|
"SILLY BULLSHIT"
Obj: Strength
Warm up:
4x Barbell Complex (85#, 95#, 105#, 115#)
1x barbell complex = 6 reps of each:
dead lift
bent over row (back locked and at 45 degrees)
hang power clean
front squat
push press
back squat
push up
Attack the barbell - and keep it in your hands until the
back squats are done. Don't linger, or the push press
will eat you alive...
Training:
(1) Work up to 1RM Front Squat
(2) 5 Rounds
3x Front Squat @ 80-85% 1RM
15 ft Rope Climb
8x Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Presses
(Chose load so the 8th rep is hard,
but doable. Keep it tight, no legs!)
(3) 3 Rounds (Grind, not for time)
400m Run with hill
10x Dead Lifts @ 185# - Dead Stop - no bouncing!
10x Weighted Sit ups (Heavy)
Comments:
During my long hike/run yesterday I had a few more thoughts in answer to Brad's question on why not just do sport-specific
training.
1) Injury Prevention - Sport specific training leads to sport-specific strength, which is great for performance, but can
leave the athlete with strength imbalances and therefore vulnerable to injury.
2) Overuse Injuries - CrossFit monster and Black Diamond Climber Rob Miller notes that through CrossFit, and by applying
the short/intense CrossFit approach to his sport specific training, he's been able to improve his climbing performance while
spending less time actually climbing. Which translates into less overall impact to his fingers, tendons, elbows, shoulders
- which are all vulnerable to overuse injuries.
3) Performance Improvement - Strength Coach Mark Rippetoe writes in "Strong Enough?" that in the world of Olympic
weightlifting, technique improves much faster than strength. After a couple years of training, he argues, a weightlifter will
be technically proficient at the snatch. After this, all increases in weight lifted will come from improvements in strength.
"My point here is that after a certain level of technical improvment," he writes, "which occures relatively
early in a lifter's training, the quality that will always remain the most improvable is strength."
He continues that most lifters need a margin of strength over their technical ability, because no snatch is 100% technically
correct - "and if sufficient strength is available it is possible to save what would otherwise be a miss by wrestling
it back or forward or up as needed; in this way, enough strength makes perfect technique slightly less critical."
In general, Rippetoe concludes, "Great strength allows imperfect technique to be forgiven."
I saw this first hand in that old Roughman competition. In his second fight, ol' Curtis P was matched against a younger
strong-looking guy with some boxing experience. His opponent was faster, and more polished than Curtis - until Curt hit him.
Curt was so strong, that first sledge hammer opened up the other fighter's eyes and fear set in. He spent the rest of the
match running from Curt's gloves.
4) Incorporate Strength & Conditioning principals into Sport-Specific Training - Coach Rippetoe refers to strength
work as "training" and technique work as "practice" and believes the two are separate. But I think they
can be combined and have seen this down at the local rock gym.
We've been able to take basic strength and conditioning principles and applied them to the laid back, social, rock gym
scene.
We do bouldering density training - one problem every 30 seconds, for up to 30 rounds - strength laps on the climbing
wall carrying 35# packs - trying to reach failure by in just 20 hand movements, and metabolic circuits where one mode is loaded
laps on the auto-belay.
I attended a "CrossPit" Seminar a couple years ago in Santa Cruz with Chuck Liddel's coach John Hackleman. John
described circuits where he'd have Chuck do a bunch of power cleans, row 500m all-out, then have to go to the mat and grapple
full speed for two minutes.
Get the idea?
*******
Considering "Silly Bullshit" - doing the barbell complex which alone gives some of my athletes butterflies before
hand, is probably not the best idea prior to a 1 rep max attempt on the Front Squat.
Most coaches would do a simple, unloaded or very light dynamic warm up followed by some light front squats before moving
into the max attempt.
But quite frankly, I'm really not interested in how much my athletes can lift. I'm interested in getting them strong.
What's the difference? A focus on "how much they can lift" leads to short cuts on programming and exercise technique.
For example, if lifting the most weight was the main concern, I would end all metabolic and power endurance training sessions
because research has shown that aerobic or cardio training negatively impacts max strength training.
And if I was only concerned about how much my athletes can lift, I'd scrap the front squat all together, and implement
the back squat, which allows them to lift more weight because of mechanical advantages. Plus I'd have them wrap their knees,
where "squat suits" etc.
Everyone who's ever done the barbell complex knows it's not a "warm up." It is a test of strength and mental
toughness and I believe one of my best tools for developing overall strength in my athletes, while at the same time getting
in bunches of practice on basic barbell movements and exercises. It's a great bang for the buck.
- Rob Shaul
|
| Angela |
|
| Brenton |
|
| Sean finishing a complex at 115# - his first at that load. |
|
