A break from SBD
Like most powerlifters, anything over 3 reps and I’m buggered. Lift heavy and then have a good lie down has been my modus operandi for the majority of my training leading up to a Powerlifting competition.
However, as I’ve mentioned before on my Facebook page, after a competition is where myself and other powerlifters alike often lose our way with training. What should we focus on between powerlifting competition prep cycles?
After focusing solely on competition lifts for almost a year, I started to hit a wall. After my competition in November, I decided to move away from Squat Bench Deadlift, work on my weaknesses and build some muscle. This gave my body some welcome relief from the constant hammering of competition training and left me refreshed & hungry to get back on the platform.
Triphasic Training
This was probably the most successful post-competition cycle I’ve been through. For 9 weeks, I steered clear of competition lifts, gaining around 2kg of muscle and dropping over a kilo of fat. Above are my before and after photos after 3 weeks of training (I didn’t get a chance to get photos after the final week). I also found that when going back to the start of my training for my next competition, I feel so much stronger. I’m now lifting weights I was finishing on at the end of my prep for the November competition and feeling pretty damn strong!
Triphasic training focuses on the three separate phases of a lift, the eccentric, isometric and concentric. Focusing on these separate phases can address weaknesses and make your overall lifts much stronger.
Eccentric
An eccentric contraction is the lengthening of the muscle. Think the lowering part of a squat or bench press. I know for me, this really helped with my technique and controlling the bar.
The benefit of only training this phase of a lift is that if you can absorb more force and work on your technique of controlling the bar. The more force you can absorb, the more power you’ll be able to generate in the concentric phase.
Alongside this, eccentric training can pack on slabs of muscle because of the damage it causes to your muscles (as we know, when we use resistance training, our muscles are damaged and then rebuilt by consuming protein), and help with reducing the risk of injury.
Isometric
Following on from the eccentric phase of training, it’s time to focus on the isometric. This is where the muscle contracts, but doesn’t change length. This is a great component to focus on when trying to improve your bench for a competition; the bar has to pause on your chest.
The maximum amount of time I would suggest to hold a lift in the isometric component is 3 seconds. Any longer, and from experience, you will struggle to lift the bar as any potential force production is lost.
Concentric
The final phase of training would be to focus on the concentric component of a lift. This is where the muscle shortens and contracts. Think raising of the bar on a squat, or pressing the bar off your chest in a bench press. This is probably the most important part of the lift as it is the difference between completing and failing a lift. I mean, no one wants to fail a lift do they?!
Concentric training is mainly just adding in explosive exercises into your programming. Start thinking clap push ups and squat jumps. This starts to improve your intra muscular coordination, simply meaning your muscles are working more efficiently to lift the weight.
Putting it all together
scuthbert012@gmail.com or come visit me at Primal Gym.
Thanks for reading!
Coach Steve
Author Biography
Steven Cuthbert is a Personal Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach based in Leeds. Currently working at Primal Gym and having experience of working with Bradford Bulls and Aussie Rules teams down under, his goal is to make people the best version of themselves. A competitive powerlifter, qualifying for national competitions, and a keen rugby player, he has been a Personal Trainer for just under 3 years and shares his thoughts and bad jokes on his Facebook page, and blog.