I have been focused so much on kb ballistics and pullups to increase my shoulder flexibility that I have let my basic RKC tension movements go bad.When I stopped doing windmills, getups, arm bars and presses it was because my shoulder mechanics on my right side were getting worse, not better, and all the tension in my torso was increasing.
The last six months of almost all swings, snatches, pullups and weighted walking has certainly paid dividends. It has unwound me enough I think that I can start to include, actually now NEED to include some tension movements back in the mix.
The idea of practice and not training is going to be crucial in getting me to "practice" these skills regularly, perhaps daily, and not let the intensity or volume get too high.Deep skill work for very low reps and as good a form as possible.
I know that I have gotten too weak overhead in my right arm and my shoulder survived yesterdays presses with no problem. I would love to be able to do windmills again as well. It is such a cool move and SO GOOD for connecting the hips and shoulder together and really linking the entire body into a single unit.
It is truly the RKC system as a whole; the total body, high tension exercises for strength and complete body connection and linkage, and the ballistic swings, snatches and cleans for unreal conditioning, resilience and strength endurance and explosive power.Sounds like the ad but it is true,and that makes ALL the difference.
Maybe one day I won't have to kill so many demons each workout and I can do the original circuits Pavel has in the RKC book; you know, train 2-7 days a week, 20-45 minutes, all the basic exercises but in different proportions each time.Train the instinct and not just the 'goal'.The Warrior Diet for training.
Not secure enough for that workout yet, still need my numbers to add up and beat myself into the ground. Some things might never change :))
The RKC Tension exercises
Turkish Get up
Windmill ( low and high)
Side Press
Bent Press
KB press
Two hands anyhow
Pistol
Single leg deadlift
KB Arm bar
I have to start slowly and see if my shoulder will even handle any of this other than the press.
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8 comments:
Like Ecclesiastes says, Rif, "For everything there is a season..."
You've spent most of your life training in tension and winding yourself up. You've got to expect to spend some time unwinding. Keep enjoying the process and learning from it.
Don't be overly anxious to get back into the tension exercises, especially now that you're really starting to make excellent progress toward being fully "functional."
I agree with Geoff. Ultimately your body will make the choice for you. Your training history has plenty of TENSION in it. I think there are some TENSION movements that will work for you, just need to find them. The bottom line is that your body works pretty damn well considering all of the orthopedic injuries you have had.
Are you happy with your current level of overall conditioning?
thanks guys for watching out for me, it is appreciated :)) as I am very often my own worst enemy.
I will take both of your advice(s) and go slowly, as i know I should.Adding in presses and some arm bars and adding back in the waiters walks should be plenty.
What I am really after is improved right arm overhead position. Condition wise, franz I am very happy with my work capacity. The hard part is maintaining it,lol!
the fact my shoulder felt ok (actually GOOD) after the presses in encouraging but I've been at this long enough to know it isnt even close to guarantee they wont hurt next time.
and geoff you are right, of course, like a schizophrenic that stops taking their meds because they now( after taking them) feel better I need to remember that why I feel better is beacuse of what I am NOT doing as much as what I am.
thanks guys
You are lean and enduring. Working on solidifying the structure is a smart move. Check this article on Tanita's
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1395292
thanks tom,I think you are right as well.I have, as Geoff says, been "unwinding" and I think I am getting pretty close to square and plumb.at least for me. at least enough to get me out of some more pain.
I just have to be careful and scientific in this experiment by NOT adding in too many variables at once. Wont know what is working or not working eh?
The press is a good move if I can tolerate it as it is truly the basic tension/ rooting movement in the RKC pantheon.
Did some more press "practice" today as my warmup and it went well AGAIN! very encouraging.
How I have to think about it to get that is a whole 'nother story.
Exactly my point Rif. you are in AWESOME Condition so if it ain't broke, it ain't broke.
Ultimately you are a wizard at listening to your body. I have no doubt that you will figure it out!
I think that Ecclesiastes also mentions something about the young man rejoicing in his youth...probably written by an older and wiser man!
Rif, I have always felt that the original RKC method was the best, but not everyone can go with that flow. I'v always been a "jazz man" so I actually trained in that fashion long before I ever heard of Pavel...perhaps great minds do think alike, or at least that I'm living proof that even a broken clock is right twice a day!
Either way, tension and ballistics are to me a Yin & Yang concept. I would rather have a little bit of each in every session than be too out of balance one way or the other. Of course dealing with chronic injuries does limit your decisions, but its nice to see that you have worked your way through some of that and are continually thinking and re-evaluating what you're doing, which to me is the mark of an intelligent athlete. I think that adding some press practice, as a part of the warm-up is an excellent idea. there's no need to get crazy, just a little bit every day and soon enough you'll an improvement.
Keep it coming!
tom,
I totally agree with you as to tension and ballistic movements being the yin yang of strength training although I have always been more of 'conjugate" training man, than a jazz guy, prefering not to mix modes in one workout. THat may be changing in the near future.
Let me say that I HATE not being able to work on tension exercises as I am really good at them and being able to exert max force is one of my strong points.
but my injuries did dictate my terms for many moons and only now do I think I am qualified to be able to reintroduce some back in.
before the least amount would lock me up for days.
really "playing" with the start position helped a lot with finding a handle on the press that didnt cause pain, as well as having an impingment release technique that consistently works.
jury is still out but I am hopeful.
thanks for your thoughts, they are always welcome :))
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