I am getting into this style for powerlifting and was wondering how you planned it out over the four years?
They planned out each year in 2 halves, with 2 big “Competitions.” One in May and one in December. After competitions they did a short period of “restoration” or a couple weeks of deloading to chill out before starting with the base building style workouts again. They also took a little break from squatting big weights during the summer to go do Track and Field sprinting and jumping.
So they had two, 5 month “training periods” during the year. Within those 5 month periods they did long stretches of Lower Intensity, Higher Volume base building and then shorter periods of Higher Intensity, Lower Volume to get ready for the Competitions.
Somewhere in that 5 month stretch they also did a short period where they did less squatting and lifting and did a bunch of Depth Jumps.
So even though they were training for years at a time they only really pushed for 8-10 weeks at time before backing off and changing the focus of the training.
To keep the training interesting and challenging to the CNS they used a lot of variations of the competition lifts. There were 100 moves starting with easy stuff for beginners like Snatch Grip Pull to the Knee all the way to Snatch grip pull with 4 pauses on the way up + snatch pull with slow lowering + fast power snatch for the advanced guys.
Every year they stuck to the framework of the plan and did more lifts that were more complex than the year before.
There is a website called “scribd” where somebody scanned in a copy of the book “A Program of Multi-year Training in Weightlifting” by AS Medvedyev.
If you do a quick search you should be able to find it and you can see the whole program laid out.
For a yearly plan for powerlifting, Louie/Westside says to do 2 meets per year, making two 6 month periods. Then, halfway through each 6 months they do a super hard Speed Strength wave (squats with tons of band tension). So the year is divided into 4, ten to twelve week periods that each end with an Extreme test or competition. And you just keep repeating that cycle, slowly adding weight while the assistance exercises wave up and down.
Ed Coan’s style was simpler. He did 12 week cycles going from high reps to low reps before a meet. Then he’d start back over with the high reps, only 5 pounds heavier than last time. And run through the whole 12 week cycle again, only everything was 5 pounds heavier than last time.
10-4 (Good Buddy) Chest/Triceps
Get loose
Low to High Cable Fly
10 x 15
20 x 15 x 2 sets
Smith Incline Bench
15 x 10
25 x 10
30 x 10 x 2 sets
Converging Chest Press Machine
35 x 12
50 x 12 x 3 sets
V Grip Tricep Pushdown
70 x 30/25/20 (3 sets, losing reps each set)
PJR Pullover with DB
30 x 15
40 x 15
45 x 15
50 x 15
Band Tomahawk
Monster Mini x 20 x 3 sets
Pre exhausted chest and triceps on Monday. Just like everybody else in the gym. I get tired super easy and fast now.
So If I were looking at something like this.
8 weeks - base building
3 weeks - speed strength
3 weeks - Strength phase
4 weeks - peak
Yeah, something like that. 8 weeks of higher reps, 6 weeks of your Russian 6 x 2 thing, then a few weeks to get ready for a meet.
Here’s and old thread from an IPF deadlift champ. In the first few posts he lays out his ideas on periodization.
10-6 Traps/Biceps
Get loose
Seated DB Shrug, Semi Supinated Grip(Hip Huggers?)
15 x 15
17.5 x 15
20 x 15
Chest Supported T Bar, Overhand Grip
45 x 10
60 x 10
70 x 10
80 x 10
Pulldowns to Forehead, Neutral Grip
80 x 12
100 x 12
120 x 12
Spider Curl Action with Band
x 25/30/35
Kettlebell Wrist Extension
15 x 25/25/25
Three pairs
Alternating DB Curl
17.5 x 15
20 x 15 x 2 sets
Another light one. The back has been holding up well and maybe Friday is leg day.
10-8 Legs
Get loose
Standing Leg Curl
x 4 bottom half + 4 top half x 2 sets
Leg Extension
x 8 half rep + full rep x 2 sets
Clamshell
x 8 x 2 sets
Adductor Raise
x 8, hold at top x 2 sets
Hip Airplane
x 8 x 2 sets
Step Down
x 8 x 2 sets
Sumo Functional Isometric
Pin 4 x 45/65/85 x 4 partials with hold then finish last rep
Pin 3 x 45/65/85 x 4 partials with hold then finish last rep
Tibialus Raise Against Wall x 10/12/15
1 Leg Standing Calf Raise x 10/12/15
3 pairs
Hams were cramping during leg curls, adductors cramping during leg adductor raises. It felt like they hadn’t contracted in years. Stimulation!
Deadlift Functional Isos felt great! Thanks Bill March!
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but that was a good one. I felt better walking out than walking in which is great after an “injury.”
I stopped at the grocery store for a Build Your Own 6 Pack and spied New York Strip on sale for $5.99/ pound. Miraculously I had enough cash for some beer and 5 pounds of steak.
10-11 Shoulders/Triceps
Get loose
Rear Delts on Reverse Pec Deck
x 15 x 3 sets
Cuban Press with DBs x 12
Lau Raises x 10
2 pairs
Landmine Press
x 10 x 2 sets after a few working up
Band Tomahawk
x 25+ x 3 sets
Kaz Press in Smith Machine, 3 count eccentric
x 10 x 2 sets after a few working up
Overhead Tricep Extensions
x 25+ x 3 sets
OK I guess. I really wanted to press overhead in the smith machine, only it was taken so I jumped on the landmine. I didn’t get the tension I wanted. Oh well, maybe next time.
10-13 Lats/Biceps
Get loose.
Band Pullover Laying on Bench
1 band x 20
2 bands x 15 x 2 sets
1 Arm Pulldown, Neutral Grip
55 x 12
80 x 12 x 2 sets
70 x 12
Kettlebell Row
25 x 11
35x 11
30 x 11 x 2 sets
Reg Curl with Kettlebell
15 x 15
20 x 15 x 2 sets
Wrist Roller x 2 backwards/2 forwards x (35/40/40/40)
Incline Curls with Chains x (17/22/22/17)
4 pairs
Holy Shit! Best workout in a month at least. Laying band pullovers were cool. I was using those cheap ass tubes with handles at the ends vs a loop like a jumpstretch band, so I could bring may arms out and down like an arcing motion. Good contraction!
Incline Curls with Chains were good too. The gains deloaded at the bottom so the stretched position didn’t tear my biceps off. And that shit was noisy like Clank Clank! Kid Rock was blaring on the stereo, it was pretty Bad Ass.
Maybe I won’t quit lifting weights forever This week.
10-15 Chest/Triceps
Get loose
Pec Deck, slumped for decline action
3 x 15
Converging Incline Machine
3 x 12
Decline Smith Machine Bench Press, 3 count eccentric
3 x 10
Band Tomahawk
4 x 25
PJR Pullover with DB
x 20/15/10
Long Rope Cable Tricep Pushdowns
3 x 25
Stopped again on the way home for beer and this time they had a big smoker out front so I grabbed some beef brisket. I love Fridays at the grocery store now.
I have found the Flats log
I understand this.
great work Flats keep it going
You showed up just in time, things are about to get Good!
Thanks man! Just laying that foundation.
Knees Over Toes Guy showing an easy way to get some wrist action to treat prevent wrist and elbow pain. Dude pointed right to the boney spot on the top/outside of where everyone get pain.
In the last few weeks we’ve talked elbows and biceps and it seems like the way that the two forearm bones slide and move around each-other is more important than I realized.
I tried the pronation (or knuckles up overhand) move and just like dude said, I couldn’t get down to parallel and I felt some tension in my wrist and elbow. Maybe this will be something fun to mess with.
How’s the back doing?
My back is way better. My right leg is still trying to be a little lazy, but I can mostly bend over and lean forward and cross my legs and all the normal stuff.
If I stay on my feet too long or try to do too much I’ll get a little stiffness in my low back or maybe a brief nerve kinda pain in front of my hip. No spasms, no pain when I cough and I can sleep pretty comfortably so I’m right on track.
This coming Wednesday will make 5 weeks of recovery, and I’m thinking about starting up with some sled dragging after 6 weeks. If that goes well for a few weeks some Eccentric Nordic Curls to get my hams and ass back under me.
Oh man… I remember when my SI had problems. A small misstep and it felt like someone stabbed you
Glad your back is improving!