Philosophy of GS training (from the amateur - again!)

The debate regarding the best way to train for Girevoy Sport continues on IGx, albeit in a less emotional way. Jokes and mockings aside, I've been facing this dilemma for a while now. On one hand, GS is about lifting for 10 minutes, on the other, doing it every training session is too strenuous, both physically and emotionally. For couple of months I trained with true OTW follower Dmitri Sataev and had to do 5 minutes of jerks every session. That burned me out, and I was not looking forward to training. One can start the rant about determination and willpower, but I am not buying it: most of us are amateur athletes and don't have to push ourselves every time we train. The argument in a way similar to that regarding strategies for weight loss: everyone knows that eating less will get you lose unwanted fat. However, it was shown numerous times in most rigorous research that it does not work for the long term: there are other factors involved, such as hunger and the drive to move around, both of which are regulated by the nervous system and are extremely difficult to fight. Many professional bodybuilders, whose income depends on how they look, often stay fat out of season, yet we expect mere mortals to have the discipline to exercise and eat for the rest of their lives. Anyway, this post is not about the treatment of obesity, and I won't start the detailed discussion now.

The analogy is right on when it comes to training though, in any sport. Training requires doing something on regular basis in order to develop good technique and physical qualities necessary for the sport, GS in our case. If you have to overcome yourself every time you train you are not likely to continue it for long term. That is why - for me at least, Pavel's PTP was such a revelation: you don't have to lift to failure. This variable alone changed my training from sporadic periods of hard working at the gym, just to get tired (and sometimes sick) and find an excuse to stop doing it, to regular and enjoyable, actually looking forward to lifting. No, I still haven't achieved anything respectable from powerlifters' point of view, but I do it regularly and enjoy it, without getting injured, which at my age is the most importan achievement there is.

Training for GS is no different. The sport is hard and requires discipline and serious effort, but not every time you train (ok, I train). And this dilemma has been haunting me ever since I started jerking and snatching for reps, which is several months now. Only several months that is, and I do not claim expertise to GS whatsoever, all I am doing is trying to find the way for a 46 year old professional to progress in GS while not hating it. Anyway, at this stage I have some ideas in regards to GS training and would like to share them with whoever wants to listen - and argue. Here it is.

I see two polar approaches to GS training which can compared to training for running. For achieving results in, say, 5000 m distance you can train in two ways. One way is to run slowly for long distance and build the volume and endurance. When you can run 15 km slowly it will be relatively easy to run 5 km faster. This is OTW in GS. This, incidentally, is also the basis for the actual training for the mentioned. Apparently, that is how the English - then champions - trained for the marathon in the 1950s, running actual marathon distance every week.

Another way is to run shorter distances, say 0.5 - 2 km, at high(er) pace several times during the session. This way you build intensity, and when you can run couple of kilometers quite fast, you can run 5 km at slower pace. This approach is the opposite of OTW. And though I am not sure of the exact facts, something like this has changed training for marathon in the 1950 - 60s: Finns introduced interval training for their marathoners and sharply reduced traning volume for their athletes, who eventually went on to win one of the Olympics. As I said, I am not sure of the exact facts, but something like this has happened.

The examples above, of course, are just illustration of the principles, and though coaches prefer this or that approach, the methods are mixed to a large degree. Runners of all distances use both volume and intensity training, as well as strength and special exercises and play training (soccer and other games).

The cardinal difference in OTW approach in GS and running, of course, is intensity. Running for an hour can be enjoyable, while doing double jerks is hard. Because of the weight factor the intensity in GS is closely related to the duration of the set - translated into the weight lifted per unit of time. That is why the analogy does not work in direct fashion. I am not sure how exactly, but it seems to me that with longer and longer distances in running the intensity translates into the distance itself: never mind how slowly, running for 3 hours becomes intense.

Ok, where it is all going. I am not so sure myself and opinions on the subject are very welcome. I personally believe in building volume by doing multiple shorter sets, then increasing intensity. As if there was not enough confusion - what's intensity? The weight lifted, the rate of lifting and the duration of the set, and the combinations of these variables are virtually endless. The first example of this approach is Russian EDT as per coach Mandrigelya from Rybinsk forum.

Another example - many Russian guys snatch 40 kg bell during training; then 32 kg seems light and can be lifted for longer. I also believe that going from heavier to lighter makes more sense: if you press 100 kg once, you will do more reps with 50 kg. But if you train to press 50 kg for 50 reps, will you be able to press 100 kg once? I am sure mutants like Valery Fedorenko, but I am wondering about mere mortals.

Of course, as GS is all about lifting for longer, it is necessary to lift for longer, at least occasionally. Just like running the full marathon distance is important for a marathoner. I just don't think it should be done that often. There is an opinion among some powerlifters that lifting for the max should not be done during training at all and should be left for competitions. GS carries much less risk of trauma, so going for the max is not as dramatic. Still, doing it too often may lead to burnout. Or maybe I am just a wuss.

Oh yeah, something else! When talking about timed sets and long sets I totally forgot to mention the most important factor: perceived difficulty. Coming back to training with Sataev, at that point in time 5 minute set of jerks was about my limit. Now, after building volume with shorter sets and EDT, it is not so strenuous at around 8 reps per minute. While 10 minutes is still hard, though possible. That's why the intensity of training will ultimately be determined by PRE, Perceived Rate of Exertion, the parameter presently very much in vogue in the fitness industry (even though only a fraction of personal trainers use it). Set it as you wish, on the scale from 1 to 10 or "easy, medium, hard", whatever. I think one should not go to high levels of exertion too often, maybe every 5th session or less. Horonenko's method implies control sets once a month when training three times a week, that's every 12th session, even though on some days the intensity and volume are quite high.