No matter how badly you want to perform well in your training, you will eventually be faced with an off day. When this happens, don’t throw a 45lbs plate into the wall. You’ll have to pay for that! Well, at least I did. Instead, have a strategy in place to pivot to the next best option.
All sports require strategy. The best strategies are always reactive.
The plan is to win, not to stubbornly stick to what’s written in your training log. Whether you define winning as concluding your training cycle with a PR or taking first place at your contest, you will eventually have to pivot when the time is right to take down your next goal. One step back may be exactly what’s needed to take two steps forward.
Training concurrently, I think of each training day as simply, “filling a cup.” I pour my efforts in a very specific direction to accomplish my daily training objective. Of course, there is a more detailed, long-term phasic structure, but the objective of each day remains the same for the entire training cycle.
Volume Sessions
The main purpose is to increase functional hypertrophy. You will be utilizing a well-planned array of supplemental and accessory movements that develop individual weaknesses by manipulating range of motion, tempo, body angle, rest breaks, the strength curve, or a combination of multiple variables.
Dynamic Sessions
The main purpose of this session is to increase power, but these sessions also serve a great purpose in building general conditioning and sound technique. For optimal recovery, Dynamic Sessions also serve as an intentional decrease in training stress in between the more challenging volume and intensity sessions.
Intensity Sessions
The main purpose of the Intensity Session is to increase efficiency with heavy loads and build strength. Intensity refers to a percentage of a one-rep-max, not an emotion. On these training days, the barbell is always loaded to 80% – 100% of a one rep max depending on the timing of the training cycle.
Each training emphasis requires specific intensity ranges, volume parameters and exercise selection to accomplish the daily task.
Concurrent Contingency Plan
No matter how well planned your training is, something will eventually go wrong. You have to work back to back doubles the day before an Intensity squat session and you’re exhausted. Your child gets the flu and you’re up all night the day before you’re supposed to hit a 10RM
RDL. These unplanned events don’t have to wreak havoc on your training. In fact, you won’t even have to go off plan if you have a contingency plan in place.
I like to use a tiered system to adjust my training on the fly based on external stressors and most importantly how I feel that day.
Training Tiers
Tier One – Your training is carried out exactly as planned for the day.
Tier Two – External factors force slight adjustment to the daily training plan. Tier Three – External factors force large adjustments to the daily training plan. Tier Four – External factors force a session dedicated solely to restoration. Let’s use the example of a 10RM RDL that was used in the example above.
Tier One – 10RM RDL
Tier Two – Goodmorning Top Set of 10 with 2-4 RIR Tier Three – 45 Degree Back Raise 1-3 Top Sets of 10 Tier Four – Complete Rest or Restorative Session
As you work down each tier, the exercise should have a reduced recovery cost. Aim to keep loading parameters and movement patterns in line with your daily training objective and accumulate work that will still allow a proper stimulus to be applied. If you reach tier four, it may be appropriate to avoid the original movement pattern. These fatigued muscles do not need more work. Instead, do a general conditioning movement at low intensity to increase your heart rate for 10-20 minutes.
Reduce psyche, punch the clock, do your work and clock out. Don’t do what you want. Do what’s necessary.