Train-around-plateaus

plateau?

Training tips…

If you have reached a training road-block systems have fully adapted to intensity, volume, and duration variables applied. Change something. I prefer to use fine motor skills training, stops, partials, power training, supports, size training, maximum cycling, and skill work. Work is distributed within these categories. Change the factors you deem fit. Reasoning for training plateaus, and solutions, are also within this framework. Break the categories down until you see what needs adjustment. We will explore modes I modify when results stagnate. When not if! Training displays dynamics. A training log organizes landmarks. Analyze training and adjust. Persistently work on goals.

Training variables are categories organized during programming. Programming is based on analytics. We must develop tools, thresholds, and appropriate adjustments.

Hitting a plateau is frustrating. Training makes them less frequent. Taking methods from Soviet sciences and applying them during programming will sidestep many training plateaus. It requires diligence. It works. Stick to the plan.

The variables I organize start with intensity. In many personal training workshops over the years I have noticed definitions regarding other variable used interchangeably with intensity. Intensity is the weight on the bar during strength work. Training zone is well established; it is 50-85% of 1RM. If 20% of reps are done with <70% 1RM and my speed strength is not progressing I may change this variable. Volume of work is one possible adjustment.

Volume is total reps scheduled. Reps per millisecond, set, session, week, month, preparation cycle, competition cycle, year, and multi-year. Programming breaks it down. Note variables. Success is logical.

Duration of work is useful. Break it down as finely or broadly as you wish. Change time to complete a portion of a lift, rep, set, session…year; you get the point. Time under tension is a matter of duration not intensity. Duration and intensity constantly interact.

Fine motor skills feed gross motor skills. Weightlifting requires a fine tuning of gross motor skills with a fine motor skills foundation. I write my name three sets of ten repetitions three times per week to warm up. After warming the skill up I use macro-cycle training volume and intensity numbers. I can do most of this work outside the gym. Writing, cleaning, shaving, putting clothes on, combing hair, lifting one handed, are all fine motor skill training options. Fine motor skill training develops motor unit recruitment pattern and frequency. This sets a foundation for strength during gross motor skills. Fine motor skills nourish stops.

Stops are isometrics in essence. Holding posture in a given position developing a more dynamic end. Take weight in a rack or stop in a position of need within a rep and hold for a certain duration and volume. These can be done with greater than maximal weights or sub-maximal weights (intensities & volumes). Stops are excellent if the full movement is practiced additionally. Stops feed partials.

Partial movements are beneficial to the same ends as stops. Developing portions of full ROM feeds a greater sum. Partials are done with heavy and rep-worthy intensities and volumes. Partials are not isometrics. Move the weight briefly. Start at no less than 10% of the full ROM. Partials improve most training factors; assuming the other factor is trained additionally. Power benefits from partial training.

 

Power training is done on technical and less than technical work. Strength work enhances the total force production. Divide this number by time and a value for power is the result. Manipulate these factors and take formal guidance from the sciences. 30% may increase the power of a bodily movement in conditioning but it will not serve maximal power production. Adding weight to a baseball bat is beneficial within 10% of the bat weight. This is fine motor skill enhancement. Gross motor skill development would be clean & jerks with 35% (warm up) – 92.5% (work). Feed the fine and the gross motor skills with a strong foundation of power. Strength feeds power.

Supports are a great way to associate with a weight which may not be realistic for a full ROM yet! Similar to stops and partials we take a weight and do work just bearing the weight. Walk-outs are commonly used in powerlifting. Walk-outs are supports. Supports are postural. Posture changes with heavy weight. Learn to bear relatively heavy weights and learn and from changes in posture. This helps everyday life in a huge way. Sitting at the desk is easier once posture is practiced with heavy weights. Supports are isometric in nature. Supports are practice in the art of getting into the right positions at the right time. Sounds like sports training to me. Sports are revealing of life, right?

Size work, bodybuilding, is an expanding agent for future strength. We do work. The nervous system develops abilities. Once a threshold is passed any more work with the current construction is limited. Weight-classes set a foundation for great scientific work. What should we do if added muscular size makes our leverages other than optimal? Do lower reps (strength work). Muscle is added selectively to support sports movements. If the elbow bends during a jerk strengthen the culprit. Start with a foundation of new muscle intensity and volume. Develop that new structure until the activation pattern and frequency allow neuromuscular enhancements.  Size is down regulation, relatively.  The system adds muscle to ease the pressures of working at such high activation patterns and adds muscle to turn the nervous system down. We add this new muscle to the motor unit pattern over time. Strength, skill, and all training factors benefit from adding size. If an athlete in weightlifting is tall enough to change weight class they may make unlimited improvements limited only by their ability to add useful weight. Others are essentially limited to thirteen years of improvements.

Athletes are required to peak no fewer than five times per year. If experiencing a plateau schedule the next maximum sooner rather than later. The ultimate failure exposes an area in need of extra work. This is the fastest way to assess progress. Maxing out is priority based. They are not all equal. Three are practice. One is secondary. The other is primary (the Olympic Games, Worlds, Nationals…). Once again do no more than five maximum training cycles per year. Use them to develop programming next year. Maximum cycling gives us the intensities and volumes appropriate in programming. Assessing skills is useless unless we plan and work to improve.

Skill work is complex. I train skill work every cycle. It is first in any session unless my approach needs variety. Analytics are determined by science. Skill work is a must as it displays needs as promptly as maximal cycling. Notice a breakdown in form early I the session. Assess if the breakdown was singular or habitual. If habitual assess the need in relation to intensity, volume, duration, or any factor you wish. Create analytics for breakdowns and solutions. Give analytics time to prove effectiveness. What works on day one may be great for that stage. What gives the same level of information, or more, in the future more may very well be out of scope in the beginning. Anyway, analyze your analytics the same way you do everything else; first broadly, then finely.

Get stronger!

docsgym@live.com

  

William has trained everyday people and world class athletes since 1987. He is a weightlifting coach primarily. He earns his living as a personal trainer.