Workout #1
Pseudo Planche Lean - 4 sets of 3-5 second hold, 20s break between holds at the furthest forward lean possible, acting as isometric warmup as well as continuing progress towards planche.
Ultimate Chest Pump Suspension Workout - Selected this one as I noticed last week that my chest is quite a bit weaker than my triceps
Intense Abdominal Suspension Training Micro Workout - This was a better choice for me than last week's choice for flexion chain training, as the shoulders felt fine, while getting a nice stability workout. The pelvic tilt exercise was harder than it looks in the video - I was only able to manage 3 reps at most before my abs felt too much on fire to do more.
Workout #2
Front Lever Hold - 4 sets of 3-5 second hold, 20s break between holds. Continued working on extending the legs a little more, away from Frog position towards full Straddle position.
Ultra-Pump Back & Biceps Suspension Micro Workout - The lateral bicep curl was a bit of a test for my shoulder, which felt a little uncomfortable for the first superset, but felt just fine for the rest of the micro workout. The shoulder felt fine for the pull ups from seated position. I opted to not push my luck by doing the pull ups with elevated feet as shown in the video. My shoulders felt fine for the most part and the biceps got a nice pump as expected. I believe Steven Low's advice helped a lot.
Suspension Hip Hinge Micro Workout - I did 2 sets of about 15 instead of 3 sets of 20. I just wanted to try the movement.
6x6 is a program, for use with Isochain, intended to stimulate strength and hypertrophy gains using 6 repetitions of 6-second holds, which, according to the science cited in the book Ultimate Isometrics Manual, is the most effective combination of repetitions and hold times to stimulate strength gains via isometric exercise. The cited research also found hypertrophy gains, but strength gain seems to be the primary purpose of the 6x6 program. I am looking forward to comparing whatever strength gains result from 6x6 to the results I got from training under the Isochain Promethean programs. The comparison won't be completely clean as I was coming off of the shoulder injury while training under Promethean Mk. I and Mk. II. I will be starting 6x6 with my shoulder in much better shape. I will be training almost all the same drills as described in the book, with the exception of Front Squat, which will be replaced by Zercher Lunge as it looks like practicing it will have better carryover to dynamic single-leg work than Front Squat or any other double-leg drills. I first heard of Zercher Lunge in a Red Delta Project video on favorite Isochain exercises, which were selected for low skill requirement, high muscle activation, and mechanical disadvantage for low load yet heavy stress on muscle vs. stress on the body.
Thus, I decided to switch to the 6x6 program next week. I want to see what strength boost I get this time, and how much of the gains will carry over to calisthenics performance. Although this is technically the 3rd week of GSC meets Countdown to Advent Micro Workouts, I have actually been training under the GSC template, with some influence from the Mindful Mover approach to Accommodating Resistance, for about 3 months now. It just feels right to ring in the New Year with an isometric-focused training program on the Isochain. Thus, I skipped the GSC Workout #3 (Squat Chain-Lateral Chain) and replacedit with an Isochain 1-Rep Max Test session to measure my 1-rep max scores for the 6x6 program.
Here are the results in pounds of my 1-Rep Max test session, using the 1-Rep max protocol from the book:
- Zercher Lunge: 81.9
- Shoulder Press (Medium Angle): 57
- Bent Row(Medium Angle): 137.53
- Shrug: 130
The list time I tested my 1RM for Zercher Lunge was when I did the 1RM test session for Burn Count. At first glance, it looks like I didn't progress all that much in single-leg strengh during all the months of Grind Style Calisthenics - not sure why, as I felt I put in an honest effort to progress in suspension-assisted Shrimp and Jumbo Shrip Squat. OTOH, this time around I tested my Zercher Lunge at a lower chain setting, which is more difficult. I was hitting the low 50s in my shoulder press max readings the last time I worked Promethean. Scoring 57lbs. shows a modest gain despite focusing more on chest and triceps than overheard pressing. Bent row cannot be compared because last time I did standing bent row I had my torso at around 120 degrees compared to the legs, which allowed me to leverage more of my posterior chain. I had not done shrugs for years, so this is effectively a new exericise for me on Isochain. I'm curious to see if it further bulletproofs my shoulders. There is no explanation in the manual as to why it was included in 6x6.
Ideas for hanging on rings or suspension trainer for improving mobility, other than the basic brachial hang. For review, Mindful Mover's IG post on how to progress from ring pike pushup to ring handstand pushup. They also have a post on how to get into ring handstand. For weighted single-leg squat with Accommodating Resistance without a partner they have this post. For Nordic Curl, which along with AR single-leg squatting they claim will give you gains on the Deadlift, they have this post. For mobility, Mindul Mover also has a post on Jefferson Curl and Split Squat
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