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Kettlebell Minimum effective dose

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And if I don't have access to kb, I'd do thruster with a barbell when time is wery limited.

On a weekly basis I would do Steve Freides' program; twice a week 2X3 deadlift and 2X5 overhead press. That worked for him to up his DL numbers.
 
masa said:
On a weekly basis I would do Steve Freides' program; twice a week 2X3 deadlift and 2X5 overhead press. That worked for him to up his DL numbers.
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It is not the ideal program, but for me, it was enough to be effective compared to not exercising - I was able to cycle my DL up to about 2x bodyweight in training and more than that in competition. But I think it's important to realize that those numbers represent a decrease in my strength overall - not a huge decrease, but a decrease from the kind of strength I can demonstrate when I train more.

In very approximate terms, and please don't quote me on the numbers, I'd say I was/am 10% stronger than when on that minimalist program when I was training 3-5x the volume of that minimalist program. If you want to be stronger, is the extra volume worth it? Absolutely, it is.

-S-
 
@masa, I'm not sure what "And yes, no more quoting" but if you're suggesting I find fault with what you wrote, I did not and do not; I just wanted to clarify and amplify for anyone contemplating doing similar. For me, it was an "easy strength" approach, but not just easy strength or "even easier strength" but perhaps "easiest strength."

I should add that being able to achieve a training effect, and even cycle the weights, is testimony to our training approach at StrongFirst, of strength as a skill. If it's a skill, and not dependent on having a protein shake every 2 hours to keep your muscles bulging, it's something you will maintain most of even when you don't practice it very much.

-S-
 
@Steve Freides; I know what you ment by that quoting, but my english is not top notch so to speak. I just didn't found exact words.

But something that works for you, doesn't mean that it works for everybody.
 
Hello,

To maximize efficiency, would the clean and jerck (or clean and press) be a good choice, if we work them the same way that DL (3*3, 3*5 or so) ?

In the case of the C&J, you will have a work on power during the second step of the move. In the case of C&P, a strength work during the second step.

Even if these lifts are lighter, aren't they more "complete" ?

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
@pet', "complete" doesn't exist.

We must also mention goals - I know some people just lift for a result of "to be fit" or their body composition, but I lift specifically because I like to press and I like to deadlift, so I wouldn't give up my favorite lifts for the C&J just because it's more time efficient in terms of developing the most attributes in the least amount of training time.

That said, please see my new thing in the Welcome section called Favorite StrongFirst Blog Posts - the first one I cite follows your suggestion, and uses the C&J.

-S-
 
I seem to have progressed pretty well on 2x/wk of S&S along with the NW program and some gripper work. If you're crunched for time and at a low training volume then I think you might benefit from participation in other disciplines. Personally I think that ten minutes per day of reading psalms/keeping a gratitude journal/praying seems to get me further than the additional training volume, especially since once I get beyond the basics I'm sort of bewildered as to what on earth I'm actually doing with myself.

Good luck! Hope you meet your goals!
 
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I would have to believe that "the minimal effective dose" would be different for each of us. And then again, different for each of use depending on what else is going on in our lives. If a student is working so much that they were only able to train twice that week it could very well be that was the minimal effective dose. Check your journal and see if when you were only training twice per week if in the following weeks you made gains. Here's the other deal, "you can only do what you can do". This is all supposed to be enjoyable, not some kind of death march.
 
Hello,

A good "performance indicator" of the daily dose is:
If you are always more tired than the usual : you are doing too much.
If your performances (sets / reps / times) do not progress / fall, whereas you are at 100%, you are doing too much.

You can observe that only on a "relatively long" period (at least 2 or 3 weeks).

What you can do is writting down your sets / reps / times and then see if you are doing better training after training or not. Nevertheless everyone has its own DD.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
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