ZHealth Isometric Protocols for Strength and Hypertrophy

Strength protocol:

• Contraction at 90%, or higher, of max force at long muscle length for 3-5 seconds per rep
• Rest 5-10s between reps
• 5 reps per set
• 3 min. break between sets
• 3-4 sets

Hypertrophy protocol:

• Contraction at 70-75% max force for 30 seconds
• Rest 10-15s between reps
• Total hold time should be 80-150 seconds, eg. 3 x 30s holds = 90s.

The strength protocol has some similarities to the Promethean program in Paul Wade's book Ultimate Isometrics Manual, which was published some years before the research that the above video mentions was published. In Promethean you pick whatever starting load you like, eg. 50lbs. Then you try to apply at least 50lbs. of force for 4-6 seconds. If you can hold for 6 seconds, you rest 20s, and increase the load by 5-10 lbs for your rep. If you can't hold for 4s, you drop the load for your next rep. Total reps would be 4-6. Eventually, you'll raise the load so high that a 4s hold requires very high effort - you'll probably be working around 90% 1-rep max at that point.

I plan to train with the IsoMax after completing of The Giant 1.x series with single 20kg kettlebell. After completed The Giant 1.2 for the first time with single 16kg KB, I was able to press the 20kg KB for 1 rep. I then did a training block on the IsoMax using my favorite strength protocl at the simte, which was 6x6, also from the Paul Wade book. After that block, I retested my 20kg KB press rep max, and found it increased from 1 to 3, whihch was ok, but not the 5 reps I'd hoped for.

Thus when I complete The Giant 1.2 with the 20kg KB, I'll take a few days off, then test my 24kg clean+press rep max. If it's under 5, I'll try out this relatively updated strength protocol, as shared by Z-Health in the above video, for 6-8 weeks, and see if that raises my rep max.

Training week of 8/3

Earlier this year I injured my wrist, which made kettlebell pressing painful. I then trained under Prismatic Strength's mini courses - the Planche Push Up mini course for a couple of weeks, then the HSPU mini course, which seemed to have more exercises that might have carryover to KB pressing, without bothering my wrist. One of those exercises is the pike push up. I eventually progressed from parallette pike push ups with feet on floor to a feet-elevated variation. I think I progressed in the hands-on-floor pike push up, based on how far I could lean forward and pull my feet towards my hands.

When my wrist finally felt good enough for pressing a 20kg KB, I tested my 20kg KB clean+press rep max and found it had dropped from 5 to 2. So while the KB press and the pike push up are both overhead pressing exercises, progression in pike push up does not have immediate carryover to KB press. Gain in tricep strength in chest expander tricep extension exercises also did not have immediate carryover.

For my next training block, I was going to do The Giant 3.0 training block, but the recommended weight is the heaviest weight one can clean+press for 5 reps, aka "5RM" weight. Based on the test, the weight would be 16kg but it's just too light. I immediately thought of Iron Cardio as a possible choice for next training block. Iron Cardio also recommends a 5-6RM - technically in the press, not the clean+press - but I suspected I could work with the 20kg in Iron Cardio, because the Classic variation only asks you do 1 rep at a time of the press.

After the KB clean+press rep max test, I did a short Iron Cardio Classic workout. A couple of days later, I did a 20-min. Iron Cardio Classic session. The 2 Iron Cardio sessions convinced me that I can do Iron Cardio for a few weeks to get my 20kg KB clean+press rep max back up to 5. It's more likely the cause of my rep max dropping from 5 to 2 was lack of practice of the movement; rather than a loss of shoulder and tricep strength.

Thus I believe 2 weeks of Iron Cardio Classic, followed by at least 2 weeks of the example press focus program template found in the Iron Cardio book will get my 20kg c+p rep max back up to 5. The one concern is soreness in my right hip flexor and rotator from the front squats.

8/3
Iron Cardio Classic - each set is the "classic" sequence of 1 clean, 1 press, 1 single front squat with single kettlebell:

22 sets with single 20kg KB, thus 11 sets per side. 30 min. training time. Right-side hip muscles once again sore from single front squat.

Waiter walk (straight arm) with 20kg KB - 3 reps of 25 second walk per side

Hamstring mobility circuit - 2 rounds - hoping opening the hips more in straddle side bend will reduce hip sorness from single front squat:

1. Good morning - 8 reps
2. Elephant walk - 10 reps
3. Straddle side bend w/ 4kg plate on stack of 2 puzzle mat tiles - 5reps w/ 10s hold on last rep

Modified Pigeon stretch - 2 min. per side - try to alleviate hip soreness.

8/4
Supine lying with tucked knees - 20 diaphragmatic breaths, 20 head rotations, 20 head nods

Side Plank - 6 sets of 5-breath holds per side - just trying to level up my side plank

Egg Roll - 15 reps

8/5
Woke up this morning with sore right hip flexor. Actually, it's been sore since the 8/3 Iron Cardio session. I've been feeling it whenever I squat down to pick up something. This article explains possible causes for hip pain related to squatting. It suggests I may have some sort of movement dysfunction when I squat. I don't remember feeling hip soreness the last time I did Iron Cardio.

I decided not to self-diagnose further, but instead turn to Sore Joint Solution to improve motor control, and hopefully eliminate the movement dysfunction. So for today i did a Phase 1 SJS session

Supine Level 3 - 30 diaphragmatic breaths, 30 head rotations, 30 head nods

Dead Bug - 20 reps

Side Plank - 5 diaphragmatic breaths, 5 head rotations, 5 head nods

Egg Roll - 15 reps

Dead Bug - 20 reps

Prone Level 4 - 30 diaphragmatic breaths, 30 head rotations, 30 head nods

Half Upper Body Roll - 15 reps

Dead Bug - 30reps

My Phase 1 performance hasn't dropped much despite months of not practicing. I just have to get back to 3 sets of 30 dead bugs, then I can resume Phase 2 practice. SJS allows you to move up to Phase 2 if you've hit all the progression standards for Supine and Prone, and are only lagging in Side Lying - in this case you're asked to begin SJS sessions with side lying practice before beginning any Phase 2 practice.

8/6
I do like Iron Cardio. However, I decided to lay off single KB front squat, due to the hip issues; and do a training block of The Giant 1.x with the 16kg KB. The purpose of doing Iron Cardio was to increase my 20kg KB clean+press rep max from 2 to 5. The Giant with a 16kg KB was proven to accomplish the same purpose. I initially chose Iron Cardio over The Giant because of the inclusion of the single front squat, and the numerous options for varying the workouts. Ironically, it's my problem with the single front squat that led me back to The Giant.

Today's training:

• General warmup - breathing in child's pose, dead bugs, hip flexor lunge stretch, the pump, cross crawls
• Anterior delt/chest stretch with band

Modified Delorme protocol for rep max testing - resting as long as I want:

1. 16kg KB clean+press - 5 reps
2. 16kg KB clean+press - 7 reps
3. 16kg KB clean+press rep max - 12 reps - 13th rep was possible with high effort

These results encouraged me to do The Giant 1.2 for my next training block. To finish the workout, I did the following:

1. 16kg waiter walk for 30 seconds - 3 reps
2. Circuit of 3 chin ups and 3 assisted pistol squats for 2 rounds

The chin ups are for supinated work to compensate for the pronation-dominant clean+press work. The chin ups felt very easy, which may have been caused by the isometric chin up holds I did under the Dr. Keith Baar protoco. The assisted pistol squats are for practing a squat pattern without the problems of bilateral squat.
8/7
Sore Joint Solution Phase 1 session:

Supine Level 3 - 30 diaphragmatic breaths, 30 head rotations, 30 head nods

Dead Bug - 30 reps

Side Plank - 7 diaphragmatic breaths, 7 head rotations, 7 head nods

Egg Roll - 20 reps

Dead Bug - 30 reps

Prone Level 4 - 30 diaphragmatic breaths, 30 head rotations, 30 head nods

Half Upper Body Roll - 30 reps

Dead Bug - 30reps

Most progression standards for Phase 1 cleared, except for Side Lying.

Guitar lessons

Tomo Fujita shows how to hold the pick so that it can move without falling out of the grip - improved my strumming tremendously.

Fun little blues lesson from SRV's rendition of The Sky Is Crying.

Ted Greene chord lesson

Blues etude by Tomo

Jazz blues chord progression lesson

Chord-scale-chord approach for soloing
Breakdown of Metheny Third Windo solo break
Thump rudiment lesson 1

Thump rudiment lesson 2

Thump rudiment lesson 3

22 Ab Exercises Ranked (Worst to Best!)

Ranked by the Calisthenicmovement aka CaliMove channel

Training Week of 7/27

7/27
HSPU Mini Course Practice A - Attempted to extend both legs simultaneously in headstand. Succeeded but I still felt my effort level was too high and control was too shaky for me to feel like I could graduate from the 2nd progression in StrongFirst's headstand progression. I spent the rest of the 10 minutes practicing at 2nd progression

HSPU Mini Course Play - 6 pike push up singles with starting lean of shoulders about 6" ahead of wrists. I recorded video of my first 2 singles. It was an eye-opener to see that I'm not getting my hips as high as I thought I was. I try to engage my abs and keep my knees from bending more as I go down. However, the video shows my knees bending more as I go down. The bending knees are probably caused by a combination of tight hamstrings and insufficient overhead pressing strength. I didn't expect to achieve Bent Arm Stand today but that goal looks further away than I thought. I was going to do 8 singles but my form fell apart on the 6th rep. In the spirit of play, I'll try pulling my feet closer to my hands before beginning the arm lean next time.

Hamstring mobility circuit - 2 rounds:

1. Good morning - 8 reps
2. Elephant walk - 10 reps
3. Straddle side bend w/ 4kg plate on stack of 2 puzzle mat tiles - 7 reps w/ 10s hold on last rep

7/28
Chest expander workout:

Overhand Vertical Pullapart - 1 set - 5 springs - 15 reps!

Overhand Vertical Pullapart - backoff set - 4 springs - 15 reps!

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - 1 set - 4 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - backoff set - 3 springs

Horizontal Pullapart - 1 set - 2 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - mechanical drop set - 2 springs

Horizontal Pullapart - back off set - 1 spring

Sideway Tricep Extension - work set - 5 springs

Sideway Tricep Extension - back off set - 4 springs

Violin Tricep Extension - work set - 3 springs

Dr. Keith Baar style isometric tendon training circuit - 3 rounds

• Left hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - arm parallel to floor, elbow 90 degrees.
• Right hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - same position as left hand.
• Chin up hold with elbows at 90 degrees.
• ATG split squat
• ATG split squat other side

7/29
20kg KB clean+press rep max test, doubling as pain test for right wrist and left shoulder:

1. 5-min warmup routine from The Giant X - did the exaggerated cross crawl instead of the regular version - if there's such a thing - because it feels better for my shoulders
2. 16kg KB clean+press warmup set - 5 reps - no pain in wrist, some irritation left shoulder
3. Rest, then 16kg KB clean+press warmup set - 7 reps - no wrist pain, less left shoulder pain
4. Rest, then 20kg KB clean+press rep max test - no wrist or shoulder pain.

I did 2 reps with the left arm, but could not do a 3rd rep. Did 3 reps with the right arm and stopped.

I was disappointed with my left arm performance but not surprised by this result. The KB press has overhead pressing in common with pike push ups, but the technique is different. Maybe there is too much of a difference to expect immediate carryover from pike push ups to KB press. I wondered if there might be carryover from headstand practice or Dr. Keith Baar style isometric KB press but there doesn't seem to be either. Maybe there carryover from these activites to dynamic KB press will be manifested as I regain proficiency in the KB press. My triceps got stronger in the chest expander behind-the-neck vertical pullapart and sideway tricep extension, based on moving up in spring count. Perhaps the tricep gains will eventually carry over to KB pressing as well.

Still, I'm happy to be able to press a 20kg KB pain-free with my right arm again. I enjoyed trying out the HSPU Mini Course. I still want to eventually achieve a handstand push up. However for building overhead pressing strength and muscle, I still prefer KB press over pike push ups or headstand/handstand work. I find the KB press more forgiving to my suspect shoulder than those other exercises. Another reason is the more straightforward progression, admittedly enabled by my current KB collection. As I get stronger in KB pressing, I can progress in 4kg increments. Progression towards HSPU can vary depending on your choice of programming. Prismatic Strength provides a sort of dual track progression - one track being static hold progession from bent arm stand to bent-arm press handstand to freestanding hands-on-floor HSPU; and the other track being pike push up to feet-elevated pike push up to wall-supported HSPU with hands on parallettes. Even Eduardo of Prismatic Strength admits the difficulty increase from feet-elevated pike push up to wall HSPU maybe significantly greater than elevating the feet a few inches at a time in pike push up. Thus, it seems like progression in any HSPU program is not possible in even, measurable increments, like with KB pressing.

I was hoping to do The Giant 3.0 for my next training block, but the recommended clean+press rep max is 5. My 2 rep max is not high enough. So I did 12 sets (6 per side) of Iron Cardio Classic chain to see if Iron Cardio might be an option for my next training block. I felt fine doing the Classic chain, although my squat form was a bit shaky. Brett Jones recommends the heaviest KB weight that you can press for 5-6 reps - so pretty much the same weight as The Giant 3.0, but you can get away with using a weight heavier than your 5RM (rep max) weight in Iron Cardio because the Classic variation has only one press per set.

Thus, my tentative plan is start an Iron Cardio training block, doing Iron Cardio Classic 3x a week for the next 2 weeks, varying session times from 20-40 min. This should get me reacquainted with the Classic exercises of clean, press, and single front squat.

Then for Weeks 3 and 4, I would switch to the press focus example template from the Iron Cardio book. The book says the template will increase 1-rep max weight in the press. Thus it may help me increase my 20kg press rep max from 2 back to 5 or more. At the end of Week 4, I'll re-test the 20kg clean+press rep max.

Finished the session with 30-sec per side waiter walk with 20kg KB to improve shoulder stability, then 4 x 30 sec. hollow body hold to get back to work on improve core strength. 7/30
Practiced KB squatting, so I could do the Iron Cardio Classic sequence with more confidence in my single front squat. After the warmup, I did a set of 5 20kg goblet squats, then 3 sets/side of 3 single front squats with the 20kg KB. I changed my foot placement for each set, and settled on parallel feet, slightly wider than shoulder width. I could squat lower by turning the feet out more, but that would result in collapsed foot arches. I do like to keep the foot arches engaged as I have flat feet

7/31
Iron Cardio Classic - each set is the "classic" sequence of 1 clean, 1 press, 1 single front squat with single kettlebell:

18 sets with single 20kg KB, thus 9 sets per side. 20 min. training time.
Waiter walk (straight arm) with 20kg KB - 3 reps of 20 second walk per side

Modified Pigeon stretch - 2 min. per side - something about single front squat makes my right hip external rotator sore.

Training Week of 7/20

7/20
HSPU Mini Course Practice A - Attempted to extend both legs simultaneously, once, in headstand. Also made one attempt to transition out of headstand into crow pose but quickly tipped back into squat. Otherwise I worked at the 2nd progression in StrongFirst's headstand progression.

HSPU Mini Course Play - 7 pike push up singles with starting lean of shoulders about 6" ahead of wrists. My effort level was about 7 out of 10. I got my feet to drag forward, pushing out of the bottom of the movment. Maybe I contract my abs harder on the concentric than on the eccentric?

Hamstring mobilty circuit - 3 rounds:

1. Good morning - 8 reps
2. Elephant walk - 10 reps
3. Straddle side bend w/ 4kg plate on stack of 4 puzzle mat tiles - 7 reps w/ 10s hold on last rep

7/21
Chest expander workout:

Overhand Vertical Pullapart - 1 set - 5 springs

Overhand Vertical Pullapart - backoff set - 4 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - 1 set - 4 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - backoff set - 3 springs

Horizontal Pullapart - 1 set - 2 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - mechanical drop set - 2 springs

Horizontal Pullapart - back off set - 1 spring

Sideway Tricep Extension - work set - 5 springs

Sideway Tricep Extension - back off set - 4 springs

Violin Tricep Extension - work set - 3 springs - Normally I work up to a 15-rep set before moving up a spring, but when Alex Leonidas created this workout, his idea for violin extensions was to do them as a finisher for the triceps after sideway extensions, one spring down from however many springs were used for the back off set of sideway extendions

Dr. Keith Baar style isometric tendon training circuit - 3 rounds

• Left hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - press KB until shoulder starts to feel irritated, then hold
• Right hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - press KB to same position as left side, then hold. Was going to press to where the wrist starts feeling irritated, then adjust to the border of the irritation, but the wrist felt fine throughout the entire pressing movement.
• Chin up hold with elbows closer to 90 degrees.
• ATG split squat
• ATG split squat other side

7/22
Dr. Baar tendon circuit - 3 rounds:

• Left hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - press KB until shoulder starts to feel irritated, then hold
• Right hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - press KB to same position as left side, then hold. Was going to press to where the wrist starts feeling irritated, then adjust to the border of the irritation, but the wrist felt fine throughout the entire pressing movement.
• Chin up hold with elbows around 90 degrees - it's not exactly easy as pie but I've progressed from struggling to hold this position more than 10 seconds to being able to hold 30 seconds with effort.
• ATG split squat
• ATG split squat other side

7/23
HSPU Mini Course Practice A - Continued practicing headstand at 2nd progression. Balance is much improved compared to 7/20. I reached the balance point - the point that the body suddenly feels light - without tipping past it. I practice near a wall in case I tip over, in which case the wall would catch my feet and prevent me from falling further. Today my feet didn't touch the wall even once.

HSPU Mini Course Push - I found a Sondre Berg video in which Sondre suggests using rings or suspension trainer for pike push ups after you've gained the strength to elevate your feet. Last week I started doing my Push sessions with feet elevated one stairstep. I decided to try Sondre's idea with my NOSSK suspension trainers set to the same height (one stairstep). However at that height my feet are not horizontal enough to be supported by the NOSSK foot straps. My feet slid right through the straps. So I had to go back to the stairs for my Push session. I did 7 sets of 3 pike push ups for a total of 21. There was a considerable degradation of form on the 7th set so I decided to end the session after that set. I did 32 total reps the previous week but I was allowing myself to bend my knees more and transfer weight back to my feet to make the exercise easier for myself. Today I maintained constant tension in the abs to keep my feet pulled towards my hands. I kept my butt in the air and abs engaged on the concentric movement, more consistently except on the last et.

7/24
Chest expander workout:

Overhand Vertical Pullapart - 1 set - 5 springs

Overhand Vertical Pullapart - backoff set - 4 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - 1 set - 4 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - backoff set - 3 springs

Horizontal Pullapart - 1 set - 2 springs

Underhand Vertical Pullapart - mechanical drop set - 2 springs

Horizontal Pullapart - back off set - 1 spring

Sideway Tricep Extension - work set - 5 springs

Sideway Tricep Extension - back off set - 4 springs

Violin Tricep Extension - work set - 3 springs

Dr. Baar tendon circuit - 3 rounds

• Left hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - arm parallel to floor and forearm 90 degrees to arm - just trying to hit shoulder tendons from different angle.
• Right hand 12kg kettlebell press hold - press KB to same position as left side, then hold.
• Chin up hold with elbows around 90 degrees - was able to hold an extra 5 seconds after the 30-sec. timer beeped.
• ATG split squat
• ATG split squat other side

Robben Ford triad movement trick learned from Miles Davis

Lesson video taught by the great Greg Koch