Preview of GPP training program for elite TKD fighter
I will put my program of preparations of one elite Tae-kwon do fighter (she) for next couple of months for critiques and recomendations.
1.0 About her
She is my faculty colegue, born in 1982, weighting 57kg with height of 173cm. She had great success in TKD championships both at Europe and World level.
She have small strength training experience. Small back issues which we fixed before a month when we trained for 3 weeks. She had gone to chapionships and now is free for more long-term training plan.
She is very motivated to work (every time I say do 12-15reps, she will do 15). We must take care because her back issues, so no spine flexing, bending etc. Stability must be improved along with upper back and hip mobility and strength.
2.0 Goals (in next 1,5-2months or slighty more)
-Provide the base for more serious strength work
-Learn lifting techniques
-Progress to and learn Olympic lifts
-Develop gym work capacity
-Develop aerobic base for facilitating recovery within and between training
-Develop joints and ligamens with more high-volume low-intensity training
-Put some muslce mass on those tiny arms and legs
-Spend those little fat she have
-Develop Specific Fighting Endurance („lactate toleration“) with general means of preparation
[u]3.0 The Training System[/u]
The training system I have „developed“ regarding her preparations consists of five components which are interconnected and interrelated („System is allways bigger than the sum of its components“) altought they have their own goals. All five components are „done“ while the volume varies. This is example of Conjugates Sequency System (CSS).
- Tae-kwon do techniques/tactics
- Strength & Power
- Plymetrics/Quickness
- Work Capacity („lactate toleration“)
- Recovery & Aerobic Development
[u]4.0 Classification of the means[/u]
Within every group, training means are futher classifies regarding the
- Simmilarity with TKD match and its energetic characteristics on General (G), General-Specific (GS) and Specific (S) – Work Capacity
- Intensity (going form low to high intensity) - Plyos
- Fatigue they develop (which is very related to intensity classification) on: H (CNS fatigue), M (medium – lactate toleration and production training) and L (light intensity or recovery)
The expanded classification for indivudal system components are the following
[u]5.1 Recovery & Aerobic development[/u]
All General means
- Tempo running (L)
- Easy Medball throws (easy plyometric for hands and core) (L)
- BodyWeight exercises (L)
- Foam Roller (L)
- Massage (L)
- Sauna (L)
- Contrast Showers (L)
[u]5.2 Work Capacity („lactate“ toleration)[/u]
Sorted from General to Most Specific means
- Interval running (work/rest ratio) (M)
- Weight circuits (complexes 6-8 reps) (M)
- BodyWeight exercises (metson, medball, jumps etc) (M)
- Poligons (running + BW exercises + jumps + MB throws etc) (M)
- Havy Bag work (M-H)
- Pads (M-H)
- Sparrings (endurance goal) (M-H)
[u]5.3 Plyometrics/Quickness[/u]
Sorted from low intensity to high intensity. All means are General in nature, while some may be considered General Specific because they involve a reaction to external stimuly and kicks/punches
- Line drills, dot drill, hexagon (L)
- Agility ladder (L)
- Multy hops (L)
- Decceleration „sticks“ (double/single leg, arms) (H)
- Multy decceleration „sticks“ (double/single leg) (H)
- Multy decceleration jumps with bounds/hops (H)
- Plyos for hands (H)
- Multy jumps (in place/moving) (H)
- Depth jumps (H)
[u]5.4 Strength & Power[/u]
All general means
- Olympic lifts and & DE (H)
- Explosive Medball throws (H)
- WeightLifting (H)
- Metson (M-H)
[i]*(H) (M) (L) are the classification of the means regarding the fatigue they develop
** Note that we are NOT doing all the exercises because we don’t have an access to them. Look at this as IDEAL system I would love to use… I use what I can from it as much as various criteria allows me! [/i]
As the preparations progress to championships (altought I currently don’t know her competition calendar, because she don’t know it too – ok, kill me now 
) we would use more and more Specific Means (especially regarding Work Capacity) and more and more high intensity training with lower volume to allow peaking and Sport Form to happen. Note that I don’t know the intensities of her TKD training too, because I don’t know her coach! So, basically the system I outlined is just an OPTIMAL model I reffer to and use it in real-life situation like this. For the next couple of months we will do basical General Physical Preparations (GPP).
[u]6. Week Structure[/u]
Mon
AM: Strength Training + Work Capacity
PM: TKD practice
Tue
AM: Explosive Medball + Tempo
PM: TKD practice(?)
Wed
AM: Strength Training + Work Capacity
PM: TKD practice
Thu
AM: Tempo
PM: TKD practice(?)
Fri
AM: Strength Training + Work Capacity
PM: TKD practice
Sat
AM: Explosive Medball + Tempo
PM: TKD practice(?)
Sun
REST
[u]7. Strength training structure and progressions[/u]
The strength trainins sesson consists of the folowing „parts“
- Warm-up + Core stability + Injury prevention(?)
- Plyos Drills
- Olympic Lifts progression and acquisition
- Main strength training (whole body – 4 exercises)
- Auxilary training (hip & shoulder & ankle & wrist work)
- Work Capacity (Body Weight Exercises)
- Stretch & relaxation for improved recovery
Warm-up consists of the following stuff (We don’t do any bycicle riding and statical stretching because it dont prepare you for the lifting as this will)
- Joint Circles
- Shoulder Circle (IIYTWX)
- Hydrant (Hip mobility)
- McGill exercises (curl, bridge, side bridge, bird-dog etc)
- Dead-bug, one leg-bridge etc
- Leg raises (lying front, side)
- Scap-push up
- BW squat and split squats (8-10reps)
- Kneeling narrow Push-ups (8-10resp)
- BW Sumo squat and side split squat (8-10reps)
- Kneeling wide Push-ups (8-10resp)
- Gate swings, walking lunge, side walking lunge
- Butt-kick, jumping jacks, skips, seal jumps etc…
For core stability exercises we build reps from 5 during couple of weeks then we go down again till 5, and repeat.
Plyos drills are for now basical line drills and easy zig-zag jumps, ankling and stuff. They will progress as outlined in Plyo/quickness component. We don’t have agility ladder for now.
Olympic Lifts progress as outlined in new Mike Stone article during a period of 1,5-2month, till the some amount of strength is reached. Here is my progression:
[u]7.1 Oly progression[/u]
General strength
- Front Squat technique
- OverHead Squat
- OverHead Lunge
- DeadLifts
- Romanian DeadLifts
- Military Press
The Catch
- Snatch Catch (standing on toes, bar on shoulders, dip to overhead squat)
- Clean Catch (pull the bar to chest on toes, dip to squat and catch)
Jerk & Jump&Shrug
- Jerk
- Jump & Shrug (from power position)
First Pull
- Snatch First Pull
- Clean First Pull
Double Knee Bend
- Shrug & Jump (Emphasis on Shrug motion)
- Shrug & Jump & Throw (3+1)
- Shrug & Jump + RDL to knee level (3+3)
- Pull from knees (knees back, knees forward, jump & shrug -> with pause)
- Pull from knees (knees back, knees forward, jump & shrug -> fluid)
- Pull from knees to power snatch (1+1)
- Reverse to floor (Shrug & Jump, knees forward, knees back, start position -> with pause)
- Reverse to floor (Shrug & Jump, knees forward, knees back, start position -> fluid)
- Knees back, knees forward, Shrug & Jump (coach dirigated)
- Knees back, knees forward, Shrug & Jump (on own rhythm)
- Pyramids (both up & down)
- Full Lifts
We pick 2-3 exercises per trainining and concentrate on them for one week or more, for example
Week #1
Overhead Squat
Shrug & Jump
Week #2
Snatch Catch
Clean Catch
Shrug & Jump
Weigh is low, reps are low (3-5) and sets are about 3-5 too. Before we do those exercises we do some military pressing and front squats to prepare the shoulder for specific work to come.
[u]7.2 Main strength training [/u]
I use classification of exercises regarding movement pattern and not muscles. Basically, we pass all movement pattern during a week. I alternate between A and B session, because if I choose more than two different types there would not be enough time (frequency) to improve specific lifts, but if I pick less it is going to be boring, so I alternate between A & B workout. Some week we do ABA and the following BAB and this allows us to concentrate on some lifts more during a week. Every four weeks we choose different exercises for particular movement pattern.
Here is the example for the next two months (Phase #1):
Week #1,2,3,4
Workout A
A. Front Squat 3xN (60sec rest)
B. Lat pull-down 3xN (60sec rest)
C1. Split Squat 3xN each leg (40sec rest)
C2. Paralle DB alternative press 3xN each side (40sec rest)
D1. Shoulder circle (YTWL)
D2. Rotator cuff work
Workout B
A. Dead Lift 3xN (60sec rest)
B. Bench Press 3xN (60sec rest)
C1. Romanian Dead Lift 3xN (40sec rest)
C2. Seated Row 3xN (40sec rest)
D1. Hip circle circle (lunges, side lunges)
D2. Toe Raises, DB dorsiflexion
Week #5,6,7,8
Workout A
A. Back Squat 3xN (60sec rest)
B. Lat pull-down Narrow 3xN (60sec rest)
C1. Side Lunges 3xN each leg (40sec rest)
C2. DB Press 3xN (40sec rest)
D1. Shoulder circle (YTWL)
D2. Rotator cuff work
Workout B
A. Sumo Dead Lift 3xN (60sec rest)
B. Incline Bench Press 3xN (60sec rest)
C1. Bulgarians 3xN each leg(40sec rest)
C2. Seated Row Straigh Bar 3xN (40sec rest)
D1. Hip circle circle (lunges, side lunges)
D2. Toe Raises, DB dorsiflexion
The periodization I plan to use is the following. For example: first four weeks we use A & B exercises (exercises #1) while doing 15reps first week, 12reps second, 10resp in third, 8reps in forth. Then we change exercises. I hope you got the progression.
Phase #1 Long linear method
Exercises #1: 15,12,10, 8
Exercises #2: 12, 10, 8, 6
Phase #2 Short Undulating periodization
Exercises #1: 15, 8, 12, 5
Exercises #2: 12, 6, 8, 3
Exercises #3 (fat loss)?: 10-12,10-12, week off (or unload)
Phase #3 Daily undulating
Phase #4 Conjugated
Phass #5 Conjugate Sequence System
Every sequent traning session, we try to lift more weights for predefined rep range or we try to lift couple of reps more. There is NO failure work… only till she feels fatigue and burning sensation without technique altering
[u]8. Work Capacity work and progressions[/u]
Imediatelly after the main strangth training, we do, as Cosgrove like to call it ESD or Energy System Development. I call it Work Capacity specific to TKD match. It is basically „lactate toleration“ training, altought those who know me better knows that I hate that term. It is said that this process needs about 6-8weeks to be optimally prepared (I don’t know where I read this). We use general means because I don’t want to peak her into Sport Form prematurelly but I would also love to develop this capacity which she could use later in peraratory period and in matches. The match duration depends on organization, but we are preparing for 3x2mins with 30sec rest which is now most common. Sometime the rest pause is 1min in some organizations, but if she is prepared for 30sec pause, she is going to be with 1min too.
We do the following BW circuit, sometimes altering the exercises order and number of reps to imply new stress to body and allow futher adaptation and variety.
Boxing jumps x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
Squat jumps x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
Jumping jacks x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
Skip x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
Seals x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
Split squats x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
Flings x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
Wide-outs x 10 reps
Guard Change x 6 reps
REPEAT
She tries to do this as fast as posible while maintaining form. If the speed falls down during sets, measured as number of stations done, we STOP the exercise because she is fatigued and futher sets will teach her to perform at lousy level. Quality is more important. Just today she did 3 sets within time limits planned with all finishing on 7th exercises (not countung guard changes), and on 4th set she did 6 exercises. I didn’t wanted to go to 5th set as planed so we finished this work capacity part.
On mon she do 3 sets, wed 4 sets and fri 5 sets, thus we use volume progression. Every new week we use new work/rest ratio. Over time we progress to 2min work/30sec rest as outlined below
1’ w/ 1’30’’r (3,4,5 sets)
1’15’’ w/ 1’30’’r (3,4,5 sets)
1’15’’ w/ 1’15’’r (3,4,5 sets)
1’30’’ w/ 1’15’’r (3,4,5 sets)
1’30’’ w/ 1’r (3,4,5 sets)
1’45’’ w/ 1’r (3,4,5 sets)
1’45’’ w/ 45’’r (3,4,5 sets)
2’ w/ 45’’r (3,4,5 sets)
2’ w/ 30’’r (3,4,5 sets)
2’15’’ w/ 45’’ (3,4,5 sets)
2’15’’ w/ 30’’ (3,4,5 sets)
[u]9. Explosive medball throws[/u]
Altought explosive medball throws are considered as HI element producing CNS fatigue, and should be put together with other HI activities (HI/LO programming), she is pretty new to this kind of activity and thus she can manage to do it without accumulating fatigue. On the other side, intensity in the gym is pretty low. Later on we will try to figure something out.
We use 2kg medball, throwed for 5 times for 2-3 sets in a given exercise. We pick about three exercises for a given workout with a full rest between them.
Progression is based on increasing number of sets for 1-2 and then using more heavir medball. Keep volume low and intensity and quality high.
[u]10. Tempo workout[/u]
Tempo is used to provide recovery and to stimulate aerobic system and thus provide faster recovery between and within training sessions and provide a base for more strenuous Work capacity work later.
Warm-up fot tempo session consist of the following stuff
- Joint rotations in moving (walking arm rotations, hurdle step etc)
- BW strength and dynamic flexibility (squats, split squats, push-ups, sumos, walking lunges, walking sumo lunges etc)
- Dynamic work (butt kicks, easy skip, cariocas, A & B skips, etc)
- Specific work (easy medball throws)
We provide „entrance“ from 1.200m per training to 1.600m in couple of weeks. Later we keep same week volume but we „play“ with rest pauses, both between reps and between sets to stimulate aerobic system as she adapt to a given work/rest ratio. The intensity is allways below 75% of the distance time (20sec for 100m, 42 for 200m). Sometime I play with 200m distance position and number in a workout to provide variety and greater load (put two in side-by-side or simmilar)
Week #1
100+100+100
100+100+100
100+100+100
100+100+100
Week #2
100+100+100
100+100+100+100
100+100+100+100
100+100+100
Week #3
100+100+100
100+200+100
100+100+100
100+100+100
Week #4
100+100+100
100+200+100
100+200+100
100+100+100
Week #5
100+100+100
100+200+100+100
100+200+100+100
100+100+100
Between sets we do various medball throws as „aerobic work“ for hands. Some single leg variations are also done to stimulate hip and knee stability.
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