A question on Strength: Intensity & Volume loading

Hey. Quick question for you all. I'm sure to get some good answers from this question.

I was under the impression that for a strength based cycle, both the intensity and volume would increase as the weeks progress. Let's say for 4 weeks for the sake of an example. So the volume would start at a moderate , to moderate high level & intensity starting at a moderate level, then both increasing throughout the cycle. We'll say for 4wks for the sake of an example

For a Power cycle, volumewould start moderate to moderately high, with intensity being moderate (by moderate I mean around 70-75%). Then as the 4wks progress, the volume would decrease while the intensity rise.

As a general rule, is this right? Markos is going to LOVE this area.

I generally drop the volume as the weight goes up on the bar. That seems to work best for my lifters, though if someone needs the volume, I'm not adverse to loading up on them.

the guys from PA all follow pretty popular PL programs, they will be able to answer this better.

deleted by user

For a Power cycle, volumewould start moderate to moderately high, with intensity being moderate (by moderate I mean around 70-75%). Then as the 4wks progress, the volume would decrease while the intensity rise.

Click to expand...

Is this in regards to explosive power as in athletics, jumping, oly lifting?

Wouldnt more power always lead to more explosiveness as you are able to move a lighter weight faster then your 1rm?

Just curious..

Yep that is power, more work in less time. I am just making sure PB means what I think he means, some people get confused by some terms.

I train using a linear cycle, starts with higher volume and lower intensity, and moves towards high intensity and low volume at the end of the cycle.

Pretty standard.

Yep, I agree with Simon.

You want to come into the comp somewhat fresh

Question for you PB are you referring to linear periodisation for this question? As in you are going from a prep to hypertrophy to strength to power? Personally I am not the biggest fan of simple linear periodisation and I am sure you have heard the arguments against it so I won't homonym why unless you want me too.

Power is really the utilization of your maximal force production at a given speed of movement. So you either want a higher force max or a faster speed of movement. Depending on the sport you have chosen the methods will change. Now you can practice at a given % of your 1RM, I like to utilize lower % first and cycle through to higher %'s. So to start with it may be a 40% lift and end with an 60-80%. This all depends on the sport a Shot Putter will need higher %'s than a sprinter but it also depends on their original abilities.

Personally I like to think that you train reactive ability, speed and strength and then look to increase the athletes expression of strength by using weighted explosive movements. These should all of course be trained together during a cycle so as to not lose ability in either one. You may start with low impact plyo work and progress to high drop jumps and absorptions for reactive strength while starting with more volume lower intensity weight lifting and progressing to higher intensity smaller volume lifts through the cycle.

I hope that helps and doesn't make anything more complicated.
Posted via Mobile Device

PTC said:

I generally drop the volume as the weight goes up on the bar. That seems to work best for my lifters, though if someone needs the volume, I'm not adverse to loading up on them.

the guys from PA all follow pretty popular PL programs, they will be able to answer this better.

Click to expand...

What coach Markos is doing is what every sensible Olympic weightlifting coach does world wide. Why? Because no sane coach would want to see his athletes drop like flies in front of his eyes.

Now is there an exception to the rule? Yes but it's a very rarely used exception, where high volume is married to a high intensity workout. By that I mean reps performed are in the vicinity of 90-95% of the lifter's 1RM in addition to performing more sets than usual.

Again, why is this done?

Basically to test the limits and to force an adaptation. And yes athletes (high level athletes) do suffer because of this injection but that's all it is, an injection (in the same way our children get immunised), top level athletes force the immune system to adapt by taking it into hell territory (just to strengthen the hell out of it).

My words are not based on wiki this or study that. My words are based on what I and others at the level that I was in did do, an yes we all suffered until we reached our maximum limit.

What was that limit or its signs? Depression.

Solution?

Nothing that few days off wouldn't bloody fix and get us back buzzing for more action.

Take home message: leave the high volume/high intensity combo in the hands of a capable coach who knows his athletes backwards or suffer the consequences.


Fadi.

macmad said:

I'm confused on what you consider the difference between Strength and Power?

Click to expand...

See if you can remember my formula:

When strength (force) is married to speed they beget a baby named Power!

What is strength? Strength is the ability to move/lift an object that is as heavy as humanely possible irrespective of the time it takes to move or lift it.

What is speed? It is a measurement of how fast an object is moving.

What is power? Power is how fast one can move a heavy object (or speed and strength combined).

You will always hear the expression: "wow that was a very powerful explosion", but you won't hear the word "strong" explosion because an explosion is an explosion due to the speed and force that are generated in an extremely short time, that’s what makes it explosive.

Take a look at a powerlifter performing a dead lift vs. a weightlifter performing a snatch. Without applying any scientific talk here, your eyes will always see what the powerlifter is doing but fail miserably to figure out how that snatch got up above head (unless you see it in slow motion). A powerlifter is much stronger than a weightlifter but a weightlifter is much more powerful than a powerlifter, all thanks to their unique way of training.

I respect both.


Fadi.

Fadi;112192 a weightlifter is much more powerful than a powerlifter said:

Fadi.[/COLOR]

Click to expand...

I thought that would have more to do with the individual's genetic make up regardless of sport, Shane Hamman for example , There are special rugby league players that can generate a lot more force than others and it's not because of the way they train, I use boxers as another example.

///////////////////////

Hello,

Genetics do play a small role in power, but in boxing ''power'' is speed !!

Just like in lifting weights, a heavier mass is harder to move quicker,

You being some 35kg heavier than myself would 'generally" be slower,

You would have more weight behind your punch, but the force, because of the speed would be less.

The more you train that punch movement , the more the body will adapt, and get QUICKER and the more powerfull your punch will be.

Im guessing this formula would be the same in lifting, so the more times you rep a 100kg squat (example) the more your body will adapt , making the move quicker, more explosive and you more powerfull at squating 100kg.

Hello said:

I thought that would have more to do with the individual's genetic make up regardless of sport,

Click to expand...

You won’t get any argument from me Hello. The type of training I’m talking about here would serve to accentuate a person’s genetic make up rather than hinder it wouldn’t you agree?

There are special rugby league players that can generate a lot more force than others and it's not because of the way they train,,

Click to expand...

That is strength hallo and not power unless you factor in the time it takes to genertae that force as I have described above. I'm saying this now because you have quoted me on power and not strength.

Hallo, are you disagreeing with something I wrote? If so, please tell me where so we can discuss it please. Thank you.


Fadi.

But what separates the champions from the average chrisp it can't be training and effort as i sure there have been many a boxer or weightlifter etc. that has poured there heart into becoming the best over a lifetime yet never come close surely some human beings are born superior athletes and body types that take advantage of different sports.

Fadi said:

Hallo, are you disagreeing with something I wrote? If so, please tell me where so we can discuss it please. Thank you.

Fadi.

Click to expand...

I was questioning the notion of the OL being definitely much more powerful than the PL because of the way they train when maybe certain power lifters like Shane Hamman who converted to Olympic lifting i think would be powerful either way because they are genetic freaks as i also believe there could be others in power lifting that may be the same and also possess comparable power as Olympic lifters.

Fadi said:

That is strength hallo and not power unless you factor in the time it takes to genertae that force as I have described above. I'm saying this now because you have quoted me on power and not strength.

Fadi.

Click to expand...

Yes i used the wrong word, generate power, My point was they train the same but some are superior athletes not because of the training which you have just explained in this comment.

Fadi said:

The type of training I’m talking about here would serve to accentuate a person’s genetic make up rather than hinder it wouldn’t you agree?

Click to expand...

And yes i do but i thought you were implying something else in the first comment i replied to.

I should add i am not trying to spout anything as fact, just thinking out loud.

surly some human beings are born superior athletes and body types that take advantage of different sports.

ABSOLOUTLY,, there are freaks,

Without going of topic tho, I believe what seperates the 'majority' is some pour there hearts out, AND some pour there hearts out and then a little more.

Knowledge, is another thing that separates the 'majority' of us , most of us as lifters wasted the first few years doing all the wrong things, which leads into experiance , usally by the time we have the experiance weve lost the best years,WHICH in tern leads to trainers or coach's .

What im getting at is, 'the majority' of athletes that are at the top of there game ,,

started at a young age, = Experiance
are completely dedicated, = pour there hearts out, and then some
have the best coach's = knowledge

What im saying is what i think referer's to say the top 20% , and genitics or natural skill maybe top 5% ????

//////////////////////////////