Thoughts on Russian EDT

If you follow this blog you must have noticed that I am a typical lazy recreational sports enthusiast with severe ADHD. I tend to jump from program to program and generally don't work out often enough to get really good. Well, there are numerous advantages of that... No, bullshit, I am just kidding. I have decided recently that in order to justify the title of the blog I should get some sort of numbers, rep and timewise in classic GS lifts. So I am concentrating on LC and - less so - on snatches. The reason for LC is the time economy. I do snatches when I am away from home: at that place I have one 20 kg bell.

Another feature of this blog is that I am not a great fan of long timed sets as the main mode of training for GS. This is the result of - most importantly - me being lazy, as well as the info obtained from Russian GS forums and articles. No, I am not about to re-start the timed sets debate. But I want to share my thoughts on Russian EDT that I posted more than a year ago on this blog. The system is suitable for training jerks or long cycle, but with some modifications it is also suitable for snatches. A little reminder:

Russian EDT template:
Each line is the scheme for one workout. Decide on the cadence and keep it constant throughout all 10 workouts.

1. 10 sets of 1 minute sets
2. 5 sets of 2 minute
3. 4 sets of 3 minute
4. 3 sets of 4 minute
5. 2 sets of minute
6. 1 set of 6 minutes
7. 7 minutes
8. 8 minutes
9. 9 minutes
10. 10 minutes

That's one step of the progression. After you complete the step you can decide which way you want to progress. You can increase either the cadence or the weight of the bells. Do not skip the workouts of the progression after the increase; if the workout feels too easy you may increase the frequency of training.

Do assistance work as deemed feasible. I believe that for GS you should run at least once a week.

I really think Russian EDT template is the best way to train for GS for beginners. I believe the advantages of this system are:

1. Less strenuous mentally. The duration of the sets increases gradually which gives you a nice spread between many short sets and few long ones, up to 10 minutes at the end of each step of the progression

2. From the very start of training it allows you to get through reasonable volume. Obviously, you should build up the total number of reps in a workout carefully, but it will be higher compared to starting with the longest possible timed sets. Everyone can do 10 one minute sets right from the outset, but few beginners will be able to last longer than 3 minutes the first time. The technique will be an issue with shorter sets, but the volume will have the effect similar to long sets, the proverbial need "to survive". Besides, after workout No.5 in each step the duration of the sets is 6 minutes and higher. So you will have all the benefits of long sets while anticipating the reward of completing the step: the permission to return to multiple short sets.

3. It is simple and well structured and allows you to progress either toward the load or the cadence. In other words, as you reach 10 minute set you can either increase the weight of the bells and re-start the progression at the same tempo, or stay with the same weight and increase the cadence.

4. The intensity of workouts gradually increases then drops at the beginning of the new step of the progression. The reminder: the intensity in GS is the duration of the set, reps performed in one go or average weight lifted per minute of the workout.

One disadvantage of the method is constant volume of workouts in each step of the progression. But this should not be a problem until more advanced stages of training. And the solution is simple: once serious volume is achieved one can alternate lighter and heavier bells each workout. Alternalively, substituting the number of KB sessions by long runs is another option.

Though it is a bit of a kick below the belt, I will mention that this method - among several others of course - is quite popular among Russians, as confirmed by Vasily.