I've been training with a focus on hypertrophy for several months now, and will soon wrap up the 8-week training block under the Easy Muscle program. For the next multi-week training block I will focus on strength, which is defined as the maximal capacity of a muscle, or group of muscles, to exert a force under a given set of conditions. For this strength training block, I will practice isometric exercises on the IsoMax.
The book The Ultimate Isometrics Manual includes several training programs for use with the Isochain/IsoMax, each intended for a particular fitness goal. One of these programs is the Bruce Lee, which I believe was taken from Bruce Lee's book The Art of Expressing the Human Body.
In the Isochain/IsoMax user community, fitness trainer Chrys Johnson has reported strength gains from isometric training inspired by the Bruce Lee program - for himself and for his clients. He posted some videos on his channel No Limit Squad
I plan to try a variation of the Bruce Lee routine with my IsoMax and see what strength gains I may get. Chrys mentions in his videos that he typically does both an isometric workout and a dynamic workout on the same day. For example he'll do an isometric workout in the morning and lift weights in the afternoon or evening. I am curious what strength gains may be had if I only do the isometric workout in the mornings, and do not do another full workout session in the evenings, so I will not be following Chrys' example that faithfully.
The Bruce Lee routine is made up of 2 squat variations, 2 press variations, and one variation each of deadlift, pull, shrug, and calf raise. The routine appears to be idential to an isometric routine that Bob Hoffman created for Olympic weightlifters. My fitness goals include the front lever and one-arm chinup, so I would prefer 2 pull variations to 2 squat variations, with at least one pull variation targeting the biceps more directly. Also, I have no interest in taking up the sport of Olympic weightlifting. So I plan to swap out some exercises from the Lee/Hoffman program.
The exercise selection for my version of the Bruce Lee program:
Zercher Squat - This replaces the front squat and is closer in feel to the double kettlebell front squat. The bar height will be set just high enough so the elbows cannot contact the thighs. Allowing this contact seems to transfer more of the load from the arms to the legs, which would make it closer to the Austin Squat. The Austin Squat looks like a good exercise but I think the Zercher Squat is the better choice to progress towards a double 24kg kettlebell front squat. The double KB front squat and the Zercher Squat are both done with the the load partially supported by the arms and upper back.
High Deadlift - Bruce preferred the bar about 2 inches below the knees. Because of my injury history with the low back, I am very reluctant to deadlift that low, and will instead set the bar above the knee. Strength gained should improve my double KB clean. Isometric deadlift should also strengthen the tendons and ligaments of my posterior chain, including the lower back.
Low Overhead Press - The Lee/Hoffman routine mentions this one, but I haven't found any mention of specific cues to do it. I would like to progress towards a double 24kt kettlebell press, so I will work with the cues taught for the kettlebell press, including the Zip-Up.
Low Drag Curl - This replaces the High Pull (Upright Row and Calf Raise combined) in the original. This exercise was probably selected by Hoffman because the High Pull is an Olympic weightlifting exercise. For an upper body pulling exercise, Drag Curl targets the biceps more directly. The bar is set low so that the biceps are lengthened as much as possible. Recent research seems to indicate that isometric strength training with lengthened muscle stimulates strength gains through the full range of motion, not just at the specific isometric training angle.
Medium Overhead Press - This replaces the "close to lockout" overhead press, which puts the pressing muscles at short lengths. Isometric training at the sticking point has been proven effective, which tends to be close to the medium position. Recent research has found that isometrics at long muscle lengths transfer to strength at all joint angles. I have not heard of any research that has found benefits for isometrics at short muscle lengths. The medium angle is very close to my sticking point in the kettlebell overhead press.
Calf Raise - Same as in the original. Perhaps stronger calves will reduce occasional aches and pains I feel in my feet when I walk.
Shrug - Same as in the original. Perhaps stronger traps will improve how I lock out my arms overhead while pressing or snatching a kettlebell.
Seated Row - Replaces the Parallel Squat in the original, as I'd rather have 2 pull variations than 2 squat variations. Strength gains from isometric seated row has reportedly carried over to pull ups, which makes sense as the seated row works the lats. The position that sets the lats at a their longest length in this exercise, also sets the biceps at long length.
Nobody seems to know how many days a week Bruce Lee spent on his isometric routine. Some people seem to think he did it 3 days a week. The Ultimate Isometrics Manual states it could be done all 7 days if desired, because the training volume would be so low, if one did only one repetition of a 6-12 second hold per exercise.
Nobody seems to know for sure how many repertitions of a hold that Bruce did for each exercise. As mentioned earlier, Chrys got strength gains y doing the Bruce Lee every day, with dynamic weight lifting in the evenings. As an experiment, I will do one rep per exercise, log the max force and average force numbers, then see how the number change over 2 weeks. If there is a general upward trend, I'll keep doing one rep per exercise. If the numbers don't appear to trend up, I'll try 2 reps per exercise.
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Easy Muscle: Week 6
My body seems to be adapting fine to the increase in volume from Wee 5 onward. On some days I warmed with some movements taken from the Preparation section of GMB's Elements or Mobility. Once I practiced Turkish Get Up with a shoe on my fist as warmup. But I have to admit I didn't warm up at all for some days, other than doing a short Farmer's Walk of the kettlebell from the basement to the living room.
Practicing the P3 mobility method in abbreviated form after Easy Muscle sessions, and in full (4 sets of Dead Bugs, seeing how many diaphrgamatic breaths I can do, etc.) seems to work as far as slowly but steadily increasing how high I can raise both arms overhead with locked elbows. I also progressed in my healing towards being able to hang from a pullup bar with less and less shoulder pain. I initially went with a narrow grip, but I found that a wider grip irritates my shoulder less. Hanging hurts the least after an Easy Muscle session. On the rest days, the shoulder is more irritable when I try to hang. Being able to hang without any shoulder irritation on any day is the next goal - once I get there, progress towards raising arms overhead with locked elbows should accelerate.
With 2 weeks to go in Easy Muscle, I can't help but think about upcoming training. The next training block I will do after Easy Muscle is 6x6 on the IsoMax. High intensity isometric exercise will teach my CNS (Central Nervous System) to use the muscle gained from Easy Muscle to produce higher levels of force than before. My last tested 1-rep max in the overhead press was just under 65lbs. My rep max in partial range press of the 16kg (approx. 35 lbs) kettlebell was about 4 at the time. I've since gained some muscle and my full range 16kg KB press rep max is at least 8, so my new rep max in hte IsoMax overhead press should be well over 65lbs now. I have no idea what my new Seated Row and Zercher Squat 1-rep max scores will be. Some people seem to think pulling strength and squat strength will diminish as a consequence of clean-and-press only training for 8 weeks, because they are used to associating pulling with a rowing or curling movement and squatting with a deeper knee bend than you see with KB cleans. It will be interesting to see if they are right.
The next training block after that will be Kettlebell Maximorum or Easy Muscle Schedule B, depending on whether I have the required mobility for the double kettlebell press. Strength may also be a factor - if I cannot press a 24kg KB or my rep max with it is well below 5, I will go with Easy Muscle as it allows push press as an alternative to the regular press, and it also allows single instead of double KB press.
If I do go with Maximorum, then I will have relearn the kettlebell snatch. This newest version of the snatch being taught by the Strongfirst community looks promising
If I do end up having both the moblity and the strength for 5 reps of double 24kg KB press after the 6x6 training block, I might go with Easy Muscle Schedule B, to work on chinup and dips, in addition to double KB clean-and-press and double KB front squat. The weighted chinup has been found to be a great exercise for progressing towards both the one-arm chinup and the front lever. But before I can train with the weighted chinup, I need to work on my unweighted chinup. I don't know what the magic number of unweighted chinups I should achieve before I can start doing weighted chinups with my lightest kettlebell (16kg). But I do know that working up to high volume unweighted chinups should stimulate the growth of muscles that will be useful for weighted chinups - ie. the biceps, lats, etc. - as well as boosting progress in the isometric seated row on the Iso-Max. I figure that when my average force ouptut on seated row on the IsoMax gets closer to bodyweight plus 16kg, I should be ready to do weigthed chinups with a 16kg KB.
Practicing the P3 mobility method in abbreviated form after Easy Muscle sessions, and in full (4 sets of Dead Bugs, seeing how many diaphrgamatic breaths I can do, etc.) seems to work as far as slowly but steadily increasing how high I can raise both arms overhead with locked elbows. I also progressed in my healing towards being able to hang from a pullup bar with less and less shoulder pain. I initially went with a narrow grip, but I found that a wider grip irritates my shoulder less. Hanging hurts the least after an Easy Muscle session. On the rest days, the shoulder is more irritable when I try to hang. Being able to hang without any shoulder irritation on any day is the next goal - once I get there, progress towards raising arms overhead with locked elbows should accelerate.
With 2 weeks to go in Easy Muscle, I can't help but think about upcoming training. The next training block I will do after Easy Muscle is 6x6 on the IsoMax. High intensity isometric exercise will teach my CNS (Central Nervous System) to use the muscle gained from Easy Muscle to produce higher levels of force than before. My last tested 1-rep max in the overhead press was just under 65lbs. My rep max in partial range press of the 16kg (approx. 35 lbs) kettlebell was about 4 at the time. I've since gained some muscle and my full range 16kg KB press rep max is at least 8, so my new rep max in hte IsoMax overhead press should be well over 65lbs now. I have no idea what my new Seated Row and Zercher Squat 1-rep max scores will be. Some people seem to think pulling strength and squat strength will diminish as a consequence of clean-and-press only training for 8 weeks, because they are used to associating pulling with a rowing or curling movement and squatting with a deeper knee bend than you see with KB cleans. It will be interesting to see if they are right.
The next training block after that will be Kettlebell Maximorum or Easy Muscle Schedule B, depending on whether I have the required mobility for the double kettlebell press. Strength may also be a factor - if I cannot press a 24kg KB or my rep max with it is well below 5, I will go with Easy Muscle as it allows push press as an alternative to the regular press, and it also allows single instead of double KB press.
If I do go with Maximorum, then I will have relearn the kettlebell snatch. This newest version of the snatch being taught by the Strongfirst community looks promising
If I do end up having both the moblity and the strength for 5 reps of double 24kg KB press after the 6x6 training block, I might go with Easy Muscle Schedule B, to work on chinup and dips, in addition to double KB clean-and-press and double KB front squat. The weighted chinup has been found to be a great exercise for progressing towards both the one-arm chinup and the front lever. But before I can train with the weighted chinup, I need to work on my unweighted chinup. I don't know what the magic number of unweighted chinups I should achieve before I can start doing weighted chinups with my lightest kettlebell (16kg). But I do know that working up to high volume unweighted chinups should stimulate the growth of muscles that will be useful for weighted chinups - ie. the biceps, lats, etc. - as well as boosting progress in the isometric seated row on the Iso-Max. I figure that when my average force ouptut on seated row on the IsoMax gets closer to bodyweight plus 16kg, I should be ready to do weigthed chinups with a 16kg KB.
Tuesday, May 09, 2023
Easy Muscle: Weeks 2 and 3
In resistance training, I've seen "volume" defined as the total number of reps, which is the number of reps per set times number of sets. I've also seen it defined as total number of reps times the weight being lifted. For simplicity, I'll use the first definition.
In Week 2, my body started acclimating to the clean-and-press at a volume of 30 reps or higher. I was not deliberately aiming for higher volume compared to Week 1, but I worked at higher volume anyway because I recovered a little faster between sets. On my recovery days I decided to practice the P3 Protocol for mobility, as taught in Geoff Neupert's mobility program Sore Joint Solution, to try to attain the necessarily mobility to lock out both arms overhead in the double kettlbell press.
In Week 3, I finished each session with total reps of 45 or higher. I noticed an increase in appetite compared to previous weeks when total reps were 40 or less.
After 6 weeks of Kettlebell Strong! Foundation and 3 weeks of Easy Muscle, my right shoulder has been holding up fine. This was the shoulder injured about a year ago, so that I couldn't do any overhead pressing until earlier this year. However my left shoulder which was injured in 2020 has been feeling a little less stable, with an occasional dull ache. I have not yet achieved full lockout in the double KB clean-and-press. I read that lack of full lockout may stress the shoulder joints.
So for the Friday session, I decided to switch from double KB training to single KB for the remainder of this Easy Muscle training block. Full lockout on single KB press is within my capability. Removing one possible cause of shoulder irritation outweighs the desire for faster muscle growth promised by double KB work.
In Week 2, my body started acclimating to the clean-and-press at a volume of 30 reps or higher. I was not deliberately aiming for higher volume compared to Week 1, but I worked at higher volume anyway because I recovered a little faster between sets. On my recovery days I decided to practice the P3 Protocol for mobility, as taught in Geoff Neupert's mobility program Sore Joint Solution, to try to attain the necessarily mobility to lock out both arms overhead in the double kettlbell press.
In Week 3, I finished each session with total reps of 45 or higher. I noticed an increase in appetite compared to previous weeks when total reps were 40 or less.
After 6 weeks of Kettlebell Strong! Foundation and 3 weeks of Easy Muscle, my right shoulder has been holding up fine. This was the shoulder injured about a year ago, so that I couldn't do any overhead pressing until earlier this year. However my left shoulder which was injured in 2020 has been feeling a little less stable, with an occasional dull ache. I have not yet achieved full lockout in the double KB clean-and-press. I read that lack of full lockout may stress the shoulder joints.
So for the Friday session, I decided to switch from double KB training to single KB for the remainder of this Easy Muscle training block. Full lockout on single KB press is within my capability. Removing one possible cause of shoulder irritation outweighs the desire for faster muscle growth promised by double KB work.
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Improvisation articles/videos
"Adam Maness talks you through why and how to transcribe."
https://www.openstudiojazz.com/the-easy-way
Pat Metheny explaining to Rick Beato how to get started with building a solo on his tune James
https://www.openstudiojazz.com/the-easy-way
Pat Metheny explaining to Rick Beato how to get started with building a solo on his tune James
Friday, April 21, 2023
Easy Muscle : Week 1
I started Easy Muscle, this time on Schedule A which is the "clean-and-press only" schedule. I spent the previous 6 weeks on Kettlebell Strong! Foundation to prepare myself for Schedule A. Maybe it was not possible to develop perfect technique in the two component exercises - double clean and double press - of the double clean-and-press, but I thought it would be worth investing 6 weeks to practice these exercises before taking on Schedule A.
One of the principles of this program is "autoregulation". The number of reps per set for a given session is specified, and a timer is set to 20-30 minutes. The autoregulation part is the time between sets. It is up to the trainee to decide when they have rested enough and are ready for another set. Autoregulation is used in a lot of programs authored or co-authored by Geoff Neupert, including the free Dry Fighting Weight.
The very first session on Monday was challenging for me because I had never done double kettlebell clean-and-press for 20 minutes, even with the amount of rest allowed under autoregulation. Just one rep of this move requires more effort than one rep of a double KB clean or a double KB press. I did 7 sets if I counted correctly.
The Wednesday session was a little tougher because the prescribed reps per set was a little higher. I got only 5 sets done within the 20 minute period, because each set took more out of me compared to Monday.
The Friday session felt the easiest because the prescribed number of reps was the lowest. I did 8 sets. Afterwards I was able to hang from a pull up bar for about 20 seconds with feet on the floor to reduce the load on the shoulders. This was exciting because once I regain the ability to hang from the bar with my full bodyweight, my progress towards full range of motion in the double KB press will accelerate.
I did GMB Mobility sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. It's still a valid approach, although some of the stretches in the program like the kneeling lunge might be considered obsolete by those who have embraced ATG split squats and other ideas promoted by Knee Over Toes guy. The locomotion exercises for training the body to be confident with increased ROM, like Spiderman, Monkey 180, and Sumo Frogger remain unique to GMB programs.
I was glad I did the 6 weeks of Strong! Foundation. It's difficult to focus on perfecting the cues for the double clean and the double press when I'm doing the double clean-and-press. It was much easier to focus on those cues when working on the component exercises separately. The volume in Foundation was lower, but there was enough ramp up in volume so that the volume in Easy Muscle didn't feel as overwhelming.
I have to admit that as I was finishing up my Isochain 6x6 training block, I was tempted to start Easy Muscle, Schedule A the very next week, because I was eager to try buildng muscle mass again under Easy Muscle. I experienced some muscle growth in the arms from the previous Easy Muscle training block, although my bum shoulder restricted my range of motion. I couldn't wait to get on Schedule A because my shoulder had healed enough to allow me to press a KB overhead for a decent ROM - maybe enough to stimulate more growth in the arms as well as the shoulders. However if I had gone from Isochain 6x6 to Easy Muscle without taking the time to learn and practice these double KB exercises, my conditionining would not have been up to the the task, nor my technique and I probably would have hurt myself.
One of the principles of this program is "autoregulation". The number of reps per set for a given session is specified, and a timer is set to 20-30 minutes. The autoregulation part is the time between sets. It is up to the trainee to decide when they have rested enough and are ready for another set. Autoregulation is used in a lot of programs authored or co-authored by Geoff Neupert, including the free Dry Fighting Weight.
The very first session on Monday was challenging for me because I had never done double kettlebell clean-and-press for 20 minutes, even with the amount of rest allowed under autoregulation. Just one rep of this move requires more effort than one rep of a double KB clean or a double KB press. I did 7 sets if I counted correctly.
The Wednesday session was a little tougher because the prescribed reps per set was a little higher. I got only 5 sets done within the 20 minute period, because each set took more out of me compared to Monday.
The Friday session felt the easiest because the prescribed number of reps was the lowest. I did 8 sets. Afterwards I was able to hang from a pull up bar for about 20 seconds with feet on the floor to reduce the load on the shoulders. This was exciting because once I regain the ability to hang from the bar with my full bodyweight, my progress towards full range of motion in the double KB press will accelerate.
I did GMB Mobility sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. It's still a valid approach, although some of the stretches in the program like the kneeling lunge might be considered obsolete by those who have embraced ATG split squats and other ideas promoted by Knee Over Toes guy. The locomotion exercises for training the body to be confident with increased ROM, like Spiderman, Monkey 180, and Sumo Frogger remain unique to GMB programs.
I was glad I did the 6 weeks of Strong! Foundation. It's difficult to focus on perfecting the cues for the double clean and the double press when I'm doing the double clean-and-press. It was much easier to focus on those cues when working on the component exercises separately. The volume in Foundation was lower, but there was enough ramp up in volume so that the volume in Easy Muscle didn't feel as overwhelming.
I have to admit that as I was finishing up my Isochain 6x6 training block, I was tempted to start Easy Muscle, Schedule A the very next week, because I was eager to try buildng muscle mass again under Easy Muscle. I experienced some muscle growth in the arms from the previous Easy Muscle training block, although my bum shoulder restricted my range of motion. I couldn't wait to get on Schedule A because my shoulder had healed enough to allow me to press a KB overhead for a decent ROM - maybe enough to stimulate more growth in the arms as well as the shoulders. However if I had gone from Isochain 6x6 to Easy Muscle without taking the time to learn and practice these double KB exercises, my conditionining would not have been up to the the task, nor my technique and I probably would have hurt myself.
Friday, April 14, 2023
Kettlebell Strong! Foundation: Weeks 4-6
The instructions for Week 4 are the same as for Week 2. There is a note though that says that you might have gained strength and proficiency in the 2 weeks that have passed, which may allow you to do more work in the same time period.
I chose not to intepret that statement as an invitation to rush through the exercises and/or cut rest time between exercises in order to force more work to be done within the time period.
Instead I chose to take the time to run through a mental checklist of all the cues for proper rack position, every time I entered the position, like after lowering down the kettlebells after a double press, or after a double clean. This slowed me down a little, but I still feel like I did one more set per session this week, compared to Week 2.
For Week 5, I raised the effort level just a little by resting just a little less between sets than the previous week.
For Week 6, I allowed a generous amount of rest between sets, because the following week will be the first week of Easy Muscle, in which I expect to be training at a much higher volume.
My choice of cooldown after each Strong! session varied from the stretches recommended in the Simple and Sinister book, to the Flexible Steel routine that I found, to Manly Mobility. I wanted to figure out how to reduce DOMS in the hips and obliques from Strong! training, as well as improve mobility in the top range of the double kettlebell press. I don't feel like I achieved either goal really but mobility improvement has always been slow going for me.
I did however progress from shoulder pain being the limiter of my double-KB press ROM, to just mobility limit being the limiter.
I chose not to intepret that statement as an invitation to rush through the exercises and/or cut rest time between exercises in order to force more work to be done within the time period.
Instead I chose to take the time to run through a mental checklist of all the cues for proper rack position, every time I entered the position, like after lowering down the kettlebells after a double press, or after a double clean. This slowed me down a little, but I still feel like I did one more set per session this week, compared to Week 2.
For Week 5, I raised the effort level just a little by resting just a little less between sets than the previous week.
For Week 6, I allowed a generous amount of rest between sets, because the following week will be the first week of Easy Muscle, in which I expect to be training at a much higher volume.
My choice of cooldown after each Strong! session varied from the stretches recommended in the Simple and Sinister book, to the Flexible Steel routine that I found, to Manly Mobility. I wanted to figure out how to reduce DOMS in the hips and obliques from Strong! training, as well as improve mobility in the top range of the double kettlebell press. I don't feel like I achieved either goal really but mobility improvement has always been slow going for me.
I did however progress from shoulder pain being the limiter of my double-KB press ROM, to just mobility limit being the limiter.
Thursday, April 06, 2023
Mobility ideas from Flexible Steel
A 2012 article on Untying The 4 Knots
A simple routine from the Flexible Steel system, taught by Catherine Buck Le. While the Prying Goblet Squat is not exclusive to the Flexible Steel system, her tutorial is also worth a look. This 5-minute mobility warmup also looks interesting.
A simple routine from the Flexible Steel system, taught by Catherine Buck Le. While the Prying Goblet Squat is not exclusive to the Flexible Steel system, her tutorial is also worth a look. This 5-minute mobility warmup also looks interesting.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Kettlebell Strong! Foundation: Weeks 2 and 3
In Week 2, I started setting up for Double Front Squat with my feet a little closer together. I had no particular reason, other than curiosity about whether my squat depth would change compared to having the feet wider apart. I had the feet more wide apart because I wanted to make sure I could swing the kettlebells between my legs for double cleans without hitting my knees. So far, the squat depth seems to be about the same, as long as I continue to include the prying goblet squat in my warmup and follow certain cues detailed in the Kettlebell Strong! videos and manual.
By the end of Week 3 I decided to set my feet wider apart again for the front squat, because if all goes well, I will eventually be training with double 24kg kettlebells, and my pair occupies more space than my pair of 16kg KBs.
I continue to struggle with the Half Pancake stretch, which is sometimes recommended as a cooldown after kettlebell training. Here's a recentHalf-Pancake Stretch post by GMB.
By the end of Week 3 I decided to set my feet wider apart again for the front squat, because if all goes well, I will eventually be training with double 24kg kettlebells, and my pair occupies more space than my pair of 16kg KBs.
I continue to struggle with the Half Pancake stretch, which is sometimes recommended as a cooldown after kettlebell training. Here's a recentHalf-Pancake Stretch post by GMB.
Friday, March 17, 2023
Kettlebell Strong! Foundation: Week 1
During this first week of training, I explored some options for a warmup routine. One option is this simple GMB warmup. Another is not warming up at all, which didn't work out that well on the Wednesday session, because I was not able to squat to a decent depth in the double kettlebell front squat.
Thankfully, I just regained the ability to do the Kettlebell Halo without any pain in the shoulder. So for the Friday session, I did 5 reps of the KB Halo per side, then the Prying Goblet Squat with the feet at the same width that I do the double KB front squat.
Mark Wildman is a proponent of KB squatting movement with feet parallel to each other and toes pointing ahead. I find this foot positioning to be most comfortable for my knees. I don't have to put so much effort into preventing the knees from collapsing inwards. My low back feels fine as well.
On my off days, I've been doing sessions of GMB Mobility. My highest priority mobility need is to be able to lock out both arms overhead at the top of the double kettlebell press. However there is actually another factor holding me back from this ideal position, and that is the health of my shoulder. It continues to heal from last year's injury and feel better with each passing week but it's still not feeling good enough for that full lockout position. Improving mobility for this position is not just about working on shoulder mobility but also mobility of related areas, so GMB Mobility's rotation from one area of emphasis - eg. hips - to another - eg. spine - from session to session should be useful to me.
I saw a simple GMB Leg Finisher routine that looks like it might be useful but I'm not sure when I'll try it. Kettlebell Strong! Foundation works my legs enough with the double front squat and the double clean. I don't think I need to risk compromising strength gains from Foundation by adding the leg finisher to my workouts. My next planned training block is Easy Muscle Schedule A, which would raise my training volume significantly. I may try the leg finisher the next time I do a bodyweight-focused hypertrophy block.
Thankfully, I just regained the ability to do the Kettlebell Halo without any pain in the shoulder. So for the Friday session, I did 5 reps of the KB Halo per side, then the Prying Goblet Squat with the feet at the same width that I do the double KB front squat.
Mark Wildman is a proponent of KB squatting movement with feet parallel to each other and toes pointing ahead. I find this foot positioning to be most comfortable for my knees. I don't have to put so much effort into preventing the knees from collapsing inwards. My low back feels fine as well.
On my off days, I've been doing sessions of GMB Mobility. My highest priority mobility need is to be able to lock out both arms overhead at the top of the double kettlebell press. However there is actually another factor holding me back from this ideal position, and that is the health of my shoulder. It continues to heal from last year's injury and feel better with each passing week but it's still not feeling good enough for that full lockout position. Improving mobility for this position is not just about working on shoulder mobility but also mobility of related areas, so GMB Mobility's rotation from one area of emphasis - eg. hips - to another - eg. spine - from session to session should be useful to me.
I saw a simple GMB Leg Finisher routine that looks like it might be useful but I'm not sure when I'll try it. Kettlebell Strong! Foundation works my legs enough with the double front squat and the double clean. I don't think I need to risk compromising strength gains from Foundation by adding the leg finisher to my workouts. My next planned training block is Easy Muscle Schedule A, which would raise my training volume significantly. I may try the leg finisher the next time I do a bodyweight-focused hypertrophy block.
Thursday, March 09, 2023
Unlocked the Heavy Club Shield Cast and Kettlebell Halo - progress in Shoulder Recovery
My particular shoulder injury did not allow me to do the Kettlebell Halo without pain. Mark Wildman pointed out that the KB Halo is similar to a Heavy Club Shield Cast. So I tried a Shield Cast, and sure enough I had the same problem.
So I tried the Single Arm Pullover with my 15lb club and my shoulder felt fine. So I've been doing this move for a few week snow. I have to say I really love Wildman's explanation of why he wants you to count your reps aloud in a confident voice. One of his reasons is saying stuff aloud helps you learn faster. Another reason, which really moved me, is some deconditioned/overweight individuals have a meek voice because of how they have been treated in life (bullying), so counting the reps aloud helps those individuals with their confidence.
Today I was finally able to do a Shield Cast without pain. I then tried the KB Halo and that too felt painless. Now I can do KB Halos as part of my warmup for KB training, and thus facilitate my shoulder recovery even more. Very satifying signs of progress in my shoulder recovery.
So I tried the Single Arm Pullover with my 15lb club and my shoulder felt fine. So I've been doing this move for a few week snow. I have to say I really love Wildman's explanation of why he wants you to count your reps aloud in a confident voice. One of his reasons is saying stuff aloud helps you learn faster. Another reason, which really moved me, is some deconditioned/overweight individuals have a meek voice because of how they have been treated in life (bullying), so counting the reps aloud helps those individuals with their confidence.
Today I was finally able to do a Shield Cast without pain. I then tried the KB Halo and that too felt painless. Now I can do KB Halos as part of my warmup for KB training, and thus facilitate my shoulder recovery even more. Very satifying signs of progress in my shoulder recovery.
Isochain 6x6: Week 8 - End of Training Block and Planning for Next Block
This was the final week of the planned 8-week 6x6 training block on the Isochain. My main hope for this week was continued healing of my right shoulder, as well as restoration of pain-free range of motion.
I did not achieve force numbers as high as my tested 1-rep max scores, but my performance trended up towards those levels.
My strength gains for this training block, based on comparison of the first 1-rep max test, and the 4th and final 1-rep max test results:
Zercher Squat - thighs just above parallel - 106% gain
Shoulder Press - middle position - 17.4% gain
Seated Row - elbows in front of torso - 5.75% gain
The Zercher Squat gains were inflated by allowing my elbows to rest on my thighs, thus shifting more load from my arms to my legs. I wasn't sure at first if I should allow myself to do this, but then I concluded that I'm practicing this exercise to strengthen my lower body, so it's ok if my force number goes up because the upper body is doing even less work.
The Shoulder Press gains are probably from just sticking to the same body positioning and cues for the entire training block. In past 6x6 and Promethean training blocks, I experimented with bending my knees to various degreess vs. kneecaps pulled up/locked out legs, feet closer vs further apart, etc.
For my next training block, I was leaning towards doing Easy Muscle on Schedule A, which is the Clean and Press only schedule. I was thinking that I had gained enough strength from 6x6 to do Schedule A with double 16kg kettlebells. Easy Muscle would stimulate muscle growth (hypertrophy), which would help maintain blood pressure at healthy levels, as well as give the CNS (Central Nervous System) more muscle to work with the next time I do a 6x6 training block... which would in theory allow me to progress in strength towards being able to press double 24kg kettlebells... which would lead to being able to do Easy Muscle with those double 24kg KBs... leading to more muscle.. etc.
Geoff Neupert had a promo going for his Kettlebell STRONG! double-kettlebell training manual. Purchase of Kettlebell STRONG! would with bonus training programs, if purchased during a promo period. One of the bonus training programs is a Foundation Program.
The Foundational Program is 6 weeks long. It's a program built on the practice of three double-kettlebell exercises - the Double Clean, the Double Press, and the Double Front Squat. After watching the Kettlebell STRONG! instructional videos, I realized that I should practice the Double Clean and Double Press separately, before practicing the Double Clean and Press. I was also sold on practicing the Double Front Squat.
Thus it make sense to work choose The Foundation Program for my next training block. After completing this 6-week program, I should be better prepared to take on Easy Muscle, Schedule A, which starts off which quite a bit higher training volume compared to Foundation Program.
I did not achieve force numbers as high as my tested 1-rep max scores, but my performance trended up towards those levels.
My strength gains for this training block, based on comparison of the first 1-rep max test, and the 4th and final 1-rep max test results:
Zercher Squat - thighs just above parallel - 106% gain
Shoulder Press - middle position - 17.4% gain
Seated Row - elbows in front of torso - 5.75% gain
The Zercher Squat gains were inflated by allowing my elbows to rest on my thighs, thus shifting more load from my arms to my legs. I wasn't sure at first if I should allow myself to do this, but then I concluded that I'm practicing this exercise to strengthen my lower body, so it's ok if my force number goes up because the upper body is doing even less work.
The Shoulder Press gains are probably from just sticking to the same body positioning and cues for the entire training block. In past 6x6 and Promethean training blocks, I experimented with bending my knees to various degreess vs. kneecaps pulled up/locked out legs, feet closer vs further apart, etc.
For my next training block, I was leaning towards doing Easy Muscle on Schedule A, which is the Clean and Press only schedule. I was thinking that I had gained enough strength from 6x6 to do Schedule A with double 16kg kettlebells. Easy Muscle would stimulate muscle growth (hypertrophy), which would help maintain blood pressure at healthy levels, as well as give the CNS (Central Nervous System) more muscle to work with the next time I do a 6x6 training block... which would in theory allow me to progress in strength towards being able to press double 24kg kettlebells... which would lead to being able to do Easy Muscle with those double 24kg KBs... leading to more muscle.. etc.
Geoff Neupert had a promo going for his Kettlebell STRONG! double-kettlebell training manual. Purchase of Kettlebell STRONG! would with bonus training programs, if purchased during a promo period. One of the bonus training programs is a Foundation Program.
The Foundational Program is 6 weeks long. It's a program built on the practice of three double-kettlebell exercises - the Double Clean, the Double Press, and the Double Front Squat. After watching the Kettlebell STRONG! instructional videos, I realized that I should practice the Double Clean and Double Press separately, before practicing the Double Clean and Press. I was also sold on practicing the Double Front Squat.
Thus it make sense to work choose The Foundation Program for my next training block. After completing this 6-week program, I should be better prepared to take on Easy Muscle, Schedule A, which starts off which quite a bit higher training volume compared to Foundation Program.
Sunday, February 26, 2023
Isochain 6x6: Week 7
New simple shoulder mobility exercise from GMB Fitness.
After I complete this 8-week block of Isochain 6x6 training, I want do to training block of Easy Muscle, Schedule A. This is the schedule in which only the clean-and-press is practiced. So, I have been pondering how to get ready for Schedule A. One idea was to spend 2-4 weeks practicing the kettlebell clean with single and double kettlebells. Then I thought of practicing single KB cleans whenever I take a break from work, one set of 3-5 reps on one arm, then a set on the other arm.
Wednesday was when I tried practicing KB cleans for the first time in a while. My right knee hurt a bit, then I realized I needed to straighten my legs and squeeze my butt and abs when the KB is in the rack position. I was allowing the knees to bend in the KB rack position, which is no bueno.
I did GMB Mobility sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. The focus areas were spine and shoulders. On Thursday, I also continued practicing single KB cleans. By paying attention to standing up with the legs straight in the rack position and the glutes squeezed, my knees did not feel pain. I also tried walking in the double KB rack position
My Isochain 6x6 last-rep max numbers were down on the Friday session. I can't really tell if it's because I played too much with the KBs on the previous day, or if it's because I did not have a good night's sleep, or if it's just the normal down-and-up progression. In strength training, progress is rarely linear. We tend to go up and down in performance from day to day, although the general trend over the course of a few weeks tends to be up, barring the onset of disease or other unfortunate event.
After I complete this 8-week block of Isochain 6x6 training, I want do to training block of Easy Muscle, Schedule A. This is the schedule in which only the clean-and-press is practiced. So, I have been pondering how to get ready for Schedule A. One idea was to spend 2-4 weeks practicing the kettlebell clean with single and double kettlebells. Then I thought of practicing single KB cleans whenever I take a break from work, one set of 3-5 reps on one arm, then a set on the other arm.
Wednesday was when I tried practicing KB cleans for the first time in a while. My right knee hurt a bit, then I realized I needed to straighten my legs and squeeze my butt and abs when the KB is in the rack position. I was allowing the knees to bend in the KB rack position, which is no bueno.
I did GMB Mobility sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. The focus areas were spine and shoulders. On Thursday, I also continued practicing single KB cleans. By paying attention to standing up with the legs straight in the rack position and the glutes squeezed, my knees did not feel pain. I also tried walking in the double KB rack position
My Isochain 6x6 last-rep max numbers were down on the Friday session. I can't really tell if it's because I played too much with the KBs on the previous day, or if it's because I did not have a good night's sleep, or if it's just the normal down-and-up progression. In strength training, progress is rarely linear. We tend to go up and down in performance from day to day, although the general trend over the course of a few weeks tends to be up, barring the onset of disease or other unfortunate event.
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Isochain 6x6: Week 7 1-rep Max Testing
Results in pounds:
Zercher Squat - 189.0666
Another big jump in the Zercher Squat. Part of it has been allowing my elbows to be in contact with the insides of my thighs, which probably introduced a leverage advantage.
Shoulder Press - 64.4666
Only about a 2 pound improvement over the previous 1RM test, but it's enough to increase my target load from 44 lbs. to 45.
Seated Row - 145.7333
This is a drop from the previous 1RM of 159.4, but I mixed up my Zercher Squat and Seated Row scores during the previous 1RM. This time I'm confident there's no confusion. Working at a higher target load due to the mixed up number didn't seem to hurt, but I think it'll be good to be follow the proper protocol again.
I then did some test reps of the overhead press with single 16kg kettlebell, then double KBs. The shoulder wasn't entirely pain free, but it was a slight, dull pain rather than a sharp sensation. I did not have the mobility to achieve full lockout on the double-KB press, so I felt even less pain in the shoulder. I was hoping to gain the mobility for full lockout via the mobility exercises I've been doing, but for hypertrophy training under Easy Muscle, not having full lockout will probably be ok. I was not able to do full ROM chinups the first time I worked through Easy Muscle, yet I still recorded hypertrophy gains. So while full ROM would probably deliver the most gain in muscle size, partial ROM will still deliver gains.
I then practiced another GMB Mobility session, which focused on the hips, then did the Rib Grab and Brettzel stretches to keep working on the mobility for double-KB press. I also tried to hang from rings, which is the most obvious stretch for improving mobility for lockout in the double-KB press, but the shoulder was still not feeling good enough for that.
Zercher Squat - 189.0666
Another big jump in the Zercher Squat. Part of it has been allowing my elbows to be in contact with the insides of my thighs, which probably introduced a leverage advantage.
Shoulder Press - 64.4666
Only about a 2 pound improvement over the previous 1RM test, but it's enough to increase my target load from 44 lbs. to 45.
Seated Row - 145.7333
This is a drop from the previous 1RM of 159.4, but I mixed up my Zercher Squat and Seated Row scores during the previous 1RM. This time I'm confident there's no confusion. Working at a higher target load due to the mixed up number didn't seem to hurt, but I think it'll be good to be follow the proper protocol again.
I then did some test reps of the overhead press with single 16kg kettlebell, then double KBs. The shoulder wasn't entirely pain free, but it was a slight, dull pain rather than a sharp sensation. I did not have the mobility to achieve full lockout on the double-KB press, so I felt even less pain in the shoulder. I was hoping to gain the mobility for full lockout via the mobility exercises I've been doing, but for hypertrophy training under Easy Muscle, not having full lockout will probably be ok. I was not able to do full ROM chinups the first time I worked through Easy Muscle, yet I still recorded hypertrophy gains. So while full ROM would probably deliver the most gain in muscle size, partial ROM will still deliver gains.
I then practiced another GMB Mobility session, which focused on the hips, then did the Rib Grab and Brettzel stretches to keep working on the mobility for double-KB press. I also tried to hang from rings, which is the most obvious stretch for improving mobility for lockout in the double-KB press, but the shoulder was still not feeling good enough for that.
Monday, February 20, 2023
Isochain 6x6: Week 6
During this 8-week training block that I've scheduled for the 6x6 routine, I've been testing my 1-rep max every 2 weeks. Thus, this training block can be thought of as 4 2-week mini-blocks.
Thus, the Friday session was the last session of the latest mini-block. My best gain from this mini-block was in the Zercher Squat, where I beat my official 1-rep max two sessions in a row to end the mini-block.
I didn't beat my 1RM in the Shoulder Press, but my last-rep max force was consistently higher in Week 6 than it was in Week 4. I'm satisfied with this progress.
My performance in the Seated Row has been the least consistent. I'm not concerned though, because I don't have any particular goals in 2023 regarding pulling strength. I figure my pulling strength will improve sooner or later.
I continued practicing GMB Mobility on my recovery days. My shoulder felt very slightly irritated by the Bear, Monkey, and stretches involving reaching with the arm, but no sharp pain. I also struggled to put my hand on my back for quadruped torso rotation. But in general the shoulder feels 80% of the way back to the pain-free mobility I used to have with it.
Thus, the Friday session was the last session of the latest mini-block. My best gain from this mini-block was in the Zercher Squat, where I beat my official 1-rep max two sessions in a row to end the mini-block.
I didn't beat my 1RM in the Shoulder Press, but my last-rep max force was consistently higher in Week 6 than it was in Week 4. I'm satisfied with this progress.
My performance in the Seated Row has been the least consistent. I'm not concerned though, because I don't have any particular goals in 2023 regarding pulling strength. I figure my pulling strength will improve sooner or later.
I continued practicing GMB Mobility on my recovery days. My shoulder felt very slightly irritated by the Bear, Monkey, and stretches involving reaching with the arm, but no sharp pain. I also struggled to put my hand on my back for quadruped torso rotation. But in general the shoulder feels 80% of the way back to the pain-free mobility I used to have with it.
Monday, February 13, 2023
Isochain 6x6: Week 5
For the Wednesday session, my last-rep max force numbers in the Shoulder Press and Seated Row were down, compared to the last session before the 1-rep max test session. I kind of expected this because the Monday 1RM test results, resulted in higher target loads, which meant I would have to exert more force to trigger the Isochain bar's beeper, as well as keep it beeping. I'm not strong at overhead pressing, so even a just a 2 lb. increase in target load requires noticeably more effort. The Seated Row target load increased by 12 lbs. It makes sense that I needed to work harder in the Seated Row, and thus by my last rep, I didn't have much left in the tank to produce as much force as last week. My Zercher Squat last-rep max though was higher than the Friday session. Maybe it was because my body was starting to acclimate to the new foot positioning.
I finished the week strong, literally. My Zercher Squat last-rep max was 11 lbs. higher than the Wednesday session's. I hit 59.6 lbs. in the Shoulder Press, which is a new PR for a regular (non-testing) training session. My Seated Row last-rep max jumped 17 lbs.
I'm happy with the strength gains for this week, but have enough experience to not expect similarly high force readings on the next 6x6 session. All I have to do is keep showing up for training sessions. I know the strength gains will come, maybe not the next day or even the day after that, but over the course of a week or two, the gains usually come.
My neck has been feeling so aore that Manly Mobility sessions have gotten more uncomfortable. There's a lot of head nods and side-to-side neck rotations in Manly Mobility. I decided to practice GMB Mobility again. I like the "mobility for people who hate to stretch" aspect of Manly Mobility, but the neck soreness is just too annoying. I don't know what caused the neck soreness, but eliminating the side lying parts of Manly Mobility would eliminate one possible cause.
I suspect GMB changed something in GMB Mobility, compared to the last time I worked through that program. I seem to recall Session 1 having more stretches to try out. I also don't remember the Bear and Monkey - 2 locomotion exercises also featured in GMB Elements - being part of Session 1. The Prepare exercises looked familiar, as well as the Sumo Frogger. Session 2 focused on side bending, but also included the 3 "animal" exercises.
One issue I had was with the wrist stretch with the fingers pointing to the rear. It was quite uncomfortable for my still-recovering right shoulder. My solution was to place my right plam on the floor next to my knee, then work into the stretch with gentle back-and-forth movement. I eventually put my left palm on the floor to stretch both wrists.
My goal is to have the mobility to double-press my 16kg kettlebells. I am hoping that GMB Mobility will help me reach that goal. I also practiced the Rib Grab and Brettzel stretches with are recommended for helping achieve this specific mobility. I'll probably keep practicing the Brettzel as a finishing stretch on my mobility days.
I finished the week strong, literally. My Zercher Squat last-rep max was 11 lbs. higher than the Wednesday session's. I hit 59.6 lbs. in the Shoulder Press, which is a new PR for a regular (non-testing) training session. My Seated Row last-rep max jumped 17 lbs.
I'm happy with the strength gains for this week, but have enough experience to not expect similarly high force readings on the next 6x6 session. All I have to do is keep showing up for training sessions. I know the strength gains will come, maybe not the next day or even the day after that, but over the course of a week or two, the gains usually come.
My neck has been feeling so aore that Manly Mobility sessions have gotten more uncomfortable. There's a lot of head nods and side-to-side neck rotations in Manly Mobility. I decided to practice GMB Mobility again. I like the "mobility for people who hate to stretch" aspect of Manly Mobility, but the neck soreness is just too annoying. I don't know what caused the neck soreness, but eliminating the side lying parts of Manly Mobility would eliminate one possible cause.
I suspect GMB changed something in GMB Mobility, compared to the last time I worked through that program. I seem to recall Session 1 having more stretches to try out. I also don't remember the Bear and Monkey - 2 locomotion exercises also featured in GMB Elements - being part of Session 1. The Prepare exercises looked familiar, as well as the Sumo Frogger. Session 2 focused on side bending, but also included the 3 "animal" exercises.
One issue I had was with the wrist stretch with the fingers pointing to the rear. It was quite uncomfortable for my still-recovering right shoulder. My solution was to place my right plam on the floor next to my knee, then work into the stretch with gentle back-and-forth movement. I eventually put my left palm on the floor to stretch both wrists.
My goal is to have the mobility to double-press my 16kg kettlebells. I am hoping that GMB Mobility will help me reach that goal. I also practiced the Rib Grab and Brettzel stretches with are recommended for helping achieve this specific mobility. I'll probably keep practicing the Brettzel as a finishing stretch on my mobility days.
Saturday, February 11, 2023
Isochain 6x6: Week 5 1RM Testing
Results in pounds:
Zercher Squat - 153.4
Despite the recent, Brett Jones-inspired, change in foot positioning to turning the feet out more, and the dip in performance that followed, the result still showed a jump from the previous 1RM of 127.333
Shoulder Press - 62.46666
My last-rep max scores for most of last week were just under 52 lbs. so I wasn't anticipating this score, which is an improvement over the previous 1RM of 59.333.
Seated Row - 159.4
Another big jump, from the previous 1RM of 137.3. I believe a lot of this is the increased confidence that nothing bad will happen to my low back no matter how hard I pull.
Zercher Squat - 153.4
Despite the recent, Brett Jones-inspired, change in foot positioning to turning the feet out more, and the dip in performance that followed, the result still showed a jump from the previous 1RM of 127.333
Shoulder Press - 62.46666
My last-rep max scores for most of last week were just under 52 lbs. so I wasn't anticipating this score, which is an improvement over the previous 1RM of 59.333.
Seated Row - 159.4
Another big jump, from the previous 1RM of 137.3. I believe a lot of this is the increased confidence that nothing bad will happen to my low back no matter how hard I pull.
Monday, February 06, 2023
Isochain 6x6: Week 4
I bought Brett Jones' video course Iron Cardio, because it was on sale for about $20. I'm in the middle of the 6x6 program on the Isochain so I don't plan to try the Iron Cardio right now. However, I'm trying to get my Zercher Squat on the Isochain close to how I would do a kettlebell goblet squat, so I watched the KB goblet squat lesson in Iron Cardio. Brett Jones teaches a "lock and rock" drill, which has the hips set the foot position, so that the range of motion of the hips is optimized for the squat. Brett states that this protects the low back. So I tried using the lock and rock to find my new foot position, and spent the rest of the week training the Zercher squat out of the new position. My feet were turned out more than before. My force numbers went down, but I didn't feel it in my low back either. I haven't been feeling low back pain with my previous, closer to parallel foot positioning, but I did feel a bit of soreness. After switching to the Brett Jones recommended foot positioning, I haven't feel any low back soreness at all, during training or the day after.
On the Shoulder Press, I hit a high of 57.8 lbs, then logged the more usual 51-52 lb. range max force readings
I made the steadiest gains in the Seated Row.
On the Shoulder Press, I hit a high of 57.8 lbs, then logged the more usual 51-52 lb. range max force readings
I made the steadiest gains in the Seated Row.
Friday, February 03, 2023
Isochain 6x6: Week 3
I observed good progress in the Zercher Squat and Seated Row.
I did not observe as much progress in the Shoulder Press, though forgetting to switch on Timer mode in the Isochain on my last rep for the Friday session did not help, as I wasted effort trying to get the beeper to start. I'm not worried about it, because progress has always been slowest for me when I can't exert at least 110 lbs. of force. As previously noted, about 110 lbs. of force is needed to start stretching the Isochain spring. In turn stretching the spring turns off cortical inhibition, which is the "brakes" that the CNS (central nervous system) puts on the muscles if it does not believe the load is movable. The stretching of the spring convinces the CNS that the load is moveable, or "live", so that cortical inhibition is turned off, and thus the muscles are allowed to generate more force.
I did not observe as much progress in the Shoulder Press, though forgetting to switch on Timer mode in the Isochain on my last rep for the Friday session did not help, as I wasted effort trying to get the beeper to start. I'm not worried about it, because progress has always been slowest for me when I can't exert at least 110 lbs. of force. As previously noted, about 110 lbs. of force is needed to start stretching the Isochain spring. In turn stretching the spring turns off cortical inhibition, which is the "brakes" that the CNS (central nervous system) puts on the muscles if it does not believe the load is movable. The stretching of the spring convinces the CNS that the load is moveable, or "live", so that cortical inhibition is turned off, and thus the muscles are allowed to generate more force.
Thursday, February 02, 2023
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)