[2023 ARTICLES]

[StrongFirst]

Two new articles.

First, a deep dive into the getup that will be especially interesting for those of you who are doing them with heavy weights (or who aspire to do so):

The Get-up and the Shoulder Mobility Dilemma | StrongFirst

The get-up is one of the foundational exercises of kettlebell training. I suspect that most people who follow StrongFirst are quite familiar with this exercise. If you are a StrongFirst Certified SFG Instructor, then no doubt you have done many repetitions of them on your own and at your...

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Next, an article that discusses the speed at which you move the weight in your training - some of its conclusions may surprise you!

Will You Gain More Strength by Varying Your Lifting Speed? | StrongFirst

Over a century ago Ivan Lebedev, a big name in strength training in imperial Russia, suggested selecting the lifting speed based on one’s temperament: a slower one for the easily excitable, a fast one for the melancholics and the phlegmatics, a medium one for the sanguine.1 His instructions...

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[StrongFirst]

Hardstyle Kettlebell Snatch vs. Barbell Snatch | StrongFirst

One of the very first principles learned in the school of hardstyle kettlebell training is that “power comes from the hips.” In the kettlebell ballistics (swing, clean, and snatch), the hips are largely what drives the lifter’s ability to move a weight from back between the legs to the end point...

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[StrongFirst]

An inspiring story of one man's way of bringing strength training and education together, often at exactly the same time!

Rediscovering Resilience: Unifying Literacy and Strength | StrongFirst

The moment I read that out of an incredibly old selection of British literature in graduate school, I knew it would hold weight when I occupied a position in which I could help people. I had not yet begun Jiu-Jitsu nor was I using StrongFirst principles to train my combat athletes. At the time...

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[StrongFirst]

This is "news you can use" if you squat and relates back to an earlier article about lifting speed.

The Triple Gear Squat Protocol | StrongFirst

In a recent article, I explained how varying your lifting speed can help you gain more strength. Today I will show you a couple of ways of applying this knowledge to boost your squat, barbell (back, front, Zercher) or kettlebell (goblet, double front).

www.strongfirst.com

(The earlier article, in case you missed it, is here: Will You Gain More Strength by Varying Your Lifting Speed? | StrongFirst)

 

[Antti]

This is "news you can use" if you squat and relates back to an earlier article about lifting speed.

The Triple Gear Squat Protocol | StrongFirst

In a recent article, I explained how varying your lifting speed can help you gain more strength. Today I will show you a couple of ways of applying this knowledge to boost your squat, barbell (back, front, Zercher) or kettlebell (goblet, double front).

www.strongfirst.com

(The earlier article, in case you missed it, is here: Will You Gain More Strength by Varying Your Lifting Speed? | StrongFirst)

Great article!

 

[Pavel Macek]

This is "news you can use" if you squat and relates back to an earlier article about lifting speed.

The Triple Gear Squat Protocol | StrongFirst

In a recent article, I explained how varying your lifting speed can help you gain more strength. Today I will show you a couple of ways of applying this knowledge to boost your squat, barbell (back, front, Zercher) or kettlebell (goblet, double front).

www.strongfirst.com

(The earlier article, in case you missed it, is here: Will You Gain More Strength by Varying Your Lifting Speed? | StrongFirst)

Great article!

 

[flightposite]

Yes! Fantastic article. All of the articles could honestly be turned into a book.

 

[StrongFirst]

Strategy is the plan. Tactics are the action.

Strategy is the why. Tactics are the how.

Read more at:

Upstream Strength Strategies | StrongFirst

In his book, Upstream: How to solve problems before they happen, Dan Heath talks about how upstream decisions can have a greater impact on downstream results. He also explains the difference between upstream decisions and preventative measures (being proactive is not the same as thinking upstream).

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Join Hector, Pavel, and Fabio for Programming Demystified to dive deep into strategies and tactics.

 

[Xcal]

Strategy is the destination, Tactics are the journey
Strategy is the duration, Tactics are the ticking and tocking of the clock

I love these analogies, and use simile metaphors in business when presenting Vision, Mission, Goals

 

[Steve Freides]

All of the articles could honestly be turned into a book.

I think most of the articles could each individually be expanded to book length. (Not sure if that's how you meant it or not.)

-S-

 

[StrongFirst]

Cheat Cleans as a Strength Builder | StrongFirst

At the SFG I, where many of us learned to use kettlebells as strength tools, we are first taught the swing. As we’ve heard StrongFirst Certified Master Instructor Emeritus, Rif say, “the swing is the center of the kettlebell universe.” The instruction of the swing is then followed by the get-up...

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[StrongFirst]

Deadlifts: Common Misconceptions and Practical Tips | StrongFirst

I felt a pop and folded like a house of cards. Two years ago, I herniated a disc during my top deadlift set. I was training earlier than usual so my body was rather stiff. Despite a brief warm-up, I loaded up the usual 405 pounds and got into position. Arms straight, hips hinged, and belt...

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[StrongFirst]

Iron Cardio with a Strength Bias | StrongFirst

I’ve been a fan of Brett Jones’s “Iron Cardio” program since he first told me about it. I think it’s an excellent regimen for maintaining and improving general fitness, which at 54 years old, is my primary goal. Naturally, I do have other more specific performance goals, one of which is to...

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[Steve Freides]

The most recent article

Iron Cardio with a Strength Bias | StrongFirst

I’ve been a fan of Brett Jones’s “Iron Cardio” program since he first told me about it. I think it’s an excellent regimen for maintaining and improving general fitness, which at 54 years old, is my primary goal. Naturally, I do have other more specific performance goals, one of which is to...

www.strongfirst.com

is being discussed here for anyone interested:

Kettlebell - My new article on Iron Cardio and Plan Strong is up!

Hey all, My new article about a program I did combining Iron Cardio and Plan Strong is up on the StrongFirst website. If you don't get the articles emailed to you, here's the link: Iron Cardio meets Plan Strong I hope you enjoy it!

www.strongfirst.com

-S-

 

[oab]

Pick Your Perfect Program in 2023 | StrongFirst

“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”— Samuel Taylor Coleridge from The Rime of the Ancient MarinerThe quote above from the classic poem describes the availability of programs for the trainee. Programs, programs everywhere, nor a one to follow…

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Bearing in mind another recent thread I'd add one more thing to consider. Lifestyle -which is included in the article- should consider the effect of occupation. This is obvious for a professional athelete. Similarly, there are many people doing work with a substantial physical component, for example, construction, manufacturing, outdoors and other categories of workers. Occupational physical activity needs to be considered. For example, I recall meeting an employee who slit and poured bags into large funnel all day. This example is from more than a decade ago. Essentially, the job entailed picking up a 20-30kg bag from floor to knee level, doing a loaded bearhug or "goblet" style carry for 1-4 metres, rotating the bag sideways, resting it on a surface while slitting one end with a poorly designed tool, then grasping one end using only fingers of both hands so as to pour the contents in as quickly as possible. Then onto the next bag and pallet. I asked how many pallets a day and calculated total number bags and total volume of weight. I was impressed and a bit envious of the volume, it was thousands of kilograms daily but I would be guessing now. Avoiding injury, allowing recovery, maintaining unused ranges of movement and so on were all relevant to this concrete bag lifter.

This is the reverse situation of the sedentary, inactive worker who has limited range of movement, sarcopenia and so on. And so a different set of considerations applies.

Anyway, this seemed like a good spot to reinforce this consideration. Strongfirst previously makes it in relation to LEOs, military, emergancy personnel - understanding the precise nature of each individuals job to helps to design the most suitable and safe program(s).

 

[StrongFirst]

The Snatch: The Tsar of Kettlebell Lifts | StrongFirst

How to perform the kettlebell snatch: start with a kettlebell on the ground in front of you, swing it back between your legs, and bring it into an overhead lockout position in one uninterrupted motion.

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[StrongFirst]

Want a detailed plan you can follow? Here you go:

Alice in Kettlebell Wonderland and the Cruiser—a Perfect Kettlebell Plan for a Busy Person | StrongFirst

You want to build strength and rock-hard muscles, but your busy schedule hasn’t allowed you to train regularly, you are under time constraints, and your sessions need to be time efficient, flexible, and engaging? Keep reading, I’ve got something for you.

www.strongfirst.com

 

[Steve W.]

Want a detailed plan you can follow? Here you go:

Alice in Kettlebell Wonderland and the Cruiser—a Perfect Kettlebell Plan for a Busy Person | StrongFirst

You want to build strength and rock-hard muscles, but your busy schedule hasn’t allowed you to train regularly, you are under time constraints, and your sessions need to be time efficient, flexible, and engaging? Keep reading, I’ve got something for you.

www.strongfirst.com

@Fabio Zonin, am I missing something or is there an error/omission in the article?

This chart below of Alice's example appears to be repeated twice, but I don't see a generic chart with rep schemes for each RM, which would presumably have rows for each RM between 8 and 12. So from Alice's example, I can see the rep schemes for 8, 9, and 11, but not for 10 or 12.

 

[Adachi]

@Fabio Zonin, am I missing something or is there an error/omission in the article?

This chart below of Alice's example appears to be repeated twice, but I don't see a generic chart with rep schemes for each RM, which would presumably have rows for each RM between 8 and 12. So from Alice's example, I can see the rep schemes for 8, 9, and 11, but not for 10 or 12.

so, if you reverse engineer these numbers it shows, based on her tested RM with the tested weights, in particular for her with these movements, that you execute sets on a light day of about 1/3 of your tested RM. On Medium, you alternate 1/3 and 1/2 of your tested RM and on a heavy day, you rotate sets of 1/3, 1/2, and 2/3 of your tested RM.

so on the day scheduled, you'll rotate these set lengths till you reach the prescribed NL for the day, based on the Total NL for the week, which is controlled by the roll of a die.

Just fill in your tested values and break down the sets and reps through the chart provided, and you'll have your own custom version of the workout.

step 1. roll dice for each week's layout.



Step 2. map out the sets and reps based on the total volume, and their Set/rep scheme.



and as the example given in the article shows, after plugging in your tested Repetition Max numbers, the math will shake out for any number of max reps you tested. so you'll have 12 particular layouts that will occur, in turn, over the weeks. after you test your RM, then you line them up in your schedule as the program outlines. your RM may vary.

 

[Fabio Zonin]

@Fabio Zonin, am I missing something or is there an error/omission in the article?

This chart below of Alice's example appears to be repeated twice, but I don't see a generic chart with rep schemes for each RM, which would presumably have rows for each RM between 8 and 12. So from Alice's example, I can see the rep schemes for 8, 9, and 11, but not for 10 or 12.

I just noticed it. There is one table missing and one duplicated. I have asked the person who uploads the articles to fix the issue.
Thank you for catching.