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The Double Method

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 What is the Double Method?
The first time I heard about the Double method was by Charles
Poliquin about 15 years ago. He told me he learned this method
from Pierre Roy, a former head coach of the Canadian National
weightlifting team. I eventually found my way to see Pierre myself
to learn more about weightlifting and strength development. The
idea is to use this method on a body part or exercise that is lagging
behind.

The Double method simply involves repeating the selected exercise

twice in the same training session. Poliquin likes to use the Double
method for mass development as outlined in one of his books,
Winning the Arms Race. Pierre likes to use it to develop strength
in a movement or exercise that is lagging behind and needs
improvement.

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 The Double Method Examples
Charles Poliquin would do something like this:
A1. Close Bench 3x8, 3,2,1,1, 90s
A2. Seated Zottman Curl 3x8, 5,1,2,1, 75s A3. Close Grip Bench 3x6,
3,2,1, 90s

Pierre would program the double method like this:

A. Snatch
(40% X 6) 2 from hip, (60% X 6) 2 inches below hip (70% X 4) below
knee, (80-85% X 4) 3-5 from ground

B. Clean & Jerk

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 C. Snatch
(40% X 6) 2 from hip, (50% X 6) 2 inches below hip (60% X 4) below
knee, (70-75% X 4) 3-5 from ground

D. Back Squat

I have seen lifters actually lift heavier weights when repeating the
snatch. I had the privilege of attending the Colombian
weightlifting team training camp as they prepared for the 2015
Pan Am Games, which they totally dominated.

I saw an 85kg lifter attempt 155 kg four times, miss all four
attempts, and then move on to Jerks from rack, Cleans, Back Squats
and then back to the Snatch. During this second series of snatches
at the end of his workout he hit 155kg, which seemed incredible
given his inability to lift this weight at the beginning of his
workout!

I know legendary weightlifting coach Ivan Abadjiev often used the

Double method on lighter days.

Here is an example:
Front Squat
Snatch
Clean & Jerk
Snatch
Front Squat

In this workout there are actually two exercises being targeted.

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 Finally, Aleksander Varbanov, a former lifter with the Bulgarian
national team, world champion, Olympic bronze medalist, and
World Record holder in the Clean & Jerk, also utilizes the Double
method with his athletes whenever he feels a lift requires extra
attention.

One of my favorite ways of using the Double method for Back

Squats is as follows:

Work up to a max single, complete the remainder of your

prescribed workout, then return to Back Squats and work up to a
max single again, then take off 10kg, do 2x2, and finally take off
another 5kg and do either 2x3 or 1x5. This is a very simple method
but it is very effective at activating higher threshold motor units.

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 The back off sets then result in hypertrophy of the higher
threshold motor units. You are basically targeting the right muscle
cells for hypertrophy if your goal is strength development.

When using the Double Method for Back Squats, your workout
should look like this:

1. Work up to max single in the Back Squat

2. Go do the rest of the lifts prescribed for the session
3. Work up to a max single in the Back Squat
4. Take 10 kg off
5. Do 2x2
6. Take another 5kg off
7. Do 2x3 or 1x5

Plug this simple method into one of your training cycles and I
guarantee the selected lift will improve.

Stay Strong.

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