Principles of strength training. Principles of Strength Training Types of Strength Training

We all know that the basis of mass-building training is high-intensity strength training with weights. However, the concept of “intensity” itself is perceived differently by many athletes. For some, intensity is the critical working weight, while for others it is the maximum number of repetitions with the current weight. Which one is right? Numerous sports science studies have found the exact answer.

Let's start with the fact that for the body, in general, it doesn't matter what working weight you use and how many repetitions you perform with it. The key factor here is the nature of the load and its duration. Research shows that training to failure significantly increases the amount of mechanical and metabolic stress, which in turn stimulates muscle growth. While the use of a constant load in exercises without the onset of muscle failure significantly limits the magnitude of these stresses and, accordingly, reduces the effectiveness of training in terms of mass gain.

In our article today, we will look at the main types of weight training and their effect on stimulating muscle growth.

Table– Types of weight training.

Maximum Effort Training (ME)

This load is typical in strength sports, where it is required to show maximum muscle effort in a short period of time. For example, powerlifting. Such workouts are performed with maximum or submaximal working weight. According to research, this load helps improve muscle coordination and maximum activation of muscle fibers. These workouts are the most effective for developing strength, but in terms of gaining muscle mass they have a moderate effect.

Dynamic effort training (DE)

This load involves using a non-maximum working weight, an increased number of repetitions (compared to MU) and performing movements at the highest available speed. DU is essentially a combination of classic strength and low-rep training.

According to research, such a load stimulates the contractile elements of the muscles and the tension of the connective tissues. Dynamic force training is great for training the speed and power of muscle contraction, but does not cause significant mechanical and metabolic stress, which makes it not the most effective exercise for muscle growth. Remote control training can be effective in those sports where the basis is speed and power of muscle effort. For example, weightlifting, boxing (accentuated punch training).

Repetitive Effort Training (RET)

This load involves using a non-maximum working weight, an increased number of repetitions, and working until muscle failure occurs. According to research, failure repetitions significantly stimulate the onset of mechanical and anabolic stress, promote the reduction of type II anaerobic fibers and trigger the process of anaerobic glycolysis. This load also leads to the accumulation of lactic acid (lactate) and hydrogen ions, which directly indicates an increase in the level of growth hormone and IGF-1 in the blood.

It is the failure repetitions that are important here, since they are the ones that have a sufficient stimulating effect on the muscles. If muscle failure does not occur, metabolic and mechanical stress levels will be significantly lower than with failure reps, which will negatively impact muscle growth activation.

Repetitive force training (RET) is considered the best exercise for muscle growth because it has the following benefits:

Significantly greater effect on muscle metabolism compared to MU and DU;
Greater activation of motor units;
Significantly lower risk of injury compared to manual and remote control (due to the use of less working weight and lower speed of movements).

Correct conclusions

Thus, according to recent research, the optimal strength load for muscle hypertrophy is training repeated efforts, that is, using a rep range of 8-12, working weight in the amount of 70-80% of the repetition maximum and failure repetitions. This load has a more pronounced stimulating effect on the process of muscle growth due to an increase in the level of muscle stress and an increased effect on muscle metabolism.

Strength training is a physical exercise that is recommended to be performed using additional weights. Strength training is designed to develop muscles. Through special exercises, you can achieve the development of muscle potential and the formation of a toned figure by burning fat cells.

Effective exercises aimed at developing strength include training exercises with a number of repetitions ranging from 1 to 6. The mode of operation in a particular exercise is characterized by the number of repetitions and the weight of the weight. Performing auxiliary exercises is carried out in the same mode. Warm-up or lead-up approaches must also be performed in no more than 6 repetitions per approach.

In strength training, the technique of performing exercises is very important, which is aimed at solving two main problems:

· maximize the athlete’s performance;

· reduce the risk of injury.

As for maximizing results, it is possible by involving more muscles in the work.

Performing any exercise carries a risk of injury, stretching or tearing muscles or ligaments. In this case, the athlete’s main task is to observe safety precautions when performing the exercise.

In addition, the speed of the exercise plays an important role. For example, weightlifting is a speed-strength sport because it involves the interconnected work of strength and speed. For the athlete, both the application of force and the dynamic execution of the movement to achieve optimal speed become of great importance.

Strength training to burn fat

The main purpose of training for fat burning is to transform extra centimeters and folds into toned body contours. If you have decided to train to lose weight, then you cannot do without a thorough approach to choosing a program and type of training. When training on your own in the gym or at home, the exercises you know may not be suitable. This approach often prevents you from losing weight even with regular exercise.

Choosing the type of training begins with defining your goals. If you are not faced with the task of training to lose weight, but the goal is to keep your body in good shape and not gain extra pounds, then opt for aerobic cardio training. If you want to achieve effective weight loss by burning fat, pay attention to a strength training program. Combining strength fitness and aerobic training, which includes running, swimming or aerobics, will be especially useful.

Basic principles of strength training

1. Warm up before training.

Strength training classes place a lot of stress on joints and tendons, so warming up is necessary to reduce the risk of injury. During this exercise, ensure that your body is warmed up and all joints are stretched.

2. Stretching after strength training.

When performing strength exercises, a person’s muscles contract, that is, their length shortens. The recovery process takes some time, which depends on the load. The main purpose of stretching performed after training is to help muscles return to their previous length, since muscle recovery directly depends on this parameter. Thus, stretching muscles after exercise helps speed up the recovery process.

3. Moderate amount of work.

As the weight of the equipment increases, the number of repetitions decreases. This helps reduce energy expenditure during workouts, allowing for faster recovery between workouts. In addition, doing a large volume of work is more suitable for gaining mass than increasing strength.

4. Performing mainly basic exercises.

Try to rid yourself of isolated exercises and pay special attention to basic exercises. There are at least 3 basic exercises to train each muscle group. This amount is enough to increase strength. Isolating exercises will not help you achieve your goal; on the contrary, they will take up energy and time.

5. The optimal number of repetitions of basic exercises is from 1 to 6.

Strength is increased by using weights that are 80% or more of your one-repetition maximum. However, it is unrealistic to work in this mode every time due to the possibility of overtraining. It is recommended that about 70% of approaches be done with weights greater than 80%, and 30% with weights 80% or less. Sets with light weights should not be performed with maximum repetitions. It’s better to leave work at the limit of your capabilities to the maximum weights.

6. Increased time interval between approaches (up to 8 – 10 minutes).

It is difficult to imagine training without rest between approaches, since it is an important element. Especially when it comes to strength work. To increase muscle strength, you need to give your best during each approach. And such a result will be impossible to achieve if you fail to rest between approaches. When working with strength, it is recommended to start the approach with rested muscles. Higher weights and fewer repetitions are followed by long rest periods.

Types of strength training

Strength training does not imply, as such, the division of training into types, however, when preparing athletes, there is a need to allocate separate periods that differ in goals and priorities. The periods include the following:

a period aimed at improving endurance;
a period aimed at increasing strength;
a period characterized by peak strength;
a period suitable for increasing the speed and dynamics of movements.

Since the skill of each athlete depends on technique, it must be constantly developed. Try to include technical training during all specified periods.

Mixed mode training includes those that cannot be defined as either strength or speed. During such training, it is possible to perform exercises that help develop both strength and speed, or are designed to reach peak strength. Endurance training cannot be mixed with other types.

Technical training is designed to develop technical skills. Its main goal is to develop sustainable motor skills.

What role does nutrition play in strength training?

Regular training is only one component of success. Exercising will not bring the desired effect without proper nutrition. But how do you know what to eat after strength training? Creating a menu yourself is not an easy task, which is best left to professionals.

For example, nutritionists, chefs and the founder of Level Kitchen Denis Gusev have developed two programs designed to gain muscle mass - And .

The peculiarity of the varied menu is the predominance of dishes with a high content of carbohydrates and an optimal ratio of proteins and fats, which are necessary to provide energy to the body.

Program - This is a five-meal meal that will help you quickly gain muscle mass. With each delivery, you receive a full ration, branded cutlery and a menu with calculated values of KBJU. This program not only helps you achieve your goal, but also significantly saves your time.

Program involves six meals a day aimed at effectively gaining muscle mass. The program is suitable not only for professional athletes, but also for beginner athletes. It provides a balance of fast and slow carbohydrates.

Food delivery is carried out in Moscow and the Moscow region (up to 50 km beyond the Moscow Ring Road) from 6 to 12 hours with a choice of a two-hour interval.

1. History of the development of strength and differences between powerlifting and weightlifting.

Once upon a time, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, people trained very hard (almost all approaches performed to failure) and for a long time (with high intensity and volume), this led to the fact that most people could not withstand such volumes, at such an intensity that, most often, led to overtraining. Under such conditions, only those people who were genetically talented (with a very large adaptive reserve) progressed; everyone else simply could not progress. Training usually took place every day, for several hours, and in some cases - all day.

Over time, athletes and coaches began to understand that such training did not bring the results they would like. At this time there were wars, and the world began to be divided into two camps: the USA and the USSR; it was in these countries that the main development of the practical and theoretical power base took place.

We take these states as an example, because they took completely opposite paths to the development of power. Heavy and volume training could no longer produce the desired results, so there were logically two ways to solve the problem: Reduce volume; Reduce intensity.

The USSR took the path of reducing intensity, and a basic system for developing strength appeared - Submaximal effort method. Soviet weightlifters continued to perform enormous training volumes, but all sets were performed as a percentage of intensity, rather than being performed to failure. The training system became very effective and led the USSR national team to victory in Olympic weightlifting.

At that time, in the USA they continued to train very hard (do failure sets), but at the same time they began to reduce the training volume, train for fewer repetitions and approaches. All this led to the formation of the second main method of developing strength - Maximum effort method.

I think everyone remembers history and the times when the USSR was the undisputed leader on the weightlifting platform. Definitely, the submaximal effort method has become more acceptable in weightlifting training, but we will talk about powerlifting(Further PL), and weightlifting and powerlifting are completely different sports. Weightlifting(Further TA)– speed-strength sport, while powerlifting – power.

The main difference between PL and TA is speed. The ability to move at high speed is determined by the following quality: rapidity. While PL is focused purely on developing strength, TA is a symbiosis of strength and speed. Maximal effort methods have a very negative impact on the development of speed, this is the fundamental reason why the maximum effort method is less effective in weightlifting than the submaximal effort method.

But, powerlifting is not weightlifting, here the development of speed is not as important as in weightlifting. Therefore, the maximum effort method has taken root very well in submarines. If you look at modern TA, the United States absolutely cannot compete with states that train according to Soviet methods, or those who took them as a basis and modified them. At the same time, in the world of powerlifting, the USA shows outstanding results; most of the absolute champions are from the USA.

From the author: I don’t know whether I got it or not, I wanted to convey that both methods of developing strength are effective. And it is impossible to say unequivocally that one is better than the other. It should be understood that the training process is one of the fundamental factors of the result, but not the only one. Sports performance is a symbiosis of stress and recovery. Training is responsible for stress, but at the same time, many other factors are responsible for recovery. And with the most ideal training, but without the necessary recovery, there will be no result.

2. Methods for developing strength.

There are two main methods of developing strength:

Submaximal effort method- without refusal.
Maximum Effort Method- with refusal.

There are many methods for developing strength, but they can all be divided into two types. With the presence of “refusal” and without “refusal”. In this case, muscle failure, when the muscle is no longer able to perform dynamic contraction.

Other methods that indirectly affect the development of strength.

Impact method (plyometrics)– a method developed by the outstanding professor Yu. Verkhoshansky.
Dynamic force method- a method that gained popularity in powerlifting thanks to Louis Simmons.
Method of static-dynamic efforts– method of development of OMV (MMV), a method developed by Professor V. Seluyanov.

Submaximal effort method.

This method became very popular thanks to the practitioners and theorists of Soviet weightlifting. The basis of this method is to perform exercises “without failure.” To fully understand the training process, a deep analysis of the training is simply necessary; for this, the following indicators are used:

PM– personal maximum (This is the weight that will be performed for 1 repetition to “failure”).
Intensity- % of the personal maximum (example: 80 kg with a maximal max of 100 kg - this is an intensity of 80%).
KPSh– the number of barbell lifts (This indicator moved into PT from weightlifting, where almost all exercises are performed with a barbell; in PT there are many exercises that are auxiliary, can be performed on blocks or with dumbbells, they carry less training stress, most often they are not will be included in the calculation of KPS, I highlight separately such an indicator as the General KPS in which I include all lifts, both barbells and dumbbells, repetitions on simulators, while the ER is calculated only from competitive and specially preparatory exercises).
UOI– averaged relative intensity of all competitive and specially preparatory exercises (example: approach 60% 2x2 and 65% 2x2 KPS – 8 UOI – 62.5%).
Tonnage– total weight lifted, shown in tons.
Microcycle– a cycle that consists of several workouts (usually a microcycle is a week, but it can be longer).
Mesocycle– a cycle that consists of several microcycles.
Macrocycle- a cycle that consists of several mesocycles.

Thanks to its ability to vary volume and intensity, the submaximal effort method has grown into three main training systems:

The systems are described in more detail in the relevant articles, click on the links.

Maximum effort method.

Two main methods of developing strength, which relate to the maximum effort method:

Low-repetition maximal effort method (classic maximal effort method).
Multi-repetition maximal effort method (repetitive effort method).

Unlike the submaximal effort method, training systems that use the maximal effort method typically use other methods. In the first method, three main training systems were analyzed. Here we will analyze 2 training systems.

Westside Barbell - Louis Simmons.

3. Drawing up a training program.

Preparation of a workout.

This chapter will describe how to correctly compose one workout, and then we will move on to the microcycle and macrocycle. Before you start putting together a workout, you need to understand what goals you will pursue, what basic methods to use, identify basic exercises, and the like. The following is a step-by-step description of the training algorithm and some examples.

From the author: Following the training algorithm, you can create your own training program; the chapter will provide examples to make it clear what should happen in the end.

1. Determine the goal of the training.

Improving sports skills.
Gaining muscle mass.
Improvement of qualities (strength and/or speed).
Elimination of dead spots (work on problem areas of amplitude).

2. Determine the method of developing strength:

Maximum effort method.
Submaximal effort method.

3. Define helper methods (optional).

Impact method.
Dynamic force method.

4.Define a set of basic exercises.

Competitive exercises (CS).
Special preparatory exercises (SPE).
General preparatory exercises (GPE).

5.Choice of the nature of the training.

5.A. Submaximal effort method.

Hard training.
Average workout.
Easy workout.

5 B. Seluyanov's method.

Developmental training.
Toning workout.

6.A. Selecting the intensity and volume of training (If the submaximal effort method is selected).

Intensity zone (low, medium or high intensity).
URI zone (low, medium or high intensity).
KPS zone (low, medium or high volume).
Repetition zone (number of repetitions in sets).

6.B. Selecting the main training method according to Louis Simmons (if the training system according to Louis Simmons is selected).

Maximum effort training.
Training using the submaximal effort method.
Training using the dynamic effort method.

6.B. Choice of muscle fiber development (if the Seluyanov system is chosen).

Training mainly on VGMV.
Training mainly on GMV.
Training mainly on OMV.

Example training.

1.Training with the submaximal effort method for the bench press:

	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	Squat		3	3		9
2	bench press	67,5%	1	3	3	3
		75,0%	1	3	3	3
		82,5%	2	3	6	6
		90,0%	2	2	4	4
3	dumbbell press		4	8		32
4	trits block		3	8		24
5	bitz block		3	10		30
					16	111	80%

Analysis:

Purpose of the training: Improving sports skills; Increased strength.
Strength development method: Submaximal effort method (high-intensity system).
Auxiliary methods – are missing.
A set of basic exercises: 1. Squat – OPU (for bench press). 2. Press – SU. 3. Dumbbell press - OPU. 4. Triceps on a block - OPU. 5.Biceps on a block - OPU.
Nature of training - hard workout.
Training intensity and volume: KPS – 16. Maximum intensity – 90%. UOI – 80%. Repetition zone – 2-3 repetitions.

Conclusions: An example of a training program in the classic high-intensity style. Heavy training was selected with the presence of SPU and without SPU.

2.Training with the maximum effort method according to Seluyanov for the bench press:

№	control	intensity	podkh	repeat	Mode	Accent
1	Press	90-100%	3-4	1-4	Power	vGMV
2	Bar press	90-110%	3-4	1-4	Power	vGMV
3	French bench press		5	5-6	Power	GMW
4	Lifting dumbbells in front of you		5	5-6	Power	GMW

Analysis:

Purpose of the training: Increased strength; Development of vGMV and GMV (gain of muscle mass); Eliminating the problem with booster.
Strength development method: Maximum effort method (System of Seluyanov’s training methods).
Auxiliary methods – absent (forced repetitions in the bench press are possible).
A set of basic exercises: 1. Press – SU. 2. Bar press - SPU. 3.French press - OPU. 4. Raising dumbbells in front of you - OPU.
Nature of training - developmental training.

Conclusions: An example of a training program based on Seluyanov’s methodological base, specific for the bench press. Developmental training was selected for vGMV and GMV with the presence of OPU and SPU.

3.Training with the maximum effort method according to Louis Simmons.

№	control	intensity	podkh	repeat
1	Parallel press	95-100%	1	1-3
2	Gantt press	90-110%	5	5-6
3	Extension of arms on a block		5	5-6
4	Medium delt gant		3	10-15

Analysis:

Purpose of the training: Increased strength; Eliminating the problem with booster.
Strength development method: Maximum Effort Method (Loui Simmons Training Method System).
Auxiliary methods – are missing.
A set of basic exercises: 1. Bar press - SPU. 2. Dumbbell press - OPU. 3.French press - OPU. 4. Raising dumbbells in front of you - OPU.
Nature of training - Maximum Effort (Loui Simmons Training Method).

Conclusions: An example of a training program for a day of maximum effort according to Louis Simmons, the training contains SUP and OPU, but no SS. This is due to the fact that Louis Simmons does not recommend making maximum efforts on the SS.

Microcycling. Planning a training week.

Once you have an understanding of how to design one workout, you should move on to creating a training week (microcycle). You need to understand that a microcycle does not have to consist of exactly 7 days, it can last longer, up to 14 days, just 7-day microcycles are a classic.

Drawing up a microcycle.

1.Define the goal of the training week – the goals may be the same as when preparing the training, but are more global in nature.

If it is desirable to use only one method of strength development in one training session, they can be combined in a training week. For example: one workout can be built on the principles of the maximal effort method, and the second workout can be built on the principles of the submaximal effort method. This is roughly how Louis Simons trains.

3.Determine the nature of the training– hard (T), light (L) and medium (C) workouts. The number of workouts, their volume, and intensity depend on the adaptive capabilities of the body. The better a person recovers, the more and more often hard training can be done. When recovery takes quite a long time, it is better to dilute heavy workouts with more light ones.

For those who recover well: T + L + T or S + T + S.
For moderate recoveries: T + L + S or S + S + S.
For those with poor recovery: T + L + L or S + L + S.

4. Determine training volume and intensity – training volume and intensity primarily depend on the chosen training system. For example: In high-volume systems, the volume is high, but the intensity is low, while in high-intensity systems the opposite is true. Secondly, the volume and intensity depends on other factors:

Recovery speed– the better the recovery, the greater the volume and intensity you can do.
Weight category - The higher the weight category, the lower the volume and intensity.
Sportsmanship – The higher the sportsmanship and better training, the correspondingly greater the volume and intensity. An example of microcycles.

A microcycle that uses only the submaximal effort method.

Microcycle
Workout 1 is hard
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	60%	1	5	5	5
		67,5%	2	4	8	8
		72,5%	3	4	12	12
		77,5%	3	3	9	9
		82,5%	3	3	9	9
2	mountain gant press		4	8		32
3	trits block		3	8		24
4	pull-ups		3	8		24
					43	123	73%
Workout 2 medium
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	squats		4	4		16
2	bench press	60,0%	1	5	5	5
		67,5%	3	4	12	12
		72,5%	2	3	6	6
		77,5%	2	3	6	6
3	mountain alignment		3	8		24
4	bitz pcs standing		3	8		24
					29	48	69%
Workout 3 easy
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	60,0%	3	5	15	15
		67,5%	3	4	12	12
		70,0%	2	3	6	6
		75,0%	2	2	4	4
2	seated press		3	6		18
3	trits block		3	8		24
4	Wed delt gant		3	10		30
					37	109	66%
					109	280	70%

Analysis:

The purpose of the microcycle: Improving sports skills; Increased strength.
Strength development method: Submaximal effort method (medium-intensity system).
Auxiliary methods – are missing.
A set of basic exercises: 1. Squat – OPU (for bench press). 2. Press – SU. 3. Dumbbell press - OPU. 4. Triceps on a block - OPU. 5.Biceps barbell standing – OPU. 6. Pull-ups - OPU. 7. Middle delta of dumbbells - OPU. 8. Horizontal layout - OPU. 8. Seated press - OPU.
Nature of training - hard, medium and easy workout.
Microcycle intensity and volume: KPS – 109. Maximum intensity – 82.5%. UOI – 70%. Repetition zone – 2-5 repetitions.

Conclusions: An example of a training microcycle in a medium-intensity and medium-volume style. A training session with the presence of a control point and without a control point was selected.

An example of a microcycle according to Seluyanov can be found in the corresponding article.

An example of a microcycle according to Simmons can be found in the corresponding article.

Macrocycling. Preparation of training for 1-2 months.

1. Define the macrocycle:

Recovery cycle– post-competition (usually the main goals are recovery after competition and rest).
Basic or preparatory cycle – before the pre-competition cycle (in the basic cycle many tasks are solved, such as gaining mass, working on dead spots, improving strength qualities, speed and improving technical skills).
Pre-competition cycle – cycle immediately before the competition (the main goal of this cycle is to lead to the competition, to reach peak form).
Competition cycle – a cycle in which there are several starts (maintaining and improving form between starts).

2. Determine the main methods of developing strength - a macrocycle can consist of several microcycles, which use different methods of developing strength. It can also consist of two parts, where in the first part the advantage consists of one method of developing strength, and in the second part - from the other.

3. Determine the type of cycling:

Linear cycling– increase in intensity and decrease in volume or vice versa.
Variable cycling(sinusoidal) - an increase in intensity and a decrease in volume, then an increase in volume and a decrease in intensity, and again an increase in intensity and a decrease in volume. In the graph, the intensity and volume resemble a sinusoid, which is why this type of cycling is often called sinusoidal.

Example of a training program.

High volume training program with sinusoidal cycling.

From the author: To avoid a lot of text, since you will have to show a 4-week program, in order to see how a sinusoid behaves on the graph, the program will be presented in the format of 2 workouts per week.

Microcycle 1
Workout 1
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	62,5%	5	5	25	25
		67,5%	5	4	20	20
2	squats		5	5		25
2	bench press	73%	4	3	12	12
3	triceps extension		5	8		40
4	pull-ups		4	8		32
					57	154	66%
Workout 2
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	55,0%	5	5	25	25
		60,0%	4	4	16	16
2	medium grip bench press	52,5%	5	6	30	30
		57,5%	4	4	16	16
3	dumbbell press		5	6		30
4	bitz pcs standing		4	8		32
5	average delta gant		4	8		32
					87	181	56%
					144	335	60%
Microcycle 2
Workout 1
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	67,5%	4	4	16	16
		72,5%	4	3	12	12
2	squats		4	4		16
2	bench press	77,5%	3	3	9	9
3	triceps extension		5	8		40
4	pull-ups		4	8		32
					37	125	72%
Workout 2
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	60,0%	4	4	16	16
		65,0%	4	3	12	12
2	medium grip bench press	57,5%	4	5	20	20
		62,5%	4	3	12	12
3	dumbbell press		5	6		30
4	bitz pcs standing		4	8		32
5	average delta gant		4	8		32
					60	154	61%
					97	279	65%
Microcycle 3
Workout 1
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	60,0%	5	6	30	30
		65,0%	5	5	25	25
2	squats		5	6		30
2	bench press	70%	4	4	16	16
3	triceps extension		5	8		40
4	pull-ups		4	8		32
					71	173	64%
Workout 2
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	50,0%	6	6	36	36
		55,0%	5	5	25	25
2	medium grip bench press	50,0%	5	6	30	30
		57,5%	4	4	16	16
3	dumbbell press		5	6		30
4	bitz pcs standing		4	8		32
5	average delta gant		4	8		32
					107	201	52%
					178	374	57%
Microcycle 4
Workout 1
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	70,0%	3	4	12	12
		75,0%	3	3	9	9
2	squats		3	4		12
2	bench press	80%	3	3	9	9
3	triceps extension		5	8		40
4	pull-ups		4	8		32
					30	114	75%
Workout 2
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	60,0%	4	4	16	16
		65,0%	3	3	9	9
2	medium grip bench press	60,0%	3	4	12	12
		62,5%	3	3	9	9
3	dumbbell press		5	6		30
4	bitz pcs standing		4	8		32
5	average delta gant		4	8		32
					46	140	61%
					76	254	67%

OUI: KPS:

Analysis:

Microcycle: Basic microcycle.
The purpose of the microcycle: Improving sports skills; Increased strength.
Strength development method: Submaximal effort method (low-intensity system).
Type of cycling – variable cycling.
Auxiliary methods – are missing.
A set of basic exercises: 1. Squat – OPU (for bench press). 2. Press – SU. 3. Dumbbell press - OPU. 4. Triceps on a block - OPU. 5.Biceps barbell standing – OPU. 6. Pull-ups - OPU. 7. Middle delta of dumbbells - OPU. 8. Press with medium grip - SPU.
Nature of training - heavy and medium workouts.

Combining strength development methods.

It should be understood that all methods of developing strength are effective, and training can be built around one method or a combination of several methods can be used. The most prominent representative of combining methods of strength development is Louis Simmons. This person combines two methods of strength development in his training programs, and also uses the dynamic effort method as an additional one. Now let's look at some types of combinations of methods.

Combination of strength development methods in one workout:

Maximum effort method and submaximal effort method.

Training
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general
1	bench press	65,0%	4	4	16	16
2	bench press up to 2 RM		1	2	2	2
3	dumbbell press		3	6		18
4	trits block		3	8		24
5	Wed delt gant		3	10		30

In this example, a 65% 4x4 bench press is first performed, the main purpose of which is to improve sportsmanship and pre-fatigue before a heavy bench press up to 3 repetitions to failure. If you perform approaches to failure without preliminary fatigue, it will be within 88-93% of your maximal max. If performed after pre-fatigue - 80-90% depending on the intensity and volume of pre-fatigue. Reduced weight on the bar puts less strain on the nervous system. Also, bench press up to 3 RM and pre-exhaustion together give a greater volume of training.

Submaximal effort method and dynamic effort method.

Training
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general
1	speed chain press	65,0%	6	2	12	12
2	bench press	75,0%	4	4	16	16
3	dumbbell press		3	6		18
4	trits block		3	8		24
5	Wed delt gant		3	10		30
					28	71%

In this example, the workout begins with a chain press for speed - SPU for problems with pressing and an exercise for developing speed. The second exercise is the classic bench press. The chain press is performed as the first exercise, since speed is very important when working on speed, so it is necessary to do exercises for developing speed at the beginning of the workout.

A combination of strength development methods in one microcycle.

Method of submaximal efforts and dynamic efforts.

Workout 1
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press	60%	1	5	5	5
		67,5%	2	4	8	8
		72,5%	3	4	12	12
		77,5%	3	3	9	9
		82,5%	3	3	9	9
2	mountain gant press		4	8		32
3	trits block		3	8		24
4	pull-ups		3	8		24
					43	123	73%
Workout 2
	control	int	podkh	repeat	kpsh	kpsh general	UOI
1	bench press with rubber bands	60,0%	4	3	12	12
		65,0%	3	2	6	6
2	squats		4	4		16
3	chain press	62,5%	4	3	12	12
4	mountain alignment		3	8		24
5	bitz pcs standing		3	8		24
					30	48	62%

In this example, the first workout is the classic submaximal effort method. The second workout is the dynamic effort method, exercises are performed at speed in a small number of repetitions. In the second program there is a small CV, this is due to the fact that to maintain high speed in the exercises you cannot use large weights, and also do not forget that rubber and chains increase the weight.

A combination of methods for developing strength in the macrocycle.

Macrocycling often uses multiple strength development methods. Often a macrocycle can be divided into 3-8 microcycles in which one or another method of developing strength is predominantly used.

Macrocycle with a combination of methods.

Weeks 1-6: Predominantly repetitive effort method (8-12 reps). (This method is very good for developing muscle mass; bodybuilders mainly use it). This method will allow you to gain more muscle mass, which you can then use in competitions.
Weeks 7-10: Submaximal effort method (low-intensity system).
Weeks 11-14: Submaximal effort method (high-intensity system).

When constructing a training microcycle in this way, several methods of strength development are used, which take turns; they are not combined in one workout or week.

What is the best way to combine methods in one workout, week, or place them in separate macrocycles?

This question is very subjective. We can say that Louis Simmons combines them in one microcycle, and B.I. Sheiko generally uses only one method of developing strength. At the same time, Sheiko and Simmons have a huge number of outstanding athletes, despite completely different training approaches.Therefore, it cannot be said that this or that is better. It’s better what suits a particular athlete. It is better to ensure that the golden mean between load and recovery is observed as much as possible. And by what methods this will happen is no longer so important.

4. Macrocycling. Methods and types of cycling.

In the last chapter, examples of the basics of cycling were discussed; this chapter will go into more detail.

First we need to talk about why load cycling is needed. The human body is in a constant state, and any load leads to stress to which the body needs to adapt. When the body receives a load that is new to it, the body reacts with physiological changes and adaptation of the body to stress. Stress can be of three types: Little, necessary and too much. By determining the level of stress, the body triggers adaptation; if the stress is too low, adaptation does not occur and the body remains at the same level. Under the right stress, the body initiates adaptation and improves all functions to avoid future stress. Necessary stress is the basis of all sports, but if the stress is too great, the body cannot cope with it, in sports this manifests itself in overtraining or under-recovery. The main task of load cycling is to select the desired stress. Now let's move on to what indicators can be used to cycle the load.

Exercises.

Exercise cycling is more popular in bodybuilding. In powerlifting, the choice of exercises is much smaller, for several reasons. Powerlifting has competitive lifts, so the majority of the load should come from these movements. All other exercises are auxiliary, the purpose of which is to improve results in competitive exercises. You can cycle exercises once a week or once every few weeks.

Recommendations and examples: I recommend changing exercises every mesocycle (4-8 weeks). Example: if a person has problems with pressing and decides to include a bar press once a week after the main bench press. When cycling every week, he will need to do a different exercise the next week to solve problems with push-ups, this could be a close-grip bar press or a bench press with rubber bands. And when cycling once every 4-8 weeks, a person will work out the entire mesocycle in this exercise. The main difference will be that if a person begins to pass the sticking point better, the exercise helped, and if it does not pass, it did not help. You can make an accurate conclusion about the effectiveness of this exercise. In a situation with changes in exercises, it will be difficult to draw a specific conclusion on the exercises whether they are suitable or not.

Volume and intensity.

Volume and intensity are the main indicators by which load cycling is performed. Here it should be understood that the training program cannot be voluminous and intense at the same time. There is always an emphasis on high intensity or high volume, in some cases varying with medium intensity and medium volume.

Recommendations and examples: The selection of the required intensity and volume for a person depends on a large number of factors, but primarily on the weight category and level of sportsmanship. The main task of the coach is to select the required intensity and volume so that the athlete can improve his athletic performance. If the volume and intensity are too low, the body will not adapt and improve its athletic performance; if the volume and intensity are too high, it will result in overtraining.

Number of repetitions and approaches

The number of repetitions and approaches indirectly (indirectly - because intensity is also very important) determines which training system is chosen. If the repetitions are within 2-4, then most likely these are high and medium-intensity systems; in the case of 4-6 repetitions, these are low-intensity systems. More than 6 repetitions are used extremely rarely in classical systems. Cycling by repetitions and approaches determines the total training volume; the more repetitions and approaches, the correspondingly greater the total volume.

Recommendations and examples: Often, many people think that CPS and UOI do not pay attention to layouts (repetitions and approaches) - this is a mistake. For example, you can take two athletes (absolutely identical). The first one will do a set of 60% for 6 reps, and the second one will do a set of 60% 2x3. The total volume and intensity will be the same, but the first person will receive more training stress.

From this we can draw the following conclusion: If a person always works at approximately the same repetitions (2-4 or 5-6), in this case, calculating the KPS and UOI will be enough to analyze the program. In those cases when there is a very strong scatter among repetitions (from 1 to 10), one should take into account not only the CPS and UOI, but also the layouts in which they were performed.

Types of load cycling according to KPSh and UOI.

There are two main types of cycling, which were mentioned in the last chapter:

Linear cycling.
Variable cycling(sinusoidal).

Linear cycling – The simplest and oldest type of cycling, its main essence is that training begins (most often) with high volume and low intensity, after which there is a decrease in volume and an increase in intensity.

The graph will show cycling with increasing OI and decreasing CPS:

The third type of cycling is an increase in intensity, with a constant KPS:

In such cases, you should start the cycle with a known low CPS. If you start with an average KPS and try to maintain it as the intensity increases, this will lead to overtraining or injury, and it is also possible simply not following the plan.

Variable cycling (sinusoidal)– a more complex type of cycling. The main difference is that there is no constant increase in the CPS and UOI, but the growth is variable - one week the CPS is high and the UOI is low, in the second week it’s the other way around. On the graph it looks like a sinusoid, so this type of cycling is often called sinusoidal.

First view: week one - high CPS and low SV, week two - low CPS and high SV and so on. This is the simplest and most popular type of variable cycling.

Week 3: KPS (50) UOI (60%). Light load.

Week 4: KPS (65) UOI (70%). High load.

Week 5: KPS (75) UOI (75%). Very high load.

Week 6: KPS (40) UOI (60%). Very light load.

The point of this cycling is that the first week is hard, the second is very hard, after which you need to recover well, so week 3 is easy. After this, this 3-week macrocycle is repeated, but there is already a fall in the CPS and an increase in the IOI.

This is a rather complex type of cycling, because it is difficult to guess with the required load on the peak day, there can be either a failure (not fulfilling the plan) or an insufficiently hard workout, after which there is no need to do light workouts for a week.

Third type: In this type of cycling - 1, 2, 3.4 weeks are similar in CPS and Intensity, and then 5, 7 become more voluminous, and 6 and 8 more intense.

Cycling general conclusions: As you can see, there are many different types of sinusoidal cycling; first of all, they depend on creative abilities, and, of course, they must have some methodological justification.

From the author: Which type of cycling is best is difficult to answer. In this situation, everything is very individual. I recommend starting with the first example, or better yet, with linear cycling, and then, after gaining experience and after analyzing your past cycles, experiment and select what suits you specifically, but in this article I’m just showing what types of cycling exist.

For effective muscle growth, you need to properly design the training process. Get acquainted with the principles of strength training by V. Seluyanov to achieve the desired result.

Strength Training Basics

Strength exercises - performing monotonous movements at a low pace (on average 1 cycle per 1-5 seconds), but with significant resistance exceeding 30% of the maximum voluntary effort. It should be noted that often the concept of “exercise” is used to denote a holistic action. For example, bench press and returning to the starting position. However, in our case it will be called a series. Before we begin to describe the principles of strength training, we should explain the basic terms that will be used in this article:

Motor action (MA) - control of body elements using muscles from the initial position to the final position and back.
Exercise/series - sequential execution of several motor movements of the same type.
Super series - sequential execution of exercises of the same type or series with short pauses for rest, ranging from 20 to 60 seconds.
Set - sequential performance of various exercises with rest intervals from 1 to 3 minutes.
Superset - sequential execution of various exercises without pauses for rest. The same muscle groups are involved in the work, but depending on the exercise performed, the load on them is different.

Factors affecting muscle tissue hypertrophy

Thanks to research, it has been found that with an increase in external load, the maximum possible number of lifts of a sports equipment or repeated maximum (RM) decreases. An external load that can be overcome only once in RM is called the maximum repetitive force (MRF) of a specific muscle group in this motor movement. When the MPS is taken as 100%, it becomes possible to draw up a relationship between the repeated maximum and the relative magnitude of the load.

It was already mentioned above that strength indicators can increase along with an increase in the number of myofibrils or with the improvement of the ability to control muscle activity. As the number of myofibrils increases, the sarcoplasmic reticulum also grows, which first leads to an increase in the density of myofibrils, and then to an increase in the cross section.
The cross section can also change with an increase in the number of mitochondria, glycogen levels, and other organelles. It should also be noted that in training people, mitochondria and myofibrils occupy about 90% of the cross-section of muscle tissue fibers. Consequently, the main factor of hypertrophy is an increase in the number of myofibrils. This may be possible by accelerating the production of protein compounds and maintaining the rate of their breakdown at the same level. The following factors influence the acceleration of the production of protein compounds:

The supply of amino acid compounds in the cellular structure of muscle tissue;
High levels of anabolic hormones;
High levels of free creatine;
Increased content of hydrogen ions.

The last three factors depend on the content of the training program.

Principles and plan of strength training

When creating a strength training plan, you should pay attention to two basic principles of strength training:

The principle of quality of effort;
The principle of choosing exercises and the technique of performing them.

The first principle is based on understanding the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system in each specific exercise. Athletes must understand that poor technique increases the risk of injury.

The principle of quality of effort is based on the need to achieve full and maximum tension in each of the main exercises. To do this, you must perform the exercises, observing the following rules:

The exercises should be performed with an MVC equal to 90 to 100 percent with a number of repetitions of 1-3. It should be noted that this does not contribute to the accumulation of the necessary elements for the synthesis of protein compounds and for this reason all these exercises are a kind of training for neuromuscular control.
Exercises are performed with MVC equal to 70-90% with 6-12 repetitions in one approach. The duration of the exercises is from 30 to 70 seconds. The maximum effect can be achieved by performing the last 2 or 3 repetitions, which can be done with the help of friends.
The intensity of the exercises performed ranges from 30 to 70 percent of the MVC, and 15 to 25 repetitions are performed in one approach. It is necessary to work in static-dynamic mode, i.e. Do not completely relax your muscles when performing exercises.

It is also worth noting that this principle echoes the basic principles of strength training using the Weider method:

The principle of negative movements. When work is performed in a negative mode, the muscles must be active during both lengthening and contraction.
The principle of combining series. To further excite the muscles being trained, multiple series with short rest breaks are used. This allows for increased RNA production and improved blood supply to muscle tissue.
The principle of priority. In each training session, priority is given to those muscles for which hypertrophy is the main goal.
The principle of split and separate training. It is necessary to create such a training microcycle so that a developmental session for a specific muscle group is performed once or twice during the week. This is because new myofibrils are created within 7 to 10 days. To do this, all muscles must be divided into groups, and strength training must continue for two or three weeks.

Video about the basic principles of strength training: