It is not a surprise that we’ve encountered examples of "Barry Bashing" relative to the protocol. Maybe it’s not all directed against Barry’s insights, but more to the form and technique of the Deadlift as they understand it, which is counter to the way we do it.

Even at our school, dropping the weights is not understood, and is certainly frowned upon in our second floor weight room. I’m not going to challenge this position, or get into arguments with colleagues over the intention of the protocol based upon our view of mass specific force. They are simply not going to agree.

I’m left, as many of you have been, with limited options. I can forget the protocol, or modify the protocol by making some accommodations.

I’ve chosen the latter, primarily because I believe that the protocol has delivered the benefits Barry initially outlined. That was something I determined through the "Barry Project." My enthusiasm was similar to that of Air Force Officer Dave Pike (recent blog). When we conduct our own ‘mini-studies’ as carefully as we can, and have results that corroborate the original intention of the program, such enthusiasm is not surprising.

So what accommodations have I made?

I’m an old-timer at Lisle, which means when the school was renovated a few years back, I was in line for one of the new classrooms with large windows overlooking a beautiful park at the east end of our campus. I gave it up to a rookie teacher in favor of an ‘internal’ room that is considerably smaller and has no windows.

Why? That internal room has carpeting over concrete, which means I can move our weights to my classroom, where athletes can drop them without worrying about breaking floor tiles.

Is this a hassle? Yes. During track season the weights are stored in my classroom. Two years ago, I had a complaint from a special education resource aid who was bothered by the rubber smell of the Kraiburg plates. As a result, I had to put all the plates in plastic garbage backs, and then twist-tie the bags. It was that, or remove the plates from my room and find yet another location.

During cross country, the weights are stored at our track garage for training sessions prior to the start of school. Once school starts, I load up all the weights and bars in my ’93 Plymouth Voyager. Is this a hassle? Yes. We have to unload and reload the weights after each practice. Now my van has that wonderful ‘rubber smell,’ and my rear shocks and springs are under a constant load from late August to late October. The accommodation is to keep the gas tank at less than a quarter tank, and move some plates to open seats in the van.

All this to just to Deadlift "Barry's way."

And to think that, when Dr. Weyand first asked me to contact Barry after the two had exchanged correspondences on these force issues, I was reluctant to consider what I initially believed was just another in a long line ‘get strong fast routines’ that would be far too labor intensive and complicated relative to sets, reps, and cycling.

Now, I am changing my coaching--and my lifestyle-- just to accommodate the protocol!

Ken Jakalski