Most strength training strategies incorporate a variety of different weights for the purpose of gaining strength. There are tons of periodization strategies to help people do this. However, there are some training methods that focus primarily on heavy lifting. Perhaps the most notable method that has a focus on heavy lifting is the Bulgarian single rep max effort method. The max effort lift makes up the vast majority of this type of training. When coached by Ivan Abadjiev, not only did the Bulgarians Olympic lifting team focus on extremely heavy lifting, they did it on a daily basis. It was brutal, but it produced results.
John Broz is a lifting coach who picked up the Bulgarian method and now teaches it to the lifters in his gym in the U.S. His lifters lift long, heavy, and often. Like the Bulgarian’s, the lifters from Broz gym are strong.
Squatting at Broz Gym
Both Broz and the Bulgarians use single rep max training in the context of Olympic lifting, which includes the clean and jerk, and the snatch, although they often squat heavy as part of their training. Using the single rep max as the total focus of training hasn’t caught on as much with powerlifting. Perhaps this is because a single rep max for the Olympic lifts is more of a speed movement (or dynamic, ballistic, or elastic; whichever term you like to use), whereas a powerlifting max tends to be a slower lift, and it may take several seconds to complete one movement.
For powerlifters, the frequent use of grinder reps with maximum weights can obliterate recovery ability in no time flat, but some are able to use near max weights for powerlifting movements on a fairly frequent basis. Damien Pezzuti is an example of this as he goes very heavy three times per week for squats and deadlifts, and does lighter bench and squat workouts on Tuesday and Thursday. This strategy has definitely worked for him.
Mark Challet is an example of an immensely strong powerlifter who focused almost exclusively on heavy single reps for his workouts. He didn’t go all out in every workout, but gradually added on weight from week to week until he surpassed his previous single rep record. Mark was not a high frequency lifter. He did squats and bench press on Mondays, and deadlifts on Thursdays, nothing more, yet his focus on heavy weights proved to be highly effective for him.
Guidelines for Heavy Lifting
A pure focus on heavy lifting is not for everyone. Many lifters will also need to include lighter training in order to incorporate total workload training, muscle building, and high rep speed training to maximize their progress with heavy lifting. Other lifters have the ideal physiology to focus on heavy training as a means for producing consistent strength gains.
Whether you choose to use heavy weights occasionally, or on a weekly basis, there are some important guidelines for heavy lifting:
- Master your lifting form before lifting extremely heavy.
- Work your way into heavy lifting. Don’t go for a max until your joints, tendons, and ligaments have been trained to the point where they are ready for heavy weights.
- Pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you have a sore joint or muscle group, don’t go for a max that involves that joint or muscle group.
In order to get as strong as possible, you will need to lift heavy at some point in your training. You may work up to heavy lifting by using linear periodization, or block periodization, or you may prefer to work it in to your training on a regular basis. The only way to know how your body will respond to heavy lifting is to try it out. If it gives you results when you focus on it, stick with it. If you don’t seem to get results when you focus primarily on heavy lifting, then balance your training with rep speed training, bodybuilding, and use various rep ranges to stimulate your progress. Analyze your results and keep doing what works, while throwing away or adjusting what doesn’t work. Best of training to you.