First blog post! Some thoughts on programming…
June 15, 2015
I’ve had a few conversations with a few different people in the last little while that have prompted me to express my ideas and philosophies regarding my training philosophies. Particularly as it relates to coaching powerlifters here at PTC Rowville. So for what I believe is my first bona fide blog entry, here are some of my thoughts...
Every single athlete in my gym has their own program. This means they get their very own program, a completely bespoke variety of exercises, prescribed weights, sets and reps. A program that is designed to suit their goals, competition timing, training frequency and lifestyle considerations. More specifically, the program is designed to most effectively improve the athlete’s powerlifting total by targeting their individual weaknesses, both strength-wise and movement wise. When I analyze a lifter, I watch them lift, then I develop a unique and individual strategy for each lifter based on what areas I believe we need to improve, reinforce, or develop. No two athletes are on the same program. There are similarities, of course, and I obviously will have my own methods and styles, but the key point is that EVERY program is tailor fit for what I believe is maximum effectiveness for that athlete. More on this later...
At PTC Rowville I keep a very large emphasis on improving technique. Our goals as lifters is to move as much weight as possible. If you’re leaking kilos because your technique is inefficient, you’re doing yourself an injustice! So my program design is always based around improving the athlete’s strength in a way that will also translate into improved technical ability. Now for anyone reading this thinking that we all stand around squatting broomsticks for 2 hours to get a ‘more synergistic activation of your inner medial anterior something or other’ we don’t. Our athletes train with what most would consider reasonably high volume, as well as training with high percentage (85%+) weights reasonably often. After all, if you want to get better at lifting heavy weights, I think it’s pretty important to lift heavy weights…
A word on injuries….
Because of a combination of effective programming, as well as improved movement patterns and mechanics, we experience a very LOW incidence of injuries, as well as rarely experiencing ‘overtraining’ as most would understand it (a subject for another article entirely!). Why would we get hurt or suffer regression? Improving the mechanics of the lifts and protecting them from technical breakdown, as well as a program designed with recovery and adaptation as a key priority, means that we’re doing our absolute utmost to protect the athlete from injury while extracting the largest amount of effort and intensity possible (Hint: Very large effort, very high intensity).
PS…If you haven’t got a coach, or you’re not experienced enough to objectively make all of these decisions and make appropriate analysis over your technique and programming, you’re doing yourself a disservice and costing yourself progress. Especially if you’re not a very experienced lifter. Surround yourself with knowledge and information!
Yours in strength!
Dan