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General Physical Preparedness

gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/26, 08:10 AM This is an area of high importance for a powerlifter but it is often over looked. Most people think that all you need to do is lift and you'll be the best. However, this is not the case. A person needs to have a good level of physical fitness if they're going to be able to handle the rigours of powerlifting. You also need a good work capacity. General Physical Preparedness (GPP) is needed to develop the two previous areas. It also helps improve body composition ratios. And when you are looking to be efficient this is very important. All I am really talking about is extra work outside of lifting. I will post several ways to work on GPP.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/26, 08:14 AM One of the best ways it to get a tire, sled, or anything you can tie a rope to and drag it behind you (Running or walking). I use two types of sleds on this. The day after my max effort work I use a 300lb wooden sled and perform 6 35 pulls with. 1.5 min between each pull. I then run 5-10 50 yrd sprints after that with 45 sec between each one and then get a good stretch. This workout takes about 30-35 min. This is the extreme. GPP workouts for football should be kept fairly short. Too much GPP work and you will compromise your strength gains.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/26, 08:17 AM The day after my dynamic leg day I throw in some light sled pulls. I use 70lbs and drag it 50 yrds for 10 reps. I take about 1-1.5 min between sets here. Then I stretch. Right after both leg workouts I go to the pool and perform some light anaerobic work for 20 minutes and then sit in the hot tub. I will switch the light sled pulls out with underhand med ball tosses with a partner. I'll perform medball tosses for 10-15 minutes and try to average 5-7 tosses per minute. Great workout. I will also perform light back hypers and reverse hypers during the week to just pump some blood into my posterior chain.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/26, 08:19 AM The day after my max effort bench I'll perform 5 sets of 20 on dips with just my body weight. That is relatively light for me. Some of you may need to sets of 10 on push-ups. Whatever you do make sure it feels good. You really shouldn't have to strain to get it done. I'll also perform medball chest passes for 10 minutes with a partner trying to get 5-7 passes per minute.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/26, 08:23 AM There are many ways to implement GPP. What I would like you folks on this forum to do is to come up with as many as you can and post them here so we can discuss what works and what does not.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/26, 08:24 AM Shoot, I said GPP for football. I meant powerlifting. I have football on the brain this morning because of spring practice! :big_smile: Football GPP will be more intense then for powerlifting because of the nature of football.
ursusarktos Posts: 346 Joined: 2004/01/18	2004/03/26, 09:42 AM Good stuff. This principle can also be adapted for many sports. As for spring training - sheesh, we still have 2 feet of snow on the ground here in Manitoba. :surprised:
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/26, 10:04 AM I use SPP (Specialized Physical Preparedness) principles with the teams I work with also. The catch phrase for this these days is sport specific. SNOW! AHHHHHH!!!!!!!! It's freaking summer time here already!!!:big_smile::love::dumbbell:
ursusarktos Posts: 346 Joined: 2004/01/18	2004/03/26, 11:13 AM I've used running throught snow for training at various times and yes it's an excellent alternative to sled pulling. Snowshoeing with a heavy pack (especially while carrying a rifle during the January elk season) is also great.:big_smile:
snoopy13 Posts: 239 Joined: 2003/11/15	2004/03/27, 10:08 AM Gatormade, you said you sprint 5-10 50 yard sprints in a previous post. What if I where to sprint on a treadmill is it the same thing cause I have no sleds or wood at home. Or is there something else I can do?
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/27, 11:10 PM Treadmill sprints work fine too. I like to do 5 15 second bursts at 10.5mph, 5 at 11.5mph, 5 at12.5, 3 at 13.5, 1 at 14.5, and 1 at 15.5. I take 45 seconds between each sprint. You may want to start out doing the first 2 sets of 5 I mentioned above. You can also throw medballs. I like to throw with a partner. When I don't have partner I go to the football field, start at the goal line toss my bouncy 12 lb medball 10 yards sprint under and catch it. I go up and back 3 - 5 times and take about 1-2 minutes between each set.
snoopy13 Posts: 239 Joined: 2003/11/15	2004/03/28, 09:04 AM Thanks again Gatormade:big_smile:
mmaibohm Posts: 1,621 Joined: 2003/09/30	2004/03/29, 03:15 AM Gatormade would doing up hill sprints on my mt bike. be a good way to get in some extra work. Now that the weather is better since I like to ride I have been riding in a tough gear halling rear up a local hill then coast down then hall it back up again for 20 min. -------------- I am that which must be feared, worshipped and adored. The world is mine now and forever.No one holds command over me. No man. No god. I am a beast and that is enough.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/03/29, 11:58 AM That sounds good. Do you have toe clips? If you do, try pulling the pedals with your hammies to pedal. Also, Make sure you get 3-1 rest to work intervals on those. That means if it takes you 15 seconds to pedal to the top then take 45 seconds of rest before the next one. Even a full minute would be better.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2004/05/31, 10:45 AM bump
ursusarktos Posts: 346 Joined: 2004/01/18	2004/06/01, 01:59 PM Mike, if you ride your mtn bike a fair bit, a clipless pedal-cleat-shoe system for mtn bikes (eg. shimano spd system) is an investment worth considering. You might be able to find a used set of such pedals on the cheap if your local state cycling associations website or even ebay. The nice thing about such a system is that you can apply alot of force throughout the whole pedalling circle yet still disengage from the pedal by twisting your foot in an emergency. Toe clips and straps are inexpensive and do help, but wont give you nearly the holding power as a clipless system unless you are also wearing cleated cycling shoes with high quality straps. This is still the most common choice for track cyclists (esp. for sprinters) because they will only release with manual disengagement. The abolute last thing you want to have happen when flying down a 49 degree banking out of the saddle in a fixed gear (ie. cannot coast), is to have a foot disengage from the pedal (been there, done that, have the scars to prove it).
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2004/06/18, 02:48 PM the one main gpp exercise i do is a weighted farmers walk. Its a great exercise and it really helps with overall strength. -------------- \"I get up in the morning around six to run for about an hour. Later in the day, I lift with a partner. Following my lifting sessions, I usually do speed and agility drills. Later, I drill all my holds and moves.\" \'Isnt that lifestyle boring?\' \"Yes, but the gold medal is very shiny.\" Ichiguchi Olympic Gold Medalist
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2006/04/21, 04:13 PM Something I learned thought is the GPP is important but only in the beginning of training. It is great way to build a base but once the base is built then specialize. It is like a sponge. If you dip your sponge into the GPP bucket it will only hold so much. So, why keep trying to pack more GPP into something that won't take it anyway?
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2006/04/22, 11:47 AM I disagree with the post... but probably agree with your point... If gpp is neglected, than this will become a weakness, and it will be something you will need to revisit. However, I remember posting a while back about ppl that seem to specialize in GPP. I forget what it did to provoke this post, but it was some instance of someone putting all their time into gpp and not enough in the weight room. This individual wasn't in poor gpp condition, he was weak! One of the best things I have ever read was that weightlifters do not specialize in gpp. They specialize in weightlifting. I know that once I started training my deadlift shot up (from 315 to 405, but you also have to realize this is the longest I've ever been injury free), and my squat max started to feel light on my back. Tire flipping, keg carries, etc, while serving as a form of GPP, also helped bring up my posterior chain. -------------- Iron and chalk. Pain is only temporary, it is in your mind. If you can still walk, then you can still run.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2006/04/23, 11:00 AM GPP builds the base. If you don't drop from your plan for a while you will never reach your maximal performance goals. GPP involves higher volume. Peaking for an event or competition requires reducing volume. It is essential not to dip the GPP sponge too often.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2006/04/23, 05:00 PM This is where I agree. However, I don't think it is something that can be built and then permanently neglected. -------------- Iron and chalk. Pain is only temporary, it is in your mind. If you can still walk, then you can still run.
gatormade Posts: 1,355 Joined: 2003/10/01	2006/04/23, 08:32 PM I agree. However, once you have a good base it would be wasteful to spend time doing GPP when it is where you need it. It doesn't take much to maintain GPP when you are specializing your training for a given event. If you feel it slipping then you dip your sponge into the bucket for a session or two and back to specialized training. Tire flipping is not just a GPP method. IT is a strength effort that can be used for GPP. Don't confuse the two. These are good points. GPP prevents injury. But there is also overuse injury. Too much GPP can cause injury. As in everything with training, there is a fine line. My point is, once GPP is up to par drop it for a little while and focus on your true goals.
wrestler125 Posts: 4,619 Joined: 2004/01/27	2006/04/23, 11:52 PM Oh defianetly. I completely agree that many lifters waste efforts on improving GPP when they're energy could be focused elsewhere. I'll find my older post on it. -------------- Iron and chalk. Pain is only temporary, it is in your mind. If you can still walk, then you can still run.