Bulgarian training for weightlifters


ben johnson

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Note by Elliott: This message was posted by Christian Thibaudeau on the Dr. Squat message board.

Does anyone have any info on their [Bulgarian Olympic weightlifters -EUO] type of training for weightlifting. nm

The Bulgarian lifters train several times per day, using 30-60 minutes workouts. They do only 1-3 exercise per workout.

Here's a typical bulgarian training week:

  1. 1- Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday (2 sessions)
    • Training session one (9:00 - 1:00: 4 separate workouts)
    • 9:00 - 9:30: Front squat
    • 9:30-10:00: Break
    • 10:00 - 11:00: Snatch
    • 11:00 11:30: Break
    • 11:30-12:30: Clean and Jerk
    • 12:30 - 1:00: Front squat
  2. Training session two (4:30 - 8:00: 4 separate workouts
    • 4:30 - 5:30: Clean and Jerk
    • 5:30 - 6:00: Break
    • 6:00 - 7:00: Snatch
    • 7:00 - 7:30 Front squat
    • 7:30 - 8:00: Pulls
  3. Tuesday/ Thursday/ Saturday (only 1 session)
    • 9:00 - 9:30: Squat
    • 9:30 - 10:00: Break
    • 10:00 - 10:45: Power snatch
    • 10:45 - 11:15: Break
    • 11:15 - 12:00: Power clean
    • 12:00 - 12:30: Front squat
    • 12:30 - 1:00 Pulls

* On each exercises bulgarians will go up to their daily maximum capacity for the prescribed number of reps (either 3 reps, 2 reps or 1 rep on the competition lifts and 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 on the strength lifts). Most of the time they do 6-8 sets for each exercise. After working up to their max they would lower the weight and do 2-3 more sets progressively increasing the load once again. (ex. 120kg x 1, 130kg x 1, 135kg x 1, 140kg x 1, 150kg x 1, 135kg x 1, 140kg x 1, 145kg x 1)

Here's a different Bulgarian schedule (not all coaches used the exact same training structure).

  1. Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday
    • 9:00 - 10:00: Snatch
    • 10:00 - 10:30: Rest
    • 10:30 - 11:30: Clean and jerk
    • 11:30 - 12:30: Active rest/ light exercise
    • 12:30 - 1:00: Rest
    • 1:00 - 5:00: Rest
    • 5:00 - 5:30: Exercise (squats)
    • 5:30 - 6:00: Exercise (pulls)
    • 6:00 - 6:30: Rest
    • 6:30 - 8:30: Light exercise
  2. Tuesday/ Thursday/ Saturday
    • 9:00 - 10:00: Snatch
    • 10:00 - 10:30: Rest
    • 10:30 - 11:30: Clean and jerk
    • 11:30 - 12:30: Active rest/ light exercise
    • 12:30 - 1:00: Exercise (squats)
    • 1:00 - 5:00: Rest
    • 5:00 - 5:30: Exercise (pulls)
    • 5:30 - 6:00: Rest
    • 6:00 - 6:30: Exercise (squats)
    • 6:30 - 8:30: Rest

Sources:

  1. Zatsiorsky, VM., Science and Practice of Strength Training, Champaign IL, Human Kinetics, 1995
  2. Drechsler, A., The Weightlifting Encyclopedia: A guide to World Class Performance, Flushing N.Y., A is A Communication, 1998