Another training program

I haven't been logging my training here for about two weeks. For some reason the Blogger doesn't accept my posts, and I am too buzy and lazy to contact the help desk and sort things out. I am typing this on my laptop at work and hoping to be able to post this.

I have been training, though sporadically. Trying to find the time (and motivation) to increase the volume. Doing ok.

Today I came across an interesting site and want to share it with those interested. The site is http://hundredpushups.com/index.html and as it follows from its title it is about training to be able to do 100 pushups non-stop. If you think of it the goal is exactly the same as what we are trying to do in GS: lots of repetitions in one set. And one hundred reps in any classic lift is an honorable result.

Well, how do they go about it? Volume? Intensity? Actually, their approach is a bit of a mixture of the two. Let's have a look.

It is a six weeks long program, training three times per week. The first step is to test yourself. The training volume is then dosed according to your current best. Here is the table for the forst week of training.

I am sorry for the quality of the image, you can get better view at the original site: http://hundredpushups.com/week1.html The program progresses in logical steps: each week you get re-tested and the number of pullups increases according to your results. This table is reproduced here for the sake of illustration, you should read the whole methodology at the site if you are interested.

The idea of this template is pretty straightforward: volume training as percentage of maximum, incomplete rest between sets. However its originality lies in the fifth set, one performed to failure. Applied to GS it makes a happy marriage between volume and intensity. Several shortish sets first followed by all out max. You could even introduce a few modifications.

For one, you could play with the weight of the bells. Logically it would make sense, for instance, to perform 4 sets of jerks with 28 kg bells and max set with 24 kg. Or stay with the same pair. Another parameter you could tweak is the rate of lifting. Combinations are virtually endless.

What I particularly like about this program is that it is aimed at what counts: reps. There is no prescription for the tempo or the duration of the sets, just do the fucking pushups. I guess there is nothing wrong with tempo, and applied to GS if the goal is 100 in 10 minutes then lifting at 10 reps per minute makes most sense.

This method is another illustration on how the same goal can be achieved by totally different means or their combinations and is sort of an answer to the recent question on IGx regarding the best method of training for GS. Another fact to add to confusion.