Strength training

It comes down to this; Force = Mass x acceleration. So in order to increase force, I can either increase the mass, or increase the acceleration. Applied to strength training, I can either train at maximal loads, like going for a 1 rep max, or I can use a light(er) weight and move the bar at peak velocity. Generally speaking the weight should be between 45-60% 1 rep max for peak speed.

It would become quickly impossible to continue to try and hit 1 rep max's everyday so the obvious question is, how often should one be doing Max Efforts? This depends on the persons fitness. Safe answer, I know. The more conditioned the athlete, the more often, but, the more conditioned the heavy they can usually lift. Imagine if your 1 rep max was 800 lb squat. How often could someone try to hit that? Not very often. Westside uses a 4 day split, 2 for Max Efforts, 2 for Dynamic days. Seems to work for them and they might be the strongest gym on the planet. That says a lot. I'd error on the side Louie is on. 2 max effort days per week is plenty.

Strength training is only 1 part of the puzzle though. To focus on it exclusively at the expense of all other attributes will create holes in athletic abilities. A "good" program therefore addresses all of these attributes. 

I typically have my athletes cycle through 4 or 5 cycles. Foundation period or a Preparatory phase where a little bit of everything is touched on. This cycle and arguable last for years until the athlete is ready for more. Generally speaking 2 months is enough to get something meaningful done. Then the cycle is possibly hypertrophy or strength endurance, then it's on to maximum strength, then power, then Power-Endurance or Metabolic Conditioning, mixed-mode, CrossFit, what ever you want to call it, it's all the same stuff, lastly an endurance phase. 

The dosing of intensity, duration, rest, and exercise selection is the magic. The art. The science is given, every good coach out there knows the periodization basics, but I see most of them making the same mistakes; more is not necessarily better. It's not economics where $1,000 is better than $1; 4 workouts a day is not better then 1.

Train hard, rest, and eat clean. Do this for 10 years consistently, you're great-grand kids will thank you.