The Russian system of training athletes has proven itself to be extremely successful even after the breakup of the former USSR. During the cold war years, Western media characterized the Soviets as cheaters who had good athletes mainly because they were paid, did nothing but play the sport, and were literally taken out of the cradle and made into good athletes. No one cared to look at the system of training that the Russians used to develop these athletes.
The information was available to everyone. It was disseminated in Soviet journals devoted to specific sports and written for coaches and athletes involved in the sport. The articles only needed translation. I know this for a fact because I received these journals and translated many of the articles. They were published in the Soviet Sports Review and later the Fitness and Sports Review International for use in the U.S. and other English speaking countries.
I continued doing translations of Russian technique and training articles for over 30 years because of the state-of-the-art material and cutting edge information that I received. Reading and incorporating this information expanded my knowledge and abilities immensely. For example, one of my main areas of specialization was biomechanics. I considered myself to be on a par with the other biomechanics specialists in the United States. However, as I began reading the Russian articles dealing with biomechanical analyses of sports technique, I quickly discovered that my knowledges were very meager. The Russians were far advanced in comparison to work and understanding found in the United States and other Western countries. I knew the theoretical knowledges but little of the practical application of the knowledge which is where the Soviets were experts. By reading their articles over and over for many years, I finally got a good grasp on technique analysis in various sports as well as how technique can be improved not only through technique changes but also through the application of specialized strength, flexibility and explosive exercises.
This was the core of the Soviet system of training athletes. They were capable of breaking down technique to its finest points to improve the performance of their athletes. They did not have the finesse and smoothness of American athletes at that time, mainly because they did not have the luxury of having hundreds and thousands of participants in selected sports. They literally had to choose good athletes and enhance their abilities greatly in the shortest amount of time. To do this, they focused on technique perfection and improvement of the athlete’s physical abilities as they related to the specific sports technique. The medical, psychological, tactical and other aspects of training were also included, mainly after technique and improvement of the physical abilities were addressed.
Russian researchers and coaches were involved in learning how to best improve physical abilities, such as strength, speed-strength, explosive strength, strength endurance, etc., and how they apply to different sports. Merely getting bigger and stronger was not the issue. Most important was how different forms of strength improved the athletes ultimate performance.
This included plyometrics, which was created by Yuri Verkhoshansky through his analysis of running and jumping technique in an aim to better train the athletes with skill-specific exercises. From the analyses done, it was found that athletes executed jumps in less than 0.15 seconds. A world class sprinter’s foot is in contact with the ground for all of 0.1 seconds. Half of this time, 0.5 seconds, is for the landing and 0.5 seconds is for the takeoff. With this background, he developed a method of training the muscles to react in a very short amount of time so that it would duplicate what the athlete must do in his sports competition or do to become even better.
This training method was one of the main reasons why the Soviets achieved so much success in the early days of their Olympic and world-wide competition. Other methods of training that were developed and systematized, are now becoming popular in the U.S., included periodization, speed-strength training and specificity of exercise training. These are discussed in greater detail in this book.
Attention was not focused only on development of elite athletes. The Soviets strongly believed in a tie-in between physical education in the schools and the development of high-level athletes. The physical education curriculum for the elementary and high schools was set up so that there was gradual increase in the skills and level of performance in all the basic sports skills. When youngsters were identified as having exceptional skills, they were then tested and invited to participate in the sports schools.
Some of the sports schools were devoted only to one sport, while others were multi-sport schools. In all cases, however, each school student had the same basic academic curriculum as in the regular public schools, but they were also good in their particular sport. There were no non-athletes. In addition to the academics, they trained every day (or a few days a week initially) with excellent coaches. The main objective in these sports schools, especially in early years, was mastery of sports technique. Also important was the learning of basic exercises and overall conditioning.
Serious training did not start until approximately the ages of 12-14 depending upon the sport. Exceptions were found in sports such as figure skating, gymnastics, ballet, and swimming, i.e., sports in which the athletes perform in the Olympics as teenagers. As the youngsters went through the sports school, they continued their training in one or more sports. The sports schools had high-level athletes from all levels so that the youngster was exposed to the best athletes in his or her particular region. As a result, the making of most of the top athletes came through the sports schools.
After completing high school, those who wished to become coaches went on to the Physical Culture Institutes that were devoted to the development of future coaches. Requirements to get into these schools were quite high. Not only did the applicant have to be a high-level athlete, but his academics had to be in the top 10-20%. The students then continued their sports training and competition under the guidance of the teacher/coaches at the Institutes. In addition, they studied all aspects of the sport from the biomechanics, physiology, psychology, etc. The Russians were firm believers that a coach should understand all aspects of the sport in order to be a good coach. After leaving the Institute, if the athlete was still a competitor, then he competed under the auspices of a sports club, where he could compete as long as possible.
Getting youngsters involved in sports in the schools with a very organized curriculum and having sports schools for those with athletic talent with excellent physical education teachers, established the base for the future making of the high-level athletes. This system is still in place at this time. In addition, the sports schools and sports clubs are integrated with the research centers so that research is carried on simultaneously with the training of the athletes. Very often when the coaches have a problem, they take it to the researchers who then work on resolving it so that the coaches can then do a better job in their work with the athletes.
Thus, the Russians have a well structured system of training athletes that permeates the entire nation and even many of the former republics that are now independent nations. The teaching that goes on in one part of the country is basically the same as in another part of the country. Sports and activities may differ because of climatic conditions, but the basic skills are essentially the same. There is an organized progression of teachings and learnings. In the elementary grades, the skills covered and the requirements in each sport are specified for each grade. There is a gradual progression in skill improvement. And when a youngster shows an aptitude for a particular sport or has certain skills, then he is given an opportunity to develop these skills in a sports school under excellent coaching. In this way the youngster can develop his skills to his full potential. The athletes have ample opportunities for competition and move up as their abilities allow. On the highest levels, they play for the sports clubs in professional leagues.
Many of the former Soviet coaches have left the country to take positions in other countries. Most countries have welcomed their expertise and knowledge and, as a result, these coaches are significantly improving the levels of performance in many of these countries. It also explains why many “unknown” sports countries are coming up with medal-winning athletes and teams in the Olympics. The system that has been developed over the last half century has proven itself to be very successful not only in Russia and the former Soviet Republics, but in other countries. However, very little is known of the Russian system in the United States Many coaches and athletes are now asking for this information especially in view of the fact that the Russians continue to be so successful in the Olympics and other major competitions, even though economically, the country is on the same level as many third world countries. They rightfully believe that many aspects of this successful system can be incorporated in the U.S. to develop even better and more successful athletes. It is not necessary to incorporate the entire system but to use certain aspects of this system that will complement what is presently done successfully in the U.S. to raise the level of performance. This is the main objective of this book. It will show you how you can improve your athletic abilities if you are an athlete as well as how you can improve the abilities of your athletes if you are a coach.