Welcome To Leg Killer

The creation of any training program is an interesting and creative process that consists of several stages. I’m always interested in knowing my athletes’ opinions, their needs and interests in the training process. I’ve learned a great deal from the feedback I’ve been given because as a professional athlete I had never faced the problems and questions that aroused when I started to hold the seminars. 

For example, general and specific warmup was a totally understandable part of the training for me and took about 20-30 minutes. But once I witnessed an athlete enter through the gym’s door, lace his weightlifting shoes and proceed straight to the 3 x 70% 1RM snatch, because that’s what was written in his training program. Since then I’ve realized that the training program for amateur athletes must be described and written with strong attention to details.

Life situations quite often become a source of ideas for new programs. This time quarantine has forced us to search for new ways and solutions for keeping up with our workouts. Somebody has changed the method or focus, and somebody has just given up. As for me – I’ve bought racks, rubber, loaded barbell to the trunk of my car and headed straight to discover the whole beautiful world of street and open-air weightlifting training.

Despite this article is not about the advantages of outdoor training we will mention the most significant ones:

• Sunlight and vitamin D;
• Stress relief;
• Improving sleep quality;
• And even myopia prevention.

I shall confess that unpacking, unloading and setting up all the equipment from the car, and once you are through repeating it all in a reverse pattern, is a great and effective warmup, muscle activation exercise, functional workout and cool down in one package. That’s why it will be quite hard to perform a full-fledged weightlifting routine and to prepare for future competitions. But I think that the basic strength training and outdoor environment go well together and that’s definitely what we need in these rough times.

That’s exactly how the idea of creating a new training program named LEG KILLER CYCLE was born.

What makes it so different from the specific weightlifting LEG STRENGTH program?

This is the training program to develop leg strength intended not solely for professional weightlifters. It will serve as a great solution in strength training for all athletes that require leg strength and power in their main activities.

Every workout consists of a rather large warmup block which is aimed at preparing you for the main work phase. I included both bodyweight exercises and exercises with the light weights. I believe preparing your «system» for the upcoming loads is crucial, otherwise you risk getting an injury.

The main load consists of front squats, back squats variations (wide and narrow stance, bench squats, pause squats) and lunges variations. A small volume of medium grip pulls and Romanian deadlift to additionally load the back and hamstring muscles is also included. I haven’t planned the snatch and clean pulls in this program, as the athletes from the other sports simply have no skill in these  movements.

When I was studying the length of the transition phases and strength training in different speed-strength and playing sports, I realized that to find the cycle length that will be appropriate for the most is just unreal. Some athletes devote 4-5 weeks to strength training while the others 10-12 weeks.

The solution came in the shape of an adjustable training template that consists of 4 blocks, each of these blocks lasting for one week. The load volume is distributed in a wave-like style that enables athletes to train 4-8-12 weeks sticking to this program. I labelled these cycles QUICK, OPTIMAL and MAX EFFORT.

Load in additional exercises is divided into the light, medium and high categories that are defined by each athlete, and the weight he takes depends only on his own discretion and wellbeing. In my opinion, the combination of such methods in strength training is reasonable.

After the cycle of any length, the athlete can consider performing the max out, but I advise to put it on your schedule 10-14 days after.

For weightlifters that do not want to completely «step aside from dynamics» I’ve planned the additional technical session for this period. There your muscles will have the possibility to work in familiar mode.

So let’s summarize all the above mentioned with the LEG KILLER CYCLE’s benefits list:

• Training program is downloadable eBook so you can easily store it in your phone;
• It is for anyone — man or woman, beginner or advanced — who is ready to work both hard and smart;
• Workouts keep you on your toes with barbell, and bodyweight work that emphasize functional strength;
• My  programming reveals the smaller details that are often overlooked. You will know the exact percentage (intensity), number of total reps (volume) for a given exercise.

The final feature of the program is 12 tough motivational training videos, which have been filmed and prepared for this program release date. I’ve tried to make you feel the vibes and energy of the outdoor training, and also shared my personal coach tips and recommendations about exercise features.

I wish killer strength legs and new results to everyone!

It’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it.

Sincerely yours, Oleksiy  Torokhtiy

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