articles.elitefts.com-concurrent strategies in strength training part 1

5/28/2018 Articles.elitefts.com-Concurrent Strategies in Strength Training Part 1

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Concurrent Strategies in Strength Training, Part 1

This is part one of a three-part series.

Concurrent t raining by def inition means training to achieve multiple t raining goals at the same t ime.

Concurrent training in the iron game was made popular by the Westside Barbell Club and LouieSimmons, who erroneously called it conjugate (which is a term coined by Yuri Verkhoshanski to describe a

method that utilizes a delayed training ef f ect, training residuals, and other fancy adaptational terms) instea

concurrent. Parallel and mixed training are synonymous with concurrent.

Why is concurrent t raining such a ho t to pic lately? Because, in theory, when you ut ilize sequent ial training

(traditional or linear training), you constant ly move away f rom the qualities youve just developed, and goin

the rule use it or lose it , you start detraining those qualities (if there is no maintenance work aimed at

maintaining those qualities).

Block training (conjugate training or the conjugate sequence system), which was developed by Yuri

Verkhoshanski, is a s pecial f orm of sequential training organized into blocks. Each block is aimed at producst rong, delayed training ef f ects by utilizing concentrated loading (which induces overreaching). The blocks

conjugated into specif ic sequences so the t raining residuals and delayed training ef f ects are maximally us

at the mos t important t ime of the year (competition period, meets , matches, etc.).

On the other hand, concurrent t raining tries to develop all important qualities at the same time. This approa

as any other, has its own pros and cons. The biggest advantage of the concurrent approach is the parallel

development of all qualities. The biggest disadvantage is af ter some time (or with the most advanced athle

you s imply cant develop all of the important qualities at the same t ime without risking overtraining and limit

potential training eff ects.

This is where a modif ication of concurrent training comes into play. The modif ication is simple and is basedtraining emphasis. You st ill train all of the qualities, but you emphasize only a few of them while maintaining

others. Then you switch. In my previous art icles, I conf used this modif ication of concurrent training (empha

methods) with the conjugate sequence system and block training. That was my mistake. Although it is very

similar to block training, it is no t block training, nor is it the conjugate o r conjugate sequence system. It is

modif ied concurrent training.

This litt le rant o f mine is aimed at so lving (or confusing you even more) this concurrent versus conjugate

problem, which is the topic of this art icleconcurrent strategies in strength t raining. So stay with me becau

the f un is just about t o st art.

Basically, there are numerous goals that can be achieved with st rength t raining. Depending on the autho r, t

can be a dif f erent number of goals with diff erent names f or them. For the sole purpose of this art icle, I wil

def ine those goals, most ly relying on Westside terminology.

Maximal and relative strength

The goal is the development of maximal strength.

The method used f or developing this mot or quality is the maximal eff ort (ME) method.

Explosive st rength
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The goal is the development of explosive strength or the ability to produce great force in the least

amount o f time.

The method used f or developing this motor quality is the dynamic ef f ort (DE) method.

Muscular hypertrophy

The goal is the development of muscular hypertrophy (without going into the debate about

sarcoplasmatic versus myof ibrilar hypertrophy).

The method used f or developing this motor quality is the submaximal ef f ort (SE) method (mos tly for

f unctional or myof ibrilar hypertrophy) and the repetition ef f ort (RE) method (mostly f or t otal or

sarcoplasmatic hypertrophy).

Muscular endurance

The goals are muscular endurance development, f at loss , anatomic adaptat ion, and sarcoplasmatic

hypertrophy (depending on the context). Some also put vascularizat ion, glycogen depletion, and

mitochondria development as goals f or this method.

The method used f or developing this motor quality is the repetition ef f ort (RE) method.

As you can see, even in this class if ication, there are conf licting areas regarding the go als and methods use

know this classif ication can be criticized, broadened, and reduced, but its usef ul fo r the purpose of this

article, which is to describe how to use the dif f erent concurrent schemes to develop all of those goals at t

same time. (And t ime is a very relat ive term. Just ask Einstein.)

Achieving these f our goals (and thus motor qualities ) is based on ut ilizing the dif f erent loading protocols

(weight, reps, sets, tempo, rest ) or methods. Each of the f our methods (ME, SE, DE, and RE) utilizes dif f e

loading protoco ls. This is based on the repetition cont inuum or the idea that dif f erent goals can be achieve

utilizing diff erent reps per set. There is a dynamic interaction between the variables of reps, sets, and load

The load used (percentage of 1RM) ultimately determines how many reps per set are done. The reps per s

used (or set time) ultimately determines how many total sets must be done. The interaction between the thwill af f ect what adaptat ion is realized. Although not all authorities agree, some believe that there is a

cont inuum of adaptations, which may occur with dif f erent repetition sets . This continuum is called the

repetition continuum.

According to Christ ian Thibaudeau (o ne o f the coaches whos had much inf luence on my philoso phy), t his

repetition continuum changes as the athlete advances. Here is the modif ied table f rom The Black Book of

Training SecretsEnhanced Edition.

Beginner Intermediate Advanced

Strength (ME) 59 reps/set 37 reps/set 15 reps/set

Funct ional hypert rophy (SE) 1012 reps/set 810 reps/set 68 reps /s et

Total hypertrophy (RE) 1316 reps/set 1114 reps/set 912 reps/set

Strength endurance (RE) 1724 + reps/set 1522 + reps/set 1320 + reps/set

Another repet ition continuum is presented by Lyle McDonald. Here is a modif ied classif ication of loading

protocols (moto r qualities) f rom his article, Periodization f or Bodybuilders. (It can be downloaded f rom Ly

website at www.bodyrecomposition.com.)


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Type of training Reps (%1RM) Rest Tempo Time under tension (TUT)

Strength training (ME) 15 (85% +) 35 min 3/0/X 20 sec or less

Intensive bodybuilding (SE) 46 (8085%) 23 min 34/0/1 2030 sec

Extensive bodybuilding (RE) 68 (7580%)

1015 (7075%)

12 min

12 min

3/0/2

3/0/2

3040 sec

4060 sec

Really extensive bodybuilding (RE) n/a (6065%) 1 min 2/0/2 60120 sec

Here is the repetition continuum f rom James Smith, author of High/Low Sequences of Programming and

Organizing Training.

ME (+ 90%) 13RM depending on st rength preparedness

SE (8090%) 47RM depending on st rength preparedness, 410 repet ition range

RE (8 repetitions

DE (up to 80% for Olympic lif ts /derivatives; up to 70% for classic powerlif ts /derivatives)

As I pointed out earlier, each author ut ilizes slight ly dif f erent class if ications. However, loo k f or the common

denominator. Every one of them classif ied the goal that t hey wanted to reach (mot or quality), the method t

used to reach it, and the loading protocol that determines that method (based on the repetition continuum)

But guess what? Diff erent people respond dif f erently to rep ranges. Some may grow by doing triples and

doubles (three and two reps per set with 2RM and 3RM loads) and some may grow doing 15 sets. You won

grow if you dont eat though. The same goes f or s trength. Some may increase their st rength by doing max

while some may increase it by doing six sets. As coach Thibaudeau pointed out , those responses depend o

the athletes level. However, Id like to add that it depends o n the athletes characterist ics (muscle f iber

dominance) and nutritional status (caloric def icit, maintenance or def icit level, amount of protein and carbsYou may grow doing 5 X 5 or you may not. It depends on how much you eat , what other t raining you are do

how you are sleeping, and many other f actors.

What is the point o f this? The point is that I am NOT negating the existence of the repetition continuum, b

rather I am trying to point out that it must be put into context (other training, athletes characteristics,

nutritional status, recovery). With the concurrent approach to st rength training, you are doing all of the

mentioned methods (maybe not all of them depending on your philosophy) and youre trying to develop all

the qualities at the same time. It is possible to develop muscular hypertrophy and strength, but it is nearly

imposs ible (except f or f at beginners and those coming f rom a long lay of f ) to develop s trength and lose f a

And its even more impossible to lose f at and increase muscle mass.

This is why I said that t hings must be put into context and they must be goal oriented f or a given athlete.

These problems are universal to other methods as well (sequential, alternating). They dont so lely cause

issues for just the concurrent method. The concurrent method solves some drawbacks of the sequential

method (use it or lose it law) and utilizes the crossover effect between methods.
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What I mean by the crossover ef f ect is that doing ME training will increase the number of reps or weight u

during RE and SE training, and RE and SE training will produce dif f erent s timuli to the muscles and central

nervous system (variety) as well as increase muscle mass , which will in turn improve ME performance. The

same thing goes f or t he ME and DE methods. However, this crossover may become negative if the recove

capacities o f the athlete are exceeded, and RE/SE work may impair ME/DE perf ormance and vice versa (as

visible with advanced lif ters). This is why smart planning with the concurrent approach is a must, and af ter

some time (with most advanced athletes) a modif ied concurrent method must be used (emphasis on switch

maintenance loads).

If you are still reading this and youre not conf used or sleepy and because I described everything I needed

describe, I can start talking about dif f erent st rategies toward implementing the concurrent approach in real

st rength training. Based on my current knowledge, Ive identif ied three groups o f these st rategies:

rep schemes

daily undulating periodization (DUP)

priority lift s

Rep schemes

The simplest method o f utilizing the concurrent approach to training is simply to do the whole rep continuu

on a given exercise. In the f ollowing table, there is an example of st raight sets (or sets across), which are

commonly used in s trength training.

Straight sets or sets across utilize the same number of reps with the same weight used. They are very

popular and f amous f or their st rength increasing and muscular mass building ef f ects. Some of the

variations o f the s traight sets may be a narrow pyramid, descending and ascending sets, narrow stages, a

narrow waves. The o nly prerequisite is that t he load and the reps done STAY in the SAME rep bracket (inte

zone) of the repetition continuum. This way the work is aimed at achieving only one adaptat ion ef f ect (mot

quality). Coach Charles Poliquin in his awesome book Reps and Setsproposed a 10 percent rule where he

suggests that the load used in a given exercise should stay within a 10 percent zone of your 1RM. This wa

you aim f or only one adaptation ef f ect and you avoid confusing the body.

I dont know about you, but Ive not iced that st raight sets are pretty boring. Ive also not iced that I have

psychologically easier gains in strength when some kind of rep and load f luctuat ion (loading protocols) is u

But thats just me. I also believe in Poliquins recommendation o f a 10 percent intensity zo ne. Some people

dont. This is why they utilize most, if not all, of a repetition continuum on a given exercise. The most comm

methods to achieve this are wide pyramids, wide stages, and wide waves.

A great number o f lif ters have increased their s trength and muscular mass utilizing s traight sets (and being

under the 10 percent rule without knowing it). However, a great number of them increased both their st reng

and muscular mass doing wide pyramids. Is their body conf used? Hell, I dont know!

The wide variations of stages, pyramids, and waves are based on utilizing all of (or most of ) the repetitio

cont inuum (or more than a 10 percent load f luctuat ion). Basically, you do a couple of sets in the ME zone,

couple of sets in the SE zone, and a couple of sets in the RE zone. How you organize the stuf f is actually

what dif f ers between those methods. However, the common thing is that you do all of the reps f rom the

repetition continuum and aim at increasing maximal strength, muscular hypertrophy, and muscular enduranc

the same time, which is the major idea of concurrent t raining. Some examples of wide pyramids f ollow.

Stay tuned fo r part two!


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