Topic: Bulgarian Style Training

[Gilberto Torres]

I stumbled upon this article a couple of weeks ago and found it quite interesting.

http://www.criticalbench.com/bulgarian-weightlifting.htm

When it says 80-90% is that from your !RM or from the MTR that the article talks about?

GT

[Steve Gough]

I suggest that you contact Mike Wittmer and have him send you a copy of the Abajiev symposium in Athens and listen to his explanation inre the 30 minute rest between lifts.

I/we employ it (always time permitting). I suggest learning a little patience, especially if it means a better performance as a consequence. It is my experience that it really works, that the lifter will perform better, with more vitality, more energy... physically as well as mentally. Read the literature (interviews, magazine articles, etc) from around the world.  The rest break is pretty universal.

As for what to do during these breaks be a little creative, find out what helps you recover and relax and prepare.

[David Woodhouse]

I have the tape - it's rather dry(!) but i obviously need to give it another watch.. I remember reading that Naim used to go for a coffee and a fag!

BTW tried your suggestion of varying loading progressions to a maximum weight - it makes a big difference. The body appears to be extremely sensitive to the stimulus applied to it.

[patrick ward]

wow, this is a great thread and I have learned a lot from the discussion.  thanks!

I was wondering.  What do you guys do for recovery with such high volume/near max daily training without or with very few days off?  I train 4 days a week right now (one 1.5hr session each time).  Maybe it is because I am just a novice that my coach has me doing this.  But, if I trained daily like you guys suggest I think my hips or shoulders would burn right out.  Is there anything you guys do for recovery?  Or perhaps an unloaded week working at low intensities (active rest?)??

[Steve Gough]

A few years back at the OTC Martin Tesovic trained there for a couple of weeks. He would do just that, for his break he would walk outside and have a cigarette (a fag). The point is you are trying to come down a bit, give yourself and your body a break. Occasionally, I will bring some apples or oranges. They seem to help. Everyone is different. Find out what works for you. I think that the Bulgarian approach (especially the rest period) is a "professional" approach, one that says that it is every bit a part of their makeup as sets and reps. They have obviously found that it works. I think the main caveat, though, is your own time constraints and whether or not you can find the time or make the sacrifice to do what it takes to get the best out of yourself. In the end you have to always ask yourself whether or not you did everything in your power to succeed... ergo "leave no stone unturned".

Patrick, in a perfect lifting world, you would have excellent technique and always make your targeted lifts. In otherwords, warm up, advance up the scale, do what you set out to do and then stop. Otherwise, you proceed accordingly, doing what you can accomplish at that time, while making logical decisions as to when "enough is enough, when to stop or when to keep pushing." I believe when the Bulgarian system is at its best, expecially with adept lifters, multiple sessions are performed daily at a crisp pace with the least amount of lifts performed. Otherwise, if you tend to pound away, miss after miss and that becomes your signature, then the chances of burnout becomes greater and you get too use to failure.

[Dean Redzic]

Hey steve,
Dont know if you caught my post on the last page...
but i wondered on your thoughts in specifically bringing up leg strength, whilst training on this type of program. what do you change? or do you let it progress naturally

Thanks very much
dean

[Steve Gough]

Dean,

I have always maintained that if you have not reached where you want to go/be then you must do what it takes to get there... hopefully in a timely manner.

I prefer multiple squat sessions a day if one's situation allows it. I have for some time, but recently (over the past few months) one of my lifters has taken this to extremes with outstanding results. His name is Max Aita and I hope to convince him to post. Max has squatted up to six to eight sessions per day, schedule and facility allowing. Of course, any one of these sesssions may only consist of one or two singles. Max knows his body ("know thineself"), has a fairly ironclad mindset and knows what level he ultimately wants to reach. As an 85 he is now knocking on the door of a 240 kg front squat (suffering two close misses as of late). Not yet world class, but there is no doubt in my mind that he will arrive there in not too distant a future.

Mike Burgener recently wrote about Max on his website. If you want email him at <maxmontanaaita@hotmail.com> and strike up a dialogue.

Getting back to mere mortals, like I said before, if you are not where you want to be, then don't you think you should head for it?

Steve

[Steve Gough]

Gilberto,

1 RM would be your current maximum.

Steve