I began 2022 with the following goals:
- Achieve Handstand Pushup
- Achieve One-Arm Pullup
- Achieve Pistol Squat with 16kg kettlebell
I was able to leverage strength gains from Isochain training to work on the Pike Pushup to Handstand Pushup progression with elevated feet, which is higher up the progression than the level I was working at before I hurt my shoulder and got the Isochain. I was also able to start on Mixed Grip Pullups, which is the next step after regular pullups on the progression to One-Arm Pullups. Both exercises were done with Accommodating Resistance, to increase load on the eccentric phase of each movement, so that the muscles work just as hard on the eccentric as they do on the concentric.
Unfortunately, I started feeling pain in my right shoulder after about 6 weeks of calisthenics with Accommodating Resistance. I eventually lost the ability to reach overhead with a straight arm without pain. Reaching towards the opposite armpit while taking a shower also hurt. I decided not to see a doctor about it because the pain only manifested in certain positions for the shoulder, and gradually started dissipating over time. Thus, I don't have an exact diagnosis the injury. However, an abrupt and large increase in training load, such as going from isometric overhead pressing to working with my full bodyweight on the eccentric phase of a pike pushup - like I did - has been known to cause injury to tendons.
Paul Wade actually warned about this in his classic calisthenics book Convict Conditioning. He recommended trainees "put reps in the bank" by working up to high-rep sets of an exercise, before progressing to an exercise variation that would put more load on the joints. Without "banking reps" first, the trainee is more likely to suffer an injury.
So I should have accepted that my body was not ready for calisthenics with Accommodating Resistance, and instead stuck with Isochain 6x6 for strength training and switched to high volume kettlebell training for hypertrophy.
So for the rest of 2022, I either did calisthenic exercises that did not require me to reach overhead, or trained on Isochain.
I also started training with more emphasis on hypertrophy. Some people think more muscle mass protects the joints. Also, the high volume that is characteristic of hypertrophy-focused exercise stimulates more blood flow through the tendons. Greater blood flow, in turn, facilitates healing and strengthening of tendons.
I spent about 6 weeks on calesthenic Micro Workouts, generally hypertrophy focused, found on the Red Delta Project Youtube channe. Then 6 weeks on Isochain 6x6 for strength training. Then 6 weeks on Isochain 3 Days On for hypertrophy. Then the Easy Muscle program to finish the year.
Bioneer uploaded an updated tendon training video. I'm sure quite of my 2022 training would qualify as "tendon training" - in particular the high volume dynamic exercise and high-intensity isometrics with Isochain.
Strength Gain compared to start of 2022: Because of the injury, nothing to report. I did not retest strength on the same lower body and pulling exercises to compare 2022 to 2023 progress.
Hypertrophy Gains from earliest 2022 log to Jan. 8 2023:
Left Forearm: 2.35%
Right Forearm: 1.12%
Left Arm: 6.25%
Right Arm: 8.51%
Chest: 1.35%
2023 Goal: Press a 24kg Kettlebell Overhead
Having suffered shoulder injuries twice doing calisthenics with Accommodating Resistance, I have no plans to resume that style of training in 2023. For 2023, my training focus will be on restoring the overheard pressing strength that I lost due to the injuries, then working towards pressing double 24kg kettlebells. I am confident I have found a good path towards that goal.
I've had kettlebells for years but hadn't used them much since I suffered a shoulder subluxation/impingement from dropping a 24kg KB during a KB Arm Bar attempt - foolish mistake on my part, as this is a weighted mobility drill, not a strength exercise, intended to be used with a light KB, not a heavy one. I lost weeks - maybe even several months - of training time recovering from the injury. Then I explored exercise tools other than KBs, barbell or dumbbell. Then I tried KB training again in the form of Simple And Sinister for several months. S&S sessions felt like "workouts" but I did not feel stronger by the time I gave up on S&S. There should have some carryover to a basic calisthenic exercise like the pushup, but there wasn't. So I went back to calisthenics to pursue my goals of handstand pushup, one-arm chinup, planche pushup, and front lever row. I've always wanted those 4 skills because they demonstrate the greatest possible strength that can be achieved in vertical pushing and pulling, and horizontal pushing and pulling; with just one's bodyweight.
I got the Isochain in the first place becaused I'd injured my shoulder during calisthenics training. It offereed me a way to resume strength training evven while injured. But because I was new to isometrics, I was still keen on eventually going back to strength training through calisthenics, and just alternating Isochain and calisthenic training blocks.
Eventually, I started hearing about Geoff Neupert's kettlebell training programs, bought Easy Muscle, then decided to try it after reading about Schedule C. I'd already done some hypertrophy work on Isochain and was curious to compare results. As previously mentioned, I trained under Schedule C, which combined 2 calisthenics exercises with the 2-arm KB swing. I liked the concepts enough to choose Easy Muscle for my hypertrophy training in 2023.
So my 2023 goals is to press a 24kg KB overhead, which I have never done, due to choices which led to injury or just unproductive training time. I think I can achieve this goal by scheduling my training with alternating blocks of Isochain 6x6 for strength and Easy Muscle for hypertrophy. Easy Muscle Schedule A, which is KB clean-and-press, should give me lots of practice of KB pressing technique, as well as hypertrophy. Isochain 6x6 would train me to leverage the new muscle mass for pressing strength gains, as well as continue progressing in my pulling strength and lower body strength.
A stretch goal would be to press a 32kg KB overhead but I don't anticipate that happening in 2023. Completion of a full 8-week training block of Easy Muscle with double 32kg KB clean-and-press would signal to me that I'm ready to try my luck at the calesthenic skills I've pursued in the past, namely handstand pushup, one-arm chinup, planche pushup, and front lever row. 64kg is very close to my bodyweight, so when I can clean and press my bodyweight in sets of at least 4 reps for 20 minutes, my tendons are probably strong enough to handle the load levels of those calisthenic exercises.
Easy Muscle, Schedule A would produce faster results with double KB clean-and-press, compared to one arm at a time. Naturally, I want to work with double KB, starting with my next Easy Muscle training block. However, double KB overhead work demands greater mobility than single KB overhead work. Brett Jones, highly regarded kettlebell coach, recommends t-spine mobiility exercises, particularly the Rib Grab, Brettzel, and knees flexed torso rotation, to meet the mobilty requirement. For each exercise, Jones recommends 10-15 crocodile breaths, and as many breaths as it takes to feel like you stop improving the rotation and be equal side to side. For crocodile breathing and most diaphragmatic breathing drills there should be pauses so a low slow inhale > brief pause > long full exhale with a longer pause before the next breath. The pause should not be so long that you have to "gasp" to start the next breath—they are pauses not breath holds.
I will also continue practicing the OS Dead Bug
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