Max Effort Lifts

squats

Jimbo,

How often do you use box squats and full bench as a Max Effort movement?

How many lifts/weeks do you go through before returning to the lift that you started with?

Coach Hale -

Can you explain what you do for the deloading week?

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Originally posted by: govertical
1. How long should you do a ME movement before switching? I've seen some conjugated programs where the ME exercise changes anywhere from every week to every four weeks. According to Zatsiorsky and Siff, three weeks seems to be the maximum before CNS burnout sets in. I like the idea of switching every week. I think that the kids would enjoy the variety. With that being said, is switching exercises every week effective or should you do each ME exercise for at least 2-3 weeks before switching?

2. Is there any rhyme or reason for choosing certain ME lifts and should they be periodized in any special order? I read Dave Tate's Periodization Bible at T-Mag. He has some thoughts on this. What about you guys?

3. Maybe this is a dumb question, but how do you know if it is working? If, for example, you use Coach Hale's exercise rotation (that he so kindly posted), you will go 3 months before doing the same ME lift again. How do you know if you are getting stronger? If you create a pool of 4 ME movements and do each one for one week, that means only four weeks will pass between ME lifts. Won't that provide kids with quicker feedback?

4. The RE day. How much weight do you use for the failure sets? Do you use the same weight on all sets or does the weight change?

5. Auxiliaries. What does it mean when a program says 3 sets of 6-10 reps? Does that mean you do 3x6, 3x10. or something in-between? What determines how many reps that you should do? Do the auxiliaries change every week? For example, do you do 3x6 one week and 3x10 the next?

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Coach Dertz,

1. The CNS can't handle loads of 90% for more than 3 weeks, yes this is true. The reason why you see some use a ME lift for 3 weeks and some for 1 week is because it depends on how advanced and efficient at the lift the lifter is. For most high school kids, they will be able to break records for 3 straight weeks because they are still learning the lifts. For an advanced powerlifter, they are nearly flawless at each lift and are able to use much more a percentage of their available motor units, thus they won't be able to break records each week. A good way to do it is to switch every two weeks, so that the players don't get bored and they still get practice at the ME lifts.

2. For Upper Body ME, I go with a full ROM lift, followed a partial ROM lift. For example, a flat bench press for 2 weeks and then a 3 board press for 2 weeks. For Lower Body, I go with a Deadlift variation, followed by a Squat variation, followed by a Good Morning Variation. Then I start over.

3. The example above can be done with a switch every week as well. As for how to tell, you can still see improvement in each lift b/c your supplemental/accesory lifts will be hitting your weakpoints (or at least they should be) and the weak point training will bring up your ME lifts regardless of which one you are performing. Plus, squatting will not necessarily bring up your Squat as much as Deadlifting will, and vice versa. Then when you DO get around to the first set of lifts that you performed in week 1 & 2, you should BLOW THE OLD MAX OUT OF THE WATER.

4. I train for RE by leaving "two in the tank" meaning on a set that prescribes 8 reps, use a weight that allows you to get 10. By the last set, it should be pretty close to failure by the 8th rep. I use the same weight for each set, keep the sets and reps the same, and TRY to go up in weight each week, until it's time to switch the lifts up.

5. 3 x 6-10 means to go for three sets of b/w 6 to 10 reps. The reason for the "6-10" is b/c 1)it depends on what you are training for and 2) individuals will react differently to training. For example, my triceps are hit hardest with low repetitions and heavy weight. Even on pushdowns, I stick to around 8 reps and go heavy. However, some guys may need to go lighter for more reps to hit the triceps hardest.

On a deload week, I just avoid all ME work and go with dumbells for max reps or unilateral work in the 8-12 rep range.

Hope this helps,

Jimbo

Jimbo - thanks for sharing your workout.
I have very limited time with a lot of players, and I'm going to have to have some athletes lifing with one my assitants, who is a great assitant, but not very schooled in weighlifting. It's a less than perfect situation. Would it be okay to just pick 2 ME lifts and rotate them every 2 weeks so I could be more sure we were doing the lifts correctly? Suppose sumo dead lift and squat for ME lower and Bench and incline for ME upper?