Strength Training - Circuits and Power Production

To quickly define some of the goals of my athletes I would first of all start with Maximal Strength levels. Our goal is power production. This is done through further recruitment of the available muscle fibers. We do this by using higher velocity lifts with large ranges of motion, namely the Olympic lifts. For all of my athletes we work from Power Cleans early in the year to Snatches and single support motions later in the year. In the later stages of the year we include ballistic lifts. To be clear at no time we do completely avoid Maximal Strength or  Ballistic lifts.

Our emphasis during the year changes. At all times we include each of the aforementioned exercises but with differing levels of emphasis. The transition between these exercises are referred to as bleeding or blending. Our maximal strength  levels are emphasized during our summer which then bleeds into olympic lifts which bleeds into single support and ballistic lift emphasis later in the year. At all times we want to progress each aspect of strength training.

I don't believe that you can just do maximal lifts, then Olympic then ballistic. They have to each be taught all year long. Progression is sought in each area but at different levels throughout the year.  Of course each type of lifting has a differing effect on the training that is performed during the year outside of the weight room. I don't want my athletes exhausted late in the competition phase because of high intensity Maximal Strength exercises. Instead my goals in and out of the weight room determine the emphasis in and out of the weight room both in intensity and volume. Depending on the time of year each coach has to determine what the proper volume/intensity ratio is for their athletes.

Circuits

At all times during the year we perform circuits. These foster the production of testosterone which provides endocrine support during the recovery  phase of each week and cycle. At the same time the intensity and volume of these circuits provide to enhance the fitness levels of my athletes. I can't have my throwers performing volume 200m workouts throughout the year. They just wouldn't be able to handle the work and it wouldn't be specific to the secondary goals that they have outside of the weight room.