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Some
of the most dynamic training stressing strength, power and fitness occur
with the
implementation of complexes, matrixes and combination lifts. These are
multiple exercise lifts, sometimes in a variety of planes, utilizing
bodyweight, bars and/or dumbbells. Combination lifts
are
lifts combined in one long set. Complex lifts are organized so that one
rep consists of one of each of the listed exercises. They are often set up
in push, pull, leg routines using traditional bar
and
dumbbell lifts or non - traditional exercises in multi plane movements as
in matrixes. Matrixes
are
multi-planer and often consist of more functional, non-traditional types
of exercises. The benefits of this type of training are myriad. You can
emphasize power, work capacity, suppleness, range of motion, hypertrophy,
strength, toughness, upper body or lower body in one or all planes
of
movement.
The
exercises are grouped according to the emphasis of the training cycle. In
hypertrophy and strength phases the training can be set up using bars or
dumbbells and the exercises are the more traditional large muscle
movements such as squats, presses, rows, lunges, step - ups, cleans and
snatches. In a power cycle, again bars or dumbbells can be used but the
exercises will be more of the power variety - squat jumps, snatches, and
cleans. It is also good to mix in some
plyometric training in a power phase with some bodyweight exercises such
as split jumps, squat
jumps, and alternate power step -ups. If the entire workout is devoted to
complexes,
combinations, or matrixes then the sheer volume of sets times reps creates
work capacity and
toughness training.
The
question is how heavy do you go in your training load when beginning to
implement
this
type of dynamic training? Steve Javorek at Johnson County Community
College, Professor
Emeritus of Romanian Weightlifting who first introduced this type of
training through NSCA Journal articles and speaking at the NSCA National
Convention, recommends using a percentage
of
your upright row max. However, this was found too unwieldy to use with
large groups of
athletes. What seems to work well in every single instance is using 20% of
the individuals fat free bodyweight. For a 200-pound athlete with 15%
body-fat, they would have 170 pounds of lean
tissue and 30 pounds of fat. The training load for this individual would
be 35 pounds. With a bar
the
athlete would use a load of 35 pounds. Since Olympic lifting and power
lifting bars weigh 44
- 45
pounds the athlete would have to train with dumbbells. If you are
fortunate enough to have
dumbbells that increase at 2.5 pound increments the athlete would train
with 17.5 pounds in each
hand. After
2-5
weeks of training, the athletes could
begin to increase their load by 1 dumbbell
or 2.5% of their fat free bodyweight.
When the athlete is in very good condition he or she will train with 15%
of their fat free bodyweight on a consistent basis. In some extreme cases
some athletes can occasionally train with up to 17.5% - 20% of their fat
free bodyweight. However, this
is only on occasion and when the athlete is having a competition type of
training day in the weight room. For novice athletes with less than a year
of physical training or young emerging
athletes 10% of fat free bodyweight
would be a more appropriate load. Remember, with a
young or inexperienced population it
is repetition and volume that is more desired in order to create a
training effect rather than load or intensity. As always, great attention
to technique must be emphasized at all times.
Combination/complex lifts can be done with a push, pull, squat type of
emphasis using a bar or dumbbell in order to get a large amount of work
done in short period of time.
For instance, the following could be implemented for an Olympic lifting
combination hang clean + squat
+ push press. Or, it could be implemented as hang clean & squat & press,
the difference being, in the
"+" complex series each lift is done in order and repeated in order (HCL +
SQT + PRS) in a complex fashion while in the "&" combination series each
lift is done to completion (HCL
& HCL & HCL) and the lifts are combined by moving on to the next lift in
the sequence. While a minor difference, just the difference in the
amplitude of the bar during the execution of the lifts will create a
different emphasis in regards to the training effect. In a
program with more of a power lifting
emphasis, the combination/complex could be designed as
upright row + shoulder press + front
squat. Again the "+" or "&" principle could be implemented in the training
program in order to change the emphasis from fitness - strength toward
strength -fitness. In
complex/combination training the exercises can be set up in push, pull,
and leg series or they can be set up almost as "dumbbell aerobics" in one
long series as Steve Javorek introduced.
Vern Gambetta and Gary Gray have come
up with a dumbbell matrix that uses all the planes of motion and a variety
of traditional and non - traditional functional dumbbell movements that
creates a huge demand on the
body and if taken to extreme options, any type of training effect.
This
type of training can be utilized year round with just a slight change in
emphasis. It
can
be part of warm -up in order to excite the nervous system, mimicking the
upcoming training movements in a full range of motion with a light load;
or it can be the workout itself as in technical training (strength -
fitness with a heavier load or fitness - strength with an increase in
volume and a lighter load). Here are some sample training programs.
Olympic Lifting (3+3+3) Power lifting (5&5&5)
A A
Hang
Clean RDL
Front
Squat Bent-over Row
Shoulder press Behind neck press
B
B
Hang
Snatch Back Squat
Overhead lunge Good morning
Shoulder press Behind neck press
Dumbbells Dumbbells (Alternate
unilateral emphasis)
|
Upright Row |
10 |
Alternate bent-over row |
10 (ea. arm) |
|
Hang Snatch |
10 |
Alternate shoulder press |
10 (ea. arm) |
|
Squat & Press |
10 |
Alternate lunges |
10 (ea. leg) |
|
Step-Ups |
10 |
Rotational push-ups (no DB's) |
10 (ea. arm) |
|
Curls |
10 |
Lateral step-ups |
10 (ea. leg) |
|
Squat Jumps |
10 |
Crossover step-ups |
10 (ea. leg) |
|
RDL's |
10 |
Alternate shoulder press |
10 (ea. arm) |
|
Push-ups |
10 |
1 leg good mornings |
10 (ea. leg) |
Eight exercises in a series is a good place to start athletes. One series
is sufficient for the
first
training session for novices. Experienced athletes with a training age of
5+ years may start
with
up to 3 - 4 series in a row. For practical application the athletes can
partner up and one trains while the other rests. Each partner does one set
of the exercise and then puts the dumbbells down as the partner begins to
train. Every time there is a break in the series the working partner puts
the dumbbells down and the resting partner can now exercise. The work -
rest ratio is one to one. If you design parts of the training program to
read
Upright row 10
Step
-up 10
Hang
Snatch 10
Squat & Press 10
with
no space break between exercises then the athlete would do all four
exercises in a row
before putting the dumbbells down. This creates a combination/complex lift
within the dumbbell aerobic super circuit.
It
may not seem like much of a load, but if ten exercises are done for 10
repetitions each
that
would be 100 reps per series. If four series are executed that would be
400 total repetitions.
If
the load was 17.5 pounds in each hand that would be 35 pounds times 400
reps or a training
load
of 14,000 pounds in about 25 minutes of training. That's a pretty good
load. Now imagine
going
up by 2.5 pounds in each dumbbell. That's an additional 2000 pounds of
weight lifted. Another good reason to have dumbbells that progress by 2.5
pounds. The stress of the exercise bout can be further controlled by
exercise selection; upper body vs. lower body emphasis, frontal
vs.
sagittal plane, single vs. double leg exercises, explosive vs. non -
dynamic exercises.
Combinations, complexes and matrixes are an excellent training tool to use
in a variety of
instances in order to emphasize a multitude of parameters. With a minimum
of teaching and coaching, multiple training effects can be attained in a
relatively short period time. The type and
style
of program is only limited by your facility and creativity.
©2004 S B Coaches College, LLC. All Rights Reserved
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