Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Isochain Modified Promethean Week 2

Shoulder Press - Shoulder continues to feel better. Technique continues to improve. I did 5 reps of 6 seconds at a target load of 55 lbs.  The largest max reading was 82 lbs.

Reverse Curl - Working load is at 30 lbs.  The largest max reading is 34 lbs.

Hack Lift - I did 5 reps of 6 seconds at a target load of 160 lbs.  The largest max reading was 237 lbs.

Based on my understanding of Thomas Kurz' statements regarding high-rep, low-resistance movements for tendon health, I changed my "shell warmup" routine to start with a high-rep set of bodyweight squats, followed by a high-rep set of wall pushups.  According to Kurz, the idea is to strengthen slow-twitch muscle fibers that stabilize joints and to improve blood supply of the muscles and their fibrous connective tissue, which speeds up muscles’ recovery and is needed for increasing structural strength of their fasciae and tendons. So the number of reps needs to be enough to help achieve "shell warmth" as described in Coach Wade's isometrics manual, and also improve vascularization of the tendons, yet not be so high that the body is too fatigued for Isochain training. 

I also resumed a 6H practice that I'd been neglecting - using suit coiling/uncoiling to turn a hammer held in my hand.  This practice was originally introduced as an alternative to Cando Bar silk reeling, for those unable to obtain a Cando Bar.  I still have my own tan Cando Bar but it's pretty demanding on the grip, and with my current golfer's elbow, training with Cando Bar is impractical.  Anyway, there are two positions in the basic "forward arm wave" silk reeling cycle that training with the hammer is useful:

1. At the end range of opening with the arm, with the back of the suit stretched open so that it is no longer possible to continue pulling the pinky of the palm with the suit without turning the palm.  Here the hammer is held horizontally with the head facing inwards.  The front of the suit, especially on the side of the working hand, pulls on the thumb with a coiling action, causing the hammer to rotate to vertical.

2. At end range of closing with the arm, with the front of the suit contracted, the palm up, and the hammer held horizontally facing away from the head.  Here the uncoiling action of the suit pulls on the pinky side of the hand and the little toe side of the far foot, causing the hammer to rotate to vertical.

I have worked up to 25-30 reps per side, per position of these hammer coiling/uncoiling exercises, to improve vascularization of the wrist/elbow connective tissues, and probably other connective tissues, probably involving the back, hips, shoulders, etc.   I try to do more than one set per position, per side every day.

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