After reading the WSJ article about the Bulgarian method yesterday, I remembered that I had read something about it in the “Science and Practice of Strength Training” by Vladimir Zatsiorsky.
Here is the excerpt:
Bulgarian athletes have several workouts a day with a total duration of up to 6 h (see table 5.1). To the best of our knowledge, the weightlifters from Greece and Turkey who were successful at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games train similarly. The exercise sessions are limited to 60-min, or even 45-min, periods. Two sessions in the morning and two in the afternoon are seperated by 30-min rest intervals. The underlying assumption is that the elevated blood testosterone level can be maintained for 45 to 60 min only and that a 30-min rest is needed to restore the testosterone level. (This assumption is not proven; the precise nature of the elevated testosterone level during a strength workout is not well understood. In general, the elevation may be induced either by increased testosterone production or by a decreased amount of testosterone acceptors in muscles or other tissues.) During the 30-min intervals the athletes may choose to lie down and listen to music. To avoid cooldown, they are warmely dressed; their relaxed legs are slightly raised, supported by a small bench.
| Table 5.1 Everyday training Schedule of the Bulgarian Olympic Weightlifting Team | ||
| Time | Mon, Wed, Fri | Tue, Thurs,Sat |
| 9:00-10:00 | Snatch | Snatch |
| 10:00-10:30 | Rest | Rest |
| 10:30-11:30 | Clean and Jerk | Clean and Jerk |
| 11:30-12:30 | Exercise | Exercise |
| 12:30-1:00 | Rest | Exercise |
| 1:00-5:00 | Rest | Rest |
| 5:00-5:30 | Exercise | Exercise |
| 5:30-6:00 | Exercise | Rest |
| 6:00-6:30 | Rest | Exercise |
| 6:30-8:30 | Exercise | Rest |
| Total exercise time | 6 h | 4.5 h |
What an intense training schedule !
For more in depth information, here are some links I found very interesting.
Ivan Abadjiev and the Bulgarian Weightlifting System by David Woodhouse
