Abbreviated training
The term abbreviated training in the context of strength training has been a while for some time. Made popular again in the past 30 years by writers such as Stuart McRobert, Brooks D Kubik, and Bob Whelan but dating back to early iron game pioneers such as Mark Berry and JC Hise, the concept is relatively simple. Whilst some people might cope with longer training sessions for the majority of people, drug free trainees with jobs, families and other commitments such lengthy sessions lead to staleness and failure. Enter abbreviated training. Training sessions focused on a handful of basic, multi joint movements, often for a relatively low (compared with the modern bodybuilders routines) number of total sets and reps. (as Paul Kelso noted 20 sets per body not per bodypart), Training generally two or three times per week max. The athlete focusing on progression, on getting stronger and combined with a calorie surplus the results should come.
What’s great about this is, it works! The problem is that the trainee often wants to focus on the latest new thing, or whatever has been featured in the latest online article. There is nothing fancy to sell with telling people Squat heavy two to three times a week, so it doesn’t make for the next latest craze or Workout of the day. There is no quick fix though, the answer lies in learning the techniques in a handful of movements and putting weight on the bar over time.
I worked for a time coaching a small group of lifters at a local gym, and we had a ladies and men’s lifting group. They both did the same program and it was one session per week. The two sessions looked like this:
A. Squat
Bench Press
Romanian Deadlift
B Military Press (taken from a rack)
Deadlift
Front squat
Sets were always five of each and the rep number rotated. The first two weeks was progressively heavier fives. The next two weeks was progressively heavier threes and the last two weeks progressively heavier singles for the Squat, Bench press, and Military press. For Deadlift and Front squat we did progressively threes, twos and singles. Romanian deadlifts usually stayed around the fives with the occasional threes.
We finished most sessions with some sort of grip challenge or loaded carry.
Now here’s the thing, each of the participants did their own thing outside of these sessions. Often another sporting activity. But for some this one night a week was the only heavy weight training sessions they would do.
Each and everyone of them got stronger though. One, a six foot nine inch basketball player went from having never been in the gym and barely being able to squat the bar to a 100kg back squat in a matter of months. He trained once a week (for a total of five sets of squats each time). This wasn’t some reduced ROM, wouldn’t pass at a meet, squat either. He took that 100kg, below parallel, which is a long ol’ range of motion when your six foot nine.
In my own training I have had protracted periods where I have trained Squat, Bench and Deadlift, typically between 5-7 sets, twice a week, and made good progress from it. The key is always to focus on getting stronger. Some will say “well that’s not very balanced what about arms?” and my response is simple, if you can deadlift 225kgs for repetitions, do you think you’ll have small biceps? If you bench press 160kgs for repetitions, do you think your triceps will need additional work? The answer is no, once you hit those sorts of numbers the muscle mass will have taken care of itself. (Also you are not a collection of parts that work in isolation but a wonderful living organism whose muscles work in conjunction with each other to create movement, but I digress). It's the same for the squat, you are not going to have little legs if you’re squatting for reps with 180kgs or can hit a single with 225kgs; your legs will be well developed without having to do much of anything else.
Frequency of training will depend on the individual. As a powerlifter, I find I can progress better with more frequent Squat and Bench press training than I can Deadlift, so Deadlifts tend to only be once a week whilst the other variations can be done two or three times. Others may find only twice a week to be enough. The key to successful training is to do enough to elicit an adaptation, not to do so much you’re burnt out or run into the ground with aching joints each week. More is not better when it comes to training, more is just more.
A good standard to aim for, using the powerlifts as a guide for men is a six times bodyweight total. For example a 90kg advanced trainee should be aiming to achieve a 180kg Squat, a 135kg Bench Press, and a 225kg Deadlift (or about double bodyweight on the squat, 1.5 times bodyweight on the bench, and 2.5 times bodyweight on the deadlift). These are rough figures, with larger men having to work a bit harder to hit six times, and smaller men finding it a little easier. For ladies I would suggest focusing on Squatting 1.5 times bodyweight, Bench pressing bodyweight and pulling a double bodyweight deadlift for 4.5 times bodyweight in total as an achievable and worthy standard. Keep it simple, work hard and these are attainable goals.