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Barbell Does Easy Strength make all other programs obsolete??

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KIWI5

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I'm halfway through my first Even Easier Strength cycle and I can't believe the results. It really is magical to hit targets this....easily. But why bother with any other programs seeing as this style of submaximal daily lifting works so well? I'm halfway through the Easy Strength kindle book so maybe my querey will be answered later in the book, but really- why bother with programs like Wendler 5/3/1 when I can make 'monster gainz' so much easier with Easy Strength? I suppose at some point I will have made all the ''easy strength' gains that I can make, and then maybe I'll have to go to a more advanced program....?
 
Different folks, different strokes. Easy Strength rocks, I agree - but we have so many great programs for different people and different goals - and other coaches, too, like e.g. aformentioned Jim Wendler. 5/3/1 is a great program.
 
Nice! I recall in the book it was said people usually break records around workout 22 or so of 40. Sounds like you are similar!

What exercises did you select?
 
Zercher Squat (I deadlift the bar to my knees, and start each rep from the bottom to eliminate stretch reflex)- Incline Bench, Rack Pull and Chin Ups. I've been varying the loaded carries from Farmers, Suitcase, Rack and I've done a couple of Cooked Drills - I always finish with the Wheel of Death (ab wheel) x 5. I put the program to the test yesterday and pulled a sheep out of a deep swamp (where it had become stuck)- there's no way I could have done this some months ago. Sure, it was a huge effort carrying the muddy beast out, but I did it. And I loved doing it- I knew I had the mission nailed before I even started. Thanks 'Easy Strength'!
 
Easy Strength FTW!

I love Easy Strength. I was amazed at well it worked while being so, well, easy. I always feel better when I’m done, just like a yoga practice or Maffetone aerobic session. I wish I would have known about it years ago. Whenever I see people beating themselves in the gym with isolation moves, I’m sad.

Obsolete? Nah, there are plenty of needs that are better met with other programs. ES isn’t really suited for hypertrophy, and that’s a big goal for lots of folks. And the high frequency can be a logistical problem for some.
 
As someone who benefits a lot from high frequency training, here’s my take:

Pros:
1) no burnout, no need to get psyched. Inch up on PRs or get a PR on a good day both work.
2) sessions are short and sweet. I basically do PTTP with 1 or 2 lifts, 4-5x a week.

Cons:
1) getting to the gym almost daily. Not practical for some folks, commute, etc.
2) not ideal for hypertrophy if that’s a goal.
3) Some people I imagine just don’t respond well or like high frequency type training.
 
No worries. Number three is a good point, that I forget, since the universe that I am the center of prefer high frequency training. But I’m sure there are parallel universes where people thrive on less frequent, more intense training sessions. There may be goals that are best met with that approach as well. My experience in the past was burnout, but maybe things would go differently now.

Also, ESworks really well when your adaptive ability is challenged, either by participating in other sports, or life circumstances. It’s ideal for those with a home gym, because you don’t even need to do everything in the same session. Just chip away at it, like Maffetone’s “Slow Weights.”
 
I stopped the program short as I was losing muscle mass. It seems I need volume in my program to maintain my size. Perhaps I could have held onto it with more calories, but I'm not interested in stuffing myself full every day.

Gutted to be honest as I'm very intrigued about the strength benefit.
 
Logistics is always a constraint for me. If only there was an every day strength practice program with kettlebells.
 
So, having reviewed the book:

There is Easy Strength “the book”.

There is Pavel’s section on Easy Strength “the program” - which is heavier, not as many movements, and less frequent.

Then there is Dan John’s “Even Easier Strength” / 40-Day Workout (which he got from Pavel) which is lighter but higher frequency and includes all the major movement patterns.

Dan’s blog has other variations on the 40-Day Workout, some more barbell, kettlebell, or bodyweight focused. All are specific applications of the Easy Strength principles (from the book).

My question is: has the meaning of “Easy Strength” morphed into the 40-Day Workout such that they are interchangeable? Or when people talk about an Easy Strength cycle/season they don’t necessary mean the 5 days a week version?
 
Zercher Squat (I deadlift the bar to my knees, and start each rep from the bottom to eliminate stretch reflex)
Rookie question: after the last rep of the set, do just drop the bar the last foot or do or is there a safe way to control it all the way to the floor? I live in apt so less noise is good!
 
My question is: has the meaning of “Easy Strength” morphed into the 40-Day Workout such that they are interchangeable? Or when people talk about an Easy Strength cycle/season they don’t necessary mean the 5 days a week version?
I think people use "Easy Strength" to talk about a variety of programs that share a common principle: frequent, moderately heavy but sub-maximal lifting. PTTP, GTG, DDD - all programs I consider related.

-S-
 
I think people use "Easy Strength" to talk about a variety of programs that share a common principle: frequent, moderately heavy but sub-maximal lifting. PTTP, GTG, DDD - all programs I consider related.

-S-
Makes sense. The 10 rules in that chapter are the pillars of Easy Strength (including 80-95% weight and 2-3 days a week), while the 40-Day Workout is a higher frequency lower weight application of the principles.
 
Rookie question: after the last rep of the set, do just drop the bar the last foot or do or is there a safe way to control it all the way to the floor? I live in apt so less noise is good!
after the last rep I lower the bar to the ground under control- you could make up some padding and plywood if you wanted to drop the weights?
 
I sometimes forget how awesome it is to have my own gym- it certainly helps with the whole 'showing up' thing. I have noticed that I am eating more now that I am deep into Even Easier Strength. I've put on around 1kg in the last month- and it a'int fat! It helps that I eat zero processed food. I am also more 'jacked' than before. I have an overall body tension that did not exist prior- the closest I've come to feeling this way was when I did 'Dry Fighting Weight' last year. A key part of my EES strategy has been a 15 minute Original Strength morning re-charge, where I also add some pumps, arm bars, bird dogs and cat cows. I always start with 1.5 minutes diaphragmatic breathing while laying on my Back Pod. I feel like I could walk through walls after I'm done. All this talk of EES has made me sad that today's a day off from THE IRON.....oh well, I'll have to content myself with the planned 15 minute jump-rope session tonight.
 
Logistics is always a constraint for me. If only there was an every day strength practice program with kettlebells.
You could very easily do an Even Easier Strength or Easy Strength cycle with KB's. I'm looking at incorporating KB's into my next EES cycle, probably the Dbl. KB Hi-Pull will feature. Wait a minute....what about that Simple & Sinister thing?
 
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Re: Nomenclature
These days, it seems that what most people call Easy Strength is what the book called Even Easier Strength, and showcased via the 40 day workout. Dan John says it's a continuum, and in practice people figure out a way that fits. Currently, I'm doing 4 days a week for 50 sessions instead of the classic 40 days in 2 mos. That's so I can do more aerobic volume.

Another benefit of high frequency training like Easy Strength is that no one workout has any great significance, so the pressure's off. Have a bad day? No problem, you'll be back tomorrow. Life get in the way? Get back to it when you do. This contrasts nicely to structured programs where each session counts differently.
 
Dan's experience and from observing others is that, for some reason, the benefits seem to drop off noticeably when going beyond forty days. Since everyone is different YMMV. I have stopped after forty days each time, but if you are deriving improvement past that point I see no reason to stop.
 
Another fan of ES. I did 3 days a week @ roughly 80% 1rm a few years ago with Kbs. I did front squats (total 10 reps, in varied sets/reps) clean and press 3x123 ladders and finished with either swings or snatches. I did this as per the ES book.
I agree with @Steve Freides ES can cover many similar programmes, I see it as a principal rather than a specific programme. I now do A&A snatches and bent press in sets of 2 or 3 reps at roughly 70-80% 1rm, so I also consider this to be ES.
 
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