I wanted to give a quick clarification update for those of you following the weightlifting blog. By the time you read this article, you will have noticed that we have entered a much higher intensity phase for the weightlifting programming. That is obviously seen in the max effort work from the blocks today. As we approach max competition day, we are going to walk through a semi Bulgarian style mesocycle.
I recognize there are a ton of mixed opinions on the effectiveness of Bulgarian style of training without performance-enhancing drugs but an abbreviated 3 1/2 week mesocycle should not be too much volume or intensity for your body to handle. We saw some pretty great results completing a Bulgarian style six week program a couple years ago so I wanted to use that same format to peak y'all for competition day in four weeks.
What you will notice about this style of training is that there is far less squatting volume and far less lifting volume. The focus becomes high intensity repetition. There will be some drop-down sets to help maintain strength but the intensity on those drop-down sets will increase as the volume decreases closer and closer to competition. Basically we are going to use this style of training to help prime your central nervous system for maximal output on competition day. I want your body to know and not be surprised by heavy load. The best way to do this is to use and attempt heavy load often in preparation for a competition.
It is entirely likely that at day 9 or 10 your body will feel tired and the idea of hitting anywhere near 100% of your competition best will seem silly. Trust your body. Also trust the taper that is coming just before competition day. Don't be discouraged by how your body feels and remember that often your mind is the limiting factor in your performance rather than your body.
I've already got a couple text messages today wondering if I had written the right percentages or if I had lost my mind. Trust the next couple of weeks. You have built up an incredible amount of strength and have spent 14 weeks perfecting your technique for this competition peak. Hard work always pays off. Enjoy the next 3 1/2 weeks.