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SETS & REPS
To date, BFS has sold over 500,000 Set-Rep Systems. We could not do that, if our system didn’t work incredibly well. Thousands of coaches know first hand that you really can do what our ads say, “Br
By Dr. Greg Shepard
Published: Winter 2000
The BFS Set-Rep System is superior to any other system when it comes to rapid strength gains with continual progress. It is for high school and college athletes. After great strength is attained at the college level, then periodization systems used by most colleges is a viable option. However, to get to that great-strength level, BFS is the fastest and best way to get there.
Many coaches have called or written asking what to do in certain situations. Therefore, due to popular demand, the following situations should prove thought provoking as you contemplate the variety of options. As you do this, you should begin to see just how the BFS Set-Rep System can take you to higher and higher levels.
BEGINNING SITUATION
Let’s say we are in the 4th week (3-26) of the BFS Set-Rep System. We are scheduled to Power Clean with a 4-4-2 workout. During the first week we should have done the 3X3 workout and established all five of our rep records. On week two, we should have done the 3x5 workout and broken some rep records. Last week (3-19) we should have done the
5-3-1 workout with even more rep records being broken.
You must look at your rep records and above all you must read your body and make a great decision. The goal is to establish our 4-4-2 Set Records and break more rep records. The figure to the left is what was recorded for the first three weeks.
The first thing you focus on is your 4-rep record which is 135 pounds. You also notice your 145-pound 2-rep record. Let’s say you do a 105-pound warm-up set. You get pumped because it felt easy. You decide the best way to attack the 4-rep record is to go at 130 pounds and if that goes well, you can make a jump for the record. Wow! It was easy! One hundred thirty pounds for four reps went up with power to spare. Now, you are ready to win. You have to get focused and prepare for battle. After all, a personal record is on the line.
You win! You got 140 pounds, although the last rep of the four reps was tough. Now you are ready for the last set. You need 150 pounds for the record. You go for it. If you only get one rep, you will get penalized in the Set Box, but you will set a new one-rep Max Record. If you get two reps, no penalty and you just record what you did. If you get three, all the better. Let’s say you got three reps. Here is what happens: Your Set-Record Box will have 130+140+150=420 Total (shown in red). This now becomes your new 4-4-2 Set Record. You broke your 4-rep record on the second set and your one-, two- and three-rep record on the last set. You just broke four personal records and that was just on the Power Clean! Wow! You are an eleven! Yes--We can win next season! (This scenario is quite typical of what happens with the average high school athlete in the 4th week)
ADVANCED SITUATION
Let’s say you are on the 3X3 workout. You have been on the BFS Set-Rep System for five months. You have been breaking your eight or more records every week but it is getting tougher to do. It is Friday in the off-season and you are ready for the Bench Press. You had a good Towel Bench workout last Monday and you are looking forward to again getting to do a regular Bench Press. You look at what you did the last few times you did the 3X3 workout, but especially what you did last month. You look at your 3-rep record and vow that it is going down. The goal is to break your 3X3 Set Record and as many rep records as possible. Your 3X3 Set Record and Rep Records are shown above.
In the BFS Set-Rep System, if you are going to start your first counting set in the 300-pound range, you would do 2-3 warm-up sets. After looking at your 3X3 Set Record, you see that last month (2-15) you started at 315 pounds. Therefore, to be on line to break your set record, you think you should start at 320 pounds. You do 5 reps at 225 pounds and 3 reps at 275 pounds for warm-ups. You are not feeling all that great. For some reason the bar feels heavy today, but you suck-up and go for the 320 pounds. You make it, but it is a little shaky. However, you say to yourself, that if you can get the next set at 330 pounds, you can most likely reach your goal and break your 3X3 Set Record.
You get yourself psyched and visualize beating the bar. You also visualize your technique. With a roar, you get the first rep. The second rep is a gut buster, but you have got to try for that third rep. It doesn’t go. Now you have to go to the penalty table. Shingle nails! You only get credit for 315 pounds. Bummer.
Okay, you say to yourself. How can I salvage this workout? The set record is out of reach but maybe I can break a rep record. You think the easiest one to break is the 8-rep record. You put on 270 pounds. The first reps go easy. You get six, then seven and now eight reps. A record! It’s real heavy now but if you could just squeeze out another two you could get another record. You just barely get nine reps but that’s not good enough because you do not get credit for it. You know that you have to get one more. Just one more. You give it all you have but you only get it halfway. Exhausted, you set the bar down and record what you have just done.
You totaled 885 pounds on your 3X3 Set Record. You record 270 pounds on your new 8-rep record. After a moment, you realize that you gave everything you had and even though you were down a little bit, you still broke, at least, one record. You vow to do better next time.
What happens if you are down a little bit on a periodization program? You fail completely. Pure and simple. The BFS System is the only program where you can be down and still break personal records. This is one reason we get massive voluntary participation. This is our underlying goal at the high school and non-scholarship college levels. Until our next issue, may you break personal records every day.
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PURPLE = Week 1 Records, GREEN = Week 2 Records, GOLD = Week 3 Records, RED = Week 4 Records
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