Developing Special Strengths
As told to Powerlifting USA by Louie Simmons

If you are to excel at sports, then you must develop special strength qualities that pertain to your sport’s activities.  There is a problem in this country of generalizing strength that believes that you are either weak or strong, fast or slow.  However, you may be strong and slow, or weak and fast.  Some also believe that there is only one way to weight train, not recognizing that an individual needs special activities to increase his speed or maximal strength.  It seems that many people think that a  very strong person would be slower than a man of average strength or would lack endurance.  I hope to dispel many of these myths.

MAXIMAL STRENGTH

First let’s talk about maximal strength.  This is the basis of all types of strength.  No one can do multiple reps (10-12) with 400 pounds in the squat if his best single is 420.  But if his squat were 550, then 400 for reps would be quite possible.  Similarly, a long distance runner who can squat only 50 pounds for 100 reps will perform better than a long distance runner who can squat only 50 pounds for 100 reps.  A stronger person can have greater endurance, particularly strength endurance.

STRENGTH ENDURANCE

What is strength endurance?  Strength endurance is the ability to perform a lengthy display of muscular tension with minimal loss of work capacity.  There are two forms of strength endurance: static and dynamic.

To develop strength endurance, one must consider the intensity or speed of execution.  Middle-distance runners could do 1 rep per second for 60 seconds, then rest long enough to bring the pulse rate to normal.  Then repeat.  Your GPP would determine how many sets as well as the rest between sets.  You may feel that you have good endurance for, let’s say, running only, but you may be unable to box for three rounds.  You must look at exercise specificity to excel at your sport.

Repetitions to failure are one method of building strength endurance.  Sub maximal weights are used.  This method is not intended for weights above 75% of a 1-rep max, which would constrain one to develop mostly strength, not endurance.  Although hypertrophy is a byproduct of strength training in general, the repetition to failure method can raise volume, but a low intensity levels, and be responsible for adding muscle mass, which may or may not be desirable, depending on if you are trying to maintain your weight class or move up.  It is very important to adhere to the correct percentages.  For sports using strength in conditions of speed, the weight percent to failure is 30-50%, for weight lifters, 50-75%, and for sports where stamina is used, 50-80%.

Dr. T. Alan and Prof. L. Baroga suggest 9-12 sets per session.  This is very taxing, but fast and efficient.  Results come quickly.  Because this method is mentally and physically taxing, we suggest using it for two consecutive weeks, at most.

SPEED STRENGTH

Powerlifting and weight lifting are speed strength types of activities.  Each requires one to execute a lift at full speed as well as strength.  You must lift near limit weights to develop quick strength.  We include two types of training to achieve this goal.:  (1) a dynamic day, where weight at 60% is used to increase force production and (2) a maximum effort day, where very heavy weights are used in special exercises.

When using the dynamic method, sub maximal weights are used.  Although loads of 66-85% with a rep range of 3-6 is recommended by some, we have adjusted the loads for squatting to 50-60% using 2 reps per set.  At least 6 sets of 2 reps should be done by novices, not to exceed 12 sets of 2 reps with just weight.  This is based on a just below parallel box, and the 50-60% max is based on an actual contest max.

In the bench press, the training weight is 60% of a 1 rep max without a bench shirt, 8 sets of 3 reps. Both squat and bench sets should be done every 60 seconds or less.  It is important to use maximum speed.

Strength speed is the ability to move heavy weights as fast as possible.  To develop strength speed, we use the method of maximum effort.  On this day, one must make a maximal effort, with weights at 100% plus.  When a weight is made over 100%, this is referred to as over maximal.  One or two reps are employed.  When powerlifting, three lifts work best: one at 90% and one or tow lifts that are more than your previous max.

For weightlifting, use exercises such as pulls with a snatch or clean grip, 4-10 lifts, as long as the proper height is maintained.

When using 90% and above for more than 3 weeks, one’s progress will cease.  To avoid this, switch the maximal effort exercises each week.  This is referred to as the conjugate method: using exercises that resemble the classical lift.  This method is used to perfect technique.

EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH

Explosive strength is the ability to use the muscles and central nervous system to achieve maximum force as quickly as possible after an intense muscular stretch.  Research by Frolov and Levshunov (1979) showed that high skilled weight lifters who have high results in the jerk from the chest performed the half squat quickly and instantaneously switch to thrusting the barbell.

The following are methods to develop explosive strength.

Explosive strength is developed after a strong stretch that builds kinetic energy during the lowering phase in different forms.  Shock training builds explosive strength.  Examples include (1) hang cleans or hang snatches; (2) depth jumps; (3) push jerks; and (4) box squats, box squats with bands, chains, or weight releasers.

Whereas depth jumps provide a reactive movement through using the momentum of a falling body, a hang clean or snatch and box squatting enable one to direct the body in more favorable angles to prestretch the muscles.  Regardless of the height of the box, the landing angles stay close to the same in plyometrics.  But hang pulls can be done at varying heights to catch the bar before starting the pull.  Box squatting also can be done from many different heights.

Plyometrics are just one type of shock training.  Maximal eccentrics, forced reps, all contrast methods mentioned above, anti restricted range of motions to max (partials) are just a few.

ACCELERATING STRENGTH

To ensure the development of accelerating strength, bands or chains should be employed while using a bar or dumbbells, I believe this can prolong the rate of maximal force production during an exertion.  This simply means one is accommodating resistance, making barbell training more productive.

These are just some of the things to think about if you want to reach the top.

Westside Barbell

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