(French?) Interval Weight Training

Interval Weight Training (IWT) is a potent training method for developing power endurance.

I recently posted some short videos on the Carbon R&D Instagram account, detailing some of the history and potential applications of IWT - I touched on some of the practical applications, while acknowledging its shortcomings, as written, for true power athletes.

The term and the methodology was developed by Dr. Pat O’Shea - a professor of exercise science at Oregon State. He made enormous contributions to the strength and conditioning world, over a decades-long career and a vibrant life - namely, authoring Scientific Principles and Methods of Strength Fitness, Quantum Strength and Power, and numerous other full-length books, articles, and papers.

IWT was initially presented as a kind of synthetic training method - O’Shea took sound principles and methods from a variety of sports, ranging from cycling to weightlifting, and combined them in systematic, “cross-training” format. He initially presented this training methodology in a 1987 paper, titled “Interval Weight Training: A Scientific Approach to Cross Training and Athletic Fitness.” This paper laid out the groundwork for a method of training that seamlessly bridged the gap between the often-opposing poles of power and endurance - as such, IWT became a powerful, yet often-underutilized tool for cyclists, wrestlers, and other “jack-of-all-trades” kind of athletes.

As prescribed by O’Shea, IWT caters to the middle ground - it improves the ability to sustain power outputs, without necessarily improving the ability to maximally produce power. More on this later.

The general format of IWT, as outlined by O’Shea, is something like the following:

(For a more detailed breakdown, reach out to me directly or see Quantum Strength and Power.)

Pt. 1, 3 Rounds

8 Hang Power Cleans @ ~70% 3RM

2-4 Minutes Aerobic Exercise @ 90-95% MHR

2 Minutes Rest

5 Minute Break

Pt. 2, 3 Rounds

10 Back Squats @ ~80% 3RM

2-4 Minutes Aerobic Exercise @ 90-95% MHR

2 Minutes Rest

5 Minute Break

Pt. 3, 3 Rounds

20 Push Ups

15 V-Ups

10 Pull Ups

12 DB Reverse Flies

12 DB Shrugs

2 Minutes Rest

Again, the above example of IWT is a general representation of the classic “O’Shea” format. 

Part 1 pairs a comparatively high-volume “power” lift with hard aerobic work; it seeks to develop the ability to extend and sustain power through hard, VO2 Max-level efforts. As such, it (unsurprisingly) develops power endurance and aerobic power; to a lesser degree, it can improve anaerobic capacity, as well.

Part 2 pairs a hard, heavier “strength” lift, like a back squat, with more aerobic work. The intent is to induce fatigue, prior to beginning the subsequent VO2 effort - this serves to improve anaerobic capacity, to a greater degree than Part 1. Additionally, Part 2 can elicit a hypertrophic effect, as a consequence of load, rep-range, and comparatively greater blood flow occlusion of musculature than Part 1. Of course, this portion is still a VO2 effort - it’s just slightly more anaerobically-inclined than Part 1.

Part 3 is some sort of medley of calisthenics and bodybuilding-esque circuit work. O’Shea is not particularly precise in his description of this final portion - it’s an opportunity to add some more work and muscle-mass involvement into the potentially hypertrophic crockpot of stress that we’ve created.

That’s the general idea.

The paper remained relatively obscure for decades, outside of niche circles - IWT, as a concept, picked up some more traction with the publication of Quantum Strength and Power about a decade later - although it still remained well-within the realm of “arcane” training methods.

Enter Gym Jones (Mark Twight Era).

About two decades after the publication of O’Shea’s initial paper, the gentlemen at Gym Jones came across O’Shea’s work and began to implement it - still in a small, insular environment, but on a larger scale than previously seen. IWT became a staple of Gym Jones’ programming at the time, to the extent that the method itself became somewhat synonymous with the organization. They applied it broadly - seeing dramatic increases to general fitness and work capacity in populations ranging from fighters, to actors, to special operations personnel.

Yet, they eventually realized a gap in the iron-clad framework of IWT - it just wasn’t effective at making people more powerful. Twight and company recognized that it was an incredible tool for developing serious, broad-spectrum fitness; it made excellent generalists, who could “grind” through just about anything. Yet, it fell short at making efficient, significant improvements to more maximal levels of power.

In other words, don’t train for the Combine by doing IWT - unless you make some modifications.

(I hope) we’ve established that IWT is a fantastic tool for the aforementioned populations - power-biased endurance athletes, fighters, military personnel, and generalists. As traditionally prescribed, it is a not-as-fantastic tool for power athletes, like football players, because it lacks explosive, near-maximal power outputs.

So, how can we take this valuable framework, and make it directly applicable to power athletes, as well as traditional “IWT populations” who need to develop maximal power?

At this point, I’m stepping out of the realm of tried-and-true Interval Weight Training, and into the realm of fusion cuisine.

Enter French Contrast Training (FCT).

As some of you know, FCT is a method of strength and power training, originally developed by track and field coach Gilles Cometti - and later proliferated by Cal Dietz.

The method alternates strength and power exercises, descending down the force-velocity curve, to leverage post-activation potentiation. The method works well for a time-efficient, broad-spectrum strength and power session; a full FCT workout can be completed in about thirty minutes, if you’re intentional.

Here’s an example of what that might look like:

5 Rounds

2 Back Squats @ 85% 1RM

15 Second Rest

3 Depth Jumps

15 Second Rest

3 Trap Bar Jumps @ 30-50% 3RM

15 Second Rest

10m Acceleration

5 Minute Rest

FCT, of course, also has some shortcomings. It is often lacks the specificity needed to further develop advanced power athletes, while being excessively demanding for novice trainees.

It, like IWT, populates a middle ground of sorts - in this case, however, FCT is a more power-biased middle ground.

Perhaps, principles of these two middle grounds can be combined, to better serve the specific athlete.

A more endurance-biased athlete could be served a diet of more “traditional” IWT sessions.

A more power-biased athlete, like a linebacker, could conduct FCT-style sessions during a peak phase, once a meaningful base of strength and power is developed.

As a third option, a blended session of IWT and FCT principles may be applied to develop longer-duration outputs in power athletes, as well as to develop maximal power in typical “IWT” populations.

Consider how this “Frankenstein” circuit might be applied, to develop extension in power-dominant populations - or to serve endurance athletes who need to further develop maximal power:

5 Rounds:

10-Second Power Position Isometric Rack Pull

15 Second Rest

Power Clean Single @ ~90% 1RM

30 Second Rest

Max Watts on Ski Erg

30 Second Rest

30-Second Max Distance on Bike Erg

3-5 Minutes Rest

This format still retains the “power extension” component of traditional IWT, while leveraging potentiation and more maximal power outputs from FCT. To allow this, it reduces total repetitions of compound lifts, extends rest periods, and omits aerobic power work.

The IWT-FCT “Frankenstein” biases metabolic demands to glycolytic ranges - occupying a middle ground between the aerobic-oriented traditional IWT and the ATP-PC-oriented FCT approach.

In essence, IWT can be “tuned-up” to actually develop maximal power - in this case, by applying greater intensity, higher outputs, and deliberate mechanisms of potentiation.

“Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”

- Bruce Lee