An interesting feature of the Russian, formerly Soviet, training system is the specificity of workouts for each sport. Not only is each sport distinguished by the skills and physical qualities involved, but even within the sport, each event is trained differently.
For example, in running, sprinters have different workouts than middle distance runners who have different workouts from long-distance runners. Athletes involved in other events such as the throws or jumps are also distinguished by different workouts. But, almost all sports and events within a sport, involve some form of strength training!
A good example is the training of the former Soviet cyclists, who did very well internationally. They did considerable amounts and types of strength training at and the methods used were very specific to each of the cycling events. The strength training of a sprinter and those involved in time trials, was different from that used with road racers and road and pursuit racers.
In addition, the type of strength training changed from the general preparatory period to the specialized pre-competitive period. For example, in the first phase of the preparatory period, sprinters and time trailers (men and juniors) used light resistance for 60% to 65% of the total work and medium resistance for 35% to 40% of the work. Boys and women performed 70% to 75% of their workouts with light weights and 30% to 35% with medium. For girls, however, the amount of work done with light weights was 80% to 85% and with medium weights, 15% to 20%.
It should be noted that at this stage, road racers and pursuit racers used slightly more light resistance in their training, but it was fairly close to the given percentages. The reason for this is that the basic work was more endurance oriented rather than directed toward pure strength.
After one to two months of training according to the above plan, further strength work was done in three directions at the same time. They were: 1) training to develop strength endurance (the athlete’s ability to resist fatigue when faced with prolonged strength work); 2) maximum strength, the greatest strength the neuromuscular system can develop during a maximum voluntary muscle contraction; and 3) explosive (speed) strength – the neuromuscular systems ability to overcome resistance with maximum muscle contraction speed.
To train for specific strength endurance, the athletes used the repetitive, variable and control methods along with training to full exhaustion. They also used light resistance and medium resistance strength exercises in the same proportions that were used for general endurance.
Considerable bike riding was done in conjunction with the strength work. The actual type of riding (long and “slow” or fast and short, etc.) was coordinated with the type of strength training being done.
For more information, see back issues of the Fitness & Sports Review (formerly the Soviet Sports Review).