Professor Yuri Verkhoshansky is predominantly known to most westerner readers as the Russian researcher who invented plyometric training (Shock Method). 

Many coaches and sport scientists around the world, however, recognize Y.Verkhoshansky as a prominent figure in the field of explosive strength training, one of the greatest experts in the theory of sports training whose ideas was implemented and expanded as: Methodology of Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation, Long Delay Training Effect, Conjugate–Sequence System Training and Block Training System (known in the West as Block Periodization).

To a few sport training experts, he is known as the first scientist applied the Physiology of Adaptation in the theoretic analysis of the sport training process.

Some training experts also know that more than 20 years ago he introduced the new approach of planned training, “Programming of training”, based upon the innovative, at that time, methodology that is presently known as System Analysis & Design and the structured process modelling.

 

Yuri Verkhoshansky started his career in the late 1950’s as a Track & Field and Physical Education coach at the Moscow Institute of Aeronautic Engineers. In just two years he achieved incredible results; transforming 12 non-athlete university students belonging to his sport group into high-level Track & Field jumpers. In addition, he became famous as the first Soviet coach to introduce the Barbell Squat into the training of the Track & Field jumpers and sprinters. To add to his long list of contributions, he created the Shock Method and invented the Depth Jump.

Soon after, he became the head coach of the Moscow United Team in the sprint and jump events and coach of the European record holding sprinter Boris Zubov.

 

In the 1960’s Y. Verkhoshansky began his first scientific research and wrote numerous articles describing his training methods. A few years later, he finished his first book, “Triple Jump,” and prepared and defended the dissertation “The Biomechanical Analysis of the Landing Phases of Track & Field Jump Movements” to earn his first scientific title of candidate (equivalent to PhD).

 

At the end of the 1960’s Y.Verkhoshansky began his work at the Central State Institute of Physical Education and Sport as Docent (or an Adjunct Professor) on the Cathedras of Track & Field and Biomechanics. He started to research the problem of the organization and optimization of the training process.

Y. Verkhoshansky’s work in this regard was strongly influenced by the ideas of N.A. Bernstein (the founder of the New School of Physiology of Coordination and the author of “Physiology of Activity”), the legendary soviet scientist formulated the fundamental theory of a self–regulated motor system, in which he expressed the basic ideas of Cybernetics 20 years before its founder Norbert Viner.

 

Developing the Bernstein ideas, Y.Verkhoshansky began to use the System approach to analyse the training process, creating the new method of it’s planning: Programming of training. Ten years later, he added to this approach the new base element: the Physiology of Adaptation and started to elaborate and expand the new modern Theory and Methodology of Sport Training.

 

In the early 1970’s Y.Verkhoshansky prepared his second dissertation “Optimization of the training process of high level athletes in the strength-speed sport disciplines.” He obtained the title of Doctor Habilitatus (Doc Hab, the superior scientific degree in Eastern Europe) and, following that, the title and honor of Academic Rank Professor.

He became the head of the Central Institute of Physical Culture and Sport Scientific Research Laboratory where the main agenda was “the optimization of the training of high level athletes and the physiology of sports work capacity”.

He assisted, together with his collaborators, the preparation of Soviet national sports teams for the Olympic Games and other international competitions; still introducing new training methods, new training plan models, and the techniques of these models for the practical realization (see table below).

 

Sport Discipline	Who (National Team Coach)	What Prof. Verkhoshansky introduced in their training system	When
Track & Field Jumping disciplines	Ter-Ovanesiyan  Kreer  Mironenko	Special Strength Training Methodology  ,  Shock Method , Block System,  Programming of Training	1960’s -1990’s
Track & Field Sprint	Korneliuk	Special Strength Training Methodology ,  Programming of Training, Block System	1980’s
Track & Field Throwing events	Kusnetzov Konstantinov	Special Strength Training Methodology  , Shock Method	1980’s
Track & Field Decathlon	Ushakov	Special Strength Training Methodology,  Shock Method ,  Programming of Training, Block System	1980’s
Track & Field Middle distance running	Kulitcenko	Special Strength Training Methodology  , Block System,  Programming of Training	1980’s
Box	Filimonov	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology,  Shock Method , Programming of Training	1970’s
Ice-skating	Vasilkovsky Muratov	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology ,  Programming of Training	1970’s
Figure Skating	Zuk	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology, Shock Method
Hand ball	Evtushenko	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology , Shock Method	1970’s
Basket ball	Gomelsky	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology,  Shock Method	1970’s
Ice Hockey	Tarasov Tichonov Yurzinov	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology,  Shock Method ,  Programming of Training	1980’s
Rowing	Drachevsky	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology,  Shock Method , Block System	1980’s
Cycling	Kusnetzov	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology	1980’s
Gymnastic	Arkaev	Shock Method	Early 1970’s- end of 1990’s
Weight lifting	Rigert	Special Strength training Methodology , Shock Method	1980’s
Ski	Stenin	Special Strength Training and Special Physical Preparation Methodology	1980’s

  

During the 1980’s Professor Verkhoshansky was a member of the Scientific Council of Institute and member of the Soviet Union Central Supreme Commission of Scientific Graduation.

He was at the head of the commission that led and controlled the Institutes of Physical Education and Sport scientific research for all the USSR countries as well. These centers elaborated the training systems for the high-level athletes and allowed others to benefit from his research and findings.

 

In the late 1980’s Professor Verkhoshansky was rewarded by the Soviet Olympic Committee for his elaboration of the general concepts of the Soviet national teams’ preparation and training for the Olympic Games and other international competitions. At the same time, he worked as an associate professor at the Central Elite Coach School, which is the most important center for the national teams. 

 

At the beginning of 1990’s he was the head of the Theoretical and Methodological Center at the Russian Research Institute of Sport and at the same time became the Vice President of the International Information Academy; further adding to his contributions.

 

In 1992, he was elected President of the International Association on Theory and Methodology of Training in Elite Sports at the International Sports Scientific Congress in Israel.

 

For many years, Professor Verkhoshansky has lectured on the philosophy, physiology and methodology of sports training and programming of training in Russia and other countries including; Austria, USA, Spain, Yugoslavia, Greece, Israel, South Africa, Germany, Italy, France, Holland, Portugal, and Bulgaria.

Along with these lectures, Dr. Verkhoshansky has authored more than 500 scientific-methodological papers and more than 20 monographs. His work has been translated in 22 foreign languages and published in 29 countries. He was an associate editor of the NSCA Journal, Journal of Applied Sports Science Research, Fitness and Sports Review International (USA) and Leistungssport (Germany).  He was and is currently a member of the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) in the USA.   

 

Since 1995, Professor Verkhoshansky’s focus has been as a scientific consultant for the National Olympic Committee of Italy. For this and more, he was formally acknowledged for his contribution to the development of Italian Sport.