Training Methodologies: The Bulgarian System

Here we go. The Bulgarian system of training is probably the most infamous training model in all of sports history. But it is also one that is commonly misrepresented by normies, so I am here to present the true Bulgarian system.

The Bulgarian system of training was first pioneered by weightlifting coach Ivan Abadzhiev (rest in peace). Essentially, Bulgarian training was defined by training 3 times a day, with workouts VERY low in volume and VERY high in intensities (>90% consistently). These 3 training sessions are for the SAME sport, not separate sports!! For weightlifting, each workout started with maxing out the snatch, then maxing out the clean and jerk, then maxing out the front squat. Then athletes would eat, take a nap, and come back for the next session. This would be 8-10 hours of training per day. 

This system doesn't really have a periodisation system. Athletes would do a mock meet once a week, where they would max out like they are in competition They is no building up to heavy weights over weeks, there is just max weight all the time!

Please do not train Bulgarian. With all respect to Abadzhiev, part of the reason the Bulgarian system worked in the long term was because his athletes were on certain "supplements" (PEDs). I don't think I've ever seen a top level lifter in any sport outside of olympic weightlifting train Bulgarian. The reason the system worked very well specifically to weightlifting is because weightlifting is a very technical sport. And when you train 3x a day every day, your technical proficiency goes through the roof! If you do decide to train this way, you shoudl limit yourself to training 1x a day, and only train like this for a couple of weeks MAX. If you train like this for a longer period of time, you'll probably die.