Training Methods in GS

What is the best way to train for GS? My impression is that the philosophy of AKC (OTW) leans heavily on long timed sets. And as AKC seems to be the only GS school in the USA, its ways have become sort of training gospel. Which for me is sort of strange because there are plenty of articles on GS in Russian that don’t even mention timed sets and focus on repetitions. Some programs for beginners even consist of 5 – 10 exercises done for 2-3 sets for 10-15 reps. Russian EDT template proposed by a coach from Rybinsk forum starts with ten one minute sets: http://girevoysportafter40.blogspot.com/2008/07/russian-edt-in-gs.html. Already becoming trivial Ryabchenko preaches a method with the bells lighter than competition and strange repetition scheme where number of reps in a set is always below the athlete's best in competition: http://girevoysportafter40.blogspot.com/2008/07/ryabchenko-part-1.html (I promise to post more details of his method in the future). The bulk of Rudnev's template for LC published here http://girevoysportafter40.blogspot.com/2008/08/long-cycle-and-otw.html consists of mostly short sets and even contains sets of 10. Are these coaches missing something?

If you are wondering about the same, have a look at this post. Its core is the article with the title Training Methods in Girevoy Sport written by Gomonov VN, PhD, Makhotkin BV, MS of the USSR, Gamzov SA. Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Branch of Bryansk City. If the mention of the military or law enforcement adds credibility for you – here it is: Ministry of Internal Affairs is the Police. As many other articles on my blog, it is taken from http://www.fgsrostov.aaanet.ru/

Starting now.

This article discusses methods widely used in the Russian school of GS, that
encompasses strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination.

The process of the development of girevik must be maximally connected with the development of movement skill. We see the solution of this problem by making the development of physical qualities of girevik as close as possible to the real sports activity, to maximize the interaction of “girevik-giri” with the platform.

Several parameters are used in order to quantify the load in GS: volume, intensity, quantity and the order of exercises, type of muscular activity, rest interval between sets. The amount of weight lifted during training is the volume and the speed of performance and the number of movements as the percentage of maximal reflects intensity. It is common to use the heart rate as the measure of intensity. In highly qualified athletes the pulse cost of one repetition is considerably lower than that among beginners, while maximal HR often reaches 200 per minute.
Training methods in GS are divided into two groups: uninterrupted – continuous and intermittent; and interrupted – interval, repetitive, control and competition methods.

The main characteristic of uninterrupted continuous method is that girevik performs an exercise for prolonged period of time – not less than 30 minutes. At the same time he/she strives to preserve constant rhythm and tempo, the magnitude of the effort and the amplitude of the movement. This method leads to improvement of the economy of movement and predominant development of aerobic - and partially anaerobic - abilities of the body.

The analysis of diaries of outstanding gireviks indicates that all of them, in order to improve aerobic capacity, include in their training process running of moderate intensity, swimming and skiing. For instance, Honorary MS Sergey Mishin runs 6 km 3 -4 times during the weekly cycle at the speed of 4-4.5 min/km, at bodyweight of 105-110 kg.

Physiologically the basis of the uninterrupted method lies in the fact that many functional parameters (pulmonary ventilation, oxygen consumption, heart rate) are in a stable state for prolonged period of time. Optimal range of intensity is at the level of heart rates of 140-150 per minute.

The advantages of the method are the ability to perform significant training volume, the fact that it facilitates stabilization of the technique and improves the combined function of the main systems of the girevik and leads to sustained functional changes in the body.

Performing lifts using this method, however, is only possible for gireviks of high qualification. Less advanced athletes have to use lighter bells or engage in exercises from other cyclical sports (running etc.) This, in turn, decreases the effect of specialized training.

Uninterrupted intermittent method (variation of uninterrupted) implies performing continuous lifts while changing the tempo, rhythm and the weight of the bells. Its tasks are: improving the technique, coordination, efficiency of movement, development of speed, special strength and endurance, tactical (I SWEAR, IT WAS IN THE ARTICLE!!! smet) preparation of gireviks. When training this way the loading parameters are gradually changing, and it facilitates the adaptation of the athlete to various conditions of performance, including those close to competitive. The intensity here lies in the 140 – 180 range and determines the goal of the training session: general physical development, improvement of the technique of the jerk, tactical preparation (oops, again!) According to the analysis, most athletes vary the components of the training load according to the subjective feelings, as the session unfolds.

Interval training implies strict dosing of the duration of the set – not more than 2 minutes; strict planning of the rest between sets – 30-120 seconds and 4-5 minutes between the series of sets. Heart rate gauges the intensity, and the number of repetitions must be sufficient so that HR at the end of the set is 170-180 per minute. If it does not return to acceptable levels it means that the load is too high and must be corrected, by either decreasing the number of reps or the tempo of the set. Interval training allows developing special and speeding endurance (aerobic and anaerobic capacity).

The most acceptable combinations of work-rest in our research have been the following:

30 seconds work, 30 seconds rest
60 seconds work, 60 seconds rest
60 seconds work, 30 seconds rest.

The advantage of the interval training is, first of all, the ability to precisely dose the training load. This method allows high density of training (literal translation – smet), gaining the training form quickly. However, because of the fast growth of the performance adaptation also occurs fast. Also, the effect achieved by this way of training is lost relatively faster than that achieved with other methods.

Repetitive method also implies separation of sets by periods of rest. However here gireviks perform the set until fatigue, and the rest interval is long enough for the complete restoration of strength. This method allows solving various tasks: improve speed (jerk sets with low number of reps), development of special endurance and the adaptation of tissues to low oxygen levels in the blood (jerk for maximum reps), tactical preparation - reinforcing stable rate of lifting, improving mental stability (that’s what it is! - smet)

During this method the systems of the body undergo significant – and sometimes maximal – strain. For example, performing sets in maximal tempo leads to the oxygen debt, and the heart rate may go to 200 per minute and higher. Repetitive method increases energy resources in the muscles and facilitates more economic expenditure of the energy substrates. Main difference between this method and others is that it predominantly affects metabolism in the muscles, whereas other methods affect cardiovascular and respiratory systems to larger degree. Because of the repetitive method, on one hand, the muscles get stronger and, on the other, the ability of the muscles to perform in conditions of low oxygen levels, which considerably improves anaerobic and aerobic capacity of gireviks. Training of gireviks without repetitive method will never be complete.

Control training is used for checking the efficiency of training. The meaning of this method is to perform competition lift for certain duration. The idea is to make the conditions close to competitive.

Competition method is variation of control and has elements of competition in it. Both of these methods demand to be organically included into the training process, and control lifts must reflect the goals of the process and the level of the athletes.

The knowledge of the main training methods will allow the coach to better design their combination applicable to the existing conditions. General rules of building the training process remain obligatory for everyone. However, every athlete must have his own “handwriting” of training, according to his morpho-functional qualities.

The end. Make your own conclusions.

*Методы тренировки в гиревом спорте. Кандидат педагогических наук Гомонов Владимир Николаевич. Мастер спорта СССР Б.В. Махоткин. С.А. Гамзов. Брянский филиал Московского Университета МВД России