Training
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Training Work Capacity for Relative Strength Sports
by Charles Poliquin
1/29/2011 12:22:59 PM
Work capacity can be defined as the ability to repeat high quality efforts. Over the last hundred years, many people have given their advice on how to build, some claiming to have invented it. The basic system works like this:
1. Select a given time frame. It goes usually between 40 to 50 minutes.
2. Select a given number of reps. The number of reps is determined by training goal. For example 1-5 for relative strength, 8-12 for hypertrophy, 15-20 for strength endurance.
3. Do as many reps with a fixed weight.
4. Perform as many sets as possible within the time given in 1.
Even one author, better known as an information broker than a strength coach, since he never really produced anybody, or has done anything with own physique. He has the arm development of reminiscent of wet linguini, and the muscularity level that brings up the image of a melted candle, wrote an entire book on arm training devoted to that concept. It would be like writing a book on military warfare and never been a soldier.
The truth of the matter is that there is a lot ways to apply the principle, whether you want to gain hypertrophy, strength endurance or relative strength.
Here is a way to apply work capacity training for the development of relative strength and explosive strength for lets say a judo athlete.
1. Take a weight that represents your 6 R.M., but only do sets of two reps on a 30X0 tempo.
2. Pick two antagonistic exercises like pull-ups and standing military presses.
3. Do as many sets of 2 within 30 minutes of the two exercises alternating between pull-ups and military presses.
4. Record the total number of sets of 2 done for each exercise in 30 minutes.
5. Next workout shoot to get the total number of sets for the given twenty minutes.
The beauty of this system is that trainers produce far more work that if they were set at a given rest interval.
An upper body workout for a judoka would look like this.
1. Warm up
2. 30 minutes of pull-ups alternated with standing barbell military presses. Load used 6 R.M. for sets of 2. Shoot for as many sets of two as possible, record the number. Next workout shoot to beat the total number of sets of 2. Do reps on a 30X0.
3. 20 minutes of barbell bent over rows alternated with flat barbell bench presses with chains. Load used 8 R.M. for sets of 4. Shoot for as many sets of four as possible, record the number. Do reps on a 30X0.
4. Next workout shoot to beat the total number of sets of 4.
This workout is very easy to read…yet grueling to do. I have all my level 3 PICP students perform it. Usually, coma is common side effect…Very rewarding in terms of progress. Once every 5 days is plenty.
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