Speed Work/Max Effort Questions

[Rob Waskis]

I have done it for years. For a 405 1RM, I used about 275 for 10 doubles and try to leave the ground at the top.

Have you used accommodating resistance with any success? At what point in a trainee's career (if any) do you feel it is beneficial (e.g. after a period of DE with straight weight).

[The Sun]

got a question about sprints as well.
I got a problem right now with my right shoulder, so I cant squat with good form 3 times a week and thus cant get a good routine that relates on squatting. say I use one day for deadlifts across, and the last workout for jumps, bounds and squats at the end of the workout. could I use the middle day for sprints uphill or short bursts?
I know that squats made my sprints and jumps better, can sprints do the same for squats?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Have you used accommodating resistance with any success? At what point in a trainee's career (if any) do you feel it is beneficial (e.g. after a period of DE with straight weight).

I haven't used it in a long time. I don't really see the point outside the context of suit/wraps.

say I use one day for deadlifts across, and the last workout for jumps, bounds and squats at the end of the workout. could I use the middle day for sprints uphill or short bursts?
I know that squats made my sprints and jumps better, can sprints do the same for squats?

It's fine with me, but I don't think you'll find that sprints make your squat go up.

[kreszentia]

I hope you guys are paying attention to Rip here because he's trying to tell you something important about this.

1. Keep It Simple Stupid. Chances are you are not an elite lifter training with other elite lifters and an elite coach. Not that DE/Speed work is useless, but if you're lifting by yourself why not start as simple as possible?

Regarding accommodating resistance, when was the last time you saw a raw lifter fail at the TOP of a lift? The top of lifts is what chains and bands work, precisely because that is when a SUITED lifted runs out of gas.

Raw lifters run out of gas out of the bottom of the lift. If you want the equivalent of accommodating resistance for a raw lift then you want to look at paused benches and squats and bottom up squats.

[Mac Ward]

Regarding accommodating resistance, when was the last time you saw a raw lifter fail at the TOP of a lift? The top of lifts is what chains and bands work, precisely because that is when a SUITED lifted runs out of gas.

Raw lifters run out of gas out of the bottom of the lift. If you want the equivalent of accommodating resistance for a raw lift then you want to look at paused benches and squats and bottom up squats.

I don't know how accurate this statement is, but it certainly passes the giggle test. It has left me with food for thought, so to speak.

Thanks for the post.

[AriSuper]

Regarding accommodating resistance, when was the last time you saw a raw lifter fail at the TOP of a lift? The top of lifts is what chains and bands work, precisely because that is when a SUITED lifted runs out of gas.

Raw lifters run out of gas out of the bottom of the lift. If you want the equivalent of accommodating resistance for a raw lift then you want to look at paused benches and squats and bottom up squats.

Malanichev doesn't use bands, Konstantinovs does, Dan John uses chains to teach people the proper lifting technique, Pavel says most Russian PLers grind their lifts, Louie says you need to accelerate trough the whole lift, I don't know where Rip stands but I think its all about finding what works for you.

As far as accommodating resistance goes, I think that if we move away from Plifting there are legitimate positive reasons advanced athletes could use it, anybody who jumps, runs, lifts, throws, ... anyone who needs acceleration trough an entire range of motion.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

I hope you guys are paying attention to Rip here because he's trying to tell you something important about this.

1. Keep It Simple Stupid. Chances are you are not an elite lifter training with other elite lifters and an elite coach. Not that DE/Speed work is useless, but if you're lifting by yourself why not start as simple as possible?

Regarding accommodating resistance, when was the last time you saw a raw lifter fail at the TOP of a lift? The top of lifts is what chains and bands work, precisely because that is when a SUITED lifted runs out of gas.

Raw lifters run out of gas out of the bottom of the lift. If you want the equivalent of accommodating resistance for a raw lift then you want to look at paused benches and squats and bottom up squats.

While this sentiment about where geared lifters and raw lifters fail, respectively, is true- it is my experience that bands/chains are not without merit. For instance, if you lift alone and are trying to do DE work then bands and chains may be of use so that maximum acceleration -or at least more than otherwise- of the barbell can occur. I have played around with bands/chains and like them for short periods of time when dealing with an advanced trainee or intermediate who is has limited recovery capabilities from heavy sets across.

Bottoms up squats, paused box squats/pin squats are all additional tools to help drive up the raw squat in situations where the trainee cannot squat effectively more than once per week. Just my .02.

[D.W.]

A friend of mine usually fails at the top (he is a raw lifter), both at the deadlift and bench press. Maybe chains and/or bands would help him.

But i'm of the same opinion as you, bands and chains are something for more advanced trainees and maybe it's a bit about preference. Some people like changing exercises and the whole westside-stuff and some people not. There are good lifters at both extremes.