One of the most of us asked the athletes major questions how to train in a season. In season, training is probably one of the most missed components of an athlete's workout. In the Western periodization literature, there is clearly a strong impetus for increasing the size and strength within the overall training cycle and the main peak for the event. However, this system is flawed for athletes who compete in sports who require multiple performance peaks during a particular season. Football, soccer, hockey, basketball, baseball, rugby, lacrosse, field hockey and volleyball seasons usually consist of several “peaks” during a competitive season. If an athlete uses Western-style periodization, they can reach the maximum of their performance just before the season and try to keep their profits for the remainder of the season.
The stronger, faster, stronger founder Greg Shepard, in his book of the same name, explains the need for training during the season, stating that in general, most high school athletes play several sports. In this context, if a sports trainer neglects or provides training at the service levels, the athlete may not reach full potential. As a result, a short change occurs at a higher level of athletics (college, etc.). However, if an athlete is working to improve his strength / strength / hypertrophy (size) during the season, the end result is an explosion of strength and increase in size in the interseasonal program due to increased neural efficiency and (sometimes) a slight increase in size.
In a seasonal program, training splits should be handled as part of a special workout related to sports, even if it means that you work two days in a row. Typical programs of the season are usually 2-3 sessions and the goal is no more than 45 minutes to an hour in the gym (including warm-ups, flexibility, basic training). A training split can be a combination between upper and lower body movements or can be divided into upper body and lower body sessions. You can ask right now how exactly you set up sessions in a season. Well, here it is ...
It is generally recognized that there are three ways to improve concentration power ...
1. The method of maximum force - the rise of the maximum load (training with heavy weight, 1-5 reps 80-100% of the maximum)
2. The method of dynamic efforts - as quickly as possible to raise the maximum load (easy training, focusing on SPEED, 1-5 reps @ 40-70% of the maximum)
3. Repeated effort method. Raising the maximum load on failure or proximity to it. (Moderate weight training, focusing on a controlled pace, 6-12 reps at 50-80% of the maximum) 1
The fastest way to improve the strength and size of an athlete is to use all three methods within the program. Production formation is improved by using dynamic and maximum methods, while the repetition method is used to create size to improve the production of potential forces and prevent injury.
For a high school athlete, I do not feel (most of the time) that I need to be engaged in a dynamic preparation of efforts. However, advanced (i.e. elders and sometimes juniors) athletes with a solid foundation of technique and hypertrophy can and will benefit from the use of the dynamic effort method in a season.
I prefer to use what is called “Conjugate Periodization” in my program for athletes. This means that each of the three methods is processed in one cycle. This system was integrated by powerlifting guru Louis Simmons, but has many applications for sports training. Traditional periodization breaks down these methods into phases (stage of hypertrophy, phase of strength, energy phase, etc.). This leads to an increase in the target capacity, but leads to a decrease in another capacity. An example is an athlete undergoing a 6-week stage of hypertrophy, then proceeds to a phase of strength, by the end of the phase of strength, the benefits they received from the stage of hypertrophy decrease because they did not train this quality! We want our athletes to be big, strong and powerful throughout the season! With conjugated periodization, we can get our cake and eat it!
For freshmen and second-year athletes, I tend to stick with a two-three-day split with one day dedicated to maximum upper body effort and one day dedicated to maximum lower body effort, and an additional third day to “pump” where they will use a combination of dynamic efforts. and multiple efforts. On peak days, the repetitive effort method is used to improve weak points. For advanced juniors and seniors, I usually use the combined maximum effort: the upper and lower divisions by one day, the day of dynamic efforts on one day, and the day of the “pump”.
An extra “pump day” is a way for athletes to increase blood flow and nutrient flux after a hard game. This is usually done the day after a major competitive event. The day of the pump works with the promise that increasing the density of capillaries improves the transport of nutrients. Perhaps you think of WHO, what does all this mean? Well, capillaries are small blood vessels, whose work is mainly to bring valuable nutrients into the bloodstream. This is called nutrient transfer. When the muscles contract, the capillaries bring fresh blood, fill all the nutrients in the muscles to improve recovery. Capillary density is the ratio between muscle fibers and capillaries. Increasing the density of capillaries improves their recovery faster than usual. Nevertheless, studies show that in large quantities of hypertrophied muscle fibers, the capillaries are usually determined. Therefore, it is imperative that athletes use this information to speed up recovery after a hard day of competition.2
Eccentric training is dear to my heart, but because of the nature of the method, it causes the greatest microtrauma to muscle fibers. Great for interseasonal hypertrophy / strength work, bad news for capillary density. Therefore, on the day of the "pump" exercises are used, which are a. fun for the athlete and b. de-emphasize the negative. I do not say to go super-fast, but to control the lowering, but do not reduce the weight with excessively slow. A good controlled rhythm should be enough.
Maximum days of effort should be focused on maximum weight for 3-5 reps for most young athletes and 2-3 for the most advanced athletes. The goal is for the athlete to exceed his previous best efforts in the exercise. For each session, there is only one maximum exercise for the same body. In the examples, I will have some of my favorite exercises with maximum effort for use in those days. The trick is to work to the maximum, and not jump straight into it. A rep / set scheme like any of these will work fine.
** All percentages are based on previous max **
50% x 5, 60% x 4, 70% x 3, 80% x 3, 90% x 3, 100% + x 3
50% x 5, 60% x 5, 70% x 5, 80% x 4, 90% x 3, 100% + x 3
45% x 6, 55% x 5, 65% x 5, 75% x 5, 85% x 3 95% x 2
50% x 8, 60% x 6, 70% x 5, 80% x 5, 90% x 5, 100% + x 5
The work of repetition of efforts follows the maximum efforts and dynamic work on each day. This is an opportunity to increase the size and strength of the tendon in the muscles, which are weak links in the athlete's chain. For lower body days, I usually use it for one-sided exercises (variation on 1 leg) and the back chain (especially the gluteus, hamstrings and lower back, the keys to the Rapid and explosive). For the upper days of the body, I use it mainly for targeting the back (various pull-ups, rows, etc.), Shoulders (various sentences), rotator cuff complex (external rotations), triceps (various presses and extenders), and sometimes horizontal press area, push-ups). The set and repeat patterns vary from 2 to 4 sets of 6-12 repetitions at intervals from a minute to two minutes.
Dynamic work is learning different from the maximum work. It is not ALWAYS, but the main thing is how it is configured. The key to dynamic work is moving the load with speed. Traditionally, there is a speed bench, where the athlete moves the loaded barbell on the bench as quickly as possible while maintaining control. But there are other options, such as passing chests with medicinal balls, explosive push-ups, blasting chins, jerking pushes, all work fine for the upper body. For the lower body, the norm is, as a rule, squats in boxes, if there is no access to the box, a bench is enough. There are other options, such as Olympic lifts (if they are qualified to perform them), jumping squats and attacks of all grades. General settings and recommendations of repetition 5-8 Sets of 2-3 perfect repetitions, between which from one minute to 45 seconds.
Since you have done this so far, I will show you a few samples. Here is an example of two days a week Upper / Lower Split. This means that there is one Max Effort Upper session and one Max Effort Lower session.
Day 1 (ME lower hull)
ME Exercise (work up to a maximum set of 3-5 in 7-9 sets)
Option squats or Deadlift (Full Back Squat, Full Front Squat, Snatch Deadlift, Hex DL, Regular Deadlift, etc.)
Unilateral exercise 3 x 8-12
Select 1 ...
1-foot squat, 1-foot Bulgarian squat, 1-foot squat split, 1-foot Dymic Lunge, 1-Leg Static Lunge, 1-Leg RDL, etc.
Rear chain (it will make you faster) 3 x 5-12
Hyperextensions, good matinees, rdls, stiff leg, etc.
Abs Circuit (choose 2-4 moves, make for a rhythmic pace of 3 x 10-30 repetitions)
Day 2 (ME Upper Body)
ME Exercise (Day 1)
Select 1 from ...
Horizontal press
Close Grip Bench Press (shoulder width), inclined bench, rack tables, transfer press, regular bench, bench rebound, dips.
Egypt
Vertical hood
Close chin grip, wide grip up, medium grip up, neutral grip grip, alternate grip grip
Egypt
Vertical press
Military Press Barbella, Push Press, Push Jerk, etc.
**** Replace every 2-4 weeks ME Exercises ****
Horizontal pull 3 x 8-12
Barbel lines, cable lines, 1-hand lines, etc.
Triceps help 3 x 8-12
Lying triceps, etc.
Shoulders Help 3 x 8-12
Raises any kind of work, rotator cuff, etc.
This is an example of a combination of ME Upper and Lower and DE Upper and Lower.
Day 1 (ME Upper / Lower, work up to a maximum set of 3-5 in 7-9 sets, as soon as you reach the max, make 2 x 8-12 @ 70% of NEW Record.)
**** Replace every 2-4 weeks ME Exercises ****
ME Exercise Top
Select 1 from ...
Horizontal press
Close Grip Bench Press (shoulder width), inclined bench, rack tables, transfer press, regular bench, bench rebound, dips.
Egypt
Vertical hood
Close chin grip, wide grip up, medium grip up, neutral grip grip, alternate grip grip
Egypt
Vertical press
Military Press Barbella, Push Press, Push Jerk, etc.
Super Set with Up Back Back work - 4 x 8-12 (lines, stretching, chins, etc.)
ME Exercise Below
Option squats or Deadlift (Full Back Squat, Full Front Squat, Snatch Deadlift, Hex DL, Regular Deadlift, etc.)
Unilateral rear chain - 4 x 8-12 (1-foot RDL, 1-foot fixed leg, 1-foot traction, etc.)
** Note ** After each exercise with maximum effort, you will do 1-2 Back-Off Sets, in which you will use a lighter load and move it with SPEED.
Day 2 (DE Lower / Upper)
DE Lower
Explosive squat - 5 x 3 at 50% load
DE Upper
Blasting Push Ups-5 x 3 @ BW
One-sided quad dominant - 3 x 8-12 (1-night Bulgarian squat, dynamic lunge, static lunge, step up, etc.)
Upper Back Work - 3 x 8-12 (lines, chins, etc.)
Rear chain - 2 x 8-12 (Hyper-extensions, ancestral cobras)
Shoulders - 2 x 8-12 (external rotations, lifts)
Usually the recommendations for the “pump day” are from one to two exercises for a muscle group (this is one of the few cases when I actually target muscle groups!) % that means REALLY light weight and de-emphasizes negative. Choose some fun exercises or exercises that they usually don’t do, curls, pressing, foot, etc. Just don’t go overboard! They should aim at the whole body and be outside the gym in less than 45 minutes.
In conclusion, I believe that training in the season is one of the most important factors in the development of athletes. If they continue to break records and gain strength, there is no doubt that they are improving as an athlete, because maximum strength is the basis of all the other qualities used on the field. My opinion is that the pairing method is far superior to any other method for use in the season, especially with high school athletes of high school. Let me know what you think on Andrew@Modern-Athlete.com!
Sources and further study
1. Cosgrove, Alwyn. Professional fitness program. Design of the program. Bible. Unified theory of program design. (Self Published). Santa Clarita, California, 2005.
2. Waterbury, C. (2003) 100 Reps to Bigger Muscles Destruction of size barriers with endurance training. [Online]Available at http://www.t-Nation.com
