The 4-Hour Body Part 43

For each, Barry relies on the core philosophy of coach Henk Kraaijenhof: "Do as little as needed, not as much as possible." All three objectives require (that is, demand) less workload than commonly thought necessary.

COMPEt.i.tION CONDITIONING.

Training for the first goal, conditioning, draws heavily from a study t.i.tled "Energetics of High-Speed Running: Integrating Cla.s.sical Theory and Contemporary Observations," first published in 2004.

This study provides the ASR speed algorithm, a mathematical formula patented by Rice University that claims to predict running times for any individual (not just a trained athlete but any any individual) for distances ranging from a few meters up to a mile. Incredibly, it's proven more than 97% accurate for every runner Barry has tested. The algorithm also shows the level of a runner's condition. individual) for distances ranging from a few meters up to a mile. Incredibly, it's proven more than 97% accurate for every runner Barry has tested. The algorithm also shows the level of a runner's condition.

The minimum baseline conditioning for athletes engaged in runs of less than a mile is approximately 4.2 meters per second. This equates to a 100-meter run time of no more than 23.8 seconds.

How do you get athletes to this baseline? Believe it or not, by walking. The prescription is simple: walk as fast as possible for 15 minutes, three sessions per week. walk as fast as possible for 15 minutes, three sessions per week. The walk is seven and a half minutes out and the same time back. This doesn't sound difficult, and it isn't...at first. The challenge is that the athlete must walk further out at each session and still return in the same seven and a half minutes. The walk is seven and a half minutes out and the same time back. This doesn't sound difficult, and it isn't...at first. The challenge is that the athlete must walk further out at each session and still return in the same seven and a half minutes.

"Walk as fast as possible" means that the athlete should strongly and persistently want to jog. He or she is experiencing extreme inefficiency in locomotion, and that's the point.

If you don't have enough flat ground (a track is ideal) to walk seven and a half minutes straight out and back, just use a set distance (five blocks, for example) and match the number of lengths in the second seven and a half minutes.

After four weeks of this timed walking (three sessions of 15 minutes per week) the athlete has accomplished the first goal: reaching baseline conditioning for compet.i.tion.

It seems impossible, but reserve judgment until you see some of their results, described later in this chapter.

MAXIMAL STRENGTH.

Next, Barry gets his athletes strong. Really, really strong.

His current protocol is similar to what Allyson used in 2003, but the exercises have been further refined and limited. Notice that "23 sets of 23" has been replaced with "1 set of 23 @ 95% 1RM, followed by 1 set of 5 @ 85% 1RM" for both the bench press and deadlift.

Reminder: take five-minute rest periods between sets, and the countdown starts take five-minute rest periods between sets, and the countdown starts after after completion of plyometrics. completion of plyometrics.

The following general workout template would be performed three times per week for most athletes (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday):

1. Dynamic stretch before each session: over-and-unders 67 reps, no more than 5 minutes. No static stretching. before each session: over-and-unders 67 reps, no more than 5 minutes. No static stretching.

2. One One of the following at each session (time under tension should be less than of the following at each session (time under tension should be less than 15 15 seconds per set): seconds per set):

Bench press: 1 set of 23 @ 95% 1RM, followed by 1 set of 5 @ 85% 1RM 1 set of 23 @ 95% 1RM, followed by 1 set of 5 @ 85% 1RM or orPush-ups: 1012 reps (same as in earlier program) 1012 reps (same as in earlier program) If you choose bench press and if equipment permits, perform plyometrics (four to five reps) immediately after bench-press sets.

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Place two 612-inch-high boxes just outside of shoulder width. From the fully lowered position between the boxes (chest on the floor), jump up onto the boxes by fully extending your arms as quickly as possible, extend your arms fully again on top of the boxes, then drop back down inside the boxes into the fully down position. Just as with box jumps, it is critical to keep ground contact as short as possible.

If the plyometrics hurt your shoulders (as they did mine) or are too inconvenient, the program still works well without them.

3. Deadlift,10 1 set of 23 @ 95% 1RM, followed by 1 set of 5 @ 85% 1RM. Same rules as before: lift to the knees and then drop. If you're not practicing high-speed running, lowering is fine. Plyometrics are performed within one minute after each set of deadlifts: box jumps of varying heights, jumping rope, or even a few short, fast 10-meter runs if s.p.a.ce is available. First choice is two to four 1015-meter sprints. This provides at least two times bodyweight borne by each leg upon impact. Second choice is five to seven 1218-inch box jumps. 1 set of 23 @ 95% 1RM, followed by 1 set of 5 @ 85% 1RM. Same rules as before: lift to the knees and then drop. If you're not practicing high-speed running, lowering is fine. Plyometrics are performed within one minute after each set of deadlifts: box jumps of varying heights, jumping rope, or even a few short, fast 10-meter runs if s.p.a.ce is available. First choice is two to four 1015-meter sprints. This provides at least two times bodyweight borne by each leg upon impact. Second choice is five to seven 1218-inch box jumps.

4. Core exercise: the Torture Twist, 35 sets of 35 reps (30 seconds between sets). the Torture Twist, 35 sets of 35 reps (30 seconds between sets).

For the core, Barry now only uses one exercise: the Torture Twist. Every single trainee who uses it hates it. To perform the Torture Twist, set yourself perpendicular on a bench so that you look like a cross from above. Hold your feet under a pole in a power rack or, worst case, under another bench.11 [image]

Does this look like a bulky powerlifter? No, it looks like a normal high school girl. Normal, except that she's 132 pounds and can deadlift 405 pounds! Holy emasculation, Batman!

Remain parallel to the ground for each set and come up to sitting position for 30 seconds of rest between sets. Start with three sets three reps of three seconds on each side. Your first session would look like the following: SET 1.

Turn fully to the right side and hold for three seconds.Turn to the left side and hold for three seconds.Repeat two more times for a total of 3x three-second holds per side per side.Sit up and rest 30 seconds.Repeat for two more sets.

Progression: In future workouts, gradually increase up to five sets of three-second holds, then increase time, one second at a time, up to a maximum of 15-second holds for five sets (each set = 3 holds per side).

This concludes the workout.

Total workout time, including rest: less than 60 minutes. less than 60 minutes.Total time under tension per workout: less than 5 minutes. less than 5 minutes.Feeling at workout conclusion: exhilarated instead of exhausted. exhilarated instead of exhausted.

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Barry suggests the sumo deadlift instead of the conventional deadlift whenever possible. The pull distance is shorter and the lower-back position is safer.

The following sequence of photographs, also courtesy of Mike Lambert from Powerlifting USA Powerlifting USA, show the incredible Mike Bridges, who was considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound powerlifter in the world during his prime. He dominated three different weight cla.s.ses, and even now, in his fifties, he regularly deadlifts more than 600 pounds.

Keep in mind that Barry's athletes drop the weight when the bar reaches the top of the kneecaps (here the fourth photo). Notice that, like Lamar, Mike is looking up at almost exactly 45 degrees the entire time, until completion.

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MAXIMAL SPEED.

Finally, once Barry's athletes are strong, he makes them faster.

If you have no interest in running, you can skip this section and just read the sidebars. But, if nothing else, the compet.i.tion anecdote at the end is fun to read. Now back to our story...

Each athlete runs two time trials to start. The short trial (T1) is a "fly-in" 20-meter run and the long trial (T2) is a run of 300 meters. For T1, the athlete runs a 40-meter dash, but only the second 20 meters are timed. For T2, the athlete has a five-meter run up to the line, and then a timed 300 meters. In both cases, the runners should already be close to top speed when they cross the start start line. line.

Once he has these two times, Barry plugs the numbers into the ASR algorithm, which gives him a precise distance and time to run for each runner. This distance/time will form the basis for their speed workout. For events of 400 meters or less, Barry's athletes do no training runs longer than 70 meters. For events of 400 meters or less, Barry's athletes do no training runs longer than 70 meters.

The determined "X distance performed under time Y" can be thought of as one "repet.i.tion," and reps are performed until the runner cannot complete the distance in the time allotted, or cannot complete 10 repet.i.tions under a predetermined total time (a timed "set" of 10 repet.i.tions). Exceeding time in either case marks the end of the workout.

Here is a real-world example from a runner named Scott:

20-meter fly-in1.88 seconds300-meter fly-in36.00 seconds The workout distances are then randomized between 15 meters and 55 meters, such as 55 meters < 5.57="" seconds.="" this="" means="" that="" scott's="" workout="" is="" a="" series="" of="" 10="" runs="" of="" 55="" meters="" that="" must="" not="" exceed="" 5.57="" seconds="" each.="" four-minute="" rests="" are="" taken="" in="" between="">

If Scott does not run under 5.57 in his first attempt, he is given one more opportunity to make it on a second run. If he exceeds his time on this second run, or any "rep" before his 10th, his workout is finished for that day.

This is a sharp contrast to conventional methods.

Sprint coaches usually tell their runners to run "repeats" at a particular distance and at a particular speed. A typical workout prescription might be "10 100-meter runs at 80% of top speed." Unfortunately, no one knows when he or she is running at 80%, or any other percent for that matter.

Coaches also prescribe so-called "over-distance" runs to improve "speed endurance." This is another added stress that Barry does not incorporate.

But how does his approach measure up in compet.i.tion?

Keep in mind that his athletes' average repeat running distance is under 40 meters, and that he's completely eliminated training runs of over 70 meters for events of 400 meters or less. This is sacrilege in many corners of the track and field world. Despite this minimalism-or more accurately, because of it-the results speak for themselves.

One of his high school female athletes cut two seconds off her 400 meter, one and a half seconds off her 300 intermediate hurdles (IM), and dropped her 100 meter from 13.35 to 12.75 seconds. Though it's hard for nonsprinters to appreciate, dropping from 13.35 to 12.75 is a huge improvement for such a short anaerobic event, where milliseconds matter.

Her average repeat distance (her "rep" distance) was a mere 33 meters, and she is by no means a novice. She had been running for six years.

Her pre-track season conditioning was just 15 minutes of fast walking three days per week. Her goal was to increase the distance covered (but never the time) each session. She, her dad, and her team coach doubted she'd ever be able to run a compet.i.tive 400-meter or 300-meter hurdle. The low volume almost drove her to panic.

The outcome: the first meet of the year, she beat two runners in the 300 hurdles she had not bested in the previous two track seasons.

After watching her against the compet.i.tion, her track coach told her dad, "Never again will I make my sprinters practice over 70 meters!"

She also weighs 119 pounds and deadlifts 340 pounds.

The paradigm is s.h.i.+fting and the writing is on the wall: working smarter beats working longer, whether in the weight room or on the track.

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by Pavel Tsatsouline Athletes often miss the point of strength training.

Some confuse it with conditioning. Others confuse themselves with powerlifters. The barbell is not there to make you a better man (or woman) by testing your mettle. That is what the court, the field, or the mat is for. The barbell is there to give you a strength advantage over an opponent of equal skill.

Strength training cannot interfere with the practice of your sport. This is the point-the most important point-that many strength and conditioning coaches somehow miss.

The crucial principle is to lift heavy but not hard lift heavy but not hard. This is where the "rule of 10 reps" can be applied:

1. Use two to three "global" compound exercises (e.g., the deadlift and the bench press).

2. Lift three times a week (e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).12 Do your conditioning and supplementary work on separate days, practice your sport skills six days a week, and take one day off completely. Do your conditioning and supplementary work on separate days, practice your sport skills six days a week, and take one day off completely.

3. Focus on sets of two or three reps. Two reps is the most preferred rep choice of the Russian National Weight Lifting Team.

4. In all cases, complete approximately 10 reps per lift per workout (e.g., three sets of three, five sets of two, etc.).

5. Never train to failure, and always leave at least one to two reps "in the bank."

6. Rest for five minutes between sets.

7. Finish your workout feeling stronger than when you started.

The goal is to build as much strength as possible while staying as fresh as possible for your sport.

When I worked with Maria Sharapova, I had her do a few singles, doubles, and triples of pull-ups, pistols,13 hard push-ups, Janda sit-ups, and nothing else. The future Wimbledon star had plenty of conditioning from her daily tennis practice, and the last thing she needed was fatigue and injuries from her strength regimen. hard push-ups, Janda sit-ups, and nothing else. The future Wimbledon star had plenty of conditioning from her daily tennis practice, and the last thing she needed was fatigue and injuries from her strength regimen.

But what about less frequent training?

Less frequent training than Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (i.e., once a week) is not ideal for an athlete, even if it builds strength and consumes less time. U.S. powerlifting records in the 1980s and 1990s leave no doubt that you can achieve a world-cla.s.s squat by tras.h.i.+ng yourself once a week. But you will not walk well afterward. Every time you lift, you will get as sore as a newbie. This isn't a big deal for a powerlifter, but it's very bad news for a boxer or someone who needs to train in the subsequent 48 hours.

Can more volume build strength?

Of course. The iconic Smolov squat cycle, a 13-week nightmare, calls for a gruesome 136 reps per week during the first month! The cycle delivers beyond anyone's wildest dreams. One man I knew added 105 pounds to his squat in 13 weeks of Smolov and peaked in the mid-600s, drug-free. His gains are not atypical. But it takes its toll. You will be so sore and exhausted that the only "sport" you could practice at the same time is chess. The Smolov is a specialized program for an athlete who does not have any skills to practice outside of the gym. An exception would be an athlete who must gain a lot of muscle ma.s.s in the off-season, such as a football lineman.

Canadian track coach Charlie Francis's approach to strength training the infamous sprinter Ben Johnson is very illuminating. The sprinter stayed with low reps and low volume, e.g., to 6002/614 (sets/reps) in the below parallel box squat and 3853/2 in the bench press. The 173-pound Johnson eventually benched over 400 pounds, and Francis was convinced he was good for 440. But-pay attention!-to avoid injury, the sharp coach never maxed his athlete. This obviously did not prevent Johnson from breaking his personal records. Without maxing. (sets/reps) in the below parallel box squat and 3853/2 in the bench press. The 173-pound Johnson eventually benched over 400 pounds, and Francis was convinced he was good for 440. But-pay attention!-to avoid injury, the sharp coach never maxed his athlete. This obviously did not prevent Johnson from breaking his personal records. Without maxing.

Francis's in-season strength training was in line with the Russian school. Nikolay Ozolin, one of the founding fathers of Soviet sport science, recommends cutting back in-season lifting volume to 2/3 of off-season lifting volume without reducing weight. Francis downs.h.i.+fted Johnson from two sets of six with 600 in the squat to two sets of doubles or triples, a 1/2 to 2/3 reduction of the already low volume. This reduction allowed Johnson to get extra fresh for the season without losing his strength. Francis quipped that "Ben was never far from strength and speed." Indeed, he was not pus.h.i.+ng as hard, but he was still handling 600 pounds.

Francis did the opposite of most coaches: "Ninety percent of my time is spent holding athletes back to prevent overtraining, and only 10 percent is spent motivating them to do more work."

23 is a great rep range to emphasize throughout an athlete's program. 45 is where neural training and muscle-building meet, which means you could end up with some hypertrophy. This is out of the question in weight-cla.s.s-based sports like boxing.

Steve Baccari, strength coach extraordinaire to top fighters like the UFC's Joe Lauzon, agrees with the heavy but not hard approach: "In my opinion, 'easy' strength training is the only productive way a compet.i.tive fighter can strength train.... But most people think if you don't break a sweat, it must not work. This used to bother me a lot, but not anymore, because I think it is one reason why my fighters win so much."

Concludes Baccari: "Strength training is like putting the money in the bank to take it out on the fight day."

Save the fatigue for your sport.

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