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The Effectiveness of the Wave-Cycle for In-Season Training:

20 Years of Evidence on the In-Season Maintenance of Strength and Power in

Professional Athletes

By

Daniel Baker, PhD.

Australian Strength & Conditioning Association

Edith Cowan University

Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club

www.danbakerstrength.com

Quickly about me...

• President of Australian Strength & Conditioning Association since 2004

• NSCA member since 1987 (CSCS in 1988)

• Level 3 & Master Coach of Elite Athlete Strength & Conditioning (ASCA)

• PhD in Sport Science through Edith Cowan University, Perth

• Strength & Conditioning Coach at Brisbane Broncos since 1995

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Australia is different....

Christmas Day is in summer &I go surfing in the morning..

..and afterwards, Christmas lunch isBBQ and beer, looking at the surf, soaking up the

summer sun with my beautiful wife

And in Australia we have 4 types of professional football.....

• Soccer (played in summer)

• Australian Rules football (“AFL” or Aussie Rules)

• Rugby Union (“Rugby”)

• Rugby League (NRL or “League”)

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• I train NRL “Rugby League” athletes for the Brisbane Broncos RLFC since October 1995....a long time in pro sports!Won Championship in 97, 98, 2000 and 2006

Most popular sporting team in Australia (based upon average weekly television audiences)

And we have no college sports!!!

• All sports are based upon the club system

• Only AFL have a draft (of 18-yr olds!)

• The advantage of no college sports & no draft for rugby union and league is LTAD

• We “largely”control the training of our players from a young age – “reap what you sow”

1. The Problem!!!!!

• Part “A”

• The in-season for all these sports is long...

• Soccer = 26 wks + finals = 4 wks = 30 wks

• AFL = 23 wks + finals = 4 wks = 27 wks

• Rugby = 20 wks + finals = 4 wks = 24 wks

• NRL “League” = 26 wks + finals = 4 wks = 30 wks

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On top of this...

• In both rugby union and league, the club or “regular”season is followed by International Test matches played by the best players

• Rugby has 10-12 International tests per year

• League has 4-6 International tests per year

• This means the best players play for another 6-10 weeks after their “regular club season”

All this means

• The preparation period is only 6-12 weeks for “normal”professionals

• The preparation period is only 4-6 weeks for the elite professionals who also play in the International Test matches

• Therefore “in-season” training is the dominant Period of training for all professional football athletes in

Australia

The Problem - Part “B”

• Conundrum: NRL athletes cover ~ 8 km per 80-minute game (or 1km/10 minutes of game time)

• NRL = 8371 m per game

• 2nd Div. = 7277 m per game

• NYC (U/20) = 4646 m per game

• Ref. McCellan & Lovell, JSCR 2013

• Need to develop high levels of energy system conditioning during the same short Prep. Period.

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Aerobic or power athletes?

Please Google “NRL” “big hits”to see more of this stuff!

Power athletes who need to be aerobically fit!

The Problem - Part “C”

• Only a short Prep. Period. To develop high levels of strength & power (while also training ES fitness!!!)

• Must efficiently maintain these qualities for 30+ wks

• But >20 yrs ago, what were the recommendations for long in-season strength training?

• 1-5 sets of 1-5 reps with intensity medium to high...

• Or a 4-wk cycle of 1x10 -> 1x5 -> 1x3 -> 1x1 (Wathen, 1994)

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2. The Data

• “Standard wisdom” says this can’t be done because...

• We can’t train hard in-season (especially legs) - no room/time for real strength/power overload?

• We can’t concurrently train strength/power, skills/tactics and especially energy system (ES) training without losses in strength/power or worrying high levels of “concurrent training interference”

But let’s look at 20 years of evidence to the contrary on rugby league and union

athletes ranging from..

• High School

• Amateur adults

• Semi-professional

• Professional (including the elite professionals)

Some of the publications so far..• Baker, D. Effect of a wave-like periodised strength training cycle on maximal strength and

lean body mass. Strength & Conditioning Coach 3(3):11-16. 1995.• Baker, D. In-season periodization of strength training. Proceedings of the 1995 Australian

Strength and Conditioning Association National Conference and Trade Show. pp 74-92. ASCA, Toowong, QLD, Australia. 1995.

• Baker, D. Applying the in-season periodisation of strength and power training to football.NSCA Journal. 20(2):18-24. 1998.

• Baker, D. The in-season maintenance of strength and power in elite rugby league players. Strength & Conditioning Coach. 8(3):5-10. 2000.

• Baker, D. The effects of an in-season of concurrent training on the maintenance of maximal strength and power in professional and college-aged rugby league players. J. Strength Cond. Res,. 15(2): 172-177. 2001.

• Baker, D. & Newton, R. U. Adaptations in upper body maximal strength and power output resulting from long-term resistance training in experienced strength-power athletes. J. Strength Cond. Res., 20(3):541-546. 2006.

• Baker, D and Newton, R.U. Observation of 4-year adaptations in lower body maximal strength and power output in professional rugby league players.Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning, 16(1): 3-10. 2008.

• Baker, D. Six- year changes in upper-body maximum strength and power in experienced strength-power athletes. Journal of Australian Strength & Conditioning, 16(3):4-10. 2008.

• Baker, D. Ten-year changes in upper body strength and power in elite professional rugby league players – The effect of training age, stage and content. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2013.

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The first published data from 1995 at the 16-week mark of in-season in semi-professional

“rugby league” players

1RM Bench 1RM Full Squat 1RM Power clean

100.1% 98% 102.1%

• Ref. Baker, D. In-season periodization of strength training. Proceedings of the 1995 Australian Strength and Conditioning Association National Conference and Trade Show. pp 74-92. ASCA, Toowong, QLD, Australia. 1995.

High school & young college aged males (17-19 yrs)

• No big deal...pretty easy with young males !!!!

• But consider the concurrent training and “conventional wisdom” that it should not be possible with a large ES conditioning and collision/impact training content

• Ref. Baker, D. The in-season maintenance of strength and power in elite rugby league players. Strength & Conditioning Coach. 8(3):5-10. 2000.

Now for the real deal...Broncos Professional NRL team 1996

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Broncos Professional NRL team in 1997 (World Club Champions)

Ref. Baker, D. The in-season maintenance of strength and power in elite rugby league players. Strength & Conditioning Coach. 8(3):5-10. 2000.

• Week 29 is the week of the Grand Final!!.

More published data…1998 Champions

• Ref. Baker, D. The effects of an in-season of concurrent training on the maintenance of maximal strength and power in professional and college-aged rugby league players. J. Strength Cond. Res,. 15(2): 172-177. 2001.

2000 Champions (unpublished)

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2006 Champions (unpublished)

More data from over the years (unpublished)

Team Time period Pre- to In-season test

1RM

Bench Press

Bench

throw

Jump

squat

NRL (n=28) ‘99 26-wks 96.5% 92.9% 102.7%

NRL (n= 23) ‘01 19-wks 101.8% 98.4% No retest

NRL (n=23) ‘02 17-wks 96.3% 96.4% No retest

NRL (n=23) ‘03 17-wks 97.2% 96.3% No retest

NRL (n=25) ‘04 8-wks 100% No retest Not retest

NRL ’05, ’07 No retesting Not retested No retest No retest

NRL (n=26) ‘08

17-wks

99.6%

No retest

100% @wk24

NRL (n=26) ‘09

8-wks

100.4%

96.8%

100.4%

NRL (n=22) ‘10

17-wks

100.5%

98.0%

97.6%

A more in-depth look at someresults from 2011

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A more in-depth look at some results from 2012

• Some relevant game data

• 1st in the league in tackle busts

• 3rd in the league yardage gains in offense

10-year changes in elite pros who mainly perform “in-season” training (Baker, JSCR 2013)

NRL Elite Pro (n=6)

1996 2006 % Change

1RM Bench press

123.3 (21.5)

150.8 (10.7)

22.3%

1RM Squat

173.3 (30.1)

204.6 (20.1)

18.6%

Bench throw

power *Pre from 97*

616 (72)

758 (83)

23.0%

Jump squat

power *Pre from 97*

1990 (173)

2237 (234)

12.4%

What the data indicates is….• Strength and power levels can be maintained at high-90’s to just

over 100% in elite professional athletes across time periods of up to 32 wks

• Younger, college-aged athletes are able to gain strength and power in-season

• There may be short periods of strength, but more often power suppression, due to fatigue from increased playing workloads and/or consequent changes to resistance training

• If this occurs, alter resistance training to allow recovery (less or no neural based training for 2-3 weeks)

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3. The Solution to the problem

• 20 years ago, no model existed for prolonged in-season training

• Need to develop a model to allow for methodical overload of strength & power across these lengthy periods

• The Wave cycle was my answer to the problem of an effective model for the long in-season training period

The Wave Cycles

• Intensity progresses upwards in a wave-like fashion across 2 x 3- or 4-week cycles

• Volume diminishes in a wave-like fashion across 2 x 3-or 4-week cycles

• The best thing is the wave-cycle allows for flexibility in cycle length, and methods for prescribing intensity and volume

Wave cycles…volume distribution• My Wave cycle is based upon the Russian

weightlifting method of distributing repetitions/volume across either 3- or 4-weeks

• Wk1 = 44% of 3-wk total

• Wk 2 = 33% of 3-wk total

• Wk 3 = 23% of 3-wk total

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Wave-cycle…volume distribution & flexibility

• Can be used as a 4-wk wave as well (34%, 25%, 25%, 16%)

• Can put 3-wk and 4-wk waves together (ie. 6-wk, 7-wk and 8-wk variations)

• The second 3- or 4-wk block in a cycle has less volume and higher intensity than the first block – 60% of the volume is in the first block, 40% in the second…

• Wave-cycle is very flexible …you don’t have to adhere to any super-strict guidelines about volume management

Wave-cycles…intensity prescription

• Intensity can be based upon either

• % 1RM (real and/or perceived or estimated)

• Effort

• You can choose either or both

Effort system for strength training

• Max Effort (ME) - a low rep set (1-5) where no additional reps can be performed

• Near Max Effort (NME) - close to ME, 1-2 reps short eg. performing 3-reps at a 4RM or 5RM

• Hard Effort (HE) - 2-4 reps short of ME

• Medium-hard Effort (MHE) - >5 reps short of ME

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In summary, the cycle• Week 1 = Volume load, Neural/adrenal de-load

• Week 2 = Base load

• Week 3 = Intensification, Neural load, Volume de-load

• Week 4 = Base load (same or similar to wk 2)

• Week 5 = Intensification, load (same or similar to wk 3)

• Week 6 = Peak intensification, highest neural/adrenal stimulus, lowest volume load

Volume and intensity prescribed are also according to an “exercise thread”

• Bench press

• Squat

• Supplemental strength exercises

• Hypertrophy/muscle size exercises

• Power clean/pull/jerks

• Jump squats/bench throws

My original wave-cycles 1994-1996Strength exercise threads (Baker, 1995)

• % 1RM are a rough guide, consider also EFFORT

• In reality, the last set is the important “indicator” set

• First 3-wks, the effort per each of the 3-sets is MHE, MHE, NME

• Last 3-wks, first 2-sets, Effort is the same but all 3rd sets of NME or ME

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Power exercise threads

• Power cleans and jerks rely on %1RM and observation of technique more than just effort

• Supplemental power exercises are about power output, bar speed etc - choose resistances to meet objectives of “explosive power”, “max power” or “ballistic power” etc

The next progression or “morph” of the wave-cycles 1997-2007

Strength exercise threads

• Again, just note the last set for each of the Bench press threads...see the pattern?• (Ref. Baker, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2010)

Power exercise threads updated Exercise thread Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6

Olympic lifts

(Power clean, jerks)

* for Jerks subtract 1 rep

5 / 65%

5 / 70%

5 / 70%

4 / 70%

4 / 75%

4 / 80%

3 / 78%

3 / 83%

3 / 88%

5 / 70%

5 / 75%

5 / 80%

3 / 80%

3 / 85%

3 / 88%

3 / 80%

2 / 88%

1-2 / 94%

Supplemental Power

(Jump squats, bench

throws pulls, etc)

3 x 5 3 x 4 3 x 3 3 x 5 3 x 3 3 x 2

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The next progression of the wave-cycles 2008-present

Time to be more “aggressive”

• More ME work with bands & chains!!

Exercise thread Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6

Bench Press 8 / 70%

8 / 70%

8 / 70%

8 / 70%

6 / 75%

5 / 80%

6 / 75%

5 / 82%

3+ / 88%

or

3 x 3 ME

Bands /

chains!!

8 / 70%

6 / 75%

5 / 80%

6 / 77.5%

5 / 85%

3+ / 90%

or

3 x 5 ME

Bands /

chains!!

5 / 85%

3 / 90%

2+ / 95%

or

3 x 3 ME

Bands /

chains!!

Squat

2 set version

Use 3 if needed

(+5-7.5%)

8 / 55%

8 / 55%

8 / 55%

6 / 65%

6 / 65%

5 / 73%

or

2 x 5 HE

Bands

8 / 55%

6 / 68%

6 / 68%

5 / 75%

or

2 x 5 HE

Bands

5 / 75%

3 / 85%

or

2 x 3 NME

Bands

More & more delineated in the other strength exercises

• Much more aggressive in the hypertrophy exercises due to younger squad (need to gain more muscle)

Ok, real simple version, consider the main or last set only

Exercise thread Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6

Bench Press

For Squat, subtract

5-15% 1RM

8

@ 70%

5

@ 80%

3

@ 88%

or

ME

5

@ 80%

3

@ 88%

or

ME

2

@ 92%

or

ME

Power clean

5

@ 70%

4

@ 80%

3

@ 88%

5

@ 80%

3

@ 88-92%

1-2

@90-95%

Hypertrophy

Exercises

Use 2 or 3 sets

2-3 x 10-15

@ 65-70%

2-3 x 10-15

@ 65-70%

2-3 x 10-15

@ 65-70%

2-3 x 6-10

@ 75-80%

2-3 x 6-10

@ 75-80%

2-3 x 6-10

@ 75-80%

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The change in strength scores for entire training squad as a result of changing from

“conservative” to “aggressive”

• Still the youngest average age team in NRL in 2012

Now for the Specifics

The weekly training cycle during the in-season

• If 7-9 days between games, then…..

• Day 1 “Strength Day” – 2-3 days after game

• Day 2 “Power Day” - 2-3 days before next game

• If only 5-6 days between games, then….

Perform the Strength Day session only

Strength day template

Warmup Correctives + “functional” exercises

1. Upper body max pressing strength Bench press (normal, bands or chains)

2a. Upper body hypertrophy maint. DB press exercise

2b. Upper body hypertrophy maint. Chin/PLD/row exercise

3a. Positional specific

lower body power

Lunge/jump squat/Olympic

lift/RDL/Dominator

3b. O’head lift Press/pull

4. Lower body max strength Squat (normal or bands)

5. Torso Traditional exercises + grappling exerc

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Example of a typical strength day session for Hit-up forwards

1. Bench press + red band (ME) 100/3 107.5/3 115/3+ 4-min

2a. Incline DB press, alt. arm 40/10-15 x 2 3-min

2b. 1-arm DB row 50/10-15 x 2

3a. Power shrug jumps 130/3 x 3 3-min

3b. DB walking lunge + P. press 25/5 es x 3

4. Squat 135/5 155/3 4-min

Power day template…one of many

Warmup “Functional” + plyometric exercises

1a. Whole body pulling explosive Power clean (hang), Dominator

1b. Whole body pressing explosive Split jerk/push press/jammer

2a. Upper body explosive pressing Bench variation (bands/chains/board)

2b. Upper body ballistic/max power Bench throws (Smith machine)

3b. Lower body explosive Box squat (bands), Creaser

3b. Lower body ballistic/max power Jump squats, lunges

5. Torso Power torso – throws, twists etc

Example of a typical power day session for Hit-up forwards

1a. Power clean (hang) 100/3 107.5/3 115/3

1b. Split jerk 100/2 110/2 115/2

2a. Narrow grip BP + #2 band

100+R/3 x 3

2b. Bench throw 60/3 x 3

3a. Box Squat + # 4 bands 100+G/3 x 3

3b. Jump squat 60/3 x 3

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Another power day session....less lower body loading

1. Power clean (hang) 100/3 107.5/3 115/3

2a. Narrow grip BP + #2 band

100+R/3 x 3

2b. Pendlay row 85/5 x 3

3a. Alt. arm DB push press/ Al.t arm jammer

32.5/5 es x 3

3b. Commando grip chins +10/3 es x 3

Injured? Follow the exercise thread….

• Power clean -> Power shrug -> RDL -> 1-leg RDL

• Split jerk -> Push press -> DB PP -> DB press –> 1-arm DB

• Squat -> Box squat -> Smith squat -> Kneeling SQ-> 1-leg SQ

• Bench press -> Narrow grip BP -> Decline BP-> Board press-> DB bench ->1-arm DB bench

• Chinup -> Pulldown -> Seated row -> Inc DB row->1-arm DB row

Extensive use of paired exercise complexes

• Hypertrophy – Agonist v antagonist

DB bench v Row

DB press v Pulldowns/Chins

• Power – Pull v Push

Clean v Jerk/Push press/Jammer

Chin v Bench throws

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Extensive use of paired exercise complexes (continued)

• Power – Heavier agonist v lighter agonist (PAP complex)

Bench/squat 55-65% 1RM + bands/chains (10-20%)

Versus

Bench throws/jump squats (30-45% 1RM)

Power shrug jumps (90-110% 1RM)

Versus

Power clean (Hang) (70-95% 1RM)

Power clean (70-95% 1RM)/Power shrug (90-110% 1RM)

Versus

Jump squats (30-45% 1RM)

Example of Complex of “heavier” and “lighter” power exercises

The mid-season problem• Caused by extra “representative” games by best players

• Other players also shoulder a greater playing load, compared to their usual load

• Alteration in training loads by “rep teams”tapering/peaking our athletes during mid-season

• Best players are neurally and adrenally fatigued

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Weekly monitoring of leg power via jump squats with 20 kg barbell on “Power Day” – look at neural

“readiness” and freshness

Regular assessment of JS P20 throughout the season to monitor changes in leg power...indicate neural,

adrenal and/or muscle fatigue

The Solution...

• Insert 2-3 week block of non-neural resistance training

• < 70% 1RM, sets of 10 reps

• No power exercises

• Mental and physical regeneration, allow for build-up towards finals

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There is a wave-cycle for everyone….choose your experience level, exercise thread and wave-length

WK 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8

Wave 1 Hypertrophy exercises &/or Low level athletes

15/55% 15/55% 15/55%

12/62.5% 12/62.5% 12/62.5%

10/70% 10/70% 10/70%

8/77.5% 8/77.5% 8+/77.5%

15/55%** 15/55% 15/55%

12/62.5% 12/62.5% 12/62.5%

10/70% 10/70% 10/70%

8/77.5% 8/77.5% 8+/77.5%

Wave 2 Hypertrophy exercises &/or Intermediate level athletes

12/60% 12/60% 12/60%

10/67.5% 10/67.5% 10/67.5%

8/75% 8/75% 8+/75%

6/82.5% 6/82.5% 6+/82.5%

12/60%** 12/60% 12/60%

10/67.5% 10/67.5% 10/67.5%

8/75% 8/75% 8+/75%

6/82.5% 6/82.5% 6+/82.5%*

Wave 3 Secondary Strength exercises Intermediates & Advanced

10/65% 10/65% 10/65%

8/72.5% 8/72.5% 8/72.5%

6/80% 6/80% 6+/80%

5/85% 5/85% 5+/85%*

10/65%** 10/65% 10/65%

8/72.5% 8/72.5% 8/72.5%

6/80% 6/80% 6+/80%

5/85% 5/85% 5+/85%*

Wave 4 Primary strength exercises Intermediates & Advanced

8/70% 8/70% 8/70%

8/70% 6/75% 5/80%

6/72% 5/80% 3+/88%

5/76% 3/84% 2+/92%*

8/70%** 8/70% 8/70%

8/70% 6/75% 5/80%

6/72% 5/80% 3+/88%

5/76% 3/84% 2+/92%*

Wave 5 Primary strength exercises Intermediates & Advanced, using band/chains for ME weeks

8/70% 8/70% 8/70%

5/70% 5/75% 5/80%

3/72% 3/80% 3+/88%

2/76% 2/84% 2+/92%*

8/70%** 8/70% 8/70%

5/70% 5/75% 5/80%

3/76% 3/84% 3+/90%

2/80% 2/88% 2+/94%*

Wave 6 Primary strength & Olympic exercises, more advanced

5/70% 5/70% 5/70%

4/70% 4/75% 4/80%

3/72% 3/80% 3+/88%

2/76% 2/84% 2+/92%*

5/70%** 5/70% 5/70%

4/70% 4/75% 4/80%

3/76% 3/84% 3+/90%

2/80% 2/88% 2+/94%*

Other excellent wave programs popular in the USA

• 5-3-1 by Jim Wendler

• Cube Method by Brandon Lilly

Thanks to the ASCA and NSCA for allowing me to presentQuestions?????

www.danbakerstrength.com