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The Force-Velocity Curve for Tennis – Part 2

In today’s blog I’m going to follow up the first blog- The Force-Velocity Curve for Tennis- Part 1

 

As stated in the first blog, one way to conceptualise the forces acting on the body is by using the F-V curve and placing various tennis actions on the curve.   I ask my coaches to do this exercise when they first work in Tennis with APA and so in Part 2 of this blog I will present an example from one of my coaches.

 

Most strength and conditioning professionals are familiar with the physical representation of the inverse relationship between both force and velocity, otherwise known as the ‘force-velocity curve’. The charted area includes a y-axis representing force measured in newtons (N), as well as an x-axis representing velocity measured in meters per second (m/s).

 

Movements such as a one-repetition max (1RM) back squat are a high force at low velocity, whereas a countermovement jump is high velocity with relatively low force. Somewhere in between these two areas is the ”sweet spot,” otherwise known as peak power, which can vary in percent of 1RM depending on the exercise selected. Additionally, scattered both above and below the peak power zone are strength speed and speed-strength zones, respectively, depicted in the graph above.

 

I put sweet spot in inverted commas because it refers to the load that optimises power output for a particular exercise- such as a squat, power clean, jump squat to name but a few popular ones.  The perceived wisdom around training at the optimal load is a hotly debated topic- which I will park for now, as I’ll write a separate blog on the topic.

 

For now I want to give some practical examples of Tennis actions that occur and make a case for their place on various points on the F-V curve.

Explosive Actions in Tennis

 

As promised, first off, here is the example one of my coaches created- which I have to give credit to Matt Kuzdub for- because the coach admitted he had read his blog!

 

 

At APA I have simplified the F-V curve into 4 main categories.  This forms the basis of the APA Method for Strength.  Although I go into great detail in this blog to highlight the relevance of these categories to Tennis, I would regard this strength continuum and the methods chosen to train them as more ‘general’ in nature.  This is because the majority of exercises are based on loaded and unloaded jumps that could be applicable to many sports.  If we were to use Bondarchuk’s terminology most of the exercises would be General preparatory, and Specific preparatory.

 

 

An important consideration to keep in mind is that sports movements are usually executed in a mixed regime of muscular contraction.  For example, during a single explosive movement in which the athlete has to displace a heavy load from a standing position, before initiating the movement, the muscles work in an isometric regime. As soon as the developing isometric force-effort achieves the level of the opposite resistance force, the movement starts and the muscles begin to work in the dynamic regime.

 

Maximum Strength

 

In the sport of tennis there are various actions that place high requirements on maximal strength.  We can break this down into Force Absorption and Force Production.  Think heavy back squat above 85% 1RMEach set typically includes 1-5 reps depending on the load chosen, as well as full recovery between each set.

 

Force Absorption

 

Force absorption demands are highest during deceleration from high-speed actions including the landing from the serve and the last few steps of deceleration to a wide ball (i.e., penultimate step).

 

Force production

 

Force production demands are highest during the initiation of movement (after the serve and after the change of direction from a wide ball), as well as when the player is wrong footed (see below).

 

  • These are known as the so-called ”starting movements‟ executed without ”counter-movement‟ against heavy resistance (for example: the body’s static inertia), and the major role is played by Maximal Strength and the Explosive Strength, expressed in an isometric regime.

 

  • After being wrong footedrecall that max strength helps improve our force generating abilities – when movement velocity is zero, which is the case during the very initial movement after being ‘wrong footed.’  In the example below, Rafa Nadal has expected to move to his left and has been wrong footed, so he needs to stop his motion and then sprint off in the opposite direction from a stationary position.  Maximal Strength and the Explosive Strength, expressed in isometric regime will be a key physical quality.

 

 

Explosive Strength

 

In the sport of tennis there are various actions that place high requirements on explosive strength. Leg drive on serves, and the take off phase of big ground strokes, as well as the initial acceleration to the ball, to propel the body in the direction of the ball over the first 10 yards (see below).

 

This zone is a step away from maximum strength, employing the use of maximum to moderate muscle contractions with a secondary focus on velocity. While much greater power outputs are seen in this range than max strength alone, strength still remains the primary emphasis. Moderate to high loads should be used.  Think Olympic Lifts (80-90% 1RM) and Back squats 60-80% 1RM with 2-5 reps occurring within a given set and complete rest being achieved after each set.

 

  • When the explosive movement is executed with ”counter-movement‟, i.e., in the reversal yielding-overcoming (“eccentric-concentric”) regime, the major role is played by the Explosive Strength expressed in the overcoming (“concentric”) regime.

 

  • Acceleration to the ball – when first moving to the ball following the split step we’re actually not moving fast at all, but we are generating high forces.  The initial acceleration to the ball requires explosive strength.  Those first several strides are characterised by longer ground contact times. The more force we can develop in these first few steps, the faster we can displace ourselves.  Explosive Strength expressed in the overcoming (“concentric”) regime will be a key physical quality.

 

Ballistic Strength

 

In the sport of tennis there are various actions that place high requirements on ballistic strength. Acceleration phase on serves, and ground strokes, as well as most tennis movements within a few metres (see below).  Think loaded jump squats (30-60% 1RM), med balls and slow SSC plyos.

 

This zone is the inverse of explosive strength; in that velocity takes the primary emphasis, and force becomes secondary.  As with all of the other previously mentioned qualities, complete rest should be sought between sets, and a target rep range of 3-6 reps per set is optimal. Speed is the primary emphasis in this zone.

 

  • Ballistic exercises including the jump squat and bench throw circumvent any deceleration phase by requiring athletes to accelerate throughout the entire range of motion to the point of projection (i.e., take off or release).

 

    • The majority of tennis movements are performed using ”footwork” patterns such as side shuffles and cross-over steps as well as steps towards the ball where there is more hip and knee flexion- and more time in contact with the ground.  Therefore slow SSC plyometrics fit well here- with emphasis on hip based jumping exercises.

     

    Reactive Strength

     

    In the sport of tennis there are various actions that place high requirements on reactive strength. Racket head speed on serves, and ground strokes, as well as tennis split steps (see below) and most movements that don’t require you to move much at all.  Think fast SSC plyos as well as top speed sprinting (although top speed is not specific to tennis).

     

    In this zone, the single most important variable is the velocity with the greatest degree of elastic/reactive strength, one can execute a movement at. Very low loads are used to train this method and, in some instances, no load at all. No more than 20-30% 1RM should be used when training reactive strength with plyometric movements being highly beneficial. Anywhere from 5-12 repetitions can be executed within a given set, but it is imperative that coaches discontinue the set when any decrease in velocity occurs because absolute speed is then no longer being trained. It then makes clear sense too that maximum recovery should be given between each set of exercises in order to ensure maximum velocity.

     

    • In reversal movements, executed in the rapid transition from the yielding (“eccentric”) to the overcoming (“concentric”) regime, two other functional characteristics of the neuro-muscular system are used: the Reactive Ability of neuro-muscular system ( the capacity to develop the highest value of force in the overcoming phase due the stimulation of muscle proprioceptors during the yielding phase) and the Elastic properties (potential) of muscles (which provides an extra source of energy assuring the enhancement of the subsequent muscular contraction).

       

      • Split step –  most tennis movements don’t require you to move much at all. This is where the split-step comes into play. If you time it right and push off in the correct direction it will catapult you in the direction of the ball. In his blog Matt mentions that the split-step requires reactive strength. This quality doesn’t necessarily require high force but rather the ability to generate ENOUGH force, extremely rapidly.  Most tennis movements fall into this category.   In this case Reactive ability will be a key physical quality.

       

       

      Wrap Up

       

      Shifting the force-velocity curve to the right, or in other words, increasing the rate of force development, is essential for developing successful strength-power athletes. Athletes are at a major advantage over their opponents when they’ve developed greater explosiveness and the ability to display high levels of power. Coaches must ensure that they not only understand the force-velocity curve but also how to practically train each zone within it relative to their athlete’s needs.

       

      Below is a Table of the recommended training prescription taken from the article ”How The Force Velocity Curve Relates to Sports Performance.”  I will be creating an updated APA Version replacing the terms with Max Strength, Explosive Strength, Ballistic Strength and Reactive Strength.

       

       

      I hope you found this article useful.

       

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      Is there any Evidence that Surfing the Curve is Important?

      In my last blog I talked about conceptualising the forces acting on the body by using the F-V curve and placing various tennis actions on the curve.   I ask my coaches to do this exercise when they first work in Tennis with APA and so in Part 2 of this blog I will present an example from one of my coaches.

       

       

      Before we get to the F-V curve in Part 2 I wanted to comment on an instagram post that @jump.science has wrote:

       

       

      For reference in the blog I will refer to the following by number – Maximal strength (1), Strength-speed (2), Power (3), Speed-strength (4), and Speed (5). 

       

      First of all I’d like to give a definition for all these terms in case you missed my Force-Velocity Curve for Tennis – Part 1

       

      Strength

       

      Maximal strength (1) – Maximum voluntary strength is the maximum amount of strength that can be produced voluntarily without electrical augmentation. For the purposes of simplicity I will refer to this as ‘Maximum strength’ and practically speaking this is usually obtained in a laboratory as peak force during a single joint movement and isolated muscle.

       

      Just to give you some indications of peak force, I’ve pulled some numbers from a research study- Cormie et al (2007) – Optimal loading for Maximal Power Output during Lower-Body Resistance Exercises.

       

      Peak Force- Isometric squat 4250 N; Isometric Mid-thigh Pull (IMTP) – 3900 N; 1RM Back squat (BS)- around 3000 N.  Peak force on 90% Power clean is about the same as an 85% BS- around 2750 N

       

      What’s worth noting is that at 60% 1RM on BS you already hit about 80% of 1RM peak force.  This means you can work in a sweet spot of 60% 1RM which is the load that optimises maximal power for the BS but also achieves a high percentage of peak force.

       

      Rate of Force Development

       

      Rate of Force Development (RFD) = is the change in force divided by change in time and is directly related to the rate of increase in muscle activation by the nervous system.  Although force is directly responsible for the acceleration of an object, one may argue that the faster a given force is attained, the more rapid the corresponding acceleration of a mass.  Thus, RFD can be associated with the ability to accelerate objects.  Therefore, attaining a high average or peak RFD (explosive strength) is associated with high acceleration capabilities.

       

      Explosive strength (2) = the peak RFD has been termed explosive strength (PRFD), or stated another way it’s the athlete’s capacity to achieve the peak force in the shortest time.  Some coaches refer to this as ‘strength-speed.’  This has lead to a range of training methods which utilise moderate to heavy loads (e.g., 80-90% 1RM for Olympic lifts).

       

      Starting strength (4) = the force generated in the first 30 ms has been termed starting strength and is related to the initial rate of force development. Some coaches refer to this as high speed-strength (e.g., Verkhoshansky).  This has lead to a range of training methods which utilise moderate to lighter loads (30-60% 1RM) and Slow SSC plyometrics (more on this later).

       

       

       

      Speed (5) = speed is a scalar quantity and is the magnitude component for the vector termed velocity.  Velocity has both a magnitude (speed) and a direction.  Velocity  = distance / time.  This has lead to a range of training methods which utilise light loads (<30% 1RM) and sprinting and Fast SSC plyometrics (more on this later).

       

      Power (3)  = work is an expression of force acting on an object through a DISTANCE and is independent of time or velocity.  In simple terms, a strength measurement of external CONCENTRIC work can be measured using the weight of the bar and the vertical displacement.  Power is essentially a ”work rate,” and can be described by the equation:

       

      P = W / T,  since Work = Force x distance –> P = F x d / t but since Velocity = d /t

       

      P = F x V

       

      Or if you rearrange the equation differently, (F/t x d) = RFD x d

       

      When in contact with the ground, the athlete generates power by developing high levels of force in short duration (RFD) and displacing his/her center of mass through an appropriate range.

       

      For any given athlete performing a dynamic movement where the center of mass is being displaced, these terms may be used interchangeably. However, in isometric contractions where there is no displacement then there will be high levels of RFD but zero power.

       

      This is worth bearing in mind when considering different types of muscle contraction and various training modalities with respect to force application and movement velocity.

      What’s his point?

       

      Jump.science is calling into question the middle of the curve.

       

      ”If I’m training for speed/jumping I should definitely sprint and jump.  These are already the ultimate explosive training stimulus.  Compared to these, exercises like loaded jumps and Olympic lifts are relatively slow with long time frames for force production.  Thus they have no explosive benefits to offer.  They can only serve as strength training.

       

      Now historically I myself have used explosive lifting to contribute  to overall STRENGTH training volume, and I do not intend to criticise that practice, but obviously heavier lifting is more influential on strength.

       

      So if we skip cleans and just deadlift or skip loaded jumps and just squat, do we sacrifice much of anything? Do we need to break our lifting into 4 categories and make sure we hit each one? I would argue No.”

       

      So, what he is saying is just skip (2), (3) and (4).  To be fair, from looking at the comments and his reply, he seems to point the finger more at speed-strength (4), especially if you are talking about squatting with less than 30% 1RM as speed-strength.

       

      What does the Research Say?

       

      In my previous blog I made the point that for untrained athletes Maximum Strength has the effect of developing peak force and also peak RFD at the same time.  So initially I’d agree to focus on that (the F end of the F-V curve).

       

      Therefore, once someone has squeezed the juice out of Max strength training we need to look at further ways to get more explosive (increase RFD).

       

       

      Training at the Optimal Load

       

      One approach to improve power/RFD is to train at the intensity that optimises power output for that movement.  Let’s look at three classic movements- the squat (S), jump squat (JS) and power clean (PC).

       

      The Geeky Science on Power OutputCormie et al (2007) – Optimal loading for Maximal Power Output during Lower-Body Resistance Exercises

       

      The JS, similar in nature to the bench throw, is considered a ‘’ballistic’’ exercise in that the deceleration phase is much smaller in comparison with the standard squat movement, where the bar is not released or thrown.

       

      Peak power typically occurs just before take-off.  The optimal load for the JS was 0% of 1RM- 6437 W.  Peak velocity 3.66 m/s

       

      The 0% 1RM load was light enough for athletes to generate very high velocities (peak velocity: 3.66 m/s) and the body mass provided enough resistance to produce substantial force output (peak force 1990 N). Therefore, this load permitted the most favourable combination of force and velocity.

       

      Peak Power in the BS was maximised at 56% 1RM-3250 W; however, power was not significantly different across the loading spectrum.  Peak velocity 1.5 m/s

       

      It is speculated that the deceleration phase of the PC would fall somewhere between the JS and S.  The optimal load in the PC occurred at 80% 1RM- 4786 W.  Peak velocity 2.0 m/s (this also corresponds with the peak velocity of a 20% 1RM BS).

       

      The mid-thigh pull is a modified version of the hang PC, without the catch that involves the segment of the PC, in which peak power typically occurs (i.e., during the second pull phase before the catch phase).

       

      If you think about the vertical velocities in the gym and how they compare to athletic movements such as the jumping events in track & field we have velocities at optimal loading for peak power of 1.5, 2.0 and 3.66 m/s for the BS, PC and JS, respectively.  This compares to 2-5 m/s for the jumping events.

       

      Beyond the Force Velocity Curve with Assisted Jumps Training

       

       

      I definitely think it is important to train at around 80% for PC and 60% 1RM for BS as it’s the load that maximises power output in these lifts.  These loads correspond with loads recommended in classic protocols used to target RFD (explosive and starting strength) through Max Load Method and Max velocity Method, respectively (see below).

       

       

      It just so happens that these loads correspond to the ‘optimal’ load for developing peak power in the back squat and Olympic lifts, respectively.

       

      ⭐️ Daz comment: However, I’d like to state that just because I think it is important to train at these loads to develop explosive strength I am not suggesting to train exclusively at the load that optimises power output for a particular exercise.    For example, with the BS I would favour training at intensities above and below 60% 1RM, and place particular emphasis on training above 60% 1RM to develop maximum strength.

      A Word on Olympic Weightlifting

       

      Similar to ballistic exercises (which we will come on to next!), weightlifting exercises require athletes to accelerate throughout the entire propulsive phase or second pull, causing the projection of the barbell and often the body in the air.

       

      However, they differ from ballistic exercises in that they require the athlete to actively decelerate their body mass in order to catch the barbell.  As we have just seen, the inherent high force, high velocity nature of weightlifting exercises creates the potential for these exercises to produce large power outputs across a variety of loading conditions.  They significantly improve not only maximal power output but, more specifically, power output against heavy loads.  Thus, the use of these movements in training is ideal for athletes who are required to generate high velocities against heavy loads including wrestlers, rugby union front rowers and American football linemen.

       

      The Geeky Science on Olympic Lifts- Garhammer et al (1993)

       

      Analysis of the Clean- The total average power of the athlete while lifting the barbell from the floor to maximum vertical velocity position was 4191 W, equaling 33.5 W/kg.  Corresponding value for elite women is 21.8 W/kg.  The weight lifted in a snatch is about 80% of that lifted in a clean but total average power output values, however, tend to be very similar- [presumably due to a greater average and peak velocity during the pulling motion].

       

      In weightlifting it is of value to determine the power output during the second pull for snatch and clean lifts.  This is a very high-power phase of the pull for a clean or snatch lift and relates well biomechanically to the jerk lift and to vertical jumping.

       

      Second pulls begin after the bar has cleared knee height and the lifter has shifted his or her hips forward to keep the bar as close to the body as possible.  Second pulls are of very short duration, typically between 0.10 and 0.20 seconds.

       

      The average power output of the athlete during a second pull was 6981 W equaling 55.8 W/kg.

       

      Compare these to average power outputs for squats/deadlifts (12.7 W/kg) and bench press (4.6 W/kg).

       

      A typical maximum vertical velocity during a clean or snatch pull would be 1.6 m/s and 2.0 m/s respectively, while for a deadlift it would be about 0.6 m/s.  Consider that a deadlift takes 2.0 s from lift-off until finish and the barbell is elevated 0.6 m.  The main reason that the deadlift power output is about one-third of the clean pull is that the deadlift (2.0 s) lasts about three times as long as the clean pull (0.72 s)

       

      Because Olympic lifts are so fast for such a large amount of load lifted, the average power and peak power outputs are similar.  But peak power during a lifting movement is higher.  The average power output values are average values over time intervals ranging from 0.1 s to 0.8 s.

       

      Garhammer calculated ‘instantaneous’ power outputs for 0.02 s intervals and found values higher than 60 W/kg, which were found for some male weightlifters during entire second pulls and jerk thrusts.  If film analyses were conducted at 0.01 s intervals ‘’instantaneous values of 70-80 W/kg would be likely.  This is comparable to instantaneous power output values of 60 to 75 W/kg reported for vertical jumps.

       

      But even though the optimal load in the PC occurred at 80% 1RM which is a common load used in training of Olifts are don’t just train at the optimal load for maximal power output!

       

      The use of the optimal load for power development results in a muted ability to improve strength levels which can have significant ramifications when working with athletes who must express high power outputs under loaded conditions. (especially if you are mainly doing unloaded JS!)  Furthermore, training at the optimal load has the inherent limitation of only maximising power output at or near the load that is being trained.

      Wrap up on Explosive Strength

       

      Although some coaches have questioned the merits of training exclusively at the optimal load, there can be no doubt that there is a place for performing exercises which require higher levels of external opposition.  The optimal load – the load that maximises peak power –  is 60% 1RM for back squat and 80% 1RM for the power clean- loads that can be considered suitable for developing ”explosive strength.”

       

      ”In achieving the maximum speed of explosive movements, the relevance of maximal strength depends on the level of the external opposition to be overcome: the higher the external opposition, the higher the level of Maximal Strength necessary to ensure the maximal speed of movement.” pg 43, Special Strength Training Manual for Coaches (Verkhoshansky, 2011).

       

      Loaded conditions may involve activities such as a collision in contact sports such as American football, rugby and wrestling

       

      OR

       

      An athlete changing direction where they must apply even greater forces to change the momentum of the system (mass x velocity).  This last point is important because it would be incorrect to assume that the only athletes who need explosive strength are those that have to work against another human being.

       

      Tennis example- recall that max strength helps improve our force generating abilities – when movement velocity is zero, which is the case during the very initial movement after being ‘wrong footed.’  In the example below, Rafa Nadal has expected to move to his left and has been wrong footed, so he needs to stop his motion and then sprint off in the opposite direction from a stationary position.  Maximal Strength and the Explosive Strength, expressed in isometric regime will be a key physical quality

       

       

      So, the question one always has to ask oneself is, what is the level of opposition to be overcome in your sport? Now by ‘opposition’ I don’t just mean your opponent (as in American Football, Rugby or Wrestling).  Your own inertia is something that needs to be opposed and overcome, and from a static start it requires Maximal Strength and Explosive strength from an isometric position to initiate movement.

       

      In a lot of sports movements however, we need to overcome a lower level of opposition- Acceleration phase of tennis serve and ground strokes and most tennis movements within a few metres comes to mind.  This is where ballistic method comes into play.

       

      Training for RFD- Ballistic Method

       

      Ballistic exercises including the jump squat and bench throw circumvent any deceleration phase by requiring athletes to accelerate throughout the entire range of motion to the point of projection (i.e., take off or release).

       

      Typically these exercises are performed across a variety of loading conditions from 10-50% of the 1RM to enable selective recruitment of fast twist muscles fibers and enhanced muscular firing rates. Exercises including weighted jumps, Olympic weightlifting movements, and implement throwing (such as medicine balls) are excellent methods of developing specific strength with a velocity focus.

       

       

      This is the category of strength training that @jump.science feels is most pointless.  For completeness, at APA we use 30-60% 1RM for the Jump squat as a go to loading scheme for Ballistic strength.  Full disclosure; the science below doesn’t make a clear case for doing lightly loaded jumps in favour of say plyometrics, so I’ll be coming back to this specific comment from @jump.science in a follow up blog as I don’t want to dodge the question.  But for now let’s look at the overall benefits of ballistic strength training.

       

      What does the Research Say?

       

      Previous literature has shown significant performance improvements after jump squat training with 30% 1RM (McBride et al, 2002; Wilson et al, 1993) featured in Cormie et al (2010).

       

      The reader is also directed to an excellent review paper by Cormie et al (2011)- Developing Maximal Neuromuscular Power- Part 2

       

      ‘’The use of light loading conditions equivalent to 0-60% of 1RM in conjunction with plyometrics permits individuals to train at velocities similar to those encountered in actual on-field movements.

       

      Furthermore, light loads are recommended due to the high RFD requirements and the high power outputs associated with such resistances.  Therefore, ballistics with light load and/or plyometrics are recommended for athletes who are required to generate high power outputs during fast movements against low external loads such as in sprinting, jumping, throwing and striking tasks.

       

      It is important to note, however, that these findings are only relevant when light loads are utilised with ballistic and plyometric exercise.  The use of light loads with traditional resistance training exercises is not recommend because such training would not provide an adequate stimulus for adaptation in either force or velocity requirements of such exercises.”

       

      Cormie et al (2010)- Adaptations in Athletic Performance after Ballistic Power versus Strength Training

       

      Usually ballistics and plyometrics get heaped in one category so it’s difficult to separate their effects.  However, this was one such study that at least had a strength training only and a power training only group, which lifted no more than 30% 1RM, so you can at least delineate high load from low load derived adaptations.

       

      The strength training group followed a programme involving the back squat exclusively.  Session 1 – 3×3 at 90% 1RM; Session 2- 3×6 at 75% 1RM and Session 3- 3×4 at 80% 1RM.

       

      The power training only group did two sessions per week using body mass jump squats (7 sets x6 reps) and one session per week where they performed 5 sets x 5 reps of maximal effort jump squats with 30% 1RM.

       

      It’s a pity they didn’t have a design with three groups- one that did strength, one that did 30% loaded jumps and one that did unloaded jumps.

       

      Anyway, in the group of ‘’relatively weak men’’ in the study (1RM around 1.3 x body mass), both experimental groups showed significant improvements in jump and sprint performance with no significant between group differences in either jump (peak power: ST = 17.7%, PT = 17.6%, around 10 W/kg) or sprint performance (40-m sprint: ST = 2.2%, PT 3.6%).   ST also displayed a significant increase in maximal strength that was significantly greater than the PT group (squat 1RM: ST = 31.2%, PT = 4.5%).

       

      It was concluded that the ability of strength training to render similar short-term improvements in athletic performance as ballistic power training, coupled with the potential long-term benefits of improved maximal strength, makes strength training a more effective training modality for relatively weak individuals.

       

      It is worth pointing out that the power group significantly increased the rate of rise in EMG of the vastus medialus during the 0% 1RM JS test and RFD during isometric squat test.  This was associated with slight modifications in jump mechanics (i.e., a marginally shorter but faster countermovement) and a significant decrease in time to take off specific to ballistic power training with jump squats.

      A word on Plyometrics

       

      Just so we are clear, plyometrics are ballistic in nature, but they are delineated from specific ballistic exercises within the APA method due to the way these exercises are overloaded.  Typically, they are performed with little to no external resistance, such as with body mass only or light medicine ball, and overload is applied by increasing the stretch rate by minimising the duration of the SSC and/or stretch load by, for example, increasing the height of the drop during drop jumps.

       

      Plyometrics can be tailored to train either short SSC movements characterised by a 100-250 ms duration (i.e., ground contact in sprinting, long or high jump), or long SSC movements characterised by duration greater than 250 ms (i.e., countermovement jump [CMJ] or throw).

       

      I hope you found this article useful.

       

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      The Force-Velocity Curve for Tennis – Part 1

      In today’s blog I’m going to introduce an important concept- the Force-Velocity (F-V) Curve and how we can use it to write better S&C programmes for Tennis performance.   A lot of us (myself included) have at one point probably blindly followed a model for improving ‘performance’ without really taking time to understand how certain types of strength and power exercises might relate to the actions in the sport- in this case Tennis.

       

      One way to conceptualise the forces acting on the body is by using the F-V curve and placing various tennis actions on the curve.   I ask my coaches to do this exercise when they first work in Tennis with APA and so in Part 2 of this blog I will present an example from one of my coaches.

       

       

      Before we get to the F-V curve in Part 2 I wanted to establish some definitions in Part 1, as this is where we can get a lot of confusion.  I must give credit to Matt Kuzdub who has written a lot of fantastic blogs on the topic of tennis science, and he talks extensively about strength and power- giving examples of how this relates to tennis.

       

      Check out this article from Mattspoint.com who does a great job of outlining how max strength development can impact movement characteristics – including explosiveness, first step ability and acceleration.  He mentions that: ”tennis is characterized mainly by explosive (speed-strength) actions. This basically means that the majority of movements in tennis are quite ballistic and fast – and I strongly believe training should reflect this (both on and off the tennis court). That being said, there’s a place for maximum strength training in the overall program (and development) of an elite tennis player.”

       

      I have heard so many coaches talk about this term ”explosiveness” as a bit of a catch all term that I thought it warranted a Part 1 to present some terms definitions first.  To set the scene, I’m going to quote another section of Matt’s blog where he talks about ‘explosiveness’ from his point of view. ?

      What’s Explosiveness Anyway?

       

      Explosiveness – what sport scientists refer to as explosive strength or rate of force development (RFD) – differs from maximal strength. Explosive strength is related to how quickly a muscle or muscle group can develop force to produce a desired movement. In this context, achieving max force is not a requirement.

       

      As you would probably suspect, this quality is quite important for tennis players – every time a player initiates movement, they are attempting to be explosive. Explosive strength is generally trained using lighter resistances (barbell jump squats, power snatch/clean etc.) or via traditional plyometric activities (jumps, bounds, sprints etc.). Many would argue that explosive strength is more important than maximum strength in tennis (myself included).”

       

      ⭐️ Daz comment: I’d now like to offer my own definition of Explosiveness, as there are lots of terms such as maximum strength, explosive strength, power, acceleration strength, strength-speed, speed-strength, starting strength, reactive strength that all get referred to.   Needless to say it can get very confusing!  I don’t necessarily disagree with what Matt has said above, BUT if I’m going to be picky I’d say that explosiveness as it is defined as a strength quality is a little different.  The challenge we have is that typically explosiveness and ‘power’ are words that used interchangeably. which isn’t strictly correct.

      Terminology

       

      I’ll offer definitions for Maximum strength, RFD, Power and Speed as a start point.  Everything else that gets referred to is in someway connected to the above mentioned terms.  If you aren’t a science geek and just want some practical take aways, you’re probably best to skip to Part 2, where I give you an example of tennis movements that rely on various amounts of Force and Velocity.

       

      A lot of the definitions are based on a chapter I read in:

       

       

      Strength

       

      Strength = the ability of the neuromuscular system to produce force against an external resistance.

       

      Absolute maximum strength (AMS) = the greatest amount of strength that a muscle or one or more groups of muscles are capable of producing, and can be determined isometrically or dynamically.

       

      ? superimposing an electrical stimulation on a maximum voluntary contraction, thus augmenting motor unit recruitment, can produce AMS.  Maximum voluntary strength is the maximum amount of strength that can be produced voluntarily without electrical augmentation.  For the purposes of simplicity I will refer to this as ‘Maximum strength’ and practically speaking this is usually obtained in a laboratory as peak force during a single joint movement and isolated muscle.  Training for this quality is most typically associated with heavy resistance training exercises above 85% of 1RM.

       

      This will likely not relate well to the complex use of muscles during multi-joint movements.    As it relates to sport, one can argue the importance of strength (force) by considering Newton’s second Law of Motion, F = ma.  Thus increasing the level of acceleration requires a greater force production; and because acceleration results in some velocity, greater forces will produce higher velocities.  Therefore achieving high velocities is dependent on high force production (strength).

       

       

      Therefore, one may argue that in some sports, perhaps most sports, RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT is as important, or more important, than maximum force production (maximum strength).

       

      Force production characteristics, including the rate at which force is produced, and related variables such as power production, can be as important as, or even more important than, the maximum level of force production.

       

      Rate of Force Development

       

      Rate of Force Development (RFD) = is the change in force divided by change in time and is directly related to the rate of increase in muscle activation by the nervous system.  Although force is directly responsible for the acceleration of an object, one may argue that the faster a given force is attained, the more rapid the corresponding acceleration of a mass.  Thus, RFD can be associated with the ability to accelerate objects.  Therefore, attaining a high average or peak RFD (explosive strength) is associated with high acceleration capabilities.

       

       

      Measurement of RFD requires special equipment, usually a force plate is used for RFD measures of athletic movements.  For example, an athlete could perform an isometric squat or static (no counter-movement) or dynamic (counter-movement) jumps from a force plate, and one or more force-time curves could be generated.

       

      Explosive strength = the peak RFD has been termed explosive strength (PRFD), or stated anther way it’s the athlete’s capacity to achieve the peak force in the shortest time.  Some coaches refer to this as ‘strength-speed.’  This has lead to a range of training methods which utilise moderate to heavy loads (e.g., 80-90% 1RM for Olympic lifts).

       

      Starting strength = the force generated in the first 30 ms has been termed starting strength and is related to the initial rate of force development. Some coaches refer to this as high speed-strength (e.g., Verkhoshansky).  This has lead to a range of training methods which utilise moderate to lighter loads (30-60% 1RM) and Slow SSC plyometrics (more on this later).

       

       

       

       

      What does the Research Say?

       

      It appears that a high starting strength and a high isometric and dynamic PRFD are necessary for optimal performance in sports in which light loads are moved very fast, for example fencing and boxing.

       

      Support for this comes from Yuri Verkhonshasky who performed an experiment with athletes who did a Leg Press and a Seated calf raise under an isometric regime (without a time limitation) and a dynamic regime (where athletes had to perform a maximal explosive effort in the shortest time overcoming five different levels of resistance: 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of their maximum isometric strength).

       

      In explosive movements executed with low resistance, it was found that starting strength is of primary importance.  As resistance increases, explosive strength becomes more important.

       

      To achieve the maximum speed of explosive movements, the relevance of maximum strength (measured as isometric strength in this example) depends on the level of external opposition to be overcome; the higher the external opposition, the higher the level of maximum strength necessary to ensure the maximal speed of movement.

       

      In practical terms, the PRFD (or explosive strength) becomes increasingly important as the load increases (e.g., shot putt) and as the load approaches maximum, maximum strength predominates (e.g., powerlifting).

       

      We would expect lighter loads to produce higher RPFD than heavier loads but it is also interesting to note that maximum strength and PFRD may be enhanced simultaneously with appropriate strength training.  How could this be?

       

      It comes down to the physiological potentiation effect of maximum strength training on explosive strength.  Maximum strength training recruits high threshold motor units and increases the frequency of firing.  To illustrate this lets look at an experiment by Natalia Verkhoshansky who followed up her father’s experiment with a similar one of her own as part of her PhD.  This involved working with the former Soviet Union National tennis team.

       

       

      In the table above we can see that the higher the level of explosive strength of the tennis player, the higher is their capacity to run rapidly on the court (r values approximately -0.5).   The results also showed that the athletes who expressed a higher value of maximum strength and starting strength in the seated calf raise (BUT NOT LEG PRESS) showed a higher level of speed ability (r values -0.436 to 0.503 and -0.437 to -0.446 respectively).

       

      So as we can see the results of specific running tests are NOT correlated directly with maximal strength as expressed in the Leg press.  However, the correlations between the parameters of strength capabilities show that the higher the level of maximum strength, the higher is the level of explosive strength (see below r = 0.803).

       

       

      This means that to increase the level of explosive strength in the leg press (a key quality to improve tennis running test performance), it’s first necessary to increase the maximum strength expressed in the leg press, such as using a barbell squat.

       

      ⭐️ Daz comment: I often get coaches ask, ‘well if explosive strength clearly has the greatest benefit to tennis running performance why not start there?’

       

      First and foremost, it is not appropriate to use high intensity training stimuli (training means having high training potential) at the beginning of the training process (either the beginning of a training cycle for a more advanced athlete or when new to training such as a beginner) because the ORGANISM IS NOT YET READY, from a functional point of view, to give an adequate adaptive response to their use.

       

      Training means that have a high training potential (such as explosive training) must be gradually introduced into the training process after training means with a lower training potential.  Athletes with a low level of motor function require a training means with low training potential.   A back squat has a lower training potential than a jump squat.

       

      Learn to develop high forces first, then you can learn to develop high forces quickly.

       

      [And before someone rightly points out that the athletes are already doing these things on the court, that isn’t justification in my book for their inclusion in the training programme to PREPARE the body to meet the DEMANDS of sport.  Many people are exposing their bodies to high stresses from playing sport and do not have the physical qualities to tolerate them for extended periods.  In many cases the only thing stopping them from breaking is that they are not doing the sport enough to get to that point.]

       

      Speed & Power

       

      This leads on to the topic of speed and power- qualities seen as being further down the concentric F-V curve.  From a purely muscle concentric point of view I’ll go along with that but remember that the F-V curve has some flaws as it doesn’t explain dynamic movements comprehensively.  Some of the fastest movements we know such as sprinting and take offs from high jumps and so on produce huge forces, even if the muscle itself is not capable of producing high force at high shortening velocities the overall movement produces high force (as we have seen in sprinting).  We will cover this later when we look at plyometrics.

       

      Speed = speed is a scalar quantity and is the magnitude component for the vector termed velocity.  Velocity has both a magnitude (speed) and a direction.  Velocity  = distance / time.  This has lead to a range of training methods which utilise light loads (<30% 1RM) and sprinting and Fast SSC plyometrics (more on this later).

       

      Power  = work is an expression of force acting on an object through a DISTANCE and is independent of time or velocity.  In simple terms, a strength measurement of external CONCENTRIC work can be measured using the weight of the bar and the vertical displacement.  Power is essentially a ”work rate,” and can be described by the equation:

       

      P = W / T,  since Work = Force x distance –> P = F x d / t but since Velocity = d /t

       

      P = F x V

       

      Power can be calculated as an average over a large range of displacement or as an instantaneous peak value occurring at a specific brief moment during the displacement of an object.

       

      Or if you rearrange the equation differently, (F/t x d) = RFD x d

       

      When in contact with the ground, the athlete generates power by developing high levels of force in short duration (RFD) and displacing his/her center of mass through an appropriate range.

       

      For any given athlete performing a dynamic movement where the center of mass is being displaced, these terms may be used interchangeably. However, in isometric contractions where there is no displacement then there will be high levels of RFD but zero power.

       

      This is worth bearing in mind when considering different types of muscle contraction and various training modalities with respect to force application and movement velocity.

       

      Schmidtbleicher (1992) has presented a theoretical framework indicating that maximum strength is the basic quality that affects power output.  He further suggests that maximum strength affects power in a hierarchical manner, with diminishing influence as the load decreases, to a point at which other factors such as RFD may become more important.

       

      Power output (or work rate) is likely the most important factor in separating sport performances (i.e., who wins and who loses).  The athlete getting work accomplished at the fastest rate wins! Thus, as a training goal, the appropriate development of power can be paramount.  While average power output (change in work rate over time = total work / total time) may be more associated with performance in endurance events, for maximum effort single movement activities such as jumping, sprinting and weightlifting movements, peak power is typically strongly related to success.

       

      Average power output referred to in this context is something like a ‘multiple maximum effort test’ like a 30-sec Bike Wingate test or a Margaria-Kalamen stair test (see below).

       

      How Do We Measure Power?

       

      When measuring power during a single effort movement we can measure average power over a large range of displacement or as an instantaneous peak value occurring at a specific brief moment, as previously mentioned.  So that this is not confused with average power output above, I will refer to this as mean power.

       

      Below are some vertical jump power calculators – go to topendsports.com for the comprehensive list.

       

      Lewis Formula – mean power calculation

       

      The Lewis formula or nomogram (Fox & Mathews, 1974) is a commonly used formula (found in many high school text books). This formula only estimates mean (average) power, and is based on a modified falling body equation. The original formula used the units of kg·m·sec.-1. To convert it to Watts, the standard unit for Power, the factor of 9.81 has been added.  Example is for a 75 kg athlete jumping 60 cm.

       

      Average Power (Watts) = √ 4.9 x body mass (kg)  x √ jump-reach score (m) x 9.81

      Example

      • Average Power = (square root of 4.9) x body mass(kg) x (square root of jump distance(m)) x 9.81
      • Average Power = 2.2136 x 75 x 0.7746 x 9.81
      • Average Power = 1261.6 Watts

       

      Slightly easier way to state the calculation to measure peak power (watts) =  √jump height (metres) x body mass x 2.21 x 9.8 m.s.2 =  0.7746 x 75 x 2.21 x 9.8

       

      Sayers Formula – peak power calculation

       

      The Sayers Equation (Sayers et al. 1999) also estimates peak power output (Peak Anaerobic Power output or PAPw) from the vertical jump.

       

      PAPw (Watts) = 60.7 · jump height(cm) + 45.3 · body mass(kg) – 2055

      Example

      • PAPw = (60.7 x jump height(cm)) + (45.3 x body mass(kg)) – 2055
      • PAPw = (60.7 x 60) + (45.3 x 75) – 2055
      • PAPw = 3642 + 3397.5 – 2055
      • PAPw = 4984.5 Watts

       

      Highest values for Peak power will always occur in bodyweight unloaded jumps.  Highest values for Mean power will usually occur in 2nd pull variations of Olympic lifts, and loaded jumps and throws.  This has lead to a range of training methods which utilise moderate loads (30-80% 1RM) to maximise (mean) power output.

       

      Vertical jump height is a good indirect measure of leg power, hence why we will often use a lot of jumps (loaded and unloaded) as a training method to develop power.  It’s easy to see when athletes are getting off the ground quickly and/or jumping high.

       

      Plyometrics and Plyometric muscle actions = a plyometric muscle action simply means a concentric action is immediately preceded by an eccentric action (i.e., a stretch-shortening cycle).  This type of muscle action can be applied in a variety of movement patterns and at different speeds and power outputs.

       

      The extreme example of this is a 1RM parallel squat test for measurement of maximum strength.  While is a slow movement it is still a plyometric muscle action.  Plyometric testing in the form of weightlifting, throws and jumps  is also valuable for evaluating explosive strength and power!

       

      This is partly where confusion lies as coaches typically think of ‘plyometrics’ as synonymous with ‘jump training.’    Plyometric is just a description of the muscle action; the fast reversal of the eccentric to concentric muscle action was then made synonymous with certain types of ‘plyometric jumps,’ and this later became a catch all term for any form of jump training- which is incorrect.  This is a misnomer because some types of jump training can be performed without a plyometric muscle action- such as a concentric focused squat jump.

       

      For ease of explanation- at APA I like to refer to ”Ballistics” and ”Plyometrics,” and as it relates the plyometrics we can break it down into Slow SSC and Fast SSC.

       

      Ballistics – ballistic training involves explosive activities such as throwing, jumping and striking, in order to project an object and accelerate through the entire concentric phase.  Think medicine ball throw, slams, BB bench throw (Smith Machine) as well as box jump, standing long jump, hex bar jump, bounding etc for the lower body.

       

      The intention of ballistic training is to maximise the acceleration phase of an object’s movement without having to decelerate and eccentrically load.  The emphasis is on CONCENTRIC force production.

       

      It differs slightly from Plyometric Training which incorporates the phenomenon known as the stretch-shortening cycle.

       

      Plyometrics– can be divided into Fast SSC (<0.25 ms) think drop jump and Slow SSC (>0.25 ms) think counter-movement jump.

       

      This is where an eccentric pre-stretch of the muscles and/or tendons allows enhanced power output and explosiveness due to stored elastic energy utilised during a rebound or counter-movement action.  Some coaches go a stage further and describe Fast SSC plyometrics as reactive strength.

       

      In tennis things like low box drop jumps and pogo jumps are suitable.  The highest form of this type of Fast SSC plyometrics is the ”shock method” using depth jumps from high boxes.  This has been shown to recreate the extremely high impact forces seen in top speed sprinting and maximum take off jumps in high/long jump, for example.

       

      A typical sprinter will experience an average GRF of 2 x bodyweight forces through a single leg at 125-140 degrees at the knee, with a peak GRF more like 4 x bodyweight.  Clearly with a ground contact time of 0.08 ms these forces are not produced through a typical concentric muscle contraction alone but with the use of the SSC.

       

      Phew! That was a A LOT of definitions to get through and you can see why coaches including myself can get so confused!!

       

      I hope you found this article useful.

       

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      My thoughts on the Triphasic Method – Part 2

      This is a follow up post, you can read Part 1 here which focuses on the Block periodisation model used in Triphasic training.

       

       

      The triphasic method is only part of the entire training system Cal uses; the triphasic method refers to the ‘strength’ phase (also known as the ABOVE 80 block), but there is also a ‘power’ block (55-80) and a ‘speed’ aka ‘peaking’ block (LESS THAN 55).  All in all this represents a period of approximately 12 weeks from start to finish (not including deload weeks).

       

      In this Part 2 we will focus on the loading parameters used in the triphasic method.

       

      Below is a intro to some of the topics/statements made that caught my attention, so if they interest you too then you’ll want to keep reading:

       

      Strength & Power

       

      • The key to improving sport performance isn’t about who is the strongest; it’s about producing more force in less time- who has the narrowest V wins!
      • This results when an athlete can absorb more force eccentrically- meaning the body can’t generate more force than it can absorb maximally
      • The neurological system is stimulated at its highest level at loads that attain the highest power outputs
      • The most important component of power, in relation to sports performance, is time
      • Strength comes before power- don’t put the cart before the horse

       

      ? The general principle of having a strength base is nothing new but the focus of attaining high power outputs throughout the strength block was a new concept for me ?

       

      Loading parameters

       

      • Loads chosen for strength block would ordinarily correspond with an RM of 4RM, 2RM and 6RM respectively.
      • Loading parameters within strength blocks are focused on preservation of power output – therefore to ensure the quality of work remains high, sets in the ABOVE 80 BLOCK are limited to singles/doubles for medium day (82-87% 1RM), singles for high intensity day (90-97% 1RM) and three to four reps for low intensity day (75-80% 1RM).
      • In the 55-80 BLOCK it is possible to train high force at high velocity- due to addition of a powerful SSC!
      • In the BELOW 55 BLOCK sets are based on time – as opposed to performing a prescribed number of reps

       

      ? Probably the last points on the strength loading parameters were the ones that really stood out for me so we will cover this in a little more detail below ?

       

      One thing to state having read the book, it is clear that the three phases I have mentioned (strength, power and speed) follow a GPP phase which is not discussed in the book.  So I can’t really comment on the specifics of what Cal might recommend to do prior to starting triphasic training.

       

      Loading Parameters

       

      One of the main principles is to ‘stress the body optimally,’ meaning work must be completed with a purpose and focus is on quality of work, with an emphasis on speed of movement as this is closer to the sports demands.

       

      When training at high-speed, intensive loads are accompanied by the largest changes in the nervous system apparatus of muscle – CNS, myelination–sarcoplasmic reticulum (site of calcium release, facilitates muscular contraction, and the myoglobin and creatine phosphate contents – So it’s important to train with High Speed Methods.

       

      Furthermore, control of the programming through – Intensity and Duration should be the focal point of the program for that day.  This is controlled by having variable Intensity throughout the week (strength & power blocks),  and Timed sets for the speed focused blocks.

       

      The Intensity variation is the focal point of the Triphasic ABOVE 80 Strength block.

       

      Above 80 Block – Triphasic Method

       

      The Triphasic Method is based on performing 2-3 weeks each of eccentric, isometric and then concentric based training.

       

      The intensity is undulated with the principle that Monday is medium intensity-medium volume (the ‘performance’ zone)- Wednesday is high intensity low volume ‘above performance’ zone- and Friday is low intensity-high volume (below performance zone).

       

       

      The ECCENTRIC and ISOMETRIC work will take place on a Monday (DAY 1) and Friday (DAY 3):

       

      Block 1

       

      • Day 1 = ECCENTRIC (5-6 seconds 1-3 reps, 2-4 sets) –> 82-87% 1RM
      • Day 2 = Concentric (Reactive 1 rep, 1-4 sets) –> 90-97% 1RM
      • Day 3 = ECCENTRIC (6-7 seconds 2-4 reps, 2-4 sets) –> 75-80% 1RM

       

      Block 2

       

      • Day 1 = ISOMETRIC (2-3 seconds 1-3 reps, 4-5 sets) –> 82-87% 1RM
      • Day 2 = Concentric (Reactive 1 rep, 1-4 sets) –> 90-97% 1RM
      • Day 3 = ISOMETRIC (3-4 seconds 3-4 reps, 4-5 sets) –> 75-80% 1RM

       

      Block 3

       

      • Day 1 = Concentric (2-3 reps, 3-4 sets) –> 82-87% 1RM
      • Day 2 = Concentric (Reactive 1 rep, 1-4 sets) –> 90-97% 1RM
      • Day 3 = Concentric (3-4 reps, 3-5 sets) –> 75-80% 1RM

       

      The running volume could also follow this pattern:

       

      • Day 1 = Train at performance Zone – sprints over 15 sec, or under 10 sec with recovery under 20 sec
      • Day 2 = Under Distance Training – Short duration High Stress, sprints under 10 sec and full recovery
      • Day 3 = Longer Distance Running / Tempo work / Bodybuilding

       

      ⭐️ The key thing here is that Loading parameters within strength blocks are focused on preservation of power output – therefore to ensure the quality of work remains high, sets in the ABOVE 80 BLOCK are limited to singles/doubles for medium day (82-87% 1RM), singles for high intensity day (90-97% 1RM) and three to four reps for low intensity day (75-80% 1RM).  This allows the loads to be lifted explosively as they would ordinarily correspond with a 4RM, 2RM and 6RM.

       

      This also allows gives the athlete opportunity to recover from Monday session so that they can attack the midweek session with highest intensity.  This was a game changer for me because everything I have learnt until now about the goal of strength training is to maximise motor unit recruitment, which we do by working at above 85% 1RM, as this provides time for a muscle to recruit its high threshold motor units.

       

      ⭐️ Usually with a traditional strength programme if you are a novice working up to a 5RM for the first time, you might follow a programme with a squat in the programme 2-3 times a week and each week is building up to 85% 1RM over 4 weeks (75–>80–>82.5–>85%).  However, Cal states that with traditional strength methods the motor units are fatigued before the completion of the movement, resulting in decreased velocity of the bar and a lower power output.

       

      The Triphasic programme uses loads corresponding to 4RM, 2RM and 6RM respectively so the loading parameters are clearly above the 5RM (85% 1RM) intensity level but the focus is on maintaining explosiveness.  In my opinion the triphasic programme is suitable for someone who has probably been through several traditional strength cycles prior to the Triphasic method to build up their 5RM and 3RM and prepare for the heavier loads.  It wasn’t mentioned in the book but I believe there is a SUPRA-MAXIMAL version of the loading which is reserved for Advanced athletes.  Again, I can’t comment on this as it wasn’t mentioned in the book but there is definitely strong research for supra-maximal loading, and perhaps I can go into that in another post.

       

      • Day 1 = 110-120%
      • Day 2 = 90-97%
      • Day 3 = 105-110%

       

       

      Progression of Loading Parameters Week 1-3:

       

      The triphasic method can be applied for 2-3 weeks for each block.   In general it is recommended to build the intensity from the low end of the range to the high end of the range over the 2-3 weeks.

       

      For example:

       

      DAY 1

      • Week 1 = 82.5%
      • Week 2 = 85%
      • Week 3 = 87.5%

       

      DAY 2

      • Week 1 = 87.5%
      • Week 2 = 90%
      • Week 3 = 92.5%

       

      DAY 3

      • Week 1 = 75%
      • Week 2 = 77.5%
      • Week 3 = 80%

       

      Final considerations:

       

      ⭐️ When programming for assistance work, don’t worry about the tempos, as additional emphasis on eccentric or isometric work outside of the main lift will exhaust the neurological system of the athlete.  All assistance work should be performed within the loading parameters for that day, e.g. 82-87% 1RM or 75-80% 1RM

       

      ⭐️ You should change up the means you use from DAY 1 to DAY 3 by selecting a training means on DAY 3 that would be considered a less stressful version of the compound exercise chosen on DAY 1.  So for example, if you chose a Barbell bench press on DAY 1 you could choose a Dumbbell bench press on DAY 3.  This is because the athlete and their nervous system are fatigued by this point and aren’t able to handle high intensities any longer.

       

      ⭐️ You can change up the means you use from block to block so that your athletes don’t get bored coming in and doing the same thing week in week out.  So for example, the athlete could perform a box squat in block 1, a box squat with bands in block 2 and a conventional back squat in block 3.

       

      55-80 Power Block

       

      The Intensity variation is the focal point of the Triphasic 55-80 Power block as well.  But there is an extra layer of loading parameters – biometric measurements- to monitor training quality.  More on this in a bit.  Remembering that the power suffers after the third repetition of an exercise, the only sensible answer is to end the set and save energy for a high quality second set.

       

      Now that the load is lighter a lot of coaches make the mistake of assuming that just because an athlete can do more reps with less weight, they should.  Wrong!  According to Cal, emphasis must always be placed on quality, high level neural work.

       

       

      ⭐️ I would encourage you to read pages 242-258 yourself as Cal does a terrific job of explaining how it is possible to work at high force at high velocities.  Cal mentions that the idea that force and velocity are dependent variables (meaning as Velocity goes up Force goes down) is correct in ISOLATED muscle tissue.  The original experiment by A.V Hill (1953) showed that as they increased the force applied to the muscle, the rate of muscle shortening (velocity) decreased.  Thus the hyperbolic curve was born.

       

       

      ”However, when looking at explosive, dynamic movement, its application falls short.  The curve failed to include one HUGE variable that is pertinent to sports performance – the series elastic component of dynamic contraction.  When you include the extra energy by the stretch shortening cycle (SSC) during full speed dynamic movement.  When lifting moderate loads (55-80 percent), the addition of a powerful SSC makes it possible to develop high levels of force at high velocities.

       

      According to the hyperbolic curve the highest power outputs would occur somewhere around 50 percent of the athlete’s 1RM.  This is a classic example of taking research and prescribing it to a population that it is was never intended for – athletes.   You have to recognise that the force-velocity curve as you know it is a romanticized view of how the body works.  It ignores the impact of the SSC as well as neural inhibition, motor unit recruitment, and the stretch reflex.  Sure, this way is simpler to understand and programme for, but it won’t maximise the power producing abilities of your athlete.”

       

      The work by Dr. Paavo Komi in 2000 is really insightful and you can read the full article ? Komi (2000) Stretch-shortening cycle – study of normal and fatigued muscle

       

       

      It shows that in vivo muscle contractions (meaning live tissue), the hyperbolic curve actually shows a parabolic shape.  Instead of bowing inward, the line bows outward.  The implications of this are that it is possible to produce high forces at high velocities.  As stated in Triphasic book, this explains why Dr.Hatfield was able to demonstrate that training with 55-80 percent of an athlete’s 1RM was optimal for retaining the highest power outputs and teaching an athlete’s body to develop high rates of force development.

       

      Getting back to the practicalities, the Intensity variation is the focal point of the Triphasic 55-80 Power block as well.  But there is an extra layer of loading parameters – biometric measurements- to monitor training quality.  Biometrics is the science of measuring and analysing biological data- in this case measuring fatigue with ‘velocity drop off.’  The gold standard is the Tendo unit.  They measure the bar speed of every rep.  At APA we have a Gymaware unit.

       

      A simple inexpensive way to simulate the biometric measure of the Gymaware unit is the ”timed-set drop off” method.  You begin a stopwatch precisely when the first movement downwards begins.  The coach then stops the watch exactly after the last rep is locked out.

       

      Cal uses a 3-7 percent drop off when using hand-timed biometric measures because there is a greater range of variability by the timer.  If using the tendo unit he will use a lower  percentage as the cut off points (1-3 percent).  The drop off percentage used is dictated by the amount of recovery time the athlete has before returning to similar forms of stress.

       

      Keep in mind the drop off is based on the athlete’s best set.  It isn’t uncommon to see an athlete get better times three to four sets into the exercise due to potentiation effects.  This form of biometrics is simply one way in which a coach can use the athlete’s readiness to gauge how much they will do that day to ensure that optimal fatigue is applied and maximal gains achieved.

       

       

      This method is best applied on the max effort day where you are doing single reps.  The idea is that [in theory] if you are squatting for example on Monday, and you want to do it 24 hours later then using the Tendo unit you would cut the sets when his bar speed on the singles dropped by 1-2%.  This strategy might be used if you are trying to get a strength gain where you need to train the motor skill to get better and do it as often as you can.

       

      A 2-4% drop off works when you plan to return to the same stress 48 hours later (Monday –> Wednesday) and as much as 5-6% when you plan to return to it 72 hours later (Monday –> Thursday).

       

      In total you will do 4-5 sets and 1-3 high quality reps per set on the high intensity (72-80%) day.  However, if are using the tendo unit it may be you do many more than 1-3 reps if you are doing them as single clusters AND the athlete has a high work capacity and can keep the velocity within 2-4% drop off.

       

      Cal described one of the most amazing results he had ever seen where an athlete with a large work capacity potential performed his training sets for roughly four sets of squats at a body weight of 205 pounds.  He was using 295 pounds and would do one repetition, rest 15 seconds, and do another repetition.  He achieved a 3-4 percent drop off as the guideline and was able to do 31 repetitions in one set and not drop-off more than 3 percent of his bar speed during the set.  That particularly day, the athlete did over 70 repetitions of the back squat at 295 pounds at a very high velocity.

       

      Below 55 Speed Block

       

       

      • Day 1 = 35-40%
      • Day 2 = 45-55%
      • Day 3 = 25-30%

       

      All 3-5 sets.  Reps are based on Time.

       

      There are actually several methods that Cal uses in this phase- all related to something called ‘Antagonistically Facilitated Specialised Method (AFSM)’ which I will probably cover in a separate blog.  But as it relates to the squat it is known as ‘High velocity strength training,’ with loads less than 55% of 1RM.

       

      The main loading parameter focuses on ‘Timed Sets.‘  You are training specifically for the competitive event and you select time periods that match with the energetic demands of the sport- training at, slightly above and slightly below competition time.

       

      Give athletes the lowest dose of medicine you can until it stops getting them better!  At that point you need to up the dosage!

       

      I hope you found this article useful.

       

      Remember:

       

      • If you’re not subscribed yet, click here to get free email updates, so we can stay in touch.
      • Share this post using the buttons on the top and bottom of the post. As one of this blog’s first readers, I’m not just hoping you’ll tell your friends about it. I’m counting on it.
      • Leave a comment, telling me where you’re struggling and how I can help

       

      Since you’re here…

      …we have a small favor to ask.  APA aim to bring you compelling content from the world of sports science and coaching.  We are devoted to making athletes fitter, faster and stronger so they can excel in sport. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — APA TEAM

       

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      My thoughts on the Triphasic Method – Part 1

      I’ve been meaning to write this blog post for a while, in truth the book’s been sitting on my book shelf for over a year but I’ve finally got around to reading it properly and I have to say it wasn’t what I was expecting- in a good way.

       

       

      If someone had asked me before reading the book if I knew what the triphasic method was, I’d probably have said: ”yeah, it’s a strength training programme which emphasises several weeks of each type of muscle contraction- eccentric, isometric and concentric.”

       

      Having read it I’d still say that’s what it’s about but I learnt A LOT more besides.  The triphasic method is only part of the entire training system Cal uses; the triphasic method refers to the ‘strength’ phase (also known as the ABOVE 80 block), but there is also a ‘power’ block (55-80) and a ‘speed’ aka ‘peaking’ block (LESS THAN 55).  All in all this represents a period of approximately 12 weeks from start to finish (not including deload weeks).

      Overview

       

      Triphasic training is a system devised by Cal Dietz in the 2000s and resulted in a book being published about it in 2012. The goals of triphasic training are:

       

      1.  Transfer of Training – the ultimate goal
      2.  Stress the body optimally
      3.  Prevent the body from being pulled in too many directions

       

      There are three components of triphasic training:

       

      1. Triphasic muscle action
      2. Modified Undulating periodisation
      3. Block training model

       

      Below is a intro to some of the topics/statements made that caught my attention, so if they interest you too then you’ll want to keep reading:

       

      Muscle physiology

       

      • Sports are identical at their physiological core
      • All dynamic muscle action is triphasic – that’s why most approaches to training explosive power (concentric biased) are dead on accurate one-third of the time ?
      • Triphasic method is a foundational [strength] training method applicable to all sports – as all sports have the same physiological nature of muscle action taking place during dynamic movements

       

      Periodisation

       

      • Modified undulating periodisation is needed for drug free athletes to recover from the stress
      • Block periodisation is better than concurrent (complex parallel) periodisation
      • Block periodisation is better than traditional linear periodisation

       

      ? There was a really interesting discussion about the type of periodisation that is best suited for an elite athlete who needs a lot of stress and the best way to plan that, so I’ll definitely cover this later ?

       

      Strength & Power

       

      • The key to improving sport performance isn’t about who is the strongest; it’s about producing more force in less time- who has the narrowest V wins!
      • This results when an athlete can absorb more force eccentrically- meaning the body can’t generate more force than it can absorb maximally
      • The neurological system is stimulated at its highest level at loads that attain the highest power outputs
      • The most important component of power, in relation to sports performance, is time
      • Strength comes before power- don’t put the cart before the horse

       

      ? The general principle of having a strength base is nothing new but the focus of getting eccentrically and isometrically strong and how that sets up a concentric phase was very thought provoking ?

       

      Loading parameters

       

      • Loads chosen for strength block would ordinarily correspond with an RM of 4RM, 2RM and 6RM respectively.
      • Loading parameters within strength blocks are focused on preservation of power output – therefore to ensure the quality of work remains high, sets in the ABOVE 80 BLOCK are limited to singles/doubles for medium day (82-87% 1RM), singles for high intensity day (90-97% 1RM) and three to four reps for low intensity day (75-80% 1RM).
      • In the 55-80 BLOCK it is possible to train high force at high velocity- due to addition of a powerful SSC!
      • In the BELOW 55 BLOCK sets are based on time – as opposed to performing a prescribed number of reps

       

      ? Probably the last points on the strength loading parameters were the ones that really stood out for me so we will cover this in a little more detail below ?

       

      Matt Van Dyke wrote a Powerpoint Presentation on Advanced Triphasic Training Methods so it’s definitely worth a read if you want more specific info.  I’d also check out this article from William Wayland who talks extensively about Oscillatory Training Methods– it’s not something I have used before but it part of Cal’s peaking block.

       

      One thing to state having read the book, it is clear that the three phases I have mentioned (strength, power and speed) follow a GPP phase which is not discussed in the book.  So I can’t really comment on the specifics of what Cal might recommend to do prior to starting triphasic training.

       

      I’m just going to add a bit more detail to two specific areas that peaked my interest while reading the book.  I’ll focus on Periodisation in Part 1 and Loading parameters in Part 2.

       

      Periodisation

       

      The triphasic method is focused on stressing the body optimally.  Athletes do need to be stressed at the highest levels.  According to the block training model, that stress must be focused on a specific performance parameter to ensure maximal adaptation of the athlete.  If multiple forms of stress are applied to multiple parameters at once, the level of stress on each declines along with adaptation and performance.

       

      In the early 1960s, Soviet athletes were mostly trained within a system they called the ”complex parallel” form of training. In more simple terms we can refer to this as a concurrent or ”mixed method” of training, where the athlete is exposed to several different means focusing on two or three parameters in each workout.

       

      They may start with an explosive movement, such as cleans and then progress to a strength movement like a back squat and end the workout with hypertrophy work on the leg press.  Cal makes the case that this mixed training approach is a sub-optimal way to improve the sports performance of an athlete.  Although the ”total” stress of a mixed training workout can be very high, the amount of stress placed on each specific training parameter is very low.

       

      E.g.

       

      • Clean – 4×2 @ 125kg (85%1RM) – Speed-strength –> 1,000 kg VL
      • Back Squat – 5×5 @150kg (80% 1RM) – Strength –> 3,750 kg VL
      • Leg Press – 4×15 @140kg (65% 1RM) – Local muscular endurance –> 8,400 kg VL

       

      If we take a fictional arbitrary number of 6,000 kg of training stress to see a positive adaptation you could see that the total stress of the overall workout is very high (13,150 VL) but the stress level required to see a positive adaptation only occurs for LME.  The stress placed on the athlete, focusing on LME, decreases the total stress able to be placed on the other parameters, speed-strength and strength, resulting in no positive adaptations.  This is a great workout if the goal is to improve LME but terrible if you are trying to build a powerful athlete.

       

      Cal goes on to say:

       

      1. Mixed training only allows for 1-3 peaks per year. Due to the low levels of stress applied to each performance parameter, gains are slower and harder to come by, so you need ample time to develop and prepare for each
      2. Mixed training causes mixed results due to neurological confusion for the body – do you want me to powerful, strong, big or what??
      3. Mixed training doesn’t provide sufficient stimuli for high level athletes. The stress required to improve one’s performance in a target quality (e.g. strength) is so high that to try and improve another quality (e.g. speed) at the same time would be impossible.

       

      Instead it is better to train one parameter at a time using a systematic approach accounting for the least pertinent parameters (those with lowest direct transfer to an athlete’s sport) first, with the most important parameters trained as close to a competition as possible.  This approach is known as the BLOCK sequence approach.

       

      ❗The important point here is that only high level athletes need highly concentrated training loads to generate positive training adaptations.  This principle wouldn’t hold true for novice athletes ❗

       

      Early on in an athlete’s career, stress, any stress, will be new and likely cause a positive adaptation.  Mixed training still provides enough stress to the athlete’s different systems to see improvement in various aspects of performance.

       

       

      The sequence usually goes as follows:

       

      1. General Fitness – not specified in book  (GPP)
      2. Maximal Strength (aka Triphasic) – 6 weeks (Accumulation phase)
      3. Power – 4 weeks (Transmutation phase)
      4. Speed (aka Peaking) – 2 weeks (Realization phase)

       

      As stated above, not many coaches have the luxury of 23 weeks to dedicate solely to training (if you account for a 6 week GPP phase and several deload weeks) but if you are smart with the timing of the various parameters in the sequence you can use a block approach as part of a competitive season.  More on this later.

       

      You can understand more about why it makes sense to train the qualities in that specific order by learning about training residuals.  In a nutshell, the strength and aerobic qualities which you trained for 6 weeks in the accumulation phase, will have a training effect that will still last for up to 30 days after you stopped training them – which conveniently is the time you will go on to spend on the power and speed blocks.  This means you will arrive at your peak with every quality still having had its training effect in tact.

       

       

      Periodisation for Team Sports

       

       

      As it was stated at the start of the Periodisation section ”once a quality is originally trained it is easily adapted again.”  In North American sports they use the off-season (winter training) to apply the ABOVE 80 triphasic method (6 week strength phase) and then in-season most time is spent using the 55-80 BLOCK to ”adapt again.”

       

      My thoughts on periodisation are as follows:

       

      Let’s start with how we would approach a typical off-season training block.

       

      Mixed training methods works best for novice athletes – most of my athletes fit that mold.  I’m not doing mixed training through ignorance, I’m doing it because I believe that this is what they need.   I’m all too aware that they will still get positive adaptations physiologically speaking but more than that, I want them to be doing a bit of everything all year around because they are in a teaching stage of development and I want them to practice the skills a lot.

       

      In the example below, the loads used are clearly that of an advanced athlete.  There is no way my athletes are getting anywhere close to those kind of loads.  I want the clean and the squat in the same programme because I want them to learn the skill of how to do them better and that comes from frequent practice.  Once their skill improves and they start requiring loads that are approaching their biological potential for force, it’s at that point that we can consider separating the stressors into separate strength and power sessions/blocks.

       

      • Clean – 4×2 @ 125kg (85%1RM) – Speed-strength –> 1,000 kg VL
      • Back Squat – 5×5 @150kg (80% 1RM) – Strength –> 3,750 kg VL
      • Leg Press – 4×15 @140kg (65% 1RM) – Local muscular endurance –> 8,400 kg VL

       

      Cal doesn’t use the OLifts in his triphasic method – rather he uses French contrast plyometrics twice a week and keeps the back squat in all the way through and simply varies the emphasis of the squat from one phase to the next (so you might be doing it super slow with a 6 sec eccentric in the first phase of the triphasic strength block and finishing with a super fast reactive squat in the speed block).  I like this approach because for the most part he only tweaks things slightly from block to block and keeps the majority of exercises the same throughout.  This makes it more clear what the effect of each block is as there is usually only one or two main changes – related to how the exercise is trained, as opposed to a complete overhaul of exercises.

       

      At APA I approach training with our athletes using a similar approach to Cal, but it’s NOT A STRICT BLOCK model, it’s more concurrent. This means I have a thread of strength AND power exercises throughout any training blocks.

       

      General Preparation:

       

      I have a GPP 1 (Basic) and GPP 2 (Advanced) block.  These are typically 3-6 weeks each.  I use the General preparation phase to build strength qualities working up to maximal effort strength work for our Advanced athletes (5RM or a 3RM).   I also build up aerobic and anaerobic capacities during these phases.  I will be working on power qualities but these will be practised at a sub-maximal level, so using repeated jumps with external load (20-30% 1RM).   Developmental athletes could be in these phases for extended periods of their time with us.   Advanced athletes may only need to be here for a few weeks.

       

      Specific Preparation:

       

      In the SPP block I’ll prioritise Power and Speed (bringing them up to a maximal level also).  For our advanced athletes who are already strong and hitting the strength KPIs we can focus more time on explosive strength.   I personally still like to have a session that has a strength focus, and then one that has a power focus.  If the focus of the workout is on strength, the power exercise will be a submaximal effort and the strength a maximal effort.  If the focus is on power. the power exercise will be a maximal effort and the strength will be a submaximal effort, and performed more explosively.  Our advanced athletes will be using vertical jumps with external loads (40-60% 1RM), and Olympic lifts for their maximal effort power work.  Our less advanced athletes will still prioritise strength but we will increase the volume and intensity of plyometrics when appropriate.

       

      On the statement ”mixed training only allows for 1-3 peaks per year” 

       

      I have never read that before.  If anything, I would have said that the mixed approach is not designed to allow for a peak at all- it’s designed to maintain a high level of performance year round (well at least for the competitive season which can be many months) rather than peak for a specific event.  The goal in my opinion, is to be at 80-90% of their peak all year round.

       

      I will argue that most athletes cannot peak since they partake in intense practices and competition on a near regular basis and don’t have the energy capacity to exhibit their highest levels of performance. I would deem any and all of these individuals as “In-Season” athletes by definition.   We can only really help athletes peak their fitness in the off-season where there is more time to dedicate to training, and should be treated as such.

       

      Take my sport of tennis, for example.  Tennis is a little different to team sports which build up to a weekend match and so still tend to get in at least 1-2 tough gym sessions mid week leading up to the match.  I’ve found that in tennis, if they are in a tournament (and especially if playing singles and doubles) this might require them to play several matches a week and so the priority in between matches is RECOVERY.

       

      If we regard tennis players as ‘in-season” athletes by definition, then how do we train athletes in-season?

       

      I would agree with Cal that staying in the 55-80 BLOCK is a good place to train in-season, if you have previously built up the foundational qualities in the first place.  I know that Dan Baker used to have a 1x strength/size session and 1x power session in-season with his rugby league players.  Another approach is to have a 2-3 week period of sessions focusing on hypertrophy and then 2-3 weeks focusing on strength/power.

       

      Dan would also have a wave-like progression method for the loading to ensure that the players were only hitting close to maximum effort every 3-4 weeks (RPE 9+) and heaviest effort for squats in-season were RPE 8-8.5!

       

       

      At APA we have a ”Force orientated” strength session and a ”Time orientated” strength session, the later using less external load with an emphasis on speed of movement.  We use these x 1 week each as both a deload workout in between tough training weeks and also as a way to maintain strength/power during long tournament blocks.

       

      But going back full circle, one of the original stated goals of the Triphasic method is to stress the body optimally.  The APA philosophy is simple: give them what they need to keep improving! It’s nice to have a plan, a road map, but I’m not going to ”rush the journey” to get to the ”specific” work.   Every training exercise has a training potential: the capacity to increase a specific aspect of fitness (e.g. strength) until that fitness quality reaches a certain level.  Over time the training potential of the training exercise decreases.

       

      So it makes more sense to use training exercises with the lowest potential first (which still elicit a training effect in a developmental athlete), followed sequentially by those that have a high training potential.

       

      Give athletes the lowest dose of medicine you can until it stops getting them better!  At that point you need to up the dosage!

       

      I hope you found this article useful.

       

      Remember:

       

      • If you’re not subscribed yet, click here to get free email updates, so we can stay in touch.
      • Share this post using the buttons on the top and bottom of the post. As one of this blog’s first readers, I’m not just hoping you’ll tell your friends about it. I’m counting on it.
      • Leave a comment, telling me where you’re struggling and how I can help

       

      Since you’re here…

      …we have a small favor to ask.  APA aim to bring you compelling content from the world of sports science and coaching.  We are devoted to making athletes fitter, faster and stronger so they can excel in sport. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — APA TEAM

       

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      Pacey Performance Podcast REVIEW- Episode 367 Gareth Sandford

      This blog is a review of the Pacey Performance Podcast Episode 367 – Gareth Sandford

      Gareth Sandford

      Researcher and physiologist for Athletics Canada, working with the Canadian Sports Institute, and the University of British Columbia.

      Website

      Background: 

       

      Gareth Sandford

       

      He previously earned his master’s in Sport Science and Physiology, where he did a year’s placement at Chelsea Football Club. He has also coached in the UK, US and in a tribal community in India.

       

      ? Listen to the full episode with Gareth Sandford here

       

      Discussion topics:

       

      What is the Anaerobic Speed Reserve and Why Would You Use It?

       

      ”Signal vs. Noise Principle- what question are we trying to answer? What decision do I want to try and make at the end? I want a test with high signal and low noise, so if I want to measure aerobic fitness and I include a COD in that test (which includes an acceleration and a deceleration), or if I include a rest period……which has an implication for different recovery kinetics between individuals both from a ventilation/breathing side of things but also what is going on in the muscle.

       

      Every time I add another one of these factors to the test I am creating more noise and so the thing I originally wanted to look at and make a decision about, which was aerobic fitness, I’m now adding more and more variables to. So, when I re-test did they improve because their COD was better, meaning they were better at accelerating and/or decelerating, or is it better because we got some peripheral adaptation and the muscle can better recover from that high intensity effort? Or is it because the training we did aerobically worked and we got fitter from that? And if we are honest, I can’t answer that question clearly. Now I understand there is this tension between sport specific nature of a test and sport specific training. But when it comes to sport specific testing I think you need to think about what are you trying to make a decision about?

       

      I use a 50-m sprint (MSS) vs 6-minute trial (MAS).  The Anaerobic Speed Reserve is the difference between maximal sprinting speed (MSS) and running speed at VO2max”

       

       

      What is the Critical Speed?

       

      ”Critical speed – is the last intensity where the body (from a fuel perspective) is primarily relying almost exclusively on the aerobic system to deliver that performance and in a highly trained endurance athlete (middle distance runner, 10K runner) you could sustain that intensity for 40-60 minutes, so for things like the half marathon, the 10k, marathon these are really important central variables to training and improving aerobic fitness. The reason that is important is because if you can raise that intensity, it essentially delays the chaos that goes on at a muscle level at a harder intensity. So a big aim of training is to raise that speed, and push that further and then build out from that speed your durability at that pace. So that’s one of the big aims with endurance training.

       

      The challenge with implementing critical speed TESTING with runners is that a critical speed model requires a 2-3 minute all out effort and an all 12-minute effort. To use that test you are blowing a hole in someone’s training week. For the 2- and 12-minute scenario there are maybe, I’m going to say, less than 5 world class runners who could run you a reliable 2-minute and 12-minute all out effort; people like Laura Muir who are strong at 800m, 1500m, 3k, 5k. Therefore, the testing of critical speed is very challenging so what I tend to do is use a 6-minute trial (which might equate to about a 2k time trial).

       

      Critical speed (or the lactate threshold- which is approximately, not exactly, similar to critical speed or the second inflection on a lactate curve) you would get that typically in an endurance athlete at 85-93% MAS. So, in a team sport athlete where the durability of those paces is not going to be as high, because it is not such an important training aim, that percentage is going to be slightly lower, probably in the 75-80% range, but what that also means is, there is some head room to push that up. So, when we are doing testing with our team sport athletes for aerobic purposes yes MAS is the thing we measure but we are using that for two purposes. 1- to prescribe sessions around MAS but also 2- to understand where approximately that critical speed is going to sit underneath it. And then we can use both of those as training zone stimulus with our athletes.”

       

      What are the types of models that you can use in developing athletes with aerobic qualities like footballers?

       

      ”When you put a sub-group lens on top of that and look at the more endurance-based athletes within your group, the critical speed particularly, is like bread and butter for those guys. So someone like a Jordan Henderson or a James Millner, very different type of athlete to a Raheem Stirling. If you gave Raheem lots of long efforts at critical speed that would break someone like that; it’s too much of a stimulus from a number of angles. But for your more aerobic run all day type athlete that kind of stuff is really going to maximise the aerobic qualities they have. Whereas the more speed endurance, harder anaerobic stuff probably flattens them a bit (they don’t have the same glycolytic capability at a muscle level to cope with that). If you look at it from a muscle physiology perspective, if they are more slow twitch as an athlete their muscle machinery is built to work more aerobically, that’s their preference. So, you want to maximise that type of system in that type of athlete.

       

       

      If you take Raheem the principle of critical speed is still important because there is a minimum aerobic demand to be able to handle 90 minutes 3 times a week. The question is how do you get there? The principle is still important, but you get there differently. This is where moving back from going ‘’here’s my training model, and going [instead] who have I got in front of me?’’ You can then be more specific in how you apply that critical speed principle to that speed-based athlete.

       

      So someone with a speed based profile, who would probably have a slightly lower MAS and a very fast maximal sprinting speed, around 10 m/s sprinting speed (what I would consider a speed type athlete for team sport or middle distance endurance athlete). A more endurance-based athlete might be a bit lower on sprinting speed around 9 m/s but would have a very high MAS (so smaller speed reserve).

       

      So the repeated speed or interval based approach is how I would tackle developing those aerobic qualities in those speed based athletes. There a few reasons for this; the research says that to build aerobic fitness you have to accumulate time at VO2 max. But the challenge is with that, if you are metabolically more fast twitch things become very anaerobic very, very quickly. And so the stimulus that was intended to be primarily aerobic actually isn’t. There are recovery and enjoyment implications of that and you just can’t get the type of volume you want to maximise that stimulus, and instead it tends to flatten and overcook people.

       

      Repeated sprint or Interval based training allows you to run at a faster speed which is more mechanically in their wheelhouse. You can cap the amount of anaerobic based stimulus that is generating by duration of the repetition. Perceived exertion can be really high and very uncomfortable if they do a traditional plod. With intervals, you’re not looking to get faster, you’re just looking to build volume. As an example, 200m at 16-sec pace- let’s say calculate these speeds based of MAS and critical speed as an estimate and looking to build up the volume by the number of those reps you can do.

      Now the more endurance- based runners I would actually consider taking a leaf out of some of the more middle-distance running philosophy and doing more tempo runs which is a workout that is in around that critical speed landmark, starting at the 6–8-minute repetition range length and build that out, progressing up to 20-30 min with a highly highly trained athlete (10 years training at 30 yrs old). So, I would be looking at how I could sneak that into my training week.”

       

      What is Tempo running and what are the ways in which a coach can use it successfully to train his or her athletes?

       

      ”Jessica Enis case study: How do you build the endurance aspect of the 800 m race for example without taking away from the speed-based events (high jump, hurdles etc). It’s the same question middle distance and team sport coaches are asking. What they did was every day for a warm-up, Jess would do some kind of plodding jog. She didn’t particularly enjoy it but it was her warm-up. What they did over time was pick up the pace of that a little bit so that actually it was nearer the critical speed type effort, and they started with 2 mins, and then 3 and then 5-mins and all of a sudden across a week they accumulated up to 20-35 mins of work at critical speed. So micro-dosing it like that over time compounds and builds aerobic adaptation. So when you retest and you look at where MAS is you can judge those sessions of critical speed based on how someone is breathing. When we test that pace in the field and I’m listening to their breathing, If breathing is sounding like it is getting out on control then they are working too hard because they have moved beyond that sustainable pace.”

       

       

      Top 5 Take Away Points:

       

      1. Signal vs. Noise Principle-  I want a test with high signal and low noise.
      2. The Anaerobic Speed Reserve is the difference between maximal sprinting speed (MSS) and running speed at VO2max
      3. Critical speed – is the last intensity where the body (from a fuel perspective) is primarily relying almost exclusively on the aerobic system to deliver that performance.
      4. Know your athlete – repeated speed or interval based approach better way to develop aerobic qualities in speed based athletes.
      5. Tempo runs – used as part of a warm-up can be useful way to micro-dose time spent at critical speed pace.

       

      Want more info on the stuff we have spoken about?  Be sure to visit:

       

      Twitter:

      @Gareth_Sandford

       

      You may also like from PPP:

       

      Episode 372 Jeremy Sheppard & Dana Agar Newman

      Episode 367 Gareth Sandford

      Episode 362 Matt Van Dyke

      Episode 361 John Wagle

      Episode 359 Damien Harper

      Episode 348 Keith Barr

      Episode 331 Danny Lum

      Episode 298 PJ Vazel

      Episode 297 Cam Jose

      Episode 295 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 292 Loren Landow

      Episode 286 Stu McMillan

      Episode 272 Hakan Anderrson

      Episode 227, 55 JB Morin

      Episode 217, 51 Derek Evely

      Episode 212 Boo Schexnayder

      Episode 207, 3 Mike Young

      Episode 204, 64 James Wild

      Episode 192 Sprint Masterclass

      Episode 183 Derek Hansen

      Episode 175 Jason Hettler

      Episode 87 Dan Pfaff

      Episode 55 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 15 Carl Valle

       

      Hope you have found this article useful.

       

      Remember:

       

      • If you’re not subscribed yet, click here to get free email updates, so we can stay in touch.
      • Share this post using the buttons on the top and bottom of the post. As one of this blog’s first readers, I’m not just hoping you’ll tell your friends about it. I’m counting on it.
      • Leave a comment, telling me where you’re struggling and how I can help

       

      Since you’re here…

      …we have a small favor to ask.  APA aim to bring you compelling content from the world of sports science and coaching.  We are devoted to making athletes fitter, faster and stronger so they can excel in sport. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — APA TEAM

       

      => Follow us on Facebook

      => Follow us on Instagram

      => Follow us on Twitter

      Pacey Performance Podcast REVIEW- Episode 362 Matt Van Dyke

      This blog is a review of the Pacey Performance Podcast Episode 362 – Matt Van Dyke

      Matt Van Dyke

      Director of Sports Science for the Houston Texans

      Website

      Background: 

       

      Matt Van Dyke

       

      As the Director of Sports Science for the Houston Texans, Matt is responsible for the management of training loads and other performance aspects implemented to each individual athlete in order to maximise performance and readiness. Prior to this, Matt has worked at the University of Texas and University of Denver, designing and implementing speed, strength, conditioning, and mobility training programs for men’s lacrosse, alpine ski, baseball, tennis, swimming and track and field.

       

      Discussion topics:

       

      Tell me a bit about your background

       

      While I was getting my Masters I did two summer internships and six months full time working for Cal Dietz at University of Minnesota.  Then I moved to University of Denver as Head of Strength & Conditioning for 2.5 years, where I also met Dr Nick Studholme (he runs a system called FNOR – Functional Neural Orthopaedic Rehabilitation).  I transitioned to more of a sports science role at University of Texas looking at the athlete through a holistic lens.

       

      I now work in an NFL setting and being part of a sports performance team where I sit in the middle of Strength & Conditioning staff, Sports Medicine Staff and Nutrition & Wellness, and from my perspective providing the best insight that we have available from the testing and monitoring into athlete availability for our coaches and management.

       

      How do you decide what to test, and what metrics to evaluate within those tests?

       

      You first have to evaluate what you as an individual or you as a staff VALUE, because you need to have a system and process of testing sports performance.  Understand that the context of it is king, as we all understand that an athlete isn’t great because their jump metric is ‘X’ and there is way more that goes into it.

      • What aspects do we feel are valuable linked to on field performance?
      • Link between positional demands and physical preparation
      • What is our end goal of change and did we create that change?
      • In season is really about fatigue management, and that’s where auto-regulation comes into play
      • We have to be able to have actionable data- we don’t just want to collect data
      • Create buy in, which ensure that the athlete gives effort in their testing.
      • How can we help them recover more and create that unbreakable athlete?

       

      Would you mind taking us through the six pillars of athletic performance?

       

      ”I would say that those six pillars in some combination or other create every single athlete movement goal or process that an athlete can produce on the field.

       

       

      (taken from article: Athlete assessments: evaluation of more than just athletes)

       

      Now it’s all about fitting the training programme that you are going to implement based on the context that you have available; so if you talk to Cal he is going to use block periodisation for all of these; well he is going to have his athletes for 40 something weeks of the year potentially so that’s going to be a different model than a group that potentially has 8-10 weeks with their athletes out of the year, and obviously as you progress through different levels of sport the availability to them changes pretty drastically.

       

      Repeat sprint ability is truly your end goal for the majority of team sports.

       

      This would look different for a cyclical sport like track & field or swimming etc.  The speed component is ultimately what we are chasing after but if we are only going to see our athletes at certain times throughout a year and they are get a lot of that from on field then we are going to focus on the pieces that will move the needle that they are probably not getting. But again, it entirely depends on the context of the situation that you are in, of how you would programme to achieve each of those.

       

      In terms of the energy system work for repeat sprint ability the oxidative system is not going to be specifically trained like it would in a block periodisation system, but it’s going to be more like a repeat sprint ability, we’re not going to go out and train the glycolytic system and run 300 yard shuttles because that’s not beneficial to them.  They need to produce intense amounts of force and energy in a matter of 4-6 seconds, sometimes as short as 2-5 seconds, and then recover from that.  So in the couple of weeks we have with them we are going to make sure that we are preparing them for those demands and not just necessarily the long slow aerobic work.”

       

      How would you programme for those demands of the key 3-4 second bursts before the sub when you have those constraints?

       

      ”The more I look at it, the more I’m going to err on the side of quality training.  If I’m looking at velocity drop off in the gym or the field we don’t want to see ever greater than a 10% drop, then we are training in a fatigued state.  There are times in a game when you are going to need to do that, but if you use the analogy of the heavy slow back squat versus the drop jump, the impulse is going to be significantly higher in the drop jump even though the total force over the two jumps may be similar.  So we want to look at the impulse and the quality of that foot strike with limited time, and once they can do it once, can we get them to do it  repeatedly.

       

      Early on in the off-season will have days designed specifically for acceleration, change of direction, some type of volume training so it’s going to be a little bit more the conditioning side of things and then as we gear towards the season it’s going to be more of a repeat sprint ability. It’s almost like a high to low approach but then as you get closer to the season it’s going to be more like a high to moderate approach as the lows aren’t really lows anymore, as if you are going to practice for 3-4 days in a row the athletes have to be prepared for that.”

       

      Let’s dive into the strength pillar.  Tell us a little bit more about the triphasic method and your take on it

       

      ”The big pieces of it are the 6 physical components that we have spoken about already, but then really it’s about how can we take the work that Cal has done and then restructure it slightly to fit into the context that we were in at Denver.

       

      The most important take away is that people want to talk about just the eccentric, the isometric and the concentric and say okay well that’s the triphasic system, but the way I look at it is, yes the muscle action is a component of the triphasic system but when you really get into it there is also that modified undulated block within the week that he is going to do, and the block periodisation.  Cal has undulated the programme in order to ensure that there are never too many training qualities trained in the same block.  And so that block periodisation piece is going to break up each of those physical performance qualities and train them based on how long they are retained within the athlete’s body.

       

      The eccentric, isometric and concentric pieces are obviously key and people understand that and implement that the most.   Realistically it is shifting into that power and speed, creating more of an elastic tensile system and now can I do that under high velocity conditions which are going to be required in sport.  Now the majority of time is going to be spent in that strength component because you never really know what an athlete has done when they come to you, and the motor learning from eccentric and isometric is going to play a key role as well.”

       

      Daz comment- Matt wrote a fascinating article as a guest post on Max Schmarzo Blog ‘Programming Application to Match Desired Adaptations, (October 2017).’

       

      He talks about how he integrates the Joe Kenn Tier System to improve basic strength and then uses the Triphasic system to peak his athletes and improve reactive strength  (what Matt calls his ”Tierphasic” system).

       

      1. Increase fitness and function
      2. Improve basic strength (Tier system)
      3. Improve reactive strength (Triphasic system)
      4. Increase power and speed
      5. Maintain physical attributes throughout competitive season

       

      The Triphasic system takes the newly developed force producing capabilities and increases the use of that strength in a reactive manner. It is in this phase the three muscle action phases are individually trained as this continues to allow adaptation to both the nervous system, muscle tissue as well the biomechanical efficiency of that movement.  The stretch-shortening cycle is the focus of Triphasic training, and the goal of triphasic training is to train and optimise each component of the stretch-shortening cycle separately.  In the final concentric phase timed sets become particularly important (around 55-80% 1RM, mean bar velocity 0.67-1.0 m/s).

       

      The final off-season primary goal consists of training that improves the athlete’s power and speed.  I believe this is the most critical aspect for the transfer of training onto the competitive field in many sports as they are completed at the highest velocities (around 55% 1RM or less, mean bar velocity 1.0 m/s).  This is known as the ‘below 55’ method.  It can use light weights, at body weight, and accelerated speeds.

       

      Oscillatory training is utilised in this block to prepare your muscles to fire as rapidly as possible, and also train your antagonist to relax more quickly, allowing an even faster contraction.

       

       

      French contrast training is utilised throughout all of the triphasic blocks.  These series of styles of plyometrics, including weighted, body weight and accelerated, prepare them for the below 55 training block.

       

      How did you programme oscillatory training into the triphasic method?

       

      Oscillatory (OC) training is implemented throughout the Triphasic Training Method.  To the untrained eye, these brief, 3-4 inch movements applied with well trained athletes can appear gimmicky and useless, this could not be further from the truth.  The OC methods utilised are able to improve strength within specific movement ranges, and involve a rapid ‘push-pull’ motion in an attempt to maximise the ability of an athlete to reverse the muscle action phase at high velocity.

       

      When we actually get into the strength it does depend on how many days you have to train but typically about 2 days or so of eccentric training is going to give you a good stimulus, and same for isometrics.  Based on the context of how you are implementing it whether you have 3 or more days training, if you had three days then we would typically implement it in the strength block.  So if you have 3 days of training, days 1 (medium intensity-medium volume) and 3 (lower intensity and high volume) would be whatever muscle action you are in (eccentric, isometric, concentric), and then that middle one would be the reactive day (high intensity low volume) so we are going to potentially do timed sets there to match the weight room to the demands (such as 5 seconds get as many reps as you can).

       

      Tissue tolerance using OC

       

      Tissue tolerance is created through the use of 30 second OC work in the general preparation training block.  In this phase the athlete is introduced to the OC methods through a moderate intensity and increased volume.    It is through the increased volume that strength and skill learning within specific ranges of motion take place, while also maximising the metabolic requirements of the general preparation block.

       

      Strength and power blocks

       

      You are typically going to train that in a disadvantageous position so you are going to train that in your weakest range of motion with high loads above 80%.  Bear in mind 80% 1RM is only 80% of your strength at your weakest position, and so that oscillatory method puts you at that sticking point for the entire 5 seconds so now you are talking about training strength at their weakest position.

       

       

      Speed phase

       

      As you progress through the blocks you can switch that oscillatory into more of an advantageous position now its about more about speed, or a critical joint angle that you might be in during acceleration or top speed.   With the goal of maximising neural drive in the speed phase the advantageous position can be utilised, with moderate loads of 45-55% 1RM.

       

      The ultimate goal of the entire system is this thought process of contraction and relaxation agonist and antagonist working together, and there is a huge component of motor learning.

       

       

      That’s why eccentric to isometric to concentric (reactive), and then power and speed (which are commonly left off because we are focused on the strength component) is important to remember that the firing patterns are most changed by the high velocity movements.

       

      So with this skill learning of this speed training programme did we create a change in that relaxation- as the only difference between Matveyev’s fourth and fifth level classification of athlete was how fast they can relax their antagonist.

       

      Progress throughout the Annual Cycle

       

      As increased data is collected within the annual cycle, the time of year also becomes important in the evaluation process. With the understanding of athlete progression from general to specific throughout the annual process, it should be accepted they will not perform at the highest level on all testing metrics throughout the entire year. Rather, there should be key milestones within the annual training process that an athlete should aim for based on their individual results from the previous year and the positional baseline requirements.

       

      If each group (sports coaches, medical team and S&C team) has a different goal for an athlete that does not work in synchronisation, the athlete will not experience the full benefits of the program being implemented. This misalignment could happen anywhere in the organisation and create a situation that could have easily been avoiding with communication.

       

      This becomes particularly important in transition periods within the annual cycle. All groups must understand the goal and outputs required of athletes when a new phase begins. The example in the Figure below represents those phases and how the consistent building for “what is next?” is critical for athlete performance and reduced injury risk. When this pattern is understood by everyone involved, athlete assessments and progress become increasingly important as the ultimate question is asked “is this athlete prepared to tolerate this new training/practice/competition phase?

       

       

       

       

      Top 5 Take Away Points:

       

      1. Testing/metrics- You first have to evaluate what you as an individual or you as a staff VALUE.
      2. Repeat sprint ability is truly your end goal for the majority of team sports.
      3. The stretch-shortening cycle is the focus of Triphasic training.
      4. Oscillatory training is utilised to prepare your muscles to fire as rapidly as possible, and also train your antagonist to relax more quickly.
      5. In annual planning the ultimate question to ask is “is this athlete prepared to tolerate this new training/practice/competition phase?”

       

      Want more info on the stuff we have spoken about?  Be sure to visit:

       

      Twitter:

      @Matt_Van_Dyke

       

      You may also like from PPP:

       

      Episode 372 Jeremy Sheppard & Dana Agar Newman

      Episode 367 Gareth Sandford

      Episode 362 Matt Van Dyke

      Episode 361 John Wagle

      Episode 359 Damien Harper

      Episode 348 Keith Barr

      Episode 331 Danny Lum

      Episode 298 PJ Vazel

      Episode 297 Cam Jose

      Episode 295 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 292 Loren Landow

      Episode 286 Stu McMillan

      Episode 272 Hakan Anderrson

      Episode 227, 55 JB Morin

      Episode 217, 51 Derek Evely

      Episode 212 Boo Schexnayder

      Episode 207, 3 Mike Young

      Episode 204, 64 James Wild

      Episode 192 Sprint Masterclass

      Episode 183 Derek Hansen

      Episode 175 Jason Hettler

      Episode 87 Dan Pfaff

      Episode 55 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 15 Carl Valle

       

      Hope you have found this article useful.

       

      Remember:

       

      • If you’re not subscribed yet, click here to get free email updates, so we can stay in touch.
      • Share this post using the buttons on the top and bottom of the post. As one of this blog’s first readers, I’m not just hoping you’ll tell your friends about it. I’m counting on it.
      • Leave a comment, telling me where you’re struggling and how I can help

       

      Since you’re here…

      …we have a small favor to ask.  APA aim to bring you compelling content from the world of sports science and coaching.  We are devoted to making athletes fitter, faster and stronger so they can excel in sport. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — APA TEAM

       

      => Follow us on Facebook

      => Follow us on Instagram

      => Follow us on Twitter

      Pacey Performance Podcast REVIEW- Episode 361 John Wagle

      This blog is a review of the Pacey Performance Podcast Episode 361 – John Wagle

      John Wagler

      Director of Performance Science and Player Development, Kansas City Royals (MLB)

      Website

      Background: 

       

      John Wagler

       

      Previously, he earned his PhD at East Tennessee State University, worked at DePaul University as a strength and conditioning coach, and spent some time prior to that as a baseball coach.

       

      Discussion topics:

       

      What are the benefits of eccentric training?

       

      ”The benefits of eccentric to me really comes down to the fact the force production isn’t constrained by the lengthening velocity.  We can produce really high forces at really high speeds, which happens to occur quite often in sport.  That pairs pretty well with how we need to adequately prepare athletes for the demands of sport.

       

      A lot of the tangible benefits are with longer term applications of eccentric training in programme design:

       

      • Fast fibre cross sectional area changes
      • More explosive performance
      • Longer fascicles
      • More sarcomeres in series
      • Stronger anabolic signals
      • Stiffer muscle tendon units

       

      I think the commercialisation of flywheel has been a big part of the resurgence in interest in eccentric training, as well as researchers who have done a lot of research in this space (Dr Haff, Jamie Douglas – see his review paper below ?, Melissa Harden)

       

      Chronic Adaptations to Eccentric Training: A Systematic Review

       

       

      Direct links to dynamic athletic performance, what kind of benefits are we going to get from eccentric training?

       

      ”On the shortening velocity side that’s where the sarcomeres in series come into play for performance, and from the injury risk side we are getting longer fascicles as well, so something like the Nordic leg curl is very well supported in the literature especially when you do add eccentric overload, and it really seems to have an influence on muscle architectural changes within the muscle.

       

       

      There does seem to be a preferential hypertrophy to fast fibres which can help us in a couple of ways, obviously we are going to have bigger and faster fast twitch fibres, but there is also a potential or theoretical situation where we have less drag from the slow twitch fibres just because the fast twitch fibres are making up a larger relative proportion of the whole muscle cross sectional area.  And you do have a stiffer muscle tendon unit which is going to lend itself very well to dynamic athletic performance.

       

      You have stronger anabolic signalling with eccentric training and more satellite cell activation which in theory is going to get you some more muscle size change at the fibre specific level rather than whole muscle, and then more voluntary agonist activation and down regulation of any inhibitory response of the nervous system.   That’s not to say because of that list I should only focus on eccentric training as it’s only a piece of the puzzle but I do think it’s an under appreciated programming variable especially with its versatility.”

       

      With all its benefits why would coaches not take this on board, and implement some of it into their training programme?

       

      ”Some of it is on the athlete safety side with the supra-maximal eccentric loading, and that all gets bucketed into eccentric training, although eccentric training does not necessarily have to be supra-maximal, but I do think there is a stigma that this a very stressful stimulus, and it is, like even in the sub-maximal versions of it, there is certainly some physiological stress associated with this that doesn’t necessarily appear with other training methods.  But I do think there is a way to programme in it, with the acknowledged apprehension because of the potential implications of recovery status of their athletes.

       

      People point very readily to the repeated bout effect and that’s certainly something that we need to consider, but you are still going to be disruptive to the recovery status of the athlete if you are progressing and providing adequate overload and variation regardless of what you are doing with the eccentric training side so the repeated bout affect doesn’t absolve us from considering the stress induced from eccentric training.

       

      The repeated bout effect refers to the adaptation whereby a single bout of eccentric exercise protects against muscle damage from subsequent eccentric bouts. … There is some evidence to suggest that the repeated bout effect is associated with a shift toward greater recruitment of slow twitch motor units

       

      For anyone who hasn’t introduced eccentric focused training before, where would you start and what would you recommend for people to progress through?”

       

      ”Level zero for me would be the tempo or movement cadence manipulation with eccentric training.  There is actually not a tonne of support for it, especially in terms of strength and power adaptations which is pretty logical if I slow the eccentric phase down I’m not going to be able to use as much weight, and that intensity down shift has implications for strength and power changes.

       

       

      There has certainly been some studies that have shown muscle size changes but my interpretation of literature is that I have yet to be convinced that slowing down the eccentric phase is superior to regular ol resistance training without a targeted approach to movement cadence.  But that being said, I do think there is a lot to be gained to revisit technique and make sure that those things are really sound and to make sure you are stressing tissues the way that you intend.

       

      I like flywheel as the next logical progression.

       

       

      There is a little bit of elongation, let’s call it, between the eccentric and concentric phase when you have to overcome the inertia at the bottom of a squat for example, where it can give people time to produce a lot of force but they are not necessarily ready to produce that force rapidly, so the flywheel lends itself well next, plus there is a little bit more [research] support on the hypertrophy side, and especially for the lesser trained athlete so you’ll also see some strength, power, and change of direction changes as well.

       

      Then you get into things like accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) and you might progress into that from sub-maximal to supra-maximal and things of that nature, and because of the higher eccentric rate of force development (eRFD) most notably, that lends itself really well to progress to plyometrics and top speed sprinting, which are kind of the tail end of what you would want to expose that athlete to in terms of the highest level of eccentric stress.  Whether you want to bucket plyometrics into eccentric training is up to your interpretation, but to me that’s kind of the end of the road, and AEL does a good job of setting you up for some of those more advanced plyometrics.

       

      1. Tempo training
      2. Flywheel training
      3. AEL
      4. Plyometrics and sprinting

       

      All that being said, I think it’s important too that it’s more about the blend of these methods, that you’re not going to do one of these methods in isolation, and you would do elements of each no matter what stage of training you are in, and that’s important to be able to set you up for success in progression.”

       

      How can people progress their use of flywheel to then progress onto AEL?

       

      ”Flywheel has a longer transition between the eccentric and concentric phase, to give them more time to produce force.  There is also an element here where the athlete can control the intensity.  A lot of the eccentric overload present in flywheel training is mediated by the concentric velocity.  So although there is an element of progressive overload in absolute terms with the size of the wheel, a big chunk of that is mediated by the athlete.  So you have a bit more versatility to meet the athlete where they are at, and progress them accordingly.

       

      Accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) prescribes eccentric load magnitude in excess of the concentric prescription using movements that require coupled eccentric and concentric actions, with minimal interruption to natural mechanics.

       

       

       

      1.  Eccentric load is in excess of the concentric load– doesn’t need to be supra-maximal, which automatically makes it different from tempo training where you have the same load on the way down and the way up, and makes it distinct from flywheel training where you have the same inertial load on the way down and way up.
      2.  A coupled eccentric and concentric action– which makes it distinctive from negatives (eccentric only training).
      3.  Minimal interruption to the natural mechanics of the selected exercise– which further differentiates it from flywheel training, a lot of times you are wearing a harness, and if anyone has ever been on the flywheel device, it’s a great training tool so this isn’t a criticism, if you squat on a flywheel it’s different than if you squat with a barbell in terms of the mechanics which will stress tissue differently.

       

      To do this you can use manual resistance from a partner (push ups and nordics etc), weight releasers, hold dumbbells especially as it applies to plyometrics.”

       

       

      What are the specific benefits of AEL outside of what we have spoken about with eccentric training?

       

      ”There does tend to be an acute testosterone and growth hormone response that persists a little bit longer than with traditional loading, and possibly some alterations in glycolytic enzyme production and lactate clearance ability with AEL which could have some advantages for sports that have a large endurance component (soccer, 400m runnner).  AEL was typically reserved for strength/power type athletes but that may not be the case with that new research that while it is pretty thinly supported in the research it is intriguing enough to continue to explore.”

       

      Can lower end athletes benefit from some of the AEL methods?

       

      ”In terms of loading and the stimulus you are providing, there is not really a barrier to entry besides obviously you have to consider eccentric training is pretty stressful so they are probably going to take a little bit longer to get through the recovery process from that training.

       

      I think too if you are looking to apply AEL for potentiation you have a much narrower window to operate with to actually induce that potentiation.  You are walking a tight rope between fatigue and potentiation, and those weaker or less trained athletes, that tight rope is just going to be much thinner.  So those that are stronger probably have a little bit more margin for error on programme selection.

       

       

      I thought for sure with the mechanistic underpinnings there would be a potentiating effect with AEL, such as the muscle is in a greater active state, more calcium sensitivity etc, but it’s actually a really mixed bag [in the research] especially when it’s narrowed to resistance training such as bench press or squatting with weight releasers, there’s just as much research that shows that it is detrimental as it is beneficial to that acute performance, and there appears to be a pretty big sensitivity in programme design and load structure.

       

      Plyos vs. Resistance Training (Short-term acute effect)

       

      So if you were going to do it, and to make sure you are not burying the athlete, it would be best to do it alongside some sort of augmented feedback such as a velocity measurement or a between set counter movement jump.  But on the plyometrics side, it is still a little bit of a mixed bag, but there seems to be a little bit more clarity in terms of what is going to work and what isn’t going to work.  The studies that do have a favourable acute effect from AEL tend to be ones that have a conservative loading (holding a pair of 10kg dumbbells and also plyometrics that have a lesser centre of mass displacement (AEL doesn’t tend to work with a really large displacement like a deep squat which causes a fatigue effect).  But a tight coupling, the rapid eccentric action with an eccentric overload does appear to be where you can induce some potentiation.

       

      I would tend to put my more stressful content at the beginning of the week so I can provide my athletes with the recovery at the back end of the week. So for me AEL to me fits better at the beginning of the week particularly in season, so for players that have a high speed running demand especially upright top speed type running, having an AEL exposure early in the week to expose them to some higher eccentric rate of force developments but not necessarily what they are going to encounter in sprinting.  And then have a top speed exposure later in the week, where it is an emphasis in their training, acknowledging that if they are training in their sport in between they will still do some high speed work between those sessions as part of their sports practices.

       

      A nice progression could be:

       

      1. AEL counter movement jump (with dumbbell release at bottom)
      2. Depth jump (shock method)
      3. AEL depth jump (with dumbbell release at bottom)
      4. Repeat serial hurdle jumps

       

      Where does this fit into the bigger programme?

       

      ”With AEL specifically I do feel it fits very neatly at the tail end of a cycle where you do have a demand to develop some maximal strength or retain the maximal strength you have already developed but stage some of those higher power output or higher velocity efforts, where you are trying run your fastest, jump your highest, be at your best, kind of staging a taper, would be where I would put AEL, in terms of what it can retain and what it can expose the athlete to in terms of high eccentric RFD.

       

      If you are going to follow AEL with a taper you are okay with the intentional high stress nature of that eccentric training, so if you are going to pull training content away to promote that recovery AEL fits really well as part of a over reach to stage taper, or the block prior to set that taper up.”

       

       

      Top 5 Take Away Points:

       

      1. The benefits of eccentric training is that the force production isn’t constrained by the lengthening velocity.
      2. Eccentric training progression: tempo training, flywheel to AEL and finally plyometrics and sprints.
      3. Less advanced athletes will need more time to recover from high stress eccentric training.
      4. There may be a more clearly defined benefit of AEL with plyos for potentiation.
      5. In annual planning AEL will fit more towards the end of a training cycle with the goal to develop some power prior to a taper.

       

      Want more info on the stuff we have spoken about?  Be sure to visit:

       

      Twitter:

      @DrJohnPWagle

       

      You may also like from PPP:

       

      Episode 372 Jeremy Sheppard & Dana Agar Newman

      Episode 367 Gareth Sandford

      Episode 362 Matt Van Dyke

      Episode 361 John Wagle

      Episode 359 Damien Harper

      Episode 348 Keith Barr

      Episode 331 Danny Lum

      Episode 298 PJ Vazel

      Episode 297 Cam Jose

      Episode 295 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 292 Loren Landow

      Episode 286 Stu McMillan

      Episode 272 Hakan Anderrson

      Episode 227, 55 JB Morin

      Episode 217, 51 Derek Evely

      Episode 212 Boo Schexnayder

      Episode 207, 3 Mike Young

      Episode 204, 64 James Wild

      Episode 192 Sprint Masterclass

      Episode 183 Derek Hansen

      Episode 175 Jason Hettler

      Episode 87 Dan Pfaff

      Episode 55 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 15 Carl Valle

       

      Hope you have found this article useful.

       

      Remember:

       

      • If you’re not subscribed yet, click here to get free email updates, so we can stay in touch.
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      …we have a small favor to ask.  APA aim to bring you compelling content from the world of sports science and coaching.  We are devoted to making athletes fitter, faster and stronger so they can excel in sport. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — APA TEAM

       

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      Pacey Performance Podcast REVIEW- Episode 359 Damien Harper

      This blog is a review of the Pacey Performance Podcast Episode 359 – Damien Harper

      Damien Harper

      Lecturer at the Institute of Coaching & Performance (UCLAN)

      Research Gate

      Background: 

       

      Damien Harper

       

      Damian is currently working in the Institute of Coaching and Performance at UCLAN, supervising students on professional masters and doctorates in elite performance. He’s also a member of UCLAN’s newly developed football performance hub, developing the human braking research group following his PhD.

       

      Prior to his time with UCLAN, Damian lectured in exercise physiology at York St John University, coached at the Bobby Charlton Soccer School, and earned his master’s degree while working with sports clubs in his local area. One of which was St. Albans Rugby Club, where he developed the 10/05 repeated jump test.

       

      Discussion topics:

       

      Why is deceleration so important?

       

      In terms of what we are talking about when we are referring to deceleration it’s horizontal deceleration, so the opposite of horizontal acceleration.  What we are looking at is how quickly the athlete can reduce their speed with respect to time.  So we want to improve the ability of the athlete to reduce their speed as quickly as possible.  This is important from a movement outcome perspective and deceleration capability, and in addition to the mechanical aspect of deceleration we also want to look at the intricacies of the movement skill.  Deceleration is a highly complex interaction of the limbs to ensure that the athlete can apply those braking forces effectively and orientate those forces effectively.

       

      So in essence there are two key components when we look at deceleration; one how well they can control the braking forces and two is how well they can attenuate and distribute those forces throughout the lower limbs. Therefore braking force control and braking force attenuation are the two key components that I look at.

       

      Bill Knowles first came up with the mantra ”Don’t speed up what you can’t slow down.”

       

      If an athlete hasn’t got that deceleration ability alongside that acceleration and top speed capability, then they are going to take a longer time and longer distance to slow down.

       

      It is perhaps more accurate to say an athlete will not speed up what they can’t slow down, and there is probably a self regulatory mechanism there which is the athlete will reduce their speed knowing that they have got a deceleration at the end of it.  So they won’t speed up what they can’t slow down to try and protect them from potential tissue damage which could occur in deceleration, which consumes some of the highest mechanical loads on the lower limbs.

       

      Athletes who can decelerate more rapidly can enhance their COD ability so in essence they can hold off their brakes for longer because they can reduce their speed over shorter distances and times, so they can access a greater percentage of their top speed potential during the COD task.  That deceleration capacity becomes absolutely critical in terms of enhancing overall speed potential.

       

      In addition to performance enhancement with COD, an individual who has got better deceleration ability can actually reduce the amount of mechanical load that is going to be exposed on the plant step where we see all these ACL injuries and potential lower limb injuries.

       

      You wouldn’t get in a super car that has amazing top speed capabilities if you knew that the brakes were warn and not working very well, you just wouldn’t put the accelerator down because in any set distance you know it is going to take longer to brake.

       

       

      The problem with the super car analogy is that until recently we haven’t really been able to get a good indication of an athlete’s deceleration capability, so we don’t know how that interacts with the acceleration and top speed; we don’t know how good the brakes are as such.

       

      What are the options for testing deceleration capability?

       

      One of the problems we have had with advancing deceleration has been linked to the difficulty we have in measuring it, as it is much harder to measure than your acceleration and top speed capability but the good news is I can now see more options that can be applied on the field, which is great.  In terms of measuring deceleration there are two options; one to measure it during a change of direction task (such as a 5-0-5 test) which requires the athlete to bring their momentum to zero before changing direction so there is a really big deceleration demand within a 5-0-5 test.  Generally angles less than 60 degrees are no good because they are focused on maintaining speed.

       

      The other option is Horizontal acceleration to deceleration in a linear path; you could get the athlete to stop at a pre-set distance- where the athlete has to sprint and then come to a stop at that [20m] line.  The other option is to commence deceleration at a pre-set distance.  So at the [20m] mark they have to put on the brakes and try to stop as quickly as possible; we refer to that as the Acceleration-Deceleration-Ability (ADA) test.

       

       

      So then the question is how do you measure deceleration during those tasks?  It took me about 12 months to arrive at the conclusion that we need to have instantaneous velocity throughout the task using radar, or laser or high speed video or electro-motor devices like the 1080 sprint.  It surprises me that even today there are only a couple of studies that have attempted to capture instantaneous velocity during a change of direction task.  I refer to these as ‘direct methods’ of measuring deceleration.

       

       

      There are also ‘indirect methods‘ of capturing deceleration such as the ‘change of direction deficit’ and the ‘deceleration deficit, but they are only an estimation, we don’t know at the minute if they actually give you an indication of an athlete’s deceleration capacity which in essence is metres per second squared (m/s 2).

       

      We selected 20m at the time because we wanted to select a distance which allowed the athlete to get near to their maximum velocity, so therefore we challenged their deceleration capacity.  The greater the speed they approach the deceleration the greater the demands on their deceleration demands are going to be.  We wanted to ensure we capture their maximum deceleration ability.  You could adapt that distance to the demands of the sport.

       

      You can look at AVERAGE deceleration (taking all the instantaneous values over the entire deceleration phase and getting an average of their deceleration values) and Peak deceleration (which is a single value), but I’ve tended to think that this isn’t the best measure of an athlete’s deceleration ability as this doesn’t really account for the entire deceleration phase.

       

      There is a possibility that athletes with high peak deceleration may be obtaining them because they are not able to spread the deceleration across the entire deceleration phase.  Therefore there are high peak values occuring particularly near the back end of the deceleration.

       

      What tech do you need to be able to capture those measure?

       

      ”I used a radar gun (Stalker) but you can also use laser devices, which have a higher sampling frequency such as ergo test laser speed device, (which I believe has the ADA test built into the software).

       

       

      But you could also obtain instantaneous velocity with high speed video such as dartfish or some of the newer devices such as 1080 sprint.

       

      If you don’t have a budget for high tech equipment there is an option to look at some indirect indication of an athlete’s deceleration ability by looking at some of the underpinning qualities connected to the physical qualities that are needed to decelerate.  This could include drop jumps and counter movement jumps, and use some of the specific metrics within them.

       

      With the drop jump reactive strength index (RSI) was proposed as a key physical quality for deceleration, originally proposed anecdotally by Marc Kovacs.  Recently we found quite large associations with RSI from either 20cm or 40cm and deceleration ability.  When we broke the deceleration into early (50% Vmax) and late deceleration phase (50% Vmax to zero) we found that drop jump RSI had a greater association with early deceleration phase- shorter ground contacts and really high impact peaks when there is perhaps more of a heel strike and there is a transition from that top speed to the first few steps of deceleration phase.

       

      Athlete’s who could put the brakes on quicker could achieve greater deceleration ability across the whole deceleration phase.  So greater drop jump RSI could be important for tolerating the higher forces during the early deceleration phase, and ability to reduce the mechanical loads in the final foot contact and have better change of direction.  This could also be linked to ability to pre-activate prior to ground contact, and therefore pre-tension prior to hitting the ground.

       

      Can you speak to us about strategies to actually improve deceleration?

       

      I have already mentioned about reactive strength as possibly one key quality.  The other qualities that Mark mentioned at the time was:

       

      • Eccentric strength
      • Dynamic balance
      • Power – which includes rate of force development (RFD)

       

      Eccentric strength is quite a wide area.  By identifying some of these specific eccentric qualities we can help then to target our training strategies.  Of the eccentric qualities we looked at during a counter movement jump, it was the ones linked to eccentric deceleration phase – eccentric peak force and eccentric RFD which had the biggest difference between those who had low and high deceleration abilities.  Now that gives us a little bit better insight and these qualities have been linked to an athlete’s stretch load tolerance or limb stiffness capabilities.  They are also under reasonably fast joint angular velocities- the downward phase round about 200 degrees/second- so they are having to produce those forces pretty quick- with highest rates at the ankle and knee as much as 500 degrees/second.

       

      In terms of eccentric maximum strength we have seen most evidence to target the quadriceps which is perhaps not surprising as the quadriceps are absolutely critical in terms of resisting that knee joint flexion/controlling that yielding during the braking step and also critical for attenuating the forces when we brake.  The knee and the ankle will attenuate (dampen) about 70% of the force during deceleration so before it gets to the hip the majority of force has already been dampened and reduced.  You could also look at muscles such as the rectus femoris which because of the trunk position, places quite a big demand on that muscle, so you do see exercises like a reverse Nordic being used with an upright trunk.

       

      A lot of my ideas about means to develop solutions, a lot of these ideas have come off the back of the work I did with the Football Association looking at development of a braking strength framework to prepare international footballers for competition demands.

       

      1. Braking ELEMENTARY exercises – have highest level of tissue/neural overload (single joint, unilateral)
      2. Braking DEVELOPMENTAL exercises
      3. Braking PERFORMANCE exercises – have highest level of coordination overload (small sided games or utilizing unanticipated decelerations to target really high forces that are highly specific to what the athlete is going to face in competition).

       

      To increase the players damage resistance to high deceleration loads.

       

      An example of a method such as ‘rapid eccentrics’ would probably fit in the braking developmental exercise category.  We are increasing their eccentric peak force, eccentric RFD and also ability to switch off quickly to unload the centre of mass quickly and could include exercises such as squat drop, or snatch drop and then arrest that movement at the bottom.  You can look at a fast eccentric squats which is an eccentric only exercise, where we emphasise the speed of the downwards phase (40-70% 1RM).

       

      Drop jump type activities- and activities which may accentuate that component.  You can also do activities such as dropping from a relatively low height with an additional load, and then the concentric phase has a lower level of load than the eccentric phase.  It can be done with dumbbells, hex bar, elastic resistance (loaded on the downwards and then explode on the upwards phase).  He bar is preferable to dumbbells as the athlete is not worrying about landing on the dumbbells.

       

      How can you manipulate SSG in order to target deceleration?

       

      I’m finding the 4 vs 4 and 5 vs 5 (smaller SSG) really stresses the frequency of decelerations, high frequency of velocity changes which may help develop the enduring nature of decelerations.  It may be larger SSG that are needed to develop the maximal deceleration capabilities where there are opportunities to attain higher movement velocities, which has important implications for managing the microcycles, particularly in the competition phase.

      A constraint is whether you utilize goals or not, and with the goals in place research suggests there is more linear running and transitions whereas the possession only SSG doesn’t achieve that as much.  You can also use different numbers such as a 4 vs 5 to offset the numbers could be another option.

       

      Where is the research going in the future?

       

      • Resisted/assisted concepts with 1080 motion device  to develop deceleration and COD
      • Advancing the assessment of deceleration including limb to limb demands across a period of time
      • Training interventions to develop deceleration capabilities – very little research been done here

       

      Top 5 Take Away Points:

       

      1. Deceleration definition- how quickly the athlete can reduce their speed with respect to time.
      2. Braking force control and braking force attenuation are the two key components of deceleration.
      3. Deceleration capacity becomes absolutely critical in terms of enhancing overall speed potential
      4. To measure deceleration we need instantaneous velocity throughout the task
      5. In order to improve deceleration capability there are a number of components that can be enhanced (reactive strength, eccentric strength, dynamic balance and power).

       

      Want more info on the stuff we have spoken about?  Be sure to visit:

       

      Twitter:

      @brakingperform

       

      You may also like from PPP:

       

      Episode 372 Jeremy Sheppard & Dana Agar Newman

      Episode 367 Gareth Sandford

      Episode 362 Matt Van Dyke

      Episode 361 John Wagle

      Episode 359 Damien Harper

      Episode 348 Keith Barr

      Episode 331 Danny Lum

      Episode 298 PJ Vazel

      Episode 297 Cam Jose

      Episode 295 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 292 Loren Landow

      Episode 286 Stu McMillan

      Episode 272 Hakan Anderrson

      Episode 227, 55 JB Morin

      Episode 217, 51 Derek Evely

      Episode 212 Boo Schexnayder

      Episode 207, 3 Mike Young

      Episode 204, 64 James Wild

      Episode 192 Sprint Masterclass

      Episode 183 Derek Hansen

      Episode 175 Jason Hettler

      Episode 87 Dan Pfaff

      Episode 55 Jonas Dodoo

      Episode 15 Carl Valle

       

      Hope you have found this article useful.

       

      Remember:

      • If you’re not subscribed yet, click here to get free email updates, so we can stay in touch.
      • Share this post using the buttons on the top and bottom of the post. As one of this blog’s first readers, I’m not just hoping you’ll tell your friends about it. I’m counting on it.
      • Leave a comment, telling me where you’re struggling and how I can help

       

      Since you’re here…
      …we have a small favor to ask.  APA aim to bring you compelling content from the world of sports science and coaching.  We are devoted to making athletes fitter, faster and stronger so they can excel in sport. Please take a moment to share the articles on social media, engage the authors with questions and comments below, and link to articles when appropriate if you have a blog or participate on forums of related topics. — APA TEAM

       

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