Training The Explosive Powerlifter

Guide to Enhancing The Preparation of Fast Twitch Powerlifters

We are not all made the same, we have different parents, varied genetics and as a result a varied fibre type.

Some lifters are born with higher proportions of fast twitch fibres which makes them inherently more explosive while others have to train for years to change their composition from slow to fast twitch to achieve their goals in the sport. Both lifters could end up with very similar totals regardless of composition as Powerlifting is not time dependant, you can keep grinding away until you complete the lift without breaking any rules.

These two types of lifter should not be trained in the same way though, fibre composition requires the balancing of intensity and volume to get the best outcome for each type of lifter.

The more fast twitch dominant lifter would require higher intensities and lower volumes of work, this is due to the fast fatiguing nature fast twitch fibres. This then leads to the need for longer recovery between sessions as outputs are higher and recovery rates are not as fast. The athlete with less fast twitch fibres can handle larger amounts of volume at moderate to high intensities and complete higher frequencies of training due to a higher recovery capacity, but the output of each repetition will be less.

So the question is, how do you know if somebody is fast twitch dominant?

Fibre Type Testing

There are a few ways that you can establish fibre type dominance, biopsies, medical tests and maximal exercise tests are a few of the broad categories they fit into.

Muscle biopsies are completely impractical for competitive lifters, taking a chunk of muscle out of your leg would not be very useful for training and competing. Tests such as tensiomyography (TMG) can be used effectively to establish fibre type, using electrical impulse to record the twitch response of the muscle, but again quite impractical for the average Powerlifter.

Two exercise based tests that may give an indication of fibre type are Isometric mid thigh pull (IMTP) and the Hatfield test, these are good, if not flawed tests to establish fibre type.

IMTP

By using force plates or a Remaker force transducer you can establish fibre type based on the speed at which you can produce force. The faster the speed to peak force the higher likelihood you have a high proportion of fast twitch fibres. This could be labelled as Rate of Force Development (RFD)

Hatfield Test

This test requires the lifter to perform daily max on Squat, Bench Press or Deadlift, rest for 15 mins then perform an AMRAP set at 80% of that days 1RM. The point at which failure is achieved will determine the fibre type.

• Under 7 reps; Fast twitch dominant

• 7-8 reps; Mixed fibre type

• 8 or above; Slow twitch dominant

Both tests have limitations but they do provide some additional information which can inform the programming. The IMTP test is sensitive but RFD is a trained quality and not just dependant on fibre type, the more highly trained the athlete then you possibly won’t see the differences in types.

The Hatfield test shows a moderate correlation to fibre type so not completely bullet proof, but both tests give insight into the lifters profile.

The Coaches Eye

Alongside the objective tests you also have your coaching skills to draw on, if you have watched enough lifting you will have an internal gauge of explosive lifting or not.

Lifters who move the bar extremely fast concentrically will have high levels of fast twitch fibres compared to their competitors, that speed will also reduce very quickly through the working sets as fatigue sets in, you can see it as a coach or experienced lifter.

You can also monitor recovery rates, are the lifters able to produce slightly better results session to session (as designed by the periodised plan) or do they fall off a cliff and really struggle to produce big outputs again within the time frame allotted between sessions?

How To Train Fast Twitch Lifters

As we’ve established the fibre type, the next job is to create some guidelines for training, this is mostly geared around recovery.

The more explosive you are the more impact the training will have on your recovery. The research on this topic extends back into the 1970’s and 1980’s with studies looking into the optimal training intensity and dose for olympic lifters. Those lifters who exhibited a higher twitch response (fast twitch) responded better to lower volumes of training but higher average intensities. This philosophy is also repeated in some recent eccentric hamstring training protocols, with high intensity exercise showing prolonged recovery time needed for more fast twitch athletes.

The reasons are numerous

• Fast twitch fibres produce much higher outputs

• They are more greatly affected by eccentric contractions

• Fast twitch fibres fatigue faster

As a result the training would have to be optimised

• Lower overall volumes of sets regardless of intensity

• Lower frequency of lifting across the training week

• Larger polarisation of training to remove the highest fatiguing activities that provide the lowest value (80% plus lifting for higher rep ranges)

Technical Models For Explosive Lifters

Reduction in load is one part of the management, the second part is the lifting techniques and styles used.

The deadlift illustrates this point really well, in my opinion the body finds its own way to auto-regulate and perform any skill in a way that works for it. Lifters with higher fast twitch distribution can and will attack their deadlifts from the floor, they are able to ‘turn on’ there strength and produce force really quickly. GB International Powerlifter Ben Pape comes to mind as a lifter who can descend to the bar and move it really quickly with little setup. The lifter who would be less explosive would spend longer setting up and the technical expertise becomes of greater importance.

If you truly are fast twitch dominant you may only have 10s before the muscle begins to rapidly fatigue. So you should try to employ a more dynamic approach to lifting, faster descent on squats, possibly a slightly narrower hand position on the bench press and a dynamic approach to setting up and attacking the deadlift.

The Weekly Schedule

As mentioned earlier in the newsletter, the training plan for each week would need consideration. If you follow a high frequency template you may find that increasing the number of day between the targeted lifts would increase output and results.

This can be done a number of different ways, you can adopt a high-low approach to training and complete high intensity days (85%+ / RPE9) followed by low intensity days (70% / RPE7), or you could adopt a lower and upper split to the week. You could also look at undulating the loads to accommodate the reduced recovery rates, if we take squat for example you could go Monday - Heavy, Wednesday - Light/Moderate, Friday - Heavy.

Ultimately you will have to perform some trial and error to find the perfect balance and it could all change as you develop and age as a lifter.

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