Soviet Style Programming

Notes from Roman's Training the Weightlifter, with bits from Takano's Weightlifting Programming
Class system explained here

Yearly volumes (all volumes are number of lifts)

• Beginners: 10,000
• Low-class: 12,000
• Qualified: 15,000
• MastSport: 18,000
• MSIC : Slightly less

Intensity (% of biathlon total, average weight across all movements)

• Light classes : 36-41% (38.5% av)
• Middle classes: 35-40%
• Heavy classes : 34-39% (36.5% av)

Monthly volumes

• Beginners:
• ~1/3 load devoted to classic sn/cj
• Mostly sn/cj/squat and some bench
• Low class:
• ~1/4 load to classic sn/cj
• Replace bench with Sn grip BTN press
• Class I:
• Include sn/cl pull, standing and lying bend overs
• All types of pressing exercises
• ~1/5 total loading classic sn/cj

Percentages of monthly volumes for each exercise group:

	Class III – II		Class I – CMS		MS
	Prep	Comp	Prep	Comp	Prep	Comp
Snatch	10%	10%	9%	9%	8%	8%
Other snatch exercises	10%	10%	11%	12%	12%	13%
Clean	7.5%	7.5%	6%	6%	5%	5%
Other clean exercises	9.5%	9.5%	9%	9%	8%	8%
Jerk	7.5%	7.5%	7%	7%	6%	6%
Other jerk exercises	3.5%	3.5%	5%	6%	7%	8%
Front and Back squats	27%	27%	23%	23%	20%	20%
Other squats	15%	15%
Snatch pulls			7%	5%	8.5%	5%
Clean pulls			5%	6%	10%	12%
Pressing exercises	10%	10%
Fundamental exercises			18%	17%	15.5%	15%
Monthly volume	1,250	900	1,650	1,200	2,100	1,500

Competitions

• The athlete should take part in 5 or more large-scale competitions a year.

Monthly loading:

	Preparatory	Comptition
Beginner	1,100-1,300	900-1,000
Low class	1,000-1,500	750-1,050
Qualified	1,300-2,000	950-1,450
MS	1,500-2,700	1,100-1,900
MSIC	MS-200	MS-150

Random note

• Power sn/cj should be ~87-90% full lift
• If higher, need more technical work
• Lower, need more strength

Distribution of volume
By month (as % of monthly volume)
(variations from most to least commonly used)

Variation	Week
	1	2	3	4
	Preparatory period
4-2	21	28	17	34
3-1	27	18	32	23
2	20	35	27	18
1-3	32	19	27	22
2-4	22	33	18	27
2	23	32	26	19
1	31	27	23	19
	Competition period
1	36	28	24	12
3-1	29	25	35	11
2	28	33	26	13
1-3	32	26	29	13

By week
o S: Small, 50 lifts
o M: Moderate, 51-100 lifts
o L: Large, >100 lifts

3/week	4/week	5/week	6/week
S L S	S L MS	MSL MS	SMSMSM
M L M	L M LM	MSL MM	MSLSMS
L S L	L M LS	SLS LS	MLSMSM
L M L	L S LS	LSM ML	MMSMSM
	S M MS	MSM MS	MSLSMM
	M L MS		SLSLSM

Distribution of intensity

Class I	50-59%	60-69%	70-79%	80-89%	90-99%	100-109%	110.00%	Yearly Average
Snatch		7%	56%	28%	8%	1%		75%
Clean & Jerk		4%	45%	39%	11%	1%		77%
Snatch Pull				24%	33%	39%	4%	92%
Clean Pull			17%	34%	26%	19%	4%	84%
Squats	14%	27%	21%	35%	3%			70%
Fundamental Exercises	3%	11%	31%	31%	16%	7%	1%	78%
CMS	50-59%	60-69%	70-79%	80-89%	90-99%	100-109%	110.00%	Yearly Average
Snatch		10%	61%	25%	4%			72%
Clean & Jerk		9%	53%	33%	5%			74%
Snatch Pull				31%	32%	31%	6%	91%
Clean Pull			23%	36%	23%	13%	5%	84%
Squats	22%	28%	25%	22%	3%			68%
Fundamental Exercises	4%	13%	39%	25%	10%	8%	1%	79%
MS-MSIC	50-59%	60-69%	70-79%	80-89%	90-99%	100-109%	110.00%	Yearly Average
Snatch		16%	63%	19%	2%			71%
Clean & Jerk		11%	55%	31%	3%			73%
Snatch Pull				25%	37%	32%	6%	91%
Clean Pull			20%	38%	24%	13%	5%	84%
Squats	22%	30%	25%	20%	2%			66%
Fundamental Exercises	4%	13%	39%	25%	10%	8%	1%	79%

Fundamental Exercises do not include good mornings or presses


High intensity lifts before competition

• Snatch
• 90-92.5% from 5-9 days
• 95-97% from 6-12 days
• 100+% from 7-15 days
• Clean and jerk
• 90-92.5% from 5-13 days
• 95-97% from 7-15 days
• 100+% from 9-18 days

Example: Planning training for a qualified athlete

• 3 prep cycles; 1350, 1500, 1650 lifts
• 2 comp cycles; 1200, 1000 lifts
• List of competitions:
• End of 4th month, most important
• End of 5th month, 2nd most important
• End of 3rd week of 2nd month, no preparation
• Middle of 2nd week in 3rd month, no preparation

• Volume by macrocycle:
• Preparatory 1:
• Variation: 4-2
• 324, 351, 297, 478
• Preparatory 2:
• Variation: 2-4
• 330, 495, 270, 405
• Preparatory 3:
• Variation: 3-1
• 446, 297, 528, 397
• Competition 1:
• Variation: 2
• 336, 396, 312, 156
• Competition 2:
• Variation: 2
• 324, 351, 297, 478
• Now volume divided between each group of lifts and into groups of intensities
• Each week is planned out according to structures above, 5-6 training days a week
• Once daily volumes planned individual workouts are designed, aiming for minimal deviation of volumes from planned
• Lifts per movement group can be modified from the standard values depending on the athlete's individual weaknesses.

Example 2: Soviet-style program for a CMS athlete 
from Takano's Weightlifting Programming