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Dowe know what we know?ability, and motivation? H o w m a n y have taken rehab patientsback tofunctionalitya n d t h e n b e y o n d after t h e insurance forclinical rehabilitation r u n s o u t ? A t r u e strength a n dconditioningprofessionalm u s t b e v e r s e d i n all a r e a s o f p r a c t i c eand competition, t h r o u g h experience and education. To ignorethe contributions and underpinning concepts of any strengtht r a i n i n g s p e c i a l i z a t i o n is to a c t i v e l y c h o o s e to be a lesscompetentprofessional.M a n y texts have also been w r i t t e n by practitioners, butt h e y typically lack a s o u n d scientific basis. F o r each of these,there is a text w r i t t e n by a P h D that lacks the usefulness thatonly experience can provide. Virtually every professionalorganization w i t h i n t h e w e i g h t training c o m m u n i t y identitiesthe gap b e t w e e n t h e o r y a n d practice as a large p r o b l e m withinthe profession. T h e r e is no question about this, but solutionsf r o m t h e field h a v e n o t b e e n f o r t h c o m i n g .T h e training of academics is a problem. H o w m a n yuniversities h a v e m a s t e r s a n d d o c t o r a l p r o g r a m s specificallyaimed at the extension of knowledge surrounding weightt r a i n i n g a n d its r o l e i n h e a l t h a n d h u m a n p e r f o r m a n c e ? T h o s eprograms can be counted on one hand. T h e paucity ofinstitutions w h e r e the physiology, mechanics, and psychologyof w e i g h t t r a i n i n g is a focus at t h e g r a d u a t e level m e a n s t h a ta c a d e m i c s o p e r a t i n g a s " e x p e r t s " i n t h e field w e r e n o t t r a i n e db y e x p e r t s i n t h e field. T h i s i s a p r o b l e m . O c c a s i o n a l l y( f r e q u e n t l y , s o m e w o u l d a r g u e ) , y o u c a n find e x p e r t fieldpractitioners w h o have trained themselves through reading andon-site applied research a n d w h o possess a m u c h betterc o m m a n d of the applicability of research into weight trainingthan m a n y academic "experts."T h e r e is a t r i c k l e - d o w n effect h e r e . A c a d e m i c s atuniversities train o u r coaches, trainers, and teachers. Poorlytrained professors produce p o o r l y trained practitioners.This isan area of t r e m e n d o u s c o n c e r n , especially in athletics. T h e3

PracticalProgrammingstrength coach will likely s p e n d m o r e individual t i m e w i t h anathlete than any other coach d u r i n g the athlete's career. W o u l dwe send an untrained, u n m e n t o r e d , or uneducated person outto r u n a season of practices for a football or volleyball team?Obviously not. Just because s o m e o n e has run a m a r a t h o n orplayed Division I football does n o t m e a n that t h e y are capableof coaching the sport. Playing a n d coaching are t w o differentskills. T h i s s a m e applies t o w e i g h t t r a i n i n g : just b e c a u s e a nindividual exercised w i t h weights w h i l e t h e y played a sportdoes not m e a n that they are qualified to coach strength for thator any other sport. It takes training, mentorship, and education(either formal or practical). D i s r e g a r d i n g t h e value of p r o v e n ,certifiable k n o w l e d g e a n d practical ability a n d g a m b l i n g a nathlete's or team's physical readiness on t h e good-ol'-boys y s t e m o f h i r i n g s t r e n g t h a n d c o n d i t i o n i n g staff i s n o t w i s e .Further, this system of hiring limits t h e potential forp r o f e s s i o n a l i s m a n d p u b l i c r e c o g n i t i o n i n t h e c a r e e r field.T h e lack of p r e p a r a t o r y courses in the average physicaleducation or kinesiology degree p r o g r a m is a p r o b l e m . D a t afrom 2004 U . S . exercise participation statistics indicates t h a t2 1 % of the population trains with weights t w o or m o r e timesper week. T h e lack of educated a n d experienced professionals inthe classroom, w e i g h t r o o m , a n d fitness club m e a n s that theremay be63,000,000Americansnot taught h o w to do soSportingtrainingcorrectly.with weights w h o wereAdditionaldata from theGoods Manufacturing Association shows that weighttraining is consistently in the t o p three recreational exerciseactivities i n t h e U n i t e d States, w h i c h f u r t h e r u n d e r s c o r e s t h ei m p o r t a n c e of p r o v i d i n g quality i n s t r u c t i o n specific to t e a c h i n gand programming weight training to physical educators,coaches, and personal trainers. T h i s void in professionalpreparation prevents a huge n u m b e r of trainees from makingthe progress that they expect and are capable of. Professional34

Dowe know what we know?education p r o g r a m s should begin to address this overlookedarea of instruction.EducatingPractitionersT h e r o o t of the p r o b l e m can be f o u n d in the lack of asense o f i d e n t i t y w i t h i n physical e d u c a t i o n . W h o a n d w h a t arephysical educators? Just look at w h a t physical educationprograms inuniversitiesacross t h e U n i t e d States p r o d u c e . O n eacademic d e p a r t m e n t f r e q u e n t l y generates teachers, clinicians,coaches, trainers, fitness trainers, g y m m a n a g e r s , sportsadministrators, , exercise rehabilitation specialists, exercisephysiologists, biomechanists, and sports psychologists.P r o g r a m s are typically general in nature, p r o d u c i n g generallytrained s t u d e n t s i n t e n d e d t o o c c u p y specific o c c u p a t i o n a l a n dprofessional jobs. T h e n a m e s of the university departments thatoffer w h a t are c o n s i d e r e d t r a d i t i o n a l " p h y s i c a l e d u c a t i o n "degrees are generic, nondescript names that the public does notrecognize as being related to physical education. T h i s lack ofrecognition actually starts on college campuses themselves;o t h e r academic p r o g r a m faculty will refer to kinesiology,exercise science, or a n y o t h e r p e r m u t a t i o n of the n a m e simplyas "the PE department."It w o u l d behoove "physical education" d e p a r t m e n t s whatever their n a m e — t o clearly define a mission, a philosophy,a n d a specific professional e m p l o y m e n t p r e p a r a t i o n track, a n dstaff i t w i t h e x p e r t s i n t h e field. A p r o g r a m t h a t i s i n t e n d e d t op r o d u c e public school physical educators, as t h e y are currentlyprepared, c a n n o t at the s a m e t i m e p r o d u c e top-flight cardiacrehabilitation specialists. By t h e s a m e t o k e n , a clinicalrehabilitation p r o g r a m intended to p r o d u c e an athletic trainer,a cardiac rehabilitation specialist, or an exercise rehabilitationpractitioner, as t h e y are c u r r e n t l y p r e p a r e d , c a n n o t at the same5

PracticalProgrammingtime p r o d u c e a strength coach. A r e t h i n k i n g of m o d e r nphysical education is w a r r a n t e d . W i t h o u t change, trainedprofessionals capableo f c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e professionof sportand exercise will be a rarity. G r a d u a t e s capable of o c c u p y i n gl o w l e v e l jobs s u b s e r v i e n t t o s o m e o t h e r p r o f e s s i o n a l m a n a g e r i a lg r o u p , o n e t h a t i s a c t u a l l y less q u a l i f i e d t o s u p e r v i s e a n dp r o g r a m exercise, will be the rule.T h e r e are m o r e than 300 different certificationsavailable t o exercise professionals, w i t h n e a r l y a s m a n ybusinesses and organizations offering t h e m . California alonehas nearly 40 entities offering s o m e t y p e of credential. T h i s isan unregulated industry, a n d as such there are "professionalcertifications" that can be o b t a i n e d by w r i t i n g a c h e c k to acompany, receiving s o m e course material in an envelope in themail, t a k i n g a test a t h o m e o r o n l i n e , a n d t h e n r e c e i v i n g y o u rcertification in the mail in a s e c o n d e n v e l o p e . S u d d e n l y y o ub e c o m e a certified w e i g h t t r a i n i n g professional a n d can p u ts o m e extra letters after y o u r n a m e . O t h e r s offer a n e v e n i n g o rSaturday w o r k s h o p that u p o n completion renders y o u a"certified professional." T h e s e certifications benefit n o o n eexcept the business offering the certification. T h e y certainlyc a n n o t d e v e l o p — o r even m e a s u r e — t h e skills a n d k n o w l e d g erequired of a competent strength professional. An untrainedperson, with no previous education or mentored experiences,c a n n o t gain t h e necessary k n o w l e d g e a n d skills to b e c o m e asuccessful p r a c t i t i o n e r by q u i c k l y r e a d i n g a s t u d y g u i d e b e f o r e atest or by s p e n d i n g an a f t e r n o o n w i t h a certification i n s t r u c t o r .An "education" is required, formal or otherwise, as is time inthetrenchesworkingwith trained, knowledgeableprofessionals. O n l y after gaining a satisfactoryworkingtheoretical k n o w l e d g e a n d a set of practical skills s h o u l ds o m e o n e sit for a r i g o r o u s c e r t i f i c a t i o nexaminationoffered bya professional organization w i t h a professional m e m b e r s h i p .6

Dowe know whatwe know?Although credentials from organizations that have nom e m b e r s h i p o t h e r t h a n an advisory board, or businesses thats e l l c e r t i f i c a l o is, m a y s e r v e a p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s f u n c t i o n i ncertain c o n t e x t s , t h e y s h o u l d be c o n s i d e r e d o n l y after a m a j o rcertification hConditioningbeen obtained ( N S C A [National Strength andAssociation]and U S A W [ U S A Weightlifting] inparticular for strength training, A C S M for exercise in general).Even thesecertificationsh a v e t h e i r limitations, b u t t h e y are thebest c u r r e n t l y available. A g o o d rule of t h u m b is that if thec e r t i f y i n g a g e n c y d o e s n o t h a v e a n a n n u a l c o n v e n t i o n o f itsprofessional m e m b e r s h i p , does n o t have a professionaleducation agenda, and does not produce a professional journal,it is likely t h a t t h e m e r i t and value of its certification is l o w . Aseminar, s y m p o s i u m , or w o r k s h o p is not a certification. Theseshort-duration educational experiences are quite valuable forprofessional development, but their attendance and completionshould not be considered evidence of expertise.Periodizationin PrintT h e scientific literature related to w e i g h t training isfrequently limited in scope and applicability. T h e individualsc o n d u c t i n g the research are n o t trained to ask the rightquestions, and they frequently have no concept of h o w ther e s e a r c h t h e y d o i n t h e l a b a c t u a l l y a p p l i e s i n t h e field. Ac o m m o n p r o b l e m is t h a t findings d e r i v e d f r o m a specificp o p u l a t i o n — u n t r a i n e d college-age males, for example—aref r e q u e n t l y c o n s i d e r e d t o b e g e n e r a l i z a b l e t o all p o p u l a t i o n s ,including t r a i n e d athletes. E x p e r i e n c e d coaches a n d trainers arefrequently a m u s e d b y t h e w r i t i n g s o f t h e scientific "experts"w h o dogmatically propose and defend all-encompassingtheories of t r a i n i n g t h a t h a v e little relevance to t h e real w o r l dor claim that rehabilitation exercise t h e o r y is applicable to theperformance preparation of healthy athletes.7

PracticalProgrammingSpecific to t h e task of p r o g r a m m i n g w e i g h t t r a i n i n g , letsc o n s i d e r t h e c o n c e p t o f p e r i o d i z a t i o n a n d its s u p p o r t i n gresearch. Periodization has been called o n e of the "coreprinciples" in t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of athletes for c o m p e t i t i o n . It is av e r y s i m p l e idea: t h e athlete t r a i n s v e r y h a r d for a " p e r i o d " of at i m e a n d t h e n t r a i n s less h a r d f o r a " p e r i o d . " O n e w o u l d e x p e c ta core principle such as this to be heavily s u p p o r t e d in thescientific l i t e r a t u r e . A f t e r all, a j o i n t c o n s e n s u s s t a t e m e n t f r o mthe A C S M and the U n i t e d States O l y m p i c C o m m i t t e e statesthat the p r i m a r y reason athletes are overtrained is that coachesfail t o p e r i o d i z e . T h e f a c t i s t h a t W e s t e r n r e s e a r c h r e g a r d i n gperiodization is sparse. T h e r e are m o r e reviews a n dinterpretations of h o w to use periodization than there is data tos u p p o r t its u s e . A s e a r c h o n t h e M e d l i n e a n d S p o r t D i s c u sacademic search engines reveals o n l y a d o z e n or so reports thatcan be characterized as controlled experimental studies ofp e r i o d i z a t i o n . I n fact, o n e o f t h e " h a l l m a r k " texts o nperiodization, w r i t t e n in a v e r y scientific t o n e , provides 12pages o f m o r e t h a n 120 references t o s u p p o r t t h e a u t h o r ' sconcepts of periodization. W h i l e this m a y appear impressivelythorough, n o n e of the research cited in that text actually camef r o m e x p e r i m e n t s i n p e r i o d i z a t i o n . T h e m o s t definitive case forperiodization comes f r o m H a n s Selye's 1936 original synthesisof the General A d a p t a t i o n S y n d r o m e , a statement ofhypothesisregardinghumanadaptationto stress.history of periodization is quite interesting. T h ec o m m u n i s t - b l o cc o u n t r i e s ' sports scientists applied a f o r m ofperiodization to a variety of training models used in thed e v e l o p m e n t of O l y m p i c athletes in t h e 1940s, 50s, 60s a n d 70s.If y o u compare their models of periodizationwiththe reviewsand o p i n i o n pieces in W e s t e r n sports science literature, you'llsee t h a t t h e ideas a n d c o n t e n t p r e s e n t e d i n W e s t e r n l i t e r a t u r eare essentially a d a p t e d f r o m old Soviet literature.8

Dowe know whatwe know?Bud Charniga (fig. 1-1) did a great service to Americansports scientists when he translated a series of Soviet documentsinto English in the 1980s. However, the information presentedin those works must be applied cautiously. Communist-blocsports science literature is very loosely annotated. It is notFigure 1-1. B u d C h a r n i g a , translator of Russian weightlifting literature intoEnglish, s n a t c h i n g 3 5 8 lbs. at a 1976 c o m p e t i t i o n in K a n s a s City.necessarily bad science, but it is reported in a form that doesnot lend itself to the independent verification of results. Thereis no way to accurately and reliably evaluate their conclusionsor methods, since they often summarize their findings withoutproviding any substantiating data. And sometimes the literatureto which they refer is not accessible. The bottom line is that theworks of Leonid Matveyev, Yuri Verkoshansky, AlexeyMedvedev (fig. 1-2) and other communist-bloc writers havebeen adopted as truth without independent confirmation oftheir theories and practices. And their practices are applied to9

PracticalProgrammingall populations without regard to their original intended usesand intended target populations.Figure 1-2. D o n ' t be shy a b o u t a s k i n g " e x p e r t s " q u e s t i o n s . Call t h e m , email t h e m , meet with t h e m ; it's a rare e x p e r t w h o d o e s n ' t like to talk a b o u twhat they k n o w . Even i f y o u d o n ' t a g r e e w i t h w h a t they s a y , y o u can learns o m e t h i n g from e v e r y o n e . A l e x e y M e d v e d e v (left) d i s c u s s e s t r a i n i n g t h e o r yand the g o o d life with G l e n n P e n d l a y .Periodization and the American Kid. Periodization fits wellwith a worldview characterized by a high degree of planning,an attempt to quantify everything, and the need to control itall. (This may be w h y academics in the American educationsystem like it so well too). Communist societies suffered theconsequences of this manic desire to apply order to systemsthat cannot be easily ordered, systems composed of too manyvariables to handily control. As a weightlifting regimen, thiskind of program works when it has sufficient numbers ofavailable athletes, enough that it can simply replace the ones10

Dowеknow whatweknow?w h o can't function within the training paradigm dictated byt h e coach's particular periodization model. It doesn't work aswell in situations less tolerant of artificially imposed order, asin t h e culture of American y o u t h .W h e n evaluating communist-bloc sports science data,we must also consider which data may have been acquiredwhile t h e subject athletes were taking part in "better liftingt h r o u g h chemistry'' experiments. Training models appropriatefor chemically enhanced athletes are n o t applicable tofrequently tested drug-free athletes.Communist-bloc countries h a d (and still have) largescale sports performance selection processes intended to directy o u n g athletes i n t o t h e m o s t appropriate sport, based onspecific criteria. Once there, athletes achieve and stay in theprogram or fail to achieve a n d are sent h o m e . T h e result is apyramidal selection structure t h a t eliminates less competentathletes. leaving only those w h o have the best chance forinternational success. In t h e U n i t e d States and most Westerncountries, some sports have a developmental pipeline. Footballdoes. Basketball does. In fact, most nationally recognized highschool sports t h a t have a counterpart at t h e collegiate andprofessional levels have selection pipelines comparable in scaleto those seen at t h e zenith of t h e Soviet bloc's sporting success.High school sport in t h e U n i t e d States is the base of o u rselection pyramid. However, a huge difference exists in that ahigh school student in the U n i t e d States represents a differentpopulation t h a n students of the same age in Soviet systems.U.S. kids play sports to get in shape, while kids in Soviet-typesystems get in shape to play sports. In the former bloccountries, sport was o n e of the few ways to rise above t h ec r a m faints of t h e economic system, and this was a verypowerful motivator. This difference is fundamental andsignificant, creating two distinct populations of athletes that11

PracticalProgrammingreflect two distinct cultures. Soviet models of periodizationwere developed for and apply best to only one of these groups.The U.S. high school student of today does not have thegeneral fitness and movement skills developed by the programsinherent in communist systems, programs in which childrenlearned how to move effectively and began developing basefitness at age 6, long before they entered sport-specific training.Elementary school PE progr

book projects with him one of the most intellectually rewarding and fun periods of my academic career. To me Rip is the "Iron" that Rollins describes. There are a number of other important learning influences I would be remiss in not mentioning: Joe Bradford - Bi