Unloading Phase Workouts

[coolcolj]

I'll put all my Unloading Phase Workouts here - 3-4weeks worth of stuff.

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Sunday 14th September - Squat Intensive - UnLoading Phase - Week 6 - Day 1 -

Well Now I start my unloading phase. Squatting twice a week instead of 3 times and volume drops down.

I only had 3 hours sleep a night for the last 3 days, tried to make it up during the day, but it ain't quite the same.....

Workout Rating - 7/10
Workout time - 1.25 hours

Warmup+ CoreWork

Rest - alternating between each exercise - 30secs

Incline situps x8, +5lbs x8
Reverse Hypers - BWx8
Torso Twists - Oly Bar 2x8 to each side.
Back Extensions x8, +5lbs x8

Hang PowerCleans + Plyos

Warmups - Sets with bar, and some sets of cleans and jerks, 95lbs 2x5, 135lbs x3
rest - 1min

155lbs 3x3

18 inch Box depthJumps back onto box
warmups - 18 inch Boxjumps x5
rest 2mins

3x5


Full Olympic Back Squats - RAW

Warmup sets - rest 1 to 2mins
Bar x8, 95lbs 2x5, 135lbs x5, 155lbs x3, 185lbs 3x3, 225lbs 2x3, 255lbs 2x1

Tempo 1010 - Rest 3.5 to 3 mins

285lbs 3x3

I did these pretty slowly compared to normal


Core, Other and Remedial Work

resting about a minute between sets

One Legged Squats
BW x10 each leg - left leg is weaker

Elbows out single arm Dumbell rows
35lbs x6, 45lbs x10

Reverse Hypers
BW 3x12

 

[coolcolj]

Wednesday 17th September - Squat Intensive - UnLoading Phase - Week 6 - Day 2 -

Good solid workout. Starting to freshen up.
A little bit longe rthan usual because I had a nice chat with that oly lifting ex competitor/coach. He was impressed with my leg size/quad sweep - said I should compete in some Natural BB'er comps
He also wants me to compete late next yeah in weightlifting.
The plan is for me to rock up to the Burwood Oly lifting gym (offical training centre) and surprise everyone there with a
clean and jerk 150kg (330lbs), and then I'll get some attention and real help/coaching. Easier said then done

Workout Rating - 8/10
Workout time - 2.25 hours


Warmup+ CoreWork

Rest - alternating between each exercise - 30secs

Incline situps x8, +10lbs x8
Reverse Hypers - BWx8
Torso Twists - Oly Bar 2x8 to each side.
Back Extensions x8, +10lbs x8

OlyLifts

Warmups - 3-4 Sets with bar, some hang cleans, frontsquats, jerks etc
rest - 1min

HangPowerCleans - 95lbs x 5
HangClean + 2 Powerjerks - 95lbs
HangClean + 2 Splitjerks - 95lbs
HangPowerClean + PowerJerk + SplitJerks - 115lbs, 135lbs

Single Arm Dumbell PowerSnatches

5 reps each side - 5kg, 22lbs, 22lbs, 20lbs

form getting way better, not using upper body as much on the jerks and not jumping forward etc.

Doing them dumbell PowerSnatches to help me learn to fully extend the pull and keep my feet on the ground as much as possible. Tough for me not to jump and get the same power, so it should help.


Full Olympic Back Squats - RAW

Warmup sets - rest 1 to 2mins
Bar x8, 95lbs x8, 135lbs x5, 175lbs 3x3, 205lbs 2x3, 235lbs 2x2, 265lbs 2x1

Tempo 10X0 - Rest 3 to 4 mins

295lbs 3x3

Paused slightly at the bottom for a sec or so on some sets as I was talking to the olylifter, and judging depth, form etc.


Core, Other and Remedial Work

resting about a minute between sets

Front Squats
135lbs x3, 175lbs x10

One Legged Squats
BWx8 each leg - right leg wobbles quite a bit.

Single Leg Hypers

BW 2x12 - 6 reps each side

Military Press
warmups - barx8, 95x5, 115x3

135lbs 3x3 - 5sec last rep lockout hold on last 2 sets
BradFord press - Bar x 10

Reverse Grip single arm Dumbell rows

45lbs x5, 75lbs 2x5

Elbows out single arm Dumbell rows
55lbs x10

Reverse Hypers
BW x15

 

[coolcolj]

Sunday 21st September - Squat Intensive - UnLoading Phase - Week 7 - Day 1 -

Well, I took a nap at 1:30PM, intending to only sleep for 1hour or so, but woke up at 5PM! The gym closes at 6:30PM...
By the time I got there it was 5:30PM, heh 1 hour to do warmup,. workout and cooldown/stretch..!

Talk about training under pressure
Shortest workout ever.

Lousy diet and sleepy CNS, combined for a subpar workout

Workout Rating - 6/10
Workout time - Under 1 hour


Warmup+ CoreWork

Rest - alternating between each exercise - 30secs

Incline situps x8, +10lbs x8
Back Extensions x8, +10lbs x8
Torso Twists - Oly Bar x8 to each side.


Military Press
warmups - barx10, 95x5, x3, 115x3

125lbs 3x3 - 5sec last rep lockout hold on last 2 sets

Pretty fast - did some olys with just the bar between sets


Full Olympic Back Squats - RAW

Warmup sets - rest 1 min
Bar x10, 95lbs x5, 135lbs x5, 175lbs 2x3, 205lbs 2x3, 245lbs 2x2, 275lbs x1

Tempo 10X0 - Rest 2 mins

305lbs 3x3

Squats were really sluggish today, slight hesitation at the bottom.
Some guy asked me what I was training for as well - blah blah blah. Thinks I'm younger than I am, an Asian curse


Core, Other and Remedial Work

Front Squats
135lbs x10

Reverse Hypers
BW x12

 

[coolcolj]

Thursday 25th September - Squat Intensive - UnLoading Phase - Week 7 - Day 2 -

Decent workout. I certainly much looser now.


Workout Rating - 8/10
Workout time - 2 hours


Warmup+ CoreWork

Rest - alternating between each exercise - 30secs

Incline situps x8, +10lbs x8
Back Extensions x8, +10lbs x8
Torso Twists - Oly Bar 2x8 to each side.


OlyLifts

Warmups - 3-4 Sets with bar, some hang cleans, frontsquats, jerks etc
rest - 1min

HangPowerCleans - 95lbs x 5
HangClean + 2 Powerjerks - 95lbs
HangClean + 2 Splitjerks - 95lbs
HangPowerClean + 2 SplitJerks - 115lbs

Single Arm Dumbell Hang PowerSnatches + negative press
3 reps each side - warmup - 5kg
Rest - 1min

2 reps each side - 20lbs, 30lbs, 35lbs, 40lbs

Starting to get the feel for these.


Full Olympic Back Squats - RAW

Warmup sets - rest 1 to 2mins
Bar x8, 95lbs x5, 135lbs x3, 175lbs 3x3, 205lbs 2x3, 245lbs 2x2, 275lbs 2x1

Tempo 10X0 - Rest 3 to 4 mins

315lbs 3x3

1st set hard, 2nd easier, 3rd easiest...

Front Squats
135lbs x2, 185lbs x8


Military Press and GoodMornings

alternating sets between each exercise - 1min rest between each

Military Press Tempo 10X1
Warmup sets - Bar x8, 95lbs x3,

115lbs x3, 135lbs x 3, 155lbs x1, 165lbs x1 (10sec lockout hold) --> very slow!

Explosive GoodMornings onto Toes Tempo 11X0
Warmup sets - Bar x5, 95lbs x5,

115lbs x5, 135lbs x 5, 155lbs x 5, 165lbs x 5

-------------------------------------------------
then Military Press Tempo 10X1

105lbs 4x3 - 30secs rest



Core, Other and Remedial Work


One Legged Squats
BWx10 each leg


Olylifts rest - 1min
warmups - bar - few reps of cleans etc,
Powerclean+ Hang Powerclean - 89lbs

Powerclean+ Hang Powerclean - 155lbs, 175lbs x 3sets

PowerClean 197lbs 3x3 ( reset + 10sec rest between each rep )

High Hang PowerSnatch - 89lbs 3x5

Clean and Jerk - 89lbs x 2

PowerCleans felt relatively easy. Hmm think I cam going to hit a PR very soon
Those one arm dumbell hang powersnatches have really improved
my power snatch form. I'm no longer jumping too much and cutting the pull off. Amazing difference in feel!

Did many vertical jumps between the later sets on the way to the bubbler. Same height as normal/fresh.


Reverse Hypers
BW x15

 

[coolcolj]

BTW my cousin came back from the US holiday trip and got me my Black Chuck Taylors

Size 11, maybe half a size too big.

will try em the next time I deadlift

 

[Mike_Rojas]

So when you unload you just reduce the volume? I thought you would reduce the weights too.

Don't most oly lifters load for 3 weeks and unload for 1 week?

 

[Nonerz]

BTW my cousin came back from the US holiday trip and got me my Black Chuck Taylors

I recently got a pair...LOVE THEM! Got a new PR in them too!

Okay, not to sound stupid...but what is an "Unloading Phase" all about?

 

[coolcolj]

Yeah reduce the volume and frequency. Load drops a bit and then ramps back up for a new PR etc


SO you have a Base cycle - 2 weeks - high frequency, moderate volume and moderate load just to get the body into it.

2-3 week Loading phase - high frequency, high volume, with load increasing to push you right into the brink of overtraining.

then an Unloading phase of 3-4weeks - low frequency, low volume, with load dropping back a bit for recovery, and then ramping up again for new PRs.

a week off, then max out on your lifts etc

So for the squat I did 5x5 3 times a week for the first 4 weeks, load increasing each week. set some 5x5 and 5Rm prs.

then in this unloading phase I drop back to 2 times a week and do 3x3, starting with the heaviest weight I used for 5x5 going for a new 3x3 PR.

1 week unloading isn't enough for full recovery.
You can do 3 week loading, one week unload for partial recovery and then 3 weeks loading again and then 4 weeks unloading to peak out.

there are many ways to do it. As long a syou udnerstand the principals behind it.

For example CT says this for his advanced athletes, he uses 3 week cycles for them since they adapt faster.

Week 1: Maximum volume for the cycle, minimum intensity for the cycle

Week 2: Lower volume by 15-25%, increase intensity

Week 3: Lowest volume for the cycle (only 50% of week 1) but highest intensity.

intensity = % of 1RM

quoting Glenn Pendlay
instead of thinking of each workout as one seperate "fatigueing" session,
followed by a seperate "recovery" session of a day or two of rest... begin
thinking in terms of weeks. in other words, you have one, or two or even
three weeks which are "fatigueing" in other words you think of this time
period just the same way as some people think of one workout. you accumulate
fatigue the whole time, you never completely recover. then you have another
time period of recovery. this is another one, two or three weeks in which
you train with reduced frequency, volume, or intensity and allow recovery to
take place. personally i favor keeping intensity high, drastically lowering
volume, and slightly lowering frequency. in any event the overall training
stress is lower.
so you have say two 3 week periods which you approach like you would have
approached two days, one a workout day and one a rest day.

now, of course in programming for elite athletes it gets much more
complicated than this. you may also have a 6 month "overload" period, during
which you have a series of 5 week periods each consisting of 3 weeks of hard
work and 2 weeks of lower stress training. then you may have another 3 or 4
month period of "recovery" consisting of 1 week of "loading" or hard work,
then 1 or 2 weeks of reduced training.
all this may be superimposed upon 3 years of slightly harder overall work,
in other words slightly higher volume overall... then 1 year of slightly
lower volume. this fits into the fact that the olympics are every 4 years
and athletes want to hit their highest performance at the olympics.

the greeks do 3 loading weeks followed by 1 unloading week (approx 12
workouts a week during loading, and 9 workouts a week during unloading, also
all weights are lowered by about 10kilos during the unloading week)... these
are "loading" months, then every 4th month is an "unloading" month
consisting of only 1 loading week and 3 unloading weeks. close to a big
competition like the olympics... they switch to alternating weeks, 1 loading
week followed by 1 unloading week.

however, to actually program sets and reps... this is very individual. what
is unloading to me may be highly stressfull to you. but this is how training
is programmed for the majority of athlets in sports other than BB and
powerlifting. fatigue is gradually accumulated and then gradually
disipated...
i would encourage you or anyone else to take a look at the HST training
protocol... as it is the first BB specific program i have ever seen that
seems to be set up on these principles. people doing it seem to be making
gains, so i assume it is the correct volume for a majority of bbers... of
course individual adjustment is usually required with programs like this.

personally... when adjusting volume for individuals i am lucky in that i can
use testosterone/cortisol ratios from weekly blood draws and also
glutamine/glutamate ratios to assist in determining the stress level of the
training for an individual athlete. this allows me to be pretty precise in
loading an athlete to his limit without crossing the line into real
overtraining... then determining the correct volume of training for the
unloading period so that recovery takes place without any detraining.
unfortunately i doubt any of you have the rescources to do this or the
expertise to interpret the data correctly if you did have access to it.

HOWEVER... i do have some "rule of thumb" guidlines... during loading, if
you are capable of setting personal records... your not loading hard enough.
on the other hand, if performance falls below 85% for more than one or two
workouts in a row... then you need to lighten the load. the length of the
loading period is also individual. start with one week to 10 days... after
youve gone through a couple of cycles experiment with 2 and 3 week loading
periods. very few people can handle a 3 week loading period. i know i cant.
however the bulgarians and greeks do, so i know some great athletes can do
it, and maybe some of you can. as far as unloading... you should be
approaching peak performance after 7-10 days of unloading... you should have
peak performance somewhere between 14 and 21 days of unloading. you dont
always want to allow peak performance. you may want to follow 2 or 3
consecutive loading cycles without every allowing complete recover during
unloading, if you are really advanced... however i dont recomend this for
beginners to this type of training... load then unload long enough to set
new personal records... allow another week or two to get good and rested
then load again.

hope this helps explain how this is used in the real world... sorry but its
just impossible to get into sets and reps on a specific basis... but if you
copied the 8 week squat program i posted several times a while back this is
an example of this type of training, and its a proven and result producing
program."

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Your workouts are so complicated . I don't think I could handle all the bookkeeping though, lol. Great job, you're constantly progressing.

 

[coolcolj]

Well the basic principal and workout flow is very simple. The concept.

But It looks more complex, because i train somewhat instinctively each workout, I add or take things out as I see fit, depending on how I feel/boredom etc. While the core workout is always stable.

Well yeah there is abit of bookkeeping, but you should always log all your workouts anyway. It makes great reading a few years down the line and video clips add that little extra