Re: Bulgarian Training

[Guest guest]

<<<I've read a lot about the Bulgarian system of weightlifting lately

and was wondering how those guys make such terrific progress when

they do max lifts all day long.>>>

***Could you possibly provide a link(s) to the information you have

read or post extracts?

<<Don't these guys need to recuperate from their training?>>

***Adadjiev advocated a 3-1 approach; 3 weeks of heavy loading

followed by an unloading week of lower volume and intensity.

Regarding maximal or near maximal attempts he has commented

(translator):

" " Animals don't have micro or mesocycles. They don't have

performance of 80% or 90% only for 100% all of the time. The way

that animal's prey whatever they do they do it best at 100% this is

the way they survive. " "

Bear in mind one has to distinguish the difference between CFm

(competitive maximum sometimes referred to as `emotional maximum')

and TFm (training maximum). The Soviets use(d) CFm in their plans

while the Bulgarians preferred using TFm.

However, I believe later in Abadjiev's career he encouraged fairly

frequent training under competitive conditions.

Here is additional information which you may have come accross. It

has been posted on the list previously:

The Preparation of International Class Weightlifters

Ivan Abadjiev

Bulgaria

The continuously increasing athletic achievements require quicker and

quicker rates of development of the necessary motor qualities. These

requirements, for their part, will stimulate a constant perfecting of

the means and methods of preparation.

Now, as before, the average top competitive lifetime in the sport of

weightlifting is 15 years. The peaks are reached after 5-6 years, and

the beginning of the waning is after the 9th-10th year. The Soviet

competitor, V Stogov and his first rival, Vinci, in the above

mentioned time frame, in the age interval 20-30 years, achieved the

following results in both classical movements: 105, 135 kg, and our

competitor, Naim Suleimanov in 5 years, at 15-years of age, has

already achieved 125 and 160 kg. It is evident that the latter has

developed very efficiently and is developing faster than most other

lifters.

Basic Principles underlying Bulgarian Weightlifting Methods

In his research, the Soviet scientist F.Mirson found out that the

functions of the living cell interact with its genetical apparatus to

provoke the relevant structural changes necessary for the enhancing

greater functional capabilities. Already, in his time, I.P. Pavlov

had discovered that after the breakdown of ‘overnormal’ albumin

quantities in the human body an intensive synthesis of new albumins

is provoked in additional quantities, as a consequence of which

tissue mass and overall bodymass is increased.

A Soviet team of scientists succeeded in extracting a special kind of

metabolite from the muscles of animals suffering from starvation and

where in their bodies a significant protein disintegration was taking

place. This active metabolite was extracted, processed into drug

form, injected in animals, and found to improve the assimilation and

to activate the synthesis of simple and compound proteins. The end

result after application of these active metabolites is an increase

in the muscle mass and weight of the stimulated animals. Such

metabolites are extracted also from animals after exhausting physical

activity.

The training process of the Bulgarian weightlifters is in conformity

with the above mentioned physiological regularities. Through

increasing the training loading the cell functions in the body are

also increased and at the same time the quantity of disintegrated

proteins is also increased. In this way, the continuously

disintegrating loadings in the cycles, periods, and stages of

preparation represent a stimulus for the changes in the bodies of the

training weightlifters, which are related to their force

possibilities.

The structural changes in the body and the increase of the muscle

mass are some of the agents for raising the force possibilities.

The other factor on which force and efficiency depend is long known

by the specialists, but for some reason it wasn't used adequately by

many athletic pedagogues.

Intramuscular Coordination

This problem is very well explained by Dr Zatsiorsky. Intramuscular

coordination is a process of coordinative action of the synergist and

antagonist muscles. When the synergists (working muscles) are

contracting, their antagonists must be optimally relaxed.

Intramuscular coordination is typical of people who have performed

repeatedly physical movements of a certain form, degree, character,

and effort. The more repetitions of certain motive actions, the

better the intramuscular coordination of the muscles and fibres

participating in the motor action.

The lower the qualification of the athlete, the smaller number of

repetitions of the characteristic for the competitive sport movements

he has done. Intramuscular coordination is connected with economizing

of the energy demands during an action in return for non-

counteraction by the antagonist muscle. In this way intramuscular

coordination is connected with the working capacity. The better the

intramuscular coordination, the higher the working capacity. This

could explain the fact that 15-year old Naim Suleymanov, weighing 56

kg, can lift 160 kg, while some 25-30 year old lifters who are

weighing 120-130 kg can only lift 100 kg. In this case the

weightlifters' muscle mass is much bigger, but their intramuscular

coordination is different from that of Suleymanov. That is why they

perform the movements heavily with the bar, making great energy

demands, but with low efficiency.

Bearing in mind the importance of the positive changes in the body as

a result of raising its function and the role of intramuscular

coordination for the increase in its efficiency, we have devised

training programmes in accordance with the above mentioned

requirements for the Bulgarian weightlifters.

MONDAY:

9.00 - 9.30 Front squat

9.30 - 10.00 Break

10.00 - 11.00 Snatch

11.00 - 11.30 Break

11.30 - 12.30 Jerk

12.30 - 13.00 Front squat

16.30 - 17.30 Jerk

17.30 - 18.00 Break

18.00 - 19.00 Snatch

19.00 - 19.30 Front squat

19.30 - 20.00 Snatch pulls each 5 times repetitions and jerk pulls 5

x 3

TUESDAY.

9.00 - 9.30 Back squat

9.30 - 10.00 Break

10.00 -10.45 Power snatch

10.45 - 11.45 Break

11.45 - 12.00 Power jerk

12.00 - 12.30 Front squat

12.30 - 13.00 Both pulls /5 x 3 each/

WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY like MONDAY

THURSDAY and SATURDAY like TUESDAY

What are the characteristics of these training programmes?

Well, they assure a great volume of work, by which is assured powerful

functioning of the working organs, as well as the execution of a

large total number of repetitions.

When powerful functioning and high number of repetitions are

discussed, we must remark that these big quantities are focused

largely on the perfecting of sport technique. The more repetitions,

the more corrections are learned, and the greater the smoothing of

the movements. Technique is connected with corrections of the

movement's form and with intramuscular coordination. That

is why the large volume achieved by the Bulgarian lifters also

facilitates their technical perfection. Great athletic skill is

reached not only through applying great loads and performing big

numbers of repetitions. During a competition, together with warming

up, from 3 to 7 tons are lifted by the different categories. During

the continuous training sessions over 20 tons are lifted in one day.

So, from the above, it becomes clear that the changes in the body

depend only on the level of functioning and therefore during the

training sessions, where great tonnage is reached, more significant

physiological changements should be expected. Practically, this is

not obtained. The physiological changes are greater after

competitions, especially when they are responsible for the

lifting of 3 - 7 tons. After competition the athletes are more

exhausted, with more manifested psychopathy, with diminished working

capacity.

These facts show that during a competition other factors are also

acting, which are related to the athletic competitive abilities. In

our opinion, that is the factor which appears in putting the body

under rather difficult extreme conditions, called in our times the

stress factor. The stress factor is connected with emotional

excitement, agitation or fear, anger, aggressiveness. etc. It is

known that in the body of an animal or a human being put into an

unusual ambience of extreme conditions a series of physiological

reactions takes place, which represent a direction to conforming to

these conditions. In those reactions the important role is

played by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), with Cannon and

Ortelli being the first who studied and investigated the role of the

SNS and the reactions of individuals exposed to stressful conditions

in the laboratory.

According to the Bulgarian scientist, Prof. Sheytanov, the SNS acts

directly through the substance noradrenaline and through stimulating

the adrenaline secretion from the suprarenal gland. He was studying

the latter as a homologue of the postganglion neuron of the CNS and,

therefore, in such cases we can speak about excitation of the adrenal

or sympathic system. According to him, the normal level of adrenaline

in blood is approximately 0.5 nanograms per ml. In the conditions of

high stress this quantity may increase by up to 500 ml, i.e. to

increase up to 50 times. By means of hard physical work and other

stressing agents, not only cathecholamines are secreted, but

also a series of other biologically active substances. These

biologically active substances, including cathecholamines and

hormones, as we said before, participate in the adaptation of the

body to the demanding conditions.

They take part in different metabolites of tissue building and power

providing. E.A.Gromov. et al., and many other scientists have found

out in their research that, during a competition, the athlete's body

produces bigger quantities of biologically active substances. This is

explained by the fact that the small volume loads connected with

great efforts, accompanied by high arousal, cause more significant

physiological changes in the body of the athletes than continuous,

large volume loads which involve little effort or psychological

strain. Based on these circumstances, we identify the

competitive element in training as the main factor by which the

weightlifters' bodies will be exposed to unusually stressful

conditions. We are applying the competitive element in the training

process by means of a good arrangement of the training process and by

means of the assignments of the training plans.

Rivalry is the main power in the competitive behaviour of

weightlifters training. That is why we are directing our main efforts

towards forming the team with at least two competitors in every

category. It is no wonder why the USSR's weightlifters are developing

so fast. This is occurring because very often 5 to 6 athletes of the

highest world level are competing on the training and competition

platform. The World Federation was absolutely correct to organize a

World Cup Tournament which is carried out in different stages of the

year.

The arranging of regional tournaments, national, local tournaments,

individual, and other kinds of competition events undoubtedly put the

bodies of the competitors under difficult, extreme conditions, where

the stress training factor is acting. A while ago a series of

competitions was avoided in order to avoid disturbing the preparation

rhythm. Continuous and significant restorative periods were carried

out before every competition. This led to a diminishing of the total

loading quantity and delayed the development of athletic

achievements, which is one reason why massage and other restorative

means need to be used skillfully. The new principles in preparation

are connected with participation in various important competitions

without the use of restoration. Further, we included in the

training activity the conscious element, where every 15 days we

organized control training sessions under competition conditions and

surroundings, without referees and audiences.

From practice and the scientific approach it is proved that adaptive

reactions are stronger when the physical effort is exerted under

conditions of excitement or high arousal. Under conditions of

physical strain, the metabolism in the working organs of athletes is

significantly different.

From the above, it becomes clear that a new basic element in the

training process represents the motivational readiness. Prof.

F.Ghenov has drawn up the problems of the motivational readiness. It

is very important in what psychological strain the athletes will

enter the next training session with a positive or a negative mood,

with pessimism or optimism, with willingness to realize the planned

objectives, with fear or faith in future success. In our country more

and more preliminary undertakings are performed connected with

improving the motivating readiness. Much was written and spoken about

this problem and I dare to express here my own opinion towards it.

There are moments in which the athlete's mood is based on strong

factors of the daily routine. The mood is controlled to a big degree

by fatigue. During long time periods the competitors are training

under conditions of medium or strong fatigue. Under such and other

similar conditions without the intervention of another strong

contrary factor any creative motivating readiness could not be

created. Lately, motivating through hypnosis is spoken about, but

this is a very difficult and insecure method to apply. More effective

and easy to access as methods and means for positive psychological

influence are some harmless, allowed medicines.

Medicines in the Preparation of High Level Athletes.

With the increase of training loads, with the raising of the stress

moments in the training process, by control of the psychological

conditions before, during, after training and competition more and

more pharmacological means are used.

Before and during training sessions many drugs and supplements for

increasing the working capacity, the functions of the organs and

systems of the acting athletes achieve their anabolic effect. By

means of these substances, increasing the functions of the acting

organs they cause an extraordinary decomposing of albumins in the

cells of these organs and through the retroaction of their genetical

apparatus they cause synthesis of elevated quantities of new

albumins. The effect investigated by F.Mirson is obtained,

on the basis of which the muscle mass increases and this is in

relation to the increasing of force abilities. The means for

increasing the working ability are many-sided and they stimulate the

CNS. They act through improving the mediator mechanisms.

The so called adaptogens are used, which improve the conforming

possibilities of the body to the extreme conditions like heavy

trainings and competitive situa- tions. Restoring antecedents of a

series of necessary substracts, factors and cofactors for improvement

of the ferment and enzyme systems, vitamins, etc., antioxidants,

removing the products of fatigue. Cardiotonics and cardiorelaxants,

economizing the oxygen consumption.

Soporifics, sedatives, controlling the emotional processes. Hormones.

1 emphasize again that many of the quoted medicines are forbidden.

Here we are discussing only the allowed ones.

Dealing with drugs is a very complicated and important process. Here

competent medical persons must be attracted. This is because this

kind of effect can be negative if wrongly applied and dosaged and can

even be a risk for the athletes's health.

Here some of the problems were exposed, namely how to optimize the

coaching-training process, where some factors in the basis of modern

methods for preparation of high level competitors were disclosed.

In conclusion, it could be stated that the training process will

continue to develop in the direction of enabling athletes to increase

the stress factor in a qualitative as well as in a quantitative

sense. The quick and high-grade restoration of the body of the high

class athletes under extreme training conditions for enabling the

athlete to meet timeously the high demands of impending training, as

well as coaching, psychological, physical, pharmacological and other

means will be sought in the future.

-------------

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK