In the
episode Coach Joe explains the importance of managing volume over time as well
as the use of special assistance exercises to improve performance.
Managing
Volume – Over time as an athlete progresses it seems only natural that their
work capacity for training stimulus would also increase. Therefore, an increase in training volume is
necessary for them to continue to make positive results.
We
manage the need for increased volume two ways.
One by the total poundage lifted in a given workout. Example if an athlete does 10x3 Bench at
100lbs that equals 3000lbs of total weight lifted. If your add up all the accessory work over a
specific training period the overall training volume must increase. However, you cannot just keep adding volume
to the “Big Lifts” as that would eventually lead to injury. You can use special exercises designed to
bring up weak areas that won’t beat up your body and will improve strength and
work capacity for specific movements/lifts/sport activities.
Special
Assistance Work – Special assistance work makes up about 80% of the training at
Varsity House. Only 20% of the total
training volume come from traditional Bench/Squat/Deadlifts/OH Press as max
lifts. These exercises low risk of
injury and are designed to improve specific strength. These exercises can be volumized over weeks,
months, or even years to an incredibly high volume with very little chance of
neuromuscular fatigue.
Upper
Body Special Assistance Exercises
1. Push Up
Variations – Push Ups are about as old school as it gets. They have been around for thousands of years,
are still one of the most effective ways to improve pressing strength. Start off with something simple like 50 per
day then work your way up. We routinely
have athletes who perform as many as 250 per day for weeks at a time. This will greatly improve you overall work
capacity and translate to a bigger bench in no time. In one 8-week span I did over 48,000 pushups
and did not bench at all. At the end of
that 8-week span I hit a 225MR bench PR of 32reps. Proof that you can maintain a high level of
strength for a very simple exercise.
Work them in as part of your warm up or cool down or just simple do set
throughout the day.
2. Horizontal
Row – If you want a big bench or any lift for that matter you need a strong
back. However, doing tons of pull ups
and heavy rows can wreck your elbows and shoulders. Performing the horizontal row will not only
improve strength but can be micro-loaded slowly and consistently over time
without beating you up. Improve these
the same way. Start with a few sets per
day as part of your warm up. Then
increase over a period of time. I like
to perform 5-sets of 20m push up and 5-sets of 20 horizontal pulls as my go to
upper body warm up several times per
week. This get my joints ready for a
heavy bench session but also activates my back muscles for stabilizing as
well.
3. Banded
Muscle Up – This is a TRUE special exercise specific to performing muscle
ups. Do every day until you build the
strength to do them or as a way to de-load you joint from doing too many!
4.
Banded Triceps/Biceps work – Eccentric loading increases tendon
and ligamental strength. If you want to
lift big weight you need to train the soft tissue to be strong as well. Perform band push downs and curls as a way to
prevent elbow injuries and strength the triceps for all pressing
movements. We regularly perform as many
as 250 of each of these several times per week.
Lower
Body Special Assistance Exercises
1. Reverse
Hyper – The reverse hyper should be on the top of everyone’s lift for improving
their squat and deadlift. It’s the king
of the glute/lower back exercises and it also acts to traction the spine to
prevent injury. You simply cannot
perform this enough. We routinely
perform 100reps of this exercise 3-6x/week.
Weight depends on the strength of the athlete and how long they have
been performing this lift. Start with a
light weight and perform 3x/week and work your way up to some real weight. You can do a total number of reps or go for
time.
2. Banded
Leg Curls – This is another “MUST HAVE” exercise as these will never cause an
injury and will greatly increase the strength in your posterior chain. Perform them laying on a bench or sitting up
on a box. Again we like around 100reps
3-6x/week. We will perform these along
with reverse hyper all the time.
3.
Banded Good Mornings – The good morning for a lot of people is a
tough exercise. Hard on the lower back
and tough to master so people toss it.
This variation you can do all the time without the risk of injury. We do them either on the wall or standing. The wall version hit the thoracic spine
really well and the standing version hit the lower back hamstring more. Perform both exercises regularly as a
finisher to a lower body day or as warm up/cool down. We like them on our off-days as another
volume exercise for the posterior chain.
Specific
Special Assistance Exercises
1. Bosu
Banded Pull Over Sit Up – This is an oldie but a goodie. I have been doing these for years but
recently brought them back out of the tool box as I was looking for way to
improve my specific strength for the SkiErg.
Perform this exercise every day until your abs are blown UP!
2.
Suspended GHR Hyper Row – Here again I was looking for a special
exercise to improve specific strength for rowing. Since rowing is mostly lower back, hamstrings
and lats this makes for a great translation.
Perform this exercise several times per week to improve muscular
insurance for rowing.
Rules –
There are none! Pick a few special
exercises and work the hell out of them for a month. Stick with the ones that you feel give you
the most benefit and rotate them regularly.
Make it your mission to perform at least 1 special assistance exercise
for one of your weak or needed areas every day.
Either add more reps over the weeks or add some weight, but remember
these should be loaded slowly as muscular failure is not the goal. You don’t want your volume work to take away
from your regular training so take it easy!
Get to LIFTN’
Coach Joe Strong
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