5/15/2013
The Effectiveness of the Wave-Cycle for
In-Season Training:
20 Years of Evidence on the In-Season
Maintenance of Strength and Power in
Professional Athletes
By
Daniel Baker, PhD.
Australian Strength & Conditioning Association
Edith Cowan University
Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club
www.danbakerstrength.com
Quickly about me...
• President of Australian Strength & Conditioning Association since
2004
• NSCA member since 1987 (CSCS in 1988)
• Level 3 & Master Coach of Elite Athlete Strength & Conditioning
(ASCA)
• PhD in Sport Science through Edith Cowan University, Perth
• Strength & Conditioning Coach at Brisbane Broncos since 1995
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Australia is different....
Christmas Day is in summer &
I go surfing in the morning..
..and afterwards, Christmas lunch is
BBQ and beer, looking at the surf, soaking up the
summer sun with my beautiful wife
And in Australia we have 4 types of
professional football.....
• Soccer (played in summer)
• Australian Rules football (“AFL” or Aussie Rules)
• Rugby Union (“Rugby”)
• Rugby League (NRL or “League”)
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•
I train NRL “Rugby League” athletes for the Brisbane Broncos RLFC
since October 1995....a long time in pro sports!
Won Championship in 97, 98, 2000 and 2006
Most popular sporting team in Australia (based upon average weekly
television audiences)
And we have no college sports!!!
• All sports are based upon the club system
• Only AFL have a draft (of 18-yr olds!)
• The advantage of no college sports & no draft for
rugby union and league is LTAD
• We “largely”control the training of our players from a
young age – “reap what you sow”
1. The Problem!!!!!
• Part “A”
• The in-season for all these sports is long...
• Soccer = 26 wks + finals = 4 wks = 30 wks
• AFL = 23 wks + finals = 4 wks = 27 wks
• Rugby = 20 wks + finals = 4 wks = 24 wks
• NRL “League” = 26 wks + finals = 4 wks = 30 wks
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On top of this...
• In both rugby union and league, the club or “regular”
season is followed by International Test matches
played by the best players
• Rugby has 10-12 International tests per year
• League has 4-6 International tests per year
• This means the best players play for another 6-10
weeks after their “regular club season”
All this means
• The preparation period is only 6-12 weeks for “normal”
professionals
• The preparation period is only 4-6 weeks for the elite
professionals who also play in the International Test
matches
• Therefore “in-season” training is the
dominant Period of training for all
professional football athletes in
Australia
The Problem - Part “B”
• Conundrum: NRL athletes cover ~ 8 km per 80-minute
game (or 1km/10 minutes of game time)
• NRL
= 8371 m per game
= 7277 m per game
• 2nd Div.
• NYC (U/20) = 4646 m per game
•
Ref. McCellan & Lovell, JSCR 2013
• Need to develop high levels of energy system
conditioning during the same short Prep. Period.
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Aerobic or power athletes?
Please Google “NRL” “big hits”
to see more of this stuff!
Power athletes who need to be aerobically
fit!
The Problem - Part “C”
• Only a short Prep. Period. To develop high levels of
strength & power (while also training ES fitness!!!)
• Must efficiently maintain these qualities for 30+ wks
• But >20 yrs ago, what were the recommendations for long
in-season strength training?
• 1-5 sets of 1-5 reps with intensity medium to high...
• Or a 4-wk cycle of 1x10 -> 1x5 -> 1x3 -> 1x1
(Wathen, 1994)
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2. The Data
• “Standard wisdom” says this can’t be done because...
• We can’t train hard in-season (especially legs) - no
room/time for real strength/power overload?
•
We can’t concurrently train strength/power, skills/tactics
and especially energy system (ES) training without losses
in strength/power or worrying high levels of “concurrent
training interference”
But let’s look at 20 years of evidence to
the contrary on rugby league and union
athletes ranging from..
• High School
• Amateur adults
• Semi-professional
• Professional (including the elite professionals)
Some of the publications so far..
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Baker, D. Effect of a wave-like periodised strength training cycle on maximal strength and
lean body mass. Strength & Conditioning Coach 3(3):11-16. 1995.
Baker, D. In-season periodization of strength training. Proceedings of the 1995 Australian
Strength and Conditioning Association National Conference and Trade Show. pp 7492. ASCA, Toowong, QLD, Australia. 1995.
Baker, D. Applying the in-season periodisation of strength and power training to
football.NSCA Journal. 20(2):18-24. 1998.
Baker, D. The in-season maintenance of strength and power in elite rugby league players.
Strength & Conditioning Coach. 8(3):5-10. 2000.
Baker, D. The effects of an in-season of concurrent training on the maintenance of maximal
strength and power in professional and college-aged rugby league players. J. Strength
Cond. Res,. 15(2): 172-177. 2001.
Baker, D. & Newton, R. U. Adaptations in upper body maximal strength and power output
resulting from long-term resistance training in experienced strength-power athletes. J.
Strength Cond. Res., 20(3):541-546. 2006.
Baker, D and Newton, R.U. Observation of 4-year adaptations in lower body maximal strength
and power output in professional rugby league players.Journal of Australian Strength &
Conditioning, 16(1): 3-10. 2008.
Baker, D. Six- year changes in upper-body maximum strength and power in experienced
strength-power athletes. Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning, 16(3):4-10.
2008.
Baker, D. Ten-year changes in upper body strength and power in elite professional rugby
league players – The effect of training age, stage and content. J. Strength Cond. Res.
2013.
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The first published data from 1995 at the 16week mark of in-season in semi-professional
“rugby league” players
1RM Bench
100.1%
1RM Full Squat
1RM Power clean
98%
102.1%
Ref. Baker, D. In-season periodization of strength training. Proceedings of the 1995
Australian Strength and Conditioning Association National Conference and Trade
Show. pp 74-92. ASCA, Toowong, QLD, Australia. 1995.
•
High school & young college aged
males (17-19 yrs)
•
•
•
No big deal...pretty easy with young males !!!!
But consider the concurrent training and “conventional wisdom” that it should
not be possible with a large ES conditioning and collision/impact training
content
Ref. Baker, D. The in-season maintenance of strength and power in elite rugby league
players. Strength & Conditioning Coach. 8(3):5-10. 2000.
Now for the real deal...
Broncos Professional NRL team 1996
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Broncos Professional NRL team in
1997 (World Club Champions)
Ref. Baker, D. The in-season maintenance of strength and power in elite rugby league players.
Strength & Conditioning Coach. 8(3):5-10. 2000.
• Week 29 is the week of the Grand
Final!!.
More published data…1998 Champions
•
Ref. Baker, D. The effects of an in-season of concurrent training on the maintenance of maximal strength and power in
professional and college-aged rugby league players. J. Strength Cond. Res,. 15(2): 172-177. 2001.
2000 Champions (unpublished)
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2006 Champions (unpublished)
More data from over the years
Team
(unpublished)
Time period
1RM
Bench
Jump
Pre- to In-season test
Bench Press
throw
squat
NRL (n=28) ‘99
26-wks
96.5%
92.9%
102.7%
NRL (n= 23) ‘01
19-wks
101.8%
98.4%
No retest
NRL (n=23) ‘02
17-wks
96.3%
96.4%
No retest
NRL (n=23) ‘03
17-wks
97.2%
96.3%
No retest
NRL (n=25) ‘04
8-wks
100%
No retest
Not retest
NRL
No retesting
Not retested
No retest
No retest
NRL (n=26) ‘08
’05, ’07
17-wks
99.6%
No retest
100% @wk24
NRL (n=26) ‘09
8-wks
100.4%
96.8%
100.4%
NRL (n=22) ‘10
17-wks
100.5%
98.0%
97.6%
A more in-depth look at some
results from 2011
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A more in-depth look at some results
from 2012
•
•
•
Some relevant game data
1st in the league in tackle busts
3rd in the league yardage gains in offense
10-year changes in elite pros who mainly perform
“in-season” training (Baker, JSCR 2013)
NRL Elite Pro
(n=6)
1996
2006
% Change
1RM Bench
press
123.3
(21.5)
150.8
(10.7)
22.3%
1RM Squat
173.3
(30.1)
204.6
(20.1)
18.6%
Bench throw
power
*Pre from 97*
616
(72)
758
(83)
23.0%
Jump squat
power
*Pre from 97*
1990
(173)
2237
(234)
12.4%
What the data indicates is….
• Strength and power levels can be maintained at high-90’s to just
over 100% in elite professional athletes across time periods of up
to 32 wks
• Younger, college-aged athletes are able to gain strength and
power in-season
• There may be short periods of strength, but more often power
suppression, due to fatigue from increased playing workloads
and/or consequent changes to resistance training
• If this occurs, alter resistance training to allow recovery (less or no
neural based training for 2-3 weeks)
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3. The Solution to the problem
• 20 years ago, no model existed for prolonged in-season
training
• Need to develop a model to allow for methodical
overload of strength & power across these lengthy
periods
• The Wave cycle was my answer to the problem of an
effective model for the long in-season training period
The Wave Cycles
• Intensity progresses upwards in a wave-like fashion
across 2 x 3- or 4-week cycles
• Volume diminishes in a wave-like fashion across 2 x 3or 4-week cycles
• The best thing is the wave-cycle allows for flexibility in
cycle length, and methods for prescribing intensity and
volume
Wave cycles…volume distribution
• My Wave cycle is based upon the Russian
weightlifting method of distributing
repetitions/volume across either 3- or 4-weeks
• Wk1 = 44% of 3-wk total
• Wk 2 = 33% of 3-wk total
• Wk 3 = 23% of 3-wk total
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Wave-cycle…volume distribution & flexibility
• Can be used as a 4-wk wave as well (34%, 25%, 25%, 16%)
• Can put 3-wk and 4-wk waves together (ie. 6-wk, 7-wk and 8-wk
variations)
• The second 3- or 4-wk block in a cycle has less volume and higher
intensity than the first block – 60% of the volume is in the first block,
40% in the second…
• Wave-cycle is very flexible …you don’t have to adhere to any superstrict guidelines about volume management
Wave-cycles…intensity prescription
• Intensity can be based upon either
• % 1RM (real and/or perceived or estimated)
• Effort
• You can choose either or both
Effort system for strength training
• Max Effort (ME) - a low rep set (1-5) where no
additional reps can be performed
• Near Max Effort (NME) - close to ME, 1-2 reps short
eg. performing 3-reps at a 4RM or 5RM
• Hard Effort (HE) - 2-4 reps short of ME
• Medium-hard Effort (MHE) - >5 reps short of ME
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In summary, the cycle
• Week 1 = Volume load, Neural/adrenal de-load
• Week 2 = Base load
• Week 3 = Intensification, Neural load, Volume de-load
• Week 4 = Base load (same or similar to wk 2)
• Week 5 = Intensification, load (same or similar to wk 3)
• Week 6 = Peak intensification, highest neural/adrenal stimulus, lowest
volume load
Volume and intensity prescribed are also
according to an “exercise thread”
• Bench press
• Squat
• Supplemental strength exercises
• Hypertrophy/muscle size exercises
• Power clean/pull/jerks
• Jump squats/bench throws
My original wave-cycles 1994-1996
Strength exercise threads (Baker, 1995)
•
•
•
•
% 1RM are a rough guide, consider also EFFORT
In reality, the last set is the important “indicator” set
First 3-wks, the effort per each of the 3-sets is MHE, MHE, NME
Last 3-wks, first 2-sets, Effort is the same but all 3rd sets of NME or
ME
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Power exercise threads
• Power cleans and jerks rely on %1RM and observation of
technique more than just effort
• Supplemental power exercises are about power output, bar
speed etc - choose resistances to meet objectives of “explosive
power”, “max power” or “ballistic power” etc
The next progression or “morph” of the wave-cycles 19972007
Strength exercise threads
•
Again, just note the last set for each of the Bench press threads...see the pattern?
•
(Ref. Baker, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2010)
Power exercise threads updated
Exercise thread
Wk 1
Wk 3
Wk 4
Wk 5
Wk 6
Olympic lifts
5 / 65% 4 / 70%
Wk 2
3 / 78%
5 / 70%
3 / 80%
3 / 80%
5 / 70% 4 / 75%
* for Jerks subtract 1 rep 5 / 70% 4 / 80%
3 / 83%
5 / 75%
3 / 85%
2 / 88%
3 / 88%
5 / 80%
3 / 88%
1-2 / 94%
Supplemental Power 3 x 5
3x3
3x5
3x3
3x2
(Power clean, jerks)
3x4
(Jump squats, bench
throws pulls, etc)
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The next progression of the wave-cycles
2008-present
Time to be more “aggressive”
Exercise thread Wk 1
Wk 2
Wk 3
Wk 4
Wk 5
Wk 6
Bench Press
8 / 70%
8 / 70%
6 / 75%
8 / 70%
6 / 77.5%
5 / 85%
8 / 70%
6 / 75%
5 / 82%
6 / 75%
5 / 85%
3 / 90%
8 / 70%
5 / 80%
3+ / 88% 5 / 80% 3+ / 90% 2+ / 95%
or
or
or
3 x 3 ME
3 x 5 ME
3 x 3 ME
Bands /
Bands /
Bands /
chains!!
chains!!
chains!!
Squat
8 / 55%
8 / 55%
6 / 65%
8 / 55%
2 set version
8 / 55%
6 / 65%
5 / 73%
6 / 68% 5 / 75%
Use 3 if needed
6 / 68%
or
5 / 75%
3 / 85%
or
or
(+5-7.5%)
2 x 5 HE
2 x 5 HE
2 x 3 NME
Bands
Bands
Bands
• More ME work with bands & chains!!
More & more delineated in the
other strength exercises
• Much more aggressive in the hypertrophy exercises due
to younger squad (need to gain more muscle)
Ok, real simple version, consider the main or last set only
Exercise thread
Bench Press
For Squat, subtract
Wk 1
Wk 2
Wk 4
Wk 5
Wk 6
8
5
3
5
3
2
@ 70%
@ 80%
@ 88%
@ 80%
@ 88%
@ 92%
5-15% 1RM
Power clean
Wk 3
or
or
or
ME
ME
ME
5
4
3
5
3
1-2
@ 70%
@ 80%
@ 88%
@ 80%
@ 88-92%
@90-95%
Hypertrophy
2-3 x 10-15
2-3 x 10-15
2-3 x 10-15
2-3 x 6-10
2-3 x 6-10
2-3 x 6-10
Exercises
@ 65-70%
@ 65-70%
@ 65-70%
@ 75-80%
@ 75-80%
@ 75-80%
Use 2 or 3 sets
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The change in strength scores for entire
training squad as a result of changing from
“conservative” to “aggressive”
• Still the youngest average age team in NRL in 2012
Now for the Specifics
The weekly training cycle during the in-season
• If 7-9 days between games, then…..
• Day 1 “Strength Day” – 2-3 days after game
• Day 2 “Power Day” - 2-3 days before next game
• If only 5-6 days between games, then….
Perform the Strength Day session only
Strength day template
Warmup
Correctives + “functional” exercises
1. Upper body max pressing strength
Bench press (normal, bands or chains)
2a. Upper body hypertrophy maint.
DB press exercise
2b. Upper body hypertrophy maint.
Chin/PLD/row exercise
3a. Positional specific
Lunge/jump squat/Olympic
lower body power
lift/RDL/Dominator
3b. O’head lift
Press/pull
4. Lower body max strength
Squat (normal or bands)
5. Torso
Traditional exercises + grappling exerc
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Example of a typical strength day
session for Hit-up forwards
1. Bench press + red band (ME) 100/3 107.5/3 115/3+ 4-min
2a. Incline DB press, alt. arm
40/10-15 x 2
2b. 1-arm DB row
50/10-15 x 2
3a. Power shrug jumps
130/3 x 3
3-min
3-min
3b. DB walking lunge + P. press 25/5 es x 3
4. Squat
135/5
155/3
4-min
Power day template…one of many
Warmup
“Functional” + plyometric exercises
1a. Whole body pulling explosive
Power clean (hang), Dominator
1b. Whole body pressing explosive
Split jerk/push press/jammer
2a. Upper body explosive pressing
Bench variation (bands/chains/board)
2b. Upper body ballistic/max power Bench throws (Smith machine)
3b. Lower body explosive
Box squat (bands), Creaser
3b. Lower body ballistic/max power Jump squats, lunges
5. Torso
Power torso – throws, twists etc
Example of a typical power day session
for Hit-up forwards
1a. Power clean (hang)
100/3 107.5/3
115/3
1b. Split jerk
100/2
115/2
2a. Narrow grip BP + #2
band
2b. Bench throw
100+R/3 x 3
3a. Box Squat + # 4 bands
100+G/3 x 3
3b. Jump squat
60/3 x 3
110/2
60/3 x 3
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Another power day session....less lower body
loading
1. Power clean (hang)
100/3 107.5/3 115/3
2a. Narrow grip BP + #2
band
2b. Pendlay row
100+R/3 x 3
85/5 x 3
32.5/5 es x 3
3a. Alt. arm DB push
press/ Al.t arm jammer
3b. Commando grip chins +10/3 es x 3
Injured? Follow the exercise thread….
• Power clean -> Power shrug -> RDL -> 1-leg RDL
• Split jerk -> Push press -> DB PP -> DB press –> 1-arm DB
• Squat -> Box squat -> Smith squat -> Kneeling SQ-> 1-leg SQ
• Bench press -> Narrow grip BP -> Decline BP-> Board press-> DB bench
->1-arm DB bench
• Chinup -> Pulldown -> Seated row -> Inc DB row->1-arm DB row
Extensive use of paired exercise complexes
• Hypertrophy –
Agonist v antagonist
DB bench v Row
DB press v Pulldowns/Chins
• Power –
Pull v Push
Clean v Jerk/Push press/Jammer
Chin v Bench throws
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Extensive use of paired exercise complexes
(continued)
• Power – Heavier agonist v lighter agonist (PAP complex)
Bench/squat 55-65% 1RM + bands/chains (10-20%)
Versus
Bench throws/jump squats (30-45% 1RM)
Power shrug jumps (90-110% 1RM)
Versus
Power clean (Hang) (70-95% 1RM)
Power clean (70-95% 1RM)/Power shrug (90-110% 1RM)
Versus
Jump squats (30-45% 1RM)
Example of Complex of “heavier” and “lighter”
power exercises
The mid-season problem
• Caused by extra “representative” games by best players
• Other players also shoulder a greater playing load,
compared to their usual load
• Alteration in training loads by “rep teams”
tapering/peaking our athletes during mid-season
• Best players are neurally and adrenally fatigued
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Weekly monitoring of leg power via jump squats
with 20 kg barbell on “Power Day” – look at neural
“readiness” and freshness
Regular assessment of JS P20 throughout the season
to monitor changes in leg power...indicate neural,
adrenal and/or muscle fatigue
The Solution...
• Insert 2-3 week block of non-neural resistance training
• < 70% 1RM, sets of 10 reps
• No power exercises
• Mental and physical regeneration, allow for build-up
towards finals
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There is a wave-cycle for everyone….choose your
experience level, exercise thread and wave-length
Wave 1
Hypertrophy
exercises &/or
Low level athletes
Wave 2
Hypertrophy
exercises &/or
Intermediate level
athletes
Wave 3
Secondary
Strength exercises
Intermediates &
Advanced
Wave 4
Primary strength
exercises
Intermediates &
Advanced
Wave 5
Primary strength
exercises
Intermediates &
Advanced, using
band/chains for
ME weeks
Wave 6
Primary strength &
Olympic exercises,
more advanced
WK 1
Wk 2
Wk 3
Wk 4
Wk 5
Wk 6
Wk 7
Wk 8
15/55%
12/62.5%
10/70%
8/77.5%
15/55%**
12/62.5%
10/70%
8/77.5%
15/55%
12/62.5%
10/70%
8/77.5%
15/55%
12/62.5%
10/70%
8/77.5%
15/55%
12/60%
12/62.5%
10/67.5%
10/70%
8/75%
8+/77.5% 15/55%
6/82.5% 12/60%**
12/62.5%
10/67.5%
10/70%
8/75%
8+/77.5%
6/82.5%
12/60%
10/67.5%
8/75%
6/82.5%
10/67.5%
8/75%
6/82.5%
12/60%
10/65%
10/67.5%
8/72.5%
8+/75%
6/80%
6+/82.5% 12/60%
5/85%
10/65%**
10/67.5%
8/72.5%
8+/75%
6/80%
6+/82.5%*
5/85%
10/65%
8/72.5%
6/80%
5/85%
10/65%
8/72.5%
6/80%
5/85%
10/65%
8/70%
8/72.5%
8/70%
6+/80%
6/72%
5+/85%*
5/76%
10/65%
8/70%**
8/72.5%
8/70%
6+/80%
6/72%
5+/85%*
5/76%
8/70%
6/75%
5/80%
3/84%
8/70%
6/75%
5/80%
3/84%
8/70%
8/70%
5/80%
5/70%
3+/88%
3/72%
2+/92%*
2/76%
8/70%
8/70%**
5/80%
5/70%
3+/88%
3/76%
2+/92%*
2/80%
8/70%
5/75%
3/80%
2/84%
8/70%
5/75%
3/84%
2/88%
8/70%
5/80%
3+/88%
2+/92%*
8/70%
5/80%
3+/90%
2+/94%*
5/70%
4/70%
3/72%
2/76%
5/70%**
4/70%
3/76%
2/80%
5/70%
4/75%
3/80%
2/84%
5/70%
4/75%
3/84%
2/88%
5/70%
4/80%
3+/88%
2+/92%*
5/70%
4/80%
3+/90%
2+/94%*
12/60%
Other excellent wave programs popular in the
USA
• 5-3-1 by Jim Wendler
• Cube Method by Brandon Lilly
Thanks to the ASCA and NSCA for allowing me to present
Questions?????
www.danbakerstrength.com
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