Had to go into work today to catch up on a few projects.  Have no fear, you won’t soon run out of H1N1 vaccine  – Big Pharma is looking out for you     Pouring down rain and otherwise nasty-ass weather made spending a Saturday pinned behind a desk playing keyboard jockey a little more tolerable – that, and the fantastic workout before hand.

Curiosity #1: apparently, whoever had control of the gym’s music selection this morning had chosen the ’80’s/retro station; ahhh *smiles broadly*.  By the middle of my workout I was having some uber-serious “back in the day” flashbacks (thankfully, none of them involved a rat tail, or mullet).  Which brings up another curiosity: my workout on this fine morning, with all the great ’80’s tunes blasting away in my ears, would have been mostly indistinguishable from any workout I’d undertaken some 25 years ago.  I don’t credit myself, but the fine Strength and Conditioning staff (shout out to coach Kline) at Texas State (then Southwest Texas State) in the early and mid 80’s for having the foresight, at that time, to know what methods would make a better athlete.  Just blind, luck of the draw on my part.  Wow, has it really been that long ago?

Curiosity #3?  I hadn’t heard this Missing Persons tune in the longest.  Little did I know back then what this song would portend:  widespread obesity and a nation-wide (world-wide?) epidemic of metabolic syndrome.  Couldn’t find anything but more recent, bad quality, live clips.  We’ll just opt for audio, here:

Anyway, on with the day’s festivities.  Following a solid, sprint-intensive warm-up:

• cns prime: sprint-starts, 20 meter/20 meter/40 meter/20 meter
• clean grip low pull from floor: 135 x 5, 5; 225 x 5; 315 x 3, 3, 3
• BTN split-jerk: 135 x 4, 4; 165 x 4; 185 x 2, 2, 1
• cns prime: regular grip muscle-up x 3
• weighted, regular grip pull ups: 45 x 5, 5; 70 x 3: 80 x 3, 3, 2

So, 6 total rounds of that, auto-regulated.  Trended weight upward to hit the 3-5 rep range in the latter sets.  Went a tad too heavy in the split jerks.  Alternate lead foot in the jerks, i.e., at 135 went 2 left lead, 2 right lead, for a total of 4.  185 single was w/left lead.  Note the difference between a strength-speed emphasis push-press and a speed-strength emphasis jerk.  Ripped the low pulls off the floor, no slow grind.  Same method with the pull-ups.  Then:

Jump squats for max height (from an approx. 110 degree knee angle) x 7 at 135 lbs x 2  sets.

For nostalgia’s sake, I weighed myself following the workout; something I rarely do anymore, as I feel it doesn’t account for much of anything at all.  Anyway, 209 lbs at 6′ tall.  Back in the “Walkin’ in LA” days, I was 215-ish.  I’d say I’m a hell of a lot more lean now, and probably more muscular.  My neck is a good bit smaller these days – I’ve found that nothing builds a neck like consistently using the head as a lethal weapon.

And with that, I’m off to watch the 2nd half of the Texas – Nebraska game.  Sleeping in tomorrow; my only chance for another very long stretch.

Yesterday’s blood donation did not affect today’s performance as much as donating has in the past.  Last night’s dinner was an egg, beef and milk fest – correlation?

AM workout, 6:20 – 7:15.  15 minute warmup.

• snatch-grip high pull (from floor): 135 x5; 165 x 5; 185 x 3; 195 x 4 “micro-sets” of 2 each, rest-pause fashion
• weighted dips: 45 x 5; 70 x 5; 90 x 3; 95 x 4 “micro-sets” of 2 each, rest-pause fashion

Sprint-start CNS prime/combo, prior to each high-pull set, like this: 20 meter/ballistic rev-grip pull-ups x 3/20 meter/40 meter/elevated feet ballistic push-ups x 5/20 meter.  Approx. 5 secs “rest” between movements.

3 ballistic dips (catch air on each) prior to each dip set.

Primary emphasis was on rep quality at maximal weight in the 3 – 5 rep range, secondary emphasis on explosive endurance.

“A conscience which has been bought once will be bought twice.”

- Norbert Wiener

Disclaimer: as many of you know (or, if you didn’t before, you are hereby notified), that I work in the pharmaceutical industry; in validation, to be exact – a branch of quality control.  So I can take the following cited article in one of two ways – as a public service nightmare, or as, well – a positive indication of continuing job security – for as long as I care to stay in the game.  It’s not in my nature to be self-serving, and so my natural inclination here is deep contempt for those in “power/knowledge” positions, and pity for the masses who listen to them.

So, with “news” like this, out of Amman, Jordan, all indications are that the rest of the world is doing its damnedest to surpass us (“us” here, being the good ol’ USA) in obesity rates.  As if being drubbed math and science weren’t already enough…

According to Kenneth Thorpe, the Robert W. Woodruff Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy & Management, in the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, By 2018, 103 million American adults — or 43 percent of the population — will be considered obese.  I would venture to guess that the numbers for those below the age of 18 are just as gruesome.

Of course, any manner of health care reform will simply implode under the weight of disease management if these numbers hold true.  And “news” like the above-cited Jordan Times story indicate that while the US may lead the way over the cliff, the rest of the world is following, quite lemming-like, right behind.

More to follow…

In health,

Keith

After a few days away from work and some impromptu bodyweight workouts to bust-up the traveling-induced body-fog, it was back to business as usual (aka, the work-a-day grind).  Up a 4:30 AM, in the gym and busting it out at 6:20 AM.

• GHR: 50 x 5; 55 x 3, 4; 60 x 2 (55 x 2)
• BTN Push-press: 135 x 5; 165 x 5; 185 x 3, (2, 1, 1)
• Weighted reverse-grip pull-up: 45 x 5; 70 x 5; 75 x 3, (3, 2)

4 total rounds.  The last set of each exercise was done in rest-pause fashion.  Terminated reps on all on loss of explosiveness – no grind-it-out reps.  45 lb plate toss x 5 as cns stim prior to each push-press set; rev-grip to reg-grip muscle-up combo x 2 prior to each pull up set.  No sprints today, other than what were included in the warm-up.

Not posted yesterday – stadium sprints.  Alternated between prime-times and sprint starts up the ramps.  Sprints & hops on the upper level deck steps, superset with elevated foot ballistic pushups x 8’s.  Approximately 8 rounds of steps, 20 individual ramps.

“It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.”

- Thomas Jefferson

The following is a guest post by none other than Rafi Bar-Lev, a former combat medic and founder of the community fitness site, Passionate Fitness. If you haven’t yet checked out Rafi’s site, by all means do so.

Now, if you’re a regular here at TTP, you probably won’t need to be convinced of the efficacy of a Paleo lifestyle.  Still, though, it’s good to step back now and again to reassess just why it is we do what we do.  None of us wants to fall into “sheeple” mode – my man TJ wouldn’t stand for that – and neither should you.  So, without further ado, here’s Rafi.  And don’t forget to head on over to Passionate Fitness when you’re done to say “hey” to my man RB-L 

If you’re reading Keith’s amazing blog, chances are you’ve already subscribed to the whole primal thing. Still, there may be a few of you, who like me, are undecided. (I’m one of the few people who needs carbs so I don’t lose weight.)

To help you make your decision, here are 5 reasons you should go primal:

1. It’s essentially a low carb diet. There’s a reason that the low carb diet that really took off with the Atkins diet is tremendously popular among those trying to lose weight. Why? Because it works. The paleo diet is possibly the best version of the low carb diet because it makes it simple (if cave man ate it, eat it, if not, don’t), and reinforces the idea of eating healthy and sticking to real foods.

2. It’s enjoyable. You’ve probably noticed that unlike other people on a diet, primal people look forward to dieting. Why? Because they have a precise goal, know exactly what they’re doing to achieve it, and the reasoning behind what they’re doing. The sense of purpose and fun in eating like a cave man puts a whole new dimension on dieting.

3. It’s a diet and exercise program rolled up in one. A huge advantage to going primal is you have an exercise and workout program automatically rolled up in one, encouraging you to live a healthy lifestyle. Instead of just having a diet or just being a workout program, primal living says eat and live like the cave man. Well, the cave man ate healthy and the cave man lifted heavy stuff and the cave man sprinted, so right away you’re throwing yourself into an active lifestyle.

4. It’s contrarian. The primal lifestyle often questions conventional wisdom (although often it agrees), and let’s face it, it’s a lot of fun to be contrarian. True, sometimes the advice gets you some looks in public like advising you that walking barefoot is better, but more often than not the things being preached (eat healthy, stay active, walk a lot) are things that are more than accepted, but for some reason it’s still contrarian when labeled the “cave-man” lifestyle.

5.The community. If you’re reading this blog, you know how great the primal community can be, in both discussing recent health trends and encouraging each other to live healthily and keep to their diets. This is almost reason enough in itself to subscribe to the primal lifestyle.

In health,

Keith

Wow, so thankful to be able to get out and about today prior to spending the balance of the day bottled-up in a vehicle and on the road.  Bright, sunny skies, low 60’s, no humidity…simply stunning!  End of November, and I’m able to get in some sprints – not only barefooted, but shirtless as well!   A little natural vitamin D does a body (and an attitude) some serious good.  Again, nothing mind-blowing here, just a little bit of explosive movement in the glorious sunshine!

• Sprint starts x 30 meters x 5.  Full acceleration to 30 meters, followed by fast as possible deceleration to full stop.
• straight bar muscle-up combo x 3 ==> reverse-grip ballistic pull-up, reverse grip in mid air transition, decelerate/transition to regular grip muscle-up = 1 “rep”
• elevated feet ring flye x 12

4 rounds of this.  I had a little extra time at the conclusion of this, so I hit singles (15 secs rest or so in between each rep) of the m/u combo until I failed.  Quit counting at 7 reps.  Would have stayed outside forever if I didn’t have to get on the road.

Not much to this intra-holiday, impromptu workout; just wanted to get out and move around a bit, shake out the “traveling” legs.  It happened to be rather cold out, so I lengthened the sprints up to 200 meters.  As the sprints took place on asphalt, I was forced to wear my Nike Frees.  Not exactly barefoot, but well and away better than typical running/cross-training shoes.  After some fixie intervals about town, I did the following:

• 200 meter sprint/strides x 2
• 20 bodyweight dips

5 rounds.  Approximately 20 seconds recovery between sprints, and between sprints and dip sets.  This kicked my ass, as it works an energy system that I’m unaccustomed to working.

Hello winter

“I am a hole in a flute that the Christ’s breath moves through.  Listen to this music.”

- Hafiz

I’ve posted previously (here, here, here and here – all complete with plenty of fantastic TTP reader input and comments), my thoughts on Dr. Doug McGuff’s Body By Science methodology.  Today I’d like to offer another take on Dr. McGuff’s methodology, this by way of TTP reader Jerry Borrero (aka, the IronDisciple), who blogs on Paleo/Primal nutrition, Girevoy Sport, and all things Physical Culture-related.  Check out Jerry’s work over at ironmonastery.wordpress.com.  What follows here, in italics, are Jerry’s thoughts, with my spotty comments set apart via normal font.   Enjoy; and thanks, Jerry, for the thoughtful input.

The premise of the whole book is counter intuitive, at least to my mind.  I’ve always thought if I ever felt frustrated with my lack of progress it was because I needed to do MORE work, not less.  And from reading material from Ross Enamait and some personal experimentation, I’ve been of the opinion that we need LESS rest than the muscle mags prescribe, not more.  I personally do SOME form of vigorous exercise almost everyday of the week, with maybe one day completely off at any one time.  The knee jerk reaction after reading the well laid out argument made in the book is to toss my current workout regimen out the window because I’m apparently overtraining myself.

After the panic subsided here are some observations:

It seems that the authors are stating that all qualities of the muscle can be adequately addressed using their HIT protocol.  Max strength, Explosive Strength, etc.  Am I understanding that correctly?  The book seems to imply that there is no need for periodization although it never comes out and states this directly.

The authors refer to building all the different types of muscle fibers sequentially, but never goes into the different forms of hypertrophy (sarcoplasmic vs. myofibrillar).  Based on the fact that the stimulus is high intensity/short duration it would seem to favor myofibrillar, and maybe that’s why the subject is never broached, but whenever I think of a program aimed primarily at hypertrophy, I automatically think of sarcoplasmic.

The authors also advocate using primarily Nautilus machines for the full “Big Five” workout, but I’ve always understood that since machines only allow for one plane of motion that the stabilizer muscles don’t get developed.  Is this not accurate?  This is never really mentioned in the book.  Also, what is your take on the abbreviated and simplified program.  Is this really enough to target the body in its entirety?

I’ve taken a look at your workouts and noticed that you haven’t entirely subscribed to the prescribed BBS workout.  You’re still performing multiple workouts during the week, and utilizing a variety of different exercises.  I’m assuming the increased frequency is due to not going to absolute failure on your sets and from experimentation into what works for you and what doesn’t.

Just a quick interjection, here.  Although I agree with Dr. McGuff on the debilitating, cumulative effect of certain exercise protocols, I go about mitigating that damage a bit differently.  I do prefer to workout more frequently (3 to 5 bouts per week – usually) – each workout, though, is auto-regulated (a little more about auto-regulation here and here), so I rarely find myself in an overtrained hole to have to scamper out of.  From previous discussions with Dr. McGuff, though, I realize that his concerns lay not only with the frequency of exercise, but with the type of exercise selected.  Olympic lifts and their derivatives, plyometics, ballistic/explosive movements and the like are discouraged under the BBS methodology.  My take is that each trainee’s goals must be evaluated vis-a-vis his abilities and current condition, and a proper fitness program must be must then be individualized for that particular trainee.  For some trainees, a BBS-like protocol would work wonderfully – for others, though (myself included, I suspect), it’s just not an adequate, year-round stimulus.  I emphasis year-round here, because there may be periods within my training cycle where a BBS-like protocol would be just what the doctor ordered.  Constant re-evaluation of one’s circumstance is key, here.  If BBS is a viable option (and for many, it will be), then by all means utilize it.  My workouts are constantly morphing, and are the direct result of 30+ years of on-going, n=1 experimentation in relation to my goals, and in consideration of my current strengths weaknesses.  This, in my mind, is as it should be.  A “workout protocol”, like the organism that protocol is directed toward, should be a thing of continual re-invention (i.e., intelligent n=1).  BBS methodologies, then,ought to be seen as another useful tool to be used toward that end.

While the idea of a scientific approach to exercise that allows all my exercise to be done in a quick 10 minute burst once a week intrigues me, part of me wants to plug my ears and scream until the idea passes.  I’ve grown to enjoy snatches, clean and jerks, sprints, planche progressions, etc. and I’d be sad to realize these are all obsolete/unnecessary. That all being said, once my upcoming Girevoy Sport competition is finished (my first!) I plan to “empty my cup” and toss out all my concerns and give the BBS approach a try.  I’ll stay on the program for as long as I benefit from it with tweaks along the way if necessary.

Thanks for taking the time to commit these thoughts to the written word, Jerry.  There’s another aspect of this debate, though, that rarely gets much air time -  what I’m alluding to here is the mental aspect (benefits, boost, what have you) of frequent, strenuous exercise.  And for more on that…

The Exercise – Anxiety Correlation

photo credit: Hljod.Huskona

This study (PubMed link, here) begins to quantify what I’ve felt intuitively for years: there’s something about proper exercise (including proper intensity and duration) that makes one impervious to stress – whether that stress is mental or physical.  And this is another reason I prefer more frequent bouts of exercise – still high in intensity, and short in duration – but more frequent than what is called for under a BBS-like methodology.

If I go more than a couple days with no strenuous physical activity, I begin to get antsy (and a bit hard to be around, or so I’m told).  I wonder if this is the brain’s way of saying, “hey, bud – get off your ass and do your part to keep our defenses tuned-up”.  It’s an interesting concept, and one that I hope will be explored in the near future, in further depth.

In health,

Keith

Emphasis on continual movement here (blast, back-off, blast, back-off…) vs. rep quality; that is to say, energy system work focus primarily, with the actual exercise as a means to that end ==> allowed for technique flaws with increasing fatigue.  Note the lack of technique-heavy exercises.

• sprint starts (20 meter, 20 meter, 40 meter, 20 meter)
• Bulgarian split squats (with DBs): 50’s x 5; 70’s x 4, 4, 4 (each leg)
• snatch-grip high pull from high hang: 135 x 5; 155 x 5; 175 x 5, 5
• BTN push-press: 135 x 5; 155 x 5; 175 x 5, 5
• reverse-grip straight bar muscle ups x 3
• weighted reverse-grip pull ups: 45 x 5; 70 x 5, 5, 5

4 total rounds, in Vibrams.  Only rest was to move from exercise to exercise.  Tried to target each set duration for 9 to 20 seconds (think Tabata-like in nature).  Sprint starts and muscle ups were more for cns stimulation than metcon work.  Attempted to move each concentric as fast as possible, eccentrics (except for high pulls) of each rep to balance load against the 9 – 20 sec duration goal.

“…When we are dancing we are not aiming to arrive at a particular place on the floor as in a journey. When we dance, the journey itself is the point, as when we play music the playing itself is the point. And exactly the same thing is true in meditation. Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment.”

- Alan Watts

“A human being is part of a whole, called by us the ‘Universe,’ a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

- Albert Einstein

The above, although a wonderful statement and sentiment, is actually a misquote of Einstein’s actual words.  For more about the “quote”, look here.

Hopefully this will not come across as too squishy a post, but this is something I’ve noticed in many Paleo/physical culture “transformationalists”.  I like to tell people to relax and enjoy the ride, that transformation won’t happen over night – and that it won’t happen at all if it’s pursued as just a means to an end.  In Western culture, though, this mindset has come to be seen as a kind of blaspheme.  Well, maybe – but I’ve seen the strongest of will powers laid waste to over a bout with diet/physical transformation.  It may take longer for some than for others, but if all you bring to the game is sheer will power directed toward finishing and finishing alone, you’re doomed to fail.  Those who succeed are able to find something redeeming in the small stuff – the moments, the downtime, etc.  How much time surfing is actually spent on the wave?  Very little.  The rest is spent quietly perched upon the board, paddling, searching for the perfect set up.

The opening quotes from Watts and Einstein pertain to Physical Culture, writ large, and, more specifically, the Paleo lifestyle, in conveying this “in the moment” message.  Consider the comment that the elderly Zen master is purported to have made about a young archer’s struggling while in competition: “His need to win prevents him from hitting his mark.” Or, as Eckhart Tolle puts it  “His Need to Win Drains him of his Power.” Archery undertaken as a means to an end of achieving the notoriety of winning the event is doomed to sub par results at best.  When perused for the love of the sport itself, though – the intricacies, the down time, the feel, sound, smells and sights – when winning becomes simply a cool by-product of the love – this is what brings true success and longevity.  Think Tiger Woods and Golf.  Everyone needs goals and visions, and these are in fact useful.  Every goal reached, though, is only done so via a succession of small, individual steps – moments strung together – and here is where true success is found – or lost.

Know this: the past is done, and can in no way be altered.  The future is largely unknowable, and only on a topical level can it be influenced.  Therefore, all you really have control over is this moment in time.  That is to say, all you really have is this particular rep, this particular bite, this particular food choice.  There is a time for planning, to be sure – and a time for execution and reflection as well.  The key is not to confuse these elements.  Another very Zen idea along these lines is this: when doing dishes, do dishes.  Transport this idea to the gym, and it looks like this: when performing explosive dips, perform explosive dips.  Only this moment matters – only this moment can you affect.

Success in the moment will result, without your having to worry about it, success in the long haul.  Obsessing about “how long will it take to realize such-and-such a change” only leads to stress about the desired change and, eventually, that stress becomes overwhelming, ultimately leading to “giving up” and no change at all.

In health,

Keith