Westside for Olympic Lifting

Training Powerlifting
101

[quote]Sneaky weasel wrote:
The Russians, Chinese, and others don’t ascribe to this training system, and emphasize assistive work and other lifts to a much greater degree, although their training frequency is probably about the same, and they seem to be doing pretty well. Do you really feel that this is the only way serious lifters should train?
[/quote]

I would say that there’s no doubt about the Bulgarian system being superior, at least with driving your numbers up.

I can tell you that personally, when I switched from a Russian based program to a more ME style Bulgarian system, my numbers improved fast, much faster than anything else I tried. I can also say that it worked better with the 3 lifters that I’ve taken to Nationals as well.

That said, you do feel “drained” all the time, but it’s this “drained” state that allows you increase your maxes and recover, oddly enough. I always say, there’s a fine line between functioning at your best and almost falling apart both physically and mentally.

It sounds like training this way would burn someone out, but you’d be surprised how much your body can handle in terms of volume of ME lifts.

102

[quote]jimmyjames wrote:
Yeah, personally I don’t have anything wrong with massage because I believe the system is more about CNS adaptation than muscular adaptation. But then again, Abadjiev created the system…[/quote]

Exactly, the system is all about a CNS adaptation. These lifters very rarely run into muscular fatigue anyway…a high volume, cardio set for them is a set of 3.

103

[quote]Sneaky weasel wrote:
I can’t say that I really agree with you, especially the notion that anabolics are not necessary for this style of training, but good luck to you all the same. Keep us appraised of your progress![/quote]

You’d be surprised how much the body can handle, especially if you get a LOT of sleep and eat plenty.

That said, drugs make the recovery process easier, especially the mental side of it.

I know one guy that nearly went into a severe depression from being in this training state, he was strong, but mentally, a wreck. As soon as he got on a little best of Test, he was fine, he was ready to take on the world.

104

[quote]jimmyjames wrote:
Concerning steroid use and the ban of the Greek and Bulgarian teams, ALMOST EVERY WEIGHTLIFTER AT THE OLYMPIC LEVEL IS, OR HAS AT ONE POINT BEEN, DOPING. I’m not condoning it, I’m just saying that this was largely political and this would not be the first time it’s occured.[/quote]

Everyone should understand that nearly every elite level lifter (even American though they always cling to the drug-free mantra) is on a lot of anabolics. Probably a gram of test and 2-5 IUs of GH at the minimum. Peptide drugs are making their way to now. I’m starting to hear IGF-1, Insulin, MGF, etc as the next wave. There’s rumor that’s why the Russian lifters were so “bodybuilder” big, that and a lot of assitive single-joint lifts.

105

Dominator said it all. You feel run-down but super-energized at the same time. And regarding muscular fatigue, I forgot what it feels like. I haven’t experienced DOMS in over a year.

106

Jimmy what exactly is your trianing like? How exactly do you choose your max for the day (do you get psyched and try to break a pr every single workout or stay calm and just do 90%+ lifts?).

Basically I’m saying, lay out exactly what you were told by Caleb about Abadjiev’s training style. Weight selection still matters, you don’t just go to 95% and start adding 1kg plates until you miss then call it day. So how is it laid out?

107

Morning:

sn - work up to 90-95% for 3 or 4 singles or work up to MAX pwr sn

cj - work up to 90-95% for 3 or 4 singles or work up to MAX pwr cln

fs - work up to MAX (if failed, drop weight 5kg and hit a few singles) then drop 10k and hit 2 or 3 doubles

Evening:

sn - work up to MAX take 4-8 attempts if needed (I’ve taken as many as 12) or work up to 95-98% for 3 or 4 singles

cj - work up to MAX take 4-8 attempts or work up to 95-98% for 3 or 4 singles

fs - work up to MAX (if failed, drop weight 5kg and hit a few singles) then drop 10k and hit 2 or 3 doubles

I should note that Caleb squatted at the beginning of the session and usually I squat at the beginning and end (because I don’t fs 3x BW like some people). If I do this, I’ll MAX for the first squat, MAX again for the second, and then hit doubles for volume.

By the way, if your squat isn’t going up, try squatting 20+ times a week - it will go up. Also, one day of the week we dedicated to doubles (Mondays).

108

I forgot to mention - the sessions we max on the lifts are called “control sessions” and we do these 3 days a week. On these days we usually do pwrs in the morning (if you tend to cut the pull this is a good idea).

We would use straps on the snatch in every session except the controls, until we realized this weakened grip. Now, I ownly strap-up for morning sessions.

109

thanks again for all the info jimmyjames

(sidenote…3XBW front squat…eff)

110

[quote]brian.m wrote:
thanks again for all the info jimmyjames

(sidenote…3XBW front squat…eff)[/quote]

Yeah, Caleb’s a beast. I think 225kg is his best fs and he walks around at like 73kg

111

How long does each session take? Do you take a 15 min. break between each exercise or just go right into your warm up for the next one?

112

Sessions can last anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. I take 10-15 minutes between fs and sn, 10-15 minute breaks between sn and cj and 5 minutes before fs again. If I have more time, I take longer breaks. I try to get at least 4 hours rest between sessions.

113

So it really is Abadjiev’s system then. How do you have time to work? And how old are you?

114

here’s an interesting question. DO you guys think the russsian system could be more effective for a split lifter (doesn’t really happen nowadays I guess) than a squat lifter?

115

I’m 22 years old (I know I started late, but I’m still gunning for international level). As far as working, there’s a few ways to make it work. Serving’s good - a day shift lasts 4-6 hours and, at the right place, you can pull $100 in that time.

Bartending at a club is also good. You don’t have to be at work until like 8, you work till 3 or 4 and walk out with a couple hundred at least.

116

[quote]jimmyjames wrote:
Morning:

sn - work up to 90-95% for 3 or 4 singles or work up to MAX pwr sn

cj - work up to 90-95% for 3 or 4 singles or work up to MAX pwr cln

fs - work up to MAX (if failed, drop weight 5kg and hit a few singles) then drop 10k and hit 2 or 3 doubles

Evening:

sn - work up to MAX take 4-8 attempts if needed (I’ve taken as many as 12) or work up to 95-98% for 3 or 4 singles

cj - work up to MAX take 4-8 attempts or work up to 95-98% for 3 or 4 singles

fs - work up to MAX (if failed, drop weight 5kg and hit a few singles) then drop 10k and hit 2 or 3 doubles

[/quote]

It’s a little more complicated than this, but this is the general idea.

I want to say there are 6 training days with 8 total workouts.

Morning lifts were typically done “Power” style with Sqauts done first.

Most of the time, Sqauts are Front Squats unless there some physical reason to Back Squat. Squat weights were always based off C&J numbers, and normally would never go more than 20Kg over those numbers.

Also, there was really only one all out max day, typically Saturday, the other training days were always less than the lifters best unless the lifter was feeling especially good that day. On the max day, they Squat max as well.

I did see some pulls thrown in there from time to time, especially if the lifters needed to strengthen a specific part of their pull.

There were also some interesting waves that they’d do some days. They work up like 3 attempts, work back down again and do the same thing 3-4 times. Most of the time, I’d say that they stayed under 10 attempts at 90% and above though.

That’s sort of the gist of it. I can say that it takes a little while to adjust to the frequency and intensity of the lifts. Once you get adjusted, though, the numbers start to fly up. The other thing is that the lifts would take a while to complete…2 hours or more sometimes, and when they got in the 90% and above range, they’d take 5 minutes or more between attempts, etc.

117

That’s was your experience with Abadjiev?

When Caleb came back from training with
them he brought back a program, it was literally what I typed above (except squatting first and I simplified it for the sake of keeping the post condensed).

11 to 12 sessions a week (the 2nd session on saturday was “optional”) and control sessions 2-3x a week. Obviously you don’t hit a new PR 3x a week, but you work up with the intent of hitting one. If you miss a weight (say at 98%), you take several attempts at that until you get it. Then you either go for a PR or try to hit the same weight again.

Obviously, if in any other session you feel like you have it, you go for a PR.

The program also contained info on peaking and unload weeks, both of which basically consisted of dropping the volume of maximal attempts and allowing less missed attempts.

118

I’m sure there’s no one on here who wouldn’t want to see the program word for word. If you have the time and patience to type it then let’s see it!

119

[quote]Yoda-x wrote:
I’m sure there’s no one on here who wouldn’t want to see the program word for word. If you have the time and patience to type it then let’s see it![/quote]

Abadjiev is writing or has written a book and it’s being translated by people here right now. It’s supposed to be released at some point, but I haven’t heard anything concrete as far as a date.

120

[quote]Yoda-x wrote:
I’m sure there’s no one on here who wouldn’t want to see the program word for word. If you have the time and patience to type it then let’s see it![/quote]

Unfortunately, I don’t have it in front of me and I don’t remember all the details as far as peaking and such, but the weekly layout looked something like this:

Monday

Morning

Front Squat 3x1 -10kg
Snatch 3x2 -10kg
Clean and Jerk 3x2 -10kg

Afternoon

Front Squat 3x1 -5kg
Snatch 3x2 -5kg
Clean and Jerk 3x2 -5kg

Tuesday

Morning

Front Squat 3x1 -5kg
Power Snatch MAX
Power Clean and Jerk MAX

Afternoon (Control Practice)

Snatch MAX
Clean and Jerk MAX
Front Squat MAX

Wednesday

Morning

Front Squat 3x1 -10kg
Snatch 3x1 -10kg
Clean and Jerk 3x1 -10kg

Afternoon

Front Squat 3x1 -5kg
Snatch 3x1 -5kg
Clean and Jerk 3x1 -5kg

Thursday

Morning

Front Squat 3x1 -5kg
Power Snatch MAX
Power Clean and Jerk MAX

Afternoon (Control Practice)

Snatch MAX
Clean and Jerk MAX
Front Squat MAX

Friday

Morning

Front Squat 3x1 -10kg
Snatch 3x1 -10kg
Clean and Jerk 3x1 -10kg

Afternoon

Front Squat 3x1 -5kg
Snatch 3x1 -5kg
Clean and Jerk 3x1 -5kg

Saturday

Morning (Optional)

Front Squat 3x1 -5kg
Power Snatch MAX
Power Clean and Jerk MAX

Afternoon (Control Practice)

Snatch MAX
Clean and Jerk MAX
Front Squat MAX