Repeat Until Strong.

[pet']

Hello,

@Pavel Macek
I often have to travel and enjoy training the core using OA push ups or OAOL push ups or even resistance bands (to do deadlifts).

Nonetheless, I'd like to know what is the best - in your opnion - core exercise without any device ?

Thanks a lot !

Kind regards

Pet',

 

[Pavel Macek]

Hello,

@Pavel Macek
I often have to travel and enjoy training the core using OA push ups or OAOL push ups or even resistance bands (to do deadlifts).

Nonetheless, I'd like to know what is the best - in your opnion - core exercise without any device ?

Thanks a lot !

Kind regards

Pet',

@pet' Please allow me to quote my teacher @Pavel first:

"... we don’t use the word core at StrongFirst. Why don’t we use the word core? Because, well – because people who use the word core, they do things we don’t like."
​

To your question: Any bodyweight exercise (and progressions/regressions) we teach at SFB Bodyweight Course or Cert, applying the HTT (high tension techniques) and skills of strength. Many options:

- StrongFirst plank
- Hardstyle sitback
- hollow position and hollow rocks
- [straight leg setup with paradoxic breathing we discussed before]
- power breathing
- virtual powerbreathing
- one-arm pushups
- ...
- if you have access to pullup bar, Hardstyle hanging leg-raises rock

Let me emphasize once more: applying the HTT (high tension techniques) and skills of strength.

I can do a plank and stay there for half an hour - or I can do a StrongFirst plank and I am toast in 5-10 secs.

 

[pet']

Hello @Pavel Macek

Thank you so much. For once, I did something correctly using HTT with my push ups and the straight leg setup with paradoxic breathing !

What do you think about the L-Sit ?

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Pavel Macek]

Hello @Pavel Macek

Thank you so much. For once, I did something correctly using HTT with my push ups and the straight leg setup with paradoxic breathing !

What do you think about the L-Sit ?

Kind regards,

Pet'

Same answer: applying the HTT (high tension techniques) and skills of strength.

 

[Pavel Macek]

Today's Few Words of Gratitude



I am very grateful to StrongFirst Italy for inviting me to teach (my very first!) StrongFirst SFB Bodyweight Certification.

What a great team of students & assistants - team StrongFirst! Thank you all!

Special thanks to @Pavel , @Brett Jones , @Fabio Zonin for their trust, Jon Engum suggesting me as an SFB Cert Instructor, and , and @Justyna Mackova for her support since the very start of our StrongFirst journey.

 

[Michael Scott]

@Pavel Macek, can you please explain the difference?

I can do a plank and stay there for half an hour - or I can do a StrongFirst plank and I am toast in 5-10 secs.

 

[Pavel Macek]

@Pavel Macek, can you please explain the difference?

Still the same answer: applying the HTT (high tension techniques) and skills of strength.

The better you are in applying them, the less time you can hold, and the more tension you can create. Once you can do so,
you can dial it up or down according the needs.

Join an SFB course or cert and get amazed - this stuff is gold.

 

[Pavel Macek]

Today's training: The Naked Warrior on the Road

• One-arm pushups: 5 sets of 3
• Pistol squats: 5 sets of 3
• Second Wind Breathing Exercises

 

[Pavel Macek]

Today's pic



Bodyweight single leg squats, or with a weight?
Yes.
From a StrongFirst Bodyweight SFB Certified Instructor Manual:⁣⁣

⁣⁣„Do not try to unreasonably maintain the ‚purity‘ of bodyweight only training.“⁣⁣​

⁣⁣…⁣⁣
⁣⁣„While you should be aiming to be training with progressively heavier weights, make sure to maintain your ability to do bodyweight only pistols.“⁣⁣

⁣And why pistols?⁣
⁣⁣

⁣„The pistol honors the ‚strength and health‘ ideal of our predecessors. Whether it becomes your leg strength exercise of choice or not, it is strongly advisable that you achieve the ability to perform pistols without a counterbalance and maintain it.“⁣​

⁣⁣⁣Photo: „Commando Challenge“, Muscle Media, Jan/Feb 2020. ⁣⁣⁣

 

[pet']

Hello @Pavel Macek ,

Recently, I asked you about the OA / OAOL PU transfer to other kind of presses.

In your opinion, between OAOL (or even OA) and the kb MP, which one engage the more the entire body ?

Indeed, if I listen to my body, the answer is the push up, but may be I do not use a heavy enough weight when I do the MP... Is there a minimum % of 1RM to get the same muscle engagement between the two moves ?

Thanks,

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Pavel Macek]

Hello @Pavel Macek ,

Recently, I asked you about the OA / OAOL PU transfer to other kind of presses.

In your opinion, between OAOL (or even OA) and the kb MP, which one engage the more the entire body ?

Indeed, if I listen to my body, the answer is the push up, but may be I do not use a heavy enough weight when I do the MP... Is there a minimum % of 1RM to get the same muscle engagement between the two moves ?

Thanks,

Kind regards,

Pet'

OAOLPU, kettlebell (or dumbbell) military press, (and kettlebell/barbell side press, and barbell military press and bench press, and handstand pushup, and dip, and... ) - all great. Why to limit ourselves just to one?

 

[Pavel Macek]

Today's pic

A great honor to teach the very first SFB Bodyweight Cert in Taiwan!

Special thanks to Jon Engum, StrongFirst Master Certified Instructor.

 

[Bauer]

Advanced: A project I am working on and thoroughly testing for last 3 years. The exact details are still classified. More soon. ⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣In a nutshell: ⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣- snatch, 10-20 sets of 4-6 reps⁣⁣
⁣⁣- bent press, 10-20 sets of 2-3 reps. ⁣⁣

I am assuming this is 5-10 sets per side (10-20 sets total) for the bent press? When starting with windmills, would you recommend similar volume?

Can't wait to hear more about the project

 

[Pavel Macek]

@Bauer , 12-20 sets total, 6-10 per side (minor update).

As for windmills, I recommend 3-5 sets of 2-3 reps, after your main lifting program (of course, depends on your main lifting program), or same number of seta/reps on your variety days.

 

[Pavel Macek]

More than 3 weeks on the road: SFB Cert in Italy and Taiwan, then visiting my family in China and studying Chinese martial arts with one of my teachers.

My training was simple - mainly OPUAs and pistols, GTG, plus Second Wind breathing exercises. Both teaching and practicing the SFB skills made me realize how great our bodyweight strength training system is - true gem.

Last week I have skipped the strength training altogether, my martial arts training was rather demanding. I had the very rare opportunity to learn privately from Grandmaster Dang Jang Gong (he is in his late seventies), living legend of Hap Kyun system, studying both Old and New frame Hap Kyun: highly functional MMA type of training.

Today's training: Return to the Kettlebells

• goblet squats - 32-32-32, 3 sets of 5
• one-arm swings - 32-32-32-32-32; 100 swings total (sum of left and right).
• get-ups - 32-32-32-32-32; 10 get-ups total (sum of left and right)

Very "Simple" re-entry - well, 24 hours travel.

 

[Bauer]

@Bauer , 12-20 sets total, 6-10 per side (minor update).

As for windmills, I recommend 3-5 sets of 2-3 reps, after your main lifting program (of course, depends on your main lifting program), or same number of seta/reps on your variety days.

Thank you Pavel and welcome back to Europe!

 

[pet']

Hello,

@Pavel Macek
I hope you enjoy your trip which sounds exiting !

I am curious: how do eastern traditional MA train their "strength and conditioning" ?

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Pavel Macek]

Hello,

@Pavel Macek
I hope you enjoy your trip which sounds exiting !

I am curious: how do eastern traditional MA train their "strength and conditioning" ?

Kind regards,

Pet'

My teacher (now in his late seventies) did deadlifts, squats and presses - low rep, heavy - plus “Chinese kettlebells” (Stone Ear Plates), various types of swings. Sounds familiar, right?

 

[pet']

Hello

@Pavel Macek
Yes !

This is impressive noticing that the Eastern world already knew most of the "common sense" for an healthy live style. In the West, we IMO tend to claim this as a new science...

Madame and I are really inspired by everything related to healthy lifestyle (being strong, resilient, long haul oriented). Do you know some good books regarding this aspect (no matter the country (China, etc...) or the topic (exercise, food, etc...)) ?

Thanks again,

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Pavel Macek]

Hello

@Pavel Macek
Yes !

This is impressive noticing that the Eastern world already knew most of the "common sense" for an healthy live style. In the West, we IMO tend to claim this as a new science...

Madame and I are really inspired by everything related to healthy lifestyle (being strong, resilient, long haul oriented). Do you know some good books regarding this aspect (no matter the country (China, etc...) or the topic (exercise, food, etc...)) ?

Thanks again,

Kind regards,

Pet'

Not much has been translated to English. I like a small book by Liu Zhengcai, The Mystery of Longevity, Foreign Language Press Beijing, 1990.