Sunday, March 25, 2012

Plan Your Training Program (starring Periodization)

No matter how good your exercise selection is, if your planning sucks, you won't go far. Periodization is the 'overall long-term cyclic structuring of training and practice to maximize performance to coincide with important competitions' (taken from Supertraining). The word periodization is thrown out there alot. Some people structure their whole training methodology around it (Westside and the Conjugate Method) and to others it's just another buzz-word. Let's have a look at some basic ideas we employ when a new athlete steps into our gym.

#1: Training and Skillwork aren't Mutually Exclusive
This is probably the most important rule. Developing technical ability and strategy is the most important component for sporting success. The saying 'less is sometimes more' is hard to grasp. There are very few things which work this way. The more you study, the better your marks. The more fuel you put in your car, the further it can drive. But with training, the more you do won't always lead to being a conditioning machine. This is one of the most common mistakes - training too frequently which can lead to fatigue during skill-based sessions. Make sure you consider the fatigue after-effect of your strength and conditioning session.
 TIP 1: Limit strength and conditioning to 2-3times per week and make sure you are fresh for your important training sessions (ie - sparring)

 #2: The Simple Way Usually Works Best
The linear model is the most traditional form of periodization. It means you focus on one fitness parameter for each training block, and the fitness parameter is more specific as competition approaches. We usually move from Strength to Power to Conditioning. One adjustment we have made is to dedicate a small portion of the previous fitness parameter to prevent detraining. We also include the following fitness parameter, so when we change training blocks, the training pace doesn't feel so foreign (those who have switched from a strength cycle to a hard conditioning cycle will know what I'm talking about)
TIP 2: Identify how many weeks out you are from a fight and divide the total time into mini-blocks which focus on a specific fitness parameter

#3: We Don't Always Know When We're Fighting
Not everyone is given adequate notice for a competition. Even with adequate notice, last minute decisions are common. One big deciding factor for last minute decisions is fitness. Concurrent Periodization involves developing multiple fitness parameter simultaneously. This means in each training session, there will be exercises dedicated to speed, power, strength, conditioning and muscular endurance. By following a protocol like this, it makes sure that you are in good shape year-round. The main drawback is that it doesn't work that well for advanced/elite athletes, because they require a higher training stress (volume + intensity) to elicit improvements for each fitness parameter. Here is one of our athletes following the concurrent template:



TIP 3: Athletes who compete frequently should employ the concurrent model of periodization

The planning of training sessions is essential. Correct exercise selection will only lead to optimal performance results when it is accompanied by a structured training plan. Get out a pen and paper and start planning!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Breaking Down the Warm-Up

How do you warm-up? If you think that pulling your heel to your butt or jumping on the stationary bike for 5mins is the way to go, then this article is for you. There are a few main goals of a warmup which are supposed to improve performance, and reduce the risk of injury:
- increase core temperature
- lubricate joints and increase range of motion
- activate the central nervous system (muscle command centre)

People can get carried away, so it's important you don't turn your warm-up into your workout. In fact, if you have caused any sort of fatigue which may affect the performance of the exercises you are scheduled to perform, chances are you've worked too hard (or very unfit). All of our members know exactly what to do before beginning their workout. This article is to reinforce the reasons behind it, and help out those who are doing it wrong.

I) SOFT TISSUE WORK
We have gotten a hold of some nice little toys for SMR (self-myofasical release) - lacrosse balls, quad-ballers, sticks, foam rollers and anything else that looks like it will be painful. We have identified certain trouble areas (thoracic spine, glutes and ITB) and athletes are asked to roll up and down the length of the muscle/area until pain begins to subside. The goal is to break down scar tissue, and relax the muscle. Not time for the workout yet...

II) ACTIVATION EXERCISES
Next is re-learning how to fire certain muscle groups. Dave Tate released a book called 'Gluteal Amnesia' where he identified the inability of a muscle or muscle group to contract can cause compensatory patterns to develop which could potentially lead to injury. The trouble areas we primarily deal with are the glutes, shoulders and knees. The goal is to switch on certain muscle groups so that they will fire correctly during the workout.

III) MOBILITY EXERCISES
We finish with mobility exercises to promote range of motion (ROM) around joints. This part also increases the core body temperature which has been correlated with an increase in force production. We encourage full ROM for all our exercises, and this component makes sure we are ready.

IV) CORRECTIVE EXERCISES
We have all new members undergo an individual assessment when they first sign up with us. This involves the standard health waiver, but we also look at their injury history, their strength levels, flexibility levels and posture. If we see anything major that needs work, we prescribe certain exercises which they are supposed to do at the end of the warm-up.

Below we have one Underdog Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Co-Founder, Owen Gee Kee, performing the warm-up.



Yep, we get all our clients to go through that whole protocol before every workout to ensure that they get the most out of the training session, and more importantly, leave our gym injury free!



Monday, March 12, 2012

Why Beginners Should Train Until They Puke and Pro's Need to Pump on the Brakes

After reading the title, you may be thinking to yourself 'Shouldn't the highly trained athletes be the ones who train so hard that they end up with their face in a bucket?' Let's compare the characteristics of an untrained and highly trained client.

Athletes who have an extensive training background usually have a good strength base, good conditioning base and a high degree of neuromuscular efficiency. They have the ability to put their body through so much stress (because they can lift heavy loads, do large volumes of conditioning, and sustain high power outputs), that they may not be able to recover before their next scheduled training session. If you haven't fully recovered before your next training session, you will never super compensate, and you will eventually enter a state called 'over-reaching', which can lead to overtraining syndrome (which is something you want to avoid at all costs!). Optimal development takes place when training stimulus is balanced carefully with recovery periods.

Let's look at a beginner now. Unlike the athlete above, the beginner hasn't spent hours upon hours in the gym. Instead, they have most likely spent hours upon hours on the couch watching television. They are typically de-conditioned, not very strong and they don't have the ability to activate all of their muscle (low neuromuscular efficiency). This means they can't place as much stress on their body; even if they wanted to! Sure they will get sore, but it will most likely be due to the exercise being a foreign stimulus - just like how an advanced trainee becomes sore after a new exercise is integrated into his training regimen.


Let's use this analogy. Think of a high pressure shower head as a trained athlete, and think of those crappy low pressure water heads as an untrained athlete. Water represents units of training, and running out of water represents overtraining. No matter how hard the low pressure shower head tries, it just cant pump out that much water. This is in contrast to the high pressure shower head. BUT, because the output is so much higher, running out of water always needs to be considered. Just like a well-conditioned athlete always needs to be weary of their training volume. Advanced athletes need to train smart. They need to understand that adaptations may no longer take place on a session-to-session basis. Light days need to be included into the training regimen, and volume needs to be monitored to ensure adequate recovery.

Training hard for a beginner is critical. Habits are developed in the early stages of training. Beginners need to know they can push beyond what they think is their limit. They need to develop mental toughness because it trumps any other fitness parameter. It is a scary weapon, and you need to be equipped with it early. It will save you in your toughest workouts.

NOTE: We aren't saying train like a maniac the first day you enter the gym. Make sure before you add intensity to anything, the movement you are adding it to is technically perfect.



Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Who's Who in the Fitness Industry...

In our last post, we identified who does what in the world of Strength and Conditioning. Time to see who's who in the fitness industry and make some enemies...

Bodybuilders. These are the guys who make up the majority of trainees in the gym. Convinced that a bigger muscle is the answer to: strength, athletic performance, impressing friends and getting girls. Usually employing some form of split which targets different muscle groups each day, and performing high amounts of volume to ensure there is a 'muscle pump' at the end of the workout. The sad thing is, they feel their training methodology is applicable to sport. Mad respect for the discipline and effort that it takes to sculpt your body to become the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, but the training philosophy to get there ends in the weightroom. Once you step in the ring, on the track or on the field, a big muscle doesn't mean much, and your opposition doesn't care about the symmetry and proportions you have spent so much time developing.



Exercise Physiologists (EP's). All our trainers at RT have undergone Exercise Physiology degrees, so don't think we're biased. Everyone knows those who enrolled in Exercise Physiology/Sports Science/Health and Exercise Science didn't get the required UAI (or ATAR) for Physiotherapy or Medicine. EP's are like Crossfit practitioners - they know their stuff when it comes to nutrition, rehabilitation and performance training, but they aren't experts in any.

Personal Trainers. You can now get your Cert III and IV in Fitness by correspondence in about 2-3months. There are minimal practical requirements, and you are given the power to take somebody under your wing and train them. There is no regulating body which can be a good and bad thing. Bad because there is no one to penalize a personal trainer describing a kettlebell swing as squat and front raise, but good that it gives you flexibility to broaden your training methodology and develop your own training system. The fitness industry needs bad personal trainers because it makes those who know their stuff so much better!



Physiotherapists and Chiropractors. Technically labelled 'allied health professionals', they are more like the alliance between Nazi Germany and the Japanese. Let's use this analogy to describe how their roles differ. A broken table has a vase sitting on top of it holding flowers. The faulty table keeps causing the vase to fall of the table and break. The flowers need to live. The chiropractor keeps getting a new vase to keep the flower alive. Week after week, a new vase is purchased and the flower lives. The physiotherapist tries to fix the leg of the table so the vase never falls off. One method isn't better than the other, but both use different methods for the same end goal - a functioning body.


Yoga and Pilates. The hippies of the fitness industry. Most likely a vegan and looking for spiritual enlightenment. Practitioners are convinced that Yoga is the answer to flexibility and 'core strength' (whatever that really is). Nothing against Yoga, but if you are stretching for one hour a day, five days a week you should be able to touch your toes and bend backwards.


Sunday, March 4, 2012

Who's Who in the Strength and Conditioning World...

Unfortunately, the role of exercise in developing countries is changing. With an increased prevalence of disease, we are now using exercise as a tool to rehabilitate unhealthy populations, rather than enhance the performance of healthy individuals. While this is great for the longevity of mankind, the evolution of sports science is slower. There is good information out there; the only problem is that its scattered all over the place - from the east to the west and amongst it is a whole heap of crap! This allows the trainer to devise his own methodology, but its also probably the reason why 99.9% of physical trainers still believe that weight training makes you bulky. But there is hope… Experts in their respective fields are beginning to open up. Let's take a look at who's out there...

Academics: coming from a university background, the importance of referencing is huge. If something isn’t scientifically validated, it cannot be assumed to be right. This places a whole heap of trusts in our academics. The only drawback is the real-world application tends to be limited as the experimenters results are based on controlling a whole heap of variables - something which is difficult to control outside of a lab. Sometimes the lack of practical experience also handicaps the academic, as they are trying to understand a sport without ever participating in it.

The Powerlifters: these are the meatheads who know how to get strong. I would say that at least 75% of the training methodology we support has been derived from strength training. Westside and the EliteFTS crew are probably the most popular groups. Increasing strength is probably the most important (and neglected) goal for any athlete. A NOTE: athletes are not powerlifters, so principles and not programming should be emulated. Why? Powerlifting is a sport in itself, and programs are specifically designed to increase strength for the big three, they are not designed to enhance athletic performance as a whole.

Conditioning Specialists: Crossfit are probably the most popular group, but there are others out there. A common problem with the conditioning gurus is a belief that conditioning is all you need. By definition, conditioning is the general ability to withstand fatigue. Fatigue is the inability maintain a given power output. This quickly shows that you need a substantial power output to begin with. Do you want to be strong and conditioned, or weak and conditioned? An argument can be that conditioning develops multiple motor qualities simultaneously, BUT intermediate and advanced athletes require more concentrated loading of different bio-motor abilities for optimal results.

Olympic Lifters: these guys are the power equivalent of powelifters. They are explosive and that is what is required in sports. Force application in a sporting context is typically rapid (<1secs). True Max Effort attempts usually take 3-5 seconds. This quickly shows that exercises perform rapidly abide to time specificity better. However, strength exercises provide a foundation for power exercises which follow and are critical for sporting success despite their application speeds. Like powerlifters, Olympic weightlifting is a sport in itself, so training for the Clean & Jerk and Snatch will quickly limit your results (the learning curve is also very steep to learn the movements).

Training Modality Specialists: the group who swear that one training modality works best exclusively. The Kettlebell guys are a great example - their training is very beneficial for sporting proficiency but one must realize that each training tool has its benefits and detriments. One must also realize that with each tool is a limited amount of exercises. If the exercise pool is too small, the law of accommodation will prevail and results will stagnate. Also, many of these specialists begun with powerlifting, and have great benefits because they have a huge strength foundation to exploit.