Linda "The
Phantom" Schaefer:
Interview
done by: Igor N. Jolevich
Igor:
How did you become interested in powerlifting and when did you start competing?
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Linda:
I got into lifting generally under the guidance of a fitness olympian.
She realized after working with me 1.5 years that I was getting stronger,
and leaner, but would not make a fitness competitor or a bodybuilder.
So - I got a copy of PLUSA and called Andrea Sortwell - what everyone
seems to do in Colorado - lol. I trained with Andrea and started competing
in late 1996. First full meet in 1997. So I've been a powerlifter for three
years, and qualified/competed in three nationals as well!
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Igor:
How did you feel when you entered your first meet?
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Linda:
Nervous, but well prepared. And Andrea coached me through it. The
spotter ran into me on my squat opener though! And I felt like I
knew what I was doing when I got to the deadlift.....LOL
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Igor:
I've read that the deadlift is your favorite lift. Do you take part in
full meets?
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Linda:
Yes. Most of the time I must in order to deadlift - LOL. That's
also my main reason for surviving the squat......
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Igor:
I see that you pull conventional style. How about your squat stance? Are
you a quad
squatter or do you use a wider stance and rely more on the hips?
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Linda
: Because of my height - 5'9" and my long legs, femurs being the longer
bone in my leg, I'm forced to use a 'high bar" position on my back.
I use a fairly wide stance - wider than shoulder width
and point the toes out quite a bit to accommodate the locked knee requirement,
particularly at IPF qualifiers. Much of the power is coming from
the quads, but I rely on "relaxing" the hips to sink down and get
well below parallel on depth.
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Igor:
How did you earn your nick-name "The Phantom?"
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Linda:
Two stories. I'll tell the PL one. At my first meet, I was
prepping for the deadlift opener. Andrea looked at my legs and said, put
some baby powder on your legs, you forgot. I looked down....and
I hadn't forgotten. "I did!" "Well, then put some more on, I can't
see where you
left off." Get it? Pale as a PHANTOM.....and my sense of humor is
well,
PHORMIDABLE....lol - also I used to write good comedic poetry and
was 'the Phantom Poet. No one ever guessed it was ME!
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Igor:
How is your current training organized?
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Linda:
Cycles, Hatfield / Siff style. And I go heavy on assist work, but
8 reps/set on assist, 1 minute rests between sets to max strength / hypertrophy,
especially upper body. For the big lifts - I start with longer sets in
the deadlift, 8's or 10's. Then as the weight get heavier,
I go to 5's for explosiveness. AND Speed!! with a rep out at
the end. sometimes forget to count and make a 20 last set though.....
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Igor:
You actually ramp up towards your peak just before the meet. Can you give
us an example?
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Linda:
Ok - say three weeks out. On deadlift, I'm down to triples.
three sets of them. In suit, with straps up. In squat, I'm doing big singles
by then. If I have a new suit, I've got straps up to make sure it
fits. And of course, knee wraps. In bench - down to heavy triple - and
I try on the shirt for a big single. As far as my deadlift - I then in
the next week, go to doubles. And the Friday or Saturday before the meet,
I pull HEAVY. Some people don't deadlift for two weeks before the meet,
but I do. :)
And
it's what I enjoy - deadlifting heavy!! Have to make sure my
dive is in top form before I go to the platform, so I do at least my opener
for one.
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Igor:
A sentence that you've posted on a forum caught my attention. I'll quote:
"One of the
more advanced methods in "supertraining" is to have gym maximums - "for
that given day!" perceived maximums. Please explain...
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Linda:
Ok - here's the idea. There's a method of training much better explained
in Dr. Mel Siff's book, "Supertraining", but here's the basic idea. You
train each lift, each workout, to a "perceived 1 rep max" for that given
day. Not to a platform max, but how you feel on that day. Can go
up and down too, if you're tired, or sick, or having a bad day. But that
way you test your strength better, especially if you're doing something
you haven't tried before, have some idea if you're improving, or
hurting
your strength. It's an experiment - and what works for one might
not work for others!
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Igor:
You've also mentioned a lifter an elite women who has periodized
her way through 20
years and it has build a good base for competing at a high level. Can you
name her & please explain what was your point with this statement?
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Linda:
Um, she does enjoy her privacy, Igor, and believe me, more than I can ever
write has already been written - a great lifter, and she was recognized
in PLUSA as one of the best ever in ADFPA / USAPL. My good friend and coach
Andrea Sortwell. Last year I believe she bronzed in the bench at
IPF Women's Worlds and was second place at the USAPL Nationals for
the past two years. The point is that Andrea has succeeded in gaining
strength over her career using only a
periodization method. No fancy exercises, just basics. And has been almost
injury free, and still has a bench of 250 lbs at 165 weight class.
She will hopefully in future compete at the proposed Master World Bench
IPF is considering as well as her open competitions as she is now of master
age. And she provided me with a great basis for this sport, and like
I said, it had not required any exotic exercises so far. Her coaching
had me qualifying for nationals in my 4th meet. I nearly did it in my second!
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Igor:
What female powerlifter attracts your attention mostly?
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Linda:
Um, Igor? What are you asking here! The Phantom seeks male companionship
only please......Oh - are you asking who I admire as far as her lifting?
Tough question - my good friend Liz Willett, and Leslie Look - without
a doubt, Leslie.
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Igor:
I always seam to look at things from my perspective :)
Ok
then, let's reverse the question - Who do you respect mostly from the male
lifters?
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Linda:
Wow. Well, the local talent here is great - we have Lamar Gant here
in Colorado.
Team Colorado placed second overall to Team Titan at Men's Nationals. And
I lift with a world master / national master champion too..... OK - Igor
- here it is. I respect all male lifter who are courteous and support the
female lifters. They truly are my "Brothers In Iron" and get my help,
my respect. Gentlemen in this sport do not need to feel threatened,
but support the women who lift with them. Their sisters, mothers, wives,
friends, daughters......the ladies who have the guts to put on that chalk
and go LIFT IT!! There, that's my answer!
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Igor:
I see that you recommend a 12 week cycle progressing from higher to low
reps (just like Ed Coan recommends). Who's advices do you value mostly?
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Linda:
I was giving a general example, Igor- and yes, I believe Eddy uses it too.
There are many good sources for information - and lifters need to
start with a basic cycle like I outlined and adjust to their needs. Some
good sources are "goheavy.com", "deepsquatter.com", the books by
the great lifters, and of course, people in your area who are clearly good
lifters, use good form, and if they are willing, to help critique form.
Without good form, you go nowhere!
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Igor:
Can you give us a list of the assistance exercises you use for the big
three?
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Linda:
For squat: knee extension - carefully, if you have weak lower
quads / long legs - the pivot point is a weak spot. Seated calf raises.
leg curls - but carefully. Leg press for strength. Mostly though, the best
exercise to be a good squatter? SQUAT!
For the bench - I'm not an expert, but I do the following: Willems
shrugs for the rhomboids particularly, triceps dips, triceps pressdowns,
triceps kickbacks, french press - aka skullies, nosebreakers,
pushups, incline press, close grip bench, reverse grip bench, and forearm,
biceps curls. I choose from that list, not all!
Deadlift: Shrugs!!!! isometric hold, 5 reps/set leg press heavy,
max weight for 8's, seated calf raises, FAST, flips! straight leg dl off
block - pop hips fast, lat pulldown or pullups,
seated row, power cleans, power shrugs, HYPERS!! with a plate - fast!!
Again, the best thing to do is DEADLIFT!
To all of these, ABS. cybex machine with about 110 lbs, sets of 30's,
3 at least.
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Igor:
Which books would you recommend for reading?
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Linda:
Hmm... best book: Supertraining. But it is really complex. Well worth it
though.
And Dr. Mel answers questions well for those of us without a PHD in Exercise
Physiology. I also own a copy of the "weightlifting encyclopedia" - Dreschler.
It's pretty neat and has a lot of nice OL info. But I get a lot of great
information from the web actually! And other lifters are our best resource!
For example, I've been lucky enough to get help on my bench form
and program from PoohBear Rhodes, who was in PLUSA for his bench style.
Big Arch!
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Thanks for asking me to do this interview, Igor - and best of luck
to everyone!! May the weights be light, and the lights be white!!
And in the deadlift....ONE MOVE, STRAIGHT UP!!!!
"The
Phantom"
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Igor:
Thank you, Linda! It was a pleasant chat!
What
else can I say, except:
"DLGW!"
(Don't Let
Gravity Win!)
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