Today was the first 6x6 session with the Jefferson Lift as the replacement for the Lateral Single Leg Deadlift. The IsoMax manual calls the Jefferson Lift the "Straddle Lift" but the manjority of Google search results show a different exercise which is also called "straddle lift". So going forward I'll just call it the Jefferson Lift
I settled on the 5 slot on the IsoMax strap for this exercise. This put the bar slightly higher than the knees and the thighs a few degrees above parallel. 5 was the lowest setting I could go and feel my body was in a safe and secure position for the exercise. Settings lower than 5 seemed to force a forward lean of the back that I wasn't comfortable trying.
I worked with the target force settings that had been planned for the LSLDL. I pulled a max 155.2 lbs. on the left side and 168.2 max on the right. By left side, I mean the front side of the bar is pointing to the left. I don't feel a need to spend a whole session testing my 1-rep max for the Jefferson Lift. I'll just work with 155 lbs. as the "1 rep max" in terms of planning what force settings to use on the heavy days.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Lateral Single Leg Deadlift experiment is already over
I've been practicing the Windmill Stick as taught by Dan John as one of the mobility exercises I do during my breaks from work. After my 1-rep max test of the Lateral Single Leg Deadlift, I felt something in my low back snap a bit when I practiced the Windmill Stick. Afterwards, the right side of my low back felt a little more sore than usual. Maybe it's actually my right oblique that feels sore. Anyway, on the following day, I felt a bit of a tweak in the right side of the low back, like it could snap at any moment.
My low back generally feels fine. I don't feel like I've suffered an injury... yet.
I reassesed how I get into position into the Lateral Single Leg Deadlift. I'm not convinced my hips are actually aligned with my shoulders. Moreover, I'm not convinced this exercise is safe for my low back. So, I'm going to replace it with the Straddle Lift, aka the Jefferson Deadlift. The Straddle Lift might not work the obliques as hard, but I know from past experience it's safe for my low back. Why the Straddle Lift? The reason is it strengthens the posterior chain like the deadlift, with less risk to the low back. Posterior chain strength is useful for heavy kettlebell cleans and snatches. The Straddle Lift also strengthens the quadriceps, which should be useful for KB front squats.
My low back generally feels fine. I don't feel like I've suffered an injury... yet.
I reassesed how I get into position into the Lateral Single Leg Deadlift. I'm not convinced my hips are actually aligned with my shoulders. Moreover, I'm not convinced this exercise is safe for my low back. So, I'm going to replace it with the Straddle Lift, aka the Jefferson Deadlift. The Straddle Lift might not work the obliques as hard, but I know from past experience it's safe for my low back. Why the Straddle Lift? The reason is it strengthens the posterior chain like the deadlift, with less risk to the low back. Posterior chain strength is useful for heavy kettlebell cleans and snatches. The Straddle Lift also strengthens the quadriceps, which should be useful for KB front squats.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Violin activities
I've barely touched my Yamaha YEV-105 electric violin or my acoustic viola for almost 2 years, as I focused more on guitar playing. Then last year I re-developed elbow tendonitis after doing kettlebell goblet squats with the KB held in bottoms up grip. The KB was heavy enough to tip over as my hands got tired of holding it. The tendonitis in the left elbow started flaring up during guitar practice, although I was able to alleviate it by paying extra attention to using the back muscles instead of just the muscles in the forearm to pull the strings to the frets.
This seemed to coincide with a renewed desire to play melody lines with long sustaining notes. I can achieve decent sustain on the guitar with the usual overdrive/distortion, and extra sustain with compression effect, a Digitech Freqout pedal, or the Feedbacker effect included with Line 6 Helix/HX Stomp multi-effects devices. Sustain is also great using Jam Origin Midi Guitar to trigger synths. However, control of note sustain, envelope and other properties using a violin bow is a quite a different experience. All the playing around with guitar effects and software made me miss playing violin with a bow.
I ordered a Glasser AE Carbon Composite 5-String violin after rewatching Rob Flax's demo and review. Of course there are wooden acoustic and acoustic-electric 5-string violins out there. I like the idea though of a carbon composite violin that tolerate a wider range of climates compared to wooden instruments. The acoustic sound is good enough to inspire me to practice. My dynamic control with the bow is ok enough to play somewhat quietly when I want to but I'm glad I got this mute for 5-string violin, which works really well for reducing the loudness of the Glasser.
I've been practicing F minor pentatonic scale patterns in the bookBeginner Jazz Soloing For Violin. I listen to the audio tracks and try to play along with them. I've been focusing more on learning the scale patterns by ear rather than by reading them in music notation.
I rediscovered this video focusing on slow blues phrasing.
First fairly long lick at about 3:05
This seemed to coincide with a renewed desire to play melody lines with long sustaining notes. I can achieve decent sustain on the guitar with the usual overdrive/distortion, and extra sustain with compression effect, a Digitech Freqout pedal, or the Feedbacker effect included with Line 6 Helix/HX Stomp multi-effects devices. Sustain is also great using Jam Origin Midi Guitar to trigger synths. However, control of note sustain, envelope and other properties using a violin bow is a quite a different experience. All the playing around with guitar effects and software made me miss playing violin with a bow.
I ordered a Glasser AE Carbon Composite 5-String violin after rewatching Rob Flax's demo and review. Of course there are wooden acoustic and acoustic-electric 5-string violins out there. I like the idea though of a carbon composite violin that tolerate a wider range of climates compared to wooden instruments. The acoustic sound is good enough to inspire me to practice. My dynamic control with the bow is ok enough to play somewhat quietly when I want to but I'm glad I got this mute for 5-string violin, which works really well for reducing the loudness of the Glasser.
I've been practicing F minor pentatonic scale patterns in the bookBeginner Jazz Soloing For Violin. I listen to the audio tracks and try to play along with them. I've been focusing more on learning the scale patterns by ear rather than by reading them in music notation.
I rediscovered this video focusing on slow blues phrasing.
First fairly long lick at about 3:05
IsoMax 6x6 1-Rep Max Testing
Today was the first day of my newest training block, which will be focused on strength via overcoming isometrics on the IsoMax. As always, the 1-Rep Max protocol from the book Ultimate Isometrics Manual was used.
The results in pounds:
It's odd to see my IsoMax overhead press go down, yet my 20kg kettlebell strict press rep max go up from 1 to 3. The KB pressing strength going up makes sense because I'd been practicing the clean+press a lot as part of The Giant for the last 10 weeks (2 under Giant 2.0, and 8 total under Giant 1.1 and 1.2). The IsoMax overhead press going down might be because I hadn't practiced it since December. Both the IsoMax overhead press and the KB press work the same muscles. However the technique is a little different because the overhead press with a bar forces the hands to be in pronation, while starting position for a KB press places the palm closer to a neutral position (neither pronated nor supinated). As the KB is pressed, the hand tends to be rotated so that at lockout position, the hand is pronated. Also, overcoming isometrics encourages whole body tension and force generation, while the KB that I used for The Giant was not heavy enough to make me practice generating that kind of whole body force.
Anyway, while the mystery of the drop in isometric overhead press performance combined with the gain in 20kg KB press performance is interesting, I don't think it matters much in the long run. Overcoming isometric training involves practicing using one's central nervous system (CNS) to generate muscular force. Hypertrophy training under a program like The Giant typically results in gains in muscle size but the CNS is not typically trained to the same intensity. A few weeks of 6x6 style isometric training typically results in the CNS making more efficient use of the newly gained muscle mass.
The drag curl gain was a surprise at first, then I remembered that I was doing a few sets of chin ups on the afternoons after my morning The Giant sessions. I was not doing the chin ups to try to make my biceps grow bigger, but to try to condition my elbow tendons to better tolerate chin ups. This ended up working well for my left elbow. My right elbow still felt some pain on the first set, and felt better if I did the 2nd set within 10 minutes of the first set. I adhered to the guidelines mentioned in Geoff Neupert's chinup video - volume should not be more than 5 sets of 5 reps. By my last week of The Giant 1.2, I was doing 4 sets of 4 reps. Anyway, it must have been the chin up training that led to the increase in drag curl strength.
For both the overhead press and drag curl, I tested with the bar set, so that the targeted muscles would be as long as possible. For the overhead press, the bar was as low as I could set it and still be able to do an overhead press. The low height of the bar makes me stretch the chest and pull the elbows down - thus all the overhead pressing muscles are as long as they could be for the overhead press. For the drag curl, the bar was practically on top of my thighs, thus making my biceps so long the arms close to straight. The reason is research finding that isometric training at long muscle length resulted in greater transfer to dynamic performance compared to isometrics at shorter muscle length. I did not go for long muscle length in the LSLDL because I didn't know how low I could really go without compromising safety for my low back, and I didn't feel the risk would be worth it.
Substituting the LSLDL for the Zercher Lunge is one change from previous takes on the 6x6 program template. I've been practicing P3 Protocol for a while, first under the Sore Joint Solution program, and lately under Systematic Core Training For Kettlebells. Side Lying has been the most difficult of P3's 3 fundamental body positions for me. I think it's because my lateral chain is the weakest of my 3 kinetic chains (anterior, posterior and lateral). I looked in Ultimate Isometrics Manual for any Isochain/IsoMax exercise that might hit the lateral chain hardest of all, and LSLDL looked like the best candidate. I figured a 6x6 block featuring the LSLDL might accelerate my progress with Side Lying exercises.
THe LSLDL is briefly shown in NoLimitSquad's video. My modification to the LSLDL is to simply allow the ball of the non-working foot to rest on the ground, which should allow the CNS to focus more on force output and less on balance. Another modification I made, compared to the photo in the book, was to align the hips with the shoulders. In the photo, the shoulders are not aligned with the hips, so the spine is bending a bit to the side. Having a history of low back injury, I'm in favor of not allowing the spine to bend to either side in this exercise. A 3rd modification is supinated rather than pronated grip for the front hand. This feels more natural to me. A pronated grip for the front hand would put the front shoulder into internal rotation which doesn't feel as good. With these modifications, the LSLDL does indeed work the lateral chain while not putting the low back into any danger or any other discomfort
Another modification I'm making to the 6x6 template is a triple wave scheme that I'm stealing from Geoff Neupert's The Giant X, which in turn was inspired by the Cuban Rep scheme he got from his weightlifting coach. The 6x6 program in The Ultimate Isometrics Manual says to test for 1-rep max, then train at 70% of 1 rep max every session until a retest of 1-rep max. Switching to the triple wave means not training at the same target load all the time. This is my understanding of the triple wave:
The results in pounds:
- Lateral Single Leg Deadlift (LSLDL) - 102.4
- Overhead Press - 115.9
- Drag Curl - 115.2
It's odd to see my IsoMax overhead press go down, yet my 20kg kettlebell strict press rep max go up from 1 to 3. The KB pressing strength going up makes sense because I'd been practicing the clean+press a lot as part of The Giant for the last 10 weeks (2 under Giant 2.0, and 8 total under Giant 1.1 and 1.2). The IsoMax overhead press going down might be because I hadn't practiced it since December. Both the IsoMax overhead press and the KB press work the same muscles. However the technique is a little different because the overhead press with a bar forces the hands to be in pronation, while starting position for a KB press places the palm closer to a neutral position (neither pronated nor supinated). As the KB is pressed, the hand tends to be rotated so that at lockout position, the hand is pronated. Also, overcoming isometrics encourages whole body tension and force generation, while the KB that I used for The Giant was not heavy enough to make me practice generating that kind of whole body force.
Anyway, while the mystery of the drop in isometric overhead press performance combined with the gain in 20kg KB press performance is interesting, I don't think it matters much in the long run. Overcoming isometric training involves practicing using one's central nervous system (CNS) to generate muscular force. Hypertrophy training under a program like The Giant typically results in gains in muscle size but the CNS is not typically trained to the same intensity. A few weeks of 6x6 style isometric training typically results in the CNS making more efficient use of the newly gained muscle mass.
The drag curl gain was a surprise at first, then I remembered that I was doing a few sets of chin ups on the afternoons after my morning The Giant sessions. I was not doing the chin ups to try to make my biceps grow bigger, but to try to condition my elbow tendons to better tolerate chin ups. This ended up working well for my left elbow. My right elbow still felt some pain on the first set, and felt better if I did the 2nd set within 10 minutes of the first set. I adhered to the guidelines mentioned in Geoff Neupert's chinup video - volume should not be more than 5 sets of 5 reps. By my last week of The Giant 1.2, I was doing 4 sets of 4 reps. Anyway, it must have been the chin up training that led to the increase in drag curl strength.
For both the overhead press and drag curl, I tested with the bar set, so that the targeted muscles would be as long as possible. For the overhead press, the bar was as low as I could set it and still be able to do an overhead press. The low height of the bar makes me stretch the chest and pull the elbows down - thus all the overhead pressing muscles are as long as they could be for the overhead press. For the drag curl, the bar was practically on top of my thighs, thus making my biceps so long the arms close to straight. The reason is research finding that isometric training at long muscle length resulted in greater transfer to dynamic performance compared to isometrics at shorter muscle length. I did not go for long muscle length in the LSLDL because I didn't know how low I could really go without compromising safety for my low back, and I didn't feel the risk would be worth it.
Substituting the LSLDL for the Zercher Lunge is one change from previous takes on the 6x6 program template. I've been practicing P3 Protocol for a while, first under the Sore Joint Solution program, and lately under Systematic Core Training For Kettlebells. Side Lying has been the most difficult of P3's 3 fundamental body positions for me. I think it's because my lateral chain is the weakest of my 3 kinetic chains (anterior, posterior and lateral). I looked in Ultimate Isometrics Manual for any Isochain/IsoMax exercise that might hit the lateral chain hardest of all, and LSLDL looked like the best candidate. I figured a 6x6 block featuring the LSLDL might accelerate my progress with Side Lying exercises.
THe LSLDL is briefly shown in NoLimitSquad's video. My modification to the LSLDL is to simply allow the ball of the non-working foot to rest on the ground, which should allow the CNS to focus more on force output and less on balance. Another modification I made, compared to the photo in the book, was to align the hips with the shoulders. In the photo, the shoulders are not aligned with the hips, so the spine is bending a bit to the side. Having a history of low back injury, I'm in favor of not allowing the spine to bend to either side in this exercise. A 3rd modification is supinated rather than pronated grip for the front hand. This feels more natural to me. A pronated grip for the front hand would put the front shoulder into internal rotation which doesn't feel as good. With these modifications, the LSLDL does indeed work the lateral chain while not putting the low back into any danger or any other discomfort
Another modification I'm making to the 6x6 template is a triple wave scheme that I'm stealing from Geoff Neupert's The Giant X, which in turn was inspired by the Cuban Rep scheme he got from his weightlifting coach. The 6x6 program in The Ultimate Isometrics Manual says to test for 1-rep max, then train at 70% of 1 rep max every session until a retest of 1-rep max. Switching to the triple wave means not training at the same target load all the time. This is my understanding of the triple wave:
- Wave within one session by doing ladders - lowest force at the lowest rung, more force at the next rung, most force at the highest rung. 6x6 is 6 reps of 6-second holds, so I'm going with a 3-rung ladder that is repeated once.
- Wave within one week by having light, heavy, and medium training days. Use the highest load settings on the heavy day and the lowest settings on the light day.
- Wave within the entire block by increasing difficulty on the heavy days over time, then dialing back as needed.
Monday, April 14, 2025
The Giant 1.2: Results
For the last week of The Giant 1.2, I challenged myself do more than 60 total reps in one session.
I did not quite make it on Monday. I did 56 total reps, after which I ran out of gas.
I broke the 60 rep ceiling on Wednesday. I set the timer to 30 min. I allowed myself a generous amount of rest after the first set, then after the 3rd set started to pick up the pace by resting less between sets. By the time I'd done 6 sets, there was about 2 min. left on the timer. I let the timer count all the way down, and continued to rest until I felt ready to do the 7th set, which took my rep total to 63.
I did 64 total reps on Friday.
Arm circumference increased by a quarter inch. Most of the growth was in the triceps, particularly the long head.
Back in January I tested my 20kg kettlebell strict press rep max and was only able to do 1 rep. Today I retested my 20kg strict press rep max and was able to do 3 reps. I did not use any of the 3 methods recommended by Geoff Neupert. All I did was bring up the 20kg KB after my IsoMax rep max testing, and tried to press it for as many reps as possible.
My next training block will be 6x6 style overcoming isometric strength training on the IsoMax. There's something about overcoming isometrics that makes joints and tendons feel better. I've had elbow tendonitis ever since I did 8 weeks of bottoms-up 24kg KB goblet squat as part of Easy Muscle last year. I've made sure my arm is completely straightened on the backswing of KB cleans - bent elbow on the backswing is a known cause of elbow tendonitis. I've noticed the elbow gets irritated during pressing if I don't make the effort to squeeze harder on the pinky side of the hand and bend the wrist a little more to the front and to the pinky side. At least 6 weeks of IsoMax work will improve the feeling of my elbows.
The next training block after that will be the single KB program known as Kettlebell Burn 2.0. As noted earlier, the recommended weight is a weight that can be strict pressed for 4-6 reps. I can strict press the 20kg KB for 3 reps now, so I'm on track to press to the 20kg for at least 4 reps after I finish the 6x6 block.
I did not quite make it on Monday. I did 56 total reps, after which I ran out of gas.
I broke the 60 rep ceiling on Wednesday. I set the timer to 30 min. I allowed myself a generous amount of rest after the first set, then after the 3rd set started to pick up the pace by resting less between sets. By the time I'd done 6 sets, there was about 2 min. left on the timer. I let the timer count all the way down, and continued to rest until I felt ready to do the 7th set, which took my rep total to 63.
I did 64 total reps on Friday.
Arm circumference increased by a quarter inch. Most of the growth was in the triceps, particularly the long head.
Back in January I tested my 20kg kettlebell strict press rep max and was only able to do 1 rep. Today I retested my 20kg strict press rep max and was able to do 3 reps. I did not use any of the 3 methods recommended by Geoff Neupert. All I did was bring up the 20kg KB after my IsoMax rep max testing, and tried to press it for as many reps as possible.
My next training block will be 6x6 style overcoming isometric strength training on the IsoMax. There's something about overcoming isometrics that makes joints and tendons feel better. I've had elbow tendonitis ever since I did 8 weeks of bottoms-up 24kg KB goblet squat as part of Easy Muscle last year. I've made sure my arm is completely straightened on the backswing of KB cleans - bent elbow on the backswing is a known cause of elbow tendonitis. I've noticed the elbow gets irritated during pressing if I don't make the effort to squeeze harder on the pinky side of the hand and bend the wrist a little more to the front and to the pinky side. At least 6 weeks of IsoMax work will improve the feeling of my elbows.
The next training block after that will be the single KB program known as Kettlebell Burn 2.0. As noted earlier, the recommended weight is a weight that can be strict pressed for 4-6 reps. I can strict press the 20kg KB for 3 reps now, so I'm on track to press to the 20kg for at least 4 reps after I finish the 6x6 block.
Wednesday, April 09, 2025
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