The science, well my theory behind my power phase training this month

This month I am working on power not size. Here is a quick theory and a little science on how my weight training will work.

There are 3 main sources of energy available to enable your muscles to contract. Powerlifting is anaerobic, intense, and short in duration, therefore mainly relies on the phosphagen energy system. This energy system provides energy for short but intense muscle contractions, those generally under 10 seconds like a 40 yard sprint or a 1RM. This system relies on a chemical reaction between ATP and creatine phosphate and produces lactic acid. It takes your body several minutes for this energy system to fully recover, that is clean out the lactic acid and recharge. To perform at or near maximal intensity again the trained muscles need to rebuild the chemical stores. If you start your next set before your body has had a chance to do so you will be working at a deficit or state of fatigue.

Weight training and performing at or near maximal intensity enhances speed and power. The result is a greater one-rep max after your body adapts to the training. It is important to state that speed and power cannot develop when a lifter works when they are fatigued. That is why it is so important to have good rests between sets. Over the next month I will never go to mussel failure. If I feel as though the next rep will place too great a strain on my trained muscles I will stop at the rep I am on even if I have not reached the goal of my set.

Multi joint high intensity and low volume weight training programs primarily affect neural factors. That is to say sets of 5RM and lower with sufficient rest between sets help your muscles recruit more fibers and increase activation levels of the motor units within the muscles, this is why you get stronger.

The volume may be too low and the muscle fibers do not receive enough stimulation to entre hypertrophy thus you do not gain size when training in this manner.

I hope this gives you a good idea of what I am doing, why and what I can hope to accomplish at the end of this cycle. If anything is unclear feel free to drop me a line and I will do my best to answer your questions.




All the best in your weight training, powerlifting, and bodybuilding, programs.
Jason

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