Harness Extraordinary Power Output with Compensatory Acceleration Training

Compensatory acceleration training focuses on moving weights faster with light to moderate loads. 

Building force and power is crucial for enhancing strength and improving overall training performance. While many lifters often focus on increasing weights to boost their force and power, this isn’t the only effective method and can sometimes lead to a training plateau. After all, there is a limit to how much weight one can lift.

Compensatory acceleration training (CAT) offers a different perspective on developing force, power, and strength. This technique emphasizes using speed to enhance power without sacrificing proper form. CAT has proven effective, as demonstrated by legends such as Fred Hatfield, the first man to squat 1,000 lbs, and Andy Bolton, the first to deadlift 1,000 lbs, both of whom incorporated this training method into their routines.

But what exactly is compensatory acceleration training, and how can it enhance your workouts? This article delves into the intricacies of this technique, exploring its benefits. Additionally, it provides insights into the science behind CAT and guidance on integrating it into your next workout.

History

In 1987, Fred Hatfield became the first man to squat over 1000 lbs. He made this feat even more impressive by squatting another 1014 lbs a few weeks later, all at the age of 25 while weighing 255 lbs. Hatfield, who many now call “Dr. Squat,” attributes this win to compensatory acceleration training. He also used accessory exercises like the Hatfield squat to improve his training performance.  

Many years later, in 2006, Andy Bolton became the first man to deadlift over 1000 lbs. In a story about his training, Bolton points out a counterpart who wanted to replicate his success by hitting the same weight or above in his workouts. During competitions, this person failed to achieve the same success, and Andy Bolton attributes this to the difference in their lifting technique.

So what is CAT, and how does it work?

What Is CAT?

Compensatory acceleration training aims to increase the force you produce during a lift by increasing how fast you move during the lift. To fully understand the science behind this technique, we’ll return to Sir Isaac Newton’s second law of motion, which states that force = mass x acceleration. This simple equation shows three effective ways to increase your force output. You can either increase the mass (load), i.e., lift heavier, or improve your acceleration, i.e., lift faster, or do both. 

The Strength Curve and Inefficiencies

This phenomenon can be applied in training, as most exercises have a strength curve. For example, with squatting, during regular training, you use the most strength when standing up, which reduces as you go higher before locking out at the top. This point, which is the hardest and where you use the most strength, is often called the sticking point. 

Since the sticking point is where you use the most force, it determines how heavy you can lift. However, the strength curve described above only has most people applying this high strength for a short duration, just before they stand up. Ultimately, this is inefficient.

Speeding Past the Sticking Point

Compensatory acceleration training proposes lifting through your sticking point while aiming to use the same amount of force as you go higher for efficiency. This means you apply the same high force for longer, even as the lift gets easier. This leads to a speed that gives this training technique its name.       

Does Compensatory Acceleration Training Work?

CAT is effective for improving your speed, strength, and power. Apart from the real-life examples of Andy Bolton and Fred Hatfield, research also backs this training method. A study on collegiate football players found increased upper body strength and power when they used CAT (1). Research on using speed for your reps when doing resistance training also discovered that it improved strength gains (2). 

However, one of the biggest benefits of CAT is the speed with which it brings gains. This study on 24 NCAA baseball players using CAT found that they increased their 1RMs (one repetition maximum) by over 11% in just five weeks (3). 

How to Implement CAT

CAT is an advanced technique that produces effective results. The major key is to perform each rep of your exercise with the intent of using maximum force throughout, leading to more speed. You can apply CAT with almost every exercise, but it works best with functional compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, bench presses, etc. Below are steps to follow when applying compensatory acceleration training to your workouts. 

Warm Up

CAT is hard on your muscles and central nervous system. Prepare your body with cardio, mobility, and flexibility exercises during warmups. Then, do multiple targeted warm-ups using the exercise for which you intend to apply CAT. Increase the weights during this warm-up in small jumps until you’re close to the weight you plan to use for your working set. 

Loading

Start by determining your 1RM. CAT works most effectively when you keep your lifts between 50-70% of your 1RM. Heavier weights will reduce your speed, while lighter weights will not correctly load your muscles.

Lifting

Use the proper form for your lifts and keep your motion smooth throughout. When approaching your sticking point, lift the weight as fast as possible to continue through and past it. Your speed after your sticking point shouldn’t be because of momentum. Instead, pushing or pulling as hard as possible speeds you up. Finally, ensure that you maintain control when you get to the top. Modifications like chains or resistance bands can come in handy here.  

Sets and Reps

This isn’t a training technique for increasing volume. You should avoid doing too many reps or sets. Fred Hatfield suggests doing 3-5 reps of 3-5 sets per exercise. He also advocates resting for 2-3 minutes after each set. 

Progressing

The best way to progress compensatory acceleration training is by micro-loading. This means upping your weights using small increments. However, if you start slowing down, reduce your load or end your sets or training earlier. 

ISSA’s CAT Course

The International Sports Sciences Association’s (ISSA) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) course, along with other specialization courses such as the Advanced Powerlifting Specialist course, covers everything you need to know to practice CAT correctly and apply this advanced training technique to improve you or your client’s power and performance to become more explosive. 

Benefits of Compensatory Acceleration Training

Compensatory acceleration training offers benefits for strength, hypertrophy, and speed. What is even better is that it does so quickly. Below, we highlight how this training produces these effects when added to workouts.

Target Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers

CAT targets and trains your fast-twitch muscle fibers. These are the most explosive muscle fibers in the body, and many strength training sessions hit them. However, these fibers are targeted immediately by increased force using CAT. Your fast-twitch muscle fibers are essential to strength and power gains.

Boost Explosive Power

Your fast-twitch muscle fibers are also the key to explosive movements. Strengthening them with compensatory acceleration training will boost your explosive power, which offers benefits in real life and sports like running and sprinting.

Better Mind-Muscle Connection

You’ll need strong mind power to use maximum strength beyond your sticking point. Thus, CAT trains and improves your mind-muscle connection. This ‌gives hypertrophy and growth gains.

Train Central Nervous System

Your brain and nervous system affect how much power or force you produce. CAT workouts train your central nervous system to recruit more motor units and muscle fibers simultaneously, leading it to respond with massive power. This helps you maximize your force potential.

Speedy Progress

Applying compensatory acceleration training will quickly improve power and strength. You’ll gain the strength to perform your routines properly, which you can use to train and build muscle better.

Break Through Plateaus

CAT can help you break through a plateau in different ways. First, the new training method will task your central nervous system differently, triggering changes. The various ways of attacking your training also offer a variety that can break you out of training monotony.

Wrapping Up

Compensatory acceleration training is highly effective for developing maximal power, speed, and strength. Popularized by Fred Hatfield, this technique is supported by scientific evidence demonstrating its ability to facilitate rapid gains. Will you incorporate CAT into your training regimen moving forward?

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References

1. Jones, K., Hunter, G., Fleisig, G., Escamilla, R., Lemak, L. (1999). The Effects of Compensatory Acceleration on Upper-Body Strength and Power in Collegiate Football Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 13(2), 99-105. https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/1999/05000/the_effects_of_compensatory_acceleration_on.1.aspx 
2. González-Badillo, J. J., Rodríguez-Rosell, D., Sánchez-Medina, L., Gorostiaga, E. M., & Pareja-Blanco, F. (2014). Maximal intended velocity training induces greater gains in bench press performance than deliberately slower half-velocity training. European journal of sport science, 14(8), 772–781. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2014.905987
3. Jones M. T. (2014). Effect of compensatory acceleration training in combination with accommodating resistance on upper body strength in collegiate athletes. Open access journal of sports medicine, 5, 183–189. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S65877