TRAINING THEORIES


I make no claim that any of these ideas are original. In fact there hasn't been anything truly new in the strength game in years. The difference between Strength Coaches lies in there means to applying information and there interpretation of training concepts rather than in the concepts themselves.

PROGRESS

Progress is the one rule that you should never forget. If you are not making progress with each workout, why waste your time. That being said, progress can be measured in many ways. The two that I tend to look for are progress in load and progress in technique. Some other ways to progress are: Increased reps with the same load as the workout before, increased time under tension with the same load, decreased rest interval between sets with the same load, and increased volume by adding sets (I rarely use this method do to the risk of overtraining)For specific info on progression in my programs click here.

INDIVIDUALIZATION

You eat, sleep, work, and play differently than everyone else, your bone structure, training history, injury history and genetic background are unique so why copy someone else�s training program. To be successful a program must be tailored to your specific goals with all the above kept in mind.

BALANCE IN TRAINING

This idea is borrowed from Ian King, and it is a poorly executed or understood concept in today's training. King breaks the movements done in the weight room into six main categories. They are as follows:

Horizontal Push: examples include bench press, db flys, pushups

H. Pull: examples include bent over rows, db rows, seated machine rows

Vertical Push: examples include military presses, lateral raises, push press

V. Pull examples: include pull-ups, lat pull downs

Quad dominant: examples include squats, leg extensions, leg press

Hip or Hamstring: dominant examples include deadlifts, good mornings, hamstring curls

The relationship between two specific exercises, say leg extension vs. hamstring curl is not important but the     sequencing and volume for each movement category is.

WEAK SIDE FIRST

Another rule borrowed from Ian King, when doing isolateral work, or work with each side done separately always train your weaker side first. This allows for more concentration and less fatigue, overtime this will lead to greater gains for the weaker side. In this way the weaknesses can be improved to create a better strength balance.

YEAR ROUND PERIODIZATION FOR THE ATHLETE

The typical set up for a year with one competition season is as follows

Stability and Control

Hypertrophy/General Strength

Max Strength

Power Conversion

In Season

 

The length of each phase will vary due to the athlete�s situation.  General time guidelines are offered below where applicable.  Below are basic guidelines I tend to use in training, again it will always depend on the situation.

 

Stability and Control: 2-3 weeks

Focus:

Flexibility, constant progress

Core(abs, low back, thighs) done slow and controlled  

Large volume of prehabilitation work general and specific

Isolateral movements

High time under tension >70 sec per exercise

Low load

Slow eccentric, solid pause, slow concentric

            Use of bodybuilding techniques (strip sets, 1.5�s, 21�s)

 

Hypertrophy: 15 % of off-season

Focus:

Flexibility, constant progress

Core(abs, low back, thighs) done slow and controlled.

Isolateral movements

Moderate amount of prehabilitation work general and specific

Moderately high time under tension 50-70 sec per exercise

Moderate load

            Slow eccentric, solid pause, fast eccentric

            Use of bodybuilding techniques (strip sets, 1.5�s, 21�s)

 

Max Strength: 35 % of off-season

Focus:

Flexibility, maintenance

Core(abs, low back, thighs) now done following workout         

Bilateral movements thus can use higher loading

Small amount of specific prehabilitation

Moderately low time under tension <50 sec per exercise

High load

            Moderate eccentric (control, no bouncing is allowed), no pause, fast eccentric

            Use of backoff sets to try to maintain hypertrophy.  Use of waves/contrast method

                        for primary exercises.

 

Power Conversion: 35 % of off-season

Focus:

Flexibility, maintenance

Core(abs, low back, thighs) still done following workout done fast as possible

Isolateral movements

Small amount of specific prehabilitation

Moderately low time under tension <50 sec per exercise

Moderate to High load

            Always fast on concentric phase, often quicker in eccentric

            Varies much more than other phases dependent on sport demands

 

You will note the % don�t add up to 100%, often times adjustments such as a shortened stability phase will be re-added later in the year.

 

 

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