TACFIT MAss Assault Level 2 Report

So i have just finished Cycle 5 (Level 2) of Mass Assault.

Check out the video here:


Overall Level 2 difficulty is up a notch from Level 1. Some of the movements were altered significantly from the original to accommodate the different grip of the Clubbells.

Some comments on specific exercises:

Bridge Press Twist (L2) is just a subtle difference in movement compared to Bridge Press Hammer (L1) but it makes an unexpectedly huge difference in the difficulty. After finishing L1 with 13 reps, i expected to be able to crank out at least 11 reps in L2, but the first time i did it, my muscles were spent at 9 reps.

At first i tried the Windmill with torch grip, but realised it was too unstable. Going through it sets after sets with the Clubbell up in torch would be suicide so i changed it to leverage grip which is more stable. Stable but humbling. I could only grip it at the end of the cone. Crazy! To do it at zero choke is a superhuman feat, which is something i can work towards.

As an aside, in the midst of designing the Clubbell variations for this program, i have discovered (or rediscovered, if somebody has done them before) some really cool and tough variations of the Windmill, Side Press and Bent Press. This would be covered in a future video. ;)

Lunge Twist Press (L2) is much more unstable compared to Twisting Press (L1). It is a challenge just to guide the bells in its proper path.

Push Press (L2) is changed to Arm Cast because, as mentioned above, to torch the Clubbell with one hand, it is suicide. It is very tough already anyway at the end of the set after five grinds.

Alright, Level 3 is up next but my schedule is going to be disrupted with an overseas assignment so i would displace it by two full cycles. Meaning i have to repeat Cycle 5 again.

Overall a very humbling experience. The Clubbells are only 15lbs but some of the movements i can only perform them at full choke or even more at the cone. This only shows that you don't really need dumbbells for this program. To go to zero choke for all exercises is a feat in itself.

Till then, stay tuned.

TACFIT Mass Assault Level 1 Report

Hey guys, just a little bit of introduction why i came up with a Clubbell version of Mass Assault.

1) I have no dumbbells and i am not about to fork out another hundred bucks or so getting a set of dumbbells. I could get a set cheaper from my kettlebell supplier but the next shipment is not so soon, so that option is out.

2) I already have Clubbells, obviously. And might as well use them. And since they are designed for micro increments of load through adjusting the choke depth, they are perfect for this program. Just requires some thinking to figure out the movements with them.

3) I have kettlebells, and could do some variations like what CST Coach Shane Heins does. But i have no interest in switching between Clubbells and kettlebells and having more than 2 pieces of equipment at any one workout.

Take note that the exercises are meant to be done back to back, so the less switching and less changing of equipment is better.

Just like the majority of Singaporeans, i live in a HDB flat which is quite cramped and have low ceiling. So i prefer to train oudoors. And that means i have to lug my equipment with me. I don't have nor live in a gym. And i am not going to lug a few kettlebells and a few Clubbells at any one time.

So here's a short video of what i did.



Ok, enough about why. Just a bit of feedback after my Cycle 1 High Day.

The protocol of 3.5 minutes on, 1 minute off, with all exercises back to back is really a killer. Every round, i must have done at least 50 total reps. The name of the game in this program is time under tension (TUT) and the protocol does an excellent job of making sure you have the required TUT for muscle gain.

And it is all grinds after grinds (i hate grinds!) except for the last exercise whereby you are given a slight break with a ballistic.

If you know me, i have not been doing any hypertrophy program for ages. Switching from Commando to Mass Assault is a 180 degrees turn in the kind of demand to the body. From burst-recover-burst to sustained effort.

The program calls for six rounds of 3.5 minutes. Just one round is tough enough. My whole body already feels the fatigue not even halfway through the first round.

And double the evil is the use of Clubbells. In this program i am using only 15lbs. If you are familiar with them, you'd know that the grip is the limiting factor for practically all exercises. And boy they do fry the grip like no other. Twisting Press is designed for one hand in the original dumbbell version, but to Torch Press the Clubbell one handed, after four grip intensive exercises before it takes inhuman strength.

Anyway, that's it for now. Stay tuned for Level 2. ;)

Tacfit Commando Recruit Mission 2 After Action Report

So i have just completed Recruit Mission 2.

On the surface, the movements looks innocent enough and don't seem to look tough at all. It looks to be easier than Mission 1. Hey, the dreaded Push Ups are no more there.

However, looks are deceiving.

In Mission 1 i had some excess energy to do some extra GTG pull ups and pistols, but not in Mission 2.


Revolving Table is easy. I maxed out my reps for this exercise from the first couple of cycles.

Bear Squats are harder than they look. I forgot that there was a Lunge Twist in the beginning of the workout to fatigue the legs.

For Scorpion Crucifix, with my vest on, the movement is a lot more restrictive.

With the vest, Bridge Clap is actually easier than without, as there is less height to raise the hips. But transitioning to and from standing is more cumbersome. That itself is an exercise that i did not expect.

Overall experience was refreshing as Mission 1. Vest and no vest, boots and no boots, all made a big difference in the ease of movement.

Next, i am taking a break from Commando and taking on Mass Assault with Clubbells ONLY.

Stay tuned.

But Your Exercise is so Strenuous

When i show you explosive movements like kettlebell swings and invite you to join me, what would you think?



I bet more than one of you would say "but your exercise is so strenuous", or if you are more blunt "i think it is too strenuous for me therefore no thanks".

But is that just your perception or the reality? Can we quantify what is strenuous? To put it more specifically, can we quantify intensity? What are the some of the factors that affect intensity?

In this article, i hope to address some of these questions and remove the apprehension that some may have regarding proper exercise.

Resistance

Which is more intense, lifting 10kg or 100kg? Obviously the answer is 100kg. Manipulating resistance is one of the easiest way to changing intensity.

Volume

This refers to the total work done. Assuming you are running at a fixed pace, which is more intense, running 1km or 10km? Obviously the answer is 10km.

Even if you run slow enough, at an enough volume, it would feel intense. An example is marathon.

Pace or tempo

This refers to the frequency of the exercise being done. Assuming you are doing a total of 100 push ups. Which is more intense, 1 push up every minute for 100 minutes or 1 push up every 4 seconds for 400 seconds? Obviously 1 push up every 4 seconds.

Rest periods

Related to the point above. Assuming you are doing 10 sets of 10 push ups. Which is more intense, 1 hour rest between sets or 1 minute rest between sets? Obviously the answer is 1 minute rest.

Motor complexity (sophistication)

This refers to how complex are the movements used in the workout. This one has not such a straightforward answer as all the other variables. But we'll still attempt to compare like with like.

Which is more intense:
1) 10 pull ups followed by 10 dips or
2) 10 muscle ups? A muscle up is a pull up and a dip combined.



Though the resistance is the same, and the volume is the same, most people would agree that the muscle ups are more intense. Why is that so? A simple explanation is that because the nervous system has to work harder because of the higher level of motor complexity.

So back to our issue "but your exercise is so strenuous". I have received this comment from people looking solely at the movement, ie before even considering resistance, tempo, rest period etc.

So it is clear that in their mind, the more complex the movement is, the more intense is the exercise.

I am going to tell you that this is not true. All of the variables i listed above play a part in determining intensity, ie they are all inter-related.

Let's take an example. Soccer vs marathon. It is obvious that soccer involves more skill than just running, ie soccer skills are more complex than running. But anybody who has common sense would tell you that playing an hour of soccer is easier than completing a marathon.

Other examples would be speaking, writing, typing, driving, playing musical instruments. These are skills much more complex than kettlebell lifting, yet a big majority of the population engage in them. Are they strenuous activities?

So what to do? In the above example, i purposely choose an apple vs orange comparison because in real life that is how people compare things. Kettlebell lifting is compared with other more common sports and is perceived to be "more strenuous".

What makes you think that kettlebell lifting is more strenuous than marathon? I think marathon is more strenous than kettlebell lifting.

To put a stop to all ambiguity, we'll use a quantifiable measure. Assign a number to the intensity and we can compare like with like. This number is the Rate of Perceived Effort (RPE). This is the subjective measure of the performer of the movement on what is the effort he/she exerts. On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being no intensity, 1 minimal and 10 maximal.

Taking the soccer vs marathon example again. An hour of recreational soccer maybe would have a variable RPE of 6 maybe 7 (moderate). A marathon would likely be a 10 (high) for most mere mortals.

Is it a perfect measure? By no means, but it makes for a more meaningful comparison between different activities.

So if i am doing my kettlebell practice and my RPE for that session is 5 (moderate), is it strenuous?

Take Home Lessons From Various Disciplines

If you could summarize in one sentence what is the biggest impact each discipline made on me what would it be?

Here is mine.

Artistic gymnastics. Taught me the importance of perfect technique for all exercises.

Eastern martial arts. Taught me how to use the hips and core for strength.

Bodybuilding. Taught me the classic lifts of weight training and their technique.

Capoeira. Taught me liberation of movement from classical gymnastics and sophistication.

Physiotherapy. Taught me the importance of keeping yourself free from injuries and how.

Strength & Conditioning. Taught me the tools for physical training in a systematic manner.

Kettlebell Lifting. Taught me the value of overhead lifting, endurance and relaxation.

Circular Strength Training. Taught me all of the above combined and more in a systematic manner.

Mass Produced Programs vs Customized Programs

Have you heard of people designing their own programs based around isolation or machine exercises?

Have you heard of people designing their own programs based on ineffective exercises and wonder why they don't make progress or reach their fitness goals?

I believe the answer to the above questions is yes for a lot of people. I was guilty of these at certain points in my training experience.

I want to bring to your attention the value of good, well designed, mass produced fitness programs.

Are you crazy, Herman? Isn't every body different? And hence different program design tailored to individual needs?

Let's take an analogy here. Would you rather buy a ready made car or custom made your own design (and maybe manufacture it to your specification)?

For most of us, the obvious answer is a ready made car. Unless you have the expertise to custom make your own car, nobody in their right mind would venture out to invest precious time and money on a project not guaranteed to work.

Yet this is what we see in the fitness world. Newbies or weekend warriors "create" their own program (if it can be called a program at all) without guidance from a personal trainer or fitness professional and wonder why they are not losing enough fat or not getting their back pain free.

On the other hand, mass produced fitness programs designed by "master coaches" or somebody of extensive expertise and experience are more likely to work better, a lot better, than these frankenstein programs. Of course there are lousy mass produced fitness programs but that is another story.

See it this way, my friend, these coaches have spent time in the trenches to study human performance much longer and deeper than you do. They have studied the art and science of program design more than you do. Therefore they know how to design effective programs better than you do. Why wouldn't you want to try them out? Why do you think you can do a better job than them? Why reinvent the wheel and take the risk of it not working?

If you have not done a good mass produced fitness program and feel its effect on your own body, what makes you think you can gauge the effect of your own frankenstein program?

Put it another way, if you can't follow a recipe, what makes you think you can create a good recipe?

I have always been fascinated by good program design. I purchase a lot of mass produced fitness programs designed by Scott Sonnon and the guys at CST. And i learn a lot more about program design just studying their programs than trying to design my own programs from guides.

Well designed mass produced programs are well worth the investment into educating yourself in program design. You can study all the guides in the world but if you have never experienced a good program, you can't design a good program as you have nothing to compare with.

How can you be sure that mass produced programs work for everyone?

For the simple reason that everybody is different. Therefore even though everybody may be doing the same exercises, each person is getting a different effect from each exercise. So in this manner there is customization within the program.

Let's just take an arbitrary program composed of just two movements as an example 1) squat and 2) push up.

Two athletes are doing the same program. Athlete A is strong in the upper body, weak in the lower body. Athlete B is strong in the lower body, weak in the upper body.

A may have a hard time with the squats but breezing through the push ups.

B may have a hard time with the push ups but breezing through the squats.

Two totally opposite effects for two different people doing the same program. But the training effects are going to create a better balance between their upper body and lower body.

People are have different mobility, flexibility, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance and many more factors that you cannot expect any two people to get the exact same effect.

Left to themselves A would prefer push ups and B would prefer squats, at the exclusion of the other exercise. We are just lazy bastards who hate what we don't do well in. But with a mass produced program, each is forced to fight through their weaknesses and become a more balanced athlete.

Are you struggling with ineffective programs? Three options for you:
1) Join our FlowfitⓇ class.
2) Take up personal training.
3) Purchase any of the products that i have on the right side bar and do them.

Keep me updated of your progress.

If I Let You Use The Equipment, You'll Realize You Don't Need Me

 I came across this interesting article 10 Things Your Personal Trainer Won't Tell You.

Most of the points talks about the business side and interpersonal relationship of the personal training business. Some of these are indeed true of not-so-ethical trainers.

However, what caught my interest the most was this:

5. "If I let you use the equipment, you'll realize you don't need me."

Does your trainer steer you away from the abs machine, making you do crunches with a medicine ball instead? Trainers are sometimes told not to spend too much time teaching clients how to use the big equipment for fear that once they get comfortable, they'll want to go it alone. That's why trainers might emphasize coordination exercises and rely on smaller props like stability balls, resistance tubing or bands, and balance tools, the three types of gear most frequently used by trainers. This type of "functional training" helps prep clients for popular recreational activities like tennis and skiing, as well as basic movements like bending down during household chores. But larger equipment also has its benefits; it can bring speedy results in strength-building and help keep weight off.

"The best trainers serve clients by helping them become independent exercisers," Cotton says. He suggests asking prospective trainers how they'll help you get there. A spokesperson for the National Exercise Trainers Association says it encourages trainers to prove to clients there's more to working out than using big machines, in part because of the benefits of functional training.

Though i agree with the conclusion to help people "become independent exercisers", but the heading and reasoning given in para 1 is really disturbing.

Overall i find this article is missing the point of the real nature of exercise instruction. A gross misunderstanding on the nature of motor learning.

The article seems to suggest that:

1) You can do machines or functional movements in exclusion of the other.

I won't go through all that debate of machines vs free weights.

The article seems to suggest that functional training is not needed. Of course the use of the specific functional training equipment is not needed. I mean before people invented these equipment, people are already functional. But the idea of functional training needs to be there. Do you mean you don't train to improve your functions? What are you training for then?

The article compares the benefits of functional training against the benefits of machine training as strength-building and weight loss. Well, this is comparing apples to oranges.

Does that mean that functional training cannot give you strength and weight loss? The functional training exercises cited by the article, namely coordination exercises (only), without a strength and/or conditioning component of course can't give you strength and weight loss. You get what you train for.

I believe the author is not informed of CST's concept of motor sophistication, whereby you can and do strength & conditioning with complex movement. If you are the author of the article, i urge you to check out CST.

I won't go further into what sophistication is as i have mentioned it many times.

2) And that a personal trainer is not needed to give instructions on any of their use and assumes that the client CAN and KNOWS what to do if he be "let" to use them on his own.

Whether the equipment in question is machines or functional training equipment is not the point. The point is clients need to be taught the proper way to exercise. Exercising, or general human movement in the larger context, is not something that anybody can do properly, due to the largely sedentary nature of modern urban life. People have just forgotten how to move properly. This is evidenced by the sheer number of sedentary related conditions and injuries.

Every activity is an integration of breathing, structure and movement. Within each, there are more points to cover than what the average personal trainer care to know. Most of these are not even taught in the typical personal trainer school.

Do you really think clients know what to do? I doubt so.

Note that we are not trying to make things seem more complicated that what things already are. But there are really deeper levels to what the average personal trainer education teaches. And these are important for real lasting fitness, health and performance.

Conclusion

A personal trainer is there to guide clients on exercises (and more). He is not a dispensable person. Just like there are professionals in all other disciplines, we are professionals when it comes to exercise and fitness.

Can you repair your own car without a mechanic or engineer, with proper training, tools and experience? Even if you can, can you do a better job than a professional?

TACFIT Mass Assault Review

The Beginning

I was introduced into physical culture when i was in my teens. Starting with involvement my high school gymnastics team. I was a slow learner, maybe amongst the slowest in the team. The strength & conditioning given by the seniors in the team was too hard for me to keep up and it followed no proper system.

At some point in time i made the decision to take up bodybuilding to improve my sport. Naive you can say, but i had no other access to proper training literature or know of any at that time.

It was 1994-95.

So i made friends with dumbbells and barbells and proper body mechanics for the classic weight training lifts like the deadlift, squat and others.

Fast Forward a Few Years

Gone through many muscle mags and training literature from various sources. The exercises seem to revolve around the same few. The orthodox ones would recommend programs based on the big three of squat, deadlift and bench. Bodybuilders would add isolation movements like curls and extensions etc. The unorthodox (i mean pumpers, sculptors, toners et al.) would recommend mainly isolation movements with light color coded dumbbells and stability training on various unstable surfaces.

Then there was the functional training boom in the early 2000s with kettlebells, Crossfit etc. Learned of many "functional exercises" from the rehab world. A lot of which are being misused by "core stability" gurus to substitute for real heavy weight training. Still yet there are some coaches who showed me the place of these exercises in a proper SnC program.

But nobody, yes nobody, ever told me that there are other innovative ways to train with the dumbbell, until TACFIT Mass Assault (TFMA).

TACFIT Mass Assault requires only two dumbbells

TFMA contains new twists (literally) to traditional linear movements with the dumbbells plus other new movements you have never seen before.

This is not your typical squat, bench, deadlift program. Not even military press. There are six movements in the program designed to move your body in the 6 degrees of freedom.

Where conventional programs tell you to add weight and keep the movements the same, TFMA tells you to keep the weight the same, and increase the motor complexity of your movements. After reaching a certain level of difficulty, start over with a slightly heavier weight.

Why does this appeal to me? Simple because i am bored with the classic lifts of the hardcore weight training scene. Furthermore i am not the muscle type. I am a skinny ectomorph who thrive on bodyweight exercise and ballistic lifts and suck at grinding heavy weights.

Why You Should Buy This Program

1) You do not have to make investment in new equipment. Just one or two dumbbells will do. If you already train in a globogym, you don't need to migrate to a "hardcore" gym. You do not need very heavy dumbbells for this program, in fact, get ready to downgrade a couple of kilos lighter when you start.

2) You want to train for mass gain? A lot of people do. But a lot do not know the protocol to use i.e. reps, sets, exercises. This is a mass gain program. No more guessing. Just follow the program to the letter.

3) As what you would expect from CST, this is another program that gives you a sneak peak into CST's rabbit hole. Joint mobility warm up and cooldown are also included in the program to ensure your progress. I won't go any further on this point. The quality is top notch, just like all other CST  products.

4) You would get show and go muscle. While classic weight training movements are designed for the weight room. TACFIT is designed for the tactical responder. Only movements that enhance a tactical operator's movement skills are included. There is no need to make yourself muscle bound.

5) Lastly it was free. Where can you get such a quality product for free? I would pay the full price of a DVD to get it but it was made available for free. What more can you ask for. It was bundled with another product from another coach but if you don't like that product you don't have to use it. It was cheap anyway.

- Edit -

6) There are two complete programs (with warm ups and cool downs) included as bonuses: Drift and Accelerator. One uses bodyweight only, the other is optimized for medicine ball. These bonuses are BIG. These bonuses extend the lifespan of the full package to 4 months or more of solid muscle building program. Each bonus alone can cost the full price of the original Mass Assault.

Click on this pic to purchase TACFIT Mass Assault:

2nd Review of TACFIT Commando

So i have just completed Recruit Mission 1.

However i was not content just doing bodyweight only. Hence i added some extra weight onto my bodyweight to make the exercises harder and more realistic. In the military, we all dreaded walking with our combat gear on, even if it is just Skeletal Battle Order (boots + vest  + helmet). Just a few kilos of additional weight makes moving that much more difficult than in PT attire. I am determined to make myself feel comfortable moving with combat load.

So this is what i did:
Cycle 1: PT attire
Cycle 2: PT attire
Cycle 3: PT attire
Cycle 4: Boots
Cycle 5: Boots
Cycle 6: Boots + (vest with 4kg of water)
Cycle 7: Boots + (vest with 4kg of water) + hat*

*At first i wanted to use my helmet for Cycle 7 but my chin strap is the old version which is not the most secure, so i'll give it a miss this time. Would get the new chin strap next time and do with the helmet.

Cycle 1-3

Easy and simple. Light as per usual. Nothing to report, really.

Cycle 4-5

Immediate jump in difficulty. Number of reps per exercise immediately reduced by 1-2.

Didn't feel much added resistance when walking in boots, but doing complex movements like the Sit Thru Knee was much harder. Not only did the boots restricts the feet and ankle mobility, but they also add extra mass at the end of the limbs, much like a weighted club.

Cycle 6-7

Another immediate jump in difficulty and reduction in reps by 1-2.

The Vest is the killer. With 4kg of water sloshing around, stability requirement for each exercise is increased. For the first time in my life, Sit Thru Knee and Tripod Overhead gave me significant fatigue in the arms and legs, especially arms.

Push Ups were a different animal with the Vest compared to without. With loaded magazine pockets at the side of the waist, i can't pinch my ribs with my elbows as effectively as before.

If you are planning to wear a vest in your training like me, please wear a long sleeved shirt. I learned it the hard way when i had abrasions on my arms from rubbing the elbows against the Vest.

Conclusion

I now have a better appreciation of the difficulty of moving with combat load. I wonder why they did not train us like this when we were in the military. PT was always in PT attire. No wonder we felt so sluggish in combat load as we have never trained with it.

Looking forward to my next reservist with renewed interest.

Why Do You Need to Lower the Heart Rate?

I was asked this question in a FlowfitⓇ class i conducted recently at a local organization.

Now, let's just assume that you are just an average trainee who exercise regularly but are not hardcore (which most people are). And you know that the goal in (fat loss) exercise is to increase the heart rate. So it would seem counterintuitive to try to lower the heart rate between rounds through Recovery Breathing and the techniques associated with it.

Why decrease the heart rate between rounds when the goal of each round is to raise the heart rate as much as you can?

Actually the goal of each round is not exactly to raise the heart rate as much as you can, but to do as much work as you can;
i) with as high skill as you can and
ii) with as little distress as possible.

Let's compare two people, doing the same task, say walking at 6km/h for 10 minutes. At the end of the task, person A has a heart rate of 80 bpm, person B has a heart rate of 90 bpm. Which person is "fitter"?

Assuming both start at the same heart rate, the answer is obviously A.

Take note that fine motor skills degrade as heart rate raises. At Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) the degradation of skills can be so severe that you would not be able to access any of your trained skills at all.

Let's say you are involved in a particular sport (or a fight), because of the adrenaline released, your heart rate increases. If the heart rate raises so high that you can't access your skills, then you are dead. I have never been in a real fight before, but those of you who have can attest to this.

The person who can keep his heart rate lower while maintaining the accessibility to his skills is a better athlete.

So now there are two goals you are training for:
1) To keep heart rate as low as possible while maintaining a high rate of work.
2) To maintain the accessibility of your skills while your heart rate is high.

For goal 1), this is done by conditioning, to improve work capacity. Many systems out there excel in this.  As your body gets accustomed to increasing work capacity, there is less distress every time you go through the same work output.

Say you did a Moderate Intensity workout today. You do a High Intensity workout tomorrow, you should be able to do more work tomorrow than today.

For goal 2), this is done by increasing the motor complexity (called sophistication in CST), while maintaining a high Effort (RPE) level.

So instead of just increasing work capacity for the same movements over and over, we seek to increase the motor complexity while maintaining the same work capacity.

Anybody maintain a high Effort level, pedalling wildly on a stationary cycle is an example.

But not everybody can maintain high skills in a high Effort level, like pedalling wildly on a racing bike, being chased by a pack of guard dogs, weaving through rush hour traffic, on a road full of pot holes.

Numerically speaking, Technique (RPT) decreases as Effort (RPE) and Discomfort (RPD) increases.

That is why when you are practicing* a certain movement, it feels easy until you start to do reps. At some work output level, your technique would degrade and the movement would feel difficult.

How to improve your ability to perform complex movements in a high stress situation? The general rule is to only increase the sophistication in when you maintain:
i) Technique at 8 or higher,
ii) Discomfort at 3 or below,
iii) Effort drops to 6 and below.
These three criteria must be met before increasing the sophistication in your training**.

How to increase sophistication? That's a topic that i would cover next time. For now, just compare the different levels in FlowfitⓇ to have an idea.

Stay tuned.

*Practice is defined as technique work aimed to increase proficiency of certain skills.
**Training is defined as strength & conditioning work to increase strength, endurance, cardiovascular endurance or any combination of these.