General Training Overview - Weekly Loading

[Robert Frederick]

If the volume of load in a training week cycle is less than 20% of the total for one month, it can be regarded as small; if it is from 21-30%, it is considered medium; between 31-40%, it is considered large and greater than 40% is a maximum load.

Boris states that monotonous training loads, even more so the more frequently used, the faster the body gets used to them and the less effective they become for the development of the athlete. Thus, load variability is one of the most important principles in the construction of the training process. Variability is the basis for stable progress.

Table 10 shows that the relative weekly load volumes vary between small, medium, large and maximum loads. It should be noted that these options are not the only load distribution possibilities. There are other options, especially in the preparatory months.

Options with one digit (1, 2, 3, etc.) indicate that the maximum volume of load falls on that week of the month. If two numbers indicate the option, the first digit indicates the week with a highest volume; the second digit indicates the week with a comparable but slightly reduced volume.

When A.V. Cherniak analyzed training diaries of qualified weightlifters (Master of Sport, Master of Sport International Class and Honored Master of Sport), he found that the most common schemes during the competition period were: 1, 2, 1-3, 3-1, with deloading the last week before competition.

Table  10
Variants For Weekly Load Distribution In A Preparatory Mesocycle (B. Sheiko, 2011)

Variants	% Monthly Volume				Number of Lifts
	1st Week	2nd	3rd	4th	1st Week	2nd	3rd	4th	TOTAL
1	46%	20%	22%	12%	138	60	66	36	300
1-2	34%	30%	24%	12%	119	105	84	42	350
1-3	36%	16%	27%	21%	144	64	108	84	400
1-4	35%	22%	14%	29%	158	99	63	130	450
2	22%	38%	25%	15%	110	190	125	75	500
2-3	20%	34%	30%	16%	110	187	165	88	550
2-4	21%	35%	13%	31%	126	210	78	186	600
3	15%	28%	35%	22%	97	182	228	143	650
3-1	28%	15%	35%	22%	196	105	245	154	700
3-2	22%	27%	33%	18%	165	203	247	135	750
3-4	17%	21%	35%	27%	136	168	280	216	800
4	18%	26%	12%	44%	153	221	102	374	850
4-2	15%	28%	22%	35%	135	252	198	315	900
4-3	22%	15%	28%	35%	220	150	280	350	1000

Table  11
Variants For Weekly Load Distribution In A Competition Mesocycle (B. Sheiko, 2011)
 

Variants	% Monthly Volume				Number of Lifts
	1st Week	2nd	3rd	4th	1st Week	2nd	3rd	4th	TOTAL
1	40%	27%	20%	13%	108	73	54	35	270
2	29%	38%	22%	11%	101	134	77	38	350
3-1	28%	24%	34%	14%	120	103	147	60	430
1-3	38%	20%	28%	14%	190	100	140	70	500

See Fig. 9 Diagram of possible load distributions in a competitive mesocycle

Application of the principle of variability is acceptable for athletes of any skill level in any sport. The above allocation scheme for weekly cycles is fully applicable to the various qualifications of powerlifters across weight categories.

The largest volume of load often falls on the first or second week of the month before the event. Rarely is a large volume of load observed in the third week.

Upon completion of the training week it is necessary to make a comparative analysis between what was planned and what was actually done. If there is a deviation from the plan, it is necessary to find an objective reason, which must be corrected for in the following week.

[hurril]

This is incredibly interesting. My question concerns the differences (and the similarities) between the overall volume of load per month and the ones for each individual lift. Is the big idea that I pick one variant for each lift and then just combine them and hope for the best or are there better strategies to employ here?

[Robert Frederick]

These are total volume patterns. For distributing the volume across the lifts you could start with 50% bench, 25% squat and 25% deadlift. From there you could tweak it a little so it makes more sense for you. There are a couple examples of lift distributions in the intermediate spreadsheets.

[hurril]

Thank you for responding so quickly. I downloaded the spreadsheets and had a look a few minutes ago and looked at closely those things.

I can see how you would partition the total volume the way you describe; it'd be interesting to read a little more about the thought process that went in to that.

[Robert Frederick]

My understanding of it is that it works out to be 50% upper body and 50% lower body, which seems like a logical starting point. Say you want to overload the bench for a bit. Then bump it up, possibly with a larger bench pyramid and reduce the others accordingly. The next week you give the bench a break from that with possibly more higher end lifts and less volume. Meanwhile, the other lifts go up. Maybe throw in a squat pyramid during the week, followed by more high end the next week. And so on.

So that's how it works out in theory. Then you go try it and find out something needs a little adjusting. For one person maybe it's too much volume for benching and not enough for squats. Maybe someone else has a decent squat but needs more for the deadlift. Or maybe you do more squats one period and more deadlifts the next. So you wind up with something that's loosely based on the 50:50 starting point and will vary from person to person depending on individual needs.

[hurril]

Something I tend to do in programs that I author, is that sometimes I'll synchronize the squat and deadlift (albeit inverted). I.e.: I'll back down on the number of deadlifts as a function of an increasing number of squats (per week). At other times I'll pull back on all lifts in order to scale the entire week back a little (because the week before was huge.)

But I always find myself struggling a little with good rules of thumb and more thought-through patterns of distribution. The tables and examples listed in this article are all very helpful for this very reason.

[Roadblock]

If the volume of load in a training week cycle is less than 20% of the total for one month, it can be regarded as small; if it is from 21-30%, it is considered medium; between 31-40%, it is considered large and greater than 40% is a maximum load.

How do you calculate the training load per week and compare it to the month? Is it total work (ie. all main movements performed totaled together) divided into the months total or is it individual work (ie. each main lift divided by that main lifts total for the month)?

Thanks,

RB

[Robert Frederick]

If the volume of load in a training week cycle is less than 20% of the total for one month, it can be regarded as small; if it is from 21-30%, it is considered medium; between 31-40%, it is considered large and greater than 40% is a maximum load.

How do you calculate the training load per week and compare it to the month? Is it total work (ie. all main movements performed totaled together) divided into the months total or is it individual work (ie. each main lift divided by that main lifts total for the month)?

Thanks,

RB

Weekly load is total work as you defined it, divided by the month's total, and multiplied by 100%.

[Roadblock]

Thanks man.

RB

[Don]

Interesting.

Have some weekly load distribution options been more successful than others?
Or is it a matter of determining what option fits best into the larger plan?

Also.  Is there significance to the "Total" column in Table 10 and 11?

[Robert Frederick]

Interesting.

Have some weekly load distribution options been more successful than others?
Or is it a matter of determining what option fits best into the larger plan?

Also.  Is there significance to the "Total" column in Table 10 and 11?

I know there are some that I don't like. Having the biggest load on the first week is no fun nor is having it the last week. Put it in the middle and I like it much better. Actually, I take that back about the last week. I like 4-2.

The total column just shows you that the percents can apply to any monthly volume.

[Don]

Thank you for your reply.

I can see how this thread clearly applies to the 3 day plan for under 80kg.

e.g. 3 day under 80kg plan
#37 (3): 26% 24% 30% 20%
#30 (1-3): 30% 23% 28% 19%
#32 (2): 24% 41% 24% 11%

The 4 day plan is a bit unusual (#2, #3).

e.g. 4 day plan
#1 (3-4): 25% 18% 29% 28%
#2 (5): 25% 22% 27% 21% 34% 21%
#3 (3-5): 16% 24% 29% 27% 28%
#4 (1-3): 38% 25% 31% 20% 11%

I used the 2-4 weekly loading to make a plan in excel.

2-4
21% 35% 13% 31%
231, 385, 143, 341, 1100 total

From doing this I noticed that Sheiko uses less extreme weekly loading variation compared to the examples in the original post.  Is this to make each week more tolerable for the lifter?

2-4 less extreme weekly loading variation
25% 31% 17% 27%
275, 341, 187, 297, 1100 total

[Sheiko37]

Why do the number of lifts increase for each variant going down the chart?

[Robert Frederick]

Why do the number of lifts increase for each variant going down the chart?

It's just an illustration that the percentages can be applied to different volumes.

[ibobland08]

When A.V. Cherniak analyzed training diaries of qualified weightlifters (Master of Sport, Master of Sport International Class and Honored Master of Sport), he found that the most common schemes during the competition period were: 1, 2, 1-3, 3-1, with deloading the last week before competition.

Does this mean the deload week is NOT included in the volume distribution?  For example, the 4th week is not considered the deload week before the week?