Ring Theory
There is an area of mathematics called exactly that, but ironheads
shouldn't let the mere theoroids and axiomites have all the fun. We can
take a lesson from them though; with a good model and a little thought
you can go a long way.
Let's consider that you want to get a bigger press. One way of doing
this is to press alot, day in and day out. Another way is to set up a
cycle where you vary intensity from low to high over some number of
weeks and keep repeating that cycle so you reliably get more and more
strength in that lift. Both have certainly been proven to work,
however, there is also another way. You can work "around" the press and
then put it all together.
The first thing you must do is define what needs to be in that ring. I
doesn't matter what's first, only that you include these things
somewhere in the circle. Here is a sample:
1. Tricep strength-tricep floor press, 5x3
2. Shoulder strength-Bradford press, 6x4
3. Forearm/midsection strength-side press, 5x5 each arm
4. Integration-speed press in competitive form
5. Rest a couple of days, take a new max and go again.
The trick to this is to think in these rings instead of individual
lifts. Think of lifts that orbit around what you are trying to do and
emphasize different area's necessary for a better performance as they
are used in the lift itself. This is also not just a "muscle thing",
not just a matter of making a muscle stronger but a matter of
concentration mentally and physically on each area then integrating it
into a better lift by several trips around that ring, not just gain it
all in one exercise then move to the next keep it all going in a circle
until you are at where you would like to be.
The integration phase of the ring is just as important as the other
parts. The speed press in this example is to integrate the strength you
have gained from the other work. Do this starting with about 65% of
your previous max. Do singles or doubles increase the weight as you can
but if you slow at the sticking point, it is too heavy. This is, as it
says above "practice", you are trying to perfect the lift with as heavy
as weight as you can lift absolutely perfectly and with crisp, quick
style.
Go on each stage as long as it takes you to gain something small, even
2.5 pounds is fine, then move on. You are only trying to gain in small
bits, don't get greedy. After these small gains in the elements of the
ring, then put it together, once you can do the lift with perfect speed
and snap at a big higher of a weight than before, then take a couple of
days off, take a new incremental max and do the ring again.
Another version of this for people who do bodyweight exercise to
increase the number of one arm pushups you can do:
1. Tricep work-Pressovers (1 or two arm)--2 sets of as many as you can
2. Anterior deltoid/chest work-Wall pushups--same as above
3. Ab work-twist pushups--same as above
5. Integration-fast one arm pushup--Practice, stop before fatigue.
If you gain two to five reps from your previous best in one exercise
then move onto the next and do the same, when you get to the
integration phase, put it all together, practice it till you add a bit
to what you can do fast and elegantly then see how many one arm pushups
you can do.
Instead of thinking in one lift, think in rings of lifts, collections
that are mutually beneficial but keep you from doing too much of the
same thing for too long while still allowing you to "bank" small gains
into big ones over time.
Bryce Lane
Visalia Ca. May 29, 06