By: Louie Simmons:
Training Methods Part 1: Speed
Day
While recovering from my second
lower back injury, for which doctors recommended removing two disks, taking off
a bone spur, and fusing my vertebrae, with no guarantees, I decided that I had
to take a new approach to lifting or disappear like everyone else who lifted in
early 1970’s. I called Bud Chamiga in Michigan and asked for several of his
books that were translated from Russian. These books contained an abundance of
science combined special strength training. These materials helped me realize
that lifting was a combination of biometrics, physics, and mathematics, not
like I had previously thought. There was no mention of training with 5’s or
3’s.
I had followed the progressive
overload system since my first Olympic lifting meet in 1960. The only period in
which I did not compete was from 1966 to 1969, when I was in the army. In 1983
I was going nowhere with my training. I was stronger, but slower. That’s where
Bud’s books were invaluable. They described methods of training and
organization that I had never heard of before. Furthermore, no one in the
United States used these methods until I started writing about them in
Powerlifting USA. This article is meant to be a refresher about special methods
and means on speed day.
Dynamic Effort Method. On
speed day, use sub-maximal weights with maximal speed. This method is used to
increase the rate of force development and explosive strength, not to build
absolute strength. For squatting: 10-12 sets of 2 reps. For benching: 8-9 sets
of 3 reps. For deadlifting: 6-10 sets of 1 rep after squatting.
Contrast and Reactive Method. Weight
releasers provide one overload rep on each set. The recommended load on weight
releasers is 20% of the barbell load. For example: 400 pounds on the bar, 80
pounds on the weight releasers. Use chain weight on the weight releasers for
best results. Bands are a contrast method. We use only Jump Stretch bands. Only
higher ranked lifters use bands. For speed strength, 65% of the total weight
should be barbell weight and 35% should be bar tension. For strength speed or
slow strength, used with maximal weights, 65% of the total weight should come
from band tension and 35% should be barbell weight.
Lightened Method. By
attaching bands to the top of the power rack or Monolift the total barbell
weight can be reduced in the bottom of the lift. The percent reduction can
range from 15% to 25%. This method builds your rate of force development by
overcoming a load with a medium to heavy concentric movement. Westside Barbell
www.westside-barbell.com 2
Concentric
Movement. With the bar suspended by chains or by using power rack pins,
simply crawl under the bar and raise it concentrically. Going from a relaxed
condition to overcoming a stable load wit h light and medium loads of 50% to
80% will develop a rapid rate of force development. When loads of 90% and above
are used, this causes maximal force rather than appearing explosive. It may
appear somewhat slow due to the massive external résistance. The second method
with 90-100% or more to be used on max effort day.
Dynamic Method. For
benching or squatting, 20-24 total lifts are standard on dynamic method day.
For benching, use 40-50% of a 1RM with a method of accommodating resistance,
i.e. bands or chains. For squatting, use 50- 60% with a method of accommodating
resistance. Bands or chains must always be used to greatly reduce the
deceleration phase. You can stand up for a long time with a weight at the top
of the squat; however with a large bar load made up of mostly band tension, you
are being pulled back down, causing a force exceeding gravity.
Methods to develop a rapid rate
of force development after an eccentric phase accompanied by a relaxed phase
accompanied by a relaxed phase include box squats, floor presses, and board
press. Many former college athletes are very explosive but lack a high level of
maximal strength. They are very fast with light weight, but as the load grows
to near max, 95% and higher, they slow considerably. This can be corrected by
using a higher percentage of band tension- 65% of total bar load. This slows
the movement down while developing absolute strength.
Maximal force is displayed foe
0.3 seconds. This can be prolonged with the use of bands to prevent a quick bar
deceleration. The late Dr Mel Siff agreed with this. We have a 63-foot
shot-putter that said he has always been quick, with a 363 power clean and a
565 deadlift at 250 pounds body weight. However, he could not budge a 600
deadlift. He has zero quickness there. Speed is relative when compared to the
amount of resistance.
Pendulum Wave. On
dynamic day, use a 3-week Pendulum wave. For example, for the squat week 1,
50%; week 2 55%; week 3 60%; week 4 back to 50%. Change from bands to chains,
add weight releasers, use the lightened method or overcoming a rested load, or
change your grip or stance.
General Physical Preparedness. Rest
periods should be 45-60 seconds between sets for explosive and speed work. The
muscles should be in an excitable state or slightly fatigued. This will cause
an increase in difficulty in training. If this is impossible for you, your GPP
through small workouts is low. You can raise your GPP thru small workouts
between days and even prior to training. Chuck Westside Barbell
www.westside-barbell.com
