robinMy aim for the first 3 cycles (9 weeks) of the season with my group in the weight room was to prepare them for increased loads and begin to load them with maximum strength work.

I would typically periodize the weight room in a complex-parallel fashion for post-collegiate speed/power athletes but with this particular subset of athletes I have chosen to utilize slightly more sequential undertones. The competitive emphasis for this group is solely on the outdoor season. This affords more time to build these athletes up in an effective manner. Increased power is a key performance indicator (KPI) for this group. Therefore, I have chosen a slightly slower progression to target the expression of power.

With all that being said, we are on the right track but it has progressed a bit slower than I would have liked to see.

We have found success within the dynamic effort and repetitive effort work that has been included in the program but I need to be creative with how I attack maximum strength work with this group. They do not respond well to basic compound movements under higher loads such as squats and deadlifts and I do not want to introduce any interference to their technical work on the track.

Moving forward I will look to increase strength levels through loading movements they can efficiently execute. For most this will mean a shift to more unilateral movements and/or limiting range of motion on bilateral movements.

We will also spend more time with repetitive effort work than originally anticipated but I am not concerned as I fully expect to see strength gains with these individuals through sub-maximal loading.

On a similar note, in my own training for the past 4 weeks I have participated in a Bondarchuk-themed program utilizing sub-maximal loads (approx. 70%) keeping volume and intensity constant. To expand, I have performed the same 5 exercises at the same weight for the same amount of sets and reps with the same rest time 4 times per week for the last 4 weeks. I have gotten stronger following these parameters and avoided excessive muscle soreness and fatigue. This is a structure I may utilize as we progress into the competition season.

The athletes have reported a greater rating of perceived exertion earlier in the week as opposed to later. I am pleased with this and appreciate their feedback. My intention has been to front load the week and back off slightly to safeguard their second technical session which comes later in the week.

As the intensity of their technical sessions progresses I will allow for some auto-regulation on the weight session leading into it. In the second training cycle I included a component of auto-regulation via Parkinson’s Law which I have discussed in greater detail in previous posts. In a nutshell, Parkinson’s Law states, “Work will expand to fill the allotted time” and its inclusion into the programming is through replacing the prescription of sets with a time parameter accompanied by a range of rest time (i.e. 15 min of triples with 30-75 sec rest). This allows the athletes to self select the amount of rest they take between sets subsequently taking advantage of days they feel good and playing it safe on days they do not.

The athletes responded extremely well to Parkinson’s Law throughout the second cycle and I am confident in their ability to navigate through a session under these parameters. Therefore, I will incorporate Parkinson’s Law into the two workouts that fall on days preceding technical sessions on the track with the idea being appropriate management of fatigue to allow an increase in skill expression within the event.

In an attempt to summarize this sporadic spewing of thoughts…

Moving forward into the next training cycle I will continue to individualize the programming but a few constants across the kylieboard will be a continuation of sub-maximal loading coinciding with an attempt to find the movement patterns  applicable to introducing greater loads for each athlete. I will also reintroduce auto-regulation via Parkinson’s Law in an attempt to manage fatigue and safeguard against the all-important technical sessions occurring on the track.

*Photographs courtesy of Justyn Warner via justynwarner.com