Boris Sheiko's First Book Chapters 1-4

About the author:

Boris Ivanowich Sheiko-is one of the leading and experienced trainers on power lifting, chief
trainer of the male combine team of Russia, merited trainer of the Kazakh SSR for heavy
athletics, merited trainer of the republic of Kazakhstan and merited trainer of Russia on power
lifting, ? International categories.
He worked in power lifting since 1990. Since that time he trained part of the world champions
and three Europe champions. Three of his pupils were awarded the honorary title of Merited
sports master, and eight are masters of international sports class. B.I. Sheiko- the first trainer of
repeatedly a world champion A. Sivoconya (Kazakhstan) and double-ply world champions S.
Mora and I. Abramovoy (Russia, republic .
In this book are examined the aspects of preparing sportsmen in power lifting. Here are also
presented various planning of workout process for different groups of sports mastering.
Examples of workout planning of leading sportsmen- world and Europe champions. For practical
trainers in power lifting, teachers in college and colleges of physical culture, sports workers and
judges.
I think that the time has come to stop blindly follow the workout plans of foreign athletes and
insufficiently competent Russian specialists. Moreover right now the Russian School of Power
Lifting is recognized as the leader in the international arena. The proof of that are the wins of
Russian athletes. Thus the womens combined team over the course of 6 years from 1993 up to
current date does not know equals to itself in world championships. The mens combined team of
Russia in 1998, 1999 years also became the world champions in team test. I would not mind the
pleasure of citing the list of our sportswomen and sportsmen, which in different years won the
title of world champions:
Women:
Tanokova E. (1991-1994), Rumyantseva N. (1993-1999), Yamskih E. (1995, 1997, 2000),
Korshunova A. (1995-1998), Tesleva S. (1996-2000), Belova O. (1996-1999), Kudinova M.
(1997-2000), Zhguleva M. (1997), Phomina E. (1998), Abramova I. (1999-2000), Payusova N.
(1999), Nelyubova V. (2000), Pusanova T. (2000), Ignatenkova E. (2000), Lugova I. (2000),
Pavlova A. (2000).
Men:
Zhuravlev S. (1992), Pavlov K. (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999), Mor S. (1997, 1998), Guryanov M.
(1997, 1999), Gankov A. (1998), Podtynnay M. (1998, 1999), Tarasenko A. (1999), Suslov N.
(1999).
By the number of medals won, the Russian sportsmen came in leading positions in Europe and
the world. And that is in spite of that the combined teams of Russia started to participate in world
and Europe championships much later than the other countries: members of International
Federation of Power lifting (men- from 1990, women- from 1993).
I am surprised by the fact that the young trainers learn and take on the planning methods for
workouts for bodybuilding, forgetting that heavy athletics are much closer than power lifting.
The main objective of bodybuilding consists of harmonious muscle building and demonstrating
the perfections of the human body. With that the athlete achieves surprising results in muscle
growth with modest showing in the development of strength. But like in heavy athletics, as well
as power lifting, the main objective is the development of the muscle strength without any
noticeable weight gain.
In physiology what is mean by the muscle strength is the maximum ?, which is expressed
in grams and kilograms, which they are able ?. According to V.M. Zatsyorscomu, the human
strength can be determined as his ability to overcome the outside resistance. It is distinguished by
two ideas: the absolute force and the relative force.
Absolute force- force that is displayed by a human in an exercise without taking into account the
muscle weight or the whole body weight. For example the greatest bar weight that has been
successfully pressed by an athlete, can be used as an index to find the absolute force of the arm
muscles.
Relative force- human force that is displayed in any exercise (in motion, by extending and
flexing the joint, by hitting, etc.) ? on 1 kg of body weight.
The strength of muscles depends on many factors. When the rest of the conditions are equal, the
force is proportional to the cross-section of muscles (Webers principle). The maximum possible
clonus (contraction) when the rest of the conditions are equal, the ? is proportional to the length
of the muscular fibril (Bernoullis principle)./p>
The strength of the clonus depends on their anatomical structure. Thus, ? pinnate structure-
losing in magnitude of the contraction, winning in the strength of contraction, since they have
bigger physiological diameter. The primary ability of most pinnate-structured muscles, is the
development of the muscle effort, muscles with parallel and spindle-shaped fibers have the most
particularly significant change in length, due to which the more expressed movements in
different joints are provided (Yu. M. Uflyand).
As early as 1901, I. M. Setsenov noted that the volition effort, sportsmans psychical
arrangements, concentration of his attention- are the key factors in future display of his strength
on maximum level. With that the important meaning has the perfection of the neuromuscular
coordination, which is directed for using the potential capability of muscles under maximum
volition effort. The fact is that usually not all of the fibers participate during a clonus. But the
higher the intensity of the stimulation of the muscle, the more fibers participate in its contraction.
The greatest strength can be achieved only when all of the fibers of a muscle participate. In order
to get this ability, workouts in the corresponding direction are needed. The optimal way to do
this is exercises with different burdens and resistances, in which it is necessary to display
maximum and close to them (85%-100%) volition and physical effort.
Thus, the modern progresses in sports are impossible without maximum and sub maximum
loads. But they give positive effect only if they alternate with medium and low loads, thus
creating conditions for restoring and over restoring the sportsmans organism after high loads.
Medium loads support efficiency of the sportsmans organism on a certain level, and low loads
that are done after high and medium, help the restoration, raise with this the efficiency of the
sportsmans organism on workouts. Organism restoration- is an integral part of the workout
process.
A reminder, that for a low workout load, the work up to 50%-60% is typical for best results, for a
medium workout- up to 70%-80%, for a high workout- up to 90% and for a maximum workout-
over 90%.
If you characterize the load as the number of bar lifts (NBL), so the low load is considered up to
50 lifts, medium from 51-100 lifts, and high over 100 lifts per workout.
Some trainers, trying to achieve higher results from their students at the expense of almost every
day maximum loads, forgetting that presentation of maximum demand towards the central
nervous system during even a couple of weeks, which very fast leads to over training. The nerve
cells cannot save their efficiency for a long time on a level that greatly exceeds the normal one,
since that causes them to overstrain. I. P. Pavlovuy established that every time a demand for
efficiency of nerve cells reaches the limit and ? the threat of their overstrain, when inhibition
occurs in nerve cells, it can sharply decrease their efficiency. The nerve cells use this as if to
protect themselves from overstrain and exhaustion.
All of this predetermines the variation of the load, like in weekly, as well as workout cycles.
Training of athletes is built in a form of workout cycles, whose objective is ? of a
high sport result for a certain time-period. Every workout cycle consists of sport development
period ? its stabilization and temporary loss. These cycles are usually called ?
preparatory, emulative and transitive. ? these three periods and make up the training
cycle.
The objective of the preparatory period- is to develop a foundation of the sport ? and to provide
its immediate formation. During this period the adaptation of the organism to the training
influence takes place, and reaches a certain level of sportsmans preparedness. During the
preparatory period the sportsman accomplishes a large volume of training load with ?
intensity height.
The duration of the preparatory period depends on the individual properties of the athlete, his
sport form. On average he can ? from 2 to 4 month. An attempt to solve the objectives in more
condensed ? can lead to their non-fulfillment./p>
The objectives of the emulative period is the achievement of a level of the ? sport form and
the realization of it on meets.
The condition of training, which allows the sportsman successfully participate in meets, is
usually called the sport form. Of course ? to reach a higher level of sport form during the ?
more responsible meets. This level is simply called ? sport form. It usually coincides with
higher sports accomplishments.
During this period the volume of the workout load in lowered while increasing the intensity, this
is accomplished by lowering the cycle of lifts ? weights and increasing the number of lifts
of maximum weights in ? exercises.
To assess the condition of the sport form, the estimates in separate exercises and in triathlon help
do that. They help determine the initial approach to the bar at future meets.
The length of the meeting period depends on time in which the athlete retains his sport form, and
also from the calendar of meets. The meeting period can last from one to four months.
The objectives of the transitive period consist of, so that the sportsmen can begin the new cycle
with renewed strength. For that, the body has to have active rest. During this period the volume
and the intensity of workout load is declined as is the number of workouts per week. The length
of the transitive period is on average equal to 1 to 4 weeks and depends on extent of tiredness
occurring after intensive workouts and meets, and from individual ability of the athletes
organism to restoration.
In this handbook we discuss the particularity of training methods for every group of athletes-
beginners, junior sportsmen, and qualified athletes. Here are given approximate plans for training
for each of these groups of sportsmen, which are not a dogma. I hope that young trainers or
sportsmen will use these plans creatively.
Of course I understand that each trainer had his/her views and opinions and that every trainer
thinks that their methods are the best. But if this methodical manual can help in any way, I would
be glad. I would also be glad if somebody would write to me and share their thoughts in their
own training methods.
I am very grateful to the Judge of the international categories, S. G. Shantarenko for editing and
advices, which helped the book, and also for helping and organizing the production of my book.
All comments and suggestions about the contents if the book, please send to: 644046, Omsk, .
, 35, , .
Author
1. Methods for planning workouts for beginner sportsmen
(Group of beginner preparation- novices)
During workout exercises with the youth, the group method is used. This method of training is
good, because while learning this technique ? (meet) exercises, all the students of the
group repeat the shown exercise one after another. And when a trainer shows to one of the
sportsmen his mistake, the others try not to repeat the same mistake. For some time, the novices
themselves will point out the mistakes to each other. This eases the teaching process and
accelerates the forming of experience.
When teaching novices you should always use the pre-exercises. These are the exercises that are
by coordination are closer to separate parts of the exercise that has been learned, but easier. For
example, sometimes during squats, it takes time to explain how to hold their back and knees, but
it does not work. But once you show them how to do squats on the bench on needed height, the
sportsmen gets the movement. For it to be easier to teach the back curve during bench press we
just put a roller under the waist and after some time, usually a month, sportsman gets used to the
required position of the body during press. The same goes for dead lift. We observed that it
would be easier to teach the right movements, if you put the bar on the terminal blocks (support).
The first week, the bar should by 10 cm higher than the knees. Then when lowering the height of
the terminal blocks, we eventually come to the initial position from the podium. In harmony with
the squats standing on the terminal blocks, the technique is strengthened much easier. /p>
The heavyweights call this exercise the depth squat. The sportsman gets up on the terminal
blocks, which are 50-60 cm in height and are 70-80 cm apart. He takes the dumbbells in his
hands and without bending the back does 5-8 depth squads.
Thus the athletes first master one way of carrying out an exercise, then another one.
Very often the youth overestimate their capabilities, they have very high sense of rivalry, on
every workout they try to lift the maximum weight, which can cause trauma. One more
important aspect, it is better to have the youth in a group of the same age or with a difference of
one year (13-14 years or 14-15 years). The trainer should always remember that during the time
that the execution technique of the classical exercises is learned, the important thing is not the
weight of the bar, but the number of the repetitions in an approach.
It is known fact that learning the technique is useful with an apparatus of a medium weight. As
the sportsman masters the exercise and improves his whole physical condition. The weight of the
bar gradually increases. Either strong or weak irritants are not optimal and the most favorable in
forming relative reflexes. Only medium load can successfully strengthen the effective forming of
movement in exercise structure and favor better development of special physical class, which are
essential for lifting the bar with the maximum weight.
At the end of each month there are meets between the novices for best classical exercises
technique. It is not mandatory to do all three exercises and do them in strictly meet order: squats,
bench press, and dead lift. Thus it can also be done in this order: Monday-squats, Friday-bench
press, Monday-dead lift. These meets help the trainer to see the effectiveness of his teaching,
find errors in the technique of carrying out the exercises, which will allow correcting the
teaching methods and including exercise which will help to correct the error. This way, the main
objectives when writing the monthly plans for novices is the teaching technique of classical
exercise, and also improves general and physical training.
I also want to point out the inadmissibility of weight loss for young athletes. Every type of
weight loss reflects negatively on the health of the sportsman, holds back this whole physical
development and stops the growth of the sport results. Therefore it is not acceptable for young
athletes whose physical development is not yet finished, to artificially lose weight, because this
can cause disturbances in the regular activity of the endocrine glands and the cardiovascular
system, it can also negatively influence the youths body growth. We think that in the beginning
stage of training the sportsman, it is sufficient for the volume of the assignment to be expressed
in number of bar lifts. Because it is hard to find out the true lifting limit of a novice, the pans are
written in kilograms from minimum weight (X kg). Its necessary to maintain variation like
during the week, as well as during the monthly cycle.
Approximate distribution of assignments during the weekly cycles of the preparatory
period with three workouts per week
Workout days 1
st
week 2
nd
week 3
rd
week 4
th
week 5
th
week
First Medium High Medium Low High
Second Low Low Low High Medium
Third Medium Medium High Medium High
Because there are three workout days per week, the variations would not be as large as if there
were four or five workout days per week. During the first two weeks, the plans should include
only one of the classical exercises. The other exercises should be either leading or directed at the
development of the general physical training. During the initial phase, the general physical
training exercises will prevail over the special training exercises. But later on with future
increase of work on the technique of classical exercises, leveling off will occur.
Examples of the planning the workouts for sportsman-novices are cited in appendix 1.

2. Methods of planning the workouts for rated sportsman
(Training group)
In plans for rated sportsmen as well as in plans for novices, the capacity of the executed work is
determined by NBL. Yet already we distinguish between NBL in meet exercises from NBL in
general physical and secondary exercises.
With three workout days per week, the exercises are distributed in the following manner:
First day Second day Third day
Squats Press Squats
Press Dead lift Press
We think that squats should be done two times per week. With this, at the beginning of the week
we include in the workouts intense squats with two or three lifts and at the end of the week-
volumetric squats with lifts from four to six times in an approach, or vice versa. Press exercises
are executed with every workout so arm muscles and muscles of the upper shoulder girdle have
time to recover.
Since for rated sportsman you can already determine their maximum results in meet exercises,
the dosage of the load is written in percent from these results. When writing plans for rated
sportsmen this is the best choice because in a group the sportsmen that exercise there have
different ratings and of course with different weight categories. Therefore with the same percent
of the load, all of them will work out with different weights.
Of course, when writing the plan for a group of sportsmen, you cannot anticipate the individual
qualities, therefore it is recommended to give each sportsman additional exercises for either one
or another group of muscles that lag behind.
The main objective for this group of sportsmen is working farther about mastering the technique
of classical exercises and the development of strength. The three-month workout plans cited
below are a single three-month cycle for training for meets. That is, knowing the meet date, we
count back three month and start the training.
The first week of the first month as if draws in to the load: two workouts that are high on NBL of
first and third days and one low workout on the second day with little percent of the load
(maximum 75). During the following weeks, increase the number of weight on the level of 80-85
from the best results of the mandatory warm-up of 50-70 percent of the weight. The main
sportsmans work will be carried out with 80 percent of the weight and higher.
When there are 3 to 3 weeks left until the meet, it is necessary for the rated sportsmen to have a
walkthrough consisting of all three meet exercises. This will help plan the initial approach for
future meets. Some trainers and sportsmen prefer to have the walkthrough nearly a week before
the meet. In our opinion this is explained by uncertainty in one self, a desire to check ones
ability once more. We think that is not right, since the sportsman will not have time to renew
ones physical strength, and mainly the nervous system.
The last two weeks before the meet, we unload the sportsmen, decrease the volume of the load
by NBL and by the intensity (decrease the percent). We issue that if the sportsman, after 2-2
month of workouts does not have the strength to lift a personal record weight, then for last one to
two weeks before the meet, he cannot get stronger, he will only waste the strength and nervous
energy.
During this period of workouts, when the sportsman comes out onto the peak of this sport form,
it is important to hold the sportsman away from his natural wish to lift 90 percent of the weight
and higher. The trainers objective is to convince the sportsman to save this craving for lifting
maximum and sub maximum weights until the upcoming meet. Trainers skill consists of
bringing out the sportsman to the highest peak of the sport form at the right moment.
Example plan for a three-month preparation for a meet for rated a sportsman is cited in appendix
2.
3. Methods for planning workouts for candidates for master and sport masters.
(The sport perfection group)
Sportsmen of the sport perfection group (candidates for masters and sport masters) workout four
times per week. Exemplary distribution of monthly load in weekly cycles in the preparatory
period is as follows:
Workout days First week Second week Third week Fourth week Fifth week
Monday Medium High High Medium Medium
Wednesday High Medium Low Low High
Friday Medium High High High High
Saturday Low Low Low Low Medium
In contrast to planning workouts for rated sportsmen group (training group) where the volume of
the load is figured out by NBL for a workout, week, month, and year, in the sport perfection
group, this is not enough. It is necessary to know the overall number of lifted kilograms
(tonnage) and the average bar weight, like in each meet exercise as well as the overall for a
workout, week, and a month.
At the capacity of the special load in power lifting, just as in the heavy athletics, the number of
kilograms (tons), that are lifted in the exercise or in an exercise for a workout, week, month,
year, is taken the volume of the workout load in kilograms is found by multiplying the lifted
weight x the number of lifts. For example: 220 kg x 3 times x 5 approaches = 3300 kg. If you
add up all the workout volumes of all the exercises, which are performed in a workout, you get
the overall volume for a workout.
At the end of the 40s, N. I. Luchkin offered to use the sum of the lifted kilograms as a criterion
for evaluating the load in separate heavy athletic exercise. However, the labor intensity of the
workout work is determined not only by the number of bar lifts and the tonnage, but also its
intensity (tension)
Under the intensity of the workout load in power lifting, as in heavy athletics, understand the size
of the medium weight of the bar, whichcan be found by dividing the volume of the load in
kilograms by NBL. For example: 3300 kg: 15 lifts= 220 kg.
As early as 1959, L. P. Matveev was the first in heavy athletics to introduce in his works the
average bar weight as a criteria of the intensity, to determine the intensity of the load for the
weightlifters. Later on many specialists on heavy athletics, like N. N. Sacksonov, A. S.
Medvedev, A. N. Vorobev, S. P. Bogdadov and everyone else began wildly applying the
average bar weight for expressing the intensity of the workout process. There are two types of
intensity, absolute (in kilograms) and relative (in percent).
Absolute intensity is the average training weight of the bar in kilograms.
Relative intensity is the average training weight of the bar in percent to the maximum
achievement in the corresponding exercise.
The rational distribution of the monthly load by the volume and intensity in weekly cycles has
great significance.
It is known that the volume and intensity are inseparable and, at the same time, and in the known
interrelations, are opposite. Their simultaneous increasing takes place until the known limit.
Further increase of the volume is connected with the delay of the intensity increase, and later on
with its decreasing (during the preparatory period, when the sportsman masters the large loads).
And vice versa, the growth of the intensity beyond the defined magnitude is connected with the
stabilization of the volume and its decreasing later on. This is characteristic for the main period,
especially for the pre-emulative phase. That is why in a long-term workout, first of all the
volume of the load in the pre-emulative phase is stabilized. The analysis of the workouts of the
most powerful weightlifters has shown that the best result is usually achieved when at the highest
volume and intensity, which is close to the optimal load over a year. Therefore, the preparatory
period in this case has considerably less load volume than the main one. This can be considered
quite natural. The volume of the load during the main period almost doesnt take any time for the
next better result to develop, since the result can be in the most optimal connection with
intensity.
A many-year study in heavy athletics showed, that the sport result and the average workout
weight of well-qualified weightlifters are in high correlated ties: r = 0.904 + or 0.0309 with a
sufficiently high consistency (p<0.001). The intensity of the workout load in preparatory and
emulative cycles cannot be constant, the load like the NBL ? has to vary. In order to increase
the intensity, it is necessary to increase the number of bar lifts weighting 85-90 from the
maximum, decreasing at the same time the number of lifts to 1-3 in an approach, which will
result in decreasing of the overall load. And vice versa, if you decrease the intensity due to
increasing the number of bar lifts weighting 75% at 4 to 6 lifts in an approach, than the overall
volume in kilograms will increase.
Just as important criteria for the load intensity in workouts is the number of bar lifts of maximum
and sub-maximum (from 90-100%) weights in squats, bench press, and dead lift.
With four workouts per week, the distribution of the workouts in a weekly cycle in cited in table
below:
The weekly cycle of exercises during four workouts
Monday Wednesday Friday Saturday
Squats Dead lift Bench press Dead lift
Bench press Bench press Squats Press exercises
Squats Dead lift Bench press Dead lift
OFP Subsidiary exercises OFP Press exercises
I want to caution, that this is approximate distribution, which in practice can have considerable
deflection. When planning in ? workout the squats or bench press are executed twice, than
the first time ? is done with 80-85% of weight from the best result ? 2-3 lifts in 5-7
approaches depending on the loads planned. The second time this exercise is done with 70-75%
of maximum weight at 3-5 lifts in an approach. If there are two dead lift exercises per a workout,
then they should be of diverse character and with diverse directions. For example: the first
exercise can be the perfection of lifting the bar from the platform (dead lift while standing on the
supports), and the second exercise- the perfection of the final phase of the dead lift (dead lift
while standing on the terminal blocks). Or another example: the first exercise is dead lift up to
the knees; the second one is the stature dead lift. But in both cases, the press exercises should be
done between the first and second dead lift exercises.
You can hear from some sportsmen, that they dead lift once every ten days. Practice shows that
often exactly those sportsmen have poor dead lift execution technique.
Once per week on Wednesdays its necessary to plan so called pyramid, this is when the
sportsman begins the exercise with 50% of maximum weight and reaches 80-85%, increasing the
bar weight by 5-10% in each approach, and then gradually decreasing the weight to 50%. For
example:
Version
1. 50% 8 times1 approach, 55% 7t1a, 60% 6t1a, 65% 5t1a, 70% 4t1a, 75% 3t2a, 80%
2t2a, 85% 1t2a, 80% 2t2a, 75% 3t2a, 770% 4t1a, 65% 5t1a, 60% 6t1a 55% 7t1a, 50%
8t1a (81 lifts)
2. 50% 6t1a, 60% 6t1a, 70% 5t1a, 75% 4t2a, 80% 3t2a, 85% 2t2a, 75% 3t2a, 70%
5t1a, 60% 7t1a, 50% 8t1a (61 lifts)
3. 50% 7t1a, 55% 6t1a, 60% 5t1a, 65% 4t1a, 70% 3t2a, 75% 2t2a, 80% 1t3a, 75%
2t2a, 70% 4t1a, 65% 6t1a, 60% 8t1a, 55% 10t1a, 50% 12t1a (79 lifts).
Depending on the training objectives, the pyramid varies from 40 to 90 lifts. There are
examples of very big pyramids; Alecksei Sivokon (Kazakhstan), repeatedly a world
champion, did pyramids that were up to 90% and had 120 lifts.
It is not recommended to do the pyramid more than one time per week, and it is necessary after
a big pyramid to do a medium or a small one. It is undesirable to do a pyramid during the
emulative period.
It is necessary to focus the attention on the pectoral muscles. Exercises that develop those
muscles are done right after the second bench press.
The main workout job is done with 80% of maximum weigh with considerable 50-,60-,70% of
the warm-up weight.
Sometimes the sportsman comes to the workout when he is already tired and cannot do the
percent that are on the plan. Then one can lower the bar weight , but still try to do the number of
lifts and approaches that are planned for the day, or keep the planned percent, shorten the number
of lifts in an approach, and add the number of approaches to the planned NBL in given exercise.
Often the sportsmen ask the permission to increase the planned percent, if the meets are far off,
this can be allow if the number of lifts in an approach are kept the same. For example: on ?
one must squat with 80% of maximum weight with 3 times in 5 approaches. After the second
approach, the sportsman asks permission to add 5%. This can be allowed if the sportsman with
85% of maximum weight can do the remaining 3 approaches with 3 times each, if the sportsman
cannot do even one lift, than after putting the weight, which is equal to ?%, the sportsman will do
everything all over again. This is a severe condition, but it forces the sportsman to realistically
consider his ability. Some refuse at once to add the weight, others add the weight and go all out.
Who would want to do extra work? Although there are some who love to add extra 2-3
approaches.
It is observed that during the time of the estimation, the sportsmen need emotional raise and the
trainers objective consists of creating an elevated mood in the workout room, with which the
sportsman feels that he is expected to perform a small miracle. And this should develop into a
result that any one did not expect. During the time of the estimation, it is necessary to establish a
little show for the whole room, where the main heroes are the ones who do the estimation.
It is useful during this time to videotape all the approaches to the bar on video camera with a
mandatory examination of the tape and commentaries with all the sportsmen present.
In the proposed workout plans in appendix 3, there is a five-month cycle of the preparation,
which includes a four-month preparatory and one month emulative periods.
These plans are a dogma, it is necessary to use them creatively, it is possible to correct them
taking into account own experience and individual class of sportsmen.

4. Methods for planning workouts for sports masters and sports masters of the
international class
(The highest sports mastery group)
The main objective of the highest sports mastery group is the development of the absolute force
and the improving the technique of the emulative exercises.
If for novices, rated sportsmen, and candidates for sports masters a general workout plan is made
using the exercises and loads, then in the highest sports mastery group, which includes sports
master and sports masters of the international class, each sportsmen has his/her own individual
workout plan, which is composed for a month. In this plan, based on the individual qualities of
the sportsman, the exercises and character of loads is picked up. During the composition of the
individual plans, it is necessary to take into account physical development, state of health and the
extent of overstrain after the previous workout, level of mastering the exercise execution
technique. It is important to have an agreement between the workout process and the calendar
plan of the meets.
The sports club Irbis (Ufa) has all the conditions for working out for lovers- these are
students, employees, workers, who come to work out at the end of the workday, as well as for a
small group of professionals- these are the sportsmen whose main work are workouts. Both
work out by one graphic, 5 times per week approximately with the following distribution of
loads in weekly cycles:
Workout days First week Second week Third week Fourth week
Monday High Medium High high
Tuesday Low Low Low Low
Wednesday Medium High High Medium
Friday High Medium High Medium
Saturday Low Low Low High
The difference is that lovers work out once per day and the objectives before them are to win
the title of the champion for the Bashkortostan republic, be a member of the republic combined
team and perform as well as possible in the championship and Russian cup.
The professionals, for whom in the sports club Irbis, conditions for workouts and restoration
after them are created, work out during the same ? but do 8 workouts per week using the
following outline:
Monday 2 workouts
Tuesday 1 workout
Wednesday 2 workouts
Thursday day of rest (sauna)
Friday 2 workouts
Saturday 1 workout
And the objectives before them are set higher than others: be a member of the combined team of
Russia and at least take the prize spots in the championships of Europe and the world. Of course,
for them to achieve these objectives, they have to work out a lot. Currently, the results from the
championships of Europe and the world are so high, and the nervous exertion during the tension
in the fight for the prize spots is so great, that the sportsmen with a weak nervous system have
nothing to do there.
It is well known, that the modern achievements cannot be done without using large loads. But
they give effect only if they alternate between small and medium ones, thus creating conditions
for over-recovery of the organism after large loads. Medium loads support the efficiency on a
certain level, and small loads, which are done after large and medium ones, help the recovery,
greatly increase sportsmans organism efficiency during the workouts.
It is hard not to agree with this. Besides using small, medium, and large loads, I use stressful (sub
maximum) workouts. I plan them once per two weeks and only during the preparatory period.
Many trainers in heavy athletics think that the optimal (main) workout weight is within the range
of 75-85% from the maximum result in an exercise (N. I. Luchkin, A. N. Vorobev, A. C.
Medvedev, and others). This also holds true for power lifting.
Analyzing the workout loads of world champions Alecksei Sivoconya, Nadezhda Mir, Sergey
Mor, Maxim Podtynnay and Irene Abramova in a period from 1991 to 1999, I came to a
conclusion that the biggest effect in the strength growth is given by the average monthly load
with the relative intensity, which is on average 70+ or 2% from the maximum results during the
emulative exercises.
Young trainers may think that they can simply work out the sportsman on 70% of maximum
weight and they will add to in results. This is a misleading opinion. Lets not forget that this
includes warm-up weights as well as the maximum weights. I will cite a couple of version of
training loads in a separate exercise:
Version-
1. 50% 5 times1 approach, 60% 4t1a, 70% 3t2a, 80% 3t2a, 90% 2t3a.
(NBL= 27, AV= 1930, RI= 71.5%)
2. 55% 5t1a, 65% 4t1a, 75% 3t2a, 85% 2t4a. (NBL= 23, AV= 1665, RI=
72.4%)
3. 50% 5t1a, 60% 4t1a, 70% 3t2a, 80% 3t6a. (NBL= 33, AV= 2350, RI=
71.2%)
4. 50% 5t1a, 60% 5t1a, 70% 5t2a, 75% 4t4a. (NBL= 36, AV= 2450, RI=
68.1%
5. 50% 6t1a, 60% 6t1a, 65% 6t5a. (NBL= 42, AV= 2610, RI= 62.1%)
Where AV- averaged volume, which is found by multiplying NBL by the weight percentage and
adding up all amounts;
RI relative intensity in percent, which is found by dividing AV by NBL.
There can a lot of versions like this. Everything depends on the preparatory period, the offered
objectives, and the individual abilities of the sportsmans organism to recover. I also want to
point out to young trainers one more rule. When counting the overall intensity for the week or
month, sometimes in two weeks the relative intensity in percent is the same, and the absolute
intensity is different. This happens because the bench press is done with less weight, than the
squats and dead lift, although the relative intensity in these exercises can be the equal. Therefore
the increasing or decreasing of the bench press load increases or decreases the overall absolute
intensity while keeping the relative intensity the same.
My workouts seem large to some trainers. But I want to note that for the last 10 years none of my
sportsmen were over trained. And once the result is shown on the meets, already other results do
not get lower than it, only higher. You do not need a large mind to load the sportsman, the main
thing is to recover him after large workouts, so that the over-strain will not set in. the recovery of
the organism is an integral part of the workout process. For young trainers I will cite a couple of
symptoms of over-strain, which are described below.
And they are: decreasing of efficiency, decreasing of swiftness in the strength of muscular
contractions, worsening in the movement coordination, the absence of desire to work out,
flabbiness, movement constraint, apathy, sometimes muscle pain, bad appetite and sleep and etc.
there can a number of disturbances in the sportsmans psychological activity: shortness of
temper, conflict, the tolerance to friends and to trainers criticism, importunacy, anxiety,
depression, and others, there can be a change from the direction of the cardiovascular system, the
neuromuscular apparatus, and the biochemical indexes (blood, urine, and the saliva). Quite often
the sportsmen feel pains and dying down in the heart, the disruption in its work, pains in the
liver. An inadequate reaction on a specific load appears: mostly this reaction is weak, ? the
regular increase of the arterial pressure, the pulse rate, and the gas exchange. But sometimes
these indexes decrease, if this happens the athlete will lose weight. During the execution of the
exercises, the movement amplitude in the joints is more restricted than always, the agonists that
do the main muscle work are badly relaxed. The disturbance in the functioning of the different
organs and the organism system. Workouts with a lot of weights and loads should not be done
during this condition. An attempt to lift the bar with a lot of weight can cause trauma. It is
necessary to immediately lower the workout load (its volume and intensity) and do a number of
activities to recover the sportsmans organism.
Some trainers do walkthrough that is 100% of maximum weight and higher, for their
sportsmen 7-10 days before the meet. I came to a conclusion that for the sportsmen that are on
the level of the combined team of Russia, 2.5-3 weeks before the meet is enough time to lift the
90% of the maximum weight, or the weight that they will start off from on the meet, and that will
be enough. Since 1998, before Europe and world championships I say to sportsmen like C. Mor,
M. Podtynnay, Ph. Muhamatyanov, and I. Abramova: Why do you do the walkthrough? You
already did it, when you performed at the Russian championship (Cup). Right now what you
have to do is lift the weight with which you are going to start. However it is necessary to do the
walkthrough to the limit in those exercises that lag behind. For example Irene Abramova and
Maxim Podtynnays bench press is the one that lags behind, and Phanil Muhamatyanovs dead
lift lag behind, it is in these exercises that they reach up to 100%.
During the emulative period, which last 5-6 weeks, athletes of the highest sports mastering,
switch to one workout per day and from 5 to 4 days per week with approximately the following
mesocycle:
Workout
days
First week Second
week
Third week Fourth
week
Fifth week Sixth week
Monday Large Medium Large Medium Medium Small
Wednesday Medium Large Medium Large Medium warm-up
Friday Large Medium Medium Medium Small Meet
Saturday Small Small Small Small Rest Meet
The last two weeks before the meet, the load in decreased, in volume as well as by the workout
intensity. The trainers main objective - do not let the sportsman to over-strain. For this you need
to know with what weekly, monthly, yearly intensity and with what volume does the sportsman
workout. The trainer, at the end of each week, has to go over the entire workout, and if needed
correct the plans for next week.
In 1967, a German scientist Karl, proposed to express the variety of the weights used in
intensity zones with a gradation every 20- and 10- of percentage intervals. In 1969 R. A.
Roman in his works recommended calibrating the range of the workout weights every 5-
percentage intervals. The most appropriate interval was the 10% one, which was proposed by A.
V. Chernyak and A. S. Medvedev in 1972. Today, this point of view holds true for most heavy
athletics specialists. I will cite an exemplary counting of the weekly and monthly load (see table
below). Perhaps, somebody will be interested in it.
Lets examine the order of the NBL counting, volume and intensity (in percent and kilograms)
over a week of workouts. The sportsmen compete in three exercises, which are why we have
three blocks of counting: squats, bench press, and dead lift. Since the most progressive methods
of planning the workouts are in percent from the best sports results, which is very hard to deny,
therefore we will do the workout counting in percent. for it to be easier to do the counting, we
will take one of the blocks, for example squats, over a week, and make 11 zones of intensity
every 5 percent. All the order of the workout counting is done in 5 operations.
The order of counting the weekly and monthly loads by intensity zones.
% zones 1
st
operation 2
nd
operation 3
rd
operation 4
th
operation 5
th
operation
50 20 20-1000 20-1000 20-1000 20-1000
55 10 10-550 10-550 10-550 10-550
60 24 24-1440 24-1440 24-1440 24-1440
65 15 15-975 15-975 15-975 15-975
70 36 36-2520 36-2520 36-2520 36-2520
75 35 35-2625 35-2625 35-2625 35-2625
80 50 50-4000 50-4000 50-4000 50-4000
85 6 6-510 6-510 6-510 6-510
90 3 3-270 3-510 3-510 3-510
95 2 2-190 2-190 2-190 2-190
100 1 1-100 1-100 1-100 1-100
NBL 202 202 202 202 202
In%-In.kg 70.2% 70.2%-119.3 70.2%-119.3
AV-Vkg 14180 14180 14180 14180-24099
1
st
operation: from the workouts of the previous week, it is necessary to select and distribute the
entire bar lifts in squats into the % intensity zones (see 1
st
operation). After this, it is seen that
over a week, the sportsman did squats with 50% of maximum weight- 20 lifts, with 60%- 24
lifts, and with 70%- 36 lifts and so forth. After you distribute the entire bar lifts in squats into the
intensity zones, you have to count up the overall NBL (number of bar lifts) for the week. For
that, you have to add up all of the lifts in all the zones and you will get the NBL for the week-
202 (see 1
st
operation).
2
nd
operation: you have to multiply the NBL in each zone by the %. For example:
50%20=1000, 55%10=550, 60%24=1440, 70%36=2520, 75%35=2625 and so forth. After
you multiply all of the lifts in all the zones, you have to add up all of the got sums, which will
give you the averaged volume (AV) = 14180 (see the 2
nd
operation).
3
rd
operation: right here you have to divide the AV (averaged volume) by NBL, and you will get
the intensity in percent. For example: 14180:202=70.2% (see 3
rd
operation).
4
th
operation: after the average weight is found- 70.2%, we multiply ? by the best result in
squats, for example: 70.2%170kg=119.3 kg we get the average intensity in kilograms in a
certain exercise (see 4
th
operation).
5
th
operation: the average weight in kg (119.2) is multiplied by NBL for the week (202); we get
the workout volume in kg. For example: 119.3202=24099 (see 5
th
operation).
After we analyzed the sportsmans workout we see, that over a week he did in squats 202 lifts
with an intensity of 70.2% (from the best result- 170kg), which equals the average weight of
119.3kg. With a volume of 24099kg.
The counting in bench press and dead lift should be done with exact same order.
The procedure and the order of the overall counting for all of the exercises are the same as for
the individual one (see the table below)
The final counting for all the exercises
1
st
operation 2
nd
operation 3
rd
operation 4
th
operation 5
th
operation
NBL 414 414 414 414 414
In%-Av.
weight kg
70.5%- 70.5%- 70.5%-103.2
AV-Vkg 29187 29187- 29187-427247 29187-427247
Tilt (NBL) 125
Other (NBL) 340
Overall NBL 879
Number of
workouts
8
1
st
operation: we will add up all the NBL of all the exercises (for example: squats-202+ bench
press-120+ dead lift-192) we get 414 lifts for the week
2
nd
operation: when we add up the AV (averaged volume) in all three blocks (exercises), we get
the overall averaged volume for a week- 29187 (see 2
nd
operation).
3
rd
operation: when we divide AV by NBL, for example: 29187:414=70.5% we get the intensity
in percent.
4
th
operation: we add up the Vkg (volume in kilograms) in all three blocks (exercises), we get
the overall volume in kg for the week, for example: 427247 (see 4
th
operation).
5
th
operation: the overall volume in kilograms- Vkg we divide by the number of lifts and get the
overall averaged intensity in kilograms for the week, for example 427247:414=103.2kg.
We separately count up the tilt NBL (standing up, sitting down, over the saw-horse,? the
training apparatus, and so forth).
All the bar lifts that are lower than 50% from the best result (warm-up), the same way all the
exercises on swapping, press from behind the head, press while sitting at an angle, beam push-
ups, floor push-ups, leg press, training apparatus squats, chest muscle exercises, triceps, delta,
press, and others, are written in other column.
In the column Overall NBL, NBL in the emulative exercises + NBL in tilts + NBL from the
other column is introduced. For example 414+125+340=879 (see 5
th
operation).
We see that the sportsman did 879 lifts with 8 workouts per week.
For an example we cited 11 percentage zones , every 5%. This was done to simplify the
explanation of how to do the counting. Actually, I do the counting in 6 zones.
1
st
zone 50%
2
nd
zone 51-60%
3
rd
zone 61-70%
4
th
zone 71-80%
5
th
zone 81-90%
6
th
zone 91-100%
these counts should best be done every week at the end of the week. This will allow us to see
with what number of lifts was the sportsmans volume in kilograms ( tonnage) done and with
what intensity he worked out. After counting up the last week, it is necessary to do a comparative
analysis, what did the sportsman from what was planned , and what he did not do. And you have
to find an objective reason why the athlete did not do the plan. Hence it is needed to do some
corrections for further weeks. Trainer has to always remember, that the sportsman is a live
human with his own weakness and ambitions, and not some metal robot that doesnt have any
interruptions. Earlier we here at sports club Irbis, which is the backbone of the combined team
of the Bashkortostan republic, only provided and did an analysis for the previous workouts, right
now we came to a conclusion, that it is not enough, we also have to provide a future scheduled
week. It will give us a chance to plan not only the NBL but also its volume, and workout
intensity , which will help us to prevent over-strain. Of course this will mean more work for the
trainer but only then can the trainer intuitively, and scientifically prevent sportsmans over-strain
and bring the sportsman to the peak of his sports condition in a required time.
For an example in the appendix 4,5 there are cited some workout plans of specific sportsmen.
Again I warn against blindly coping workout plans of any champions. Because there are no same
people, and the sportsmen of the highest class, have to have individual approaches, therefore and
an individual plan, which is right only for him.

Exemplary six-week plan of workouts for the novice group.