Blog Section => Performance Training Blog => Topic started by: adarqui on February 18, 2010, 05:59:50 pm
Title: The Ratio Technique
Post by: adarqui on February 18, 2010, 05:59:50 pm
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02/17/2010: The Ratio Technique
by: adarqui
Once athletes discover periodization, they very often over think the process. You often find programs layed out in full detail, from the exact exercises & sets & reps, to the exact days when training will occur. In most cases, there are a few problems with this approach:
Strict schedules do not allow for autoregulation
Strict protocols do not promote adjustment
Strict schedules might interfere with skill work
Strict schedules usually break up training into a 7-day period (training rhythm)
This small blog entry will cover the training rhythm.
Training Rhythm
One of the most important aspects of performance training, is finding a "rhythm" with your training. Finding a rhythm implies knowing how & when you will experience performance drop off's (dips), supercompensations (rises), or potentiation (stim) from training.
DIPS: This is when performance decreases, temporarily, due to fatigue of the central nervous system (CNS) or the muscles themself.
RISES: This is when performance increases, temporarily, due to a over compensation of the CNS or muscles to the previously experienced fatigue.
STIM: This is when performance increases, temporarily, due to a carry over effect from special exercises (heavy squat singles or low volume depth jumps for example). What makes STIM different than supercompensation, is that STIM can occur in the absence of a dip (fatigue) in performance.
Most athletes stick to a routine which fits precisely within a 7 day period. To me, this is most often a mistake, though in some circumstances it might be completely necessary. The problem with a 7 day period, is that it is a "forced" rhythm. Sessions may be performed in the face of too much fatigue, not enough stim, too little frequency, or too much frequency.
One thing is for sure, the body has a natural 24 hour rhythm, set to the rise & fall of the sun. This has evolved from organism to organism for millions of years.
The Ratio Technique
A very effective way to split up training is by using ratios, using a general guideline instead of using specific days of the week.
Perform session-type-1 X times in a row, followed by session-type-2 Y times in a row, followed by session-type-N Z times in a row
FULL Example ratio: Peaking power: strength-hypertrophy:strength-power:stim
Phase 1: Strength-hypertrophy emphasis: 3:1:1
Session 1: strength-hypertrophy
Session 2: stremgth-hypertrophy
Session 3: strength-hypertrophy
Session 4: strength-power
Session 5: stim (MSEM)
Phase 2: Strength-hypertrophy transition: 2:1:1
Session 1: strength-hypertrophy
Session 2: strength-hypertrophy
Session 3: strength-power
Session 4: stim (MSEM)
Phase 3: Neutral 1:1:1
Session 1: strength-hypertrophy
Session 2: strength-power
Session 3: stim (MSEM)
Phase 4: Peak 0:1:1
Session 1: strength-power
Session 2: stim (MSEM)
Phase 5: In-season 0:0:1
Session 1: stim (MSEM)
So for the above example, we could have:
Phase 1: Off-season, Rotations = 3
Phase 2: Off-season, Rotations = 2
Phase 3: Off-season, Rotations = 2
Phase 4: Pre-season, Rotations = 3
Phase 5: In-season, Rotations = whatever
Since we perform STIM as the last session, Phases 1-4 could have some kind of official testing when you rotate back to session 1. This way you continually monitor your performance, through each phase of the program.
Notice that I just list it as: Session 1, Session 2, Session n. This means, that you don't need to conform to a weekly schedule, instead, you can add or reduce rest days based on how you are adapting to the program. For example, there might be 3 rest days following a strength-hypertrophy session, two rest days following a strength-power session, and one rest day following a stim session. However, that does not mean we must conform exactly, instead, adding or removing rest days may change throughout the program, allowing you to train at optimal levels throughout.
So, if you prefer to plan out your rotations, the above example could be written as:
FULL Example ratio: Peaking power: strength-hypertrophy:strength-power:stim
Phase 1: Strength-hypertrophy emphasis: [3:1:1] x 3
Phase 2: Strength-hypertrophy transition: [2:1:1] x 2
Phase 3: Neutral [1:1:1] x 2
Phase 4: Peak [0:1:1] x 3
Phase 5: In-season 0:0:1
More quick examples:
Example ratio: Peaking Strength: hypertrophy:strength:stim
Phase 1: Hypertrophy emphasis: 3:1:1
Phase 2: Hypertrophy transition 2:1:1
Phase 3: Neutral 1:1:1
Phase 4: Strength transition 1:2:1
Phase 5: Strength emphasis 1:3:1
Example ratio: Peaking Power: strength:power
Phase 1: Strength emphasis: 3:1
Phase 2: Strength transition: 2:1
phase 3: Neutral: 1:1
Phase 4: Power transition: 1:2
Phase 5: Power emphasis: 1:3
In the above two examples, you could then "stack" both blocks together:
Block 1: Peaking Strength
Block 2: Peaking Power
Example ratio: Conditioning emphasis: strength-power:conditioning
Phase 1: Neutral 1:1
Phase 2: Conditioning emphasis 1:2
Phase 3: Conditioning intensification 1:3
In my own training, I really didn't spend much time on hypertrophy, instead I spent time on strength blocks, mixed strength/power blocks, and finally high frequency training. My ratio's might look like:
dang...so a whole adarqui program has 5 phases...this is pretty G...i like this
so where do i get the workouts for each part?
well this is just the concept article, people like vag etc have been using this technique pretty effectively.. it's all custom stuff.. right now you're pretty busy with football though, so strength maintenance/stim is really your concern.
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: vag on August 18, 2010, 09:36:52 am
This article is a pure masterpiece!!! Ive read it many times , i've been implementing it for many months already but i still come back and read it , it is just awesome!!!
Understanding and correctly evaluating personal ratios + applying "The Ratio Technique" = best results you could ever imagine!!!
RESPECT!!!
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: adarqui on August 18, 2010, 02:03:48 pm
This article is a pure masterpiece!!! Ive read it many times , i've been implementing it for many months already but i still come back and read it , it is just awesome!!!
Understanding and correctly evaluating personal ratios + applying "The Ratio Technique" = best results you could ever imagine!!!
RESPECT!!!
awesome man, thanks ALOT for that comment.. i've loved how you have implemented it.
peace!
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: Joe-Y on October 03, 2010, 10:56:45 pm
treasure!!! :headbang:
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: adarqui on October 03, 2010, 10:59:45 pm
thanks!! it should help alot with what you were planning to do, now instead of just doing that one workout over and over, you understand you have to ratio it with some volume work to make sure you avoid stagnation, provide a better stimulus for hypertrophy/lean mass maintenance etc..
volume:power/msem:peakjumpsession = 1:2-3:1 <- works pretty well.
peace man
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: Joe-Y on October 04, 2010, 12:43:03 am
thanks!! it should help alot with what you were planning to do, now instead of just doing that one workout over and over, you understand you have to ratio it with some volume work to make sure you avoid stagnation, provide a better stimulus for hypertrophy/lean mass maintenance etc..
volume:power/msem:peakjumpsession = 1:2-3:1 <- works pretty well.
peace man
for the{peak jump session}' do i just perform some maximal jump? or with some heavy single?
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: adarqui on October 04, 2010, 03:03:25 am
thanks!! it should help alot with what you were planning to do, now instead of just doing that one workout over and over, you understand you have to ratio it with some volume work to make sure you avoid stagnation, provide a better stimulus for hypertrophy/lean mass maintenance etc..
volume:power/msem:peakjumpsession = 1:2-3:1 <- works pretty well.
peace man
for the{peak jump session}' do i just perform some maximal jump? or with some heavy single?
just jumps, a peak jump session includes possibly using high amounts of caffeine that day, being very fresh, and getting alot of max jumps in with good recovery between each.. i personally like to load up on bananas the night before, then take in big amounts of caffeine on peak vert days, check this out heh:
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: Raptor on October 04, 2010, 09:52:24 am
I think it would've been best if you were to describe each thing in terms of volume and intensity (like what a strength workout should look like, what a hypetrophy workout should look like etc).
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: adarqui on October 04, 2010, 04:06:00 pm
I think it would've been best if you were to describe each thing in terms of volume and intensity (like what a strength workout should look like, what a hypetrophy workout should look like etc).
well this was just the general concept, because alot of people were working on qualities while neglecting others, then transitioning into another quality, while yet again losing the last quality they worked on.. ie blocks of just strength, just power, peak, but by peak strength/hypertrophy had dropped.
peace man
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: Raptor on October 04, 2010, 05:16:54 pm
Yeah but maybe adding links to stuff like "here's a strength template" or "here's the typical hypertrophy workout" etc would be great.
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: adarqui on October 04, 2010, 05:45:20 pm
Yeah but maybe adding links to stuff like "here's a strength template" or "here's the typical hypertrophy workout" etc would be great.
ya i should do that.. i intended to drop a few more blogs lately but i havn't finished them, my brain is in lazy mode lately.
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: Raptor on October 05, 2010, 02:48:21 am
You tell me...
I'm so much into writing in my blog (personal one) about life in general... but I'm so lazy. I come up with great ideas but I'm like "nah... I don't really want to write right now"
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: adarqui on October 05, 2010, 03:51:33 am
I'm so much into writing in my blog (personal one) about life in general... but I'm so lazy. I come up with great ideas but I'm like "nah... I don't really want to write right now"
ya it's interesting, i'll get surges of motivation to write a bunch of stuff, then i'll fall off and not write a thing.. alot of it has to do with my training, so much energy goes into that & me working on the site/making videos etc.. hehe
peace
Title: Re: The Ratio Technique
Post by: Nightfly on October 12, 2010, 04:01:40 pm