Strength Training: The Russian Way

I am now back training after my trip to Russia for the IPF raw world champs. I was fortunate enough to meet some great people there and had a lot of useful discussions with a variety of lifters and coaches. One of the things that struck me came from a Russian coach who is now helping me out.

He asked what kind of coaching Australian lifters got. I said that a few had coaches that helped them out with their programming and training, but most I knew of sourced their training plans from the internet. He was shocked. He said: “the main difference between Russian and Australian lifters is coaching then?"

"In Russia, a coach prepares a training plan that is designed for each individual athlete. A coach also has to watch the lifter train and give them ongoing advice relating to technique”.

The programming and technical advice must be directed to the specific individual so that they can develop. It’s clear that there is a lot of information out there about how to train; lots of guidance on technique and programs for getting stronger. However, this provides you with a starting point. For many of us, we don’t get much further than that. This is one of the reasons I say to people work out what works for you. Don’t just blindly follow online recommendations: understand them; apply them, adapt them.

Andrey Malanichev and Steven Pritchard

You should know why you choose a specific exercise, rep range, load or volume. You should know how your training will get you where you want to be. We are not as lucky as the Russians when it comes to organised strength training. We don’t have institutions set up to train athletes like they do. We don’t have the coaches or the depth of athletes. But we can draw on the resources we do have.

I have started working with a Russian coach who is writing programs for me based on what I need to do. I video my training and he gives me feedback on my lifts. I’m lucky. But, there is no reason why others out there can’t start asking what they need to do and seeking the information they need to answer that question. My recommendation is this:

• Find a good training plan and then start trying to work out how to make it work for you. You may be lucky enough to have others around that can help, but if you don’t do your own research and work out how to progress, how much volume, what loading, what reps and sets and what exercises. Only make changes where you understand what the change is intended to do, but let yourself experiment a little.
• Video your lifts and get others to watch you lift. Watch other lifters with similar body shapes and see how they lift. Always work at perfecting technique. As my Russian coach says “you lift more with the same strength if you improve technique”.
• Training is a journey. You will always be learning.
• There are a lot of smart people in this country. Talk to them, email them, ask for help.