Q:  I’ve heard it brought up in several conversations at the gym, so, what is the Eastern Bloc Training system?

A:  This is a training system that was in vogue a few years back. It was also known as the Soviet Percentage System. This program, which is based around a person’s one rep maximum, is certainly worth trialing for an 11 week cycle. It has been known to produce dramatic increases in both strength and size and could well deliver those results for you.

The program requires you to determine your one rep maximum on the exercises to be used. For this system, it’s best to concentrate on the big three power movements – bench press, squats and dead-lifts. You work with poundages that are between 65-85 % of your one rep max for between six and eight sets with minimal rest between sets (30-90 seconds, gradually increasing with heavier weight). The program runs over eleven weeks, which are broken down into two training cycles. You train on each exercise just once per week. Within the eleven week period you should hit a new one rep max twice.

Here’s how a four week cycle would run for the bench press: Prior to starting test for one rep maximum.

Week One –             70 % of max for 8 sets of 3 reps

Week Two –             75 % of max for 8 sets of 3 reps

Week Three –             80 % of max for 6 sets of 3 reps

Week Four –             85 % of max for 5 sets of 2 reps

Week Five –             test for a new one rep max

For weeks six through ten, base your percentages on your new and improved one rep max. The cycle for these weeks looks like this:

Week Six –             70 % of max 8 for sets of 3 reps

Week Seven –             75 % of max for 8 sets of 3 reps

Week Eight –             80 % of max for 6 sets of 2 reps

Week Nine –             85 % of max for 5 sets of 2 reps

Week Ten –             80 % of max for 1 set of 2 reps

                        85 % of max for 1 set of 2 reps

                        90 % of max for 1 set of 2 reps

Week Eleven –             test for a new one rep max

During this second cycle you should increase your rest between sets. During weeks six, seven and eight have a 2 minute break between sets. Rest three minutes on week nine and take a full five minute rest between sets on week ten.

Clearly the above system flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that you need a minimum of 6 reps per set to build muscle. The bottom line, however, is that the proof is in the results – a lot of people have gotten huge on this program. And, besides, didn’t the conventional wisdom used to be that the earth was the center of the universe? Bottom line – don’t be stifled by training convention – try everything and retain what works best for YOU.