SESSION NOTES: Absolute Strength (497)
A) Every 30 seconds for five minutes: 2x jumping trap bar deadlifts at 65% max (or 40% max bar weight + 25% band tension at the top).
B) One set every 2 mins for 5 rounds. Increase weight from last time completed this rep scheme, all sets same weight, final set for max reps. Rest an extra minute before final set.
- Odd rounds: 2x overhead squat. (increase weight from session 144)
- Even rounds: 4x bench press. (increase weight from session 493)
Programming Science:
The three main elements of powerlifting are used, a squat based movement, a deadlift based movement, and a press based movement. This session is an adaptation of the ‘Conjugate Method’.
Part A is called ‘dynamic effort’ and it improves your ability to move a weight fast. The weight is intentionally low, as this allows the optimal combination of weight and speed, to maximise power. Any heavier and speed would be compromised. The use of bands is called ‘accommodating resistance’ and helps you to get stronger in a part of the lift that’s normally neglected.
Part B is called ‘max effort’, and builds your absolute strength.
The exercises alternate in part B to allow you to rest as much as possible between each set of the same type of exercise, while still being mindful of time efficiency. The final set for max reps gives you an indication if you’ve gone too light, and if so, allows you to salvage some benefit from extra reps in the final set.
With movements where ‘bouncing’ makes the movement easier, a ‘reset’ is required, which will force the development of absolute strength rather than just relying on the stretch-shorten cycle (the elastic energy stored in the muscles).
Over time in this style of session, the reps will follow a pattern of 5×5, 5×4, max test, 5×3, 5×2, max test. Knowing this pattern will allow you to increase weight each time these movements are completed. These sessions are interspersed evenly with other session types designed to build absolute strength. The reps are different for both movements in part B to manage total load and ensure a priority is put on strength, not stamina.
Health and Body Composition Benefits:
Resistance training (using your muscles to lift heavy weights, either external weights or yourself) makes you stronger. Strength is one of the greatest predictors of both your lifespan (how long you live) and your healthspan (how long you live in a healthy state).
Resistance training like this will also improve your flexibility (by going through a full range of motion), posture and coordination. It will also build stability around your joints and spine to give you a healthy musculo-skeletal system and reduce joint and back pain.
The session will minimise losses in bone mineral density and will improve your balance. Strength and balance are the two strongest predictors of falls later in life, so this is an effective way to train fall prevention, and insure your independence into old age.
As a result of this style of session, you will experience changes in blood chemistry, including favourable effects on cholesterol, blood glucose, triglyceride and lipid levels.
This session increases your lean muscle mass and muscle fibre size. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue, so increasing it will maximise how much energy your body burns at rest. This makes it an effective session to reach healthy levels of body fat, both visceral fat (around the organs) and subcutaneous fat (under your skin). After this session, your body will go through a prolonged state of ‘EPOC’ (excess post- exercise oxygen consumption), meaning you’ll continue burning energy long after you finish training – further aiding healthy body composition.
Performance Benefits:
The heavy levels of resistance in this session are designed to increase your strength – increasing both your one rep max, and your ability to lift submaximal weights. By being stronger, you can lift more weight, and you will be able to lift submaximal weights faster and for higher reps because they’ll be at a lower percentage of your max.
As strength is an element of power, getting stronger will also improve your ability to move faster – beneficial for more power-based, explosive movements (like Olympic lifting). The dynamic effort work in part A of this session is particularly useful in developing this speed and power. Part A will also help to make you stronger in ranges that are normally neglected, and will build explosiveness.
This session will also improve the efficiency of your fast-twitch muscle fibres (those responsible for lifting heavy and fast), and will improve your neuromuscular efficiency (your ability to turn on a very high percentage of your muscle fibres).
Strategy:
The rep scheme in this session reduces from the previous time you completed this movement in an absolute strength session by one rep, meaning you should increase weight from the last time you did each movement in part B.
Warm up to all your working weights for part A and B before you begin, so you can go straight from A to B. For part A, every rep should have the effort of a one rep max. The aim is movement speed. For part B, go very heavy and stay aggressive.
How it Should Feel:
Part A should feel very fast, like you’re not limited by the weight. Part B should feel very heavy – to the point of each set being ‘intimidating’.
Scaling Guidelines:
The preference with scaling for this is to keep the range of motion and reduce weight. Modify around injuries with exercises as close as possible to the stimulus of the movement you’re modifying.
Common Mistakes:
Not using bands for part A. Using bands is an easy way to build speed and power.
In part B, the common fault is going too light. In the final set, you ideally want to not be able to do any extra reps. If you can, it’s a sign you haven’t used enough weight. Always increase weight from the previous time you did these movements in an Absolute Strength session.
