what is best for EXPLOSIVE POWER???

[WayCoolJR21]

cleans? snatches? something else?

I'm curious what some of the training cycles look like that anyone has had great success with........

my coach has me on a percentage of 1rm cycle right now, do you think that maybe the percentatges are a waste of time??

how do you feel about having a set number of sets and reps for an exercise ( the sets and reps being the goal) once those numbers are achieved, the weight is bumped up. I only ask becuase within the parameters of a 6-8 week percentage based program......I feel that I may be hindering myself as far as the amount of weight that I can use.
I should add that I am thrower and am using some of the power lifting movements (olympic) in order to get more "explosive" in an attempt to throw further. This is the first time that I have really incorporated these types of movements.........and just like when trying anything for the first time, the weight is shooting up quickly. I know that I will eventually plateau, but what type of strategy should i take in the mean time to get these lifts up as high as possible and as quickly as possible? Thanks for any and all info.!

 

[powerlifterjay]

I think cleans will build explosive power. But also speed movements for lower body. But only if your hitting a max effort exercise on your lower body as well.

Fixed number of set sand reps? No way. I would find my 5 rep max , lets say on bench. I would hit my max 5 on week one, doing 3 sets with the 5 reps. Then when i could get 6 to 7 that would be your first sign of progress. Once you do this go up say 10 to 15lbs your next week there. Then i would do the original set of 5 to start, only doing 5 then i would jump up to the new weight and go for 5 if you get it great go up 5 to 10 lb more and go for 3 to 5. Then drop down to the original 1 st set and rep out as many as you get. Once a comfortable 8 is achieved you drop that set forever and your 2nd set before, becomes the first one now. BUt you have to let your body tell you if its strong that day or not. If you do on your 2nd set what you thoght was gonna be 3 to 5 and you get 6 then go up and and try to get 3 to 5 with 10lbs more. If your weak drop down to the 1st set and rep out that first set you got 6 on and try to get 7 plus. Always try to beat your old lifts no matter what. Thats why you cant follow paper. Your paper work doesnt let you knwo if its having a good day or not.

 

[ZZuluZ]

I agree with jay, percentages rarely work; progressive overload is the key.

Most throwers have very impressive squats and benches. I'd make sure to do those. Clean and jerks may help with explosiveness, as will plyometrics.

-Zulu

 

[Arioch]

Snatches are great for a thrower, as they will work the upper back like no other exercise. However, you need a qualified coach to show you how to do them. As well as cleans, snatch and clean pulls, power snatch and cleans. If you throw the hammer or the discus, the bench is not that important, but like in nearly every other sport, the squat is essential. If you are putting the shot, the incline bench is more specific than the flat bench, and try to keep the incline as close as possible to the angle that you throw at.

Woodchops for all throwers, but in order of importance: hammer and discus, javelin, then shot put. If you have time to put these in your training program, good, but they are not essential.

One thing that I am currently working on with a couple of shot-putters is to have them utilize the incline as their max acceleration day, and use a less specific movement for the max effort, but still rarely the flat bench. Also, sometimes a third pressing type day will be included just for inclines but utilizing only 30% of their 1rm to really work on explosiveness. This is generally only done if their speed is sadly lacking, and it is usually because they have been training too heavy too long, and are just plain slow.

If you would give me some more information, I could provide more specifics. Especially, what do you throw?

 

[WayCoolJR21]

sure thing Arioch.....

I am a javelin thrower, probably not the type of thrower that you were picturing............I guess I shoudlve been more specific.

I am definately including snatches, cleans, squats and pullovers as my main core lifts right now........as from what I am told they are the most "jav specific". I just really am not sure what is the best approach to go after right now as far sets, reps, % of weight used, etc.

I have heard many different approaches (including the one you mentioned about 30% of 1rm as fast as possible), and also low reps. But most of these are seasonal approaches. So i really don't know for sure what to do right at this current time. As I mentioned before, the olympic lifts are new to me, so I really don't have to much of a base. My clean max is somewhere around 240, and snatch around 160 (this doesnt make sense to me becuase I can do reps with 185 on shoulder presses) or so.......I know that these numbers aren't impressive, but I am hoping that as I learn the technique, the weights will improve. I guess that I spent to many years doing slow "chic" lifts and now my white-twitch fibers aren;t as developed (evident in the shoulder press/snatch comparison.............

my MAIN goal is explosiveness.........what do you think would be the best angle of attack right now? I know that speed is much more important in javelin than in the other throws (seeing as how it is only 800 grams) I should mention that the competitive season starts MArch 30th..........so I probably will not be able to lift as much so that I can be recovered for meet day (Saturday). Thank you for responding, any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Arioch]

Must be nice to throw such a little itty-bitty thing. Move up an throw the hammer like a man

Seriously, the snatch will always lag behind the clean for two reasons: One, it is just plain harder to learn and two, you have to pull the weight higher. This is normal.

I would spend two days a week focusing on the Olympic lifts, with one day being spent doing no more than 60% of your one rep max, and the other with higher 80-90% of your one rep max. Squat after, using a westside approach. On your heavy day for the OL's, follow with box squats at 50-60% of your one rep max and the usual assistance exercises, although some of the focus could be on RDL's and heavy pulls for variety, when you get tired of good mornings. The same holds true for the max effort day, which would follow your light OL day. Woodchops can be done as an ab exercise here.

On the other two days, treat them like regular max effort and max accleration days, but on the max effort days you should do full rom movements, as you must maintain flexibilty. Inclines, Standing Military Press, or a Close grip for a max are all good choices, as well as the occassionally session of high rep db work.

On your max accleration bench day, you can very the weight, but never drop below 30%, and if you are going to go this low, add chains or bands. The only time I normally recommend going this low is if the athlete is training five times a week, and then this is treated as a recovery workout.

You can include power versions of the olympic lifts to work your shoulder strength here as well as assist the OL's. The power snatch and power clean will work the posterior delts and traps quite well, as well as working the medial delts to some degree. The snatch grip press behind the neck is an often overlooked exercise, and should be included to help teach you to arch in the bottom of the snatch as well as strengthen the pressing muscles.

The snatch work should keep the external rotators strong, which can otherwise be a problem. If you begin to suspect trouble, include both external and internal rotator cuff work at the conclusion of your bench days. If you begin to suffer bicep tendonitis, which is common among throwers (yes, I suffered from it on more than one ocassion), forearm work can help, such as isolated wrist curls done with a DB, as well as reverse curls and such.