A Simple Block Periodisation Scheme for the Recreational Martial Artist
- Two support themes - strength and conditioning
- Three blocks for strength - base, strength & power, high intensity
- Two blocks for conditioning - base, high intensity
- Each block is eight weeks (can be flexed 6 to 10 to accommodate natural boundaries such as holidays, or event tapering)
- For both themes, high intensity blocks are done no more frequently than on a 1:2 basis. Eg. two base strength blocks followed by one high intensity strength block.
- One strength block and one conditioning block run consecutively, but high intensity strength and conditioning blocks are never done at the same time.
- The ‘eight weeks out’ block prior to an event is a strength & power/ high intensity conditioning block with a two week taper
- High intensity strength is done only in the ‘off season’
- Bi-weekly sparring and technical drill sessions are assumed to be continuous, with higher intensity in the pre-event block
- One ‘active recovery’ back-off week between each block
- High intensity strength and the conditioning blocks are broken into two phases of four weeks each
Base strength
Two strength sessions per week, trained as ‘3 sets across’, eg:
- Deadlift 1x5, press 3x5, chins 3x6-12 across.
- Squat 3x5, bench press 3x5, high pull 3x5
For older/more experienced lifters, weight is not added every workout, but is added if the 3 sets become ‘comfortable’ (at least a rep in the tank).
Strength & Power
The same as base strength, except that every other week the deadlift and the press in workout (1) are replaced by power clean & push jerk, 7-10 singles.
High Intensity Strength
First Phase (four weeks)
- One base strength and one HIT workout each week:
- Base - Squat 3x5 across, press 3x5 across
- HIT - one set to failure at 6-12 reps of each of press, chins, bench press, high pull, dips, squats
Second Phase (up to four weeks)
Two HIT workouts (as in the first phase) per week. On the second workout each week, the press and chins are taken to ‘super failure’ (partial reps, fought negative, cheat reps) Workouts can be stretched to once every five days if recovery is a problem.
Base conditioning
First phase (four weeks)
One or two low intensity distance runs (45 to 75 minutes) per week
Second phase
One distance run and one shorter ‘threshold’ run at higher pace (say 5km). The second run can be replaced by a hill run or tempo intervals.
High intensity conditioning
First phase (four weeks)
- One steady state run and one high intensity interval workout per week
- Steady state run 5km to 10km
- High intensity intervals on (ergometer) rowing machine at 40 seconds of maximum power output followed by 3 to 4 minutes of rest, for 4 to 12 reps (add one rep each week throughout the entire block).
Second phase (up to four weeks)
One high intensity interval workout per week (as above), plus one twenty minute AMRAP (as many rounds/reps as possible), done with combinations of one to three of:
- Dumbbell swings
- Dumbbell snatch
- Box/bench jumps
- Press ups
- Drop chins
- Air squats
- Burpees
- Lunges
