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Post by John Milne on Oct 5, 2006 21:26:06 GMT -5
I was wondering about how others train for competitions.
For instance.
You have a big upcoming event. Does your training continue as usual? Does it get altered so you can "peak" just before or very near competition date? If alterations are made.. what type?
Do you ramp up your table time and back off a bit off the weights or vice versa?
If you are in the gym, do you bang with the heavy stuff or rip off a lot of reps?
I am still in the experimentation stage myself so I was just wondering what others do.
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Post by Mr. Espey on Oct 6, 2006 0:10:42 GMT -5
The most important thing for me is to be recovered fully just before the event... so the training tapers off and I may eat a lot more for the week leading up. usually for a big event I will not train at all for a week before.
All of my training is to get me prepared for the next event wether it be in a year or a month... so when I am done training for the event I know I did everything I could to be as strong as possible.
Now olny if I could get more table time.
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Post by John Milne on Oct 6, 2006 14:48:25 GMT -5
Eric has been hosting roughly an event per month here in Eastern Ontario. I have been concentrating on going to as many of these as I can -- as I believe that experience (for me) right now is more important than trying to "peak" in terms of strength.
With these regular events it is tough to keep a strict regimen because of soreness plus not wanting to lift right up to an event. But between events I am trying to keep my training heavy (sometimes 1RMax's on deadlifts etc. and as low as 4 rep sets on others).
Ryan, I think I heard you say that you did strongman or powerlifting competitions before. I was wondering how your rep range changes (if it does) as you close in on an event.
I am making an assumption here, but the training methods (in terms of peak performance) are probably very similar between the "strength sports" such as strongman, powerlifting etc.
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Post by Mr. Espey on Oct 6, 2006 15:04:41 GMT -5
Why are you deadlifting if you want to be an armwrestler? Think about how much deadlifting takes out of you and then imagine you had all that recovery ability to use for something that would actually benefit armwrestling.
My rep range did not change as I got close to a strongman event. What I did do was more event training as the event approached, specific to the events at that meet... then my focus was much like armwrestling... make sure I am recovered before the event. Based on that concept it would make sense to get more table time in as an event approached.
If I were you and had a lot of events close together... the best gains will likely be made in the event so the focus in between should be recovery. Light fluching workouts to get the nutrients into the muscles would be beneficial IMO.
Armwrestling is unique in that you use 100% force immediately, then the match will be over or slow down... imagine doing a strongman / powerlifting event where you got set for a squat then immediately there was 600lbs on your back and you either had to lift, hold, or fail.
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Post by John Milne on Oct 6, 2006 17:07:17 GMT -5
The reason I'm deadlifting is quite simple. I am increasing my overall limit strength. I do realize that deadlifting does not DIRECTLY correlate to the specific muscles involved in a match, but does directly correlate with overall strength in absolute terms.
I have deadlifted in the past and my max for arm curls went up... even though I layed off that specific movement. My bench press went up, my wrist curls etc. When on a routine including deadlifts ALL of my lifts go up.
I understand the point you are making about recovery Ryan. I do believe that the benefits outweigh the "lost" time of recovering from such a taxing excersize. That, along with not wanting to put on size (weight) is one of the reasons that I am working within range of my 1 rep maximum. A rep range of 6-8 would be much more taxing on the body IMO.
As far as allowing my body to recover from "arm wrestling" specific excersizes, I do feel I am allowing myself to do that at a very efficient level. That is to say that when my body has recovered from those that I make sure I hit them up again. I do not think deadlifting robs me from the recovery time for that.
Ryan, I know you have alot of experience with strength training and I'm glad you replied (as I hoped you would). I will try the flushing type of workouts as you suggested. And.. I'll try to hit up more table time as the event approaches.
I'll let you know how it goes...
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Post by Jeff Miller on Oct 6, 2006 17:47:43 GMT -5
I do deadlifts as well. I don't really think they help much with armwrestling - more for overall strength (especially lower back, hamstrings). I hurt my low back doing improper deadlifts in the past, so now I do only lighter weight full range deads, and I do rack pulls for heavier stuff. This is safer for me, it gets all the same muscles, and since I don't powerlift anymore I don't need the full range deadlift. Side note: If you have very long arms, unlike myself, there is less risk of hurting the lower back when deadlifting off the floor due to less flexing of the spine. I am merely putting this out there because I know of several excellent powerlifters that hurt their back deadlifting. To me, it is not worth risking the back doing full range 1 rep maxes on a regular basis to train for armwrestling only.
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Post by Mr. Espey on Oct 6, 2006 22:40:04 GMT -5
Sorry guys... I just don't see deadlifts helping regardless of overall strength training. This is also coming from someone who only stopped doing these movements not that long ago. But hey... if it works for you then so be it.
How much can most armwrestlers deadlift? I wonder how much John B, Travis, Earl Wilson, etc. can deadlift.
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Post by John Milne on Oct 7, 2006 7:25:17 GMT -5
....
Anyone else of opinion out there?
I have to say that i'm somewhat surprised to hear that an excersize that increases overall strength does not help.
I see this thread is getting a bit off topic. It was more about overall training and not one specific excersize.
So far it seems that table time takes preference over weight rooms when closing in on a competition date.
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Post by Mr. Espey on Oct 7, 2006 9:35:54 GMT -5
I would rather do an arm curl that may increase my arm strength over time by 1% than a deadlift that would increase overall strength by 1%. Armwrestling is not an overall strength movement. Its like I asked... how many top armwrestlers train powerlifting movements regularly? It took a long time for me to be able to let go of all the other stuff I was doing and focus on being an armwrestler. I also used to be a big bencher but would waste a lot of energy focussing on it and it would take away from the sport I am training for as a big bench is another one of those movements that isn't for the sport. Nuff said about that...
If I had the luxury of a solid club that trained regularly I would definitely lean towards table time leading up to an event. I am also convinced that I would injure myself less in events if I was more conditioned to pulling on a table (my left wrist still hurts from Nationals). I am going to try and get a club going again... but if not I will have to drive into Winnipeg regularly again I suppose.
The key to this sport is finding out what works for you.
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Post by Curtis "Smash" Klashinsky on Oct 7, 2006 10:39:05 GMT -5
I have noticed that my Lats are sore after practices and even pulling on my pulley setup at home. Deadlifts would help with that for sure.
I can't see Deadlifts NOT helping with anything strength related as they do involve alot of your muscles and Armwrestling seems to requires severeal muscle groups.
I wouldn't make it my MAIN excersise for helping with armwrestling but it would help to do them once and a while for sure.
As far as I stand, I'm going with what Ryan says because he is a world champion after all and is quite high on the north american standings.
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