Power is King 2

                                   A true POWER(s) athlete

Power is King :2

As stated in Power is King 1 athletic performance enhancement is based upon peak power production. How do we increase peak power production, through olympic lifts, plyo-metrics and strength training. Now that we know what we must do, we need to know how we should go about harnessing peak power production and enhancing athletic performance.

    The answer is quite simply a sport periodised training model. A periodized training model is an organized break down of athletes training, cycling through various aspects of a training focused on athletes peaking during their competition/game season. 

Preparation for every and any competitive sport training should be broken down into cycles of an: off-season, pre-season, in-season (competition/games) and post-season. Proper thought and planning should be placed into each training cycle with an ultimate goal of improved athletic performance that guides the different individual training cycle goals. 

    Here's a quick simple lesson on cycles. First a Macro cycle refers to a year or annual plan that works towards peaking for the goal competition of the year. There are three phases in the macrocycle: preparation, competitive, and transition.

         A mesocycle represents a phase of training with a duration of between 2 – 6 weeks or micro-cycles, but this can depend on the sporting discipline. During the preparatory phase, a mesocycle commonly consists of 4 – 6 micro-cycles, while during the competitive phase it will usually consist of 2 – 4 micro-cycles depending on the competition’s

      A microcycle is typically a week because of the difficulty in developing a training plan that does not align itself with the weekly calendar. Each microcycle is planned based on where it is in the overall macrocycle.

    A simplified example, take for instance a football players in-season training cycle might have a goal of strength maintenance and recovery. Since during a season you cannot train with the volume or frequency that you would in the offseason due to the number of games and practices and the fear of over training. Take that same football players off-season training cycle's the football players first off season mesocycle might be to for increased size and muscle mass. His second off-season mesocycle might be for increased strength and third might be to improve power.        For each sport there is going to be differences in the exercises, training sessions and goals. This being said all sports should use this same progressive model of predication. Also take into consideration that there are many different training models inside a periodzation model. Some strength professional favor an undulating program while other prefer a linear model. To a professional strength coach this can just as has a heated debate as religion or politics.

In my opinion it doesn't matter which form of exercise progression you use as long as the training cycles build on one another to peak at the right time. So often I see young athletes and even current competitive exercisers still training in that body building model. Basing your work out on the "killer pump you got from chest and tri's work out" is idiotic. Ascetic means nothing to athletic performance, power and strength. Not to just pick on body building, competitive exercisers (CrossFitters) if you think"constant variance" means not programming your WOD's and strength training into a periodization model is ok, you are dead wrong and as ridiculous as power lifters squeezing themselves into squat suits and bench shirts.  There must be an overall definable goal that drives you're training. Without plans and goals you are just wasting your time.

1-25-12

1 Heavy single rack jerk

1 Heavy single clean

1 Heavy single Back squat

Daily WOD

3 Rounds work:rest 1:1

10 Back extensions

10 GHD sit ups

10 DB "power clean"