BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED SPEED PRORGRAM
Now I will cover the actual training programs that you are going to need to follow if you want to get faster. The more appropriate term for training program that scientific training experts like to use is “periodization.” Periodization is simply just the annual training plan or program. It enables the training professional to pre‐
design his/her training program for a full calendar year by appropriately
determining, organizing, and prescribing all essential training variables (sets, reps, exercises, etc.) in a specific manner to help maximize progress, prevent and or overcome plateaus, prevent injuries, overtraining, and eventual burnout that so often occur with most traditional programs. In my opinion, this is one of the hardest parts of the job and requires not only theoretical insight into many matters of
training, but just as much or potentially more practical, hands on, in the trenches experience working with clients to test that theory. Keeping all clients and athletes healthy and improving across all areas of performance is no easy task, and this becomes highly reliant upon the science and experience underlying the training program. To simplify, a majority of periodization schemes lack diversity, are very impractical, and ineffective in accomplishing superior or competitive results which athletes need. For example, linear periodization, which is the most common type of periodization only focuses on developing one skill or ability for a specified period of time, and neglects other equally valuable training types that would not only further improve the target skill in different ways, but leaves the individual less capable in the long run. Here is an example of this type of training scheme for a 12 week period that I copy and pasted from an actual NFL Program of one of my athletes.
Training Client Name: Matt
Phase #1-Week #1-4=General Preparation Phase/Conditioning
Phase #2-Week #5-8=Hypertrophy (Muscle Building) Phase
Phase #3-Week #9-12=Maximal Strength Phase
All you should be concerned with is that each 4 week phase exclusively addresses and emphasizes just one skill. There is no denying that if the exercise prescription for each ability is what it should be, then the individual will make guaranteed and adequate progress in the short‐term in this skill. After the conclusion of the current phase (i.e. GPP) and the transition into the next phase (Hypertrophy), there will be some residual development of the previous skill focus (GPP) as we begin to concentrate our sole effort on the next phase. Eventually the increased skill we acquired from the past phase will decrease to some degree during the next phase and might have completely diminished by the end of it if we do not
continue working on it. Which you won’t. Unfortunately, this vicious cycle of progression and regression will be sure to continue every phase thereafter regardless of our effort to prevent it because the design was wrong from the beginning. In the end, the trainee loses most of what was gained through this type of training system and is practically right back where he or she started. Sucks, huh?
This kind of result is more than frustrating and raises a simple and fair question;
how do we fix it? Simple. We combine all of the skills listed above and much more in a very specific training format to simultaneously trigger extreme development in everything at the same time! If you’ve read up until this point you have seen there is a profound synergy between all of the training skills in a program, and the sum of all of these parts is undoubtedly much greater than just one. The old analogy of being only as strong as your weakest link is fitting in this story. This format of mixing all training styles into one to create an optimal result is referred to as either
“Concurrent Periodization” or “Conjugate‐Sequenced Periodization.” The first refers to the beginner/intermediate approach, and the latter is for the advanced athlete. I like to view each as two separate stages an athlete will venture through depending on their experience or level of skill. Each carries slight but impactful distinctions.
Concurrent periodization is a fancy term for a beginner‐intermediate athlete’s do it all at once program. Conjugate‐Sequenced Periodization is an advanced athlete’s do it all at once program. This is a derivative of Charlie Francis’ “Vertical Integration”
program, and was first introduced to me by Kelly Baggett. Eventually, one will adopt the Conjugate system out of necessity as they become more advanced. These two systems together enable us to maximize our overall physical and mental
development over the long‐term at different times. So now you might be wondering what exactly are each of these programs and why are we required to utilize one or the other at some point in time? Below I will separate each program into two columns and list corresponding characteristics of each that help define them better for you.
Concurrent Periodization: Conjugate Sequenced Periodization:
-Designed for novice-intermediate level -Designed for advanced trainees trainees
-Trains all skills simultaneously -Trains all skills simultaneously -Emphasizes and treats each skill -Emphasizes and treats one dominant
with high training volumes and intensity skill with high training volumes and intensities, and
and the rest with low to moderate training
volumes and high intensities to maintenance -Eventually leads to a slow rate of progress, -Offsets the downfalls associated
lack of motivation, potential injury, burnout, with the concurrent model and
and decreased performance development continues.
-Simpler program design -Complex program design
Now I’m sure I very well may be omitting some other features of each, but the quick and simple analysis above I feel is more than sufficient enough in providing a clear understanding of each approach, and broadly recommends when each is supposed to be utilized during a trainee’s career. The fact is that when you first begin a training program, there is a definitive “honeymoon period.” You come in and everything is great, you make progress almost every time you sprint or pick up a weight, and you are in love with training. You can’t wait for your next workout and crave and ponder how much of a gain you will make the next time you arrive.
Unfortunately, this period does not last forever. Eventually everything that I
presented in the concurrent table will emerge and you will be left without answers.
Thankfully for you, I’ve provided you with a slightly modified system that you can adopt and apply for the rest of your training career to continue making progress over the long‐term!! Conjugate‐Sequenced Periodization essentially breaks up your training into specific stages. Once you reach a certain level or proficiency in the Concurrent format, your body’s Nervous System will get into a high state of
“recovery debt” that it simply cannot pay back or overcome. Below is a table by famous programming researcher Tudor Bompa from his book “Periodization Training for Sports.”
If you look at the table above, the AA is a preparation period, MxS is a maximal strength phase, then there is a conversion phase and strength maintenance, and
lastly there is a peaking or competition phase. This model reflects our system and many others that have been successful with peaking athletes in history.
Moreover, according to scientist Charles Poliquin, the body cannot fully maximize two conflicting skills such as strength and speed. It confuses the body, since there are some differences between them. The next logical thing to do is to sequence your skill training where you focus on one or two skills and maintenance the rest to remove these common issues. This spares a lot of energy, which in turn allows you to apply more energy during your workouts which gets you out of your slump. It requires patience since you are not able to have everything at once
anymore, but the benefit is that you continue making more gains. Another benefit of this approach is the “Delayed Transformation Effect” pioneered by Kelly Baggett.
Basically, once you complete one stage, maximal improvements from that stage will not occur until the next stage. What this means is that your gains will stay around for a long time as you conjugate or “link” each stage together. In the end, once each stage has been completed, your entire athletic skill set will be increased (speed, strength power, etc.) and you will peak! It’s the only way to go at a certain point. So how do you know when to identify that crossover point when you’ve exited the beginner‐intermediate level stage and now entered the advanced stage?
Unfortunately there is no clear cut answer to this question, or research to confirm it.
However, I have identified a certain level of performance in my athletes that would indicate it may be the right time. Once they are able to perform 3 of the 7 suggested scores below, I think it would be wise to progress to the next program. At this juncture athletes are on the brink of overtraining, if not overtrained already. Here are the specific criteria below.
40 yard dash is < or = to 4.5 seconds Shuttle Run is < or = 4.0 seconds Vertical Jump is > or = 35”
Broad Jump is > or = 10’
Squat is > or = 2 x bodyweight
Bench Press is > or = 1.5 x bodyweight Deadlift is > or = 2.5 x bodyweight
In closing, I hope that the information and programs I just shared with you provide some relief and eliminate much of the confusion associated with the general outline and progression of a proper athletic training program, like it has for me and others. The fact is that I’ve prescribed and tried ALL of the various periodization formats available on the market over the course of the past decade, and I can
honestly say that NOTHING works as well as the 2 proven programs that I am about
to share with you in their entirety for athletes. Next, I will implement these
programs into actual workouts for you to follow, and give you all of the fine detail if you are still interested.
SPEED WORKOUTS
Make to sure precede these workouts with our warm‐up system. This is available as a bonus in the package you purchased.
BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE WORKOUTS‐STAGE #1:
MON. OR TUES.: WORKOUT A SETS/REPS
A1. 10‐ OR 20‐YARD DASH 5 AND/OR SPECIALIZED SPEED TRAINING METHODS TBD
B1. ME LOWER=SQUAT OR DEADLIFT 2‐3 8‐7‐6‐5
OR 8‐5‐3‐1
C1. QUAD SUPPLEMENTAL LIFT/UNILATERAL MOVEMENT 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6 C2. VERTICAL PULL 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6 C3. HIP SUPPLEMENTAL LIFT‐STRAIGHT KNEE 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6 D1. CORE MOBILITY OR STABILITY EXERCISE 2‐4 TBD
D2. STRAIGHT KNEE CALF RAISE 2‐4 24‐20‐16‐12
WED. OR THURS.: WORKOUT B
A1. AGILITY 1‐4
B1. ME UPPER=BENCH PRESS 2‐3 8‐7‐6‐5
OR 8‐5‐3‐1
C1. HORIZONTAL PRESS 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6 C2. HORIZONTAL ROW VARIATION 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6 C3. HIP SUPPLMENTAL LIFT‐BENT KNEE 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6
D. SCAP 3‐5 12‐10‐8‐6
D2. TRAP 3‐5 12‐10‐8‐6
FRI. OR SAT.: WORKOUT C
A1. 40 OR 60 YARD DASH 3‐5
B1. HIP SUPPLEMENTAL LIFT‐STRAIGHT KNEE 3‐6 24‐20‐16‐12 B2. VERTICAL PRESS 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6 C1. VERTICAL OR HORIZONTAL ROW 3‐6 12‐10‐8‐6