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Hifi Fitness Factory. Chicago, IL

There are many well-known advanced training protocols available to serious weightlifters, athletes, and bodybuilders. Some have yet to be proven through evidence based research and others are more about marketing than science. There are also those which have proven themselves to be tried and true, providing results over the decades. They are worthy of the most elite training programs around the world, and offer suffer the flattery of imitation. I decided that the end of the rowing season was the right time to pick one to follow and set up a resistance program for the winter. 

I wanted to try something that had been proven to be effective, would be a significant challenge, and that I had never done before. What better way to screen an approach for use with future clients than to run myself through it? I looked at several well known protocols which have piquing my curiosity over the years and selected what some consider the king of muscle building routines. German Volume Training.

Based on the research I have done so far, German Volume Training is not something that is easily traced back to a specific individual; unlike today’s celebrity workouts no one patented German Volume Training. According to the Charles Poliquin website, it is named after its origin in the 1970’s on the German national weightlifting team under the coaching of Rolf Feser. Vince Gironda is also given credit for popularizing a similar training protocol in the US. It is given much credit for the performance of Germany's Olympic teams of that time period.

So what is it?

GVT calls for a very basic split, and incredibly minimalist workout plans. Oh, so German! (I was sold.) Each workout calls for one exercise per bodypart. That's it. The trick is you perform it for 10 sets of 10 reps. A total of 100 reps per exercise, which is why there are so few in a workout!

Naturally, the exercises must be selected to activate the largest amount of muscle mass, and should be as structural as possible. Emphasis should be given to multi-joint movements; this is not a program based on muscular isolation. Over the course of the program I will be altering the angles of the exercises, swapping similar exercises, and alternating between barbells and dumbbells. It would be foolish to do 100 reps of a flat bench press for 12 weeks, the risk of muscle imbalances and overuse would be too great.

Resistance loads are relatively light, starting as low as 50-60% 1RM. Prescribed increases are also smaller than usual 2.5 - 5% per week, but given the volumes lifted, that seems only natural. I will put together a post when I have completed the 12 week program summarizing my findings. I will be honest. If it sucks I will tell you, and if I suck at it, I will let you know!

So sit back and get ready.

It is about to get Germanic around here.

There stands a Tree

Damn those straps looks hot in the woods. Imagine it on a sunny fall day!

I have been a Certified TRX  Suspension Trainer Instructor for a while now, and a fan for significantly longer. I think they are an amazingly clever piece of fitness equipment. You can perform literally hundreds of exercises that engage the whole body in a functional and structural manner. By simply altering your body position in relationship to the anchor point, thus changing the applied loads by recruiting gravity in different ways, people of all fitness levels can be fully challenged with one piece of equipment. This is why I have come to like the TRX Suspension Trainer. 

Last weekend, I fell in love. 

The often advertised ability to take it wherever you go is a very appealing part of its marketing campaign. What looks better than a group of fit people working out overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge, or in the mists of the Muir hills? I certainly knew not. Then earlier this month I took mine out into the woods of Southern Michigan while on a weekend trip. A slice of heaven.

My view while working out

My TRX, the trees, and me. Forget the gym, forget the playground...forget the city! What a brilliant piece of equipment. While I like using it to train people in their buildings, homes, or neighborhood playgrounds, I now I know what I love using it for!

I am a rower, so I am showing off my best exercises here.

Plyometrics

With the increasing popularity of Crossfit gyms, boot camps, and home training DVD's, ever more people are beginning to discover Plyometrics. This is great news since plyometric training is a terrific way to train explosive power in a functional manner. However, the demands placed on the body by plyometric training means it is not for everyone, and inadequate pre-conditioning or inexperience can result in serious injury.

Mechanics

During a plyometric movement the muscle is rapidly stretched and then contracted. This is referred to as the Stretch-Shortening Cycle (SSC). The rapid and deep stretch that precedes the muscle contraction produces three reactions within the muscle that increases the muscles ability to produce greater power.

1. The cells in the agonist muscles and tendons are rapidly stretched, and this means that potential elastic energy is created.
2. A quick stretch in a muscle reflexively activates the muscle spindles. These intramuscular organs increase the activity of the muscle cells, generating a greater potential for contractile force.
3. The stretching phase also generates neurological stimuli that begin communicating with the central nervous system. This opens the neurological path way, priming it for the impending contractile stimulus.

Rapidly transitioning from the stretch phase to the contraction phase takes advantage of these reactions during contraction, and great power can be produced. Pausing at the end of the stretch will result in the loss of the plyometric qualities of the movement. The quick squat that precedes a vertical jump produces plyometric reactions.

Safety

The rapidity of the SSC means that the Golgi tendon organs (Organs in the tendons that communicate to the brain when the load on the muscle is excessively dangerous.) will not have the time to send warnings to the central nervous system. This in conjunction with the incredible loads that can be generated by certain plyometric movements, can result in debilitating injuries. While extensive research has not been done to determine exactly what the extent of risk is, the NSCA has put together base safety guidelines.

NSCA Guidelines

• Trainee must be at least 13 years old
• Trainee must have at least three months of resistance training experience
• Trainee must not be recovering from an injury to involved body part
• Trainee must have sufficient strength, speed, and balance capacity

Strength

For lower body plyometrics: Trainees should have a 1RM squat of at least 1.5 times body weight.

For upper body plyometrics: Trainees weighing 220 lbs or more should have a 1RM bench press equaling 1.0 times bodyweight. Trainees weighing less than 220 pounds should have a 1RM bench press equaling 1.5 times body weight.

Speed

For lower body plyometrics: Trainees should be able to squat 60% of their body weight five times in five seconds or less.

For upper body plyometrics: Trainees should be able to bench press 60% of their body weight five times in five seconds or less.

Conclusion

Form is as always crucial, and every trainee who is performing plyometrics should at least learn proper form and appropriate programming under the supervision of an experienced trainer. With proper incorporation into a training program, and careful execution plyometrics can be incredibly beneficial on many fronts.

Good introductory plyometric exercises include jumping rope, skipping, and hopping in place. Not hardcore enough? Think of who you always see doing these. Heavyweight boxers and little girls - proving that they are serious work as well as safe and natural!

References

Earle, Roger W. and Bechle, Thomas R. 2003. NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training.
Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics. (pg. 426 - 439).
Earle, Roger W. and Bechle, Thomas R. 2003. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.
Champaign, IL : Human Kinetics. (pg. 414 - 426).