Consistancy with training

[Jamie Jamieson]

I am training 5 days a week, mostly in the 85 -97% range for the core lifts. In the past I have done well with low volume, high intensity.

Lately however:
One training session I can power snatch a 100kg, and the next I can't full snatch 88kg

It seems one day I can train with endless energy, and the next there is nothing in the tank. I try to eat decent, I am not following any particular diet, so I am not sure if this is the root cause.

Is this normal? Should I be looking at diet to solve this?

[Steven Low]

What does your sleep, diet and last 2 weeks of lifts look like?

[Greg Everett]

Jamie -

You can't hit heavy weights every day, especially in the 90% + range. Try alternating between heavier and lighter days, e.g. heavy mon,wed,fri/sat, lighter tue/thu.

[Gavin Harrison]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

Jamie -

You can't hit heavy weights every day, especially in the 90% + range. Try alternating between heavier and lighter days, e.g. heavy mon,wed,fri/sat, lighter tue/thu.

Yeah, basic periodization. Also, you only think you do better with low volume and high intensity...

[Greg Everett]

Originally Posted by Gavin Harrison

Also, you only think you do better with low volume and high intensity...

Why is that?

[Gavin Harrison]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

Why is that?

Personal belief is that you need something to help you build your strength. High intensity and low volume will work for a while, but I think you need something to build strength, not just test it or build coordination.

Greg, you're much smarter and stronger than me, so don't take it any way aside from a random opinion, but I don't think many people can survive on high intensity/low volume for very long periods, or without any low intensity/high volume work at all.

[Greg Everett]

well... i agree that more general strength work (i.e. things other than sn/cj/squat) is a good idea at times, but that's not what you said in the previous post - hence my question.

and at the same time, there are quite a few folks who would disagree - and many of them have produced world caliber, world record making, olympian, etc weightlifters. so a strict bulgarian approach certainly can't be ignored.

further, it's a mistake to consider the sn/cj as merely tests of strength or developers of coordination. that's only true if you suck at the lifts and aren't moving heavy weights. the sn/cj are very unique lifts in the sense that they are the most effective exercises for improving their own performance. does that mean they should be the only exercises used? no, but it does mean they can and should make up a large portion of a weightlifters training - not just coordination development.

[Jamie Jamieson]

Originally Posted by Steven Low

What does your sleep, diet and last 2 weeks of lifts look like?

Diet is like cereal, protein shake in the morning, bagle snack, chicken, vegatables lunch, dougnuts or other naughtyness in the afternoon then I train and have supper afterwards ( meat and potatoes). 4 large cups of coffee though out the day. 6-8 hours of sleep a night.

Greg: I have been using the template for the 23 day Bulgarian program from Mikesgym.org. The first time going through it I hit a contest best. This time it's all over the map. It alternates a heavy day then a lighter day 5 days a week. I am leaning towards this program because my squat is so out of proportion with my lifts (I feel I need to get better technically more than get stronger at this point).

I am reading about the "Zone Diet", does anyone follow this principal or are there other eating styles one should consider?

Thanks for the help

[Greg Everett]

Did you take any kind of break between your first and second times through that cycle? It's fracking brutal. And your numbers are now better than they were for the first time, which means it will be even more demanding.

I would suggest doing that cycle, doing a really light week of whatever you want, then doing a more strength-oriented cycle, week off, then back to a bulgarian style cycle.

Or, I would suggest just following burgener's WOD, which will handle all the volume/intensity modulation/rest/etc for you.

[Steven Low]

You should probably clean up your diet. Not really gonna tell you to eat Paleo or anything as that's a preference, but getting rid of the grains and other processed food would probably help.

+ what Greg said.