Strength Training Series

Article By: John Mahr, B.A., M.A. Sultana High School, Hesperia, CA

GERMAN VOLUME
(modified German Volume Program)

CYCLE ONE

Note: This cycle is based upon building a foundation of internal joint/tendon and muscle strength, as well as endurance. All percentages are based upon maximum lifts in the Clean & Jerk, Bench Press, Competition Deadlift and Squat. This program stage is based on the principles of German Volume training, but is designed with intricate variations for the high school athlete. The main emphasis here has been shown to be "injury prevention" and laying a "base" of muscular strength development and technical mastery.

The Strength Training Series Overview

The following strength development program has been designed for the high school to college-aged athlete. Track & Field as well as Cross Country were the sports that this program was specifically modeled for, but it is not limited to these sports. We have seen that football, volleyball and basketball players are benefiting from the same cyclic type program as well.

The program was not designed to create "body builders" or strength training fanatics. It was created to take the inexperienced to experienced athlete through a systematic set of training phases that will lead to specific results at a season's end. The strength training program is designed to augment, not supplant, the actual sport specific/event training of each athlete. The program, in itself, will only assist in the overall development of the training athlete.

The program is designed around three basic phases of progressively advancing training:

German Volume - good pre/early season training module, musculo-tendonous, fitness oriented;

Power/Olympic - good early/mid-season module, emphasizing the "Power Lifts" as well as continuing "Olympic Lift" progression, muscle strength peaking phase;

Olympic/Power - maintains muscle strength development while increasing true "power" development and coordination.

Lactate Club was designed for "in-season" runners who need to maintain fitness-strength but do not have the time to commit to a comprehensive weight training program.

We have found that the first phase of this program, German Volume, is more than just a thorough way to stimulate muscle core development. German Volume training has been shown to be a great tool for the prevention of musculo-skeletal injury to young athletes. The relatively low amount of weight and moderate amount of repetitions used help increase tendon and ligament strengthening and stability in young developing athletes. This type of training does not require heavy weights, nor long rest periods. Each day's body part emphasis is specific and is coupled with several related exercises. Each day's workout is designed to take less than one hour to complete. German Volume can be used by virtually all athletes in all sports as a pre-to-early season preparatory phase of conditioning. We like to use German Volume throughout the Cross Country season to maintain critical strength capabilities on those tough hill and championship courses.

Regardless of the sport in question, the Total Strength Series is a solid, comprehensive model for success in strength development in the young and developing athlete. The phases of training are designed to advance an athlete into levels of strength never before achieved through a systematic progressive overloading regimen. The athlete can become as advanced in their utilization of this program as needed. Each athlete can progress toward strength goals at their own pace with regular "testing" sessions to see where they are in their development.

A final note: this program is designed to take the athlete through strength development during the months prior to and including the actual season of competition. It is recommended that an athlete enter a period of "active rest" after the completion of a season of sport. This period may or may not include strength training. In other words, require the athlete to take a break, to give their body time to regenerate and rest. Stay active but keep the activity at a recreational level. Once ready to begin training, do so in a progressive pattern after several weeks to a month of "down time."

GERMAN VOLUME PROGRAM - Cycle One (Week One)
German Volume (modified) Program
Must have recorded maximum lifts for: C&J, Squat, Bench, DL

Day #1 (Legs)

Power Snatch...
with straps…5 sets of 3 with moderate weight (50% body weight).
Add 10 lbs. at week #2, add 20 lbs. at wk. #4

Full Squats...
- alternating positions (wide/narrow) rest = 1 minute 50% of body weight - 10 sets of 10 reps…alternating foot positions at rep #5…go deep/go slow on the way down…quick on the way up…DO NOT LOCK KNEES!

At week #2 add 10 lbs…at week #3 add 10 lbs. more…add 10 lbs. per week thereafter.

Straight Leg Deadlift...
- long pause at bottom… 6 sets of 10 reps with 45-lb. bar + 20 lbs…long pause/deep…weeks #1-2 Add 10/week thereafter.

Calf Raises...
- alternating foot positions each set…toes wide/neutral/narrow 3 sets - body weight + 45-lb. bar + 30 lbs…dbl leg/alternating positions x 12 reps 3 sets - body weight + 45-lb. bar + 10 lbs…single leg x 8…pause/deep
Superset Calf Raises & SLDL with Squats

Hang Abs...
- 6 sets of 30 reps…between Deadlift…throwers twist each rep.

Runners/Vaulters = 2 x 50 dbl leg ab-kicks

Day #2 (Chest + Arms)

Bench Press…
any style…your choice - incline or flat…rest = 1 min. 10 sets of 10 reps…with 50-60% of max. weight…slow negative (down)… At week #3 add 10 lbs…at week #6 add 20 lbs…(try decline style every two weeks)

Incline Bench…
Dumbbells 3 sets of "push" reps x 6 reps…slow negative aspect…push-up "fast"

Close Grip Bench Press...
2 sets of x 6 reps…slow down/fast up…hands 12-14" apart…as heavy as possible

Tricep Series...
3-4 sets/series of 6-7-8 reps…hands narrow…a) forehead press; b) close chest; c) wide chest…superset with Bicep 21's

Bicep Curls...
21's x 4 sets…good weight used…or your choice of 4-6 hard/heavy sets Pump the guns!

Pause-Ab Crunches...
5 sets of 12…pause is for a 1-2-3-4-5 count

Day #3 (Back & Shoulders)…week #1

Drop Snatch...
5 sets of 3 fast "drops"…50% body weight = speed of movement, not weight!

Pull-Ups…
x 5 sets of "max" reps…alternate close and wide grip…whatever you can do.

Lat-Pulls…
behind neck…10 x 10 reps…50% body weight Add 10 lbs. at week #2…add 10 lbs. more at week #3, etc….alternate exercise from week to week with Bent Over Rows.

Bent Over Rows…
3-4 sets on each arm/side - fairly heavy weight…use dumbbells with a knee on a bench…alternate with lat-pulls (week-to-week)

Straight Leg Deadlift…
long slow pausing reps 3 sets of 7…with light weight…very strict technique! 3 sets of 7…with 80% of body weight

Throwers = walking/weighted "ab twists" 5 sets of 20 count + 2sets of 50 ab-twists

Runners/Vaulters = "pause scissors" 4 sets of 20 count with 10 push-ups between + "oblique abs" 2 sets on each side x 10 (1-2-3-4 count).

Day #4 (Olympic "Plus")

Clean & Jerk…
with straps…5 sets of 3 with 60% body weight - 5 sets of 5 with 50% body weight. Add 10 lbs. at week #3, add 20 lbs. at week #6

High Pull Cleans…
with straps if possible 5 sets of 4 with 75% body weight…add 10 lbs. every other week

Shoulder Press…
seated/DB - 3 sets of 10 reps with good weight

Tricep Press…
forehead press/chest press 3 sets of 7 reps - heavy!

Throwers = bench abs…3 x deep raises x 10…3 x 20 count twists

Runners/Vaulters = 2 x 50 dbl leg ab-kicks + 200 reg. ab-crunch

GERMAN VOLUME PROGRAM - Cycle One (Week Two)
German Volume (modified) Program

Day #1 (Legs)

Snatch...
- 5 x 3 with moderate weight (approx. 50-55% body weight)

Full Squats...
- alternating positions (wide/narrow) rest = 1 minute 55% of body weight - 10 sets of 10 reps…alternating foot positions at rep #5…go deep/go slow on the way down…quick on the way up…DO NOT LOCK KNEES! At week #3 add 10 lbs….add 10 lbs. per week thereafter.

Straight Leg Deadlift...
- long pause at bottom… 9 sets of 10 reps with 33% squat max…long pause/deep…weeks #1-2 Add 10/week thereafter…can superset with squats

Hang Abs...
- 3 sets of 25-30 reps + …between Deadlift

Throwers = 'pause abs' x 3 sets of 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 count x 10

Runners/vaulters = add 'pause scissors' 4 sets of 20 count with 5 push-ups between each set!

Day #2 (Chest & Arms)

Clean & Jerk…
5 x 3 with 55% of bench max…Add 10 lbs. every 2-week cycle

Bench Press…
any style…your choice - incline or flat…rest = 1 min. 10 sets of 10 reps…with 50-60% of max. weight…slow negative (down) At week #3 add 10 lbs….at week #6 add 20 lbs…(try decline style every two weeks)

Tricep Series...
3-4 sets/series of 7-7-7 reps…hands narrow…a) forehead press; b) close chest; c) wide chest - fast! Called "Tricep 21's"

Bicep Curls…
21's x 4 sets…good weight used…or your choice of 4-5 hard/heavy sets…pump the guns!

Bench Ab-Twists = 4 sets of 12 count + 2 sets of deep ab-raises x 7

Day #3 (Back & Shoulders)…week two

Snatch…
6 x 5 with 55-65% bench max….3 wide/3 narrow grip…add 10 lbs. every 2-week cycle

Pull-Ups…
x 5 sets of "max." reps…alternate close and wide grip…whatever you can do

Seated Military Press…
10 x 10 reps…50% bench max…5 sets of bar/5 sets of DB Add 10 lbs. every 2-week cycle (BB) 5 lbs. every 2-week cycle (DB)

Pause-Ab Crunches…
4 sets of 10…pause is for a 1-2-3-5 count + 1 set x burn out!

Any Bicep "pump" exercise…
pump the biceps = this ends the day (2-3 sets)

Day #4

High Pull Cleans*…
with straps if possible…very fast reps! 5 sets of 3 with 75% body weight…add 10 lbs. every other week

Front Squat…
5 sets of 7 with 45% squat max….*alternate with SLDL or hamstring curls (x 5 sets)

Calf Raises…
3 sets of body weight + light bar x 12 reps per set

Tricep Press Downs (cable)…
2-3 sets to "burn out"

Throwers = Twist abs (walking) 20 count x 4 + twist abs - 2 sets of 50

Runners/vaulters = "pause scissors" 4 sets of 20 count with 5 push-ups between each set + oblique abs 2 sets each side 10 reps with 1-2-3 count between

*alternate exercise:
*Jerk Press - sets of 4 reps - 75% of C&J max. - great technique!

Please feel free to email me at John_Mahr@Hesperia.k12.CA.US