Wednesday, December 14, 2011

You have a training plan for the next six months, right?

I'm trying a 5-step seasonal training schedule, adapted from Coach's notes and John Wild Buckley's blog.  I think it's time I let go of my 65kg bodyweight and got stronger, at least in the offseason when I'm trying to move up a bell. First PT and recovery, then a serious strength - mass - strength-endurance season before resuming KB sport. This post was written and edited during phase 1 and published late in the 2-wk break in (highlighted below) of Dan John's "Mass Made Simple" article on T-Nation.

Rehab/Phase 1 intro
  • 5wks PT, Convict Conditioning big 6 done 2/day, 3d/wk, stairs on day 1 and treadmill on day 3.  Made outstanding progress, bridges helped rehab, handstands helped shoulders and presses.  Testing double KB presses in wk 5, I pressed 2x20kg for the first time ever.  Running up to 3mi.
  • December and January: a close adaptation of Mass Made Simple. 3 sets of 2-3 primary lifts, 5 reps, 5 reps, and "as many". A finisher of 2-3 sets of 20-30 reps high back squats around 70% 1RM for the first 2-few weeks, then many sets for the next 4 weeks.  I don't know how his athletes had time for what was in that article.  25 sets of 20 after a regular workout?
    • Monday: 5 each bench presses (maybe dumbbell, maybe inclined), inverted rows, front squats. May substitute or add some uneven pushups. High volume back squats. Walk stairs 10' unloaded to finish.
    • Wednesday: 5 each clean and press, pullups, single leg dead lifts. High volume back squats.
    • Friday: back and spine work, more focus on joint mobility drills than other days.  10 HLR to the bar, 5 of the Spetznaz hip rolling drills (need a link), 5 Maxwell rolling planks, and some tumbling drills. Follow by 20-40' light run. 6mph = 2mi/20'.  5mph = 2.5mi/30'. Score a 40' run every few weeks.
    • Eat for growth and recovery: protein supplements, Metamucil, and 4 or 5 meals. Magnesium oil spray on knee and hip after every session and on back when needed.
    • 2-wk break in: I am visibly bigger but barely 2lb heavier. CC work always bulks me and did so in November. This hasn't been heavy yet. With 2x16kg, presses are solid up to 10 reps and squats up to 30. Time to add weight with dumbbells or barbells. Limit the bulking phase to 4 weeks. Repeat in February if necessary, but only after a break and some fat loss.
Phase 1 - Off-season (indefinite length, starting in January)
  • I have this idea that I would like to be 150lb and pressing 2x20kg for reps and squatting it for dozens of reps and running miles before I resume LC sport training. Not certain that's all necessary, but I don't want to be struggling every rep and gassed at 6:00 like last time.
  • Strength, conditioning, technique, and GPP. Build strength up to the next bell.
  • Barbell dead lifts and squats, KB swings, jump squats, and military presses.
  • Density KB work: 1-3' sets at comp weight or higher. Done at pace for timing and speed, done with extended overhead time for strength.  Aggregate volume, if not extended sets.
  • Cardio output work at HR 120-150 (5mph or less), 30-90min, 2-3/wk.

Phase 2 - Preseason (4-6wks, maybe 8wks starting in March)
  • KB sets 5-7' minimum at or near target rpm, 4-5 training days/wk. 1 10' comp set weekly or biweekly. All 1-2' density work stops.
    •  This is the AKC plan. I found I was doing well on a Russian/Denisov plan last year: 2-3' sets at pace to more than 10' volume, varying the rest.  May do 3-4days/wk density work, 1 day 10' comp set.
  • Barbell work reduced to squats and jump squats.  All pullups and horizontal pressing stops.  Overhead pressing replaced by heavy OAJ with static holds.
  • Introduce cardio power work at HR above 150, 2-3min intervals: sprints, KB stairs, Eagles. Maintain cardio work 2-3/wk.

Phase 3 - Peaking (2-4wks including competition, maybe 6wks starting in May)
  • 4days/wk: 1 set comp weight/6-8'@target rpm. 1 day/wk: 1 set comp weight/10'@target rpm. Any day that you feel smoked and unable to work the distance with comp weight, use 1 size lighter.
    • See comment above about AKC/Russian plans.  Not sure at this early time whether this is best for me, based on last year's experience.
  • Mix output cardio and power cardio, 2-3/wk.
  • Only strength work might be squat jumps. Almost all assistance work on mobility and low-HR cardio.
  • The week of competition, 1 10' comp set, 1 6-8' set at comp or lighter, then Competition phase.

Phase 4 - Competition (2-3 days in mid-June)
  • 1-3 days off with recovery work and light cardio. Federenko's experience was that he lost conditioning after only 2 days.  Maybe test this in Peaking phase with consecutive long runs and HR monitoring.

Phase 5 - Postseason
  • Karaoke and burgers.  (John Wild Buckley)
  • At least 1wk mobility/maintenance work, light running, stretching, and massage.

Tentative schedule based around June 18, 2010 meet.
  • Off-season - through February
  • Preseason - March to May (T minus 3mos)
  • Peaking - May to mid-June (T minus 4-6wks)
  • Competition - mid-June (T minus days)
  • Postseason - when the bells hit the mat

Suggestions
  • Technique at wk 2 of peaking phase should determine your target weight if you plan to make 10'.
  • Stair carries lifted me over the hump, but they should have followed a more solid month of long, 130bpm cardio. Bicycling barely served this purpose, but I abandoned it because there was no load on my legs. Running 5mph raises my pulse to 150, but running slower is bumpy on my joints. May just accept running as "volume cardio" and stairs as "power cardio", regardless of being outside my block on the HR chart.