Tuesday 100907

Skill

Bench press – time to put the new benches to work!

WOD

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

15 power snatch, 95#/65#

200 meter run

Post time to comments.

Todd takes off!

As we dive into our next round of programing here's some info from Gino about the strength component:

We are going to try a different approach to our strength training for the next 8 weeks. We have been reading some of Louie Simmons articles from Westside Barbell. If you haven’t read any of his articles, he has a very scientific approach to strength training. So scientific that it is hard to comprehend at times. I tried to decipher his teachings and used his methods for my personal strength training before the Battle Ready Open. It helped me tremendously and I thought it would be worth having our athletes try it to see if it is beneficial to you as well. Like Louie says, “Sometimes when people read a little, they become dangerous.”

Mr. Simmons approach to strength training is to prevent the “Law of Accommodation” which says that given a particular stimulus over time, the body will accommodate and adjust. However, too much stimulus will have the inverse effect and that is what we are trying to prevent. He uses a dynamic system that varies the loads, bar speed, lifts, and techniques to build strength without overloading the body. We are unable to truly do a dynamic strength format with our programming and class time. Remember, strength is just one facet to our fitness where at Westside Barbell their sole purpose is strength development, and they do a great job of producing it.

We are going to try a modified version where you will see speed days, volume days, and max days. These are the lifts that we will work on over the next 8 weeks as well as their development lifts: Clean and Jerk (clean, hang clean, hang power, power clean, front squat, jerk, press, push press), Snatch ( power snatch, hang power snatch, overhead squat, snatch balance), Deadlift (good mornings, sumo deadlifts), Bench Press (floor press, pess with chains/kettlebells). Being able to break down these lifts will allow you develop without your body getting over stimulated since each of the movements are different but are part of the same puzzle. We will also change the bar speed, load, and technique to vary it even more.

Speed Days: On these days you will be doing 12 sets of 2 reps at 50% of your max. The two reps together don’t have to be fast but EACH rep needs to be EXPLOSIVE, and that’s what this will give you, explosiveness. Short rest between each set, no more than :45 sec to 1:00 min.

Volume Days: These days we want to lift a large volume of weight at a sub max load. Typically Mr. Simmons wants 10 sets of 5 reps. This is based off studies that bar speed decreases after 6 reps with a 70% load. Because of time for our classes we will have to shorten this to 5 sets of 5. If we take JoAnne’s overhead squat, for example, of 215 at 70% which is 150 at 5 sets of 5 she will lift a total of 3750 pounds. That is a large volume. The volume work is what will make us BIGGER. I know what you are thinking ladies, but don’t worry, that kind of big is sexy! Shoot for 60 – 70% on these days and short rest between each set as well.

Max Days: This is based off the Bulgarian system of maxing at least once a week (if they max twice in a week it is on a different lift). Now, this max may not be your all time best, so you need to look at these days as the most you could lift THAT DAY! The max days will make us STRONGER!

We hope you enjoy it, and if anything it will expose you to more of the lifts more frequently, have fun with it! It worked great for me!