Ground Contacts or Time Under Tension...

Expert Discussion Strength Training
1

I know Time Under Tension is mostly a bodybuilding concept that is used most often to describe the length of a set or repetition, but has anyone more formally organized recovery for different types of power/strength work? Standard ratios would suggest a rest:work ratio of 8+:1 ratio for plyometric and heavy strength or power work, but I’m looking for more a more specific protocol? Even Dr. Chu’s suggestions in Jumping Into Plyometrics seem oversimplified. For instance, if you perform a set of plyometric jumps or olympic lifts, not all work performed is plyometric or power work, given that most would utilize rest-pauses between repetitions. I get tired of people saying take 2 minutes here and 3 minutes there without giving recovery more thought? I’ve recently read mark verstegen’s “core performance” (which is more like a “body for life” program than a book on sports performance) and I was disappointed to realize that an author who spends an entire chapter on regeneration and recovery and talks of “active” and “passive” recovery failed to mention the rest required for sets of “elasticity”/plyometric work in his chapted on program design. So, any specific recommendations?

2

I thought for plyos it’d just be full recovery. Same for olympic lifts unless you were doing LA training or something…I guess you want specific ratios though?

3

Exactly, what is the definition of full recovery given the amount of variation between intensities? I’ve even seen bompa say, 4 minutes here, 8 minutes here, 10 minutes here, to describe rest given a specific type of training but with no indication as to the volume, length of the set, or intensity. Something a little more concrete.

4

Well, I doubt anyone has some type of formula with variables of volume, intensity, and length. It’s such an individual thing. Some people might take 3 minutes to repeat a >90% lift and some might take over 5.

5

it exists…nobody wants to share it though…

6

Full recovery is highly individual and highly specific to the task. For maximal power work CT recommends 4 minutes. I’d have to agree with that.

7

Plyometric guidelines for volume and recovery (developing athletes)

I. multi jumps
A. volume
1. preparation phase (1-3x weekly)
a) reps = 8-20
b) sets = 10-20
c) total volume = 150-250 contacts

2. competitive phase (1x weekly)
a) reps = 2-6
b) sets =5-10
c) total volume = 70 -100 contacts

B. recovery

  1. preparation phase
    a) 30-60 sec. between sets
    b) 2-3 min. between different exercises

  2. competitive phase
    a) 1-2 min. between sets
    b) 3-5 min. between different exercises

II. Depth jumps

A. volume

1. prepparation phase (1x weekly)
 a) reps = 8-10
 b) sets = 2-5
 c) total volume = 20-50 contacts

 2. competitive phase (1x weekly if no competition)
 a) reps = 5-10
 b) sets = 1-2
 c) total volume = 10-20 contacts

B. recovery

  1. preparation phase
    a) 3-5 min. between sets
    b) 5-7 min. between exercises

2.competitive phase
a) 5-7 min. between sets
b) full recovery between exercises

The above are guidelines by Dan Pfaff.

8

i find, 4min 37.5 sec is just perfect. Any more and i get too cold, and any less, well, i’m not recovered. :smiley: