so, if you want to increase your strength - increase your training weights. the question is how to do it.
first way: increase weight every training session (add a little weight, 1 kilo or 2)
second way: train with constant weight, then when you feel it easy test your real strength and count percentage of training weights on the basis of your new 1RM or 2 or 3RM.
what way should sprinter go?
Neither, both will lead to staleness in all other than trainers new to strength training (observe many guys in the gym lifting the same weights for months on end and wondering why they aren’t getting any stronger).
Take a look around the threads on strength training here, or any other site, and experiment with ways of cycling volume and intensity.
or use the conjugate method which has proven extremely effective.
I’m no sprinter but I progress like so:
When I can do 6reps x 5 sets well on my last set if I can do 8 or 9 reps I move the weight up. I work on that weight until I can reach the 6reps x 5 sets. Then I stay for say a few weeks or so then move up when I can. As long as the weights go up it is good.
It is good to cycle as other have mentioned and have a progression week, or 2 in fact then an impact, rest week, impact, rest, progression, impact, rest etc.
On my OL I work off a % of my 1RM max.
Koing
The way I train is the following
training 1: 6 reps 4 reps 2 reps 2 reps 4 reps
training 2: 5x 10reps
I increase my weight when I can make the whole training. It works for me, because the last 3 years I made 10kg (22lbs) progression a year on benchpress and 20kg (44lbs) a year on squads. Other exercises I train different, but I think the key to succes is increasing your weights when you can finish your whole training. for example when you want to do 3 x10 reps, and you can do 2 x10 and 1x 9 (week 1) you are not ready to increase the weight, but a week later when you can do 3 x10 (week 2)you know that you can increase the weights for week 3
Progressive overload works IMO. Some guys don’t get any stronger because they are doing the same exercises month in month out and there is no rotation or variation, nor dedication or determination when they don’t see results. There are some exercises that never stray from my workouts that I believe are dead certs, but I’m always looking to use variations every 2/3 weeks especially in Squats, Deads & G-Mornings…
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Progressive overload process - this process involves the breakdown of muscle fibers (micro trauma) with increased stress (overload stimulus) that is greater than the previous workout. After overloading the muscle there must be appropriate rest and recovery in order for the muscle to completely heal and repair. If rest and nourishment are maximized the muscle tissue will adapt (adaptation) by getting stronger and larger (hypertrophy).
Variation Overload:
Under-dose overload: If a client does not stimulate the muscle with an overload that is equal or greater than the previous workout the muscle will not respond with increased strength. It will only respond to the level at which it is stimulated. In fact, the muscle will regress to the level of stress that is applied.
Maintained -overload: If the client stimulates the muscle with the same stimulus or overload as the previous workout the muscle tissue will remain at the same level of strength.
Increased-overload: If the client stimulates the muscle tissue with a greater stimulus than the previous workout, the muscle tissue will progress with increased strength.
Overdose-overload: Too much stimulus results in excessive breakdown of muscle tissue and creates overtraining complications.
HIT - Triple Progressive Overload
The “double progressive” overload technique involves adding weight and/ or increasing the number of reps from the previous workout. The HIT system utilizes the “double progressive” technique and then adds a third component, time under tension. The third component then creates the “triple progressive” overload process. This is essential for direct accountability of accurate strength gains, perfect reps and eliminating non-productive sets.
Triple Progressive Overload Technique
Increase Time under Tension
Increase Reps
Increase Weight & Do Not Cheat!
The “triple progressive” overload technique reinforces the significance of the controlled rep and of the strength accountability necessary to accurately assess strength gains. In order for the HIT system to be maximally successful the client and trainer must understand how to implement the “triple progressive” overload process. The following is a detailed description of the three variables involved:
The following is an example of a client that performs more reps but actually less work. During Monday’s workout the client uses 100 pounds on the leg extension machine and executes 10 reps in 70 seconds. The average rep speed was 7 seconds. The next workout, two days later, the client uses 100 pounds again on the leg extension and performs 12 reps in 60 seconds. The average speed per rep is 5 seconds. This is below the acceptable rep speed guideline for HIT, and was 10 seconds less than the time under tension performed on Monday. The client is convinced that they got stronger due to the fact that they performed two more reps than in the previous workout. However, because the time under tension was 10 seconds less, and the resistance was the same, the client did not increase the overload intensity. The difference was that the client used greater momentum and performed less work (reduced tension) per rep during the set. As a result they actually performed less work. The bottom line is that the HIT system requires specific guidelines that must be understood and practiced in order to achieve maximum strength gains and have direct accountability of strength improvement with each set. Accurate records are essential.
Based on the above example, the following is the correct approach: The client should keep the weight at 100 lbs. for the next workout and try to exceed the time of tension, 70 seconds, to failure. This would show accountable strength gains and will ensure that the client does not cheat by adding more momentum to the set.
Most non-HIT clients are not even aware of their rep speeds and will average 1.5 to 2.5 seconds per rep. Performing reps at that speed will minimize muscle recruitment and limit the client’s ability to maximize strength gains through the full range of motion.
We realize that it is not practical to use a stopwatch to time every set. However, we do highly recommend that the client and trainer use a wristwatch and get a rough idea how long each set takes to complete. The client needs to experiment with time under tension because there is a dramatic learning curve that must be experienced if the program is going to be successful.
2 ) Increase Reps - Set a rep range and focus on reaching the high end of the rep range during the set (refer to table A below). In addition, there must be a time under tension range that corresponds with the rep range. For example, a client sets a rep range from 10 to 12 reps which would correspond with a time under tension range between 60 sec. (10 reps x 6 sec.) and 96 sec. (12 reps x 8 sec.). If the client performs 10 reps in 65 seconds the average rep would be 6.5 seconds. The next workout the client is going to try to reach 11 to 12 reps, with the average rep time of 6.5 seconds or greater (72 seconds).
We believe that all clients should be motivated to increase reps during every workout. However, the client must be aware of the “time under tension” variable as they continue to increase reps because eventually they will hit a strength plateau and time of tension will be the most important variable.
Chart A: Time Under Tension for Rep Ranges
Rep Range Time Under Tension Rounded Off
6 - 9 36 to 72 seconds *40 -75 seconds
9 - 12 54 to 96 seconds *55 - 100 seconds
12 - 16 72 to 128 seconds *75 to 130 seconds
16 - 20 96 to 160 seconds *100 to 160 seconds
How many weeks the client has been doing the HIT program
Physical size (body type)
Previous strength records
Targeted muscle group(s)
Type of exercise i.e. single vs. double jointed
The amount of weight being applied
The average increases should be between 5-10%. Usually 5 % for double-jointed movements and 10% for single-jointed movements is a safe guideline for the majority of clients. Make sure that the increase does not affect the client’s ability to perform perfect reps within the low end of the rep range and time under tension range.
The “triple progressive” overload process is the best way to accurately assess whether there is actual evidence showing direct accountable strength gains. Again, it is worth repeating, timing sets is not easy to do but will help educate the client and trainer on how to perform perfect reps within the time of tension parameters.
Rock N Roll, foregoing the fact that progressive overload is effective for the first couple of years for an untrained/detrained individual, can you site any elite level athletes who have acheived long term success/pr’s, via your personal coaching, through the continual usage of progressive overload?
Have you devised a method for evading the law of diminishing returns?
James
Progressive overload is the goal… not the method.
Ed Coan. He backcycles after a contest, ramps up to a new PR, peaks, repeats. As far as I can tell, has done it his entire career. He totalled 2400+ at 242 as I recall.
Lyle
Understood, however, Rock N Roll’s post clearly illustrates methods.
Ed Coan, is an inimitable powerlifting legend, however, he has also been plagued by injury these last years. This is a common theme amongst long term users of progressive overload methods, escpecially in powerlifting circles.
When training with world class poundages, injuries are eventually unavoidable, however, you will observe that injuries are much more evident amongst the lifters who utilize progressive overload.
James
First off, kudos to RnR about a coherent post for once!
errr, I don’t know about that one (I would like to see a correlarly survey, P.O. Lifters/rate of serious injury, CP lifters/rate of serious injury)… But I do agree with you in theroy, that any system, used ad infinitum, will result in sub-optimal efficiency and almost certainly lead to injury.
But the concept behind a basic progression from developing to elite levels of specific strength and performance is a long one, one that must not be overlooked and that if done PATIENTLY will yield the base neccessary that makes the conjugate system that much more effective.
for instance, Steve Justa, who’s about as strong as they come (go to ironmind.com, and get Rock Iron and Steel - well worth it), writes -
“You build the base over and over again, layer by layer … Gradually let it build, little by little, bit by bit … Too much work for a weak base is disastrous …” and… “Remember, you should always feel stronger after your training than before you started. If you feel weak after a training session, you’ve overdone it.”
JMO, I could be wrong
James - I think you’re conflating linear periodization and progressive overload techniques, as described by RnR and employed by HIT trainers. Coan uses a linear periodization scheme but does not constantly push to increase loads/TUT/reps. He cycles his weights and reps each week. Over the long-term the weights increase and the necessary element of progressive overload is, therefore, present, but he does not use techniques similar to those described by RnR.
RnR - is that your original material or can we have a ref?