Week 6 Power Rankings
Matt Pileggi
I’ve been looking into barbell training lately, reading up on programs like Starting Strength. I thought what better way to do Power Ranking than with Power Lifting. So here it is (almost late):
#1 Bench Press - Front Office Ouroboros
Just about everything is controversial in any of the popular lifting program, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a program that doesn’t include benching. When it comes to strength training, it’s the boss. Even the NFL uses it to test strength at the combine. Just like the bench press, there’s no arguing with Matt’s 6-0 record. We’ve seen scores as high as 186 yet no-one has been able to give him his first loss. His team holds the best record, has the most points for, and remains the undisputed #1
#2 Deadlift - Ambassador of Quan
Unlike the bench press, the deadlift is highly controversial. A prime exercise in power lifting communities, it’s frowned upon - even banned - in many commercial gyms. It’s dangerous looking and can be tricky to master, but it’s a complex movement that is an impressive display of sheer strength. Jeff’s team doesn’t have the best overall record, but he’s displayed his strength with two straight Eddy wins. He’s also earned those wins with 2 different top scorers each time. That means he has yet to put together his highest total yet! That’s impressive during the bye weeks. While he may not be welcome at Planet Fitness, Jeff’s team is too strong to land anywhere but second.
#3 Squat - Almost Perfect
Along with the bench and deadlift, the squat is a staple of any good barbell program. Hoisting hundreds of pounds on your back and standing up with it is a simple yet powerful way to build muscle. Somehow I’ve managed to lose only 1 regular season game out of the past 20, going back to last season, yet I again find myself in second place. I think it’s safe to say my team has become a staple at the top, but I’m slipping down in points for and may end up falling further in the near future.
#4 Overhead Press - Whole Nother Level
A slightly less common press, the overhead press works similar muscle groups as the bench and is a great way to complete upper body training. Asher’s team has been coasting right along. Last week he and I were tied for second place, he scored a league high 186.5 in week 3, and he’s 2nd overall in points for. Gronk has been solid, his rookie RBs performed well, and he didn’t skip a beat sliding Adrian Peterson in for the injured Dalvin Cook. I think he’s established himself as a solo team manager and is in striking distance to supplant his older brother, the Bench Press, as #1 on this list eventually.
#5 Barbell Row - Rise of the Greenman
While the squat, deadlift, and benchpress are enough to build full body strength, you’ll eventually start adding in exercises to increase muscle mass in specific locations. The barbell row is the go to exercise for all the back muscles. There’s no fan to cool you off, you don’t get to sit down and pull casually on a rope: you grab the bar and you lift it. Cella’s team has been out of the spotlight this year, but just barely. The past three weeks he’s been trending toward the Eddy win only to have some night game explosion on another team take it away from him. Even though he’s tangled up in a 3 way tie at the moment, his team has been consistent and is simply missing out on a couple W’s by slim margins. Depending on Zeke’s availability and how he fares throw Brown’s bye week, he will be in prime playoff position if all trends continue.
#6 Pullups - The Roose
This is the first exercise on the list without weights, but it’s no lightweight. Being able to do pull ups properly is a great display of upper body strength and control. Weights or no weights, if you can do a series of proper pull-ups then you’re on the right track. Jared’s the newcomer in the group but he’s already won an Eddy, received the beatdown, and even sharted. I say he’s fitting right in already. He’s also poised to make the playoffs and has a dangerous team to watch out for, he’s definitely on the right track.
#7 Romanian Deadlift - Philly Breakfast Bunch
The RDL is a niche lift. It looks similar to the deadlift but it’s mechanics are different. You lower only until there is a stretch in the hamstrings and then raise, making the range of motion less and utilizing the stretch reflex. It’s incorporated in many programs but it doesn’t do all the things the deadlift does for strength. Ron’s team is an enigma. When I check during Sunday he seems to have high projections, but he’s just below middle of points for. He’s also near middle of the pack for points against, yet his record is 2-4 and tied for 5th with Bob. Fortunately for Ron, there is only a 2 win difference between 3rd and 5th right now. If his team can live up to its high projections, he may get there in a hurry. The RDL goes against the Deadlift this week, and Ron got a great start by Amari Cooper thurs. So things are looking up.
#8 Power Clean - Steak Um
The power clean is a highly technical lift. It uses momentum with control to get the weights off the floor and above the chest. It’s an athletic and powerful movement, but requires perfect execution. Bob’s team has been lacking execution this year. He’s seen a few 0s from starters, lost players in the middle of games, and has made some benching mistakes. The culmination was week 6 when Bob scored a lowly 73.9. Overall, this has resulted in a disappointing 2-4 record for Bob. He may still be able to right the ship with proper execution.
#9 Concentration Curls - Massachussetts Taco Scanlan
You see this at every gym. Some guy with tiny arms leaned over on a bench doing single arm concentration curls. This lift gained popularity after following the routines of world class bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger. The problem: most people aren’t Arnold Schwarzenegger. Unless you’ve spent years creating massive muscles and need to refine isolated areas for aesthetics, you’ll make just as great an impact on your biceps by lifting the spoon from a cup of Jello pudding. Jack’s team lost the #1 overall pick in week one and has not been able to recover since. He got his first win, and the beat down award, against Bob’s team this past week. But it took 50 points from Ingram in a crazy Saints/Lions games and 22 points from his defense to get him up there. That’s not a sustainable level of scoring, and his 1-5 record will be difficult to overcome. There are still 7 weeks left though, and if Jack can find enough ways to win in that time he can still make it to the playoffs.
#10 Leg Extensions - Henry Ruther ford Hill
This exercise is the worst, yet it exists at just about every commercial gym. Maybe people like it because it feels difficult, or they can see their quads flexing, or maybe they just love applying shearing forces to their knees. The only thing this works is a forward kicking motion, and the force applied to the knees multiplies with increased weight. Even if you are an NFL kicker or a star soccer player, you’ll want to strengthen your legs some other way. Aptly for this list, Kevan’s team does have the highest scoring kicker in the league. He has been struggling to score in general, however, and ranks lowest in points for and record. It looks like Kevan has been affected the most by the wild nature of the NFL this week. DAL, GB, and ATL offenses have all been struggling, and his top 2 RBs have been inconsistent. There is still time left for Kevan to catch up in wins, but his team needs to string together a number of consistent outcomes.