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Bodyweight Article translation about Russian Systema

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pet'

pet'

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Hello,

After reading the "heavy hands" thread, it reminded me my Systema courses, with the "heavy punch". Here is a translation of an article of the main French Systema association, regarding GPP (applied to Systema). Then, this is about a basic training protocol for push ups, pull ups, abs, squats and cardio. Contrary to SF principles, moves are based on a proper "relaxation state"

This article is not about the Systema training in itself (relaxation, breathing, coordination drills).

JM Frecon is the French representative of Ryabko, one of the main Systema masters.

Work out, one set is enough
by Doctor S. Cascua

A disturbing report

To build muscle, you do one set of a move after another. That seems logical and obvious to you. The more sets you do, the more muscle you will build. Your friends do that as well. This is tradition. However, all studies prove that is useless !

One set of an exercice is as efficent as multiple sets in terms of strength and mass increase, and hypertrophy.


Simple and efficient studies

All of these protocols are similar. Basically, we gather amateur athletes who most of the time are familiar to physical preparation. For several weeks, they do one or several moves: bench, row, press, etc. On group does one set, the other do 3 or more sets with long rests in-between. Results are unanimous. No matter the number of sets, strength and mass gains are the same. We can even get a strength decrease in the group who do high number of sets.


Why doing only one set ?

Muscle increase is stimulated by exercise intensity, not by the repetition number of the same stimulation. By adding sets, organism fatigue and stress increase as well. Everything goes as if fatigue'd slow down muscular quality improvement. By wanting increasing number of sets, we increase fatigue and restrict some hormon synthesis.


Single set feature

Do your set until failure. When the last set is really difficult or impossible, organism seems stressed enough to start adaptation process. Locally, protein synthesis process is stimulated. Globally, natural anabolic substance secretion is activated: sexual and growth hormone. In the nervous system, it defines neuronal grid for good move and coordination.


Properly and efficiently building muscle

- Do short and intense sessions
- To stimulate adaptations, chose exercises with varied and complementary moves. A muscle group recovers while the other one is working. It shocks the organism so it multiplies adaptations and your performances improve faster
- Do bodyweight global moves which favor coordination (crawling, jumping, climbing, balancing...). Tissue constraints are splitted, so muscular and joint systems are preserved, you are less likely to get injured and create a more functional muscle structure
- Alternate short and heavy set, isometrics, slow work, explosive work (plio and cardio)
- During cardio, alternate plio with iso to recover
- Breathe according to the moves you are doing


Training frequency and results

Strength increase, endurance and body composition improvement start in 3 months. 2 strength training sessions a week gives 80% to 90% of the benefits, usually got in 3 sessions a week. Once we get the goal, 1 session a week is enough


A 20 minutes daily routine

- Every morning, do the 5 basics very slowly (1 minute each): 1 push up, 1 squat, 1 pull up, 1 leg raise, 1 sit up
- Warm up with global moves (crawling, ...) or the 5 Tibetan rites (10 minutes)
- Do maximum repetition for each basic, during 1 minute
- Cardio work 3 times a week with Tabata (4 minutes) or with plio exercises


Doctor Stéphane Cascua, sport doctor
Supplemented by JM Frécon

Scientific studies:
Leighton (1967), Ostrowski (1997), Larshus (1997), Pollock (1998), Curto (1999), Hass (2000), Smilios (2003)

Here is the article (in French) : Muscu, une série suffit - Global Systema

IMO, there is not enough "pure endurance", such as MAF. I'd tend to do some MAF (running, swimming, rucking, swinging) 3 times a week (instead of the 3 Tabata a week). This protocol is not that different from the slow motion protocol designed by S. Maxwell: The Official Steve Maxwell Website

I just wanted to share this with you. What do you think ? If some you are interested, I can translate some other articles.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Thanks for putting the link. I glanced at the article.

My scientific view of the article (that I read in the original, just to be sure :)):
- confusion between strength increase and hypertrophy. Yes, they are often linked, but we, at StrongFirst, know that we can become stronger without getting bigger.
- "Results are unanimous." What results (i.e. data)? What was the protocole (i.e. conditions of experiments)? What was the actual level of the subjects to start with? Lot of unclarity, which is unfortunately usual in the fitness industry world. :(
- some reference put at the end, but with little info to actually see the reference. :/

My "coach" point of view:
- looks a lot like HIT to me: brief, intense, one single set to failure 3 times a week.
No, thanks. :)
My latest student (though a teenager) told me how he liked training with me, because he felt stronger at the end of the session, not beaten up. Won't happen with HIT. And he is getting freakingly stronger!
- "In the nervous system, it defines neuronal grid for good move and coordination." I don't see that happening when training to failure with increasingly ugly reps.
 
Hello,

@jef
I perfectly agree with you.

A while ago, I tried to do 3 Tabata sessions a week. This is too much. 1 or 2 is enough. I enjoy doing this type of interval from time to time because it can be useful: sprint to catch a bus for instance.

There is no doubt slow motion can build muscle. For instance, there is the SF's slow twitch articles:

I recently did a "test": 1 minute rep (30s for negative phase and 30s for positive phase) with the OAOLPU. I really appreciated it. However, I think this time under tension does not require more training regarding to strength (not hypertrophy).

Do not you think this routine can be "not that bad" if we go something like:
- slow motion (as described) (daily)
- 1 minute of max repetition (but using a normal pace) (daily) (to get some muscular endurance)
- 3 times a week MAF (cardio vascular endurance)
- mobility & breathing drills (daily)

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello,

Still on Systema practice:


Interesting way to hit a sit up, without tension.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
@pet'
About the suggested routine, it all depends of people goals.
For myself and my students, I would say no. It does not provide what we are looking for.
For others, I cannot say. I don't know their goals, history, constraints, etc.
 
Hello,

@jef
IMO, there is too much HIT in the routine.

However, I like the "density training" (max rep in 1 minute, but if I go for 1s up, 1s hold, 1s down, 1s hold). This gives plenty of cardio and muscular endurance without burn out. I'd simply skip the Tabata.

I'd do 2 or 3 conditioning days with swings (or running, etc...) using MAF pace (in addition to the daily routine)

This routine would be for GPP

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
An interesting article. I think there's too much hyperbole and such for me to really like it but I agree with it in some way about some points.

When it comes to intensity vs. volume there's an excellent article about it by Marty Gallagher: Ironcompany.com - Forged Passion Since 1997

There really can be no doubt that a single top set of intense training can be enough, as in enough to be the best in the World. Quite enough, right? The obvious follow-up question naturally is how much work one needs to do to get up to that top set.

In the before-mentioned article Mark Chaillet, " the best deadlifter in the world in his weight class", had a weekly deadlift workout of five reps. And in the example only three of them where in any way demanding.

My personal experience is too short to really have a meaningful effect in this discussion. I have trained with a lot of volume and I haven't really got that far yet. But, I have the ability to go hard from the get-go, as an extreme example after my conventional deadlift PR of 240kg I could, after a single rest day, go do a set of 5 conventional deadlifts at 210kg straight cold with no warm-up reps whatsoever. So it's interesting to ask myself, if I started to train á la Mr. Chaillet, how many reps in the deadlift I would need before my top rep. There is, of course, the caveat of significantly different weights he and I have been handling. Still, I have found that some other people find my way of training quite surprising, and that I could have an advantage in this matter in some measure.

This should turn out to become an interesting discussion. I hope I get to read many personal anecdotes about the subject. Some hard science is welcome too.
 
Hello,

I firmly believe that we have to listen to our body. Too much hard cardio is hard to endure. Too much hard strength is hard to endure as well. In long-haul and health perspective, they are not good option.

I think this article is written with an underlying philosophy: to quote Vladimir Vasiliev "we have to be able to fight as much time as we walk". So we have to find a balance with strength and conditioning.

Systema focuses a lot on body consciousness and makes it work as a single unit. This is why there are lots of mobility and breathing training to avoid wasting energy.

Maybe we could consider the combination of "slow pace + 1 minute density" of this routine as a GPP: some kind of bdw S&S

As a freediver, I have to be able to relax and avoid tension to hold my breath longer. However, I also have to be able to generate tension when I lift something heavy. A balance of tension and relaxation in some way

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
@Antti
As I read it, the first article was about one single set to failure.
The second, much more documented, from Marty Gallagher is about one top set, never to failure.

At the SFL, there is a lot of lectures about programming. One is comparing the Gallagher approach of 1x5, and the 5x5. Two different approaches, both can work. They share one thing, though: no failure.
 
jef said:
@Antti
As I read it, the first article was about one single set to failure.
The second, much more documented, from Marty Gallagher is about one top set, never to failure.

At the SFL, there is a lot of lectures about programming. One is comparing the Gallagher approach of 1x5, and the 5x5. Two different approaches, both can work. They share one thing, though: no failure.
Click to expand...

I agree, I understood the articles the same way.

To nitpick a bit, the Gallagher approach has a top set of varying reps, depending on the absolute weight, or the closeness of the competition. As in going linearly down from 5 to 2. The DL may be a single.
 
Hey guys

So just to clarify........each day the person recommends 1 set to failure of pushup, pullup, squat and a couple of other moves. Each rep takes 1 minute (30 seconds each direction)?

Richard
 
Great thread and a great link to the Marty Gallagher piece.

The following passage would seem to indicate that although the 1 work set approach he recommends is very hard, it didn't mean technical failure (of form):

"The technical execution of these core lifts was approached with a reverance bordering on religious zealotry. Pristine technique was combined with full range-of-motion"


There is little doubt the minimalistic, stripped back approach can work, which does make you wonder why it's not more mainstream. Maybe because that doesn't sell as well! ;)



Antti said:
An interesting article. I think there's too much hyperbole and such for me to really like it but I agree with it in some way about some points.

When it comes to intensity vs. volume there's an excellent article about it by Marty Gallagher: Ironcompany.com - Forged Passion Since 1997

There really can be no doubt that a single top set of intense training can be enough, as in enough to be the best in the World. Quite enough, right? The obvious follow-up question naturally is how much work one needs to do to get up to that top set.

In the before-mentioned article Mark Chaillet, " the best deadlifter in the world in his weight class", had a weekly deadlift workout of five reps. And in the example only three of them where in any way demanding.

My personal experience is too short to really have a meaningful effect in this discussion. I have trained with a lot of volume and I haven't really got that far yet. But, I have the ability to go hard from the get-go, as an extreme example after my conventional deadlift PR of 240kg I could, after a single rest day, go do a set of 5 conventional deadlifts at 210kg straight cold with no warm-up reps whatsoever. So it's interesting to ask myself, if I started to train á la Mr. Chaillet, how many reps in the deadlift I would need before my top rep. There is, of course, the caveat of significantly different weights he and I have been handling. Still, I have found that some other people find my way of training quite surprising, and that I could have an advantage in this matter in some measure.

This should turn out to become an interesting discussion. I hope I get to read many personal anecdotes about the subject. Some hard science is welcome too.
Click to expand...
 
I like the premise of the first article translation in terms of setting up movements and the general breakdown.

Personally I have never gotten best results doing single set to failure, even technical failure. I did make pretty good gains though, but made better ones with multiple sets.

IIRC meta-analysis shows that these strategies are not equal for most, but the outliers do overlap. The single set proponents to me, smack of the same narrowed focus found in evangelical keto practitioners. It might work for some but whether its the best across a wide range of individuals is highly suspect.

I am a proponent of intensity but am also a proponent of variation.
 
This is very odd that he says to do this every day!

The steve maxwell protocol, which is practically identical, reccomends doing this kind of workout no more than once per week
 
Hello,

After having done some other researches since the OP, it appears that it is frequent in Systema training in Russia, to do a variation of the above post: slow repetition about 40s for the negative phase, and 40s for the positive phase. You can hit 2 or 3 reps, no need to do more. Then, you get a repetition in 1'20'', which is a really significant TUT. It seems that this duration - if one is used to it - can be done everyday.

In Systema, the goal of the slow motion practice is to get used to pain, and then how to manage it with breathing, without creating [too much] tension. It is considered that in combat, one has to be able to endure pain, so one has to be used to it. To a certain extent, this exercise almost has to be considered as a breathing and pain management exercise. It is not considered as a "pure strength" exercise. Plus, this teaches the feeling of "heavy fists". If you perform such a push ups, then, you'll get the feeling that your arms are strings, and your fists are stones. If done on a frequent basis, you get this kind of "neuro muscular" habit.

I practice slow motion pattern for push ups and squats several times a week (3 at least), using 40s up and 40s down. It works well. To a certain extent, I think everyone has his own threshold of training volume.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
pet' said:
Hello,

After having done some other researches since the OP, it appears that it is frequent in Systema training in Russia, to do a variation of the above post: slow repetition about 40s for the negative phase, and 40s for the positive phase. You can hit 2 or 3 reps, no need to do more. Then, you get a repetition in 1'20'', which is a really significant TUT. It seems that this duration - if one is used to it - can be done everyday.

In Systema, the goal of the slow motion practice is to get used to pain, and then how to manage it with breathing, without creating [too much] tension. It is considered that in combat, one has to be able to endure pain, so one has to be used to it. To a certain extent, this exercise almost has to be considered as a breathing and pain management exercise. It is not considered as a "pure strength" exercise. Plus, this teaches the feeling of "heavy fists". If you perform such a push ups, then, you'll get the feeling that your arms are strings, and your fists are stones. If done on a frequent basis, you get this kind of "neuro muscular" habit.

I practice slow motion pattern for push ups and squats several times a week (3 at least), using 40s up and 40s down. It works well. To a certain extent, I think everyone has his own threshold of training volume.

Kind regards,

Pet'
Click to expand...

Pet

I thought the article asked for normal speed reps done for 3-4 different movements - each one for 1 minute?

Have a misenturpreted? Is it actually 1 rep with a 40 second negative and a 40 second positive (for each movement)?

Richard
 
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