Only they didn't have to be born with those powers or physique, they built it. And I could too. So those long hours in the gym didn't seem very long as the body was changing all the time, along with the acquisition of gymnastic skills and techniques.
But having muscle that can't do anything 'real' was not what I wanted either. 'Virtual muscle' as Pavel calls what most bodybuilders have is not the idea. Or my ideal. "All show and no go" as Reno Decaro, my first powerlifting coach would say about them. Reno looked like a bodybuilder but moved serious serious weight in the gym and on the platform. Just pumping up doesn't cut it on any level. There should be some serious function there as well. And that has to be decided by each individual themselves.
For lots of bodybuilders being able to train 6 days a week twice a day and still improve towards their dream physique is the function they are after and I get it. To each their own. I did my time in that world and that life and it's not where I ever want to be again for numerous reasons.
But I still care about how my body looks and it's one of the few things, as Tim Ferriss pointed out in the Four Hour Body, that we have any semblance of control over in this life. I knew that at age 13 and it's how I live my life to this day. Control the things you can, especially the things that you can actually figure out the formula for ( or close enough) and you just need to exert the will to get them done and they can be had.
They can be yours. They can be you.
It won't be "perfect" but that is besides the point and I grok this more and more every year. Chasing perfect is a complete waste of time. Only the trend line matters to me.
Are you going forwards or backwards? Either way you are choosing whether you think so or not so if you don't like the trendline, change it. Or don't. But I know what direction I need to be going in to feel good and it's not backwards. Especially physically.
And , to me, for me, it all starts in the body. When my training is on track and I'm getting stronger, with more stamina,resilience and easier movement everything else is so much easier. And all I have to do is keep showing up everyday and do my best to figure it out that day. That's it.
So despite my mental flirting with GS training for years I always get pulled back to my hardstyle approach because it so reminds me of a combination of all my favorite trainings/sports: gymnastics,bodybuilding and powerlifting. Plus, as Pavel says " a promise of back of iron and legs that never quit".
That's what I want. And to look fit and strong and functional as well.
SO I'm a sets and reps guy and that's how I like to train. Being able to go long periods of time with swings or snatches is one hell of an athletic feat but not my favorite thing to do or practice.
I'm still going to practice it so I can be competent at it but it's not my preference and I don't think it does much for the physique either. But that's ok. I'll make up for that with my other training.
And to a person, every one I've trained in the last 30 years has had looking better at the top of their list as to what they wanted from their training.I've only heard the phrase "move better" in the last two years or so and that was all from trainers anyway,lol.
Now I want to move better for sure, and to help my clients do so even though most people have no idea how badly they move but they do know how badly they look. SO let's not apologize about wanting our training to transform our bodies as well as our function and health. You have to work on all fronts simultaneously in your practice and body composition change is an important one as well.
We can get all three very easily from the kettlebells,especially RKC style training.
I always think of the effect each thing I do in the gym has on the physique and whether it's contributing to these goals or not. I don't have much time to give to my training and I have no time to waste.
I've been on injured reserve for the ten years and I have things to do to catch up:))
SO even though I am doing moves that work the entire body I'm also always thinking of what the body composition or muscular development that the training will deliver as well. the kettlebell makes that easy and hardstyle makes it even easier.
It's like sprinting with weights and I will always choose the sprinters body over the distance runner. Any distance.
SO onto todays journey into muscle, strength and power training.
7-8 am stretchout and mobility
Lots of emphasis on my tight hamstrings and shoulders from Thursdays heavy two hand swings. Not too sore but just a bit. Lots of toes and ankle mobs, thai squat work, rumble roller on rectus and IT bands and LOTS of RKC hip flexor stretch 2.o with back foot in dorsi flexion. This is helping tons.
8-9:15 am
Long cycle clean and press
one arm swing warmup 16 kg x10/10 x3
one arm cleans 16 kg x5/5 x2
LCCP
16 kg x5/5
20kg x5/5
24 kg x5/5
28 kg x 5/5 x 3 sets PR!
These went great! I've done one set of 5 with the 28's but never multiples and I've never started with five but laddered up, which is much easier for me. "Sneaking up on the weight" is what my Highland Games friend Big Chief Jim McGoldrick would say.
But it worked. Today I didn't need to sneak up on the weight, I just went and got it :)) Much better. Pressing on a Saturday with Nick is going to work out just fine. I like being able to fully stretch out RIGHT before training, too.
TRIF Power snatch
20 kg x5/5
24 kg x5/5 x 3 sets
Since I did ballistic snatches last week these were on the menu. Same but different and they went really well, very fast and powerful.
High pulls
28 kg x 5/5 x 2 sets
x10/10
these went great and were easy! I haven't done this in eons as they used to aggravate my biceps tendon before I learned how to manage that issue but they are one of my strongest moves. SInce I have arms the length of a gorilla swings are much slower and more delicately balanced for me as the lever arm is so long.
With these I can keep the arc much closer to the body( like cleans as well, another strong one for me) and get good bell speed too. Using the upper back to retract/shrug the bell in works those muscles really well too, another bonus.
One of my favorite workouts is my version of the ETK Right of Passage. Instead of 200 snatches in 10 minutes I did 200 high pulls in that time. It was an I go You go workout ramping up sets like this
10/10
12/12
14/14
16/16
18/18
20/20
10/10
200 reps in 10 minutes( if your partner is tough). It's not snatches but it still kicks everyone's butt.
After partially tearing my left biceps twice ( almost a year apart to the day) snatching the 32 kg before I should have been I made a vow that if I healed I would never snatch more than the 24 kg again( hence:don't be greedy) and I haven't ,even though I can press way more than that now.
A vow is a vow.
BUT nothing was said about the high pull :)) these were strong fast and easy.Nice
Tactical Pullups
3 sets of 5
best they've felt yet.
Datsit. Sisu
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8 comments:
my love,
brilliant.
:)) thank you my Queen.
I need clarification. You said: "Being able to go long periods of time with swings or snatches is one hell of an athletic feat but not my favorite thing to do or practice."
"... and I don't think it does much for the physique either."
I need the clarification, because I've been shooting for high rep workouts, and while I'd kill for your physique, to just not be considered overweight would be ideal (yes, I've read the loads of times people say that it's mostly about diet, on the kbforum, and I'm tackling that). Additionally, and honestly sir, no disrespect intended, but isn't long periods of time with swings or snatches, exactly how your wife looks hotter than most 20 yr olds?
FG
clarification;what I was intending to compare was more of a gs style approach to endurance where going the distance is paramount over intensity or loads.
this is the proper approach one should take if one's MAIN goal is being able to snatch or jerk for a set number of minutes.
It's like wanting to run a 10 k race. FIRST you have to be able to run 10 k at a slow speed then build up the speed( intensity)
Just as long slow distance for running will not build up the physique as much as spinting will this type of kb training won't have the same effect as the Hardstyle approach will.
to me it's the intensity of the movements that really create the higher forces that impact muscle mass and density.
Tracy's high volume approach is a mixture oflow to medium rep sets ( for the most part) broken up by intervals of varying length.
it's like doing 50, 100,and 150 yd sprints for lots of sets with varying degrees of rest.
Tracy starts her clients and her classes with low rep sets( 10's for the most part,just 15 seconds of work) and then builds them up to minute and longer sets. Lots of them.
but no long slow slogs just to get a long set.
This high volume/high intensity interval approach is really what's responsible for her physique. The intensity helped create the muscle and the volume helped burn even more cals.
Her unique choreography let her go way beyond what most swing or snatch protocols would allow most people to tolerate.
So it's the combination of the high intensity form, the interval work AND, with the high volume and the choreography that did the trick.
sorry for the lazy writing.
Understood, thanks for the clarification. Looking forward to the DVD release!
nice that someone is actually reading the whole post,lol. you'll love the dvd I promise.
Very well put, Sir! As always.
Random personal experience:
Oh, I longed to be a long-distance runner. I wanted it so bad.
After the third marathon I was finally given to understand that my muscle fibers weren't made for this.
Therefore, I must choose the sprinters body too :) Not if I had a choice :)
judit, I have two bodies, my upper body is that of the sprinter, the lower that of endurance. but I still want to train it like a sprinter:))
I always try to remember that form follows function; change the function and the form will change :))
the athlete as physical artist.
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