Random Reflections on the Past 7+ Years of Real Physical Training

Introduction

I got into the world of real strength training about 2004 or so through Pavel's book Power to the People. Before that i was educated through mainstream bodybuilding (classic 3x10 with isolation plus bodypart splits) books and conventional rehab books (again 3x10 and isolations, squats are bad for your knees which i did not believe by the way etc.).

Fast forward to present. I have delved deeply into some of the most revolutionary fitness system in the market. Here are some of my reflections from each system.

Max Strength Days - Hard Style (Russian Kettlebell Challenge, Naked Warrior, Enter the Kettlebell, Optimum Performance Training System) 2004 - 2007+

Best things learned:

1. Strength is built by tensing the muscles as hard as possible (near 1RM).

2. Intensity is determined by %1RM, not by how fatigued you are, nor by volume.

3. Irradiation (in CST language: "the tighter the lighter" or The 7 Key Components of Structure).

4. 2 sets of 2 exercises is enough per workout to induce strength gains.

5. Volume builds hypertrophy.

Mistake made:

1. Not knowing about Compensatory Movements, leading to Elbow Tendonitis and Shoulder Tendonitis / Impingement.

What could i have done:

1. Stretch and back off.

Why i stopped to pursue the next system:

1. Low rep sets are not sufficient to make big jumps in weight (eg sets of 5 of 24kg kettlebell press to progress to 32kg).

2. Higher rep sets are not good done with maximal tension due to fatigue.

Next up...

Strength Endurance Days - (high rep pistols done kettlebell sport style, Kettlebell Sport and International Clubbell Sport, all with Circular Strength Training background) 2008 - 2009+

Best things learned:

1. All Circular Strength Training principles.

2. High reps build strength and conditioning to make big jumps in weight for kettlebell sport (4kg increments).

Mistakes made:

1. Not doing much maximal strength training leading to stalling at 24kg.

2. Not enough program design experience nor access to good programming.

3. Not doing a wide enough vocabulary of movement leading to weaknesses in combative training.

What i could have done:

1. Maintaining a maximal strength routine on Moderate Days.

2. As above.

3. Use what i learned before in Optimum Performance (NASM based) on program design: horizontal push, horizontal pull, vertical pull, vertical push, hip dominant, quad dominant, core ec.

Why i stopped to pursue the next system:

1. To strengthen movements in 6 degrees of freedom.

Conditioning Days - (TACFIT 26 and other TACFIT) 2010 to early 2013

Best things learned:

1. Conditioning and strength endurance are totally different animals.

2. All around athleticism is much better trained.

3. Bodyweight exercises which are explosive and / or mobility based are easy to progress and maintain.

Mistakes made:

1. Not doing much maximal strength training leading to stalling at Level 3 / Beta (ie 24kg kettlebell, 35lb clubbell).

2. Maximal strength (barbell work, particularly Deadlift) although have not been trained much have decreased significantly from an actual 1RM of 120kg @ 62kg in 2006 to and estimated 1RM of 99.0kg @ 65kg on 7 May 2013.

What i could have done:

1. Maintaining maximal strength work on Moderate Days.

Why i stop to pursue the next system:

1. To bring up my maximal strength. I think it is obvious from the past two training systems that when i drop maximal strength work, stalling is inevitable. I stalled at double 24kg in kettlebell sport and now stall again at 24kg in TACFIT 26. Recent training also shows me that to get better in TACFIT 26 at 35lb, i need to specifically train with 35lb for strength. This is also confirmed by training clients. Simply if they can't do a certain weight properly at Moderate intensity, no way are they going to use it as a working weight at High Intensity.

Next up...

Max Strength Again

Convict Conditioning and 5/3/1 would be my main training protocols for maximal strength. Conditioning wise, i am taking a break and maybe test once in a while to see where i am at compared to previously.

However to avoid the same mistakes made before when doing Max Strength Days in 2004 - 2007+, no longer are reps restricted to 5 or so. Milk all the reps as long as i can get benefits from it, as recommended in Convict Conditioning. Maybe i'll progress only when i reach 50 reps for each exercise / weight. We'll see...

21 June 2013 - Moderate: Convict Conditioning

Row
Vertical Row Leg Forward: 20
Bent Leg Row: 15
Straight Leg Row (Bar): 15
Straight Leg Row (Rings): 50

Deadlift
2L Deadlift 20kg: 20
Closed Deadlift 2x8kg: 20
Offset Deadlift 2x8kg: 50/50, 50/50

Row Top Hold: 44 sec

LYTP 2x2.5kg
L: 23
Y: 15
T: 21
P: 30

Comments: Straight Leg Row is much more efficient done on the rings than bar due to the variable position of the arms.

I am not going to write down the RPE for now as i am mainly doing strength / strength-endurance work, which is about the Moderate range anyway. Even the reps and the sets themselves are done close to failure, the amount of recovery between sets lowers the RPE significantly.

What Is The Required Number Of Reps To Go Up A Level In TACFIT 26 Progressions For Kettlebell And Clubbell?

In TACFIT 26, some kettlebell amd clubbell exercises go up the progressions in weight, ie same movement but he weight gets heavier as the levels go up.

Kettlebell:
Level 1 - 8kg
Level 2 - 16kg
Level 3 - 24kg
Level 4 - 32kg

Clubbell:
Level 1 - 15lb
Level 2 - 25lb
Level 3 - 35lb
Level 4 - 45lb

Again, using the formula:

r = (0.0333WR + W - w) / 0.0333w
Using R = 5, ie the next level up is a 5RM weight.

Kettlebell:
8kg to 16kg: 40
16kg to 24kg: 23
24kg to 32kg: 17

Clubbell:
15lb to 25lb: 29
25lb to 35lb: 19
35lb to 45lb: 15

Comment: For lower body exercises, it is not so hard go progress up the weights as most people's lower body strength is already strong enough to go up a few progress up a couple of levels without specific practice. However, in upper body strength, especially going up to Levels 3 and 4, you may need to add specific strength practice if you want to go up the weights if you can't already do these number of reps in a particular exercise (eg. Clubbell 2H Gama Cast, Clubbell 2H Swipe, Kettlebell 1H Push Press).

What Is The Required Number Of Reps To Progress In The Push Up And Make The Next Progression 5RM?

Using the formula as in the previous post:

r = (0.0333WR + W - w) / 0.0333w

And my personal data on the percentage of bw supported by the arms in the push up a few posts before:

30 inch to 24 inch = 16.9kg to 27.6kg: 28
24 inch to 18 inch = 27.6kg to 38.1kg: 19
18 inch to 12 inch = 38.1kg to 40.7kg: 8
12 inch to floor = 40.7kg to 46.0kg : 10

What Is The Number Of Reps Required To Go Up A Weight And Make The Next Weight 5RM?

Using the formula again:

1RM = 0.0333 x weight x reps + weight
w = working weight, r = working reps
W = goal weight, R = goal reps ie 5

0.0333wr + w = 0.0333WR + W
0.0333wr = 0.0333WR + W - w
r = (0.0333WR + W - w) / 0.0333w

The required number of reps to go up a weight for dumbbells or barbell with increments of 2.5kg and make the next weight 5RM:

2.5kg to 5kg: 40
5kg to 7.5kg: 23
7.5kg to 10kg: 17
10kg to 12.5kg: 14
12.5kg to 15kg: 12
15kg to 17.5kg: 11
17.5kg to 20kg: 10
20kg to 22.5kg: 10
22.5kg to 25kg: 9
25kg to 27.5kg: 9
27.5kg to 30kg: 9
30kg to 32.5kg: 8
32.5kg to 35kg: 8

The required number of reps to go up a weight for kettlebell with increments of 4kg and make the next weight 5RM:

8kg to 12kg: 23
12kg to 16kg: 17
16kg to 20kg: 14
20kg to 24kg: 12
24kg to 28kg: 11
28kg to 32kg: 10

The required number of reps to go up a weight for clubbell with increments of 5lb and make the next weight 5RM:

5lb to 10lb: 40
10lb to 15lb: 23
15lb to 20lb: 17
20lb to 25lb: 14
25lb to 35lb: 19
35lb to 45lb: 15

What Is The Minimum Reps Required To Go Up A Weight?

Using Epley's formula of estimated 1RM:

1RM  = weight x reps x 0.0333 + weight
m = 0.0333wr + w
m - w = 0.0333wr
r = (m - w) / 0.0333w

Where the estimated 1RM is the next heavier weight in the series.

The minimum number of reps required to progress up the weights for barbells or dumbbells with 2.5kg increments:

2.5kg to 5kg: 30
5kg to 7.5kg: 15
7.5kg to 10kg: 10
10kg to 12.5kg: 8
12.5kg to 15kg: 6
15kg to 17.5kg: 5
17.5kg to 20kg: 4
20kg to 22.5kg: 4
22.5kg to 25kg: 4
25kg to 27.5kg: 3
27.5kg to 30kg: 3
30kg to 32.5kg: 3
32.5kg to 35kg: 3
35kg to 37.5kg: 3
37.5kg to 40kg: 2
40kg to 42.5kg: 2
.
.
.
72.5kg to 75kg: 2
75kg to 77.5kg: 1
77.5kg to 80kg: 1

The minimum number of reps required to progress up the weights for kettlebells with 4kg increments:

8kg to 12kg: 15
12kg to 16kg:10
16kg to 20kg: 8
20kg to 24kg: 6
24kg to 28kg: 5
28kg to 32kg: 5

The minimum number of reps required to progress up the weights for clubbells with 5lb increments:

5lb to 10lb: 30
10lb to 15lb: 15
15lb to 20lb: 10
20lb to 25lb: 8
25lb to 35lb: 12
35lb to 45lb: 9

Comments: The heavier the working weight, the less reps are required to move up a weight. At weights of 75kg and above (for barbells) it is possible to work singles and go up the next weights.

14 Jun 2013 - Moderate: Convict Conditioning

Push Up
76cm Height: 20
Knee: 15
Full: 50, 50

Leg Raise
Flat Bent Leg: 20
Flat Frog: 15
Flat Straight: 50, 50

Push Up Bottom Hold: 1 min 14 sec

Leg Raise Bottom Hold: 53 sec

RPE: 6

11 Jun 2013 -Moderate: Convict Conditioning

Handstand Push Up
Frog: 30 sec, 30 sec
Wall Handstand: 1 min 42 sec, 1 min14 sec

Bridge
Shoulder Bridge: 20
Table Lift: 15
Rear Plank Lift: 50, 50

Rocca Wall Hold: 1 min 30 sec

Bridge Hold: 1 min 2 sec

RPE: 6

8 June 2013 - High: 5/3/1 Deadlift

Deadlift
35kg x 5
45kg x 5
53kg x 5
58kg x 5
65kg x 5
75kg x 9

CB 1H Arm Cast
10lb:20/20
15lb: 15/15
20lb: 12/12

Pull Up Bottom Hold: 1 min 41 sec

RPE: 6

7 June 2013 - Moderate: Convict Conditioning

Push Up
73cm Height: 20
39.5cm Height: 16
Full: 50, 40

Leg Raise
Flat Knee: 20
Flat Bent: 15
Flat Frog: 50, 50

Push Up Bottom Hold: 1 min 6 sec

Leg Raise Bottom Hold: 47 sec

RPE: 6

4 June 2013 - Moderate: Convict Conditioning

Row
Vertical Row: 20
Vertical Row Leg Forward: 15
Bent Leg Row: 20 (set interrupted by gym instructor :P), 50, 50

Row Top Hold: 43 sec

Row Hang Hold: 2 min 54 sec

RPE: 6

Comments: Better performance after a No and Low day as compared to Low day only.

Wanted to do Deadlift after rows but was chased out of the gym by the instructor. :P

1 Jun 2013 - Moderate: Convict Conditioning

Handstand Push Up
Wall Headstand: 30 sec
Frog Stand: 30 sec
Wall Handstand: 1 min 38 sec, 1 min 3 sec

Bridge
Shoulder Bridge: 20
Table Lift: 15
Rear Plank Lift: 31, 28

Rocca Decline Scapular Circle: 30 Forward, 26 Backward

Cuban Rotation 2x5kg: 15, 15

Bridge Hold: 57 sec

RPE: 6