Easy Muscle and Manly Mobility

I was pondering what exercise program to do after the 3 Days On cycle on Isochain. After 2 cycles in a row of Isochain training, I wanted to do a dynamic exercise program again. I enjoyed Accommodation Resistance calisthenics as taught by Mindful Mover, but my shoulder injury showed me that my body is not ready for that. I'm not sure if the injury was caused by not allowing enough time to deload and/or rest, because I did transition from high-load isometrics on the Isochain to Accommodating Resistance calisthenics without taking at least one week off.

Easy Muscle is a training program created by Geoff Neupert, who is a respected fitness coach, especially among kettlebell training enthusiasts. The title "Easy Muscle" implies that it is a training program for stimulating muscle growth, but it also promises fat burn and strength gains. I put off buying Easy Muscle at first because I thought it was mainly a program built around the kettlebell Clean-and-Press, and my shoulder felt painful whenever I tried to reach overhead.  I then realized it actually contains 3 different training schedules, including Schedule C which was designed for people like me, who currently have trouble pressing weight overhead. I figured any hypertrophy-friendly progra is not going to subject my body to as heavy a load as a strength-focused program. So I went ahead and bought it.

Schedule C has you practicing the 2-hand kettlebell swing on one day, and two other exercises on the other day. Those 2 other exercises are the chinup and dip.

When I bought it Easy Muscle, I was given the option of also buying Manly Mobility, also created by Neupert.  I went ahead and bought it. It's billed as a mobility program for guys who hate stretching. Inedeed, there does not seem to be any emphasis on holding a stretched position for longer than a second or two.

For the Tuesday session, I focused on Manly Mobility. I tried all the Phase 1 exercises taught for each of the 3 body positions. Since I'd already used up time taking measurements to get the results of my Isochain 3 Days On training, I limited myself to 10 reps of each exercise. The exercises are simple to learn, as promised, and I did notice some reduction in tightness, although I don't remember which muscle groups because I didn't write dowm my impressions right away.

For the Wednesday session, I tried the chinup and dip workout. I tested my chinup, which is pullup with supinated palms, but I felt some unwanted tightness in my previosly injured forearm - the "Golfers Elbow" arm, so I substituted pullups (pronated palms). Because of my problem reaching overhead, I could not start/stop a pull-up in the dead hang or the active hang (scapulae pulled down). I trained pullups by beginning and ending each rep with my arms straight and in front of me, at around a 100-120 degree angle to my torso, smy legs stretched in front of the torso and feet on the floor. This may not be the ideal range of motion for gains in strength/muscle from pullups, but it was the best ROM I had without irritating my shoulder.

I used my trusty NOSSK Twin Trainers for the dips. I set the handles fairly low so that my feet on the floor could reduce the load. I turned my palms forward in the bottom position to try to add a bit of stretch for my chest, but I was careful to not do anything to the shoulder.

I took Thursday off from training. Because I hadn't practiced pullups or dips in a while I had some DOMS in the pecs lats, and triceps.

For the Friday session, I tried the 2-arm kettlebell swing workout with a 24kg kettlebell. I took it easy since I hadn't practiced this exercise for almost 3 years. Afterwards, I practiced the Manly Mobility exercises. The following morning, I had minor DOMS in the hamstrings and calves.

Next week, I will begin Week 1 of Easy Muscle, Schedule C. I suppose the 2-hand KB swing day is for fat-burning, and the pullup-dip day is for hypertrophy. It will be interesting to see what the results will be after Week 8.