Q: How and why did you get into powerlifting? What are your bench numbers?

I got started in powerlifting in 1996. My first passion was to always play basketball. This particular year I was not playing basketball. I chose to take some weight lifting classes. During these classes I realized I had a decent bench. I also met a guy named Jauquin Diaz Delon. He was into powerlifting and often came into our class to volunteer his time and help everyone lift. I worked closely with him for roughly 6 months. He helped tweak my bench form and show me how to start programming for a competition. He helped me get signed up and helped me through my first powerlifting competition. I had a blast lifting against other people. Knowing the hard work I was putting in was paying off. Right then I was hooked in lifting, I was more hooked on seeing the progress I would make training. 

My best bench in competition is 585lbs raw while weighing 220lbs with a same day weigh in. 

Q: Where do you train at and what does your training week look like? 

I currently train out of Nautilus Plus in Oregon City. I also work closely with Inner Beast Crossfit. However, I do go and train at gyms from all over. I spend time at EGO gym in Seattle, Gstandard in Tacoma and the Lab in Portland. 

Right now my current training per week looks like this. 

Saturday – Heavy bench / Light bench alternating each week 

                Followed by dead pin presses, front raises, and a tricep circuit. 

Monday- Tuesday – OFF
Wednesday- Bench acc work 

                Incline spoto presses, Shoulders, Flies, Volume rear delts and triceps

Thursday- Back work 

                Straight arm pull downs, Lat pulls, Seated wide grip rows, Kroc rows and Pull ups

Q: How do approach lifting and programming? Does it change much from offseason to meet prep, if so how?

My approach to lifting has always been well thought out. I enjoy thinking about what will get me to my goals the quickest way. I obviously take lifting very serious but I like a relaxed joking environment during training times. There is a time and a place to put the joking aside and lift. But once the lift is over it is about having fun. My programming does not change too much from off-season to meet prep. Although, when I am 16 weeks away or more from my next competition I am less worried about everything being low rep work. I will try and incorporate a lot of higher volume type training in. I also stay away from cardio due to the fact I am doing a fair amount of volume. Now when I get closer to a competition I reduce the reps drastically. I also begin doing cardio.  Since I am no longer doing high volume training I will kick up about 30 minutes of cardio each day. In addition, I am very consistent with other things in life such as dieting/eating, sleep and enough heavy training sessions. 

Q: Best advice you can give to a lifter?

My best advice to any lifter no matter what the circumstances are is too pick a goal and slowly chip away at it. Nothing in powerlifting comes fast. Understand that the top lifters in the world have been doing what they do for many many years. Find supportive and loyal training partners and most of all have fun. If you do not enjoy what you are doing it becomes work. Lifting is supposed to be fun. Yes, at times it will be work. But make it fun so you enjoy the process. 

Q: What drives you to come to the gym day in and day out?

What drives me each day to train is the fact I have pride in what I do. If I am going to do something I am going to do it all the way. Also I have two kids that look at what I do and will someday likely carry on the traits I show to them. I want them to see me as someone that doesn’t use excuses, someone that never quits and finally someone that works his ass off to accomplish the task at hand. My entire life I have been told in one way or another “You cant do something” Well guess what I have yet come across something I cant do.

Q: Give your best advice on how to improve these:

Triceps/Lockout: 

I really use a lot of dead pin presses. This really focuses on speed off of the chest which in return has a faster lockout. In addition to dead pin presses I utilize Tricep hammer presses, Close grip bench pressing and Skull crushers to work my triceps. 

Speed off your Chest: 

To incorporate speed off of the chest the dead pin presses is the trick. I also include lifts like the spoto press (stopping the bar at a dead stop a few inches from your chest) and Eccentric pressing. 

Non Bench Accessory: 

I spend an insane amount of time focusing on my back and rear delts. I have found that seated wide grip rows along with kroc rows have helped my back grow tremendously. 

Q: What is the biggest mistake you see lifters make these days?

The biggest mistake I see lifters make these days would be two things. First I see a lot of people worry about sponsorships. Don’t worry about that stuff let that all fall in to place. My advice every time someone asks me what to do to get sponsored. I tell them to wait until they are contacted about being sponsored. Until then it is out of your hands. The second thing I see is people comparing them selves to other lifters. You are you focus only on your lifts. Its ok to know what other people are lifting but you can control your powerlifting total by the amount of work you put into the gym. 

Q: Why do you put out videos and other information?

More than anything I enjoy helping people. Truly one of the biggest accomplishments I have had in lifting is getting messages or meeting people and they say I saw this video or read an article and you helped me. That in its self makes me feel good. I enjoy helping people and find great pleasure in watching them PR. Also I want people to know that if you have a disability or are embarrassed about certain things it is ok to go out and do what you enjoy. We only live once and make it a good one. 

Q: Who is your favorite powerlifter and why?

My favorite Powerlifter has to be Mike Mcdonald. I was fortunate enough to break his All Time world record bench. He held the record for nearly 30 years. I have never met Mike but he made me push myself harder than I thought I could ever push myself. I appreciate him setting the bar so high. 

Q: What do you have coming up and where can people find you/get ahold of you?

I plan on competing at the end of 2016 in the 220lbs weight class. My goal is to take back my all time world record. 

People can find me at larsenpress.com on IG and Twitter at larsenpress Facebook and youtube – Adrian Larsen