5 x 5 Anaerobic Power Mesocycle for Athletes
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It was a great day today. I finally got back to some training. Today was the first day in a month that I didn’t wear my walking boot. I did some rehab exercises for my foot and ankle and even got some light training in. I’m far from 100% healthy but I am well on my way. With the time getting closer to training at full speed again I decided to change up my training mesocycle.
First, a mesocycle is a term used in programming to usually describe a period of time, usually 3–6 weeks, training for a specific outcome.
This mesocycle I am entering will last 5–6 weeks for me and it is going to consist of 5 sets of 5 repetitions for all my exercises. The tempo for each exercise will be 4/x/1. That just means that the eccentric part of the lift will be 4 seconds long, the isometric portion will be as short as possible (less than 1 second), and the concentric portion of the lift will be 1 second (or as fast as safely possible). I will end each training session by doing resistance band exercises for the targeted muscle groups.
The purpose for structuring it this way is because the 5 sets of 5 reps is a power format. It is going to allow me to move more weight at a faster rate. Or as an athlete, move my body faster.
The tempo for the exercises is important in this case. Taking 4 seconds for the part of the lift or exercise in which you are not exerting force to move the weight, allows me to focus and control the weight down. My muscles are working and getting stronger in the counteraction of the movement, which is very important for overall strength and body functionality. Then taking no time at the “bottom” of the lift allows me to focus on creating power and force in order to move the weight as fast as possible. Explode up as powerfully as possible. This particular tempo allows for both control of the weight and maximal force production. This trains my muscles to recruit as many fibers as possible to accomplish this. Doing these types of tempos also build those fast twitch Type II muscle fibers athletes need to become faster and more powerful.
Finishing off the training session with resistance band exercises is a complement to the work done throughout the session previously. The bands provide less resistance but it allows me to perform movements safely and rapidly as well. In keeping with the fast pace and creating powerful movements using the bands to do this is a great way. They are great for burning out the muscles at the end of the workout and improving muscle endurance as you can do a lot of reps in a little bit of time with the bands.
The idea behind starting this mesocycle now is getting my muscles used to moving at fast paces again. Since I have been hobbled this past month I haven’t been able to do so as much as I would have liked. I was still able to use progressive overload making the weight heavier and getting stronger throughout. However, due to imbalances and not able to push off through my foot I have moved dynamically or rapidly in a month.
This mesocycle allows me to get back into that habit and prepare my body to get back on the mat for Jiu-Jitsu and start sprinting and doing my speed exercises as well. It is going to help prevent me from a muscle injury by coming back and putting myself in a position to need to move dynamically and my body not being prepared to do so. The last thing I want is to get back to training only to re-injure my foot or get a completely new injury.
This mesocycle is also great for non-athletes and those who are just looking to get stronger. It is a way to shock your body into building muscle and converting that stored body fat into lean muscle. This should not be the first training cycle you or your athlete does but it is a great second or third cycle to progress yourself or your athlete to the next level. You need a foundation on which to build upon and this is not a foundational cycle.
When I put together my whole, “Speed Development System” I kept this in mind and you will find a mesocycle like this in the program. It is a full 13-week training program for anyone that wants to get faster, stronger, or improve their mechanics. Go check it out here and grab your free 13-week bodyweight speed development system now.
Until tomorrow,
David Banko
david@elitemilehighfitness.com
