I am currently involved into women volleyball as s/c coach. I wanted to implement some of Block System Concepts into yearly plan, but experienced some ‘walls’ during the implementation (mainly organizational). I also experinced the KISS principle - Keep It Simple Stupid (and Short) and saw that the athletes are way more inexperienced and don’t need such a complex programming. I guess that this kind of modified ‘block system’ (emphasis system vertically organized) used with specific athletes (read experienced) under specific context (comp calendar) is do-able and soundly-designed.
Anyway, this was a starting point and a good mental gym
Unfortunally, the graph is on Serbian and I don’t have time nor will to translate it into english.
I have also modified the blocks on the go, based on my own observations and feeling what still need to be done in more volume/emphasis. Currently, we are more inclined toward more ‘concurrent plan’: doing strength training, short sprints, MB throws, hurlde jumps, etc, etc, depending on how much time I have with the girls.
Great job as always, Duxx. It’s great to share programs with others. One question, though: is there any chance of an English translation? I can pick up most of it, but for many of the terms, I’m not sure!
I have tried something similar. I observed that even my so-called “advanced” lifters were more novice than they even thought. For this reason I simplified to 3 strength exercises per workout also using a hybrid concurrent model. Your findings are right on - I wish I could read that translation though.
We have three days free from practices, so I will translate it today or tomorrow and hopefully post another modifications I made on the go. Some of the stuff I planned to do were not done I found them not needed in a given complexity. I’ll give my best to explain as much as I can, though, as my time and good will allows
Anyway, I would love to add (gaphically):
When in doubt:
This is one thing I learned recently… going to be my main principle in further career!
Ok guys, here is the translated version of the chart.
And here are loading parameters within each block
Based on these two charts (and one more chart that splits the training means into general/specific/competition), one can design microcycles for each period utilizing couple of design principles for each microcycle. Basically, you approach the desing ‘vertically’ and acquire basic parameters from the two charts and other parameters are common sense, load alternation within microcycle, key sessions, work-rest, etc, etc.
I’m a little curious on the length of time the index of training stress remains constant into the peak form/competition period (Green line). Is this totally accurate or is there some variability in the stress to allow form to be held for so long?
It is rather a conceptual line to differentiate between accumulation period (where training stress - load progressively increase) and SPP (MxS and EXP) where the athlete need to maintain a given workload. This concept actually came from Elite Concepts e-book. And yes, there are oscillations in the curve (emphasis/quality switch, opponent, reaction of the athletes, travel, opponent, etc, etc) and can also be seen from load-level of the microcycles within each block (A, L, I, R).
Basically, it is not something you can ‘measure’ numerically (maybe total trainign time, or session RPE * training time, etc), but the basic concept behind it is that once the athletes develop work capacity (in accumulation period), the training stress should be more or less stable, so once the load goes down, the taper can be held for a longer time and motor abilities can continue to be developed over the season. Digestible?
Please note that this is on the paper. Realization of this plan was hi-jacked by mis-understanding and lack of real co-operation between me and the head coach who was accustomed working alone, without s/c coach. It would be easy for me to test this if I was a head coach (maybe in far future in some sport) but for now I think I cannot work on my full potential and rather adapt from day to day and what is left in the athletes after team practices… This is the curse of s/c coaches, along with not getting medals too.
