So You Think You Have to Train Three Times A Week

Alright folks, the original 4x7 template may not be suitable for everyone, especially those who revolve their lives around the 7 day cycle.

So does that mean that you can go back to the conventional 3 times a week microcycle? One day on one day off, two days on one day off etc.? So you have to keep weekends free? And many other concerns?

Do not fret. Here are two official variations from the classic 4x7 model: the 7x4.

Version 1

Day 1: No Intensity

Day 2: Low Intensity

Day 3: Moderate Intensity

Day 4: No Intensity

Day 5: Low Intensity

Day 6: Moderate Intensity

Day 7: High Intensity

Version 2

Day 1: No Intensity

Day 2: No Intensity

Day 3: Low Intensity

Day 4: Low Intensity

Day 5: Moderate Intensity

Day 6: Moderate Intensity

Day 7: High Intensity

The definition of No, Low, Mod and High can be found in my previous post.

Repeat the 7 day cycle 4 times for a total of 28 days.

Using these variations, you can keep the microcycle the same every week. If you need to keep your weekends free, just put Saturday or Sunday as No or Low, depending on which version you are using.

Again, if you are asking why they are scheduled like this, it is to ensure that you have enough recovery before doing any High Intensity training. Each day in the cycle serves a purpose and therefore they are placed in this order.

Have fun with your training.

If you need me to structure a 7x4 cycle for you, please do not hesitate to visit my website or email me at hermanchauw@gmail.com

If You Think You are Hardcore, You Need to Read This

I encounter these comment/questions frequently (not exact words but the idea is there, emphasis mine):

"Everytime after i go to the gym, i am sore for a few days. Anything wrong? What should i do?"

"My arms are sore from yesterday's session. Can i go to the gym today?"

"Keep doing pullups until you cannot do any more. Do everyday."

So the impression i get from this type of comments are that:

1) They are training High Intensity every time they go to the gym.

2) Training has to be High Intensity, aka "Go Heavy or Go Home".

3) Training means training to failure, otherwise it's not counted.

Are you doing these or any combinations of these?

If you do, you are looking for trouble. If you are young and/or just starting out, probably some of these methods can work, for some time. But it is just that, for some time. You need to balance the work forces and the restorative forces to have real long lasting progress and freedom from injury.

It is just a matter of time that you would hit a wall, get sick or get injured. It is just a natural law. When you are training, you are breaking your body down. If you don't give it the recovery it needs, it won't get stronger. And by recovery i don't mean passive rest. I mean doing joint mobility, yoga and other light activities to enhance the natural recovery rate.

Whether you train 3x per week, 5x per week or 6x per week is not so much a matter as getting full recovery before you hit another High Intensity session. If you are training High Intensity every two days, your High Intensity will get lower and lower as you don't get enough recovery. Even if you are training different bodyparts on every session, the fatigue goes systemic.

Anyway, rather than boring you with options - you can get confused from too many choices - which you don't know how or what to choose, i would just propose to you a better way to periodize your microcycle and mesocycle. If you don't know what these mean, Google them. I am not going to spoonfeed you.

Why do i say that you don't know what to choose? Finding the perfect training split for each individual is a time consuming process. And if you are just an average guy training without an expert coach, you would do better following a proven formula than trying to come up with your own perfect training split. I say formula because it is just a guideline. It is not a must to do this. But this template is good enough that you do not need to tinker with it for good results. And i can vouch that the results can be better than if you try to tweak it.

I myself would rather and do follow this formula to the letter than try to find a perfect training split.

The formula is none other than the 4x7 (pronounced "four by seven").

Day 1: No Intensity (RPE 1-2)
AM: Intu-Flow joint mobility ONLY

Day 2: Low Intensity (RPE 3-4)
AM: Intu-Flow joint mobility
PM: Prasara Yoga

Day 3: Moderate Intensity (RPE 5-7)

AM: Intu-Flow joint mobility

Moderate intensity workout. Of course it is assumed that you do your warm up and cool down.

PM: Prasara Yoga

Day 4: High Intensity (RPE 8-10)

AM: Intu-Flow joint mobility

High intensity workout. Of course it is assumed that you do your warm up and cool down.

PM: Prasara Yoga

And you repeat these four consecutive days seven times for a total of 28 days.

Now i know what is your concern. "Doing only one High Intensity session every four days is not enough." But without going through the technical explanations, in the simplest explanation, these four days are designed in such a way to maximize your performance. It is designed to ride the wave of your body's natural recovery and energy fluctuations. Any more frequent and your High Intensity would suffer.

Of course this formula will not work for 100% of the population. You can tweak it to your own unique rhythm. I am not going to tell you just yet how to tweak it. Because tendency for people who are told "do this" is that they would ask "can i do this instead, or this, or this". Just do this for a start. You will notice a difference not just in your performance but also your health.

If you don't know how to craft your own 4x7, get me for personal training.

Casting My Bread Upon the Waters

Dear Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

For this post-Youth Olympic Games season i am going to give away 5 free personal training packages (up to SGD$990 value) for 5 Singapore people. That’s right 5 personal training packages absolutely free of charge.

What you need to do to get yours is submit a 200-word story of yourself and why you should get it. This offer is open for five days from 2 September through 6 September 2010. Submit your story by hitting the “comment” button now. Only comments submitted within these five days would be considered for the free training.

These packages comprise of:


-Free fitness consultation(s) to discuss your goals and program options.

-Free coaching on the exercises and everything you need to know to negotiate through your training program.

The five spots available are open to:


1) One chronic pain rehab client (back pain, knee pain, chronic ankle sprain etc.)

2) One post-op rehab client (ACL recon, meniscus repair etc.)

3) One strength & conditioning client (for golf, ball sports, martial arts etc.)

4) One prehab client (sedentary but otherwise pain free and want to have better overall fitness)

5) One fat loss client (looking to lose weight but otherwise pain free)

Terms and conditions:


-Follow the program(s) to the letter. Which means you may need to purchase training programs and/or equipment. You will need to get out of your comfort zone and get uncomfortable doing something different from what you have been doing. You are required to keep a training log and submit it regularly to me through email. You are required to write a testimonial and/or review at certain intervals.

-Training times are flexible, however location would be at my place (Blk 128 Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, Singapore 310128) or somewhere at my convenience.

-I reserve the right to terminate any packages if you do not follow instructions.

Click here to submit your story now -> http://www.hermanchauw.com/free-personal-training/

My Journey to TACFIT

When the original TACFIT program was published in late 2008 i didn't pay much attention to it. I was having the time of my life training kettlebell sport (aka Girevoy Sport) and making a lot of improvement through the 4x7 periodization model.

Actually i wasn't really into kb sport per se. If you know me, i am not a fan of air-conditioned commercial or public gyms which are infested with either bodybuilding types or toning types. Therefore since a long time ago, my mainstay is training outdoor or at home, using bodyweight or portable equipment.

What i was looking for, and am now still looking for (or i would love to say have found, in TACFIT, but that still has to be proven until i finish the whole program), was a sustainable, fast, efficient, effective training program(s) and tool(s) that can be done anytime anywhere. Giving you elite fitness (attributes of strength, strength endurance, cardio respiratory endurance) and skills (complex movement in 6 degrees of freedom (dof)) in minimal time and maximal results.

Classic kb lifting (aka kb sport) was (and still is) marketed as the best (if not one of the best) tools to achieve the said goals. And therefore i jumped into the deep end of the pool to be one of the first kb instructors in Singapore (2006). Indeed it is fast, efficient and effective in giving you the results of the said goals.

I wasn't really into the sport of kb lifting per se, but it was one of the only tool that i knew at that time that fits my requirements. Other systems which included olympic lifts and/or power lifts do not interest me because of the specialized equipment required. I had nothing to lose by picking it up anyway, so i immersed myself in reps after reps under the bells, doing the competition lifts and their variations in the hundreds. It felt great. And i have the Low Intensity Days to practice my bodyweight agility and coordination which keeps my bodyweight movements polished.

I thought i had the perfect training system. Anyway i am training my whole body every workout. And it has been touted to have great carry over to other activities. So i thought.

The programs i learned at CST (Clubbell swinging, Flowfit, Forward Pressure etc) were kept in the closet.

Until i picked up Krav Maga. I haven't punched in years since my Taekwondo days. While i was proficient in kicking and supporting my bodyweight on my hands from capoeira and Prasara, i was not used to explosive movements involving the arms (remember kb sport is about as much legs and as little arms as possible). Doing just a little boxing drills made my arms very sore for days. Taking impact on my upper limbs doing the 360 defense made my arms sore for days.

Wake up call! What the heck is going on? I could jerk and long cycle two 24kg bells for ten minutes, jerk one such bell for 30 minutes or more, and my upper limbs can't even take the abuse of combative classes? I achieved Rank I of World Kettlebell Club rankings in the long cycle unofficially in my training and i can't even take hits to my body?

It's time to rethink my training program. Alright, so locking out the bells reps after reps overhead does little for my functional fitness, functional defined as suited for my activities. Am i in control of my training, or is my training controlling me? What do i really want? A sport? I need a more rounded fitness system, one that not only moves my body in the 6dof, but also to move external objects in these directions, including explosive movements.

Just a few weeks after this realization, Coach Scott Sonnon released TACFIT Commando (TFC). Time to empty my cup and let the Flow Coach fill it. Since i already am a fan of bodyweight exercise, i bought it the moment it was out. It is the best bodyweight training program i ever learned. Though i have a bigger vocabulary from capoeira, but with regards to learning how to put it together into a training program, TFC does a much better job.

Yet i was still reluctant to buy the original TACFIT program, cost being the biggest factor, and the other is the equipment required.

And then my client Chad from Vietnam wanted to have a TACFIT cert held there, and since Sascha my Krav Maga instructor has already wanted me to conduct physical training (PT) for the KM class in the future, i jumped out of the swimming pool of TFC into the ocean of the original TACFIT.

Having been introduced to various protocols used in TACFIT from various sources, Tabata from TFC and TF Rope, "every minute on the minute" and "as many rounds as possible" from Flowfit and "for time" from Trial By Fire, i was already excited about doing it even before i reviewed all the 26 workouts.

I have just finished Bravo and it is too early to say how this program would transform my fitness abilities but i have big expectations. Not only does it include kettlebell movements, which i have drilled into my nervous system for the past few years, but at the highest levels, the kettlebell required is 32kg. Some programs require the use of 1 or 2 Clubbells and the highest levels call for 35lbs or 45lbs.

At time of writing this article, i believe i have in my hands the ultimate fitness (sub)system ever created. Not only does it have bodyweight training (which is my favourite anyway), kb lifting (my love affair for the past couple of years) and Clubbell swinging (pretty much uncharted territory other than the Trial By Fire), but it has all of them or a combination of a few of them at every program. No two consecutive program is the same. To be able to complete the highest levels for every program is a big achievement with a capital "B". It will take a few years to progress to Alpha for every program.

Alright that's all i want to say for now. Meanwhile i am going to enjoy my journey through the 26 programs and post my review regularly on Rmax forums.

Oh before i forget, TACFIT certification course is going to be held in Singapore on 7-8 Dec, 20010. Right after the CST Instructor Cert and Flowfighting. Please book a spot for yourself asap if you want to be part of this revolution.

And i would like to invite you to join me in my trainings as i go through the programs to prepare for the cert.

Drop me an email at hermanchauw@gmail.com.

And i recommend you to pick up the TACFIT program or TACFIT Commando. You won't regret buying them.

Be Conservative

It has come to my attention that people coming for my classes, or people who start a physical training program, inevitably try to do too much on the first day. This is a sure ticket to burnout.

The reason being you think that the workout is too tough for you, resulting in you not continuing the program.

Defeats the purpose of you starting it in the first place.

A more reasonable approach would be to follow the 4x7 (or 7x4 if your schedule revolves around the weekly cycle) periodization model:

Day 1: No Intensity RPE 1-2
AM: A long session of Intu-Flow joint mobility.

Day 2: Low Intensity RPE 3-4
AM: A long session of Intu-Flow joint mobility (as above)
PM: A long session of Prasara Yoga.

Day 3: Moderate Intensity RPE 5-7
AM: A long session of Intu-Flow joint mobility (as above)
Workout: A short session of Intu-Flow joint mobility, followed by a Moderate Intensity workout, cool down with a short session of Prasara Yoga.
PM: A long session of Prasara Yoga (as above, optional)

Day 4: High Intensity RPE 8-10

AM: A long session of Intu-Flow joint mobility (as above)

Workout: A short session of Intu-Flow joint mobility, followed by a High Intensity workout, cool down with a short session of Prasara Yoga.

PM: A long session of Prasara Yoga (as above, optional)

Repeat the 4-day cycle 7 times for a total of 28 days. Every time you are on a High Day, increase your work load (usually volume) to increase the intensity one notch. Maintain it for the next Moderate Day. And repeat the whole process for each cycle.

In other words, your first workout must be a Moderate Intensity one. This would prime your body (and brain) for the High Intensity session to follow.

Another very important reason is you want to ensure that your technique is sound (RPT 8-10) for all your workouts. The Moderate Day is the time for you to practice your technique. When fatigue is minimal at the beginning of the workout, your technique would be superb. But as fatigue builds up towards the middle and end of the session, your technique would be harder to keep at a high level. If your technique is not stable, if you have not practiced is sufficiently, it would deteriorate, putting you at risk of injury. And we don't want injury.

There is no rush to hit a High Intensity on the first day. You need to restrain yourself and follow the intensity wave of no-low-mod-high. There would be days when your energy is high and you want to hit a High Intensity Day, but you need restrain yourself and follow the prescribed program for that day. If you have followed instructions properly, you would be rewarded with seven High Intensity Days in a month, ie seven performance peaks. Yes, not three, not four, but seven. Does that sound good to you? No other program promises such improvement as this.

Alright that's it for today. Let me know your experiences with the 4x7 by posting a comment.

TACFIT Mass Assault Level 4

Fially finished Level 4 of Mass Assault.

Check out the video here:


Comments on specific exercises:

RDL Curl (L4) is very demanding on the balance.

Bridge Press Alternating Stabilized (L4) is tough but not that tough. A fun exercise for repping out. After blasting your arms and shoulders with it, the Bent Press (L4) is a welcome treat. Less brute strength from the arms and using more skill to lockout the weight. Even if you wanted to, your arms would be spent from all the pressing.

Bent Over Row Alternating Stabilized (L4) is a beast. I feel that it is the toughest in terms of strength used. Every part of your body is just screaming for mercy from the exercise.

Dragon Stance Lift Up (L4) is crazy hard on the balance.

Clean and Arm Cast (L4) is another fun one which can be done in high reps. A good mix of ballistic and grind in one exercise.

On the other note, the question that i assume is on everybody's mind is "how much muscle have you gained"?

To be frank, my program hasn't been ideal, with travels and lack of proper equipment. However, i did gain a kg, from 57+ to 58+kg. Not bad if you consider the unideal situation. If i had the proper equipment, i believe i could have gained a little bit more.

Clubbell Mass Assault Level 3

I am back home and resumed my mass assault 4x7. I only displaced my schedule by one cycle, not two as mentioned before as i took a few days of No/Low for the days i was on the road.

So here is Level 3:

Comments on specific exercises:

One Leg Romanian Deadlift (L3) is unexpectedly easy.

Bridge Press Alternating (L3) is slightly harder than Bridge Press Twist (L2). Not as big of a jump as from L1 to L2.

Ditto for Side Press (L3).

Bent Over Row (L3) is much harder than Incline Row (L2). Since it is not possible to use the barbell grip without hitting my face. The reverse leverage grip makes it tough on the grip and overall tension demand.

Split Stance Lift Up (L3) is hard. Looks easy since it is not a stepping lunge, but because you are rotating >180 degrees, the stabilization demand is much more.

Clean (L3) is easy, slight rest for the grip and body.

As an aside, on the days i was away i designed bodyweight analogs to the original program. I'll upload videos of this after i finish my main cycle.

Next up Level 4. Finally, after several disruptions this 4x7 would be completed in 1.5 months.

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.