Upper Only - An APRE Program
A 3 day framework for strength & performance training.
Hey everyone!
Recently, I had a Twitter exchange about training structure based on a 3 day per week split.
This post will outline an upper only program that considers a very specific set of goals, but the framework of programming is applicable for performance based training. Your situation may require some changes but the ideas are all here.
I put together and Excel download at the end.
Here’s the outline:
Context
I prefer to program based on the training goal. I break everything down into the physical qualities and then determine which movement patterns are needed to achieve those goals.
I briefly touched on Physical Qualities, in a previous post, but here they are as a reminder:
Fitness - GPP (includes mobility, and proper movement patterns)
Aerobic
Lactate
Hypertrophy
Strength
Power
Speed
Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) - Added this one because a component of the upcoming example is performance related.
Movement Patterns
Lower
Squat, hinge
Upper
Push, pull
Rotation
Once you have all the training days laid out via the Goal > Primary Physical Quality to be Trained > Movement Patterns (the more inclusive the better), you can pick your exercises.
The Primary Physical Qualities will determine the programming strategy you will utilize - Sets, Reps, Weight, etc…
Goals
If you haven’t already figured out where I stand on Goals, I’ll say it again.
Always pick a goal first, read this post for more details. A goal gives your program purpose and a lays the foundation for the overview of your training. For the purpose of this post here are the goals:
Performance - basketball season
Size - general aesthetics
I am going to focus on the first goal, mainly the strength portion.
Caveat, I have little understanding of true demands of wheelchair basketball, outside of general physical qualities. With this in mind there may need to be some changes to the exercises, which is why I’ll approach this program from a movement categorization standpoint.
I’ll program Horizontal Press and you can fill in the exercise as you see fit, based on your abilities, equipment etc.. View the program as more of an outline and concepts and to plug in play exercises.
Performance
I haven’t written much about athletic performance, but this post will give you a brief outline on strength for performance.
Additional Context for the performance goal - Currently in basketball season which ends in April. Multiple practices per week and tournaments about 1 time per month (multiple games per tournament).
Given tournaments are condensed to one weekend per month you can structure your training to include a deload week post competition and build back up over the next 3 weeks.
Here’s the framework I would use for general performance training with this goal in mind:
GPP - Isometrics
Aerobic focus
High intensity interval focus
Strength - APRE
6RM protocol
3 RM Protocol
Power - Quality reps, focus on moving the weight as fast as possible
This strategy applies to the primary exercises
Using med ball work if possible, ASFM or Oscillatory exercises as supersets
Accessory work - As needed 5-8 reps
RSA - Repeated Sprint Ability - Repeated Efforts
The ability to maintain a high output over the course of the game
Primarily applies to conditioning, but weight room work can be included here
For this article I’ll put together a framework for a Strength Block using the 6RM and 3RM APRE Protocol.
Strength
Why APRE?
APRE = Autoregulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise.
A training protocol that adjusts weights daily based on your performance on a given set. Your weights for each set are estimated (primary movements only). Using the rep adjustment chart below you will adjust the weight on your 4th set, based on the number of reps completed on the 3rd set. This is autoregulation.
Autoregulation allows you to adjust the intensity based on how you feel/your level of fatigue. This is crucial around practice and competition, in order to maximize adaptation and promote recovery when needed.
Example: Take a look at the 3RM routine column. On my third set, if I only completed 2 reps, I would decrease the weight by 5-10 Lbs for my 4th set (the last working set).
Notes:
In a performance program, intent matters. This means finishing the concentric muscle action by accelerating the bar or weight as fast as you can.
Use a training max. If your 1RM on bench press is 100 Lbs, your training max would be 90 Lbs.
90 Lbs would be used to estimate all your weights
This is a feature I build into the excel sheet
APRE is a percentage based method, so you will need to know your 1RM or calculate it in the program file.
Here are the APRE Protocols for anyone who wants to apply the sets, reps and percentages to their own program.
Program Considerations
As you are selecting your exercises based on the movement category or body part, consider the Tier that the exercise is in.
Tier 2 and 3 should be compound movements and be more difficult than Tier 4. Additionally superset exercises should not be as fatiguing as the primary exercise or take away from the primary exercises.
Accessory work is to support the primary exercise, not be the main driver of adaptation. Start lighter and increase across the 3 weeks. Week 4 is a deload week - use a weight around the same as what you used for week 1/week 2.
A note on warm up - The empty blue boxes. Do something to increase blood flow. Feel free to add a few lighter sets to your primary exercise for additional warm up or fill this space in with something else.
A set of 15 at 25%
A set of 10 at 35-45%
You can run these programs as long as you are continuing to see results, and if they are not taking away from performance. I would add a power block, focussing on moving weight faster. Try the following format:
Block 1 - APRE 6 RM - 4 weeks
Block 2 - APRE 3 RM - 4 weeks
Block 3 - Power - 4 Weeks
Restart or move onto your other goals - Size and Aesthetics
Try the APRE 10RM protocol found above.