One thing that I attempt to express to people when I am introducing them to timed set training is the relative ease in which work capacity/endurance/fitness is developed through some pretty quick and impressive increases in their average working volumes when incorporating longer duration sets. One thing I point out is... not only is the total volume of work generally much higher, but often that high volume of work is packed into a significantly smaller time period then they were training before.
I wanted to do a before and after volume comparison of one of my Timed set trainees.
For easiest comparison, I took 3 training days from a weeks worth of training to compare. Previously... this lifter was performing a Heavy, Moderate, & Light workout interspersed with variety days to round out the week. Now we are doing 4 days of timed sets and one variety day. I omitted the variety days from this comparison and choose just to focus on the volumes done from 3 days of Kettlebell Training. Although this will not be a apples to apples of weekly training volume since the session format has been altered slightly, it will give a good comparison to the daily training volumes.
Heavy Day (Before)
1 Clean+Press Ladders 5x5...I took that as 1+2+3+4+5 R/L (14kg) 4629lbs
Swings :30 on/:30off 20kg 6172lbs
Total Vol 10,801lbs
After
Clean+Squat (14kg) 10:00 1851lbs
Swing/Jerk Combo (16kg) 16:00(Swing 10368/Jerk 2257) 12,625lbs
Press (14kg) 4:00 864lbs
Total Vol: 15,340lbs
Moderate Day (Before)
Clean+Press Ladder (14kg) 5x1+2+3 R/L 1851lbs
Swings :30 on/:30off (20kg) 2645lbs
Total Vol: 4496lbs
After
Push Press (16kg) 3:00 w:30off ) x3 1904lbs
Swings (16kg) 3:00 w :30off) x4 6912lbs
Squat (14kg) 5:00 1080lbs
Total Vol: 9086lbs
Light Day (Before)
Clean+Press Ladders (14kg) 5x1+2+3 R/L 1851lbs
Snatch pyramid reps(14kg) 1111lbs
Total Vol: 2962lbs
After
Clean (14kg) 5:00 (2314lbs) (16kg) 4:00 (1410lbs) ….(3724lbs)
½ Snatch (14kg) 4:00 w/:30off) x4 (4444lbs)
BU Clean (12kg) 3:00/w :30off) x2 (1746lbs)
Total Vol: 9914lbs
So only comparing these customary 3 workout session:
Before Total Volume: 18,259lbs Avg Volume=6, 086lbs
After Total Volume: 34,340lbs...Avg Volume=11,446lbs
That is a difference of average daily volume of over 2.5 tons. This trainee has built up to this volume over a period of less than 2 months. I don't have great data on the previous session times, but most of the timed set sessions have been held to 35:00 or less. That is an incredible improvement in volume and I'd wager also that the sessions are being completed in less or no longer time than the previous protocol sessions. Training with these volumes builds huge abilities in work capacity and overall fitness and strength. The other interesting thing that is evident here, with my own training, and with others I have spoken to, is these volumes can be attained multiple days a week without soreness, staleness and fatigue.
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| High Volume...Not Just a Man's World |
“Wow that is really cool. WOW! I am blown away by the volume I am moving! Never realized it, I was having so much fun....and by fun I mean working hard and enjoying it ;) I never looked at it that way. For me, the programs are so different, I never thought to compare. I can't believe how much MORE I am lifting in these sessions. It doesn't feel like more. The time flies by and I am really enjoying my training.
...the difference I can feel in my performance is not the weight lifted, but I feel my form is better. which I guess, performance is form...? I am concentrating more on form than lifting a certain amount or getting to a certain rpm/amount (even though I count rpm, I am not "aiming" for it- and sometimes I don't count it.)
I am definitely not fatigued, I like being able to drop if my form is not going well, or I just don't have it in me that day.- much easier to adjust for me. In ___ - I was feeling fatigued, which is why I stopped. And it was not easy to adjust to the way I was feeling.”
3 comments:
Very nice increase in overall volume considering the time. Actually seeing the results on "paper" makes it pretty hard to deny the method.
I recognize the program you're comparing to. It calls for Heavy, Medium, and Light days, but it's also doing virtually the same exercises on each of those 3 days.
Does your timed sets protocol allow for keeping the volume high over a 4-day training week because you're changing exercises? Or is there something different about doing timed sets with a weight you can handle for that entire time?
Steven...
I did a direct comparison to what she was and is doing...But, very often I train high volume doing the same movements on consecutive days. I wish I could more adequately the physiology behind the abilities to do the higher volume with such regularity. I can only contribute it to increased work capacity. Like a manual laborer who does the same job every day to a high level and in its own ways can be "high volume." (Throwing hay all day, carrying timber ties, etc)
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