The Werner Gnthr Program

As told to Dave Caster by Cor Booysen

Special thanks to Dr. Carel le Roux who gave this program to Cor, after various visits
and training sessions with Werner Gnthr and his coach, Jean-Pierre Egger

Overview:

This 16 week program is divided up into five phases: one extensive loading phase of 4
weeks, two intensive phases of 3 weeks each, and two explosive phases of 3 weeks each.
The program is designed so that the athlete should peak two weeks after the completion
of the last phase.

Special attention should be given to the organization of exercises, organization of phases,

organization of training loads, and the exercise means used to develop the targeted
abilities. As in the program of any elite athlete, the volumes are particular to the elite
athlete in question. This training program makes more sense if it is analyzed alongside
the Werner Gnthr Training Video. The jumping protocols are hard to understand
without visual analysis.

The Program:
Phase I: Extensive

Phase Duration: 4 Weeks

-Increase Load Every Week

Monday: Bodybuilding: 3x10 reps on all exercises chosen

2 types of abdominal exercises
1 type of back exercise
+/- 300 reps in low-impact jumps

Tuesday: Technique Coordination:

Glide drills with a bar and/or dumbbell on a gymnastic beam

Wednesday: Sprints & Medicine Balls; Power cleans and snatches of low intensity

Thursday: Throws: 60 glides with 6.8kg shot; Massage

Friday: Same as Monday, plus some cardiovascular training

Saturday: Technique Coordination (see Tuesday)

Phase II: Intensive I

Phase Duration: 3 Weeks

-High intensity week 1
-Medium intensity week 2
-Active rest week 3

Monday:

Bench and Squat Series:

1.) Do 2 exercises for back and one for abs to warm up
2.) Do the following series for bench, then squat. Repeat the series twice, resting 5
minutes between each type of strength application:

1.) Eccentric Lowering and Weight Release Raise:

6 lowering reps @ 90%-raise up with 50-60% very explosively after the
weight releases disengage from the bar and the load is lightened at bar
path reversal.
-Lower both the bench and squat SLOWLY
-Lower the squat to a 120 deg. knee bend

2.) Static/Dynamic Repetitions:

6 reps @ 60%, going from static to dynamic movement
-Lower bar to the chest in bench, pause 1-2 seconds, press out.
-Squat parallel, raise up to 120 deg, pause 1-2 seconds, jump up.

3.) Isometric Holds:

2 holds @ 70%-Lower squat to 120 deg kneebend, hold for 30 sec.
-Lower bench to 6 off chest and hold for 30 sec.

4.) Concentric Repetitions:

6 reps @ 50%, done very explosively after quick drop.

Power: Do 5 x 5 in the push press, and/or 5 x 5 in the power clean (post

series).

Tuesday: Throws: 40-50 glides with the 6.3kg, 7.26kg , 8.0kg shot

Wednesday: Jumps of high intensity plus the following throws:

5 sets of 6 reps, standing throws with strong non-reverse block
(7.26kg shot); 5 sets of 6 reps, overhead shot throws (7.26kg shot)

Thursday: Same as Monday

Friday: Technique Coordination work with bar in ring plus sprints & gymnastics
Saturday: Same as Tuesday
Phase III: Intensive II

Phase Duration: 3 Weeks

-High intensity week 1
-Medium intensity week 2
-Active rest week 3

Monday: Bench: 6-8 sets x 5 reps, 80-85%

Squat: 6-8 sets x 5 reps, 80-85%
Add 2 ab exercises and one back exercise as well
Sprints: 5 x 40m, standing start

Tuesday: Throws: 20 glides, no reverse, 8kg; 20 glides, no reverse, 6.8kg.

Wednesday: Supersets: 3 groups of 2 exercises, done for two supersets each:

-Powercleans (5 x 80%) supersetted w/ standing puts (3x 7.26kg);
-Powercleans (5 x 80%) supersetted w/ overheads (3x7.26kg);
-Clean & Press (5 x 75%) supersetted w/ medball throws (3x5kg).

Thursday: Same as Tuesday

Friday: Same as Monday, plus do the following supersets after each set:
-Bench: after each bench set, do push & catch w/ pendulum shot;
-Squat: after each squat set, jump over a series of high hurdles with
feet together, and jump up a set of large stairs with feet together.

Saturday: Technique Coordination work

Phase IV: Explosive I

Phase Duration: 3 Weeks

-High intensity week 1
-Medium intensity week 2
-Active rest week 3

Monday: Bench: 1x5 (1 set of 5 reps) x 80%; 1x4 x 85%; 1x3 x 90%
Squat: 1x5 (1 set of 5 reps) x 80%; 1x4 x 85%; 1x3 x 90%
Add 2 ab exercises and one back exercise as well
Sprints: 6 x 30m, out of starting blocks
Gymnastics

Tuesday: Throws:
10 glides, 6.8kg shot, with reverse
10 glides, 7.26kg shot, with reverse
10 glides, 8.0kg shot, no reverse
Wednesday: Clean & Continuous Press: 6 sets of 3 reps, 80-90%
Overhead Shot Throws: 7 x 6.8kg shot; 7 x 7.26kg shot
Standing Puts: 7 x 6.8kg shot; 7 x 7.26kg shot
Jumps: 5-10 sets

Thursday: Technique Drills:

(3 Bar drill reps plus 3 x 8.0kg puts) x 5 sets
(3 Bar drill reps plus 3 x 6.8kg puts) x 5 sets

Friday: Same as Monday

Saturday: Rest

Phase V: Explosive II

Phase Duration: 3 Weeks

-High intensity week 1
-Medium intensity week 2
-Active rest week 3

Monday: Bench: 5 sets x 3 reps x 90% supersetted w/ medball throws

Squat: 5 sets x 3 reps x 90% supersetted w/ medball throws
Supersets to be done within 10 sec for ATP purposes
Sprints: 6 x 30m, out of starting blocks
Gymnastics, Knee Jumps

Tuesday: Throws: 10-12 glides, 6.8kg shot, with reverse . . .quality throws!
10-12 glides, 7.26kg shot, with reverse . . . quality throws!
Wednesday: Clean & Continuous Press: 6 sets of 3 reps, 80-90% supersetted with
medball throws; Jumps: 5-10 sets

Thursday: Throws: same as Tuesday, maximal quality.

Friday: Same as Monday

Saturday: Rest/Competition

*****