The Platform: a Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast

The Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast is the official show dedicated to growing and supporting high school powerlifting across the state of Michigan. Hosted by members of the MHSPLA Board of Directors, this podcast highlights the athletes, coaches, and programs building the sport from the ground up. Episodes will feature interviews with coaches, athlete spotlights, meet previews and recaps, and practical advice for starting and running successful high school powerlifting programs. Whether you're a coach looking to grow your team, an athlete chasing new personal records, or a parent supporting a lifter, this podcast brings you inside the community that is shaping the future of high school powerlifting in Michigan. Our mission is simple: Grow the sport. Support coaches. Celebrate lifters. Build stronger programs across Michigan.

The Platform: a Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast is a education podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 25 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Platform: a Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast, a education show with 25 episodes published.

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  The Platform: a Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast

  Flipping the Script: Chris Whittaker, Iron Dread & Building a Strength Culture| The Platform Ep. 26

  Sep 16, 20261h 13m

  Flipping the Script: Chris Whittaker, Iron Dread & Building a Strength Culture Usually he's asking the questions. This time, he's answering them. On this episode of The Platform , regular co-host Chris Whittaker moves into the guest chair. MHSPLA Executive Director Chris Gilliam and Coach Brian Litten flip the script to learn more about the coach behind Iron Dread Strength and Conditioning, Iron Dread Powerlifting and the microphone. Chris takes us back to his roots in Kingston, New York , and the coaches and experiences that shaped his career. He shares his journey through education and strength and conditioning, eventually landing at Dexter High School and building the Iron Dread program. Chris explains how Dexter entered Michigan high school powerlifting in 2019 with just 13 lifters, how the program grew, his journey onto the MHSPLA Board of Directors and why he believes high school strength and conditioning and powerlifting should work together. Then we talk training. Chris breaks down Dexter's conjugate system , including Max Effort and Dynamic Effort training, three-week waves, bands and chains, specialty bars, deadlift programming, meet preparation and Circa-Max training leading into the S

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  Episode #25

  THE ART OF THE BENCH PRESS w/ Dennis Reinhart and Bruce Edwards| The Platform Ep. 25

  Sep 3, 20261h 32mS1

  THE PLATFORM — THE ART OF THE BENCH PRESS How do you build a bigger bench press — and, more importantly, how do you teach it safely and effectively to high school athletes? On this episode of The Platform , Chris Whitaker and MHSPLA Executive Director Chris Gilliam sit down with two veteran coaches and accomplished competitive bench pressers: returning guest Dennis Reinhart and former Goodrich High School powerlifting coach Bruce Edwards . This one turns into a bench press master class. Dennis and Bruce draw from decades of coaching and competition experience to break down the technical, physical and psychological pieces of building a successful bench press. The crew discusses everything from creating a stable setup and finding the right grip width to bar path, leg drive, weak-point training and meet-day preparation. The conversation also goes old school. Dennis and Bruce explain the sixes-and-threes training system , board presses, close-grip work, incline and decline pressing, floor presses and the accessory work they've used to build stronger benchers. They also discuss how training has changed as they've gotten older and why lifters and coaches shouldn't be afraid to adjust volume while keeping the objective the same. IN THIS EPISODE: • Building a safe and effective bench press arch • Finding the right grip width for each athlete • Scapular retraction and creating upper-body stability • Bench press bar path and elbow position • Where the bar should touch the chest • Leg drive and staying locked into the bench • Why sinking the bar into the chest can create problems • Finding your bench press "power zone" • Volume vs. intensity • The old-school sixes-and-threes training system • Fixing weakness off the chest • Building a stronger lockout with triceps and close-grip work • Board presses, floor presses, incline and decline variations • Tracking progress beyond your one-rep max • Proper spotting and lift-off technique • Upper-back work and structural balance • Warming up on competition day • Dennis and Bruce's competitive powerlifting careers • Raw vs. equipped bench pressing • Why experienced coaches still have something to learn The episode finishes with a challenge to Michigan's powerlifting coaches: stop standing on the sideline and get back underneath the bar. Whether you're an athlete chasing your next PR or a coach responsible for teaching the bench press to the next generation, this episode is packed with lessons earned through decades under the bar. Subscribe to The Platform , leave a rating and review, and share the episode with a lifter or coach who needs to hear it. The Platform — where the stories weigh a ton.

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  The Platform: a Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast

  Eric Jennings: Building Champions, Coaching Through Failure & Growing the Sport |The Platform Ep. 24

  Aug 26, 20261h 22m

  Longtime Lake Orion powerlifting coach and MHSPLA board member Eric Jennings joins co-hosts Chris Whittaker and Chris Gilliam , along with former Lake Orion lifter and MHSPLA board member Brian Litten , for a conversation covering more than two decades of Michigan high school powerlifting. Coach Jennings helped build Lake Orion powerlifting from a group of just eight lifters into one of the state’s most recognizable programs, winning three straight boys varsity state championships from 2008–2010 and becoming a fixture in the growth of the MHSPLA. In this episode: Jennings’ path from Oxford to coaching rival Lake Orion; how powerlifting gave him the opportunity to coach athletes he may never have reached through football or baseball; more than two decades serving on the MHSPLA board and his desire to make the sport cleaner, more efficient, and less subjective; the explosion of girls powerlifting and the move from equipped to raw competition; the mentors who shaped him, including high school band and choir teacher Lewis Wilson; why the lifters finishing fourth, fifth, sixth, or even tenth can be the “glue” that wins championships; building a successful girls program; teaching squat technique through video, mirrors, and repetition; his preferred four-day upper/lower training schedule; building muscle memory through multiple sets and reps; what he learned from trying to do everything himself while hosting major meets; the army of coaches, volunteers, administrators, and former athletes behind Lake Orion’s state meets; learning how to coach athletes through failure instead of teaching them to fear it; the story of a senior finally pulling the deadlift he needed to qualify for states; the infamous towel-over-the-head trick for breaking through mental barriers; the chaos of Lake Orion’s first state meet; and why Jennings still believes the deadlift may be the best overall lift for athletes. The coaches also hit the Speed Set , where Jennings talks high-bar squatting, sumo versus conventional deadlifting, three-rep maxes, triceps work, Romanian deadlifts, and why Lake Orion will gladly take its chances against anybody when it comes time to pull. The conversation closes with the coaches and former athletes who helped build the Lake Orion program, Jennings’ favorite lifters from over the years, the importance of continuing to learn from coaches in every sport, and the impact one coach can have on athletes long after competition ends. A few lines that stuck with us: “Anyone can power lift.” • “You win it with fourth, fifth, and sixth places.” • “That’s just a piece of metal. Let’s go.” • “We’re going to fail. So let’s not be afraid to.” • “Deadlift is the best lift for athletes.” Support the MHSPLA and rep The Platform: Head over to the official MHSPLA Fourthwall Shop at mhspla-shop.fourthwall.com to grab your MHSPLA and The Platform Podcast gear . Follow the Show: Instagram: @mhspla Sponsors: Jocko Fuel West Coast Driving School Subscribe, follow, and leave a review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, and wherever you listen. Questions, guest suggestions, or topics for the show? Email info@mhspla.com .

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  Episode #23

  Coach Ron Roberts: Form First, Failure, and Building Champions | The Platform Ep. 23

  Aug 17, 20261h 14mS1

  In Episode 23 of The Platform , we sit down with longtime Goodrich High School powerlifting coach and MHSPLA board member Ron Roberts . Ron shares how his daughter pulled him into coaching, why he thought he'd only last three years, and how more than a decade later the athletes still keep him coming back. The conversation covers Ron's evolution from chasing numbers to prioritizing technique, safety, and complete athlete development. He discusses the mentors who shaped him, lessons from Bruce Edwards and other old-school powerlifters, and why coaches should never program what they don't understand. The guys also talk about Michigan high school powerlifting, recruiting athletes, community support, local media, learning from failure, national and international competition, and of course, the reverse hyper . In This Episode 00:36 — Welcome to The Platform Meet Coach Ron Roberts of Goodrich High School. 02:15 — Who Is Ron Roberts? Ron talks about his career, family, and life outside powerlifting. 03:52 — How Ron Became a Coach When his daughter was told Goodrich might lose girls powerlifting because there wasn't a coach, Ron went to complain. Two days later, he had the job. 09:00 — Form Over Weight How Ron shifted from chasing numbers to prioritizing technique, safety, and long-term development. 13:29 — Joining the MHSPLA Board Ron reflects on entering the sport in 2014–15 and becoming a board member in 2019. 20:34 — Mentors & Old-School Knowledge Bruce Edwards, Joe Janica, Flint Barbell, and other veteran lifters helped shape Ron's coaching. 27:01 — How the Sport Has Changed Girls JV powerlifting, state meet changes, growing participation, and college recruiting. 29:27 — Ron's Recruiting Secret Go recruit the band kids. 35:28 — Advice for New Coaches Build the athlete, not just the competition lifts. Develop the upper back, posterior chain, and supporting musculature needed to handle heavy weight safely. 37:12 — The Reverse Hyper Effect Why the Westside-style reverse hyper became a game changer for Goodrich. 42:09 — Promote Your Athletes If your athletes are doing great things, make sure people know about it. 44:31 — Giving More Kids a Chance Ron talks about coaching athletes from schools without their own powerlifting program. 49:12 — Ron's Favorite Failure After Abby Joseph bombed out of a qualifier and missed States, they regrouped for Nationals. She later pulled 353 pounds to help deliver Ron's first national championship. “Every success I have comes from a series of failures. Going Beyond Michigan 1:05:46 — USAPL & International Competition Ron discusses national and world-level powerlifting, learning from coaches around the world, and building stronger competition between American and European lifters. 1:10:16 — Ron's Message to Coaches If you want help getting athletes into USAPL or national-level competition, reach out. Ron is willing to help coaches and athletes find a path forward. Biggest Takeaways Form beats weight. Don't coach what you don't understand. Develop the whole athlete. Promote your athletes and your program. Failure is part of the process. And finally... Buy a reverse hyper.

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  The Platform: a Michigan High School Powerlifting Association Podcast

  Coaches Roundtable P2: Nick Lundquist & Nick Lusk Peaking, RPE & Technique | The Platform Ep 22

  Aug 13, 202641 min

  The Platform — Coaches Roundtable (Part 2): Nick Lundquist & Nick Lusk — Peaking, RPE & Fixing Technique — The roundtable continues as the coaches get into day-to-day autoregulation, peaking for the platform, and the cheap fixes that clean up big flaws. In this episode: structuring the training week (Lusk's Mon/Wed/Fri lifting with Tue/Thu conditioning and mobility) and getting multi-sport kids in on the days that matter most; auto-regulating intensity when a lifter is dragging — and why the real answer is usually sleep, food, and hydration before it's programming; RPE versus straight percentages (and why brand-new lifters can't rate what they don't know yet); adjusting volume by manipulating sets rather than chasing rep ranges; peaking and tapering into the state meet with dynamic-effort waves, circa-max work, band tension, and the delayed transformation effect; rotating exercises to keep the train rolling; and budget-friendly accessories to fix common flaws — PVC pipe, reverse hypers, and banded leg-curl and tear-apart variations to strengthen weak points and coach the fault out on speed day. A few lines that stuck with us: "Stress is stress." • "We keep the train rolling with our exercise selection." • "Strengthen the weak points and the technical flaws get coached out of it." • "We're probably gonna find a lot more common stuff than we have differences."

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