Product review: The Phase that launched 1,000lbs, by Andy Bolton

Knowing that I am a big fan of Andy Bolton, the (former) world record holder in the squat and the deadlift, Anna noticed as soon as he released a DVD product and bought it for me. The Phase That Launched 1,000lbs was the free extra DVD that came with it.

I’m a big fan of the big man

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So what is The Phase That Launched 1,000lbs?

Very simply, The Phase That Launched 1,000lbs is a short DVD in a few parts.  Some of the footage you can find elsewhere on the internet, particularly on YouTube, but not all of it.

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Introduction

The DVD begins with some clips of Andy training.  The first thing you notice is just how fast his lifts are from the floor.  Every deadlift he does looks like he is about to power clean the weight.  It just flies up from the floor.  His rack pulls are slower and the bar bends like it’s made out of rubber.

Throughout the DVD, you come back to training footage of Andy with commentary from various other powerlifters and strength coaches, including Brian Batcheldor.  This commentary gives details of Andy’s training cycles, which days he trains which lifts and how he puts his programmes together.

One of the concepts Andy returns to again and again is the importance of being explosive.  He makes the point that he is not always just trying to improve his limit strength but also his rate of force development.  He is clearly talking the same language as the Westside lifters but he never uses chains or bands.  Building explosive strength, he uses high pulls, power cleans and speed deadlifts.

Building limit strength, however, is not forgotten.  Andy trains his deadlift limit strength using 3-rep rack pulls at 2-3″ below the knee.

But don’t forget, Andy does a lot of assistance work as well.  Surprisingly, he tends to do mainly bodybuilding-style machine work, including hammer strength single-arm rows, close-grip pull down, low cable rows and shrugs.  He does 4-5 sets of 10 reps for most movements.

We also learn about his diet.  We find that he eats 2.5g per kg of protein and carbohydrates, plenty of omega-3 fats and beta-alanine.  He eats oatmeal and pomegranate juice for breakfast and plenty of chicken, tuna and steak during the rest of the day.  He currently weighs 160kg and monitors his health using regular check ups.

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The Deadlift

The first record that the DVD shows is the 1,003lbs deadlift record that was set on 4 November 2006, which was the first time that anyone had pulled more than 1,000lbs from the floor.  It was interesting to watch the footage on a bigger screen and see how everyone in the room just goes bananas.  Interestingly, Andy seems so fired up that he almost seems angry about his performance.

Andy Bolton’s 2006 deadlift record with 1,003lbs

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The Squat

After showing the deadlift record, we see the 1,213lbs squat record that Andy set on 3 March 2007.  It’s another great video and Andy puts on a great performance, even squirting blood out of his nose during the lift.

Despite that, he manages a delighted smile at the top and seems a lot less psyched-up than for his deadlift record the year before.

Andy’s 2007 squat record with 1,213lbs

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Interview with Geoff Capes

As an unexpected bonus, we are treated to an interview with the great British Olympic Shot Put athlete, World Highland Games Champion and World’s Strongest Man (1983 and 1985), Geoff Capes.  Geoff explains what the 1,003lbs deadlift means to him and how much stronger Andy is than the strongmen of his generation, which included Bill Kazmaier and Jan Pall Sigmarsson.

It’s not the longest interview you’ll ever see but then the DVD is about Andy and not Geoff so that’s understandable.

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So what do you think?

Well, it’s a short little DVD in several parts and it’s not going to change your world but it’s nice to have on the shelf to show people when they ask what powerlifting is all about.  It’s also nice to get patriotic once in a while and show people that there are world-class British athletes still breaking world records.

And while congratulations are due to Donnie Thompson for his recent 1,260lbs squat and Bennedikt Magnusson for his recent 1,015lbs deadlift, I can’t help believing that Andy sees them as borrowing his records until the next time he gets on the platform to take them back.