Research Roundup: Velocity-Based Training

Velocity-based training is a training method that manipulates the speed of lifts to elicit different strength or power adaptations.

https://gymaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/velocity-2.jpg

There is a strong relationship between load and velocity: as you increase the load (% 1RM), velocity slows (velocity ranges).

The idea with VBT is rather than basing your sets off of the load, you adjust your load based on the velocity you're moving at.

There are some advantages to this:

• you can autoregulate your training to match your training goal. If you are more fatigued one day, you may need to drop the weight to achieve the same velocity and vice versa if you're feeling better another day, you can increase the weight.

• you can keep track of your progress multiple ways: moving a heavier weight at the same velocity, or moving the same amount of weight at an increased velocity means improvement

The first step of VBT is to create an individual load-velocity profile to determine an individual's training needs.

There are a couple different methods you can use to do this, but here is a nice resource by StrongbyScience: https://strongbyscience.net/2018/12/09/force-velocity-profile/ . He provides a free spreadsheet and explanation for creating a profile.

An example of a load-velocity profile from Strong by Science

Once the load-velocity profile is established it can be used as a guide for workouts. From the regression analysis, you can now pick the velocity you want for your workout and get a good guide for which load to use.

Typically if you lose 20% or more of your velocity within a set, it's time to cut the set off (for example, you are shooting for a 0.8m/s velocity and on your rep you hit 0.6 m/s). This helps to autoregulate for fatigue.

https://gymaware.com/

The kicker of all of this is that you need a device to measure your velocity. There are few different types of tools but the most popular devices are "linear position transducers" that measure distance and time, then calculate velocity from it.

There are two velocity measurements: mean velocity and peak velocity. For our purposes, you can focus on mean velocity because that's what's more important for most strength lifts while peak velocity is more useful for lifts in which bar velocity is variable, such as Olympic lifts.

The device has a tape measure-like cord that attaches to the barbell to collect the distance and time measurements. Unfortunately, many of these devices can be quite pricey ($1500+). 

A free option (relability unknown) is to use a phone camera based system. In the app, the bar and/or plates are in reference so that the software knows the scale, and then has a timestamp (the framerate) of the movement. It can then calculate velocity.

The free app I've tried is called Elite Form and it seems to work well enough, though I'd like to test it against a linear position transducer in the future.

The disadvantage of the app is that it doesn't log your data anywhere, so you have to take a screenshot and note the weight you were using, then compile a log elsewhere.

(example screenshot from Elite Form)

Is VBT useful for climbers?

TL;DR - I don't think there is compelling enough evidence to jump through all of the hoops to use VBT. Staying consistent with a training program in the first place will be more important.

There are quite a few of questions to ask here...

Are climbers truly "power" athletes?

I would say in a discipline like speed climbing: yes. The goal is to continuously move as powerfully and quickly as possible. However in other disciplines like bouldering and speed climbing, there is static, slow movement combined with more powerful movement.

What is the velocity breakdown of powerful vs. static moves?

How quickly do the hips extend in a deadpoint? How quickly do the arms pull in a dyno? What is the goal velocity we would want to shoot for in VBT?

Versus what is the time under tension of the fingers, arms, and shoulders during a lock off? What is the velocity there? Is it the velocity of absolute strength?

Is there a reason to dump working absolute strength in the weight room in favor of strength speed (moving a heavy load as fast as possible) or speed strength (moving as fast as possible with the heaviest load you can without sacrificing speed)?

Or is absolute strength still useful to have in our sport (i.e. pulling through and holding a lock off, holding tension through a heel hook)?

Does speed really need to be practiced in the weight room or can it just as effectively, if not more effectively, be practiced specifically on the wall?

Is autoregulating through VBT that much more effective for climbing goals than using %1 RM and RPE (rate of perceived exertion)?

Lastly, does changing the method of training have an applicable effect on climbing?

Here's what a study to test this might look like:

• Two groups of climbers tested on their deadpoint power (maybe a full body dynamic slap test [rather than just a campus board test]) before, during, and after a weight training regimen.

• Sets, reps, rest time remain the same, but one group does VBT and the other does %1RM and RPE for 4-8 weeks. Perhaps their climbing training is controlled for too.

• See if one group improves their slap test results more than the other.

So I suppose today I leave you with more questions than answers. Thoughts on VBT? Reply to this email and let me know!