room for you, that's for sure.
Yeah. And obviously, I know you train
conjugate and that's something that I think isn't one of the
best methods to use. I'm a big conjugate fan.
Everyone in Multiply who's pretty much in that upper
echelon pretty much trains that in some sort of fashion.
So for you, when was your first experience of conjugate?
It was actually in college I changed the conditioning coach.
She actually helped Laura teach seminars specifically like the
conjugate side with CrossFit. So Christina Webb, she, you
know, I learned how to box squat and used AR when I was a
freshman in college. So I had four years of
experience of it was great. You know, we did box jumps on
our speed lowers days. I can jump out of the roof like
it was, I was just a super explosive athlete by nature and
I just even got even more explosive from it.
So that was kind of my first realm of conjugates.
I still really didn't know what it was until probably my junior
year of College of like, you know, what conjugate actually
was like the verbiage of it until, you know, my exercise
science classes and whatnot, and I was able to, like, learn and
deep dive more into it. Yeah.
As far as the explosiveness goes, I think that's something
that if you are an explosive athlete and then you kind of
transition into multiply and you have to really learn that
slowing things down and that patience.
And you see, like, as you gain more experience in it, like
people like Christela 5 and Rupo and stuff where they're very
explosive athletes, but they're so good in the gear now that
they can still be explosive. But someone like me who's only
been doing it for a little bit, I have to be more patient out of
the whole life to be more patient with the touch.
And it's, it's something that kind of annoys me, to be honest,
because I'd like to use my explosiveness.
But obviously in the future, I'd like to get to that level to
where I can kind of bring that back.
Yeah. I.
Think that's mine. One of my biggest things is like
they're like make it move fast and I'm like making it move fast
for Taylor. I get out of control smooth.
Smooth is fast for Taylor. Like if I can say patience they
and make it smooth, it's going to be really pretty.
When I start to get kind of like, oh, I just going to move
it fast. Like that's when things like
uncontrollable variables come out and I'm like, what?
I don't know what the hell I'm doing, but I think when I really
simplify, just keeping things smooth, things normally go, they
go a lot better. They go in my favor, yeah.
And once again, back to the bed shirt.
That's one thing. Like if you go too fast, you
blast off your chest, you lose all your tricep in your shirt
and the next thing you know you're just sitting there 3
inches from walk out struggling. You're just like.
You're just like, you got death. Exactly.
You. Have nowhere to go, yeah.
And that's. One of the things that once you
you can adjust to and something that I'm not looking forward to
figuring out over the next few years.
But like I said before, it's something that takes time and so
I know you're hopping in a meet in the next few weeks as well.
Obviously it's kind of a quick turn around.
So for you, what are some of the goals kind of going into this
meet? This me, I'm the plan.
I'm just going like a three 181. I will.
I don't know, I'm just going to have fun.
I'm really not putting any expectation on myself.
Of course, in the back of my mind I do have some numbers, but
you know, that is kind of it is what it is.
I'm just going to go have fun. Try to put a put a day together,
put a good day together. Ultimately, I would like to, you
know, maybe press the steel a little bit on submit 181
records, But you just you honestly never know till meet
day. Yeah, you you haven't you really
generally don't know till meet day.
You got the most perfect prep and then meet day it just
crumbles, Yeah. Or the complete opposite.
Yeah. Or yeah.
Or you can have an absolute awful meat prep and your things
are just like you're like, wow. And that's how it normally has
been for me. I've yet to have a phenomenal
meat prep. But, you know, sometimes that's
just the way way it works out. Yeah.
And I'm kind of in that same boat.
I wouldn't say necessarily had a bad prep, but I think it kind of
depends on it's very athlete dependent too.
Like generally speaking, I'm I'm someone that performs better
like a game day scenario than a practice scenario.
Obviously a training session practice.
So definitely. A gamer?
I am definitely a gamer, yeah. And I think that comes down to
obviously how you recover and stuff during AD load, but it
comes down to the mindset of the person.
That's kind of what we were talking about before, about not
being taking yourself too seriously, not focusing on too
much of the day, like take the day you have.
And it's it's, I know it's significantly easier said than
it's done. Like I really need to practice
what I preach. I know there's sometimes that
like Laura and my husband might can shake me, but I'm almost
like it's. And then they this is fun.
It's fun. It's a hobby.
Like, you know, this, we got to do something, do something
really cool. Yeah.
Besides competing, what are some of your other involvements in
powerlifting, whether it's coaching, spotting and loading,
judging, anything like that? Then I also want to help with
north of border, like behind the scenes and stuff like that, just
wherever they're needed, like spotted and loaning.
And then I help with one of my training partners, Zach Prefitt.
He, he and I coach a Special Olympics for like Hamilton
County or I guess it's Butler County.
But we have a team about 8 athletes that, you know, we
practice once a week and then about once, sometimes twice a
month. We do, we travel and do
powerlifting meetings with them. It's a special only, but I mean,
it's it's a ton of fun. Why is there?
No squat. I actually don't know why there
isn't. I think it's more so for like
risk of injury and whatnot. There are meats that some of
them do that are sanctioned. They'll do.
They'll do all three lifts, but primarily the Special Olympics
is just a question press a venture deadlift.
Yeah. So I'm sure working with these
athletes, obviously you're going to get a different perspective
of powerlifting. So maybe tell us about some of
your experiences kind of working with that and kind of maybe some
of the things that you learned that you'd like to see more in
the in our powerlifting culture, I think.
The amount of support that they have for each other is unreal.
They can walk in a room and they make friends automatically, no
matter what their differences is and whatnot, but they the amount
of support and yelling and cheering they have for one each
other. They miss a lift like, you know,
they're there's like at least five people want them.
Like, so you did a good job. You'll get it next time.
Like it's it's kind of surreal and they're absolutely like
there's the athletes are so funny.
They're absolutely. They're so funny and like, and I
think I had there's an athlete like last week at practice, he
he pulled like 335 and it was a grinder.
And he's like, that was easy. And I'm like, we're going to be
done for the day. Yeah, he's like, I think I have
one more. I'm like, we don't.
We're going to move on. Yeah.
And I think like you said, obviously the support you kind
of have from that group is is awesome.
And it's something that I think it's gotten better in
powerlifting, at least in my time, even just a few years I've
been here, I've seen obviously there's so many nice people and
so many great people in the sport.
And there's, there's a few bad apples here and there,
obviously. But generally speaking, I think
one of the best parts of powerlifting is the community
behind it. And everyone can tell you
they've made a friend in powerlifting and they've made,
whether it's on the Internet or at a meet or their training
partners, like there's so much more to it.
Yeah. And I think one of the biggest
takeaways also, besides the community aspect, is the
mentality that they, you know, they come in with an open mind.
Yeah, they're going to be nervous.
But having the ability like, oh, I can't do this.
Like I can, I can do way more than I thought I've been able to
do half the time, though, Like, so assholes on the bar, I'm
like, I'll tell you after, like, because if they get stuck on a
number, like they're like they try, they make it harder.
And I'm like, you have no idea. Like, you know how much that
was? Like it was 285.
And he's like, excuse me? Like it's like it's fun.
It's like, it's like it's a little gang to get to play with
them. Like you're like, we're going to
go up. But then sometimes like, it's,
it's just, it's so interesting and having the interaction
between them, but especially from a mentality standpoint,
like them being able to do more than they think they're able to
do. Yeah.
And I think that's kind of something we could talk a little
bit about too. I like to do that sometimes
where I'm like, hey, just put the weight on the bar.
I don't care what it is. Tell me after, especially when
it's like one of those like a circum act or something, when
it's like you don't know what the AR is like, you don't get
caught up in what you're picking.
Just keep loading weight, figure it out after.
Be happy or be disappointed. But either way, like when you
kind of don't care about what you're lifting, you're just
going to execute how you need to execute, and then you're going
to perform way better than if, oh, all right, this is 1000.
This is really heavy. Then you get in your head and
then you do something wrong. Yeah, it's like just you just
got to pick it up. That's what my husband does, is
just stop thinking about it. You just got to pick it up,
Taylor. And I'm like, all right, fine.
Yeah. One of my, one of my favorite
stories from that. Something that I like to do
sometimes too is like if if we're training, say someone's
going for a Max out while they're not looking, I'll throw
like a 2.5 on on each end and stuff and be like, hey, guess
what? I added some weight and they're
like, oh, I didn't even notice. And it's like your mind is your
one of your biggest limiters. Absolutely.
I know because it, you know, sometimes you're, you're chasing
those numbers, a certain numbers like or variations, you're like,
OK, this is a good tell to kind of see, see where I'm at to
project actually like early on in meat prep or right before me
prep starts, you're like, this is this is kind of where we
should be at in the ballpark. But then it's also learning like
sometimes like you just don't go in with a number.
You just have to. That's what I have today and
move on. I think that was the one of the
biggest learning lessons this past year.
Laura kind of been great with me.
She's like, you do your Max for what effort you have that day
and you live and for another day and just hit your accessories
super hard because then, you know, the Max variation is just
a very minute aspect. You're just trying to get the
stimulus to get out. Yeah.
And that's one, one of the things I really like about
conjugate is you're changing variation so much and that even
something as small as if it's 10° colder in the gym, the bands
are going to be tighter that day.
Like it's something that you can't, you can obviously go for
like a 5 LB PR the last time he did it and things like that.
But the variables are always different.
So you don't need to worry about a gym lift like worry about what
you're going to hit on the platform and.
That's what's interesting too. I think it's just like taking
that, if you can take that 5 LB PR be done, like move on, you've
got the stimulus, just move on. You know, there's sometimes you
want to get greedy. And if it's, if the time's
right, the environment's there, the people are there, like
sounds like, Nah, we're going to, we're going to jump 30 lbs
again. We'll see what we'll find out.
And like, that's, that's what makes it fun, especially with
the crew especially you'd have like one or two people kind of
going back and forth. Yeah.
And that's one of the things with like the, the Max effort
days with the crew, it's as more of like a competition aspect
than anything. You're just trying to have fun,
you're trying to beat yourself. But the real work is the boring
shit, the the accessories, the recovery, the the sleep, the
hydration, all that shit that quite frankly no one really
wants to do. But that's what what it takes,
yeah. Yeah, for sure.
Yeah. Like obviously it would be nice
if we could just walk into the gym, hit a Max effort squat and
go home and add 50 lbs where I squat, but that's just not how
it is. Where's the fun on?
That it's, it's interesting because like I, I of course
always love doing the Max effort variations, but I was going to
have a good pump, which is love a good pump, you know, just nice
and full. There's something better than
like a nice and full triceps. A tricep pump is just sick.
Like, you know, like who doesn't want jacked arms?
Yeah. And that's that's another thing
with some of the powers and culture, it's like they care
just obviously we care about our totals and our numbers.
But I mean, most of us started this to get big to look jacked
and like have fun and like you say, get a good pump.
So when there's there's some people out there that just
they'll come in, they'll do three sets of squats and three
sets of bench and no accessories and go home.
Like where the where's the fun in that?
Like, what are you doing? Like go get a pump look jacked.
Yeah. Exactly like that's.
That's also the fun part. Yeah, I think one of my favorite
things that Kevin Oakes said, he's like, I don't care about
being the £150 world champion if I don't look jacked.
Especially, I think that's the big aspect now that we're
starting to transition, is the athletes that also in better
shape. They're performing at a whole
another level, which is really things starting to come to
light. I know like Jenna or Denza,
she's really big in conditioning.
Sarah Buckley and I like and Laura, we started doing this
like certain bike conditioning from a fellow out in California,
like it's it really takes it up a notch.
It really does recovery wise. You're able to down regulate
yourself like you're just it's a completely new level unlocked.
Yeah. It takes a step up from just
GPP. It's, it's so much more than
that. Like you look at some of the top
people in the sport right now and they actually look healthy.
They look strong. They they have ABS.
You look at someone like, like Phil Herndon, for example, like,
that man's a monster, and he's not a yeah, and he's not a 400
LB piece of shit that's like struggling to breathe after
squats. Like, yeah, it has so much more
performance. Like cardio is not bad for a
power lifter, No? Absolutely not if you're not, I
mean, if you're not doing some type of conditioning, like
you're kind of doing yourself harm, especially like you got to
be able to deadlift. Yeah.
I don't think people realize is like you still.
Yeah, it's only 9 lifts, but it's it's going to tell.
It's going to tell at the end of the day, yeah.
And that's kind of the difference maker too.
Obviously you have like the deadlift specialist that'll come
in at the end of me and blow someone out of the water after
their subtotal was £300 less. But they come down to two.
Like say you have two equally strong people at the the the
meat comes down to conditioning at that point.
Yeah. And that's like, you know, like
why wouldn't you want that extra, especially if you could
get like the extra like 1 to 2%, like from a conditioning
standpoint to be able to translate that into strength,
like, you know, that's that's a make or break, like if you're
going to get that last lift or not.
Yeah. And.
Especially at the like these pro meats and stuff that it comes to
a point where people are fighting for that 1%, that 2%
boost and they often overlook something as simple as just
being in shape. And there's some people that
aren't even willing to commit to even grow.
They even started doing it like substantially it would increase
by an even larger percent. But it's just taking the
responsibility and I think and the opportunity to grow in that
aspect. Yeah.
And. Then I guess kind of on the flip
side, not necessarily obviously keep your your conditioning,
your health up, but as far as kind of like the idea of like
growing into your weight class. Like something like me, for
example, where I was at 2:42 and there was a little point where I
was kind of teetering that line of starting to cut.
But I'm still a young athlete and I wanted to grow into my
total. I wanted to grow into my frame.
And if I was stubborn and stuck at that 242, who knows like how
much I'd be suffering right now from it?
Yeah, absolutely. I'm kind of, you know, I and,
and we prep and like and and prep and offseason like I
fluctuate quite a bit because I do compete between 165 and 181.
I'll do one big cut a year. I try to only do one big cut a
year and then I'll go to 181. But I mean, you know, I walk
around mid of high 180's especially like deep in meat
prep. Like do I love it?
No, but that's why I feel the strongest and but I know I make
that sacrifice like the custom be harder later in prep, yeah.
And I think the difference is too is like you said, you train
in the offseason at a heavier weight and when your body
adjusts to that, your your strengths goes through the roof.
So when you go to a cut, you're still going to be stronger than
you were if you were to just maintain your weight and not
make a big cut. Yeah, and I think it leads also
going back to the condition standpoint, if you're in better
shape, the cut and recomp is easier.
Yeah, you're able to just recomp a better.
And it is interesting to see different people cut at
different weight classes too, because you you have some people
that are like 320 trying to cut to three O 8 and they're
struggling. Meanwhile you have some people
that are 18185 cutting to 165 and have no issues and.
I have been blessed. Yeah.
And I haven't. I don't know.
I'm. I'm kind of crazy for the test
that I've done. My biggest one was 1 from 193 to
165. Oh, wow, that was last program.
You know, I tried to do again this year and I wasn't able to
get quite those last 4 lbs off. But sometimes that's I just
rolled that way, you know, But it's kind of, it is kind of
crazy. There are some freaks out there
that can do it, but there are people that can cut 8 lbs and
they just can't Recon from it too.
Yeah. So for you, what is kind of like
your your window of like pounds being able to cut before you
start seeing a hit in your performance?
Normally, I mean, I'm going to get, I've been able to get away
with about 22 lbs. Anything over 22 to 23.
I think it starts to get a little sketchy for me.
But I mean, that's still like a 13% weight cut, which is pretty,
pretty abnormal for sure. But even like this past meet, I
wouldn't say like, I'm not sure I could say, you know, because I
wasn't able to make the 165. But shrink was there.
It would just didn't want to call curse netball.
But you know, it it sometimes it is what it is.
Yeah. So I guess kind of before we
wrap things up here as far as like the world of powerlifting,
what are some of the things that maybe you'd like to see change
or some of the issues you have with the current state of the
sport? I honestly like, you know, I
just I don't really pay attention to the noise.
I'm just there to compete to be honest.
That's that's really I'm just there to have fun, put a total
together. That's impressed the envelope a
little bit. I kind of really don't care
about the outside, outside noise.
It's just that's not really my realm.
To be honest. I really couldn't tell you what
was going on, not going on because doesn't affect me.
I don't like, you know, at a sight out of minds, I just kind
of stay in my own lane. Yeah.
And.
I think that's honestly, I wish that's something I could do.
I think doing something like this podcast is where it becomes
a blessing and curse because you learn so much about the world of
pile lifting to when you get to see someone that's like, hey,
I'm just here to compete. I'm here to have fun with my
friends. Like it's such a breath of fresh
air. Yeah, it's.
It's it's really unique, I would say, yeah.
So I think we can kind of wrap things up here.
So I'll ask you my final question.
If you could give a new power lifter or someone going into
their first meet a word of advice, what would you say?
Biggest things just be patient and have fun.
You know things don't happen overnight but just keep showing
up is the biggest thing. Yep.
I think you got to play the long game in the sport.
This is not a sport where you're only in it for, well, some
people are only in the first few years, but I think the people
that are patient, take their time with it instead of blowing
their load too early are the ones that rise to the top.
Absolutely. Yeah, Well.
I want to thank you again for taking the time to come on.
It was my pleasure. Yeah.
Thanks for having me.