Last fall I was commissioned to write “Performance Optimization with Periodization” for the Danish Federation of Sport.

“Performance Optimization with Periodization” is going to be a 100+ page book to be used in the education of coaches within the Danish Sport System.

I am currently investing most of my writing time in “Performance Optimization with Periodization” and thus, the blog posts in April are a break from “Beyond Functional Training.”

Chapter 3 is titled “Essential Characteristics of Periodization Systems.”

The periodization systems that I analyze and review include linear periodization, reverse linear periodization, conjugate periodization and block periodization.

The review includes a description of the system, what the system is good for, strength and weakness compared to the other systems.

Research studies are constantly showing conflicting results.

Linear periodization is best. No, non-linear periodization is best. Why? The reason for the conflicting results is caused by differences in the subjects participating in the studies (for example, trained vs. untrained) as well as the design of the study (for example, how variation is applied to the training program).

I predict that the contradictions will persist and the scientists will keep stating that “more research is needed.”

Meanwhile, strength coaches and personal trainers need to create training programs.

Here is the good news: While the studies disagree on which system is best, the EFFECTIVE FEATURES of the different systems, for example, variation, stand out pretty clearly.

For this reason, I encourage you to forget about the systems and focus on capitalizing on the effective features of each system in a flexible way. (This is exactly how The Flexible Periodization Method works).
While I can’t share the whole chapter, I will share on a daily basis, what I find during the research and writing process.

Are you interested in my daily updates? (check back daily to see my added comments below or follow the yestostrength page on Facebook.

To Your Success,

Karsten

PS: The Flexible Periodization Method is a system of systems, rather than one specific way of training. Therefore, there will never be a scientific study on The Flexible Periodization Method.

In the pursuit of world class strength, power, speed or endurance we can afford to leave no potentially beneficially training method on the table.

The best strength coaches and personal trainers embrace the whole spectrum of training methods from extremely simple, no equipment methods, like bodyweight exercises on the floor, to high tech measurement tools like myotest (www.myotest.com).

This blog is about one of the simplest, yet most effective training methods there is, (new) bodyweight exercises on the floor.

When I teach potential personal trainers, I always say that regardless of their background (for some students personal training is their second career) and their personality, there is at least some part of the personal training process where their strength’s come in to play.

The structured, linear thinking, right brain, accountant type will love the planning process, scheduling out percentages and logging progress. The more left brain, artist type will love the process of creating NEW exercises, as the need comes up. (And of course, to reach your full potential, you must be able to swiftly and easily shift between using either the left or the right brain).

As is the case with kids, sometimes the best thing that can happen to our creativity is to have little or no equipment available. You know the saying that “If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” The creative person does not think like that. The creative person thinks: “If all I have is a hammer, I will find new and not-thought-of-before ways to use this hammer!”

Since the start of my career in 1993 I have worked with athletes from 20 different sports ranging from figure skating, triathlon to wrestling; serious amateur to world class and Olympic  level; and 14 to 55 years of age. I have always experimented intensely with new exercises, often in the gym, but lately also on our living room floor during breaks, when I work from my home office.

Regarding body weight exercises on the floor, some of the key parameters to experiment with include:

• Which body parts touch the floor?
• How many body parts touch the floor? (2, 3 or 4)
• What is the distance between the body parts that touch the floor?

The way to be creative with body weight exercises is to pick one exercise and perform a variation that you already know ( this is when the fun begins)

• Within the framework of the original exercise, try and support yourself on different body parts.
• Within the framework of the original exercise, change the number of body parts that touch the floor.
• Within the framework of the original exercise, change the distance between the body parts that touch the floor.

I would love to hear your results or questions of your experimentation!

Next week, you can read Part 2 of our exploration of 7 SPECIFIC, SIMPLE, HARD EXERCISES on the floor. All these exercise have essentially emerged through experimentation with the three parameters above.

Leave a comment.

Dedicated To Our Success,

Karsten
MSc., Strength Coach, CPTN-CPTN.M,
Author, Lecturer, Founder of Yes To Strength

Dear Strength Coach or Personal Trainer,

This week’s blog is a continuation of last week’s blog: What I learned from The A Team (Part 1).

Here is part 2.

#3: The plans used by the A-team utilize the environment and both very simple and high tech equipment.

With my TRX and my grip4orce grips I got a great workout in my father-in-law’s driveway and on his patio overlooking the Caribbean Sea on a recent visit. But I can also use a myotest to give an athlete specific feedback during plyometric training (as described in The Flexible Periodization Method.

If you have the chance, make a program for an athlete or client who does not have access to equipment and challenge yourself to make the best program possible. Also, think about what piece of (high tech) equipment that you don’t currently have that could make your training programs even more effective.

#4: The plans used by the A-team require perfect timing, cooperation and trust between the team members.

Personally, my expertise area is TRAINING, but I know that some of you may master both training and rehab or training and nutrition. However, in many cases, our athletes or clients may, at some point in time, need help from at least two different professionals (and their sport coach, if they are athletes).

Those different professionals may have different levels of training (shorter certificate vs. Masters or PhD) and they (we) definitely have different perspectives on the training process. With The Flexible Periodization Method, all training interventions are reverse engineered based on the desired outcome as stated by the athlete or client. With this process, the outcome becomes more important than each professional or any type of training (I am not interested in having athletes spend 4 hours per week in the gym to build impressive squat numbers, if they only need one to stay injury free).

What’s the best, simplest program that you have ever created?

What piece of high tech equipment are we, as strength coaches and personal trainers, not using enough?

Dedicated To Your Success,

Karsten, MSc., Strength Coach.