G.P.P
Bob Youngs

My lifting had been going well and my total kept going up. I thought I was doing what was needed to continue to improve. But was I? No, I wasn't. I had been neglecting getting in shape to raise my work capacity. What I had been doing took me only so far. You see I went from a 2000 pound total to a 2010, which I don't consider good improvement. So, I sat down with Dave Tate and said, "what am I missing." Dave replied, "you are out of shape and need to get in shape to train." How did I do this? By adding in G.P.P. work.

     What is G.P.P.? This stands for General Physical Preparedness. In other words, are you in shape to train hard enough to move your total up? G.P.P. and work capacity go hand in hand with each other. Work capacity as defined by Dr. Siff and Dr. Verkhoshansky is "the general ability of the body as a machine to produce work of different intensity and duration using the appropriate energy system of the body." (Supertraining, P. 31) Keep in mind that it is necessary to raise work capacity to increase your total!

     We use three methods of G.P.P. work to raise our work capacity at Westside Barbell. The first is by dragging sleds in a variety of ways. The second is by using weighted medicine balls in different throws. The third is thru the use of a wheel barrow. Notice that none of these three have an eccentric or "negative" to them. The non eccentric work will induce less muscle soreness and help to aid in recovery.

     I use G.P.P. with two goals in mind. The first is to raise my work capacity and the second is to aid in helping my muscles recover between my main weight training sessions. G.P.P. has helped my to raise my ability to do work and to recover quicker between workouts.

     My G.P.P. schedule involves the use of a sled most often. I have found the sled to work well for me and it is easy to use. I have one at home and I just run down the street to the local park and drag in the parking lot. For those interested in purchasing a sled, call Elite Fitness Systems at 888-854-8806. Dave or Traci Tate can help you with questions and make sure you have everything you need to get started on your GPP plan.

My G.P.P. workouts look like the following:

Sunday(6 hours after speed bench):
Upper Body dragging(all of the following are done for 1 trip of 200 feet)
  Walking forward front raises with a strap in each hand
  Walking backwards pulls to the sides with a strap in each hand
  Walking forward over head tricep extension with a strap in each hand
  Walking forward static hold at my bench sticking point with a strap in each   hand
  Walking backward static hold at bench sticking point with a Strap in each   hand

Tuesday(24 hours after max effort Squat/Deadlift):
Lower body dragging(all done for trips of 200 feet)
  Ankle dragging for 4-5 trips

Thursday(24 hours after max effort bench):
Upper body dragging
  Same as Sunday schedule

Saturday(12 hours after speed squat)
Lower body dragging(all done for trips of 200 feet)
  Belt dragging walking forward- 3 trips
  Belt dragging walking backward- 2 trips

     I also like the medicine ball, but I didn't think I would when I first saw it. I do two basic things with the medicine balls, one for upper body and one for lower body. For the upper body I will do pushes with the ball from the chest. This is very similar to a chest pass in basketball. For the lower body I use an over head throw. The motion is the same as if you were throwing a keg over a wall like you see in strong man contests. For the medicine ball training I use a timed workout instead of a distance measured workout. I will do the throws for 15 minutes. Throw the ball, then walk and get it and repeat. The medicine balls can also be obtained through Elite Fitness Systems by calling 888-854-8806.

     The timing of my G.P.P. workouts is set around my schedule, it isn't necessarily optimal. I, like you, have a full time job and fit it in as best I can. Try to give yourself at least 4 hours between your weight training workouts and your G.P.P. workouts.

     In closing, what will G.P.P. do for you? The first thing it will do is increase your work capacity and allow you to train harder in the gym. The other nenefit of G.P.P. work is it works as active restoration by pulling blood into the muscles. G.P.P. has done wonders for me and I hope it does the same for you.