My friend has a theory that if we train a compound exercise five days a week at 90-100% 1RM, we will improve at it. For example, performing the bench press post-workout at 140KG-150KG Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday with one repetition.
Technique Training
This is one of those points that I keep hammering home on this site, as well as some others.
The use of near maximal loads of 85 % plus of a 1 Repetition Max in a movement optimizes your technique.
The more your practice something, the better you get at it. That providing the right training protocol is employed.
One of the primary keys to that is...
"Only Perfect Practice Make Perfect"
Vince Lombardi
When training with near maximum loads for one repetition, once fatigue sets in, the movement needs to be terminated. Fatigue alters technique as well as the firing sequence of the prime muscle in the movement.
Thus, from the perspective of training the Bench Press, any movement, it is effective, proving it is not trained in a fatigued state.
Increasing Strength With Multiple Weekly Training Sessions
This amounts to walking a tight rope, as Antti and
Maine-ah KB essentially stated. It can work, providing you recover from each training session.
Multiple Bench Press Training Sessions worked for...
Jim Williams
Williams Benched 675 lbs around 1972 with his elbows wrapped with Ace Bandages.
Williams' Bench Press Training Program revolved around Multiple Heavy Bench Presses each week. Williams appeared to limit his sets in his Multiple Heavy Bench Press Training.
Also, there was some variance in how heavy William Benched during his weekly Heavy Bench Press Training Sessions. They were all heavy. However, some were heavier than others.
Williams' Multiple Heavy Bench Press Training is outlined in this book...
This book will provide some clues for those interested in ramping up Heavy Multiple Bench Press Training.
according to Zatsiorsky the Bulgarians didn't count the intensity from the competition max but a training max, maybe just a daily max. So for example, when Soviets and Bulgarians mention >90% 1RM, they are not talking about the same intensity, as the 1RM isn't the same.
Russian Vs Bulgarian Olympic Training Percentages
As Antti points out, one of the misconception is the Russian and Bulgarian Training Percentage weren't the same.
The Russian Training Percentages were based on their "CM", Competition Max.
The Bulgarian Training Percentages were based on their "TM", Training Max.
Your Competition Max is going to be higher than your Training Max. If not, you have a issue.
Competition 1RM and Training 1RM
Daily dose deadlift program with KB swings instead?
Below is the information that I posted on this (link above) on the Russian Vs Bulgarian Training Percentages.
Although the characterisation of the differences between the Russian and Bulgarian methods of training for Olympic weightlifting described above is now widely accepted, the differences may not be as stark as is generally believed.
Zatsiorsky (1992) compared the Russian and Bulgarian methods, noting
the main difference between the two groups is the number of lifts reported at >90% of 1RM. According to the c
alculations made by Zatsiorsky (1992), the Russian teams report just 600 lifts per year, while
the Bulgarian athletes report 4,000 such lifts a year. Zatsiorsky (1992) explains that this is
not as substantial a difference as immediately appears, as
the 1RM used by the Russian method is the competition 1RM, while
the Bulgarian approach uses a training 1RM, which is
typically around 10 – 15% lower, depending on the weight class. When normalising both classifications to refer to competition 1RM, the number of lifts performed in the Bulgarian system that are >90% of 1RM is much reduced.–
Article Resource: 290. Zatsiorsky, V. M. (1992). International Perspective: Intensity of Strength Training Facts and Theory: Russian and Eastern European Approach. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 14(5), 46-57.[
Citation]
file:///C:/Users/Admin/Downloads/International_Perspective__Intensity_of_Strength.11%20(1).pdf
During the 1980s, Russian and Bulgarian weight lifting teams won almost all of the gold medals at World and Olympic competitions. It has been reported many times that
Bulgarian athletes lift barbells of maximal weight more than 4,000 times a year. The training intensity of Bulgarian athletes is actually higher than it is for Russian athletes. However,
the real source of such a huge discrepancy (600 versus 4,000 lifts a year) is not the training itself, but the method of determining maximal weight. Russian athletes use CFm in their plans and logs, while
Bulgarians stick to
TFm (1 RM in a given training session).
"Wound Healing"
As we know, the Eccentrics Movement produces the greatest amount of trauma.
As per "Would Healing", the greater the trauma, the longer the timed for the body to heal.
Concentric Training produce much less trauma; the body recovers much faster.
Which brings us to...
The Olympic Lift Movements
Olympic Lift Movements are primarily a Concentric, very little Eccentric Loading occurs. This is one of the reason that Olympic Lifer can train with greater frequency.
The Deadlift is essentially a Concentric Only Movement.
Dr Fred Hatfield's Concentric Only Powerlifting Squat Training
Hatfield was on of the lightest (252 lb body weight) to Squat over 1,000 lbs (Squatting 1008 lb with ease).
Some of Hatfield's Squat Training revolved around Concentric Only Squats in a Power Rack. Hatfield would perform a Concentric Squat, driving the weight off he pins.
Once Hatfield locked out the Squat in the Power Rack, he's basically dropped the bar/weight down to the pins, eliminating the Eccentric Action. This method was similar to a Deadlift, you guide the weight down in a free fall to the floor.
Summary
1) Multiple Heavy Weekly Bench Press Training Sessions
This may work, if you have some understanding of it. It is not in my area.
However, Dr Dr. Judd Biasiotto's Bench Press book on Williams' method can provide some insight on it.
2) Concentric Only Training. I've found eliminating the Eccentric component of a movement and only performing the Concentric Contraction a Heavy Movement definitely allows faster recovery, enabling me to train a muscle group with more frequency.
I modified Hatfield Concentric Only Squat of dropping the weight on the pins, which make too much noise, doesn't do much for he Power Rack Pins nor the bar.
Instead of pins, I loop Car Straps to the top of the Rack. Car Straps are rated for thousand of pounds. However, I place my Power Rack Pins just below them for safety
There is virtually no noise nor trauma to the bar with Car Straps.
And best of all Car Straps are pretty cheap and extremely durable. I've had a couple of different sets with different lengths for over 10 years. I've beat the hell out of them and they keep going.
Car Straps are essentially the same as the Spud Straps but cost less.
Kenny Croxdale