I haven't done an overcoming isometric strength training block for quite some time. Kettlebell cleans with my right arm have feel annoying anyway, with the way my forearm/elbow has been acting up for the last couple of weeks. Hopefully the isometrics will give my elbow a break. So, I'll do a 6-8 week block of the overcoming isometric program 6x6 from Paul Wade's book
The Ultimate Isometrics Manual, in the hopes of increasing the maximum force output of my muscles - aka "strength" - without further wear on my joints or tendons.
This video has a good explanation of the 6x6 protocol. The book says to test your 1-rep max force for each of your chosen exercises, then train at 70% of 1-rep max, until you re-test. Retesting every 2-4 weeks is recommended. These are the selected exercises for this block:
- Zercher Squat - My favorite lower body isometric exercise is the Zercher Lunge at the lowest possible IsoMax bar setting, to get the longest possible muscle lengths for the glute, quadricep, and calf. Long muscle length isometric training results in greater transference to dynamic performance. However due to past injury, Zercher Lunge feels uncomfortable for my big toes. I've finally accepted the notion that exercising in pain is not good. Thus, I chose Zercher Squat to be my lower body exercise for this block. It doesn't impose as much pressure on the big toes. It feels a lot like a double kettlebell front squat and should thus help me increase my double KB front squat 10RM weight from double 16kg KBs to double 20kg KBs.
- Overhead Press - One of my long term fitness goals is to be able to do handstand pushups. Part of my strategy for achieving this goal is to pressing kettlebells overhead to build strength and muscle, working towards heavier KBs over time. Overhead press on the IsoMax feels similiar to double kettlebell press. One short term goal of this exercise is to improve my 20kg clean+press rep max from 5 to some number closer to 10.
- Drag Curl - I've noticed in the past that practicing this exercise led to more explosive pull ups and chin ups. One goal of this exercise is to increase my chin up 10RM (rep max) weight. The 10RM weight is the heaviest weight at which I can safely do 10 chin ups. At the start of my latest Easy Muscle training block, my chin up 10RM weight was my own bodyweight. I would like to progress to weighted chin ups, with a dip belt and either a 4kg weight plate or my lightest KB (8kg). So the hope is Drag Curl on the IsoMax will help increase my 10RM weight from bodyweight-only to at least bodyweight + 4kg. My long term goal is to be able to do one-arm chin ups. Weighted chin ups with progressively heavier weights build strength and muscle is part of the strategy for this long term goal.
Results in pounds:
- Zercher Squat - 101.4. I decided to go with the bar at #6 in the strap. This position has me squatting with thighs just above parallel. It was as low as I could go without feeling my low back might be in danger.
- Overhead Press - 83.9. When I was generating higher force levels, I had the bar set at strap #20, which put the bar practically on my chest. This time I set the bar to #21, which gets the bar away from the chest and a step closer to my sticking point, while still setting the triceps and front delts at a decent lengths.
- Drag Curl - 124.67. I went with a strap setting in which my arms were almost straight but with a slight bend at the elbows. The biceps are at a good length here. I'd previously trained with the bar one slot lower, which made the arms even closer to straight I felt that reduced bicep engagement too much.
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