One way to put it as Omar (from the YouTube channel Omarlsuf) said was "If you feel great train hard, if you feel shit train light/back off" which sounds too simple but too many guys and girls at the gym are going 100% hard every session training to failure. Usually if this is the case there is a lack of programming/periodization. There is no deload/recovery weeks after a phase of over reaching its just go hard every session which isn't good for the body.
As Omar points out in his video the soviets used some simple pre workout tests to see how athletes would perform in their workouts. These tests included taking your grip test and comparing it to your baseline, if you where over this baseline you will go heavier if you where under then back off a little on the intensity. Other tests include vertical and horizontal jump tests. These tests have a strong correlation between their results and how you will perform on the day.
Now if you don't have access to the three above tests then you will have to pay close attention to each training session and record how the weights feel. E.G. did they feel fast/light/slow/heavy/strong/weak etc. A good way to do this is to record your training sessions. This is something I have been doing now for over 2 years and I can tell from the videos if it was technically good lift even if I am feeling horrible due to an intense training day.
Over a 4
week period, every workout you do work out the total tonnage so the “sets x
reps x weight” then as the weeks go on see how much difference is between each
week. You will get to a point where you are finding it harder to maintain the
rate of improvement, make a note of this and mark it as your baseline. This
“baseline” is to make you aware, if you stay just below it you can maintain the
weekly tonnage, but if you go over it for a long period of time you will likely
burn out.
This
is why doing a 3 week wave where you slightly go above this baseline on week 3
then week 4 deload. Come back and repeat this waved pyramid scheme of training.
This allows for recovery and continuous progress. Another way of judging how you feel is using the RPE Scale (Rate of Perceived Exertion). This is a scale numbered 1-10 or if you use the Borg Scale it is number 6-20 as shown below in their examples;
When applying the above scales to a powerlifting training programme we have to match up the percentages of 1RM to the numbers so it makes it easy to correlate and plan appropriate sessions. Powerlifting to Win used Bryce Lewis RPE scale shown below;
I think this table is a great way to correlate percentages and the 1-10 scale. Makes it a lot easier. RPE scale left side axis and reps top scale going left to right.
Some of the Sports Science work I am doing with my lifters at Teesside University
is as follows;
- Using a combo of percentages
and RPE variations to monitor individual loads
- Lower Body RPE (1-10)
- Upper Body RPE (1-10)
- Technical RPE (assess the
technique of a lift), 1-10 scale, 10 being should be in a hospital and 1
textbook perfect.
- Sets x Reps X Weight (total
tonnage)
- Time of total work (in seconds)
x overall RPE (using the Genner & Weston method for quantifying workload).
With this amount of information getting back from the lifter, it really
paints the picture as to how they are feeling on any given day. The information
they provide is all subjective so it’s their own opinion.
I won’t be telling the whole story as I will be giving away my Diss hahah.
After it is done I will do an article on what I found out. Now moving on to the
next section.
Mike Tuchscherer of Reactive Training Systems says Auto-regulation isn't;
- How you feel is a lie guy "you should not listen to your body" this is not the case
- Magic bullet programme guy who has to have a programme that is perfect in all situations
- I need a deload week guy when they have a bad workout or the weights feel heavy
- Joe Weider instinctive guy everyday is chest and biceps.
The first two not using any auto regulation, they rely too much on a program to do the work and be perfect the other one is saying the same thing but saying how you feel is a lie. Which is untrue how you feel plays a huge role in how you train.
Firstly the human body isn't a math problem which cant be solved simply. We need to adjust and react to day to day real life external variables. Real life things go well things don't go well. Some variables which can affect a training session such as poor nights sleep, hard day at work, argument's which all have a negative effect. On the flip side, getting a great nights sleep, passing a test or getting a promotion would help to facilitate your workout as the stress levels are low.
The other two are over reliant and over react on their emotions and is holding the athletes back. There is a relatively new field of science called Psycho-Neuro-Immuneology, which looks at how psychology, neuro-biology and your immune system all work together. So how you think affects your biology then affects your immune system.
 |
| Mike Tuchscherer lecturing on Auto-Regulation |
Mike goes on in another video linked in the references on how auto-regulation and the RPE scale are linked.
RPE allows us to control the intensity and the weight on the bar. Fatigue Percents allow you to control the volume. Still hinges on RPE
Some Traditional volume measurements;
- sets
- NL (number of lifts such as 5x5 25 lifts/reps)
- Tonnage (percentage of 1RM and or TUT time under tension)
If you come into a workout and you want to do more volume usually people do more sets or less volume do less sets. This is okay but if you come into a training session with a fixed number of sets this is not auto-regulation, some instances this will and not work and you may need to consider an auto regulation based programme.
Volume is not your main concern, your main concern is to get stronger so strength is your concern. To get this the training intensity will play a key role in getting stronger.
Majority of your training effect will be determined by the weight on the bar, train heavy will have a different training effect to training light. That means the volume primarily determines the magnitude of the training effect.
Its like a compass, the intensity determines the direction, the volume determines how fast you go in that direction. So why not just train to the appropriate stress levels and skip any concerns about volume?
Now we cant do a boat load of volume and combine with high intensity weights over a long period of time but we can do it for a short amount of time. Programmes such as Smolov Jnr fit this profile. This style of training is when you are over reaching high volume with high strength. Between 70-85% of your 1RM doing 130+ reps per week.
The question is asked how can I manage the volume so I can get stronger every session? You still need to put the right amount of weight on the bar to get the necessary stimulus necessary for specific physiological adaptations.
So why not just train to the necessary stress levels and skip any concerns about volume?
This is what Fatigue Percents accomplishes .
The best way to teach this, is by using an example that Mike has created very well, comprising of a squat progression combined with Fatigue percents.
Squat 5 reps at 9 RPE then 5% Fatigue
So what this means I will work up to a 5 rep squat which is equivalent to a 9 on the RPE scale.
This would look like;
90kg 5 reps at 7 RPE (add more weight)
95kg 5 reps at 8 RPE (not at the 9 yet so add more weight)
100kg 5 reps at 9 RPE (top set heaviest I will do)
Drop by the fatigue amount (5% of weight) and work up to another 9 on the RPE scale
95kg for 5 reps at 8 RPE (repeat again until at 9 RPE)
95kg for 5 reps at 9 RPE (finish training)
This controls volume based on your performance on the day.
It is worth mentioning For 'repeats' (straight sets), typically RPE gaps of 1 (e.g. 8 to 9) create 2-4% fatigue, gaps of 2 create 4-8% fatigue, and gaps of 3 create 8-12% fatigue. Therefore, gaps of 1 could be considered low, gaps of 2 medium and gaps of 3 high.
It is worth noting that the rep range has an inverse relation to the fatigue created: i.e. lower reps typically create more fatigue than high reps. For instance, 100x1@8 until 100x1@10= 8% fatigue, while 100x8@8 until 100x8@10= 5% fatigue.
From Powerlifting to Win, they list some more points about Auto Regulation and why it is Necessary
1/ 1RM is not stable from workout to workout. Individuals "readiness" fluctuates.
2/ Due to individual differences, volume impacts everybody differently. 5x5 doesn't cause the same amount of stress for everyone.
3/ Due to fluctuations in readiness, even a given individual has different volume on different day
Powerlifting to Win and Mike refer to "stress" in a number of variations over a Week;
Defintions
Low Stress: Ample recovery time from week to week (low intensity anything below 65%)
Medium Stress: Complete recovery from week to week ( medium intensity 65-85%)
High Stress: Incomplete recovery from week to week (High intensity 85% +)
When writing a programme with auto regulation identify which weeks are of low stress weeks such as a deload pre competition or you going on a holiday and the first week back training. High stress weeks you can do 1-2 weeks of a 5 week block as high stress week. After a high stress week followed by a low stress week.
If in doubt just start at medium stress week as Mike says.
Related to Fatigue Percents
Low Stress: 3% fatigue (18% per pattern per week)
Medium Stress: 5% fatigue (30% per pattern per week)
High Stress: 7% fatigue (42% per pattern per week)
0% Deload: For those used to high volume, doing zero back off sets in a week will be a thorough deload
12-18% Low Stress: Perfect for a recovery week without resorting to a full deload
24-36% Medium Stress: About the most you can recover from at the end of a single week
36-54% High Stress: These weeks are designed to cause overreaching. Don't expect full recovery at the end of the week
54-72% Very High Stress: This is similar to Smolov Base. Very intense and is only appropriate for shock microcycles.
Another System Mike developed is called TRAC
Training Recovery Assessment Computer it is a test and is use to see how your body is dealing with stress.
CAR analogy; reaching your goals as planning a road trip, where you are at is point A and where you want to go is B. A normal road trip is simple but training for a goal isn't you have detours and setbacks, point B is the limit of your own potential/the limit of your car's potential.
Road trips normally if you want to go north you go north, in the gym you cant always go north you may go east or west to help get you to your point B which is North. TRAC is available on Reactive Training systems website.
Hope you enjoyed reading this for more videos, information, training visit my Facebook page linked here;
https://www.facebook.com/AndrewRichardsonPowerlifter
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f7-a82-z3A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbOPM3KG0lc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS1YyV3Kdw8&index=50&list=PL92ilWS4EoWrxDEeDvJT92o9rB7Affgh8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUh3woF42PQ&index=58&list=PL92ilWS4EoWrxDEeDvJT92o9rB7Affgh8
Andrew Richardson, Founder of Strength is Never a Weakness Blog
I have a BSc (Hons) in Applied Sport Science and a Merit in my MSc in Sport and Exercise Science and I passed my PGCE at Teesside University.
Now I will be commencing my PhD into "Investigating Sedentary Lifestyles of the Tees Valley" this October 2019.
I am employed by Teesside University Sport and WellBeing Department as a PT/Fitness Instructor.
My long term goal is to become a Sport Science and/or Sport and Exercise Lecturer. I am also keen to contribute to academia via continued research in a quest for new knowledge.
My most recent publications:
My passion is for Sport Science which has led to additional interests incorporating Sports Psychology, Body Dysmorphia, AAS, Doping and Strength and Conditioning.
Within these respective fields, I have a passion for Strength Training, Fitness Testing, Periodisation and Tapering.
I write for numerous websites across the UK and Ireland including my own blog Strength is Never a Weakness.
I had my own business for providing training plans for teams and athletes.
I was one of the Irish National Coaches for Powerlifting, and have attained two 3rd places at the first World University Championships,
in Belarus in July 2016.Feel free to email me or call me as I am always looking for the next challenge.
Contact details below;
Facebook: Andrew Richardson (search for)
Facebook Page: @StrengthisNeveraWeakness
Twitter: @arichie17
Instagram: @arichiepowerlifting
Snapchat: @andypowerlifter
Email: a.s.richardson@tees.ac.uk
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-richardson-b0039278
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andrew_Richardson7
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