Training intensity

There is a time for low intensity workouts, such as when the lifter is learning the lifts, or when recovering from an injury. Other than that, the only time progress is made is when the intensity is high. The Bulgarian training method is very high in intensity and volume. Not everyone is able to handle as much as this method calls for. The burn-out rate must be rather high. Of course, this level of training must be achieved gradually. It can take years for the athlete to condition himself to be able to not just survive this program, but actually make progress on it. There are up to nine training sessions per day with each session lasting an average of 45 minutes. That is almost seven hours of actual training! This schedule is followed four days per week. The other two days are a little shorter with seven sessions for a total of more than four hours. This method of working out was radically different from the standard way of doing things. As the Bulgarians refined their system, they dropped most assistance exercises. They work only on the contest lifts, front squats and back squats. There are no power snatches, power cleans, high pulls or partial lifts. Intensity in all sessions is extremely high. Only single and double reps are preformed. Most sessions include lifts that are 100% of maximum. Lifters of this caliber often have training lifts that exceed their best contest lifts. Maybe that's why it looks so easy when you see a champion lifter on the platform! The idea behind this type of training is that the muscles "learn" to lift heavier and heavier weights. The muscles are specializing. This "education" process works best if if there are no assistance exercises to dilute the learning process. The same thing holds true if limit weights are not lifted often enough; the muscles won't learn. A downside to such high intensity is the increased risk of injuries. Like I said at the beginning of this article, the burn-out rate is probably rather high. Only cream of the crop athletes are able to continue to make progress on this type of workout for a long period of time.