Legend has it that the American government spent millions of
taxpayer dollars developing the fabled “space pen” after discovering
conventional, ink-based writing instruments fail to function properly in the absence of gravity. Needless to
say, this issue took on heightened importance amid the space race in the 1960s. The legend goes to claim the Russians circumvented
this obstacle by simply providing their cosmonauts with pencils. Though this story is but pure myth, it
underscores the importance of simplicity and relying on the optimal tool(s) for completing a task.
The same lesson is applicable to the programming of
weightlifting and strength training. Far
too many athletes yearn to follow programs that are entirely inappropriate for
their ability levels – cough, Smolov, cough.
Indeed, Smolov and other Russian, percentage-based programs are not appropriate for
“beginners” or “intermediates,” as defined loosely by Mark Rippetoe’s “Starting
Strength” standards, i.e. those not
yet capable of squatting double bodyweight or pressing bodyweight-plus. The argument for putting an intermediate on
Smolov makes as much sense as trying to kill an ant with a trebuchet.
So what is the alternative for these training
populations? Instead of adhering to percentages,
I prescribe daily training maximums, with a wide variety of repetition ranges
(3-20, depending on the exercise). I
believe this “looser” philosophy offers the following advantages:
(1) Flexibility. It stands to reason no one reading this blog is a
professional athlete, thus all are juggling multiple responsibilities: work, school, the dreaded “work-and-school” combination, family,
social obligations, etc. The commitments
and stress stemming from these obligations impacts training and recovery, almost always
for the worse. Building in the flexibility
to account for a weekend business trip or a long night in the office is prudent
when thinking long-term.
Otherwise an athlete runs the risk of going too heavy – or even maximum –
under less than optimal conditions.
(2) Enthusiasms. A positive attitude is important for maintaining
consistency in the training hall, and without consistency, progress cannot
occur. To upregulate enthusiasm, I recommend taking heavier-than-planned attempts, provided the mind and body are aligned. Many coaches I have trained under subscribe to a similar philosophy, and that's the magic of training with someone in the flesh, as opposed to over the Internet. More often than not, the days I expect the least are the days I enjoy the best results – and not
necessarily personal records, just better-than-expected.
(3) Kenny Rogers. Everyone knows the song, “The Gambler,” and
its prose carry over to weightlifting and strength training – “You’ve got to
know when to hold’em, Know when to fold’em, Known when to walk away, And know
when to run.” There are days when all
aspects of training are on-point – asleep before ten, feast on a
bevy of nutrient-dense foods, warm-up properly, etc. – but as weight is added to
the bar, a problem emerges. There is no “pop”
or “zip” in the lifts; the bar speed is wanting. It is just a bad day. When faced with such diabolical luck, have the maturity to stop at 70-80% and the discipline to return the next day.
