2015 training layout

One of the things that worked really well for me last year was dividing the training calendar in big blocks of 2-3 months in which to focus on different aspects of training. That kept it fresh, avoided stagnation and plateaus (the most dreaded word) and probably helped prevent overuse injuries. Done judiciously, the qualities that are emphasized in each block can be harnessed in the next to further improve the next set of qualities. The novelty I plan introducing this year is allowing for some competition, just for fun. That forces me to extend a bit the first cycle over what I would have chosen, but I hope in the end it pays off. So without more ado, this is how the main blocks will mostly look like (I may make minor adjustments based on feeling and on the exact competition calendar of each discipline):

Jan-Mar: Powerlifting I

Apr-Jun: Shot Put

Jul-Sep: Weightlifting

Oct-Dec: Powerlifting II

• Powerlifting I: no surprises here, I'll just keep on doing what has worked pretty well for the past two months. Training every other day (so the duration of each microcycle is about 8 days, as I always have some day in which I can not train due to unexpected commitments, they tend to be 9 days long) One day around each of the competition powerlifts and a fourth day of active recovery doing Olympic lifts with moderate weights. For each of the power lift centered day I go first to a daily max, then do some back off sets at 75%, 85% or 95% of my training max (depending on the mesocycle) of 5 reps, 3 reps or singles. I finish the session with some accessory work to round off the frequencies (so I squat everyday, pull almost every day, and push almost everyday):

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Low Bar Back Squat to (daily) max	Bench Press to (daily) max	Deadlift (conventional stance) to (daily) max	Full Snatch (5 x 2 @ 80% or To daily max)
Low Bar Back Squat  AMRAP set (@75%, 85% or 90%) 4 x 5 @ 75% or 4 x 3 @ 85% or 5 x 1 @ 95%	Bench Press  AMRAP set (@75%, 85% or 90%) 4 x 5 @ 75% or 4 x 3 @ 85% or 5 x 1 @ 95%	Conventional DL  AMRAP set (@75%, 85% or 90%) Sumo DL 2 x 5 @ 75% or 2 x 3 @ 85% or Conventional DL 4 x 1 @ 95%	Full Clean & Jerk (4 x 2 @ 80% or To daily max)
Push press 4 x 5 @ 80%	High Bar Back Squat (4 x 5 @ 80% of weight used in back off sets of prev day)	Front Squat (4 x 5 @ 80% of weight used in HBBS sets of prev day)	Paused High Bar Back Squat (4 x 5 @ same weight used in Day 2)
Chin ups 5 x 6	Power Clean 4 x 2 @ 80%	Power Snatch 5 x 2 @ 80%	weighted dips (5 x 4 @ 1,5 BW)

• Shot Put: I'll shift to a routine where I Put twice a week in the park (plus some outdoor accessories oriented to speed gains) and lift twice a week in the weight room. Lifting days will be centered in explosive lifts (both Oly and their power versions), plus squats to become stronger overall. Bench Press stays, but changes from powerlifting style (big back arch plus pause) to thrower style (touch and go, and I may even put the feet up in the bench to engage more of the upper pecs and delts). DL goes not to be seen again for a long time:

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Backwards overhead throw 5 x 6,25	Full Snatch 6 x 2 @ 90%	Backwards overhead throw 4 x 7,25	Power Snatch 5 x 3 @ 110%
Standing shot put 5 x 6,25	Power Clean 5 x 2 @ 90%	Standing shot put 4 x 7,25	Full Clean & Jerk 4 x 2 @ 85%
Gliding shot put 15 x 6,25	BTN SG Push Press 5 x 2 @ 90%	Gliding shot put 15 x 7,25	Bench Press 5 x 3 @ 90%
Hill Sprints 9 x 30 m	High Bar Back Squat 5 x 3 @ 80%	Spinning shot put a few, just for funsies	Front Squat 6 x 2 @ 90%
Box jumps 4 x 3 @ 45 cm	Chin ups 5 x 7	Broad jumps 5 x 3 as far as possible	Farmer's walk 6 x 30 yds x 50 kg/ hand

• Weightlifting: I may leave one day outdoors just to stay fast and well conditioned (and to enjoy Madrid wonderful summer weather, which, being hot as hell, will force me to train either early in the morning or late at night), and lift 3 to 4 days a week (the fourth day being optional, depending on how rested and energetic I feel). Lifting days will be, obviously, centered mostly around the snatch and the clean & jerk, with some accessories to work around technique flaws and polish troublesome transitions, plus high bar back squats and front squats to keep the overall strength level moving upwards. Bench Press goes the way of the Deadlift, not to be seen in a while:

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5 (optional)
Snatch to daily max	Snatch 6 x 2 @ 80%	Backwards overhead throw 4 x 7,25	Power Snatch 5 x 3 @ 110%	Snatch Balance pyramid to a solid triple
Snatch High Pull 4 x 3 @ 110%	Clean & Jerk to daily max	Standing shot put 4 x 7,25	Power Clean 4 x 2 @ 95%	Jerks from rack (alt feet) 4 x 6 @ 65%
Hang Cleans 4 x 3 @ 70%	BTN SG Push Press 5 x 2 @ 90%	Gliding shot put 15 x 7,25	Push Press 5 x 3 @ 80%	Press from snatch 4 x 3 @ 40%
Clean & Jerk 5 x 2 @ 80%	High Bar Back Squat 5 x 6 @ 80% of prev day	Hill Sprints 10 x 30 m	Front Squat 6 x 2 @ 90%	Weighted chinups 5 x 3 @ 1,3 BW
Low Bar Back Squat 5 x 3 @ 85%	Chin ups 5 x 7	Broad jumps 5 x 3 as far as possible	Farmer's walk 6 x 30 yds x 60 kg/ hand

• Powerlifting II: right now I'm thinking in a rinse & repeat of the first cycle, although I may put more volume at lower intensities at the beginning not to burn out too much the CNS. I'll define it when it gets closer, based on how the end of my current cycle looks like and how I arrive at that point