The Management of Fitness
I missed the blog last month and at this point I can't remember the exact reason (I’m getting old), but what I do know is that I was mega busy and when that happens, sometimes you have to prioritise.
For me, the blog is important, but it doesn't bring in any money, I write it because i enjoy talking about coaching and the people I coach, it also takes about 3 to 4 hours to write, so naturally it was the thing that took a back seat.
Trainings the same, sometimes, somethings need to take a back seat.
Whether it's a case of consolidating sessions due to lack of time in your life, cutting back on the number of movements or focusses, modifying the intensity you're doing due to recovery constraints, or prioritising certain qualities over others, it's all part of the management of training and often something people struggle with.
Coming in to write this, I don't have a plan outside of talking about clients, I never do, but hopefully thats the way I'm going to steer things today, with an eye on the management of training and hopefully you can take something from it.
Here goes!
First off, I'd like to welcome Avin to the team! Avins in his first month of coaching with the goal of adding size and strength. So as an initial goal, we're looking at around 0.25kg of weight gain per week to limit adding fat to his frame. We're 3 weeks in and he's already made some great strength gains, so watch this space.
Limit fat gain
It's easy to get carried away when looking to add weight to your frame. The goal often dictates eating more and that can be just as tricky to do right as losing weight is. As a baseline for natural athletes, I like to seek a rate of weight gain of 0.1% to 0.25% of bodyweight per week topping out at 0.25kg per week which depending on experience. For Avin, we've opted for the 0.25kg per week option initially to take advantage of the initial responses of the style change. Yes, those numbers are low and progress is slow, but don't be fooled by what people achieve on social media, especially where PEDs are involved. Some accumulation of body fat when gaining weight is inevitable, but the slow rate of gain will help to limit body fat accumulation during the weight gaining phase which will make the subsequent fat loss phase to fully reveal what we've built, much more manageable.
Barbara had a really nice end to her training cycle taking PBs all-round. PBs in the Jerk of 46kg x1 and Hang Clean of 52.5kg x1 culminated in a PB C&J of 44.5kg. Barbara also hit new 1RMs in the Deadlift of 85kg and Bench Press of 38.5kg signalling that Barbaras strength is at an all time high.
I hate saying it, but injuries are part of the game and largely (unless you're training like a dick and ignoring the signs) unpredictable. It's taken us 8 to 12 weeks to get Chris back to near full strength from a knee injury that occurred on a 310kg Dinnie attempt and we're just about there and pushing on for his goal to lift the Dinnie Stones in October. During the last 8 to 12 weeks, importantly, we've continued on doing what we can to maintain strength and focussed on movements that don't cause pain while also looking to gain confidence, stability and range in the injured knee. Things like Floor Presses, Chest Supported Rows and Block Deadlifts that take away the need to put pressure through the knee while also being scaleable and progressable as rehab went on have been mainstays in Chris' program. Now that Chris is Squatting confidently again, we're able to push on in the Dinnie lifts and we're in a better place than we would have been if we hadn't continued a focus on what we can do.
Working around Injury
First off, I'm not a physio, so this is not physio advice, but when working around an injury or niggle, the best thing to do is to continue to train in some way. The general advice I give to dictate the training is:
Discomfort is ok, pain is not and generally we're looking for a pain rating under 3/10 for us to be willing to do a movement.
When selecting movements, i'll look see if we can get away with limiting the ROM of a movement first (while maintaining a useful range) and if that doesn't work i'll look for a movement we can load without pain. Personally for me, limiting load is the last thing on the list of modifications where possible as it's the load that will keep the body strong.
In terms of rehabbing the injured area, I work closely with a qualified physio (Darren at Pro Health Physio)and collaborate rather than taking the reigns myself, and whether they like to play pretend physio or not, your coach fucking should too (fuck it grinds my gears when someone with anything but a relevant qualification plays physio).
In terms of what you'll see from rehab, you'll usually see a phase of isometrics and partial ROM movements that focus on maintaining strength and regaining stability in the effected area, which then move into a phase of eccentrics, followed by concentric and eventually into some low level plyos, all while looking to increase the ROM of the joint or muscle.
Thats just the focus and the general phases however, thats the easy stuff and moving through different phases that build on one another isn't to far from what my skillset allows me to understand. The real skill is being able to assess and diagnose the issue while selecting relevant movements to help someone recover from the problem and thats something I'm not going to touch without the relevant training.
Beware the 'professional' who thinks reading a book qualifies them as an expert in something they're not qualified in.
Cori has had a nice time of it and has hit PBs of 330kg x10m in the yoke and an impressive 70kg 1RM in the MDB. Monster DB is something we've focussed on recently and the gains from not only the skill work we've been doing, but also the assistance work we've picked in the BTN Snatch Grip Push Press and the Brace Press have started coming through. If you want to know the process I used to pick those two movements to compliment the MDB work we've been doing, just download my Simple Strength eBook. Full disclosure, you're not getting a program or why those movements specifically help the MDB. You're getting my whole thought process around how I select assistance movements.
It's a freebie from me to you. Download here.
James has his eyes set on Natural Strongman Junior Worlds and wants that Axle FTOH world record. The record stands at 155kg. James just hit 150kg in training for a nice PB. Will it fall in August?
Big Jo after walking to the win at Natural Strongman UKs Strongest Junior, Jo now also has his sights set on Natural Strongman Junior Worlds, Jo doesn't have his sights on a world record though, he has his sights on retaining his world title. After UKs Strongest Junior Jo hit a nice Deadlift PB of 280kg.
Learn your athletes
Every coach has their tendencies and preferences, stuff they believe works. But it's important to be bendable and learn your athletes also. Recently, Jo has a habit of hitting PBs after competition. Part of that is because there's sometimes not the opportunity to hit a new 1RM before competition if there's a rep event we're training for, part of it though is that maybe I need to start tapering him a little earlier for his competition if the haven't is a 1RM or heavy event. This is particularly apparent on the Deadlift. Going forward Jos last heavy deadlift will likely be more like 17 or so days out rather than 10 or so. I'll likely take this stance with his overhead and heavy moving events too which may be more like 11 to 14 days out rather than the usual 7 days. Most people respond to the same sort of things, so you don't have to invent the wheel, but people are people and learning your athletes is an important part of managing their training effectively.
The last of my world class 'Js', Jonny is looking better and better each week in training as we ramp up for Natural Strongman U105 Worlds. Jonny will be looking to take the Axle FTOH world record while fighting for a podium spot. In the run up, Jonny has hit 120kg in the Axle Clean & Jerk which is a PB Split Jerk, but far from his best overhead while also hitting a Rep PB on Axle Deadlift of 240kg. Jonnys going to be coming into worlds pretty hot and we hope to be clinical across the board after a killer mistake on the rubber atlas stones cost him the title of Natural Strongmans UKs Strongest U105 back in May.
I've been putting Liam though his paces in the first weeks of his new training cycle, lots of sets and timed rest periods on the main compounds to drive growth and build a monumental base. Comments like 'My coach hates me' and 'Has made me exceedingly strong, does not care for how I feel during sets 😂' in our whatsapp chat sum up the phase well. Before that however Liam finished off his last training cycle very nicely with a Deadlift PB of 242.5kg. Liam isn't afraid of hard work and it's why we've managed to add 30kg to his frame in the last 3 or so years while sky rocketing his strength.
Marco had a great finish to his last training cycle taking 110kg for a double in the Front Squat adding 5kg to his 1RM in the process. He also took a PB Power Clean of 100kg and that elusive 70kg 1RM Snatch. Big progress and a great spring board to continue to propel forwards from.
Maries training has changed recently, we've moved away from Olympic Weightlifting as a focus and more towards a training style that will get her generally stronger on the Basketball court. The Snatch and C&J are still in, it's just not the full focus and thats shown with a new 3RM of 90kg Marie hit in the Deadlift. She's also doing a lot of bodybuilding work.
Switching Training Styles
The traditional Deadlift is not something I'd have in an Olympic Weightlifting program, I also probably wouldn't include as much bodybuilding style work as i'm giving Marie either.
The neural and lower back fatigue of the deadlift are too high and I find when it's included in an Olympic Weightlifting program, it effects your weightlifting movements for at least 48 hours afterwards, combine that with the muscular damage and fatigue that bodybuilding style training elicits and thats not exactly good for progress int the Snatch or Clean.
Deadlifts and extra bodybuilding however are useful for Marie right now as they will create a great stimulus.
Maries not done a traditional Deadlift in a good while while so the movement will help in building some great full body strength and the bodybuilding will do exactly what it should in helping to build some extra muscle during pre-season.
Right now we're lifting for strength and size, but we'll eventually look to transfer those qualities into something useful on the basketball court and thats when the Olympic lifts willcome front and centre again.
Marie still has the Snatch and C&J in her program, but careful management is needed to prevent the Deadlift interfering with the small amount of Weightlifting still included.
As the Basketball season gets closer, Marie will be Deadlifting less and less as we look to manage overall load while looking to improve average bar speeds.
As a side note, I've ran hybrid programs that include weightlifting and strongman, I found I had to deadlift on a day that proceeded a rest day to get the most out of my training.
Olivia ended her training cycle beautifully getting stronger everywhere a Strongwoman would want to get stronger. I'll leave a list below.
Axle Push Press - 72.5kg x1
Deadlift - 155kg x1
Split Jerk - 87.5kg x1
Split Jerk - 90kg x1
Bench Press - 75kg x1
Bench Press - 77.5kg x1
Dinnies - 200kg x1
Olivia is the type of athlete that likes variety to keep things fresh, but variety doesn't mean no progress when you do it right and the management of the movements you decide to rotate is key.
Pavlos put in a great performance at WHEA UK Strongest U100 taking second place. The highlight being a 305kg 18in Axle Deadlift for the win in the event.
Prioritisation
Periodisation is really just a posh way of saying prioritisation of training and with Pavlos, we've been prioritising the weak events that we identified at Natural Strongman UK Finals which were the Deadlift, Moving Speed and Bag Toss. To prioritise these we simply pulled a lot of the traditional assistance work out of his Deadlift session and essentially turned the early week deadlift session into a Strongman events session focussed on his weakness'.
More exposure = more practice and more practice often leads to improvements. Managing a training program is about being pragmatic. Two event sessions in a week is not the norm, but to be an extraordinary athlete, normal usually doesn't cut it.
Sam is deep into his golf season and one of the things we have to watch that is specific to Sam is his hamstring volume the day before playing golf due to a historic hamstring tear. One of the ways we're managing that is through a body part style split (Squat / Press / Deadlift) which makes it easier to be flexible and move sessions around based on the day Sam is competing. In my opinion its probably not the best way to make the most progress for Sams strength as it cuts the frequency of each movement down and subsequently gives him less practice, but right now it is a great way for us to manage Sams strength training his golf season given his specific circumstance. Sam also hit a new 5RM Pause Squat of 125kg.
Front Squats are my jam and I truly believe they lead to much more than leg strength when it comes to strongman training and better loading events and bigger push presses are just two of the additional benefits. Scott increased his Front Squat 5RM to 100kg recently and as such, increased his potential as a strongman which showed at the Scottish Week Games where he put in a magnificent performance where he earned PBs on the Conans Wheel and Farmers carry along with meeting every goal we set for the competition.
Setting Goals For Competition
I like to set goals for competitions outside of PBs. Times, number of implements and a fast whatever are all relevant. PBs aren't always possible in conditions of competition, but if you can identify something that would signify progress that makes the goal clear on competition day and makes training much easier to prioritise and manage.
Wil has had some time away, not from me as a coach, but from his normal training and while he's remained active, there's just not been the time to get in the gym due to the training he's had to do for his job. That mean't switching his training from 3 lifting sessions a week to one with a minimum effective dose approach.
Something Is Better Than Nothing
One session of minimum effective dose for retaining strength doesn't sound like much, and it's not and it's certainly not going to illicit much, if any progress.
It's essentially a triple double or single at 85%+ with a couple of sets of back offs at around 70%, or something like 5x2 at 80% done on the main barbell compounds or the target lifts that drive your progress. For Wil that was Squat, Bench & Deadlift.
While this type of training week is not going to illicit progress, it will put you in a better position to get back to your normal training when things calm down.
Remember, something is better than nothing and re-starting from 1 step back is better than re-starting from 3 steps back.
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.
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Jack is gearing up for the NTB Open this week in our Online Weightlifting Team and he's in a great place mentally and physically for it. This past training cycle we've focussed on bringing up the Split Jerk and increasing our strength off the floor. I think Jacks done just that judging by his recent PBs in the Split Jerk of 116kg x2, 120kg x1, 120kg x2, 124kg x1 and 130kg x1. He also hit a PB Clean + Front Squat + Jerk of 116kg signalling that there's plenty of strength for a heavy Jerk after a hard clean now.
Our Online Weightlifting Team follows the British Weightlifting competition calendar with a focus on the bigger national competitions and the regional ones in the North East of England and is perfect for those competing in that area and for those looking for guidance and a periodised and focussed program.
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Our Online Strongman Team is gearing up for Natural Strongman Worlds along with the Units strongest and out Strongman Team athletes have been making great progress!
New team member Dwayne is crossing over from Powerlifting into strongman and is making great progress taking new 1RMs in the Log Press of 105kg x1, Deadlift of 250kg x3 and Sandbag to Shoulder of 140kg x1. Dwayne has built loads of strength in a different sport and now it's time to unlock that and transition that strength into something useful for strongman.
Transitioning Strength Qualities Into Sport
Transitioning strength qualities into a sport may sound complex, but it's as easy as playing or performing your sport.
My programming never falls far from the tree of what it's meant to do so I rarely play around with 'specific' exercises for each sport.
Sams program looks like a normal strength program and as long as he continues to consistently play his sport, that will provide the transitional context to move his new upper and lower body strength into his swing.
Marie is currently training to get stronger on the basketball court so we jump, snatch & clean as her explosive work and then we look to get stronger and build muscle. Playing basketball consistently will teach her to use that new strength and muscle in time.
And Dwayne is transitioning from Powerlifting to Strongman, the two sports aren't miles apart but I do find Powerlifters often struggle with moving events initially. How do we get better at that? We practice the moving events with the intent to move fast. Over the course of time, that average moving speed will increase if thats the intent you carry in your training.
My point is, you don't need overly complex set ups or exercises so that somebody can claim it's specific. Do the basics well in the weight room and play your sport.
It's as simple as that.
The split jerk is something thats not just for Olympic Weightlifters and something our Strongman Team also focusses on. Why? Because it's a better way to put things overhead once you grasp the technique. Stephen's not at the point where his Jerk has surpassed his push press yet, but he is making progress. A signal that a new 1RM Spliut Jerk of 100kg confirms.
Our Online Strongman Team follows the UK Natural Competition Calendar with room to stop off and compete through a few other competitions too. It’s perfect for those competing on the circuit and for beginners who don’t plan to compete yet but want a coaches guidance and a periodised plan.
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Jorge is benefiting from the consistency and structure of our Get Big Get Strong Team and is hitting plenty of PBs taking 150kg x5 in the Deadlift. Jorge also dabbles in Strongman and combines the events session from our strongman team with Day 1 & 2 of the GBGS team to create a bespoke program that works for him training out of his garage for 2 days of the week and out of a strongman gym for the other and it's lead to PBs in Axle CTOH of 60kg x5 and Yoke of 200kg x20m. It's an odd structure but Jorge asked so I found a way and it's working for him.
Our Get Big Get Strong Online Team was created for those who class themselves as the average gym goer. For those that want to get stronger in the big barbell movements, who want world class coaching with a world class program, but who have no aspirations to compete in a strength sport and want a life outside of the gym.
Want to Join our Get Big Get Strong Online Team? Click the link below to book for a free trial.
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Thats it.
I started at around 9am today and it's currently 1:30pm, so I wasn't far off with the 4 hours and as usual, there’s been no proof read or spell check because I just don’t haver the time to do it.
I hope you've enjoyed reading about my athletes and the thought process' that go into managing their varied programs and as you can see, I'm not a one size fits all coach, everyone gets what I believe they need for their situation at that time, so if you're stuck with your training, think I can help and want me to manage your training and fitness, it's as simple as dropping me a message.
Until next time
Adam