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Other/Mixed OS: Super Simple Strength

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
I am still trying to figure out how to load my crawling/rocking with my limited indoor space. Once it's a bit warmer out I may walk to the park and use the hillside again. Last year I was doing both backwards uphill crawling and rocking pushups on the hill side. Both felt awesome.
 
I ran the super simple strength program for six weeks late last autumn when I had the opportunity to train outdoors. It was a fun program that gave good results. Crawling and carries contain a lot of magic in them for sure. The simplicity is soothing.

One thing that got me wondering though is the instruction to perform 10 minutes of two movements in a continuous manner using nasal breathing all the time. I wonder if this means continuous as in nearly no rest, doing movements that are so easy that they don’t require power breathing techniques at all, or continuous as in keeping the rest periods somewhat constant throughout the 10 minutes and using some power breathing techniques to generate more tension.
 
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Geoff Neupert said:
Interesting side note: In the early days of OS, we saw a lot of people improve their TGU from dropping it from their program and replacing it with crawling.

Also, enough crawling will give you DOMS. Ask me how I know. ;-)
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+1. Heading into third week of a swing-crawl program using heavy-light-medium Delta 20 approach. DOMS from crawling during first week definitely got my attention. Easing a bit with adaptation but still noticeable. Started out with OTM two-hand swings @24k, crawls for 30 seconds (~7 forward, 7 back) with as much rest as needed for HR to drop from mid-120s to mid-90s. OTM swings might have been a bit much as RHR, HRV, recovery all took a hit. Switching to rests between swings that will allow HR to drop to mid-90s, kind of the sweet spot for me. Trying to keep an AGT-centric focus though I realize the program is a kind of a bastardized S&S/Q&D/A&A mashup. Swing-crawl combo seems to train posterior and anterior chains and it seems like my body is more tied together, for want of a better way to put it. I like TGUs but they're a bit tough on this 70-year-old body with its injury/surgery history (both shoulders repaired, left knee replacement). Geoff, thanks for what you've written about crawling and for videos you've posted. You've mentioned that you did crawling for a year, increasing weight and duration. I'm interested in hearing more about the benefits and downsides of your crawling experience, if you're so inclined. Also, thanks to Louka for the crawling program template. Even though I'm not adhering to it, it was a springboard for my current program.
 
outwest said:
I bought "Original Strength Restoration" and it has some interesting stuff, but not things like leopard crawls. A lot of the books have titles that make me think there's some overlap. Do you know whether "Pressing Reset" is completely different to "Original Strength Restoration"?

Dan
PS Sorry to OP for thread hijack
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You can reach out to the OS team on their website (or maybe on FB) for more info on which books will contain what kind of info. I'm sure they do have some overlap. I have the original book Original Strength, Pressing Reset and Becoming Bulletproof.

Pressing Reset seems to be a re-edition of Original Strength with added testimonies in it. Pretty much similar in terms of content. Becoming Bulletproof has programs or training templates based on the Original Strength system.

For the other books I can't be of much help. I think Original Strength Restoration is a "softer" variant of the Pressing Reset book (or original book).
 
bluejeff said:
I am still trying to figure out how to load my crawling/rocking with my limited indoor space.
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I sometimes wear a ruck sack for rocking ( a rock sack if you will ) as I am too tight fisted to buy a weighted vest. Also possible to hold a weight in one hand and as you rock back bring it to your shoulder and back to the floor as you rock forward.
 
SFSparky said:
Geoff, thanks for what you've written about crawling and for videos you've posted. You've mentioned that you did crawling for a year, increasing weight and duration. I'm interested in hearing more about the benefits and downsides of your crawling experience, if you're so inclined.
Click to expand...
I actually crawled for 7 years - 2010 to 2017 approximately 6 days a week.

From April 2010 to Sept. 2010, it was bodyweight mixed with loaded pre and post barbell workouts, and on days off.

From Sept. 2010 to April 2012, it was primarily loaded with anterior chain dominant bodyweight exercises.

From April 2012 to Around Summer of 2017, it was mixed with barbell, KB, and bodyweight.

More often than not, it was done in a separate session - early AM crawling + PM lifting.

Some other details:
  • I waved the load between 20 steps per leg and 50 steps per leg, with an average of 25-30 steps; 100 pounds to 200 pounds of chain pulled behind me. Often times I alternated between forward and backward.
  • A minimum daily distance was 100 yards. I'd sometimes go up to 400 yards.
  • I believe the most I've pulled, without digging up old training journals, is 200lbs for approximately 600 yards forward, 100lbs for approx. 1200 yards forward and 200lbs for 100 yards backwards. I've pulled 100lbs neck loaded several 100 yards - but can't remember the details.
  • I've also done multiple seasons of backwards uphill crawling - but that actually burnt me out every time I pressed into it. I've crawled on all types of surfaces: Concrete, dry grass, wet grass, and snow.

I didn't do much lateral or axial crawling because it never tested well for me. There were no immediate or long-term benefits from either for me.

Physical feats I accomplished that I link directly to OS/crawling:
  • OAOLPU each side w/ no warm up
  • Bodyweight Pistols - worked up to 5 sets of 10 each side (had to use counterbalance before)
  • Straight bar muscle ups
I stopped crawling because -

(a) I was bored, and, more importantly,
(b) the one thing I could never fix was my lunge pattern. I always had issues with my right hip not feeling "screwed on" and would get "tightness/stiffness" in my right knee. And yes, I tested and used all the regressions.

And before anyone asks, I'm no longer affiliated with OS, but I do recommend it as an easy and enjoyable starting point to restoration.

Hope you find this helpful.
 
Geoff Neupert said:
I actually crawled for 7 years - 2010 to 2017 approximately 6 days a week.

From April 2010 to Sept. 2010, it was bodyweight mixed with loaded pre and post barbell workouts, and on days off.

From Sept. 2010 to April 2012, it was primarily loaded with anterior chain dominant bodyweight exercises.

From April 2012 to Around Summer of 2017, it was mixed with barbell, KB, and bodyweight.

More often than not, it was done in a separate session - early AM crawling + PM lifting.

Some other details:
  • I waved the load between 20 steps per leg and 50 steps per leg, with an average of 25-30 steps; 100 pounds to 200 pounds of chain pulled behind me. Often times I alternated between forward and backward.
  • A minimum daily distance was 100 yards. I'd sometimes go up to 400 yards.
  • I believe the most I've pulled, without digging up old training journals, is 200lbs for approximately 600 yards forward, 100lbs for approx. 1200 yards forward and 200lbs for 100 yards backwards. I've pulled 100lbs neck loaded several 100 yards - but can't remember the details.
  • I've also done multiple seasons of backwards uphill crawling - but that actually burnt me out every time I pressed into it. I've crawled on all types of surfaces: Concrete, dry grass, wet grass, and snow.

I didn't do much lateral or axial crawling because it never tested well for me. There were no immediate or long-term benefits from either for me.

Physical feats I accomplished that I link directly to OS/crawling:
  • OAOLPU each side w/ no warm up
  • Bodyweight Pistols - worked up to 5 sets of 10 each side (had to use counterbalance before)
  • Straight bar muscle ups
I stopped crawling because -

(a) I was bored, and, more importantly,
(b) the one thing I could never fix was my lunge pattern. I always had issues with my right hip not feeling "screwed on" and would get "tightness/stiffness" in my right knee. And yes, I tested and used all the regressions.

And before anyone asks, I'm no longer affiliated with OS, but I do recommend it as an easy and enjoyable starting point to restoration.

Hope you find this helpful.
Click to expand...

Hey, kind of out of nowhere, but I've been fascinated by your "neuro-metabolic contrasts" page for about 3 years now and keep going back to read it. I'm a calisthenics guy who does a lot of KB swings... do you have another product available right now that discusses daily training like the Olympic program? I'd love to take your ideas for high frequency training and adapt them to my calisthenics.
 
Ian V said:
I sometimes wear a ruck sack for rocking ( a rock sack if you will ) as I am too tight fisted to buy a weighted vest. Also possible to hold a weight in one hand and as you rock back bring it to your shoulder and back to the floor as you rock forward.
Click to expand...
I should try it more often with my weight vest. I tried once, and it definitely made it harder, but I have a suspicion that loading the crawl in such a way that you are dragging the weight forwards or backwards would have a much wider transferrability to other movements.
 
Geoff Neupert said:
I actually crawled for 7 years - 2010 to 2017 approximately 6 days a week.

From April 2010 to Sept. 2010, it was bodyweight mixed with loaded pre and post barbell workouts, and on days off.

From Sept. 2010 to April 2012, it was primarily loaded with anterior chain dominant bodyweight exercises.

From April 2012 to Around Summer of 2017, it was mixed with barbell, KB, and bodyweight.

More often than not, it was done in a separate session - early AM crawling + PM lifting.

Some other details:
  • I waved the load between 20 steps per leg and 50 steps per leg, with an average of 25-30 steps; 100 pounds to 200 pounds of chain pulled behind me. Often times I alternated between forward and backward.
  • A minimum daily distance was 100 yards. I'd sometimes go up to 400 yards.
  • I believe the most I've pulled, without digging up old training journals, is 200lbs for approximately 600 yards forward, 100lbs for approx. 1200 yards forward and 200lbs for 100 yards backwards. I've pulled 100lbs neck loaded several 100 yards - but can't remember the details.
  • I've also done multiple seasons of backwards uphill crawling - but that actually burnt me out every time I pressed into it. I've crawled on all types of surfaces: Concrete, dry grass, wet grass, and snow.

I didn't do much lateral or axial crawling because it never tested well for me. There were no immediate or long-term benefits from either for me.

Physical feats I accomplished that I link directly to OS/crawling:
  • OAOLPU each side w/ no warm up
  • Bodyweight Pistols - worked up to 5 sets of 10 each side (had to use counterbalance before)
  • Straight bar muscle ups
I stopped crawling because -

(a) I was bored, and, more importantly,
(b) the one thing I could never fix was my lunge pattern. I always had issues with my right hip not feeling "screwed on" and would get "tightness/stiffness" in my right knee. And yes, I tested and used all the regressions.

And before anyone asks, I'm no longer affiliated with OS, but I do recommend it as an easy and enjoyable starting point to restoration.

Hope you find this helpful.
Click to expand...
 
Many thanks, helpful indeed. Impressive history and, for a crawling noob, awe inspiring. I get the boredom factor but I sure like the portability. I'll do the swing-crawl program for a while, at least six weeks. I plan to mix in other programs, including snatches and Easy Strength, over time.
 
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