Today’s episode features Dr. Michael Yessis, Soviet sport science expert, creator of the 1×20 training system, and internationally renowned expert on sports training and biomechanics.
On this podcast, we’ve had plenty of coaches who have talked about the 1×20 strength training system and the results it has brought them. Being 142 episodes into the show, I figured it would be great to go straight to the creator of the system and talk about its’ origins, intentions and implementation.
The 1×20 system itself is incredibly simple to carry out, but there are a few important features that are important to understand to get maximal benefit.
As important as it is to get stronger, it’s also important to keep it all in context of what actually makes a great athlete. Dr. Yessis has created a simple system that gets athletes strong in a hurry, but he also knows that being the strongest athlete on the team doesn’t mean you are the best! In that sense, Dr. Yessis gives us lots of helpful insights on how to help a training program really transfer to the skills needed for sport success.
On today’s show, Dr. Yessis gives us great insight on the advantages of moderate intensity efforts in the weightroom, some important details on the 1×20 system and its’ effectiveness, as well as in-season training, special strength and plyometric ideals.
Today’s episode is brought to you by SimpliFaster, supplier of high-end athletic development tools, such as the Freelap timing system, kBox, Sprint 1080, and more.
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Key Points
- Advantages and disadvantages of heavy (80% and up) weightlifting for athletes
- Why speed is the number one variable in training athletes
- Planning of strength work and emphasis throughout the year
- How the 1×20 strength training system came about
- The advantages of the 1×20 system over other types of strength training systems
- Training cycle patterns in the 1×20 system
- Workout variation in the 1×20 system
- 1×20 for different types of athletes, such as track sprinters versus a field sport athlete
- How plyometric progression works within the 1×20 system
Dr. Michael Yessis Quotes
“If you look at world class performers, not one of em’ is the strongest man on the team, so how much strength do you need?”
“The ultimate goal of training is to develop more speed, not strength”
“(Regarding barbell training) The ideal adaptation within the body happens within the context of a moderate intensity program”
“Every coach should look at this as the criteria for any program they use “Is it improving the performance of the athlete”, this is the bottom line”
“Many times (heavy) strength training for the older athlete or the adult can lead to negative gains”
“The specialized strength training is the key to making a better performing athlete, but the specialized strength has criteria”
“If your strength training is general, which most programs are… it has no effect on performance. You get stronger but your performance does not get better.”
“Muscular endurance must precede muscular strength… it gives you more circulatory abilities”
“For the greatest gains (in strength training) you need a moderate intensity”
“Too many get by with only a few strong joints and muscles… with the 1×20 you can use over 20 exercises in a session”
“I don’t have athletes do deep squats, we do ½ to ¼ squats… where in sport do you see range of motion you see in a deep squat?”
“In the beginning you must learn proper execution (of lifting skills)”
“Forget the amount of weight, it is how you are doing the exercise with good form. You need that good form for proper neuromuscular development”
“When you use maximal weights, technique usually deteriorates”
“We use the 1×20 system as a deload for higher level athletes; they are not on a 1×20 but when they need a deload week or two… or three or four… then they use the 1×20”
“You are not out to get sore, soreness is a sign of injury”
“Technique work or explosive work should be number one in any workout, you do either/or”
“(True) Plyometrics comes after the base is developed”
“We don’t do any strength training in season… the only time we do is when the athlete is losing strength, then we go back on a maintenance program”
“Why (not putting an emphasis on strength training in season)? Because it interferes with technique”
“How you execute a skill sets up your training program”
About Dr. Michael Yessis
Michael Yessis is a teacher, sports performance trainer, biomechanist, and author. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He has done work translating, adapting, and implementing sports training methodology from the former Soviet Union, including work by Yuri Verkhoshansky, Anatoliy Bondarchuk, and Vladimir Issurin, for over fifty years.
Yessis has worked extensively with professional and amateur athletes, including Todd Marinovich, Evander Holyfield, Dianne DeNecochea, Jose Luiz Barbosa, and others in over 50 years of active work. Yessis worked with the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Raiders professional football teams, as well as Team USA Volleyball.
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