Strength Qualities

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
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I’m the type of guy that wants it all from my training. I want to be strong, I want endurance, quickness, I want hypertrophy and good aesthetic qualities. How does one train for that?

One of the best methods, theoretically, that I’ve come across is training with conjugate periodization, ie, training different strength qualities each week.

This begs the question, “what are the different strength qualities?” That’s precisely what I would like to know. The issue is touched upon, if obliquely, in these two CW articles that I found for the first time today (Thanks to t-nation staff for fixing the “Authors” section of the archives).

http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=460275

http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459525

Many of CWs programs implement conjugate periodization, and the one that I’ve found that uses the most, as described by CW, is the QD program.

http://t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459216

In QD the parameters and descriptions of the different qualities are as follows (the organization of the material is not in the original):

[i]Day 1 (Maximal Strength)

Sets: 5

Reps: 3

Rest: 60 seconds between antagonist supersets

Load: 5 rep max (The extra two reps are kept “in the hole” so you won’t train to failure.)

Tempo: Perform concentric (lifting) fast; perform eccentric (lowering) under control.

The first session of the week is devoted to maximal strength training. The reps will be low and the load will be relatively high. Our aim is to recruit the fast-fatiguing (FF), high-threshold motor units that have the greatest potential for size and strength increases.

Day 2 (Endurance Strength)

Sets: 2

Reps: 25

Rest: 90 seconds between antagonist supersets

Load: 27RM

Tempo: Same as Day 1

This session is totally devoted to developing endurance strength. There?s only been 24 hours of rest since the previous session, so this method must be as diverse as possible.

This endurance session will serve two purposes. First, the slow-oxidative (SO) motor units will be recruited since they’re relatively fresh. This is due to the fact that the previous session minimally recruited these motor units. Second, the program acts as a recovery-inducing session since the blood flow (i.e. nutrient transfer) will be high. This dramatically increases recovery.

Day 4 (Hypertrophy Strength)

Sets: 3

Reps: 8

Rest: 75 seconds between antagonist supersets

Load: 10RM

Tempo: Same as Day 1

This session is devoted to hypertrophy/strength training. The fast, fatigue-resistant (FFR) motor units are recruited. Since the two previous sessions haven’t taxed these motor units, we must hit them for complete muscle growth

Day 6 (Explosive Strength)

Sets: 6

Reps: 3

Rest: 60 seconds between consecutive sets

Load: 18RM

Tempo: As fast as humanly possible while maintaining proper form.

Here comes the explosive strength training! The load is very light and the speed of the movement tempo is lightning fast. This session will, once again, recruit the FF motor units. Since the stimulus is drastically different from Day 1, the possibility of overtraining is minimized.[/i]

Are these the only strength qualities? What range of set/rep parameters constitutes each? Are there other parameters that one can vary? Any other thoughts?

My current plan is to rank these four qualities in importance and then design a program where they are hit with a frequency proportionate to there rank.

For example:

Rank:

  1. Max Strength (MS)
  2. Endurance ((En)
  3. Explosiveness (Ex)
  4. Hypertrophy (H)

Program:

Every other day training = 7 sessions in two weeks.

1.M 2.En 3.Ex 4.M 5.En 6.M 7.H

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[quote]bino wrote:
I’m the type of guy that wants it all from my training. I want to be strong, I want endurance, quickness, I want hypertrophy and good aesthetic qualities. How does one train for that?
[/quote] clenbutrol, igf-1, and some human growth hormone…aka you cant do them all(at least not well) so pick one to be good at and train it durr.[quote]pgainda wrote:
One of the best methods, theoretically, that I’ve come across is training with conjugate periodization, ie, training different strength qualities each week.

Are these the only strength qualities? [/quote] no, but the rest is semantics

[quote]pgainda wrote:
What range of set/rep parameters constitutes each? waterbury just listed them. durr.

My current plan is to rank these four qualities in importance and then design a program where they are hit with a frequency proportionate to there rank.

For example:

Rank:

  1. Max Strength (MS)
  2. Endurance ((En)
  3. Explosiveness (Ex)
  4. Hypertrophy (H)

Program:

Every other day training = 7 sessions in two weeks.

1.M 2.En 3.Ex 4.M 5.En 6.M 7.H

[/quote]

well why dont you design a magnificent program because, as you know, there are no training programs on this site. in fact, this site is only here for aesthetic reasons. they dont want you to ever follow the programs these guys take time to write up. its just for shits and giggles.

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[quote]Owen70 wrote:
well why dont you design a magnificent program because, as you know, there are no training programs on this site. in fact, this site is only here for aesthetic reasons. they dont want you to ever follow the programs these guys take time to write up. its just for shits and giggles.[/quote]

You say you’re not trying to be an ass and yet you post inane comments on the Anabolic Diet thread and this is the contribution you thought you’d make here.

This is “Bodybuilding’s Think Tank”… I’m pretty sure this sort of discussion is encouraged here.

You don’t know a thing about me. Why don’t you do us all a favor and take your whole two years of training experience and find some other site to troll at, okay, Pumpkin?

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Sounds like strongman type stuff. Thib is big on this too. The Stones and Tires thread may also be right up your alley.

5

[quote]mindeffer01 wrote:
Sounds like strongman type stuff. Thib is big on this too. The Stones and Tires thread may also be right up your alley.

[/quote]

Yes, I’m partially motiveated by “strongman” stuff. In addition to lifting for its own sake, I’m into kickboxing and have recently taken up Highland Games. A lot of different strength qualities required by those two. I realize I can’t train optimally for both events, but I’m certain I can devise a method to maximize overlap.

One of the things I’m conviced of, and that is evident in the Cardoza’s Stones and Tires thread, is the importance of general conditioning. One might immediately lump GPP in with endurance strength, but I think that would be a mistake. Look at how much Westside guys emphasize GPP, and they’re all about max strength.

For GPP I’ve been dragging a sled once a week. I’m looking forward to the sandbag article Thib mentioned he’s working on. Now I just have to figure out where to put a hardcore GPP day in the rotation. :0

6

[quote]bino wrote:
I’m the type of guy that wants it all from my training. I want to be strong, I want endurance, quickness, I want hypertrophy and good aesthetic qualities. How does one train for that?
[/quote]

Complex question.
Honestly, many different strength qualities (speed strength, strength speed, power, peak speed, maximal voluntary strength, eccentric, quasi-isometric) are all the same in terms of the strength component.

These ones show up differently based on how the reflexes inhibit you producing 100% maximal force differently at different speed and joint angles.

Just as an example, if a 200 pound person could squat 400 pounds from rock bottom, and they exerted just exactly enough force to raise 400 through every inch of say a .6 meter ROM without a weight on their back, they would be able to jump up 42 inches, but many 200 pound guys with 400 pound squats can’t come close to that (even though they could probably produce even more force in the upper end of the ROM)

FOR SPECIAL STRENGTH, you have to train to disinhibit negative reflexes at the speed and joint angles that you wish to perform!

Now how do you build strength base?

  1. Tendon hypertrophy-this may provide general reflexive dampening at various speeds and angles.

  2. Myofibrillar hypertrophy.

  3. Strength endurance (sarcoplasmic hypertrophy)

There is debate as to exactly how to build each of these.

Strenght endurance is pretty straightforward, but the real question is how much of it you can do without inferferring with building other strength qualities.

Myofibrillar and tendon hypertrophy seem to be built my similar means for most people. The key is finding the tempo that works for you right now. Some people grow in balance with slow negatives. Others need to list fast.

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[quote]bino wrote:
Yes, I’m partially motiveated by “strongman” stuff. In addition to lifting for its own sake, I’m into kickboxing and have recently taken up Highland Games. A lot of different strength qualities required by those two. I realize I can’t train optimally for both events, but I’m certain I can devise a method to maximize overlap.

One of the things I’m conviced of, and that is evident in the Cardoza’s Stones and Tires thread, is the importance of general conditioning. One might immediately lump GPP in with endurance strength, but I think that would be a mistake.[/quote]

why would that be.

[quote]bino wrote:
Look at how much Westside guys emphasize GPP, and they’re all about max strength.[/quote]

yes but Dave talked about in his sled-dragging article about the guys that really overdo it on GPP. they end up doing exactly the opposite of what GPP is supposed to do. they do so much that it detracts from your main training sessions, and does not benefit you. your entire focus(if you are going to train westsideish) should be on improving the quality of your main training sessions. GPP helps to do this, by allowing you to do more, and better quality, volume.

[quote]bino wrote:
For GPP I’ve been dragging a sled once a week. I’m looking forward to the sandbag article Thib mentioned he’s working on. Now I just have to figure out where to put a hardcore GPP day in the rotation. :0
[/quote]
well in your first posts you mentioned(i think) that you wanted:
-1. endurance
-2. hypertrophy
-3. quickness

now i know defranco mentioned once, and in my own experience it has held true, that endurance is the most sport specific quality. there is nothing that will prepare you for kickingboxing like kickboxing itself. you can’t really train for it, at least if you are managing your training economy well.

  1. hypertrophy
    this can easily be obtained if you are new, and fairly easily otherwise. just do your regular program, and as long as you have enough volume, and eat at a surplus of >500cals of day, you WILL get bigger.

  2. quickness
    now this is definately the quality that you (now) have least control over. i’m imaging you are older than 18, and studies have shown that most CNS development reaches peak during puberty and starts to slope off, finally stopping(basically) for the most part around 21 years. but, you can train to help make up for a lack of speed. i know charlie francis once said that all humans can (more or less) rotate their legs just as fast as most trained sprinters can with no resistance (lying on the ground, bycicle style), its the force production that makes the difference. the stronger you are, the less time it takes for you to accumlate max velocity, the stronger your punch/kick whatever will be. you may never be bruce lee, but you can try and make up for it with weights.

p.s. sorry to pour sand in the vagina.