A. S. Prilepin’s Table of Intensity -v- Volume

During the ’60s and ’70s Soviet sports scientist A.S.Prilepin collected data from the training logs of more than 1000 World, Olympic, National and European weightlifting champions. Prilepin synthesized his findings in a very simple table; which provides workout guidelines as to how elite weightlifters trained for maximal strength.

To demonstrate how the table works, consider an example lift of 75% of your 1RM (1 rep max). The table suggests that this lift should be performed (according to the 70-79% range) :

• in sets of 3-6 reps
• total reps should be at least 12, no more than 24, and optimally at 18 (fewer than 12 is insufficient for muscle adaptation, greater than 24 is too fatiguing)

Interesting....

So by this chart, if someone was doing near max singles (which is pretty much the way i train year round) in a session, they should be doing optimally 7 reps??  No way i could do 7 singles at that kinda weight....

Craig,

I am certainly not the authority on this chart, but I could offer a few observations:

- If you are doing squats, benches, or other strength-oriented lifts with >95% you are definitely NOT going to do 7 singles, and probably not even 4 singles, which is the suggested minimum.

- However, on your way to a max single, you might do a double at 90% and a single at 95%, in addition to the max single.  That gets you to the minimum 4 reps.  In addition, it is not inconceivable that you might do 2-3 near max singles, or, alternatively, do one max single and then drop down to about 90% for 2-3 doubles (this is a personal favourite of mine).  This is certainly how many top Olympic lifters train, even ignoring the fact of how often they train.  This logic is even more likely when it comes to dynamic lifts like power cleans and power snatches, which cause relatively less fatigue.

- You will find that other than for max singles, the chart makes perfect sense and forces you to train more systematically.  There is also the complicating factor of how to adjust for the use of varying percentages within a given workout that must be kept in mind to some degree, e.g. 5x70%+3x80%+2x90%+1x95%+1x100%=???

- Ultimately, if you find that even with the points noted above you are still unable to do at least the minimum work recommended, you are probably lifting heavier that Prelipin believed you should be for optimum results.  Remember, this guy was Russian, not Bulgarian, and I believe they did a lot of their "heavy" work around the 90% range.  This makes a difference.

bump.

Peter, is there any consideration for recovery time incorporated into the table? On the opposite end of Craig's approach I'm in that 70% range, exceeding the optimal total most times. Every 4 th week I get into the 90-95% range with lengthy recovery periods-up to 5 mins.

Don,

I assume you are talking about recovery time between sets.  If so, I have never seen any such recommendations associated with this table.  However, as I am sure you are well aware, if you are training for either strength or explosiveness, your rest periods are generally going to be in the range of 3 to 5 minutes, unless you are using light weights for low reps and high sets, in which case you would be resting for 1 or 2 minutes between sets. 

When you are training is the 70% range, what combination of sets and reps are you generally using?  Is that for squats etc. or quick lifts as well?

Keep in mind that this chart was specifically developed for Olympic lifters, so reasonably full recovery between sets is going to be assumed.  I hope that helps, or at least is in line with your assumptions.

Thanks Peter, what I assumed.

My 70% and below sets are into the 10-15 range, reps 2-3 for various squating and pulling. Slowly starting to move into the 80-85% range x2 per week for an 8 week period covering May and June. 

At this time my squat jumping, single leg and glute-ham lower back (G/M or RDL) are in the  higher percentages at least once per week, but this is often dictated by energy level.