UNDERSTANDING YOUR TRAINING PROGRAMME
PART I. UNDERSTANDING TEMPO
Tempo’s in your programme:
Learning how to read and implement tempos in your training is key to optimise your results. Tempos are used for standardise progression, change resistance profiles of exercises, alter the stimulus of the exercise, and emphase what is being recruited.
Lifting tempo’s will be added to your your training programme to explain the intent and speed at which exercises should be performed. Some common lifting tempo’s you may see are: 3011, 3110 and 2111. Let’s look at the 3011 tempo:
3 — Time spent in the eccentric phase.
0 — Time spend in the lengthened position of the muscle.
1 — Time spent in the concentric phase
1 — Time spent in the shortened position of the muscle.
Key Points to remember:
• Tempo is written in four digits (i.e., 3110)
• The 1st number is NOT when the exercise starts, it is the eccentric phase of motion (muscle lengthening phase)
• The second number is the time spent in the most stretched position of the movement (e.g., bottom of bicep curl, top of lat pulldown)
• The third number, the concentric, is the shortening of the muscle as it contracts (lifting the load).
• The fourth number is the time spent in the most shortened position of the movement e.g. top of leg extension, bottom of tricep pushdown
• Do NOT ignore tempo’s that are written in your programme. They are pivotal to achieving the desired stimulus or goal for the training phase.
PART II. UNDERSTANDING EXERCISE PAIRING
Letters & Numbers:
The labelling system used in our programmes determines the sequence in which exercises should be performed. In your programme, you will notice a combination of letters and numbers on the left hand column next to each exercise. These letters indicate an exercise group…
Individual Letters:
Exercises with a standalone letter (e.g., A, B, C) are performed as a standalone exercise. For these exercises (straight sets), you will perform the prescribed number of reps at the intended tempo, and then rest the allocated time period. Repeat this process until all sets have been completed, before moving on to the next exercise in the session. In the first figure, you would first perform A (Treadmill Work) until completion. Then you would do the same for B (Glute Medius Cable Kickback), and then C (Back Squat).
Exercises with the same letter:
Exercises with a shared letter are performed in a sequential manner until all sets have been completed. For example, D1 (KAS Barbell Glute Bridge) & D2 (Hip Thrust) would be performed as a group in a sequential manner. You would first perform the prescribed reps in D1 before then moving down to the next exercise in the group (D2). Once you reach the end of a group, you will go back to the first listed exercise in the grouping and repeat this process until all sets have been completed.
Rest Periods Matter!
Pay attention to the rest periods of each exercise. The rest periods within a group can significantly influence the resulting stimulus. For example, if there are three exercises in a group (e.g., F1, F2, F3), performing them one after another (only resting after F3) will result in a totally different stimulus compared with resting 60 seconds between each exercise. Ensure that you pay attention to not only the rest periods on straight sets (exercises that are performed alone), but also exercises with a shared letter (e.g., supersets, trisets etc.)
PART III. UNDERSTANDING PERCEIVED INTENSITY
Reps in Reserve (RIR).
RIR refers to the number of additional repetitions an individual believes they could perform at the end of a set before reaching technical failure. This is referred to as the number of “reps in reserve” which indicates an individual’s proximity to failure for a given set.
Example:
If an athlete completes 8 repetitions of a hack squat and feels they could have performed 1 more rep before failing, their RIR for that set is 1.
0RIR = 0 reps in reserve (technical failure)
1RIR = 1 rep in reserve (1 rep “left in the tank” before technical failure)
2RIR = 2 reps in reserve (2 reps “left in the tank” before technical failure)
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is a subjective scale that rates the intensity of exercise. In resistance training, the scale typically ranges from 1 to 10, with higher numbers indicating higher intensity levels (and closer proximity to failure).
RPE Scale Interpretation:
RPE 10: Maximum effort; cannot perform any more reps
RPE 9: Very intense effort; could perform 1 more rep
RPE 8: Intense effort; could perform one to two more reps
RPE 7: Could likely perform two to three more reps
(and so on.)
% of One Rep Maximum (%1RM).
% of One Rep Maximum (%1RM) represents the weight lifted as a percentage of the maximum weight an individual can lift for one repetition. Using %1RM allows for precise and objective training prescriptions, essential for periodized training plans - specifically in Neurological (Neuro) based training phases.
Example:
If an athlete's 1RM for a trap bar deadlift is 200kg, a prescription of 3 sets x 5 reps @70% 1RM would involve the athlete performing that set at 140kg.
