02/17/2010: The Ratio Technique

by: adarqui


Once athletes discover periodization, they very often over think the process. You often find programs layed out in full detail, from the exact exercises & sets & reps, to the exact days when training will occur. In most cases, there are a few problems with this approach:

• Strict schedules do not allow for autoregulation
• Strict protocols do not promote adjustment
• Strict schedules might interfere with skill work
• Strict schedules usually break up training into a 7-day period (training rhythm)

This small blog entry will cover the training rhythm.


Training Rhythm

One of the most important aspects of performance training, is finding a "rhythm" with your training. Finding a rhythm implies knowing how & when you will experience performance drop off's (dips), supercompensations (rises), or potentiation (stim) from training.

• DIPS: This is when performance decreases, temporarily, due to fatigue of the central nervous system (CNS) or the muscles themself.
• RISES: This is when performance increases, temporarily, due to a over compensation of the CNS or muscles to the previously experienced fatigue.
• STIM: This is when performance increases, temporarily, due to a carry over effect from special exercises (heavy squat singles or low volume depth jumps for example). What makes STIM different than supercompensation, is that STIM can occur in the absence of a dip (fatigue) in performance.

Most athletes stick to a routine which fits precisely within a 7 day period. To me, this is most often a mistake, though in some circumstances it might be completely necessary. The problem with a 7 day period, is that it is a "forced" rhythm. Sessions may be performed in the face of too much fatigue, not enough stim, too little frequency, or too much frequency.

One thing is for sure, the body has a natural 24 hour rhythm, set to the rise & fall of the sun. This has evolved from organism to organism for millions of years.



The Ratio Technique

A very effective way to split up training is by using ratios, using a general guideline instead of using specific days of the week.




Ratio "SYNTAX"

• session-type-1:session-type-2:session-type-n = X:Y:Z
• Perform session-type-1 X times in a row, followed by session-type-2 Y times in a row, followed by session-type-N Z times in a row

FULL Example ratio: Peaking power: strength-hypertrophy:strength-power:stim

• Phase 1: Strength-hypertrophy emphasis: 3:1:1

Session 1: strength-hypertrophy Session 2: stremgth-hypertrophy Session 3: strength-hypertrophy Session 4: strength-power Session 5: stim (MSEM)

• Phase 2: Strength-hypertrophy transition: 2:1:1

Session 1: strength-hypertrophy Session 2: strength-hypertrophy Session 3: strength-power Session 4: stim (MSEM)

• Phase 3: Neutral 1:1:1

Session 1: strength-hypertrophy Session 2: strength-power Session 3: stim (MSEM)

• Phase 4: Peak 0:1:1

Session 1: strength-power Session 2: stim (MSEM)

• Phase 5: In-season 0:0:1

Session 1: stim (MSEM)

So for the above example, we could have:

• Phase 1: Off-season, Rotations = 3
• Phase 2: Off-season, Rotations = 2
• Phase 3: Off-season, Rotations = 2
• Phase 4: Pre-season, Rotations = 3
• Phase 5: In-season, Rotations = whatever

Since we perform STIM as the last session, Phases 1-4 could have some kind of official testing when you rotate back to session 1. This way you continually monitor your performance, through each phase of the program.

Notice that I just list it as: Session 1, Session 2, Session n. This means, that you don't need to conform to a weekly schedule, instead, you can add or reduce rest days based on how you are adapting to the program. For example, there might be 3 rest days following a strength-hypertrophy session, two rest days following a strength-power session, and one rest day following a stim session. However, that does not mean we must conform exactly, instead, adding or removing rest days may change throughout the program, allowing you to train at optimal levels throughout.

So, if you prefer to plan out your rotations, the above example could be written as:

FULL Example ratio: Peaking power: strength-hypertrophy:strength-power:stim

• Phase 1: Strength-hypertrophy emphasis: [3:1:1] x 3
• Phase 2: Strength-hypertrophy transition: [2:1:1] x 2
• Phase 3: Neutral [1:1:1] x 2
• Phase 4: Peak [0:1:1] x 3
• Phase 5: In-season 0:0:1

More quick examples:


Example ratio: Peaking Strength: hypertrophy:strength:stim

• Phase 1: Hypertrophy emphasis: 3:1:1
• Phase 2: Hypertrophy transition 2:1:1
• Phase 3: Neutral 1:1:1
• Phase 4: Strength transition 1:2:1
• Phase 5: Strength emphasis 1:3:1

Example ratio: Peaking Power: strength:power

• Phase 1: Strength emphasis: 3:1
• Phase 2: Strength transition: 2:1
• phase 3: Neutral: 1:1
• Phase 4: Power transition: 1:2
• Phase 5: Power emphasis: 1:3

In the above two examples, you could then "stack" both blocks together:

• Block 1: Peaking Strength
• Block 2: Peaking Power

Example ratio: Conditioning emphasis: strength-power:conditioning

• Phase 1: Neutral 1:1
• Phase 2: Conditioning emphasis 1:2
• Phase 3: Conditioning intensification 1:3

In my own training, I really didn't spend much time on hypertrophy, instead I spent time on strength blocks, mixed strength/power blocks, and finally high frequency training. My ratio's might look like:

• Phase 1: Strength emphasis = strength:power+stim(plyos+MSEM) -> 3:1
• Phase 2: Strength transition = strength:power+stim(plyos+MSEM) -> 2:1
• Phase 3: Neutral = strength:power+stim(plyos+MSEM) -> 1:1
• Phase 4: High frequency stim =  lower-volume plyos+MSEM:higher-volume plyos+MSEM -> 1:3

So there you have it, my preferred way of structuring programs and the blocks within them.

A few key points

• Pick qualities based on their interaction with each other, such as:

Hypertrophy preceding strength Strength preceding power Power preceding intensification of skill work (skill work in this sense refers to in-season or sport competition) Maintaining strength/power while intensifying conditioning Maintaining strength/power while intensifying skill work

• Build up quality A, without neglecting quality B
• Transition from quality A to quality B
• Build up quality B, without neglecting quality A
• Possibly use stim throughout to properly assess current performance

pC

-- adarqui

I turned my motherfucking ankle on the motherfucking pack ice. On the way to the gym. It's not that bad but enough that it tweaks when I walk and now I'm doing hot/cold and I got an ace bandage, too.

Workout today (such as it was):

foam roll legs (thoroughly)
spin on bike x10mins
stretch a bunch

Was too pissed to do core or anything.

wtf how did that happen??????????

god damn.. ive done dumb shit like that, that's the worst.

i completely dislocated my little toe once doing some training barefoot, thing went sideways.

Something I thought about right after the last DL workout: Rippetoe and Kilgore say that you shouldn't really do more than one heavy set of 5 DLs at a time to protect your lower back. My lower back is telling me that I should agree with that, plus it feels weird to only be squatting once a week and squatting seems more important, anyway. Add to that the fact that indoor ultimate is starting up on Thursday and will involve 1-2 hours of ultimate twice a week through mid-March, and I'm thinking about cutting DLs back a bit. Main lifts would still be on 5/3/1. Maybe something like this (unilateral lower leg would be SLRDLs, step-ups, or BSS):

workout A:
squat + assistance (weighted jumps before squats, upper body pull, unilateral lower leg)

workout B:
bench + depth jumps

workout C:
squat (trying to get more on final set than workout A) + assistance (weighted jumps before squats, heavy DL x1 set of 5, upper body pull)

workout D:
OHP + assistance (paused box jumps, reactive jumps [e.g. single-leg bounds], sprints once it starts getting nice)

when will you do normal jumps? is it just not listed?

ya that looks better than your previous setup.. i would let some of those sessions carry over into two days rest if you feel you need it, looks like sometimes you are going to need an extra day of rest.

i like jump squats or REA squats before squatting, really has an effect on your squat.

seem workable? Also, for jump squats, which way is right? Slow eccentric and then explode up, or just jumps with a weight on your back (quick descent into quarter squat, explode up)?

weighted jumps = jump squats? i like to keep them specific to how svj is performed, try to mimic the depth/speed.. the most important aspects of that exercise are the transition from ECC to CON and exploding all the way through the toes, complete triple-extension.. pause/slow is fine, and that's what you might want to do the first few sessions, but eventually i'd go with being specific to SVJ.


peace

I don't get the kneeling box jump. I thought the point was to go from knees to box... not knees>feet>box.

Yeah, looks stupid. You don't jump from your knees... unless you're a bitch. haha 

i havn't seen many vids of people going from knees -> box, i'd imagine it would be very low boxes, <12".

if you can find me a knee -> box jump of 48" ill poop my pants.

ya i don't get them.

btw, next time add a vote to the poll, louie simmons is going to come on here and wreck me.

2/14/2010

pretty crazy wo..

shadow boxing:
- 10 rounds
- speed was great
- last 2 rounds, all power combos now jabbing, koz supine area of elbow joint was getting a little tired..
- tempo was very good

neutral grip pullups:
- 15
- 12
- 10
- sore/tight/tired from sboxing

ssbar stepups: 75 lb bar
- _100_ in a row total
- erectors were tired as hell after.. for about 15 mins

pushups on pushup handles:
- 30
- 25

peace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6EQG8zpa-o

His softer side..... 

ya i seen that shit.. shit is hilarious

i think there's something to say though, about tough dude's who have a soft side.. alot of those dude's get ridiculously evil in combat, for example, pacquiao has love songs on cd's he's made.. mayweather is pretty soft..

Quote from: adarqui on February 12, 2010, 02:11:01 am

big w/o tomorrow night hopefully.

GET THAT SHIIIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

change your sig on here :F

Workout last night:

Warm up
usual
RVJs x6 or 7, started kind of shitty but got up to ~32"! One full knuckle of my ring finger on the rim. Still pretty sad but I'm getting there. Gotta keep these up, they help (yes, yes, no shit, Sherlock). Did some later on after the main workout, but they weren't as good. Also, while I was shooting around a little kid (maybe 10 years old?) challenged me to one-on-one. I might be a poor basketball player, but I think I could have taken him, haha. Plus he wasn't all that great 

Work
OHP 3x105, 3x110, 5x115
superset x3

• paused box jumps w/5# DB in each hand x5
• inverted rows x10

core circuit

Cool down
stretch
shoot some hoops, started to get a groove, felt nice

nice, missed that you got 32"..

sucks about the weather man..