I MAY NOT KNOW DIDDLEY...
BUT I KNOW SQUAT!
A PRIMER FOR BEGINNERS IN THE SQUAT - PART 3
Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D., MSS
International Sports Sciences Association
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10. Connective Tissue S
Tendinous and ligamentous mass and their structural characteristics all contribute to your potential strength level. Did you know, for example, that the collagenous matrix comprising various ligaments and tendons are susceptible to change through highly specialized training? Check into it! Herein is not the place to discuss this VERY overlooked element of strength output. The technologies of choice: various therapeutic modalities, biomechanics (skill) training, weight training and various other forms of light resistance training.
11. Stretch Reflex
Your muscle spindles -- highly specialized muscle cells which detect stretch -- react when stimulated by making your muscle contract involuntarily. This involuntary contraction can, if applied correctly, augment total force output to a small but significant degree. The technologies of choice: various therapeutic modalities, biomechanics (skill) training, weight training and various other forms of light resistance training.
12. The Feedback Loop
The sensitivity of the Golgi tendon organ is set unquestionably high. That is, your force output potential far exceed the critical threshold at which shutdown (cessation of contraction) occurs. The technologies of choice: various therapeutic modalities, biomechanics (skill) training, weight training and various other forms of light resistance training.
13. Endocrine System Functions (hormones)
Your hormones. They ebb and flow according to some little-understood circadian rhythm. You can indeed control many of them, and doing so requires a full understanding of that circadian rhythmicity. The technologies of choice: dietary and nutritional supplementation strategies, various therapeutic modalities, weight training and various other forms of light resistance training.
15. Extent of myofibrillarization
These are the actual contractile elements within your working muscles. Old technology had it that all you had to do was increase the number of myofibrils inside each cell to increase your limit strength. Sure. If you want to remain in the also-ran group. Their critical importance is acknowledged. The technologies of choice: dietary and nutritional supplementation strategies, biomechanics (skill) training, weight training and various other forms of light resistance training.
16. Motor Unit Recruitment
Firing as many muscle fibers as possible instantly is the name of the game in speed-strength (both starting strength and explosive strength). It's also the name of the game in limit strength. The technologies of choice: several psychological and psycosocial strategies, biomechanics (skill) training, "controlled" ballistic weight training and various other forms of light resistance training.
26. Freedom from disease
'Nuff said! The technologies of choice: dietary and nutritional strategies, various therapeutic modalities and medical intervention.
27. Arousal Level ("psych")
'Nuff said! The technology of choice: Psychological and psychosocial strategies.
29. Ability to concentrate ("focus")
Your mind is said to be the master of your body. My experience tells me that with a great majority of powerlifters the reverse holds true. Tch Tch! The technologies of choice: Psychological and psychosocial techniques, dietary and nutritional supplementation strategies and biomechanics (skill) training.
30. Incentive system installed (motivation)
In short, you've gotta WANT it! The technologies of choice: Psychological and psychosocial strategies.
31. social learning (effectiveness of deinhibititory
Efforts in overcoming learned inhibitory responses can be a monumental undertaking, especially in light of the fact than your Mamma scolded you for years not to lift something, run too fast or whatever -- because it'd hurt you. The technologies of choice: Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy.
35. Equipment (use of "the best" available tools)
Are you able to take full advantage of your body's leverage with crummy shoes? A bent bar? Poor equipment? A cold gym? ...the list is endless. These external factors render your force output efforts less than efficient, and it's time you did something about it! That is, IF you aspire to greatness! There's only one thing that'll accomplish that for you...PASSION!
INTEGRATED TRAINING FOR SPORTS
The theory behind cycle training (or "periodized" training as the former Soviet Sports scientists liked to call it), is basic. There are three major concepts involved:
1) You can't train heavy all the time (you'll overtrain if you try), so you have to balance periods of high intensity training with periods of low intensity training.
2) As you career progresses from being a youngster or beginner through your most productive years, your body changes, your goals change and your abilities change.
3) By breaking conditioning routines into discreet time periods, you can more efficiently establish the types of strength you need first, in order to prepare you for the more intense training techniques that will come later in your pre-competition training.
For instance, you must first develop a basic foundation of limit strength before you can move on to training for any of the other types of strength. Or, using another example, You don't try to sprint at full speed before conditioning your leg muscles to withstand that kind of punishment. In cycle training, you train for only one (or very few) objective(s) at a time before finally integrating all the different aspects into a cohesive whole at the end of your cycle, when it's time to compete.
Cycle training must be planned carefully and undertaken only with a complete commitment, because it's a program that builds to a conclusion and each part of the training must be completed in it's proper sequence for the overall effort to have the effect you desire. If you let up in one phase of your cycle, you won't reach the level you're shooting for in the next phase, and so on.
ATP/CP ATHLETES
If you are an explosive athlete, and in the beginning phase of cycle training, your greatest outputs come in the categories of:
1) amount of work done (or, a high total number of pounds lifted per workout)
2) moderate oxidative and glycolytic strength endurance
3) limit strength
4) general fitness
These areas are where you should attempt to push your body to the max. Your lowest output, at the start, should come in:
5) Intensity of effort (no limit attempts with the weights)
6) maximum anaerobic strength endurance (glycolytic)
7) Skill/Body control
8) Speed-Strength (starting strength and explosive strength)
These are the areas where you should attempt the least, while concentrating on the other four factors. But the key to the cycle training program is to reverse this order of output GRADUALLY, so that factors 1 through 4 begin to decrease, while factors 5 through 8 begin to increase. At the end of the cycle, you should see a complete turnaround, and your greatest efforts should come from factors 5 through 8, and the least of your work occurs in factors 1 through 4.
GLYCOLYTIC ATHLETES:
Glycolytic athletes require almost the same approach to their initial training cycle as does the ATP/CP athletes. The difference is that they have to really hit the anaerobic strength endurance aspect hard -- without neglecting their skills, their explosiveness and their limit strength -- as they approach their competition.
OXIDATIVE ATHLETES:
If you're an endurance athlete just beginning a training cycle, limit strength training and general fitness are still the most important elements of your initial training. Then, you get into speed work, hill work and finally into high-level cardiovascular (oxidative) work. It's that simple, as far as the basic philosophy of cycle training goes. Of course, each sport has its peculiarities, as does each athlete in them. These peculiarities notwithstanding, there are some very tried-and-true methods of training for these three classes of sports that apply to all athletes within each category.
Anaerobic and aerobic athletes train very similarly, actually. The principle difference is that aerobic athletes train while in severe need of oxygen for very long periods of time. Anaerobic athletes in explosive ATP/CP sports don't. Glycolytic sport athletes train while in severe oxygen debt too, but only for short, intermittent periods. Below, you will note the strikingly similar schedules for anaerobic versus aerobic athletes. But don't overlook the important differences either!
EXAMPLE OF A NINE WEEK "QUICK PEAK" CYCLE
FOR ATHLETES WISHING TO IMPROVE THEIR LIMIT
OR ABSOLUTE STRENGTH LEVEL IN THE SQUAT
TUESDAY SATURDAY
% X R/S LBS % X R/S LBS
___________________________________________________
WEEK 1 80% X 2/5 560 85% X 3/5 595
WEEK 2 80% X " 565 85% X 4/5 600
WEEK 3 80% X " 570 85% X 5/5 605
WEEK 4 80% X " 575 85% X 6/5 610
WEEK 5 80% X " 580 90% X 2/3 650
WEEK 6 80% X " 585 90% X 3/3 660
___________________________________________________
Eliminate all assistance exercises after this date...
WEEK 7 80% X " 590 95% X 2/3 700
WEEK 8 80% X " 595 100% X 2/3 740
WEEK 9 rest day 105% x 1/1 775
___________________________________________________
Notes: Each week sees an increase of 5 pounds in your 80% level. This is arbitrary, and will vary from athlete to athlete and from muscle group to muscle group. Also, since there is a 5 pound increase assumed for your 80% level, there will be a commensurate increase in your ongoing weekly 85, 90, 95 and 100 percent levels respectively. This basic scheme of periodizing your training intensity relative to anticipated increases in strength is applicable to any other exercise or muscle group. Assumed is a starting max of 700 lbs., although you must begin with your own current maximum.
EXAMPLE OF A FORTY DAY "QUICK PEAK" CYCLE
FOR ATHLETES WISHING TO BREAK THROUGH
A PLATEAU IN THEIR SQUAT
- WARMUP GOING FOR THE INCREASE
% Max X Reps/Set/Wgt % Max X Reps/Set/Wgt
___________________________________________________
DAY 1 80% X 2/3 560 85% X 3/5 595
DAY 5 80% X " 565 85% X 4/5 600
DAY 10 80% X " 570 85% X 5/5 605
DAY 15 80% X " 575 85% X 6/5 610
DAY 20 80% X " 580 90% X 2/3 650
DAY 25 80% X " 585 90% X 3/3 660
Eliminate all assistance exercises after this date...
___________________________________________________
DAY 30 80% X " 590 95% X 2/3 700
DAY 35 80% X " 595 100% X 2/3 740
DAY 40 30%, 50%, 90%. 100%
or one rep each as a warm-up
105% x 1/1 775
For the sake of illustration, I've assumed a starting max of 700 lbs. in the example program above; you must begin with your own current maximum.
Each workout sees an increase of 5 pounds in your strength level. This is arbitrary, and will vary from athlete to athlete. The easiest way to estimate your strength increases from workout to workout is to:
1. Add 5 percent to your best all-time squat;
2. Multiply this amount by .80 (80 percent);
3. Assume a 2 1/2 percent increase in your 80 percent level for each successive squat workout;
4. Based on successes (or failures) in performing the required number of reps, you can "fine tune" your strength increase for the next workout.
Shown here is the plan for squatting every fifth day. Younger athletes may be able to fully recover after four days, and older athletes may take as much as six days. If you don't know your recuperative ability, simply start with this five day plan for the full forty days, and if you find it necessary, you can modify the rest time between squat workouts the next time you use this system.