Monday, February 27, 2012
Simple Effective Affordable Tactical Training from Crosscore
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All of us rely on folks like firefighters, police, ambulance workers, military support - to be there for us - from getting a cat out of a tree to shoveling out a snowed in city to saving lives in dangerous situations. Most of us may not be aware of how little support these folks get to stay strong, fit and healthy (we won't even talk about recovery/sleep).
So for folks who are often working overtime shifts with little gear to workout, what do you get the first responder who has nothing - no gym, little gear, little space, no regular training time and no coaches - but who needs to be fit for the gruelling physical and cognitively demanding regminen that is their job?
Brendan Cosso and JP Brice of CrossCore along with Sr. RKC Mark Toomey and SWAT team leader Joey Williams, folks i'm pleased to say i've had the pleasure to work with, asked themselves this question and came up with Crosscore Tactical Action DVD.
The DVD provides two core components: an instructional overview of a set of movements that will support tactical performance; a simple and effective program putting these skills together. This basic training program is pretty much bullet proof: it will help first responders get fit, stay fit and, most importantly, move better under the duress of this intense and unpredictable lifestyle.
By basic training, i mean fundamental strength movements that support the bending, twisting, climbing, crawling and waiting while tensed on alert that is both the stock and trade, as well as the stress inducer/fatiguer of first responders everywhere.
REAL PEOPLE: One of the main values of the program is that it is designed to suit the reality of first responders' lives and often limited training conditions. People demonstrating movements are real first responders: this is what THEY DO for training. They're in their shorts or their work fatigues. Instructor Mark Toomey is likewise dressed for work, not hang time at the gym. The movements are thus designed to be deployed in real scenarios, when perhaps all a person can catch is time to alternate some kettlebell swing work with some turkish get ups - both moves well instructed in the vid.
Difference in Crosscore Tactical Action Approach to First Responders
THere are some great follow-along videos geared at say firefighters for building up all sorts of endurance capacity, mainly by using the space efficient and dynamic properties of kettlebells. Often these DVDs are follow along for a 40-45min fry your ass endurance strength workout. By contrast, this video is more about movements, and principles for those movements, to practice each with control for maximal effect in minimal time and space.
Each movement is demonstrated by ex-marine and Sr. RKC Mark Toomey along with SWAT team members under Joey Williams' direction. These are both gentlemen who know intimately the working end the first responder space, so two benefits:
1) one can trust these guys to deliver the right stuff
2) one can trust these guys to deliver the right stuff well.
The moves covered in the video include:
None of these is a trick move - a pull up is basic (getting to the chest is the challenge); a kb swing is, while involving coordinated movement, highly learnable and practicable anytime anywhere (if you have room to swing a cat, you have room to swing a bell).
The thing about the delivery of these moves, however, is that by getting the technique dialed in, the benefits they provide is simply amplified. Toomey delivers the technique to open up the possibilities for getting the best out of a TGU, Swing, pull up, push up - whether one has a nice clean bar to execute the move or just the edge of a wall.
The workouts demonstrated at the end of the vid by both Williams and Toomey show how these building blocks can be put together. The approach in the vid assumes that a person has the self-direction and tenacity to do the work, as and when they can, without the luxury of following a vid from start to finish. The video is there to present progressions, to focus on form, progress skills, and to be reminded of some effective combinations whether at work, home or at a gym.
Just the Facts
Talking with both Mark and Brendan about the making of the video, what's surprising to hear is that this was pretty much a step up to the workout space, turn the camera on and just deliver each progression and workout.
Viewers can tell immediately that Mark is a seasoned instructor, knows how to deliver the material in a clear, articulate way. It's also clear he walks the walk. This approach certainly supports the just the goods flavour of this presentation, which, according to Joey Williams, is just what first responders need, basic tactical fitness education, not gimmicks. Says Joey, also an RKC instructor:
War Machine Free?
Crosscore produced the video, but something rather apparent from the top of the list of moves, however, is that none of them require the signature piece of equipment made by crosscore - the crosscore 180 rotational trainer (aka war machine). There are several that use the opportunity provided by the crosscore to do some of the technique progressions - but the program doesn't require any of the specific benefits of "pulling the pin." That struck me as a bit of a surprise: what is a company that is making it's business out of rotataional training doing creating a dvd that doesn't insist on using its own gear?
Speaking with CrossCore inventor Brendan Cosso about this seeming contradiction, Brendan was adament that their goal with the project was to produce the right educational tool for the special needs of this group and that community's constraints around gear, space, time and performance. Mark Toomey backed up this sentiment:
Asking Brendan if they plan more of these kinds of products that just focus on the right move for the job, yes. In fact there is a proposed set of projects rehab - these will be using the crosscore 180, but again, as a supplement.
Non First Responders: Great Swing and TGU video; great Complexes
If you are NOT a first responder this is an excellent and affordable way to learn progressions for a kettlebell swing and a turkish get up.
Some folks have a hard time believing that just two movements can be a complete workout but those two movements alone work everything, dynamically. The complex that Toomey presents the incorporates more bodyweight/kb movements dials things up a notch.
A potent attribute of the product is that it really does provide good fundamental support for these core movements that, if treated with respect in terms of practice, will deliver better performance from wherever a person comes in.
Bottom line Recommendation
At 29.95, for anyone looking to investigate kettlebells as a fitness tool, the CrossCore Tactical Action DVD is an affordable introduction to kettlebell foundational movements supplemented by bodyweight progressions.
For first responders, the selections and progressions, put together by experienced coaches and responders is dialed in to support your personal and/or professional practice.
Heck, if you love your local fire house or tactical bunch, why not get this video for them? Bet they'd love you to pieces (a) for thinking of them and (b) giving them a straight ahead dose of training information to give them the edge. Who knows? that may just help save lives - those lives could be of ones we love. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
So for folks who are often working overtime shifts with little gear to workout, what do you get the first responder who has nothing - no gym, little gear, little space, no regular training time and no coaches - but who needs to be fit for the gruelling physical and cognitively demanding regminen that is their job?
Brendan Cosso and JP Brice of CrossCore along with Sr. RKC Mark Toomey and SWAT team leader Joey Williams, folks i'm pleased to say i've had the pleasure to work with, asked themselves this question and came up with Crosscore Tactical Action DVD.
The DVD provides two core components: an instructional overview of a set of movements that will support tactical performance; a simple and effective program putting these skills together. This basic training program is pretty much bullet proof: it will help first responders get fit, stay fit and, most importantly, move better under the duress of this intense and unpredictable lifestyle.
By basic training, i mean fundamental strength movements that support the bending, twisting, climbing, crawling and waiting while tensed on alert that is both the stock and trade, as well as the stress inducer/fatiguer of first responders everywhere.
REAL PEOPLE: One of the main values of the program is that it is designed to suit the reality of first responders' lives and often limited training conditions. People demonstrating movements are real first responders: this is what THEY DO for training. They're in their shorts or their work fatigues. Instructor Mark Toomey is likewise dressed for work, not hang time at the gym. The movements are thus designed to be deployed in real scenarios, when perhaps all a person can catch is time to alternate some kettlebell swing work with some turkish get ups - both moves well instructed in the vid.
Difference in Crosscore Tactical Action Approach to First Responders
THere are some great follow-along videos geared at say firefighters for building up all sorts of endurance capacity, mainly by using the space efficient and dynamic properties of kettlebells. Often these DVDs are follow along for a 40-45min fry your ass endurance strength workout. By contrast, this video is more about movements, and principles for those movements, to practice each with control for maximal effect in minimal time and space.
Each movement is demonstrated by ex-marine and Sr. RKC Mark Toomey along with SWAT team members under Joey Williams' direction. These are both gentlemen who know intimately the working end the first responder space, so two benefits:
1) one can trust these guys to deliver the right stuff
2) one can trust these guys to deliver the right stuff well.
The moves covered in the video include:
 |
| Mark and Joey in the You go; I go workout |
Loading the Hips for drive:And that's it.
+ the Plank and variations (with and without kettlebells)
+ kettlebell swing - including progressions towards the swing
+ kettlebell snatch; moving load to the shoulders
Turkisth Get Up (TGU)
+ related support stretches.
+ TGU progressions in three statges with techniques at each one
Tactical Pull Up - hitting the bar with the chest
+ TPU progressions
Push Up
+ Technique progressions for strength rather than fatigue.
Work out programs for home, garrison, gym.
+ putting it together - 3 workouts
Applications
+ these moves applied to other athletic movements
+ carry overs to tactical applications
None of these is a trick move - a pull up is basic (getting to the chest is the challenge); a kb swing is, while involving coordinated movement, highly learnable and practicable anytime anywhere (if you have room to swing a cat, you have room to swing a bell).
The thing about the delivery of these moves, however, is that by getting the technique dialed in, the benefits they provide is simply amplified. Toomey delivers the technique to open up the possibilities for getting the best out of a TGU, Swing, pull up, push up - whether one has a nice clean bar to execute the move or just the edge of a wall.
 |
| Applying the basic hip movement practice to multiple contexts |
Just the Facts
Talking with both Mark and Brendan about the making of the video, what's surprising to hear is that this was pretty much a step up to the workout space, turn the camera on and just deliver each progression and workout.
Viewers can tell immediately that Mark is a seasoned instructor, knows how to deliver the material in a clear, articulate way. It's also clear he walks the walk. This approach certainly supports the just the goods flavour of this presentation, which, according to Joey Williams, is just what first responders need, basic tactical fitness education, not gimmicks. Says Joey, also an RKC instructor:
 |
| Joey, working the suspended plank |
First responders get little to no education on how to keep ourselves in shape; how to build strength to lift things - including ourselves - safely. This DVD offers that little bit of education for the "rescue athlete" that we need to be safe and be fit for the job; to succeed without being an idiot. It's smart.
War Machine Free?
Crosscore produced the video, but something rather apparent from the top of the list of moves, however, is that none of them require the signature piece of equipment made by crosscore - the crosscore 180 rotational trainer (aka war machine). There are several that use the opportunity provided by the crosscore to do some of the technique progressions - but the program doesn't require any of the specific benefits of "pulling the pin." That struck me as a bit of a surprise: what is a company that is making it's business out of rotataional training doing creating a dvd that doesn't insist on using its own gear?
Speaking with CrossCore inventor Brendan Cosso about this seeming contradiction, Brendan was adament that their goal with the project was to produce the right educational tool for the special needs of this group and that community's constraints around gear, space, time and performance. Mark Toomey backed up this sentiment:
 |
| Mark demonstrating a hip opening lunge stretch |
The guys at CrossCore are good and decent people. They were willing, as was I, to downplay product so that the educational material would take center stage. As the fitness industry becomes more and more crowded with products, educational material becomes more valuable, more relevant and precious, but it has to be presented in such a manner that people aren't being "sold". I may be overly cynical, but I think we, a a fitness industry, have reached a saturation point in the public's eye of hype, distortions and outright lies, all done in an effort to sell another shiny object.This DVD is NOT another shiny object. In fact, it's nothing new in terms of content: the moves are well-established tactical winners; it doesn't hide that work needs to be done to get results, but that the emphasis in the work is on good form, good technique, and progressive loading on that foundation.
Asking Brendan if they plan more of these kinds of products that just focus on the right move for the job, yes. In fact there is a proposed set of projects rehab - these will be using the crosscore 180, but again, as a supplement.
Non First Responders: Great Swing and TGU video; great Complexes
If you are NOT a first responder this is an excellent and affordable way to learn progressions for a kettlebell swing and a turkish get up.
Some folks have a hard time believing that just two movements can be a complete workout but those two movements alone work everything, dynamically. The complex that Toomey presents the incorporates more bodyweight/kb movements dials things up a notch.
A potent attribute of the product is that it really does provide good fundamental support for these core movements that, if treated with respect in terms of practice, will deliver better performance from wherever a person comes in.
Bottom line Recommendation
At 29.95, for anyone looking to investigate kettlebells as a fitness tool, the CrossCore Tactical Action DVD is an affordable introduction to kettlebell foundational movements supplemented by bodyweight progressions.
For first responders, the selections and progressions, put together by experienced coaches and responders is dialed in to support your personal and/or professional practice.
Heck, if you love your local fire house or tactical bunch, why not get this video for them? Bet they'd love you to pieces (a) for thinking of them and (b) giving them a straight ahead dose of training information to give them the edge. Who knows? that may just help save lives - those lives could be of ones we love. Tweet Follow @begin2dig
PDF
Sunday, January 29, 2012
What Cholesterol Numbers may mean if Low Carbing & Higher Fatting - discussion with Bioletics' Rick Cohen, MD
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Have you ever had or thought about having your cholesterol tested? Have you dont this when you thought you were being pretty durn conscientious about your eating? Surprised at the results? I did; i was. It's those results that motivated this questioning of what the heck does a cholesterol test really tell us? To get at that, i had a long conversation with Rick Cohen, MD of Bioletics.
Bioletics is a company that's focus is "Cellular Health" for optimal human performance: testing it, and improving it.
In this exchange, Rick Cohen and i talk about how a traditional approach to viewing cholesterol is often not an optimal approach to tuning personal performance. That's a long way of saying i was surprised by a normal but higher end cholesterol result, and started to wonder if perhaps the more fat-oriented practices of my diet over the previous 6 months were really not a great idea. But how could that be? So a lot of detail here about LDL, HDL, triglycerides, essential aminos and more - and some cool insights (i think) around triglycerides, glucose, starchy carbs and the all important, insulin resistance.
Background
For context, as i've written about frequently here, my main approach to nutrition has been to follow the heuristics in Precision Nutrition (here's a free 40page overview of the program) A couple of key ones for me are: starchy carbs only after workouts; protein and greens with each feeding; good fats daily. I've had considerable success with this approach and thought i was doing pretty well. But to quote z-health's Eric Cobb, if we're not testing we're guessing. So i went to Bioletics to get a very thorough set of screens, including some a-typical checks from the standard GP blood panel, such as mineral balance, essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamin d, i was not best pleased.
Part of the this screen was a dietary assessment and consult using metabolic typing. What the assessment with Tim Monaco encouraged me to consider was not a radical rethink, but a few big tweaks: upping protein, and, if doing dairy or related, not to avoid real whole fats. Indeed, fat could become a more core energy source. Right about this time, colleagues of mine were also exploring what might be called a modified paleo approach, the Perfect Health Diet. Fat was plainly the New Black. It was around this time i also started exploring medium chain triglycerides like coconut oil (see this post on Fat Tea), while also keeping my DHA supplementation at 1g a day in an Omega 3 dha/epa blend.
With that context, here's my conversation with Rick Cohen, first with a bit about cholesterol in general, then look at the specific test results as a worked example, then how omeaga's fit into this, and a final wrap.
Cholesterol: Overview
mc: Cholesterol and cholesterol levels are mad out to be a Huge Deal in health. Would you care to give a very brief overview of cholesterol's role in our lives and why it's a GOOD thing (perosnally i feel like fingernails on a blackboard when someone says "LDL" is "bad" cholesterol. - surely we wouldn't produce a substance that's bad for us - an abundance of it - i'm guessing - like too much insulin - indicates something's out of balance or broken; not that insulin is bad????)
Cholesterol: The Test Results (cue Jaws theme music)
mc: Thats a quite strong inditement. it puts all the next questions nicely in context, but of course as you note this is info most of us don't have. So imagine my surprise as someone following a low carb hi pro/fat diet to get back cholesterol results and have my doctor advising me to see the nurse about dietary interventions because my cholesterol is *high* - and even the ration of Chol to HDL is poor at 3.1 - it *should* be lower than that. Oh no! is all this re-learned love of Fat, and its various chain lengths in my food from cocnut oil to Other Kinds - coming back to bite me? In the first box are US reference ranges recommended - in the right are my UK levels with the lab's recommended reference ranges.
I have to confess when i asked about getting a VAT test to confirm, i got a kind of funny look - it may not be a known thing in the UK.
Cool. Thank you so much for your time and detail on these questions, Rick. Awesome. You bet we'll be back.
Related Posts
Bioletics is a company that's focus is "Cellular Health" for optimal human performance: testing it, and improving it.
In this exchange, Rick Cohen and i talk about how a traditional approach to viewing cholesterol is often not an optimal approach to tuning personal performance. That's a long way of saying i was surprised by a normal but higher end cholesterol result, and started to wonder if perhaps the more fat-oriented practices of my diet over the previous 6 months were really not a great idea. But how could that be? So a lot of detail here about LDL, HDL, triglycerides, essential aminos and more - and some cool insights (i think) around triglycerides, glucose, starchy carbs and the all important, insulin resistance.Background
For context, as i've written about frequently here, my main approach to nutrition has been to follow the heuristics in Precision Nutrition (here's a free 40page overview of the program) A couple of key ones for me are: starchy carbs only after workouts; protein and greens with each feeding; good fats daily. I've had considerable success with this approach and thought i was doing pretty well. But to quote z-health's Eric Cobb, if we're not testing we're guessing. So i went to Bioletics to get a very thorough set of screens, including some a-typical checks from the standard GP blood panel, such as mineral balance, essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamin d, i was not best pleased.
Part of the this screen was a dietary assessment and consult using metabolic typing. What the assessment with Tim Monaco encouraged me to consider was not a radical rethink, but a few big tweaks: upping protein, and, if doing dairy or related, not to avoid real whole fats. Indeed, fat could become a more core energy source. Right about this time, colleagues of mine were also exploring what might be called a modified paleo approach, the Perfect Health Diet. Fat was plainly the New Black. It was around this time i also started exploring medium chain triglycerides like coconut oil (see this post on Fat Tea), while also keeping my DHA supplementation at 1g a day in an Omega 3 dha/epa blend.
With that context, here's my conversation with Rick Cohen, first with a bit about cholesterol in general, then look at the specific test results as a worked example, then how omeaga's fit into this, and a final wrap.
Cholesterol: Overview
mc: Cholesterol and cholesterol levels are mad out to be a Huge Deal in health. Would you care to give a very brief overview of cholesterol's role in our lives and why it's a GOOD thing (perosnally i feel like fingernails on a blackboard when someone says "LDL" is "bad" cholesterol. - surely we wouldn't produce a substance that's bad for us - an abundance of it - i'm guessing - like too much insulin - indicates something's out of balance or broken; not that insulin is bad????)
RC: The first thing everyone should know is that cholesterol is not the cause of cardiovascular disease. In fact, cholesterol is critically important to human health. While hundreds of millions of people have literally been brainwashed to fear cholesterol, few of them even know what this substance is—or why it’s even in their bodies.
Cholesterol is an innocuous, waxy lipid that plays a critical role in maintaining the health and integrity of the body’s blood supply and every one of its cellular membranes. It also performs many valuable functions like insulating the nerves, allowing the body to utilize fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin D; it detoxifies the body by producing bile and acts as a building block for the synthesis of all steroid hormones including DHEA, testosterone, estradiol and progesterone.
To make a long story short, it turns out that the original data on which the conventional cholesterol theory is based was both incorrect and incomplete. The conclusion of this flawed study (which pinpointed cholesterol as the cause of cardiovascular disease) is similar to that of attributing the cause of an auto accident to a backseat passenger who was left behind after the driver ran away. It’s a simple case of guilt by association.
We now know that chronic, systemic inflammation and oxidation are the cause of arteriosclerotic illness. And while the vast majority of lipid researchers have completely accepted that the cholesterol theory is a myth, medical treatment programs designed to address inflammation and oxidation are virtually non-existent. After years of anti-cholesterol propaganda, the pharmaceutical industry has firmly established itself as the provider of cardiovascular disease solutions. This large and profitable industry has become so entrenched that not even the government can extract itself from the resulting (but erroneous) health policies it has made. Unfortunately, nothing will change until the doctors in the trenches become educated, begin recognizing and measuring inflammatory markers, and are given a new pharmaceutical agent they can prescribe.
Cholesterol: The Test Results (cue Jaws theme music)
mc: Thats a quite strong inditement. it puts all the next questions nicely in context, but of course as you note this is info most of us don't have. So imagine my surprise as someone following a low carb hi pro/fat diet to get back cholesterol results and have my doctor advising me to see the nurse about dietary interventions because my cholesterol is *high* - and even the ration of Chol to HDL is poor at 3.1 - it *should* be lower than that. Oh no! is all this re-learned love of Fat, and its various chain lengths in my food from cocnut oil to Other Kinds - coming back to bite me? In the first box are US reference ranges recommended - in the right are my UK levels with the lab's recommended reference ranges.
Cholesterol 150 - 199 mg/dL 6.7mmol/L | nice <4 mmol/L
Triglycerides 75 - 100 mg/dL .4/mmol/L | <2.3
LDL < 99 mg/dL 4.38mmol/L | <2Imagine after this, Rick, when i ask you oh gosh, what's happening, you say "by the way, your lipid levels are awesome."
HDL 55 - 100 mg/dL 2.14mmol/L | 0.91-2.21
Chol/HDL Ratio < 3.1 3.1 | 1-4
RC: You do the following conversion:
HDL converts to 83 mg/dl.Ok, it seems we a few ratios going on here. First you are talking about HDL to TG and that with a goal being 1:1, and typical being .5 to 1, mine at 2.5 to 1 is actually really good? so a higher HDL to TG ratio is good; typical is that HDL is lower than TG. Is that right?
Triglycerids to 34
Your HDL to TG ratio is 2.5 to 1.
The goal is typically 1 to 1.
Most people are on typical diets around 0.5.
In order to describe why your labs while—on the surface—look bad are actually quite favorable: Cholesterol: 257 mg/dl
HDL 83 mg/dl
LDL 170 mg/dl
Triglycerides 34 mg/dl
Based on these numbers, these are the resulting ratios:Could we talk a little bit about fluffy LDL (pattern A)- because when i saw my numbers and thought "i don't get this" i started to look at the role of TG relative to cholesterol and seemed to see that if TG is low and LDL is up, that that *kind* of LDL is "fluffy" or "pattern a" and therefore no big deal.
Total Cholesterol/HDL 3.1
HDL/LDL .49
HDL/Triglycerides 2.5
Let’s discuss each of the variables.
Cholesterol: Current recommendations are for total cholesterol to be under 180 mg/dl. My recommendation is to simply ignore this number unless it is over 280mg/dl or under 160 mg/dl. As we have discussed, cholesterol is an innocent bystander. A higher cholesterol level may actually be beneficial to your health!
LDL: Current medical recommendations are to have LDL under 100 mg/dl. Some doctors prescribe medications in order to lower the LDL to less than 80 mg/dl. However, it is not the total LDL count but the levels of its sub-fractions (such as small dense LDL) that is significant. As a disease market, total LDL levels hint at a problem but don’t provide tangible insights.
HDL: Current recommendations are to be over 60 mg/dl. A high HDL (especially HDL2a and other sub-fractions) are indicators of a healthy metabolism and less inflammation. But as you will soon see, even HDL is best viewed in relation to the other markers.
Just a quick interrupt: what does low TG mean, by the way - why is that a good thing?
Triglycerides are essentially the glucose (from carbohydrates) that the body is converting to fat for longer-term energy storage.
The interesting fact is that there is really no direct relationship between triglycerides and cholesterol—even though they are always linked together. Like cholesterol, triglycerides (unless extremely elevated) are not a stand-alone risk factor for heart disease. They are, however, an indicator of inflammation and small dense LDL. This is because both elevated triglycerides and small dense LDL are caused primarily by the over-consumption or poor utilization of carbohydrates. A high carbohydrate intake will raise the body’s insulin level. And when combined with other biological imbalances (such as low vitamin D, omega 3, antioxidants, nitric oxide and magnesium), increased insulin will lower HDL and raise both small LDL and triglycerides. The end result is systemic inflammation.
So while your Cholesterol is 257 and your LDL is 170 if you fractionated almost all of the LDL would be really fluffly.
To better understand this it is important to understand that our working knowledge of HDL and LDL is wrong—they are not really cholesterol! HDL and LDL are the names we have given to a broad section of molecules called lipoproteins that have the qualities of both being fat and water soluble. They are not cholesterol but act somewhat like freighters, shipping cholesterol from one location in the body to the next.
In general, HDL moves cholesterol from the tissues back to the liver so it can eliminate it after we are done using it. And LDL has the job of transporting cholesterol after production in the liver to the tissues so we can use it for all its vital functions. As you can see, even the villainous LDL isn’t such a bad guy; [it] contributes in a positive way to both our cellular and hormonal health.
There’s another problem with HDL and LDL nomenclature. There are actually many sub-categories of both HDL and LDL, each with different functions. Among the many lipoprotein molecules, we now know HDL-2b is the most protective and the large less dense (fluffy) LDL-A particle has no significant role in heart disease but it is the smaller (more dense) LDL-B particles are the ones causing most of the inflammation. And we also now know that the number one cause of increased small, dense LDL is not fat but simple carbohydrates. In addition, small LDL is only a threat when it’s oxidized by free radicals that are increased due to improper diet, stress, toxins and lifestyle. In addition, there are other lipoprotein fractions including apolipoproteins, lipoprotein a, remnant lipoproteins which all are associated with cardiovascular risk.
I have to confess when i asked about getting a VAT test to confirm, i got a kind of funny look - it may not be a known thing in the UK.
Sadly, most people will never acquire this information. Comprehensive lipoprotein panels such as VAP and NMR assessments are not frequently ordered by doctors. Why? They are more costly and more complicated. And there simply aren’t many physicians who have the time, knowledge or experience to properly interpret their results. Having said that, anyone with a family history of cardiovascular disease should have one of these assessments done before the age of 35 in order to get a more accurate picture of their personal lipid profile.What is the role of Fluffy LDL then? As i understand it, ldl has an important role to play in shuttling nutrients from the liver to the blood stream, but fluffy vs tiny clumpy - i'm not so sure about.
Don’t worry if your doctor won’t order one of these tests. A number of laboratory assessments are now made available online; you can order your own tests and have the results interpreted for a reasonable (albeit out-of-pocket) price.
It is also possible to use the standard lipid panel of cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglycerides to get a sense of your LDL particle size—and cardiovascular disease risk.
As we discussed LDL particles vary in size and density, and studies have shown that a pattern that has more small dense LDL particles, called Pattern B, equates to a higher risk factor for cardiovascular disease than does a pattern with more of the larger and less dense LDL particles (Pattern A). This is because the smaller particles are more easily able to penetrate the endothelium and are more susceptible to oxidation.Right, i've certainly heard for awhile that total cholesterol is a flawed marker, it's the ration that's important. But what i didn't know there were several ratios to consider with Cholesterol: and as said, we have several ratios floating around here: the lab has Chol to HDL say this ration should be lower than 3.1 and i have 3.1, but other sites i see have said it's hdl/cholesterol ratio, not chol/hdl ratio. they suggest that about .24 is ideal; mine is .31 so again, is someone just reading these number funny? are these reasons why these ratios - tg to HDL, hdl to chol rather than chol to hdl - are not better published/used?
Total cholesterol really is a non-meaningful number. If HDL is high and TG is low things should be fine.
While these each provide a bit more information, the only one you really want to pay attention to is the HDL/Triglyceride ratio. It is this ratio which you can get from the standard panel that will give you the most information on the levels of inflammation and predict your level of small dense LDL particles.Awesome. One further: since most labs in doctors offices do not test essential fatty acids but it is possible to get essential fatty acid tests (ie omega values) - indeed your group, Bioletics, offers this test - can you tell us a bit about the relationship of omega levels to this other lipid profile?My 3 to 6 ratio last test (dec) was 1.6 to 1, where it seems optimal levels are between 3:1 to 1:1 (improved from 3.3:1 in april).
Looking at the HDL to triglyceride (TG) ratio will give you the most cost-efficient and practically-available peek into both your insulin sensitivity (your body’s ability to use carbohydrates for energy) and overall inflammatory index. The goal is to have at least equal amounts of HDL to TG. Our 2:1 ratio example is a strong, but not foolproof, indicator of insulin sensitivity. Even though the LDL would be considered elevated by conventional standards, it is most likely confirming the presence of healthful (fluffy) LDL particles.
Increasing Omega 3 to Omega 6 will drive triglycerides down and HDL up. It will also increase insulin sensitivity.Is there anything else you'd like folks to note about lipid profiles?
[Indeed] one of the most important things you can do to assess the status of your cardiovascular—and overall—health is to check your essential fatty acid omega 3 to omega 6 ratio.
A balanced omega 3 to omega 6 ratio provides evidence of healthy, cellular function and low levels of the harmful, inflammatory, intracellular hormones that cause the blood to clot and blood vessels to constrict. In fact, studies have shown that the risk of sudden death in people with optimal omega 3 levels is 20 times lower. If you could do only one assessment and one thing to improve your cardiovascular health, maintaining a high (and balanced) omega 3 level would be it.
Measuring and optimizing your body’s ability to metabolize and utilize glucose will also keep chronic inflammation and oxidation at bay. Maintaining high vitamin D and nitric oxide/antioxidant levels are a must for anyone who wants to bullet-proof themselves from cardiovascular disease. The take home point here is that our bodies are very complex and we must not rely on one nutrient (or medication) to improve our health.
Yes. While the HDL: TG ratio and VAP or NMR lipoprotein assessments are helpful in determining your risk of cardiovascular disease, they tell us little about the cause. Using our accident analogy, we can identify the cars involved and know who the drivers were, but still don’t know if the accident was caused by weather, drinking, texting, fatigue or mechanical failure. Understanding the contributing causal factors will be the key to avoiding another accident—and reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In order to keep our cells healthy and avoid inflammation, it will be necessary to dig deeper than the results offered by a standard lipid profile.Cellular Health - that is a cool way of framing physiological aspects of wellbeing. How did you get focused here?
The take home point here is that our bodies are very complex and we must not rely on one number, nutrient or medication to improve our health. Whenever we do that we seem to always get it wrong. We must look at the whole picture and our best bet for now is to focus on the health of our cells.
My work is focused on knowing that it’s just not possible to follow a straight line toward perfect health. And we are only as strong as our weakest link. I am continuing searching on how can we practically give ourselves an advantage in improving our health and longevity odds.
A topic for another day would be discuss some of muy latest findings on how we are doing this using a unique nutritional program that combines synergistic cellular nutritional factors with regular at-home lab assessments to allow you to optimize cellular health.
Cool. Thank you so much for your time and detail on these questions, Rick. Awesome. You bet we'll be back.
So there you have it: putting cholesterol testing - and those results - in context. If you are interested in complementing your cholesterol results with your own essential amino acid levels to check your omega 3 levels, take a look at Bioletics EAA test - on its own and in combo with other test profiles.
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- Why i dig Precision Nutrition
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Valerie Hedlund - Reflecting on the Iron Maiden Challenge - interview part II
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In part I of this interview, Iron Maiden champion Val Hedlund talked about her path towards becoming a trainer and running her own business. Here in Part II, Val talks about her preparation for the Iron Maiden, and reflects on where coaching fit in to her training.
The interview, by the way, was done in the last week of September, 2011. We agreed it would not come out until Valerie's own article came out in the Power by Pavel Newsletter on the last six weeks of her training (discussed below). That article "Demystifying the Iron Maiden" came out November 6, 2011.
Prepping for the Iron Maiden
So, now for the main questions: let's talk about training for the Iron Maiden - what was your approach?
[Updated pull up section - Dec 30 -mc) Let's pause here for a moment: the weighted pull up seems to be the bête noir of many of us. Let's talk a little bit about how you progressed your pullup: when, prior to the challenge, did you start working on the pull up?
But my guess is that with trail blazers like yourself and Asha, i'm certainly hearing on the forums about more gals who want to do the IM.
Now what, in terms of your training practice?
Have you put your running back in?
Anything else on the experience?
How did yo hook up with Andrew on this? Thats great that that worked.
Would you change anything?
Val, can we come back to your approach to the IM for a minute again? Just to be clear, you say you had the press for a long time and the pistol for awhile.
How long before the challenge did you have the press? do you remember when you got it?
See, I just really went over your last six weeks plan (Table 3, left).
Have you had a chance to look at what you did compared with the specified program? You were jazz improv to a score. You riffed all over that template.
So what I see is you got good support from your pal as your coach, and sounds like you felt that support was really important for your success. Am I reading that wrong?
But looking at the data, i guess I'm trying to ask have you considered that you may be selling yourself short in terms of what you did to get yourself forward? Seems like great coaching tips on form for the pistol from Franz, and some ideas for moving on to the 28 with the 6 week plan, but how can i put it? Why not propose your own book?
Would you care to speak a little bit more about how you figured out when and how to rif on the plan? A lot of folks talk about "instinctual training" but to me this feels more like the experience of a lot of reps - and i think folks at various levels of experience will be interested in this.
But biggie here: way to go on your accomplishment. It's a big deal - and thank you for engaging in these reflections: they're great food for thought.
Thank you for spending the time.
Thanks again to Val for spending the time talking, thinking and walking through this training practice and stepping up to the platform. Here's a few video's of her success. Thanks to Val for making these vids available.
Val's goal was to make 24k look easy. Success, no?
Next time, a few thoughts on pulling together some threads from IM discussion to date.
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The interview, by the way, was done in the last week of September, 2011. We agreed it would not come out until Valerie's own article came out in the Power by Pavel Newsletter on the last six weeks of her training (discussed below). That article "Demystifying the Iron Maiden" came out November 6, 2011.
Prepping for the Iron Maiden
So, now for the main questions: let's talk about training for the Iron Maiden - what was your approach?
i actually read your blog and took some of Asha training advice when the IM was just a glimmer in my eye. So thank you for interviewing and posting Asha's stuff for all of us to see [Asha Wagner also succeeded with the Iron Maiden Challenge - b2d interview here -mc]
For me, for about 6 months, I did my 'regular' training regimen which consisted of 2 days/week running, 3-4 days/week kbs (usually 1 heavy day, 1 ballistic day, 1 'stretchy' day, and then 4th would be whatever I felt I needed), and one Ashtanga Yoga day. During my kb workouts, I would do at least 1 of the 3 IM lifts with whatever weight was appropriate for the workout. Similar to Asha, I used the greasing the groove method and really focused on form. Franz Snideman, Senior RKC , helped me with my pistol and pullup form, and I would video myself and watch the videos so I could coach myself when there wasn't another coach around [see b2d interview with franz on the Beautiful swing -mc].Way to go doing self-video. That really helps, doesn't it?
I think it was the youtube videos of people singing in the mirror or talking to themselves that turned me off to videoing myself. I'm glad I turned the corner on it though, because you really are able to see more when you're not working at the same time.Learn a lot eh?
That felt weird (video-taping myself doing exercises alone in my basement... creepy!), but once I got over the creep-factor, I realized how important it was. I was able to see things in my movements I couldn't necessarily feel while I was doing the moves. I tried to use a mirror, but I felt like it threw off my movement- I was better off feeling the movement and then watching after.So could you unpack this a bit? Do you mean bodyweight or with load or just focusing on the foot or??
The Hedlund IM Challenge Press
I love to press and the press was the easiest for me. The pistol I got after I continuously worked on form.
So everybody is different, but form for me was:
- Performing close squats (knees and big toes together) with weight (at least 12kg), kicking one leg out, holding, switching legs, and then standing up, really rooting with both feet.
- Stretching the hip flexor/quad of the non-working leg A TON before attempting the pistol. That was more of an issue for me than the working leg being strong enough to pistol. I have been practicing pistols on boxes for a long time (2+years) and my non-working leg would hang below the box. When attempting to pistol from the ground, the non-working leg's quad would cramp when I got to the bottom position (and then I would tip over) b/c of too tight hip flexors and quads and I presume fairly weak hip flexors. My Ashtanga yoga practice helped with hip flexor strength, but I found in my kettlebell practice, a good minute or two of stretching the hip flexor and quad of the non-working leg right before attempting the pistol was all I needed to turn those tight muscles off and perform the pistol without the cramp.
- Rooting with the working leg. Major focus on every single part of my foot connected with the floor, especially my toes. When pushing up from the bottom position, the focus was on DRIVING that entire foot down into the floor with all of my strength. That mental picture was all I needed to get the pistol. In my training, if I lose focus or think about something else when pistoling, I fall over every time. For me, pistols are all about internal focus and the visualization of driving the foot into the ground, contracting the abs at the bottom and pushing down through the foot to get up.
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| Hedlund's 24k Pistol |
The pullup was the toughest. I got the pullup to my chin after about 4 months greasing the groove with bodyweight and emphasis on form and then 2 months of greasing the groove with increasing weights.So you starred with what ? An 8 and then what? Before going to a 12? How many reps in your groove would yu do?
So I started at body weight, 8-10 reps each time. And yes, I moved from bw to the 8kg to the 12kg to the 16kg and so on. I would do as many reps as I could without REALLY struggling. If I overshot and didn't get a full rep on my last attempt, I would jump up & hold the top position (like a flexed arm hang) and then perform a negative as slowly as I could on the way down.That sounds harsh but I guess for six weeks...
At that time (About 6 weeks before the San Diego RKC), Andrew Read, RKC Team Leader gave me a program [given in full in Val's Power by Pavel Nov. newsletter -mc] that focused most on increasing my pullup strength and maintaining the other 2. I cut out running, my ballistic kb day, and my 'stretchy' kb day (which usually consisted of lunges, rows, plank, windmill, TGU, pushups, deep side lunges, single-leg deadlifts, lighter deep squats, etc).
Yes, and Andrew and I talked about this. I didn't cut out running the first week (because I'm stubborn and not used to having a coach) and I paid for it big time. I was not recovering and just felt like garbage. Thankfully, I stopped being a brat and started listening to my coach and it really paid off. =)Understood. Personally, the snatch test needs that weekly jolt or I start to suck wind.
I kept the Ashtanga once a week (for sanity and mobility) and the rest was Andrew's program. I had 4 days/week focused on the 3 IM lifts and one day focused on TGU, snatch test, and double swings, cleans, presses, & squats- just to be sure I didn't lose my level 1 skills in the process.
Yes, especially after cutting out my 'regular' routine of weekly ballistics. I needed at least once a week of snatches.Do you think the L sits made a difference? Or it was more just the rest and focus?
The 4 IM days were split into 2 pullup/press days and 2 pistol/hanging str8 leg raises or pullovers (my pullups lacked ab/lat involvement). One of the 2 days of each was focused on high volume (and they took hours! because of the rest needed) and the other focused on high weight and low reps.
Hard to tell. Both probably helped.I hear ya.
Taking out the running and ballistic training was tough for me psychologically. I have been a runner since I was 12y/o and runs are my time to get away and just breathe. I love the way I feel after a run. Same goes with ballistics. I love the feeling of finishing a killer 20-30min butt-kicking swing/snatch dominant workout.
The strength-based routine is a different feeling and I had never really focused on that. The first couple of weeks I felt like something was missing in my routine, but my extra rest days (2/week instead of 2/month) were an absolute necessity. I felt sore in ways I had never felt sore before. Just total body exhaustion. Week 3 of Andrew's program, I did 18 sets of 5 reps of weighted pullups (from 8kg to 20kg) and 5 reps of presses on each arm (either 16kg or 20kg).Would you also say a bit about what made you decide to go for this?
Well, I've had the press for a long time. The pistol I had been working on just for myself- unilateral strength is so "functional" (if you like buzz words) and really shows true strength and balance. I think good pistols should be a goal for any strength professional. So when I got the pistol with the 24kg, I had 2 out of 3 and I thought "what the heck?" and started training weighted pullups. I had never wanted to do weighted pullups before learning about the Iron Maiden.
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| The amazing Hedlund 24k Pull |
I've always been able to do a pullup. I have an older brother who is an athlete (track and football) and I was a tomboy so I wanted to do everything he was doing. I was able to do them as a kid and then I kept up with it as I became an athlete. I think in college I was on the Wake Forest weight room record board with 22 pullups and that was my max.You talk about 6m before really trying one of the IM moves each workout, and greasing the groove. Can we unpack this one a bit: how did you progress the weight from bodyweight to load? (eg how many reps bodyweight before adding load)
I could do 13-15 pullups with my old "body-builder" form. Once Franz helped and switched to the "tactical" form, I could only do about 3. I worked myself up to 8 before I added weight.- could you say a bit about what your schedule was - prior to the six week plan - sets and reps when you focused on it, vs greasing the groove periods.
I had to look at my training log to see, but it was in February of 2011 that I started to add weight to pullups. I generally would hook the weight on my foot and do as many as I could. When I could do 2 or more with a weight, I would move up to the next weight. I also did a lot of weight pyramid workouts- one set with bodyweight, one set with 8kg, one with 12kg, and so on and then back down, doing as many reps as I could each set with each weight.
I assisted an RKC in April and I would have liked to IM then, but I was asked about 3 weeks before that RKC to assist and I didn't have enough time to put it all together. I wasn't really focused on the IM. At that time, I had a pretty regular schedule of 1 day of IM lifts, 1 Ashtanga Yoga day, 1 day of heavy DL, heavy swings, & weighted pullups, 1 circuit day (whatever I felt I needed that day), and 1-2 days running. One week before the April RKC, I could press & pistol the 24kg and I got the pullup with the 24kg to my forehead. It wasn't enough.Did you work with a belt or off your feet?
I went to Kauai for a week after the RKC (delayed honeymoon) and then didn't really think about the pullup again until June. I started working on it again, thinking that I may be able to assist in San Diego.
I wanted to see how close I could get before I started begging people to allow me to do this, so that's when I read your post with Asha and then re-read Pavel's grease the groove stuff and thought I'd give that a shot. My training business is in my basement and my husband built me a pullup bar (which I immediately painted purple, so I could feel like a girl while training for this thing...). Once a week in June and half of July, I would set a timer for an hour and when the buzzer went off, I would stop what I was doing and go down to my pullup bar & do as many reps as I could (usually with an 8, 12 or 16kg on my foot). That's when Andrew encouraged me to ask the powers that be if I could assist, wrote the 6-week plan, and that really helped me focus on the IM.
Started with the bells on my feet. I got the pullup with a 12kg on each foot 6 weeks before but then when I tried it with the 24kg around my waist, I could barely pull myself up.Gosh, that's good to know. Not with the 24 but other bells i've done the foot thing at work and gone well that's no biggie and then tied a climbing belt center hang and gone, um, am i just that much weaker today??
I had an "oh, crap" moment because it was after I had already asked to assist, was approved, and was then expected to perform the IM.Ha (sorry - i'm not laughing at you, but at understanding the panic feeling).
That's when the video-taping came in handy and I was able to really see what I was doing. I think with the bells on my feet, I was able to engage my hip flexors and abs more naturally- I had to just to keep the bells from falling off my feet. With the bell hooked to a belt, I naturally went into my old "body-builder" form and I couldn't pull myself up. So, I had to practice technique but in the end, I was able to get it with the belt on.Very cool insight, Val. Now, how long were you at "two inches away" ? did you experience that as a plateau?
I wasn't there too long. I had been doing gtg with the 12kg and 16kg and then one day just tried it with one 12kg on each foot and got it. But then the next day, I tried to replicate it and couldn't.Again, thanks for sharing that - i've had this with the press and was delighted when asking other folks if once they hit a lift they'd had it come and go for awhile. Yes has happily been the reply.
It was sporadic and I didn't want there to be any shadow of a doubt that I'd be able to get it that day in August. That's when Andrew sent me the 6-week plan.What do you think made the difference?
I think having a plan, having someone reign me in and helping me focus on those three lifts really made the difference.And so why the challenge?
I've never focused on strength like this, so I really needed someone to tell me what to do. I was just looking over old emails and Andrew's advice of "Please resist the temptation to do other stuff. This is one of the reasons so few people can do this - they get bored. It's such a short period of time - just a few weeks. Yoga is fine but please don't run, and add stuff in. The short workouts are there for a reason - to allow recovery of the CNS. If you go and add work in you're not going to recover."
I really took that to heart and after feeling so crappy after running and not taking the time to recover, it started to make sense to me. I'm a runner at heart and runners are a little nutty. My body was telling me not to run, but there was something else telling me I needed at least one run every week. That's when I really started listening to my coach and also listening to my body. I cut out running and I shuffled Andrews workouts around based on how my body felt.
I have not been a real vocal member of the RKC and I needed a way to get noticed. I thought the IM would help with that. I still need to do more blogging, youtubing, and that sort of thing- all of that is very uncomfortable for me, but life is all about getting out of your comfort zone, so I am attempting to do that more.Good for you!
Like I said, a very different feeling- scary and foreign, but I decided to listen to my coach and trust him (after the first week) and trust that the training would pay off.Way to go. Exactly where you want to be. Right on.
The training paid off big time though. Once i started tapering (about 10-days out), I felt invincible.
It felt pretty good.Gosh that's nice! Way to go
I was training at my friend's studio, North Beach Kettlebell, in San Clemente, 5 days before the IM and had access to kbs heavier than the 24kg. The workout was 4-6 sets of IM with the 24kg. On the 5th set, I tried the 28kg out of curiosity and got all 3 lifts with it.
I actually checked the kb multiple times to make sure I didn't pick up the wrong bell- that it was actually the 28kg, because it was so surprising to me. I went into the IM competition really confident in my training.Is that where you wanted to be? I wonder if gals are just different. That we know ahead of time we can nail it and wouldn't do it unless we knew that??
Hmmm... that's a really good question.... I've been thinking about that a lot recently. Why haven't more women tried it? I think we're really hard on ourselves, especially in a strength-based community. I know I didn't want to get up there and fail. I thought it would reflect poorly on me and my ability to train if I didn't get it. I went to Andrew for the plan because I wanted to be certain, without a shadow of a doubt that on the day the RKC came, I would be able to perform every lift with confidence. I told him I wanted to make it look easy. I wanted to crush it. That was my goal. Like you said, the training was "harsh", but I wanted to be confident I could do it. Maybe that's why we women haven't had more attempts- we're too hard on ourselves.
I really enjoyed training heavy. I wanted to eat better and 'cleaner' because my body really needed it. My workouts were better when I focused on getting my protein and good fat and kept breads to a minimum. I didn't gain any weight training heavy, if anything I may have lost a pound or two. I don't own a scale nor do I weigh myself unless at the doctor, so I can only guess. I felt better and leaner than when I started the 6-week program. I did weigh myself out of curiosity at the RKC the weekend I did the Iron Maiden and I was 131.2-lbs (and I'm 5'3").It's interesting that you think we're maybe being too hard on ourselves about the challenge. I hadn't seen it that way: it's like why would we do it if we have no sense of whether or not we can make it? I've been so surprised when guys get up and try to just wing it.
But my guess is that with trail blazers like yourself and Asha, i'm certainly hearing on the forums about more gals who want to do the IM.
I'm glad! Looking forward to seeing more women do this!Practice Post the IM Success
Now what, in terms of your training practice?
Training-wise, I'm looking for a new focus. Thought about trying to do all 3 with the 32kg. That's still on my radar. I did a DL competition a couple years back and really liked training for that. I may do one of those.
Have you put your running back in?
Some. I have been taking my dog to a park where I can take her off leash and we run sprints together. She's really fast though =). I like sprinting. I usually do about 1/2-1mile jog warmup w/some mobility drills and then we sprint. If I feel ok, we'll jog back but sometimes I just walk.What have you kept from those last six weeks?
Kind of went back to my old varied routine but with a little tweak- not as much running and more strength.Staying with the diet?
Sticking with it for the most part. The day after the IM, I went to my favorite breakfast place in San Clemente, The Bagel Shack, and got a big, bad everything bagel with cream cheese, avocado, tomato, and lemon pepper. Mmmm... Then felt sleepy the rest of the morning. Got back on track after that- when you eat food that helps you feel good, you end up making better choices. I've gotten back to better choices. =)The 6 week Plan, Stan, Redux
Anything else on the experience?
I do have an article in the next Power by Pavel Newsletter which will include the actual training plan I used for the last 6 weeks.Would you mind sharing that again here once the article comes out?
No prob.[Following this request i received a copy of Val's wonderfully detailed 6 week log annotations agains the plan. We started discussing this before i sat down to really look at it. Back to Val... -mc]
in black is what was planned, in red was what I did.
Table 1. Week 1 plan in black; week 1 actual in red
You can see that the first week (Table 1, above), I was not a good student. I also made some adjustments to the workouts (example, Table 2, below). I hated the batwings and so I replaced them with the hanging straight leg raises- that is a weak spot for me and I thought I needed those more. Actually back in April Dustin Miller, Beast Tamer suggested I do those to work on engaging my abs and lats more in my pullup. I think those really helped a lot.
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| Table 2. Sample from Week 2 of Val's last 6 week training template |
How did yo hook up with Andrew on this? Thats great that that worked.
I met Andrew in April when we both assisted Team John Engum at the RKC in St Paul. Just sheer luck that we were on the same team. We quickly became friends and have kept in touch since. I was intrigued with the way he's worked himself up in the RKC community so quickly- he truly has a passion for this stuff. Plus, he has great business sense and I have been tapping his brain for information on the business side of things.
Andrew Read, Jon Engum, Valerie Hedlund
When I got close with the 24kg pullup, I asked if he could/would help with my training and he was more than happy to do that. I think he saw the business opportunity in it, which is awesome. He is a great coach and was able to put together a killer program for me. I hope that his new book coming out will help others get past their individual hurdles.
Would you change anything?
I would have been clever enough to come up with the program on my own and I'd be writing my own book =). No, I wouldn't change anything. It was great to have a couple coaches and a plan to stick to. I would have been second-guessing myself constantly if I had written my own plan. Sometimes it's nice to turn your brain off and just do the work.[After this exchange, i took some time to really look at the training plan and the log of what Val had done. I was fascinated both by the actual plan, her revisions, which seemed to be near daily rather than just the first week, and her presentation of herself as following this plan. It seemed her approach was far more loose with the plan than what she seemed to perceive of her practice, so i wanted to dig a little more into her sense of what seemed to be her own style in her training - that her body at least had trusted her own style of training more than her conscious thoughts were owning ]
Val, can we come back to your approach to the IM for a minute again? Just to be clear, you say you had the press for a long time and the pistol for awhile.
How long before the challenge did you have the press? do you remember when you got it?
My RKC- April 2009 during the press lectureHow long before the challenge did you have the pistol?
Nov 2010 so about 9 monthsThe pull up?
6 weeks before to the chin (2 inches away)So the whole 6 week program you shared with me was really to get those last two inches - a program you varried it seems quite a bit by feel?
3 weeks before all the way
Yes, that's rightI'm intrigued about what motivated you to seek outside help at that point: was it that it was getting close to the competition that you felt you just wanted that outside perspective to help with the last little way?
I probably didn't need the help to get the last couple inches- I could have done that on my own. But my goal wasn't to get the last couple inches. I wanted to make it look easy. I guess the program got me to the 28kg on all 3 and that helped me make the 24kg an easy day.I know what you mean about sometimes trying to figure stuff out for yourself when under pressure too - it's nice to give it to someone else.
Yes, that was part of it.also - could you let me know if the shape of your article for DD will be mainly about the last 6 weeks? i don't want to step over what you write about...
Thanks. My article was about "Demystifying the Iron Maiden". How basically I got really close on all three b/c I try to train with good form every day, use kbs as a practice, and I understand that strength is a skill. My philosophy is to seek help when I need it and then work hard to get the results I want.
I felt like after the IM, people just see me as some "freak" who is just genetically able to lift heavy things. I think genetically I am built for this type of thing, but I also had to work hard and I sought advice from people who know more than I do or have been doing it longer. I tried to make it feel "doable" for other women b/c I really think it is!Ok, so especially with what you just said, you know I'm wondering, you really had this whole thing before you had this, you know? Maybe just like gals being conservative about (not) just winging an iron maiden, you're being a wee bit conservative about your own training genius.
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| (Table 3. Click on image to see full detail) |
See, I just really went over your last six weeks plan (Table 3, left).
Have you had a chance to look at what you did compared with the specified program? You were jazz improv to a score. You riffed all over that template.
So what I see is you got good support from your pal as your coach, and sounds like you felt that support was really important for your success. Am I reading that wrong?
But looking at the data, i guess I'm trying to ask have you considered that you may be selling yourself short in terms of what you did to get yourself forward? Seems like great coaching tips on form for the pistol from Franz, and some ideas for moving on to the 28 with the 6 week plan, but how can i put it? Why not propose your own book?
Thanks so much for your kind words.No worries. Not at all.
I probably do sell myself short a bit. I have a habit of doing that.It's that gal thing. Really - certifiably.
I guess it's easier to tell people that someone else helped me than to take all of the credit myself. It seems arrogant to say "my training genius got me here".Well you're not doing that - just so you know.
You're not a sports psychologist, are you? LOL.Er, well hmm. Long history in ed. psych, and coaching grad students -- ahletes and the rest of us seem to be remarkably similar. A lot of the same stuff dealing with getting better at our path. But back to you:
I did feel like I needed someone to write a program but I guess I should say it was a template. I needed someone to tell me to stop running =) and focus on strength and I wanted to check in with someone. i suppose I need to get better taking credit for what I did- thanks for the reminder.Indeed- we all need a coach - at some times for some things. But sometimes that's guidance/feedback. And you rocked the house. Take a bow!
Would you care to speak a little bit more about how you figured out when and how to rif on the plan? A lot of folks talk about "instinctual training" but to me this feels more like the experience of a lot of reps - and i think folks at various levels of experience will be interested in this.
I suppose you're right. I think it's a lot of reps. As I said, I've never trained for this type of strength program, but I have been strength training since I was 12y/o, so I know my body pretty well.Indeed. That's what Jazz is: we recognise the original tune - which is rather how we also recognise the artistry around that - without the base we wouldn't get the rif. So you did some riffing.
I did stick to the intent of the template pretty well, I think.
I shuffled a couple of the days around (some due to travel and vacation) but tried to stick to the template. I figured out what [Andrew] was trying to get me to do and I allowed myself some creative freedom, without compromising the goal. I think halfway around the world might be the only way I can have a coach =) because I really liked having the freedom to do that, even if that wasn't the intent when he wrote it. For example, the Aug 4 workout where the plan was 20 sets of 5 pullups with weight... I didn't think it would help to do all of them with the 12kg, which is what I think I could have done every set with. I thought it would be better to pyramid it a bit and do what I could with the weight I had that set. So, I started with bodyweight, and then moved to 8kg, on up to 20kg. I was pretty tired at the end and decided to do my last couple sets with the 12kg just to get some good reps in with focus on form to end the day.Yup. Cool to have the template, the structure to let you be free to rif and work rather than spend ALL cycles figuring out what to do. Nice. Reminds me of Wulf's work on motor learning (pdf): extrinsic focus (focus on effect) is better for learning than internal focus (focus on movement) - maybe similarly here, focus within a template - reducing the set of options of what to do while still facilitating choice - rather than focusing entirely each time on what to do without that plan - limitless options - is a similar thing: the frame as constraint frees the mind to move it move it. Hmm. Thanks for that.
I pretty much substituted hanging straight leg raises for batwings because I felt like they would help my form problems better. I also added them in to a couple workouts because I knew I would need them.
A couple of the changes were due to (1) attending a family reunion and only bringing one 16kg kb (July 29 & 30) and (2) being in CA with my friends and family and not wanting to go to the gym. I have a 20kg at my apartment in CA and so I modified a couple workouts (Aug 12 & 13) based on what I had available to take to the pullup bars at the beach and still accomplish the goal.
I think it's a combo of having a good template, and being confident/comfortable enough to change the template when I needed/wanted to without compromising the intent of the plan.
But biggie here: way to go on your accomplishment. It's a big deal - and thank you for engaging in these reflections: they're great food for thought.
Thank you for spending the time.
Thank you. This has been really fun.Awesome.
Thanks again to Val for spending the time talking, thinking and walking through this training practice and stepping up to the platform. Here's a few video's of her success. Thanks to Val for making these vids available.
Next time, a few thoughts on pulling together some threads from IM discussion to date.
Related Posts
- Valerie Hedlund, Iron Maiden Challenge Part I
- The Amazing Shoulder Part 1
- Protein the Magnificent
- Respect the Fat
- Asha Wagner, Iron Maiden Tamer
- More Beautiful Swings
- Body Weight Work with Dennis Frisch
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Monday, December 26, 2011
Valerie Hedlund, Path to Iron Maiden Challenge Success, Pt I
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As the end of the year draws nigh, and desire for inspiration in the new one will be fast upon us, now may be a sweet moment, in the post christmas ennui and pre new years festivities to reflect on some successes of the past year. Or at least one more in particular. Let's take Valerie Hedlund's summer success with the Iron Maiden Challenge.
Valerie Hedlund (the one doing the pull up with the 24k bell, left) is the latest woman to pass the Iron Maiden Challenge (pressing, pistoling and pull-upping a 24kg kettlebell). That in itself is still a unique encough challenge to warrant attention. But Val is also pretty extraordinary on a number of other levels. To articulate just a selective few, she runs her own fitness business, went through physio training and had the gumption to change track to become a fitness trainer instead, and, as stated, she walks the talk. This past summer, at 5'3" and 131 at the time, she passed the Iron Maiden challenge.
Despite the business acumen and considerable personal and physical accomplishments (of which the iron maiden is but one), she can also be, as you'll see, self-deprecating to the point of being reluctant to take credit for the work she's done to achieve her goals - in this case, her strength goal with the Iron Maiden.
Like Asha Wagner (b2d interview here), Valerie's success with the challenge is an inspiration for gals in the RKC community in particular who wish to emulate her success. What's intriguing - and satisfying - are the distinct paths and practices each has taken to achieve this goal. There's more than one way to press a 24 it seems. Or pull it. Or pistol it. And there's more than one way to think about not only the task at hand, but one's self while doing it.
In order to offer some insight into this athlete's pursuit of the challenge, it seems it might be nice to understand a bit more of the story of the athlete, no? To that end, in part II, we'll look at Val's path to the Iron Maiden Challenge itself, and reflections post hoc. Here in part 1, though, Val talks about her business, her path towards becoming a trainer and where KB's fit in.
What's life like now, post focussing on the Iron Maiden (IM) Challenge?
-------------------
With Val's background and training philosophy in place, next time, in Part II, we'll focus on the prep for the Iron Maiden Challenge, the success, and some of the psychological challenges around that practice.
Related Links
Despite the business acumen and considerable personal and physical accomplishments (of which the iron maiden is but one), she can also be, as you'll see, self-deprecating to the point of being reluctant to take credit for the work she's done to achieve her goals - in this case, her strength goal with the Iron Maiden.
Like Asha Wagner (b2d interview here), Valerie's success with the challenge is an inspiration for gals in the RKC community in particular who wish to emulate her success. What's intriguing - and satisfying - are the distinct paths and practices each has taken to achieve this goal. There's more than one way to press a 24 it seems. Or pull it. Or pistol it. And there's more than one way to think about not only the task at hand, but one's self while doing it.
In order to offer some insight into this athlete's pursuit of the challenge, it seems it might be nice to understand a bit more of the story of the athlete, no? To that end, in part II, we'll look at Val's path to the Iron Maiden Challenge itself, and reflections post hoc. Here in part 1, though, Val talks about her business, her path towards becoming a trainer and where KB's fit in.
What's life like now, post focussing on the Iron Maiden (IM) Challenge?
I've been focusing on building my business here in Denver so I do what time allows. I moved from California about 9 months ago, sold my business there, and have been starting over. It's been challenging but rewarding at the same time. I have been learning new things about myself and getting better at the business side of things.Tell us a bit more about your training background and business.
I have been a trainer since I graduated college in 2002. This was something I was going to do "until I got a real job or went back to school". About 3 years into it and about 8 Physical Therapy internships later, I realized that Personal Training IS my real job. It's what I'm passionate about and what I love to do. There aren't many people who can say they absolutely love what they do. I am fortunate enough to be one of those people who truly loves working. I suppose my business is special because I focus on the individual. I'm not in it only to make money and I didn't start working in gyms because I love looking at myself in the mirror (we've all worked with those trainers, right?). I love learning about the human body and teaching my clients what I learn to help make their everyday lives better. That's why I do what I do.
Why Kettlebells?I started doing kbs in 2008 and got certified in April of 2009.
It's a simple tool, doesn't take up too much space, and the workouts are efficient. They help combine strength, mobility, and cv endurance all in one workout. My clients really love them (well, love/hate) and they see results using them. You can't argue with that.
I hate to sound like a commercial for dragon door, but there's no better tool out there! Plus, the instructors were always so impressive to me- the depth of their knowledge and the humility even at the highest level. I just felt like I "found my people" when I went to my first RKC/Pavel event.Training Philosophy?
My business is called Simple Strength & Fitness and our motto is "Train Smart. Be Strong. Live Balanced."
It's not just a motto, it's how I run my business and my own training. I like being strong and training for strength, but I also like having more balance in my training and in my life. I think doing a couple strength cycles during the year would be a good goal- have a couple months of a specific strength focus and then a couple months to "play".Also - who would you say are the folks you train the most - is it classes or one on one or??
I like to do both. I started training one-on-one initially (in 2002) and never really liked classes (always thought "step" or "cardio-kickbox" when I thought of classes). But when I found kettlebells, I found that they're really best taught in a group. I opened a studio and offered classes and I really started to enjoy the group dynamic. I keep the classes small though- no more than 12 in a class because I don't like people getting lost in the crowd. I like to punish each person equally and when the class is too big, it makes it more difficult to do that.That's cool about leaving physio for personal training?
I think so. I grew up thinking I needed more and more schooling to get a better job. Plus, I went into personal training thinking it was a temporary thing. Add that to living in California where personal trainers are a dime a dozen and a lot of them got into it because they "like working out", it didn't really seem like something I could call a "profession". I thought about Physical Therapy because I am interested in how the body works. Who knows, I may still go back to school for it, but a couple years back after doing multiple internships in various clinics, I realized I really enjoyed what I was doing.
As a trainer, I'm able to take people after their insurance stops paying for physical therapy and help them get to where they really want to be. I'm able to look at the body as a whole instead of individual parts and help the person move better. It's such a treat to hear my clients tell me that after many years of daily discomfort, they no longer have pain after working with me. That's when I get the reassurance that I'm different from the trainer who just "likes working out".Within this process, what was the pull towards the RKC then?
I think it goes back to wanting and craving more good information. I decided not to go back to school for Physical Therapy, but I don't want to get stale. I actually found kbs though the NSCA at a seminar. I want to learn from the best and I think the RKC is very particular about who they promote to instructors and they really seek out the best in the industry. It feels good to be a part of this group of people.
-------------------
With Val's background and training philosophy in place, next time, in Part II, we'll focus on the prep for the Iron Maiden Challenge, the success, and some of the psychological challenges around that practice.
Related Links
- Asha Wagner - acing the 24kg Pistol, Press and Pull with a 12 and 16.
- Dan John - pressing matters
- Ken Froese - (Triple) Double Beast Press Self-Challenge
- 40 days of Easy Strength - making lemonaid
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Easy Strength III: 33 days to Radiant Happiness
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The hypothesis was that a bottoms up 16kg would correlate with a 20kg press; the next hypothesis was that by working easy versions of one arm push ups and headstand push ups, i could get a 16kg BU and a 20kg press - without pressing kettlbells for the 40 days of the easy strength program. That's a lot of hope and spit. In part 1 i gave the reasons for this set of hypotheses; in part II i talked about dialing in the right level of "easy" and showed how progress was measured on the road. Where we left off, i'd just successfully, actually hit target one: a bottoms up with the 16. The next test of course would be the 20.
The 16kg BUP continued
After having bottoms up'd the 16 at the office, when i got home that evening, i decided to give it
another go. It worked. Again. My goodness! what a day.I then tried the twenty. It didn’t go all the way, and it ended up feeling more like a side press, but that was a HUGE jump in progress.
More than that - yes - is possibly *feeling* this notion of groove that Dan John was talking about - at least i thought i might be. It seemed that to get the 16kg BU i had to change the shape of where the press happened and if felt like more of the back of the shoulder was getting into the act from this new position.
What i describe may be obvious to everyone else alive but it has not been to me.
The 20k single
The next day, Saturday Nov 5, 33 days in, i retried the 20. It was back to glued on the shoulder; recovered; bottoms upped the 16. Recovered, and retried the 20 with that groove in my body. oh wow - it got off the shoulder, and then it started to move. At glacier speed. It probably looked like it was stopped or stuck but i KNEW - i just KNEW it was still moving and still going up. What IS that??? it felt like i just KNEW those fibbers were going to recruit and get that sucker up.
I must confess i was pretty happy. I expressed a bit of a whoop.
I will also confess that while i have pressed the bottoms up 16 since then - once even for a double on the right (the left still needs coordination work), i have not repressed the 20. But i’m ok with that (more or less). The last time i got the 20 - by a very different path - i also had days initially where nothing.That it had gone up was seeming but a dream. So not surprised, though i confess further that i may have tried a little to hard over the course of the next day to re-get that 20 and my shoulder is not thanking me for it. Dam dam dam
BUT i feel like my hypothesis of correlation has at least provisionally been found credible: there is a correlation between the 16k bu and the 20k press.
A quick note about that Groove Thing
It’s taken to get that BU with a sufficiently heavy weight to really feel what the movement is to manage the whole press with that grip.
BUT, by getting the groove difference with the heavy weight i started to take that back to a lighter weight where i can get more reps grooving in that pattern. That i think is important. I couldn’t FEEL that shift along the back of the shoulder with a lighter bell; i can’t rep it with a heavier. Now i can apply the heavy bell feel with the lighter rep-able load. At least that is the plan.
What does this new groove feel like? well, at a sticky point actually past breaking parallel, where it feels hard, moving back a bit recruits it seems a bit more from the back into the shoulder and that extra fiber helps put that puppy up. At least for me.
In playing with the 12 which is my light weight in Return of the Kettlebell, i've experimented now with arm position - how in front of the shoulder the press is vs how"open" or more barbelly it is - just to feel what has a wee bit more effort or less. It's subtle but getting it right a weight that feels easy, can feel easier/smoother yet by playing with that position.
It’s a Feeling (rather than % max)
What is that right level of easy effort for easy strength to work?
I really have no way of knowing what percentage of a 1 rep max i was doing in any of the moves i did
as i can’t do a 1 full rep headstand push up or a one arm push up. And pistols well, on good days there are reps; on other days i hold a door and on excellent days a KB. So i just went by feel. How far from the wall for two good reps - today - easy to adjust the bod for each rep to nail that. The one arm push up i pushed a little harder. Perfect form on the plank but initially didn’t go nose to the carpet. So less range of motion. I kept thinking hard enough to require an adaptation; not so hard i can’t do this every day. Not so hard it becomes a mental challenge to get through.
Implementation of Easy Strength: Different but Same?
My easy strength series has been a little different from what i undrestand to be the norm.
I had a goal to get my BU 16k, and from that, the 20. My understanding of easy strength is that one practices the same moves one wants to improve: to push a deadlift, for instance, do the easy strength deadlifts. Or use a thick bar for the deadlift - same but different.
I didn’t do that. I couldn’t as i didn't have those tools available.
But i did use the tools i had. Me. I am a great tool, apparently (one of the infinite tools).
It seems (though i cannot absolutely claim correlation, what else the heck is there going on), 33 days of easy strength BUT not touching a kettle bell, just doing bodyweight work in Easy Strength ways (a) got me a Bottoms Up PR and (b) got me my 20 back. Only a single, but that’s all it takes, isn’t it, to rekindle faith that yes, my shoulder IS recovering. Bodyweight to improve kb’s. That’s different but same (as opposed to same but different). Really? seems maybe so.
That 24 - the main prize - maybe just got a little closer?
And i still have 7 days left.
Update: perhaps no surprise after a month on the road and hitting a PR, an absolutely fever level cold hit me full throttle on Monday Nov - with fever, even - and according to my sense of self, and my heart rate variability, i’m in no shape to train. Indeed today (friday: 11/11/11) was the first day back to doing my easy strength in yet another hotel room. So i can either declare success at 33 days in or keep going with it for a week to get in the full 40 while i figure out next steps.
My sense? Even if i bag this round of easy strength now and step into some more regular workouts or another variant of easy strength, that’s fine too. Dan says his best gains have come around the 21 day mark and that’s a fine place to change up and over. For me, it’s been 33. Cool.
And on top of this plateau breaking, i’m also gaining some new skills. Like this bodyweight work - that’s a definite keeper for my practice. doing some handstands and one arm pushups aren’t getting in the way of anything else. And i need the reps.
Where Next?
At the easy strength workshop (and i’ll have to check through the 14 DVD’s if this made the cut) - i
think i asked Dan or someone did about why ever go off easy strength to do something else after 40 days if this works so well? I do believe he turned aside and stage whispered - you don’t have to - with the high implication that you won’t believe me telling you that so we’re going to talk about other approaches that work too.
I think, though, for me, where i'm at in my practice, i have to learn to love the nudge at the bottom end. It's something i can repeat daily and find progress around.
I recall that in getting her beast challenge, Asha Wagner repped and repped with only the 16 and the 12. Dan John also saw the sense in this for several of the iron maiden moves. I personally sense the sanity and hope of that path - again - just speaking for myself. And i have my own evidence now that (a) getting the right level of "easy" effort (b) leads to transferable gains.
With my focus still on rehabbing towards an iron maiden challenge SOME day, from steady progress, i've just started playing with changing up the pistols to box pistols with the 8's for 2*5's, and will see how that progresses up in load. I know i felt that in my run last night: oh that's where the gastroc origin is. Happy to learn that.
For my hinge work i'm doing 2*20s of kb dl's - the rest is staying the same. But while i'm around kb's again i'm also practicing the bottoms up work more deliberately - but keeping it in a grease the groove fashion.
It's an exploration.
Take Aways:
I have no recommendations about where to put Easy Strength in your practice. I just know this approach
And on the other hand: that i *can* do any of this is, my shoulder issues have made me realize, a gift. So daily practice like easy strength isn't a burden or just a punch the clock thing. Really, it's a little miracle. So ya, finding a way to move every day? i'm there.
IF you haven’t read Easy Strength yet, it’s good stuff. Especially if strength work is your sport supplement, not your sport. Will be writing more about that in the near term. but for now, 33 is a magic number. Yes it is. 33.
Related Posts
the title is a ref to a line in a joni mitchel tune from the album Hejira
"Refuge of the Roads" - given the context and motivation of this experiment, it seemed apt:
See ya next time new interviews and strong gals.
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The 16kg BUP continued
After having bottoms up'd the 16 at the office, when i got home that evening, i decided to give it
 |
| this is my quest: to follow this 24k bell no matter how hopeless no matter how far...heh now wait a minute... |
More than that - yes - is possibly *feeling* this notion of groove that Dan John was talking about - at least i thought i might be. It seemed that to get the 16kg BU i had to change the shape of where the press happened and if felt like more of the back of the shoulder was getting into the act from this new position.
What i describe may be obvious to everyone else alive but it has not been to me.
The 20k single
The next day, Saturday Nov 5, 33 days in, i retried the 20. It was back to glued on the shoulder; recovered; bottoms upped the 16. Recovered, and retried the 20 with that groove in my body. oh wow - it got off the shoulder, and then it started to move. At glacier speed. It probably looked like it was stopped or stuck but i KNEW - i just KNEW it was still moving and still going up. What IS that??? it felt like i just KNEW those fibbers were going to recruit and get that sucker up.
I must confess i was pretty happy. I expressed a bit of a whoop.
I will also confess that while i have pressed the bottoms up 16 since then - once even for a double on the right (the left still needs coordination work), i have not repressed the 20. But i’m ok with that (more or less). The last time i got the 20 - by a very different path - i also had days initially where nothing.That it had gone up was seeming but a dream. So not surprised, though i confess further that i may have tried a little to hard over the course of the next day to re-get that 20 and my shoulder is not thanking me for it. Dam dam dam
BUT i feel like my hypothesis of correlation has at least provisionally been found credible: there is a correlation between the 16k bu and the 20k press.
A quick note about that Groove Thing
It’s taken to get that BU with a sufficiently heavy weight to really feel what the movement is to manage the whole press with that grip.
BUT, by getting the groove difference with the heavy weight i started to take that back to a lighter weight where i can get more reps grooving in that pattern. That i think is important. I couldn’t FEEL that shift along the back of the shoulder with a lighter bell; i can’t rep it with a heavier. Now i can apply the heavy bell feel with the lighter rep-able load. At least that is the plan.
What does this new groove feel like? well, at a sticky point actually past breaking parallel, where it feels hard, moving back a bit recruits it seems a bit more from the back into the shoulder and that extra fiber helps put that puppy up. At least for me.
In playing with the 12 which is my light weight in Return of the Kettlebell, i've experimented now with arm position - how in front of the shoulder the press is vs how"open" or more barbelly it is - just to feel what has a wee bit more effort or less. It's subtle but getting it right a weight that feels easy, can feel easier/smoother yet by playing with that position.
It’s a Feeling (rather than % max)
What is that right level of easy effort for easy strength to work?
I really have no way of knowing what percentage of a 1 rep max i was doing in any of the moves i did
 |
| trying to be zen about progress |
Implementation of Easy Strength: Different but Same?
My easy strength series has been a little different from what i undrestand to be the norm.
I had a goal to get my BU 16k, and from that, the 20. My understanding of easy strength is that one practices the same moves one wants to improve: to push a deadlift, for instance, do the easy strength deadlifts. Or use a thick bar for the deadlift - same but different.
I didn’t do that. I couldn’t as i didn't have those tools available.
But i did use the tools i had. Me. I am a great tool, apparently (one of the infinite tools).
It seems (though i cannot absolutely claim correlation, what else the heck is there going on), 33 days of easy strength BUT not touching a kettle bell, just doing bodyweight work in Easy Strength ways (a) got me a Bottoms Up PR and (b) got me my 20 back. Only a single, but that’s all it takes, isn’t it, to rekindle faith that yes, my shoulder IS recovering. Bodyweight to improve kb’s. That’s different but same (as opposed to same but different). Really? seems maybe so.
That 24 - the main prize - maybe just got a little closer?
And i still have 7 days left.
Update: perhaps no surprise after a month on the road and hitting a PR, an absolutely fever level cold hit me full throttle on Monday Nov - with fever, even - and according to my sense of self, and my heart rate variability, i’m in no shape to train. Indeed today (friday: 11/11/11) was the first day back to doing my easy strength in yet another hotel room. So i can either declare success at 33 days in or keep going with it for a week to get in the full 40 while i figure out next steps.
My sense? Even if i bag this round of easy strength now and step into some more regular workouts or another variant of easy strength, that’s fine too. Dan says his best gains have come around the 21 day mark and that’s a fine place to change up and over. For me, it’s been 33. Cool.
And on top of this plateau breaking, i’m also gaining some new skills. Like this bodyweight work - that’s a definite keeper for my practice. doing some handstands and one arm pushups aren’t getting in the way of anything else. And i need the reps.
Where Next?
At the easy strength workshop (and i’ll have to check through the 14 DVD’s if this made the cut) - i
think i asked Dan or someone did about why ever go off easy strength to do something else after 40 days if this works so well? I do believe he turned aside and stage whispered - you don’t have to - with the high implication that you won’t believe me telling you that so we’re going to talk about other approaches that work too. I think, though, for me, where i'm at in my practice, i have to learn to love the nudge at the bottom end. It's something i can repeat daily and find progress around.
I recall that in getting her beast challenge, Asha Wagner repped and repped with only the 16 and the 12. Dan John also saw the sense in this for several of the iron maiden moves. I personally sense the sanity and hope of that path - again - just speaking for myself. And i have my own evidence now that (a) getting the right level of "easy" effort (b) leads to transferable gains.
With my focus still on rehabbing towards an iron maiden challenge SOME day, from steady progress, i've just started playing with changing up the pistols to box pistols with the 8's for 2*5's, and will see how that progresses up in load. I know i felt that in my run last night: oh that's where the gastroc origin is. Happy to learn that.
For my hinge work i'm doing 2*20s of kb dl's - the rest is staying the same. But while i'm around kb's again i'm also practicing the bottoms up work more deliberately - but keeping it in a grease the groove fashion.
It's an exploration.
Take Aways:
I have no recommendations about where to put Easy Strength in your practice. I just know this approach
- a) did bust a strength stall out (my 20 regained even if just the once right now)
- b) did help my shoulder feel bolder - it likes this stuff
- c) is with the bodyweight stuff teaching me new skills that i wish i’d had the sauce and insight to work on sooner.
- d) shows me that showing up and punching the clock - with the right effort - in order to “nudge the bottom” as Dan John and Pavel talk about in Easy Strength highlighting work from a pantheon of progenitor easy strengthens, seems to Work.
- e) i don’t have to worry about being away from the KB’s to make gains in the moves i want to
improve - at least not at the moment perhaps.
And on the other hand: that i *can* do any of this is, my shoulder issues have made me realize, a gift. So daily practice like easy strength isn't a burden or just a punch the clock thing. Really, it's a little miracle. So ya, finding a way to move every day? i'm there.
IF you haven’t read Easy Strength yet, it’s good stuff. Especially if strength work is your sport supplement, not your sport. Will be writing more about that in the near term. but for now, 33 is a magic number. Yes it is. 33.
Related Posts
- The amazing shoulder
- Asha Wagner and Taming the Beast
- Pull ups 101
- The Perfect Rep Quest
- Exploring Easy strength, part 1: making lemonade
- Exploring Easy Strength, part 2: measuring progress
- what if we were no longer how we define ourselves - like strong or smart
the title is a ref to a line in a joni mitchel tune from the album Hejira
"Refuge of the Roads" - given the context and motivation of this experiment, it seemed apt:
There was spring along the ditches
There were good times in the cities
Oh, radiant happiness
It was all so light and easy
Till I started analyzing
And I brought on my old ways
A thunderhead of judgment was
Gathering in my gaze
And it made most people nervous
They just didn't want to know
What I was seeing in the refuge of the roads
There were good times in the cities
Oh, radiant happiness
It was all so light and easy
Till I started analyzing
And I brought on my old ways
A thunderhead of judgment was
Gathering in my gaze
And it made most people nervous
They just didn't want to know
What I was seeing in the refuge of the roads
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