Tag Archive: tommy baker

1. Hepburn’s laws- training manual

   17th December 2014 9:37 am 1 Comment

   “The journey to becoming a champion of super strength begins with obtaining the right kind of knowledge.”

   Doug Hepburn’s book on strength training is an excellent text about strongman training from 1980.

   In it, he lists a few rules which he found to be essential when learning how to get strong.

   You may be thinking “what can I learn about strength training from that old geezer? He doesn’t even have a twitter account!”

   Well, Naseem Taleb in his book “Anifragile” talks about how things that worked 50 years ago, and continue to work are a good bet (the wheel springs to mind). 

   Whilst everything in the last 5 years may be packaged and shiny and have a certification attached to it, the underlying principles of the human body have remained the same for far longer.

   Here is a summary of Doug Hepburn’s “laws” and how his system complies with them.

   1. The setting of goals: sets a goal for each workout.
   2. Positive mental attitude: gives a goal which can be achieved in each workout. Eliminates failure.
   3. Proper rest and recuperation: provides the right number of workouts per week/ month.
   4. The correct percentage of maximum weight is used: prevents burning out by avoiding maximum poundages.
   5. The correct number of reps and sets: gives the ultimate result-producing number of sets and reps.
   6. The correct use of muscle pump: gives the correct amount and proper timing for the muscle to be pumped.
   7. Prevent over training: not possible with this method.
   8. Use basic exercises: uses the most result producing exercises: squat, press, bench press, curl, deadlift-row.
   9. Increase the number of nerve impulses to a given muscle in a given time: Works all types of muscle fibres along a fast-slow continuum in the same workout.
   10. You never got something for nothing: Hepburn’s system requires effort, resulting in long lasting benefits.
   11. Avoid illness and injury: By preventing overtraining, helps the body fight disease and heal quickly.
   12. “Stick to it-iveness” (never give in): All sports build willpower and character.
   13. Courage and faith: all weight training programmes require these.

   Some pretty good points in here that stand up 34 years later. The book is well laid out and offers sound advice on diet, as well as effective planning and recording of progress. 

   It was good to reread this book and see how my own training programmes compare (The Excelsior 12 week Get Stronger training programme. )

   Have you got any “laws” of training that you would like to share? Add comment below please. 

2. 30 years of strength training

   21st August 2014 5:12 pm Leave a Comment

   45 today!

   I first started strength training when I was 15 years old. My Dad had given me his old power bar and I started using that in my bedroom doing curls, presses and squats. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was doing something. I worked at my part time jobs for six months to save up for a set of plastic spinlock dumbbells and a flimsy bench with bar rack.

   The Joe Weider dumbbells came with a training programme that was a split routine of bodybuilder type exercises. There was a heavy emphasis on curls and calf raises from what I can remember, all with pictures of a man in briefs looking like he had been dipped in creosote. I followed that three day a week programme for the next year or so.

   My first official training programme had an effect, I was eating well and I got stronger.  I was playing a lot of different sports at school before I left at 17 years old. That almost looks like an Athletic Development plan!

   In the intervening 30 years I have been exposed to many different training environments including the Army, Martial Arts, health clubs and Weightlifting. Currently I am working with gymnasts and seeing a whole different side of strength development.

   I have had good training, bad training, and downright ridiculous training. I have worked with many different strength and weightlifting coaches, as well as sports coaches who have helped shape my ideas. I have made a gazillion mistakes on the way, all of which have helped me improve.

   I wonder what I shall learn in the next 30 years?

   Further reading:

   • How to take charge of your fitness training
   • Get Stronger ebook  

3. Strength and Power in Rugby: part 2

   13th May 2014 9:10 am 2 Comments

   What about the Ruck and Maul?

   The ruck is specific to rugby union and is where the tackled player is off his feet and tackled to ground. The average ruck lasts in the region of 4 or 5 seconds and therefore the primary physical determinant for success is power. There are over 100 rucks and mauls per game and the ability to maintain the effectiveness in the ruck for the full length of the game is also dependent upon strength endurance and cardiovascular endurance.

   A maul is created when the tackled player remains on his feet and players from either team enter the maul to secure the ball and/or gain territory. The maul lasts between 8 and 20 seconds (and sometimes longer) and therefore strength and power endurance come into play, particularly in the muscle groups used to grapple. There are approximately four rucks or mauls per minute of possession. The number of rucks and mauls entered per game by players of different positions varies.

   The Set Piece 

   The scrum is common to both rugby league and rugby union but the laws and interpretations of them have diverged so much that there is very little resemblance between the two.

   The scrum in rugby league has been effectively de-powered and very rarely is a push seen whereas the scrum in rugby union is a highly skilful sub set of the game requiring extremely good technique and a high degree of explosive and static strength.

   The scrum in rugby union now involves two packs of approximately 900kg hitting each other from approximately 1m apart. Good individual and group technique will concentrate this force in one direction through quite a narrow point, and at the centre of this is the hooker (Scrum coaches please do not ring up to say I am not an expert- I know, I am painting a general picture!!).  In order to withstand these forces the hooker needs to be strong, and able to absorb large forces through his spine.

   Rugby union is a late specialisation sport, yet young players are often pigeon holed into positions at any early age. Approximately three quarters of hookers in today’s premiership did not start in that position;therefore they have not had the muscular adaptation over a period of time to develop their bodies for that position. It could be argued that the game’s administrators should look at ways of ensuring that all younger players scrummage. 

   The line out is peculiar to rugby union and involves jumping and lifting both which require technical skill aligned with strength and power. At top level this will mean a 120kg player being propelled upwards by two powerful 110kg players to a height (feet off the ground) of approximately 1.75m before catching and passing a ball and then landing on the ground again.

   Think “forces”, and then ponder the necessary long-term physical and technical preparation required to succeed and stay injury free.

   Part 3 appears tomorrow

   See our Get Stronger programme here 

4. Mini Band workouts

   9th September 2011 1:55 pm 2 Comments

   Do you want to improve knee control?

   Poor knee control and stability could be a balance problem originating from the hip/ gluteal area. I have been using mini bands over the last couple of months with some of the young athletes to help improve this.

   Cheap, portable and different from the usual things, they seem to have been a hit.  Have a look at some of the exercises here.

   I would recommend doing these twice a week, in conjunction with your normal sport and strength training.

5. When the weights get heavy I get disciplined!

   14th January 2011 7:20 am 5 Comments

   Performance Sports Training

   We got back into the swing of things yesterday, watching a couple of athletes train. The diversity in athletes that James trains was obvious, having watched an American football athlete followed by a GB blind footballer.

   The politics of elite sport is obvious however it is nice when more concentration is applied to the training sessions athletes take part in. The quote above came from one athlete we were coaching, who lacked focus in his strength training warm up.

   Although many athletes would like to build on their strength straight away, it is apparent that this method may potentially cause an athlete to break and once this occurs there is no going back.

   It is occasionally better to break down an athlete’s weight lifting technique in order to build them back up again. Sometimes this can be done quickly but in some instances it may take longer. However watching from a neutral point of view you can see that taking this time will only benefit the athlete.

   James’s philosophy of taking notes and not breaking an athlete even for short-term gain is admirable. It is very important to follow a weightlifting routine, especially when not being trained by a coach and being left to your own devices in between sessions. Moving too quickly or not following a routine may do more damage.

   Individual strength coaching 

   I have also seen first hand that sometimes doing the best for an athlete doesn’t always come before your own personal power. Although a position comes with power if an athlete is succeeding outside that power, it is sometimes better to leave them to it.

   Not every athlete responds to the same programme in the same positive way. Each athlete requires personal treatment especially at the highest level. However this comes with experience, something I am learning each week with Excelsior.

   The Christmas break was a much needed one. The snow was very enjoyable although it disrupted many people’s lives and had the SWT day cancelled. However coming from Jersey it was nice to see some real snow and find that you can actually survive when there is more than half an inch!

   I hope everyone had a brilliant start to 2011 and I look forward to working with everyone involved with Excelsior this year. Please leave a comment Matt

   Strength Training for Sports Programme 

6. Using RPE to predict 1RMs- Harrison Evans

   1st April 2010 8:44 am 1 Comment

   How to use RPE to predict your strength

   Much of the strength related exercise prescription advice delivered by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) prescribe intensity relative to an individual’s maximal strength (1-RM)

   This is subsequently used in gymnasiums and clinical environments. For example, an imposed demand of 40% 1-RM may be adequate for a strength related cardiac rehabilitation programme, and a few reps at 90% of 1-RM may be used to increase explosive power in athletes.

   However, it’s not always safe to perform an initial 1-RM test (in many clinical settings) and may be time-consuming (when working with a large group of athletes).

    Problems with predictions over actual results

     Various prediction equations have subsequently been developed, but not without large and potentially dangerous error. My investigation used perceived exertion (a perception of how hard we feel we are working) to predict 1-RM. 

   I used 20 healthy students (yes, healthy students do exist) a relatively small sample but large enough to examine validity in this case. I tested their maximal strength for upper body (biceps curl) and lower body (leg extension) exercises.

   I then calculated 20%, 40% and 60% of individual 1-RM and asked individuals to perform two repetitions at each intensity for each exercise. For these tests the subjects were blindfolded and the load intensities were delivered in a random order to eradicate any predetermined judgments about the load.

   After two reps at each intensity, subjects were required to state an RPE  ranging from 6 (no exertion) to 20 (maximal exertion). From this, the RPE values at the three submaximal intensities were plotted and regression analysis conducted to extrapolate to 20 (theoretical maximum on the scale).

   Without getting bogged down in the statistics, there was no significant difference between the actual 1-RM and the predicted 1-RM, and the correlations between actual and predicted 1-RM were strong. 

   What does this actually mean?
   

   Findings show that it is plausible to use an index of how hard we feel we are working to predict our maximal strength in both upper and lower body exercises.

   It’s easy to criticise this on a number of levels:

   • Sample population used
   • Sample size
   • Exercises performed
   • Errors in statistical tests
   • Applicability to sports-related settings 

   amongst others. I don’t profess this study to be revolutionary or add immediate gain to the fitness industry, nor is it possible to use this as a standardised prediction protocol in its bare form.

   It is however novel in its methods, something that has never been done before, providing a base for which others can validate with different populations and muscle groups.

   Using just two submaximal repetitions makes this an extremely quick and low-risk method for predicting strength.

   I welcome all feedback, questions and criticisms, without these I can’t improve my future studies. So if you’re a coach, teacher, athlete or fellow student I need you, lets start some hot debate about why this is good or simply not good enough for you. Bring it on! 

   Harrison Evans is studying for his Msc at Exeter University. His research can be seen here

7. Weight training for sprinters

   4th September 2009 10:58 am Leave a Comment

   How to get faster using weights.

   Following on from Frans Bosch’s seminar on running biomechanics, I have been paying a lot more intention to actions within the gym.

   The frontal plane, double knee bend society will tell you that all you need to do to get faster is lift more weight on a platform.

   They will quote research that shows that weightlifters are very quick over 10metres and have great vertical jumps.

   However, the research is often done by their friends and peers and they quote each other to justify the results.

   (Rob Newton who is often quoted owns a company that makes force platforms: all his research uses force platforms to measure results!).

   Bosch was saying that co-ordination of the drive and push off phase during acceleration is more important than pure power. That is why some little people can run very fast, despite not having much power.

   Attention to detail

   As you can see from the photos  a step up on a bench can be performed in many different ways.

   A coach is necessary to highlight the optimal way of transferring that co ordination to linear running mechanics.

   The photo to the right shows a step up with a high knee, but look at the foot position and lack of hamstring control.

   The photo above shows a much better action where the emphasis is on the hip control and foot position in relation to the backside.

   So, just giving a piece of paper with step ups written on it, because Usain Bolt does step ups, will not make your athlete faster.

   Instead, translate the mechanics of the run to the gym and look at ways of enhancing them.

   Read 7 steps to running faster here.