I recently finished the Base Mesocycle of the Smolov, and I have been going over my training journal for the past few days. After a lot of analysis I have come with with a list of 40 conclusions (purely coincidental number) I have come to about myself. Some of them are only relevant to me, but many can be applied by everyone. So I thought it might be useful to list out what I have learnt on ground.
1. Back off every 4th week
I think its the simplest form of periodization there is. Invariably my energy and results will diminish after the 3rd week of any training system. I find that when I push myself on that 4th week, the next few weeks go terrible. But if I happen to layoff or take it easy, the next 3 weeks go great. I feel if I had just voluntarily backed off every 4th week I would have made much more progress. I also feel that the reason why I (and most people) do not back off automatically is because the 3rd (or preceding) week is always the best training week, so I get carried away.
The length of the cycle differs from person to person, but everyone has a cycle. Just find the 5-8 days your training goes the best. That is probably when your good cycle ends and you need to layoff.
2. There is an exercise specific response to high frequency training
If you train any one exercise more than 3 times a week, you will get really good at that exercise, provided you control and volume and intensity correctly. But, that is about all that will happen. If you are doing that exercise for some other purpose than to get better at that particular exercise, it won't help you.
For example, if you squat to become faster at running, than high frequency squatting programs will not help you run faster. At best they set the stage for later improvements in running, but as such all it will do is improve your squat. When you do too much of something, all that happens in that you become good at that one activity. If you are a powerlifter and have some value to be gained by increasing your squat poundage by itself, then go ahead.
However such programs do increase muscle mass if you back off correctly (this will be discussed in a later point). At the end of the day, your strength does increase, and if you correctly try to develop the abilities you are targeting (like running) later, with minimal to no performance of the exercise you are using (like the squat), then there is a chance that you will see great gains. This is provided, however you can avoid the dip in strength that generally follows such high frequency programs (once again shall be discussed in a later point).
3. Consistency is important for long term progress
If you want to get good at something, you will have to do it consistently. I found the exercises I made the most progress in were never the ones I worked hardest at, but the ones I was most consistent with. Always and every time. Even infrequent, low intensity consistency will reap some results. But consistency is paramount.
4. Variation keeps away injuries
This is the counter to the previous point. One of the main reasons I have never had any real training related injuries was not because I did not train hard enough, as I have been pushed by some very brutal coaches, but because I always had a lot of variations in my exercises. This prevented overuse injuries and movement specific injuries. This is another reason I like calisthenics, because progress in calisthenics is essentially about moving to harder and different variations of the same exercises.
5. My abdominal endurance is directly related to my posture
There was a time in my notebook I could do a 15min plank. And I never had a single incident of upper back, lower back, hip or shoulder pain. In the middle I went down to only being able to do a 1 min plank. I was hurting all over, Today I can do 5-6 mins. And I have hardly any pain anywhere.
6. Do not max out on singles, doubles and triples
Performing a true max single, double or triple on a regular basis will crush you and destroy you faster than accidents. Do not get me wrong, singles, doubles and triples are great. But you do not have to do them with 95% + loads all the time. Do 85%, maybe a 90%. Work hard, but don't destroy yourself.
7. I respond well to low frequency in upper body pushing and pulling movements
Probably specific to me.
8. Exercising Multiple Times a day is okay- as long as every session has a specific and different objective.
I find that every time we train, we need to have a specific objective for that session. Sometime the number of sessions does not matter. Having different objectives for each sessions in the same day is probably something specific to me, as I have seen people respond to exercising the same qualities multiple times a day as well.
9. When my progress slowed my Max effort was not hard enough and my rest was not good enough.
Basically you need to swing to extremes to make progress. When you work you need to go all out, and when you rest you need to rest properly. And its not about the fatigue you feel while working out, but the concentration and intensity you put into your work set. If you are not at your peak for that set, you are not going to improve. At the same time, if you don't relax enough and rest, its not going to happen either.
10. I tend to do too many sets at too high an intensity and when I do, it leads to no good.
I think this is the problem with 90% of the strength training world.
11. Single set intensity trumps everything
This is in accordance with point 9. And it gives some credence to HIT, though I do not believe in taking sets to absolute failure. That being said, I do not think a lot of sets are needed to make progress. I feel that ultimately it is the intensity and effort that is put into your peak set that counts. And when you are not putting a good effort into your main set (or worse yet you don't have a main set) you do not make progress. Everything else beyond that set should either be preparation for that set or should work on weaknesses. Anything beyond this only eats into your recovery and makes you tired. And its easy to do 10 sets at 80% of your effort. Sure, it will make you sore and miserble for the next few days (or weeks), but its doable at that moment. But it takes much more to put your 100% effort into the set you are on, and making that set count. And you know what, you won't be sore and you will actually feel better and more energized later.
Just to be clear, when I am saying per set effort here it could be inensity (weight), or setting rep records, or maximum acceleration, depending on the objective of the session.
12. Anything that cannot be handled for 5 reps with questionable form on your best day, is probably too hard a weight to use during training.
It seems like common sense but it is just amazing how many times I have done this and how many times people do this.
1. Back off every 4th week
I think its the simplest form of periodization there is. Invariably my energy and results will diminish after the 3rd week of any training system. I find that when I push myself on that 4th week, the next few weeks go terrible. But if I happen to layoff or take it easy, the next 3 weeks go great. I feel if I had just voluntarily backed off every 4th week I would have made much more progress. I also feel that the reason why I (and most people) do not back off automatically is because the 3rd (or preceding) week is always the best training week, so I get carried away.
The length of the cycle differs from person to person, but everyone has a cycle. Just find the 5-8 days your training goes the best. That is probably when your good cycle ends and you need to layoff.
2. There is an exercise specific response to high frequency training
If you train any one exercise more than 3 times a week, you will get really good at that exercise, provided you control and volume and intensity correctly. But, that is about all that will happen. If you are doing that exercise for some other purpose than to get better at that particular exercise, it won't help you.
For example, if you squat to become faster at running, than high frequency squatting programs will not help you run faster. At best they set the stage for later improvements in running, but as such all it will do is improve your squat. When you do too much of something, all that happens in that you become good at that one activity. If you are a powerlifter and have some value to be gained by increasing your squat poundage by itself, then go ahead.
However such programs do increase muscle mass if you back off correctly (this will be discussed in a later point). At the end of the day, your strength does increase, and if you correctly try to develop the abilities you are targeting (like running) later, with minimal to no performance of the exercise you are using (like the squat), then there is a chance that you will see great gains. This is provided, however you can avoid the dip in strength that generally follows such high frequency programs (once again shall be discussed in a later point).
3. Consistency is important for long term progress
If you want to get good at something, you will have to do it consistently. I found the exercises I made the most progress in were never the ones I worked hardest at, but the ones I was most consistent with. Always and every time. Even infrequent, low intensity consistency will reap some results. But consistency is paramount.
4. Variation keeps away injuries
This is the counter to the previous point. One of the main reasons I have never had any real training related injuries was not because I did not train hard enough, as I have been pushed by some very brutal coaches, but because I always had a lot of variations in my exercises. This prevented overuse injuries and movement specific injuries. This is another reason I like calisthenics, because progress in calisthenics is essentially about moving to harder and different variations of the same exercises.
5. My abdominal endurance is directly related to my posture
There was a time in my notebook I could do a 15min plank. And I never had a single incident of upper back, lower back, hip or shoulder pain. In the middle I went down to only being able to do a 1 min plank. I was hurting all over, Today I can do 5-6 mins. And I have hardly any pain anywhere.
6. Do not max out on singles, doubles and triples
Performing a true max single, double or triple on a regular basis will crush you and destroy you faster than accidents. Do not get me wrong, singles, doubles and triples are great. But you do not have to do them with 95% + loads all the time. Do 85%, maybe a 90%. Work hard, but don't destroy yourself.
7. I respond well to low frequency in upper body pushing and pulling movements
Probably specific to me.
8. Exercising Multiple Times a day is okay- as long as every session has a specific and different objective.
I find that every time we train, we need to have a specific objective for that session. Sometime the number of sessions does not matter. Having different objectives for each sessions in the same day is probably something specific to me, as I have seen people respond to exercising the same qualities multiple times a day as well.
9. When my progress slowed my Max effort was not hard enough and my rest was not good enough.
Basically you need to swing to extremes to make progress. When you work you need to go all out, and when you rest you need to rest properly. And its not about the fatigue you feel while working out, but the concentration and intensity you put into your work set. If you are not at your peak for that set, you are not going to improve. At the same time, if you don't relax enough and rest, its not going to happen either.
10. I tend to do too many sets at too high an intensity and when I do, it leads to no good.
I think this is the problem with 90% of the strength training world.
11. Single set intensity trumps everything
This is in accordance with point 9. And it gives some credence to HIT, though I do not believe in taking sets to absolute failure. That being said, I do not think a lot of sets are needed to make progress. I feel that ultimately it is the intensity and effort that is put into your peak set that counts. And when you are not putting a good effort into your main set (or worse yet you don't have a main set) you do not make progress. Everything else beyond that set should either be preparation for that set or should work on weaknesses. Anything beyond this only eats into your recovery and makes you tired. And its easy to do 10 sets at 80% of your effort. Sure, it will make you sore and miserble for the next few days (or weeks), but its doable at that moment. But it takes much more to put your 100% effort into the set you are on, and making that set count. And you know what, you won't be sore and you will actually feel better and more energized later.
Just to be clear, when I am saying per set effort here it could be inensity (weight), or setting rep records, or maximum acceleration, depending on the objective of the session.
12. Anything that cannot be handled for 5 reps with questionable form on your best day, is probably too hard a weight to use during training.
It seems like common sense but it is just amazing how many times I have done this and how many times people do this.
Very nice post! I love your blog, the first article i read was Raw mass from calisthenics, i liked it very much! Keep up the good work!! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you s much! Good luck with your training!
Delete