Repetitiousness of Exercise Frequencies – Bob Hise III (1994)

 International Olympic Lifter – January 1994     

Greg here; If anyone happens to have a copy of IOL from December of 1993 (I believe Vol. VI  No. 12) I’d be forever grateful if you could take a photo or send over information from “Takanotes” on the USOTC programming. This is part one of a three part series, and I currently only have two and three.  Hoping to get them all immortalized here but doesn’t work without the first.  Use the contact box on the right side of the blog.

*to note, I believe there were several typos/errors in the original article, particularly on the programming portion.  I’ve done my best to get things transcribed as best I could. One day I’ll try and channel my limited free time into a dissertation breaking down all the various ways I’ve seen folks prescribe weight, sets and repetitions.  Bob came from the “fractional” school of thought which, at least in his case, used % of 1RM and sets over the number of repetitions*

*I’ll also die on the hill that it should always be weight x repetitions x number of sets*

Many times an athlete of long term experience becomes fatigued or bored with repetitiousness of training regimens. This is easily understandable with the amount of work required and logged to achieve success. I would like to confirm some positive characteristics of frequency of exercise within workout or work week.

I for one, vary exercise frequency as often as I feel tolerable within a given work period. Preparation phase of one’s cycle offers the best opportunity for creativity in exercise selection. One should always speak with the athlete, and coaching peers, when analyzing ones deficiencies or imbalances of lifting skills. As outlined earlier these skills; 1) Strength and speed, 2) balance, 3) rhythm, 4) flexibility, will determine the objectives of your personalized program plan.

Now that we’ve generally discussed our objective, let me give you some examples of repeating exercise movements within the same work day. Let us state our objective the improvement of rhythm and consistency in the snatch result. An archaic approach might be many technical snatches to produce patterned snatch results. I feel the better method is as follows in the preparatory phase of the cycle:

Week  1

Day I

1)        Snatch Hang Below Knee 70% x 4, 80% x 1-2, 85% x1 x 3

2)        Squat 80% x 5 x 5

3)        Jerk 75% x 3 x 3

4)        Snatch 70% x 3, 80% x 2 x 2, 90% x 1 x 3

5)        Clean Shrug Mid Thigh Box 110% x 5 x 5

Day II

1)        Clean Snatch 65% x 2-3 x 3

2)        Jerk Behind Neck 85% x 2-3 x 3

3)        Good Morning 50% x 4 x 4

4)        Bench Press 70% x 6-8 x 5

Day III

1)        Clean & Jerk 75% x 2+2 x 3

2)        Snatch Stand on 4” box 70% x 2-3 x 3

3)        Front Squat 75% x 5 x 5

4)        Power Jerk 75% x 3 x 3

Day IV

1)        Power Clean Mid Thigh Box 70% x 4, 80% x 2-3 x 3

2)        Snatch Pull 100% x 3 x 5

3)        Power Snatch 70% x 203 x 3

Day V

1)        Snatch 70% x 3, 80% x 2 x 2, 85% x 1 x 3

2)        Clean & Jerk 70% x 2+2 x 3

3)        Squat 80% x 4 x 5

4)        Clean Pull 100% x 3 x 5

5)        Snatch 70% x 2, 80% x 1, 90% x 1 x 2

Day VI

1)        Power Clean and Power Jerk 75% x 1+2 x 3

2)        Power Snatch & Squat Mid Thigh Box 70% x 2+2 x 3

3)        Good Morning 50% x 4 x 4

The following week may be characterized by repetition of the same altered or varied snatch movements with greater frequency of classical snatching to alter neuro-muscular habitualization.

Week 2

Day I

1)        Hang Clean 75% x 2-3 x 3

2)        Snatch 60% x 4, 70% x 3, 80% x 2 x 3

3)        Front Squat 82.5% x 4 x 5

4)        Jerk 80% x 3 x 3

5)        Snatch 65% x 3, 75% x 2, 85% x 1 x 3

Day II

1)        Snatch Mid Thigh Box 70% x 2-3 x 2, 80% x 1-2 x 3

2)        Power Jerk 70% x 4, 80% x 2-3 x 2, 70% x 3

3)        Good Morning 55% x 4 x 4

4)        Bench Press 80% x 4-5 x 4

Day III

1)        ½ Snatch 60% x 4 x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 1-2 x 2

2)        Clean & Jerk 75% x 2+1 x 4

3)        Squat Rise on Toes 80% x 3 x 4

4)        Clean Shrug 105% x 3 x 5

5)        Snatch + Snatch Pull 75-80% x 1-2+2 x 3

Day IV

1)        Clean Snatch 70% x 2 x 3

2)        Power Jerk Behind Neck 80% x 2-3 x 3

3)        Clean Shrug Below Knees 100% x 3 x 5

Day V

1)        Front Squat 70% x 4, 80% x 3, 90% x 2 x 2

2)        Snatch 80% x 1-3 x 3

3)        Clean & Jerk 80% x 1+2 x 3

4)        Snatch Shrug 105% x 3 x 5

Day VI

1)        Power Snatch Stand on 4” Platform 70% x 2 x 3

2)        Good Morning 50% x 5 x 4

3)        Press 70% x 5 x 5

There is a greater frequency of snatching while still maintaining the auxiliary snatching exercises to reinforce the technical and conceptual patterns. The athlete will be approaching maximal stress levels from the loading and should require very concentrated effort to perform the required plan. I will follow with an unloading week to clarify and unite the three week plan for re-learning technical amplification of the snatch (unloading Week III).

Week 3

Day I

1)        Snatch 60% x 4 x 2, 70% x 3 x 4

2)        Squat 70% x 5 x 5

3)        Clean Mid Thigh Box 75% x 2-3 x 3

4)        Jerk 70% x 3-4 x 5

Day II

1)        ½ Snatch 75% x 2 x 2, 75% x 1-2 x 2

2)        Power Jerk 70% x 2 x 3

3)        Clean Pull 95% x 5

Day III

1)        Clean & Jerk 75% x 2+2 x 2

2)        Front Squat 70-80% x 3-5 x 4

3)        Snatch Pull Mid Thigh Box 110% x 3-5 x 5

4)        Press 60% x 5 x 5

Day IV

This day is an active rest day. A bar warm-up, jumps, pull-ups, abdominals, sauna and massage.

Day V

1)        Snatch 60% x 3, 70% x 3, 80% x 1-2 x 3

2)        Squats 70% x 3, 80% x 3, 87x5% x 2 x 2

3)        Clean & Jerk 70% x 2+2 x 3

4)        Snatch 60-70% x 3-3, 80% x 1-2 x 3

This should provide adequate unloading. However, if an athlete is over 83kgs. Or is of advanced age and works a physically taxing job, Day II may be omitted as well. This will improve ones snatching. Please send a self-addressed stamped envelope for personal response.