IsoMax 6x6: Program Tweaks starting Week 2

One issue I have with Zercher Lunge is my quads start feeling sore by the 3rd or even just 2nd rep, then I feel like I'm about to get a cramp for the rest of the set. Zercher Lunge with the bar set to slot 7 is just such a demanding position to be in. Just holding the position with only bodyweight can be a challenge. So what I'm going to try is dropping the target load to a value so light that the barest amount of force will set off the beeper in the bar. I think 30 lbs. is a light enough load. Chances are just getting into position and holding it for 6 seconds will still be a challenge so I might be working at 30 lbs for a while. If it turns out to be easier than expected, I'll raise the load by 2 lbs for the following session.

The other program tweak is switching from Reverse Curl to Drag Curl with a light load. The reason is I get a tingling sensation in my left hand between the thumb and the index finger when I attempt the Reverse Curl. I had a similar problem when I did Seated Row with an overhand/pronated grip. I don't want to risk a pinched nerve. I don't want to risk aggravating my elbow tendonitis either, which can happen when I do curls with supinated grip, but I can manage the risk more easily by simply training with a light load. I could not figure out a technique to prevent the tingling sensation when I do reverse curls, despite trying thumb over bar, thumb under bar and over fingers, and thumb under bar and under fingers. Either way, I won't be able to work on my max pulling strength. However, working on Drag Curl with as much force as I can pull with, up to the limit allowed by my elbows, at least has a chance of a rehab effect.

I'll use Red Delta Project's spiraling technique which removes much of the load from the elbows, although it's still possible to aggravate the elbows if too much force is used. I should be able to feel when I'm reaching the threshold of too much force. I'll drop the working load from 99 lbs to 30 lbs and train at 30lbs for a while, and maybe increase the load in 2lb increments as strength and confidence increase.

IsoMax 6x6: Week 1

This first full week of 6x6 reminded me how taxing 6 sets of 6-second muscle contraction in the Zercer Lunge position can be. For this exercise I have the bar set to slot 7, which is low enough to set the quads, calves, and glutes at decent length, but too low. Last time I did 6x6, I had the bar set to slot 6 which lengthened the target muscles even more, but also made getting into position quite a struggle. One of the reason I haven't logged consistent progress with the Zercher Lunge was always changing bar position in attempts to find the best position for training. This time I'm leaving the bar at slot 7 for the duration.

My first Overhead Press session produced a last rep max force of 107 which was the same as my tested 1-rep max of 107 lbs. However I beat it for the next 2 sessions. This is a typical pattern for me when I do 6x6.

The Reverse Curl gave me the most problems because there an an unpleasant pinching sensation in my left thumb. Having thumb over the bar eliminated most of this sensation but hand placement seems to be the trick for avoiding that sensasion

Dan John's Single Kettlebell Armor Building Complex

Dan John's Armor Building Complex is a popular double kettlebell routine. In response to questions about how to do ABC with a single KB, he posted this video introducing the single kettlebell version of ABC:

The Easy Muscle program has a choice of 2 KB Clean + Press schedules - one with a 10 rep max weight, and another with a 5 rep max weight. Kettlebell Maximorum also has a 5 rep max weight. When I'm ready to move up to heavier KB for C+P, I might not be able to do 5 reps right away. Single KB ABC for a couple of weeks might be the ticket to work up to a 5-rep max.

Max Force Tests For Next 6x6 Training Block

Today I tested my max force in my usual selection of exercises for 6x6, using the 1-rep Max protocol as described in Paul Wade's book The Ultimate Isometrics Manual. These are the results in lbs:

Zercher Lunge - 71.5
Overhead Press - 107.5
Reverse Curl - 142

My Zercher Lunge and Overhead Press results were lower than the force levels I was generating towards the end of my previous 6x6 taining block. For example my overhead press was in the 125-133 lb. range. I think the drop in force output is just a consequence of not practicing overcoming isometrics for several months. With renewed practice, the force numbers should go back up.

I tried the regular curl but I felt some irritatoin in my left elbow. So for this training block I'll be doing reverse curl instead.

Stopping Kettlebell Training For Now

Today I did another Foundation session. It was the 2nd session in a row that my left shoulder felt like it was intermittently slipping out of place during my double kettlebell press sets. Pulling the shoulders back and down and engaging the rotators did not help as much as in the previous session. Yesterday I did 3 sets of KB arm bar with 30-second holds with the 12kg KB. As part of warmup this morning, I did a 40-second KB arm bar hold on each side with the 8kg KB. Thus the KB arm bar work did not prevent the left shoulder stability issue.

I tested my double KB press rep max before beginning the Foundation session. I did 7 reps safely. I could have attempted an 8th rep but did not feel my form was good enough anymore to do the movement safely.

Next week I will switch to overcoming isometric training under the 6x6 program with the IsoMax. This should give the joints a break and hopefully restore stability to them. In the past I have certainly experienced relief from joint pain after a 6x6 session.

Also, 6x6 gives me an alternative route to achieving a 10 rep max with double 16kg KBs. After increasing my force output via 6x6, the KBs should feel lighter, and therefore it should be easier for me to do more reps with them.

Another issue I've been dealing with is elbow tendonitis, in both elbows. My elbows have been feeling fine, except when I attempt do a bicep curl with supinated palms or attempt a dead hang from a pullup bar. They also flare up intermittently when I do motions that have the palms facing each other side to side, like when I wash my hands. The left elbow occasionally flares up when I play guitar as well when I get careless. I've gotten good at using my upper back muscles to provide finger pressure on the guitar fretboard, so most of the time I don't feel pain when I play guitar. It seems like my elbow problems started when I was doing goblet squats while holding a 24kg KB bottoms up, as part of Easy Muscle Schedule B. The KB's weight was challenging for my hands, and I occasionally let the KB tip over when my grip endurance ran out. I think the damage to my elbows accelerated when I started dead hanging from a pullup bar 5 days a week, 2 or more sets a day.

Tried replacing Kettlebell Arm Bar in my warmup

As part of warmup for today's workout, I tried replacing the kettlebell arm bar with another T-spine mobility exercise. It's one of the exercises recommended in Geoff Neupert's Kettlebell Strong! for improving mobility for the double KB Clean + Jerk - basically just lying on your back and moving tucked knees side to side.

My left shoulder felt uncomfortable during practice of the double KB press. It was as if my arm bone was a bit out of the shoulder socket. Paying stricter attention to the zip-up technique did not pull the arm back into the socket. I fixed the shoulder issue by adding an extra step to the zip-up: Engage the external rotators to really pull the shoulders back.

It seems that I have to resume including the KB Arm Bar in my warmup routine to help ensure my left arm doesn't wander away from the shoulder socket again. I think I'm starting to understand why the KB Arm Bar is thought of as a shoulder stability exercise, because my left shoulder sure didn't feel as stable as it did in previous KB pressing sessions. I did do the KB Bent Arm Bar, but that obviously did not prevent what happened with the shoulder today. I think part of it is the Bent Arm Bar stretches the front of the shoulder more, while the Arm Bar stretches the chest more. The Arm Bar also seems to work the rotators and other stabilizing muscles more intensely due to the straight arm being a longer lever than the bent arm.

Today's Music Discoveries

Double KB Foundation: Week 1

Completed Week 1 of the Foundation program from Kettlebell Strong! X by Geoff Neupert. I can't give away too much about Foundation but maybe it's ok to report that it focuses on the same fundamental double kettlebell exercises that make up Dan John's popular ABC (Armor Building Comnplex) - the double clean, the double press, and the double front squat.

So far my shoulders have held up just fine. I can't really claim that my current level of overhead reaching mobility is good enough for a pain-free Easy Muscle training block with double KBs, because the training volume this week was low. I can lock out my arms, but my upper back still arches a bit. Last year, not being able to lock out the arms led to shoulder pain. I try to work on my overhead pressing ROM (Range Of Motion), by pulling my arms back after locking them out.

The lower back has held up during and after the double clean and double squat practices. However, I found ATG split squat on stairs is still an essential warmup exercise, and should be done as the first exercise of the warmup. Something about how it loosens the hip flexors dramatically reduces the odds of a back spasm or other unexpected strain on the back.

One unexpected gain was in the number of pike pulse reps I could do when I practice pike pulses for hamstring flexibility. The reps jumped from 8 to 12. This is is one of the easier variations of the pike pulse exericse - one leg while leaning back. I'm guessing the gains came from resuming practice of double KB cleans.

Next training block: Double 16kg Kettlebell foundation work

After completing my latest Easy Muscle training block, I attempted a single 24kg kettlebell press and failed. Then, I tested my double 16k KB Clean + Press repetition max. I did 7 reps. My upper body still felt good for more reps but my lower body was fatigued enough that there was risk of hurting myself if I attempt an 8th rep. I did the test to assess whether Schedule A with double 16kg KBs would be an option. I also needed to assess whether my overhead reaching mobility, while still not ideal, had improved enough for double KB pressing without shoulder pain. I believe the shoulder pain that I suffered the last time I attempted Easy Muscle Schedule A with double 16s was caused by not being able to lock out both arms overhead.

I was so keen on working with the Baraban expander again that I forgot about the double 16kg KB C+P test, until I started thinking again about the next Easy Muscle training block, and what my choice of schedule should be: Should I do Schedule A with double 16kg KBs, or Schedule B again, push pressing a single 24kg KB? I decided to go with Schedule A with double 16kg KBs, even though it looks like a step backwards for my upper body development. That rep max test showed me that my lower body is lagging in strength/conditioning compared to the upper body. If I want to progress to double 24kg KB C+P, I need to get better at double 16kg KB C+P. If I can't clean double 16kg KBs for 10 reps, I'll struggle even more with double 24kg KBs, assuming I don't hurt my back in the process.

Before I start Schedule A, I want to increase my double 16kg KB C+P rep max from 7 to 10. If I don't do this, I might end up having to take breaks in the middle of sets like I did in the previous Easy Muscle block, because of my lower body tiring too early. The more breaks I have to take, the less volume I'll be able to put into the training session.

The way I plan to improve my C+P rep max is by working with the Foundation program from Geoff Neupert's Kettlebell Strong! X. It's focused on building proficiency in the double KB clean, double KB press, and double KB squat. I don't think I'll need to work through all 6 weeks of Foundation - I only need to progress to a double 16g KB C+P rep max of 10. On every other Friday, I'll retest my double 16g KB C+P rep max. If I fall short of 10, I'll proceed with the Foundation workout of the day. If I do hit 10, I'll spend the rest of the session working on overhead mobility and start Easy Muscle Schedule A the following week.

I had to take a break from training for almost 2 weeks because I came down with COVID-19. Half that time was spent lying in bed because of fever, headache, and fatigue. This inactivity left my low back more vulnerable to strain, which I realized when I lifted a pitcher to pour myself a glass of water. This past Wednesday I tried to do a Foundation workout, but my low back felt a little too sensitive when I tried to set up for a double clean, even with pulling my chest up and hinging at the hips to avoid lower back flexion. So what I did instead was do 3 sets of 1-minute 16kg KB suitcase carries.

On the next day I did a P3 mobility session to try to reduce whatever tightness was causing the low back to be suspect, and restore reflexive core stability to help protect the back.

My back felt good enough for a Foundation session on Friday. Since it was my first double KB workout in a year, I took a generous amount of rest between sets. The only mishap was during the double KB front squat. I held the KBs too close together, which resulted in my elbows flaring out a bit and causing my right shoulder to go a little too far forward. I corrected by holding the KBs a little further apart, which resulted in the shoulders being pulled back and down more and the elbows fitting more easily between the thighs at the bottom of the squat. The shoulder felt sore immediately after the workout, but felt better after it snapped back into place.

Looking ahead, after completing Easy Muscle Schedule A with double 16kg Kbs, I'll do an IsoMax 6x6 training block to improve my force output (strength). After that, I should hopefully be ready to train with double 20kg KBs. Given my injury history with the back, it just seems safer to spend at least 8 weeks training with double 20kg KBs before attempting to progess to double 24kgs.