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Kettlebell Great active rest combo with TGUs. What do you do for rest periods?

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guardian7

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Yesterday while doing my TGUs, I decided to try pairing some active rest, taking advantage of already being on the floor. It felt wonderful on the shoulders.

Fast and loose is good if you are already standing but not convenient for getups.

Do a getup. Slide the bell around your head to your opposite side as usual. Do an Original Strength roll to the side you just finished. Pause for a crocodile or other type of deep breath. I learned crocodile breathing in the SF user course. And then roll back. Then do a scapular floor slide as activation for shoulder packing. Rest a few seconds if needed. Complete another getup and repeat. Those who are working on heavier, higher tempo getups could skip the scapular floor slide. With the addition of rolling and breathing exercises, this sequence is even more like loaded yoga as Grey Cook says. All of the movements require slow, mindful work.

Do my shoulders ever feel good today! Even more than getups alone. Even after Muay Thai class.

What other combinations or active rest do you do besides breath counting or fast and loose shaking, which is not very convenient for getups! Static stretches right before strength work are not supposed to be good if you are stretching the same muscle group that you are working on. I tend to work on ankles or wrists or neck during rest periods for presses. I like the OS head nod then as well. Easy areas to neglect otherwise. It feels like a chore to get done, so I try to pair it with something I enjoy. I tend to neglect mobility routines on their own separate from the workout, except for activation ones like the standard S&S warmup, which I find effective, particularly the bridging.
 
Guardian7- could you provide some detail on how to perform the 'crocodile' and the 'scapular floor slide'? They sound interesting.... My active rest involves OS cross-crawls and face-pulls using a light band- the face pulls feel great after the pressing.
 
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Guardian7- could you provide some detail on how to perform the 'crocodile' and the 'scapular floor slide'? They sound interesting.... My active rest involves OS cross-crawls and face-pulls using a light band- the face pulls feel great after the pressing.

The partner work is for learning.
Crocodile Breathing Partner Assist | Functional Movement Systems

Scapular slides are usually done with your back to the wall. It looks too easy but feel the alignment of your shoulders to the floor. Most people can't do this properly.


I should definately get a band for face pulls. I do them with cables when I have a gym membership which is usually only in the winter. I agree they are great. I do "cross" work as part of my warmup.
 
Thanks Guardian7! Get yourself a light (red color) band and wrap it around a squat rack support, my shoulders love the face pulls. I learned this from Athlean X - Jeff Cavaliere. I've posted this link on another thread- the face pull technique Jeff details is 100% GOLD for not only myself- but also my growing client base.
 
Thanks Guardian7! Get yourself a light (red color) band and wrap it around a squat rack support, my shoulders love the face pulls. I learned this from Athlean X - Jeff Cavaliere. I've posted this link on another thread- the face pull technique Jeff details is 100% GOLD for not only myself- but also my growing client base.


Great idea. I wonder what benefits there would be putting the band over the top of the rack and pulling down and back or overhead or other different planes of motion. I have this flexible cord that I pull across and behind my back before I leave my desk everyday. It is great. I will buy a band this weekend. Thanks for the idea. Great substitute for the cable.
 
I use the band pull from a variety of heights but the KEY is to follow the advice from Jeff- elbows below shoulders when pulling back and thumbs up pointing behind you shoulders.
 
90/90 stretch could help, brettzel as well. I've done those on the ground. hip flexor, OS rocking, OS rocking with one leg out (hits more adductor)...all good ones!
 
Wespom9 - would you use the brettzel stretch as active rest or post training?
 
You could roll on your side and do some side planks right before your next rep. You should able to feel a difference on the next rep.
 
Wespom9 - would you use the brettzel stretch as active rest or post training?

I've used it personally, and professionally both ways. I'm a huge fan of using rest periods to do "corrective" work. Whether it be mobility, motor control, co-ordination, whatever it is that helps an individual's weakest link that wouldn't detract from exercise you're supersetting it with (as in doesn't allow proper rest before the next set). But I love stuff like 90/90's, brettzel, brettzel 2.0, or some flexible steel stuff like the tactical frog to finish off a session as well. Hope that makes sense.
 
Yes, it does make sense- in my case, I am hyper aware of not detracting from my recovery during the active rest. I have read and been taught to avoid static stretching during resistance work- for example, a light static stretch (up to 5-6 seconds) is fine, but going over the 15 second mark is not beneficial for the muscles being trained. What are your thoughts/experiences on this?
 
I wouldn't do a pec stretch during a bench press set, but with mobility-focused work I haven't found a detraction yet. I suppose if I may make a distinction, no flexibility focused moves but mobility seems to be fine.

Another thing - my mobility corrective stuff may be geared for the NEXT lift, not the current one. Example.... my client's session may do a warmup that is a little more hip/ankle focused because the hinge is the first major lift. During rest periods of the hinge, we may work on some more upper body/t-spine stuff because there will be some sort of press/pull as the 2nd major lift
 
Is it important to do active rest between sets of a slow, non-ballistic activity like get-ups?

Well, if you think of "active rest" in terms of cardio sorts of activities, active rest is certainly promoted in the S&S book in terms of between swing sets. Nothing really mentioned about getups. For myself however, I was taught by an SFG how to breathe/have tension at specific points/stages of the getup (only 2-3 inhales-exhales or so of air during entire floor to stand to floor again...NOT the Valsalva maneouver BTW, more like "breathing behind the shield"), so once I got the hang of that I found it does not really raise my heart rate.

That being said I think I do some things just because it feels good. Often after my last set of swings while resting before getups I will do extended child's pose and focus on really getting my chest down the floor...feels good on shoulders, and do some belly breathing, vs the "fast and loose" stuff I do between swing sets. That then turns into some cat-cow poses then OS rocking/nodding, then I roll over and do my first getup when I feel ready. Between getups...it depends. Often yoga cobbler's pose, hinging at hips and resting forearms and face on floor, or again some rocks/nods, or sometimes just laying on my back.

Sometimes I think a bit of intuition comes into it, as it varies day by day. And I think it varies person by person, so what one needs may not be what another needs.....I have quite good lower body flexibility, but I know my weakness is thoracic spine areas for example.
 
Yes, it does make sense- in my case, I am hyper aware of not detracting from my recovery during the active rest. I have read and been taught to avoid static stretching during resistance work- for example, a light static stretch (up to 5-6 seconds) is fine, but going over the 15 second mark is not beneficial for the muscles being trained. What are your thoughts/experiences on this?

Yeah, I don't static stretch a body part I am actively working on. Hence, the gentle rolls and slides, both gentle dynamic movements. And yes I don't want to getup again after doing a getup, so not even rocking. I need the rest period.
 
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