Lifting For Olympic Taekwondo

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

I dont know if anybody here pursues this, i do know alwyn cosgrove competed at it at a fairly high level though. I was just going to run my routine by you guys to see if you had any input on how i should alter my training. It is a very explosive sport characterized by quick flurries of kicks that need maximal speed and power to score, kinda like boxing with your feet…

I am 150 lbs, my routine is as follows

day 1
Front squats 5x5 @ 240

Bench 3x4 @ 225

Rows 3x10 @ 180

Shrugs 3x10 @ 225

Dumbell snatches 2x10 @ 70lb

Day 2 ( not too much different)

Front squats 5x5 @ 240

Push Press 3x4 @ 135

Pullups 3x5-7 @ 45lb additional

shrugs 3x10 @ 225

Day 3 ( closer to competition its a longer interval day, but off season its shorter)

7x50m sprints
5x100m sprints w/ 2 minute recovery
5x5 double clap pushups…

any ideas on what i could add or cycle in?

2

Cosgrove’s book in only $50. You should buy it:
http://alwyncosgrove.com/Store1.html

The program you list is MUCH different from the 16 week program he provides in his book.

3

BTW, this post is an example why most people should not design their own programs. Few people periodize - even though all athletes should.

How can anyone tell whether this is a good program? What part (microcycle) is this in the broader training scheme (macrocycle)?

Most guys just throw a bunch of lifts together and call it a program. There’s much more to program design than this.

Periodize.

4

You have neglected so many things in this routine. If you don’t feel like spending money on a book, Waterbury has an article on strength training for MMA fighters. It’s not specifically for TKD but the sports have the similar needs in terms of strength characteristics, well in almost all needs actually.

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=06-067-training

5

[quote]ratman201 wrote:
You have neglected so many things in this routine. If you don’t feel like spending money on a book, Waterbury has an article on strength training for MMA fighters. It’s not specifically for TKD but the sports have the similar needs in terms of strength characteristics, well in almost all needs actually.

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=06-067-training
[/quote]

So the OP should follow the program who never competed at a high level, and so far as anyone can tell, has never trained a high level martial artist? Or he could pay $50 for a book and 16-week program designed by someone who was himself a champion.

“Free” sometimes ain’t a good value.

6

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
ratman201 wrote:
You have neglected so many things in this routine. If you don’t feel like spending money on a book, Waterbury has an article on strength training for MMA fighters. It’s not specifically for TKD but the sports have the similar needs in terms of strength characteristics, well in almost all needs actually.

http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=06-067-training

So the OP should follow the program who never competed at a high level, and so far as anyone can tell, has never trained a high level martial artist? Or he could pay $50 for a book and 16-week program designed by someone who was himself a champion.

“Free” sometimes ain’t a good value.[/quote]

By no means am I suggesting that your option is not a good option. In fact I can’t comment on it because I have not read the material nor do I intend to spend $50 to do so. However as Cosgrove is a TKD champion I can’t believe it would be a bad program. I was mearly giving another option.