Day 4......this week is going far too fast! JC picks us up from the hotel and we head to IHP, with some Santana (the guitarist) music in the background on the CD player.

The first lecture was taken by JC, this was probably the best so far...not quite sure how they keep getting better and better but they do! We learnt about programme design and the stages required to optimise performance. With this we learnt how to adapt this to help clientele with limited time or specific individual needs.

We discussed the volumes and frequency required to train each sub section of a programme in a progressive manor. We later focused on power; this can be a combination of force and speed or amount of work done in a specific amount of time. JC shared with us some of his latest findings from the training floor about how to improve power and how to measure increases in power just using a stop watch to record time. This kind of information is not in any books, journals or any publications at present, so it is great to get our hands on this to give our clients the benefit as early as possible.

JC presented us with a very clear and easy to follow template for programme design that takes all the element of risk of leaving a particular movement pattern out of a training programme away. We then talked about the transfer from training room to outside world. JC then discussed his opinions on the need to not over emphasise the increase in absolute strength but more to develop strength you can use. For example, on a rugby field it’s unlikely that you will need to pick up more than 200Kg, so there is no need to keep striving to improve this 200kg figure, why not strive to improve your ability to pick someone up and throw them backwards. This is where the functional exercises give you the edge, transferring absolute strength into something you can use in whatever situation it may be. He is not saying that you don’t need to be absolutely strong to perform well, but when you get to this level, perhaps it’s more beneficial to work on transferring this into a powerful specific movement, rather than worrying whether you can lift 5Lb’s more!

JC also shared his views on the over training culturisation that surrounds swimming and endurance sports.  He proposed that most endurance athletes train too much because they believe that because this is how it was done before, and internationally, this is how they do it in my country so this is how I must train! We need to replace high quantity with high quality. Ultimately it’s not the person who trains the most that wins; it’s the person whose training is most effective that will win!

A practical illustration of this is a swimmer who does a 30 length warm up and swims 10 x 100m and 5 x 150m sprints. If the swimmers event is 50m, then why not train at the pace you want to achieve but for shorter distances, so you know how it feels to go at that pace not at sub maximal paces over distances that aren’t even applicable to your sport.

Right that’s it for me.....tomorrow is the last day...lectures and practical in the morning, then the Functional Training Specialist exam and then a workout with JC to finish me off.

Catch you tomorrow

Matt

Wednesday started early with an observation of Conan Silveira, ( the owner of the American Top Team workout. This was another chance to see the triplexes (combination of 3 exercises) in action, with a strength emphasis. He was doing a heavy exercise, followed by a cable/band exercise then followed with a Stability ball exercise. All of these exercises were specific to the movements performed in MMA.

The first lecture of the day was with Griff Fig, IHP’s most senior trainer. Griff discussed the need for rotation exercises for the improvement of speed. This was illustrated with a video analysis of a top Olympic sprinter. This rotation is a result of core strength from the ground up, so implications in terms of core exercise prescription need to be based around exercises that are performed in a standing position.

We then discussed various warm ups and how to integrate dynamic movements that are specific to the movements performed in the actual working sets. Griff then highlighted how traditional exercises can be paired with functional exercises to provide the performance related gains that every client is looking for.

The afternoon session was a practical with Cesar (another excellent IHP Trainer) and this was a chance for us to feel how a biplex (e.g. 2 exercises- one traditional paired with a functional exercise working opposite muscle groups) or a Triplex (e.g. Pushing exercise followed by a pulling and a core exercise) session would be for a client. I really like the triplex as it allows the fitness professional to create a great balance between  upper and lower body work and upper or lower body balance/core work.

I then finished off the day with a Legs dominated training session with Cesar, based around the biplex method. I concentrated on a heavy first exercise followed by a functional exercise for the back of the core, as my abs were on fire from Tuesday. Here’s how it looked!

1.       Barbell Squats                                                                   (3x12) (Heavy legs)

2.       Reverse Hyperextensions on Stability Ball                       (3 x 15) (Functional back)

1.       Dumbell Split Squat                                                         (3x10 each leg) (Heavy legs)

2.       Band Swimmers to Bicep Curl                                         (3 x 15) (Functional back)

1.       Barbell Deadlift                                                                 (3 x 10) (Heavy Legs)

2.       Band Step & Press                                                             (3 x 20) (Functional chest and front core)

Wednesday night was the IHP Mentorship social where the trainers, ‘mentorees’ and JC went out for the evening. This was a great chance to find out more about the diverse backgrounds and interests that all the trainers have, which is what makes IHP such a special place and is one of the reasons why IHP’s Training Systems are the best in the world, proven by results!

Speak soon

Matt

The first seminar of the day was a one where we discussed the biomechanics of the core musculature and the applied applications for a number of exercises and movement patterns. Carlos, explained also, the implications when we are trying to improve the performance of various movements for our clients.

Once we had finished this we had the privilege of being invited to watch the American Top Team training. For those of you who haven’t heard off the ATT, they are Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fight Championship professional fighters. We observed a conditioning session and talked with the fighters after the session, gaining a great insight into some different ways to condition and train for different movements.

Then we headed back to IHP and we discussed Body weight training circuits, both indoors and outdoors. Cesar, one of IHP’s top trainers discussed the design of top circuits for improving agility and body composition, which will be an invaluable reference tool for when we get back to the UK.

We finished the day with a brutal session of short but very intense sprints towing a 150lb tyre! Look out for pictures and videos soon!

Take care

Matt