the hansenator
Level 6 Valued Member
Has anyone tried the Simple Strength for Difficult Times workout? How did it go? I've been thinking of giving it a try. The article doesn't talk much about warm ups. Did you warm up or just jump into the workout?
Other/Mixed Simple Strength for Difficult Times workout?
- Thread starter the hansenator
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Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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Google
simple strength for difficult times site:strongfirst.com/community
and you'll find the forum thread on this subject.
-S-
simple strength for difficult times site:strongfirst.com/community
and you'll find the forum thread on this subject.
-S-
I did both versions of it. Didn't do the full 8 weeks on either, just 5 or 6 weeks of all because I was always coming from a medical break and needed some full body training. This was just perfect. Got my press from 40 to 44kg from this program.
Just some mobility warm up before training. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Just some mobility warm up before training. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Did 1.0 with a single 24 last year
Regained my 5rm 28kg managed to get to 40kg for 3 reps single Bell front squat
Regained my 5rm 28kg managed to get to 40kg for 3 reps single Bell front squat
Red_and_Black
Level 6 Valued Member
I started this last week, so just done the third session of week 2 today.
Previously I had just finished 2 six week blocks (with a week off between them) working towards Simple, and have posted about that elsewhere.
For SSDT the exercises I'm using are:
Racked double KB squat, 2 x 20kg.
Double KB press, 2 x 16kg.
Weighted KB pull-up, 1 x 12kg.
It's been steady so far, none of the sessions have felt near my limit. Today was the heavy session for the pull-ups and that's been the hardest so far. It builds though and think last week before the de-load week (week 7) and then test week (week 8) will be 60 of each exercise for the heavy session, and think 60 weighted pull-ups will be hard. I could go heavier with squats (2 x 24kg maybe?) and possibly press (2 x 20kg maybe), but happy to not push it too much, and after this I plan to do Dry Fighting Weight with 2 x 20kg, and then repeat with 2 x 24kg.
Warm-up wise I'm doing:
400m steady jog.
2 rounds of a little mobility complex.
3 rounds of:
TBH the reps are low, mostly 2, for the first 'circuit', so think I could cut the warm-up down, but enjoy it and does feel like I sometimes need it as I train in the morning not long after getting up.
I train SSDT on Mon/Wed/Fri, and then on Tues/Thurs/Sat (Sun is total rest day) I do a 2H KB swings workout, 7 x EMOM at 40kg. Wave time, starting at 16 mins session 1 week 1, then 18 and 20 that week, then week 2 do 18, 20, 22 mins; then week 3 do 20, 22, 24 mins, etc. building up to 30 mins EMOM on last session of week 6, then will de-load for a week. Swings feel like they compliment the other stuff well, and I love them!
Previously I had just finished 2 six week blocks (with a week off between them) working towards Simple, and have posted about that elsewhere.
For SSDT the exercises I'm using are:
Racked double KB squat, 2 x 20kg.
Double KB press, 2 x 16kg.
Weighted KB pull-up, 1 x 12kg.
It's been steady so far, none of the sessions have felt near my limit. Today was the heavy session for the pull-ups and that's been the hardest so far. It builds though and think last week before the de-load week (week 7) and then test week (week 8) will be 60 of each exercise for the heavy session, and think 60 weighted pull-ups will be hard. I could go heavier with squats (2 x 24kg maybe?) and possibly press (2 x 20kg maybe), but happy to not push it too much, and after this I plan to do Dry Fighting Weight with 2 x 20kg, and then repeat with 2 x 24kg.
Warm-up wise I'm doing:
400m steady jog.
2 rounds of a little mobility complex.
3 rounds of:
7 x KB swings (2H/LH/RH) with 1 x 20kg.
5 x KB squats with 2 x 16kg.
3 x KB presses with 2 x 12kg.
1 x pull-ups at bodyweight.
TBH the reps are low, mostly 2, for the first 'circuit', so think I could cut the warm-up down, but enjoy it and does feel like I sometimes need it as I train in the morning not long after getting up.
I train SSDT on Mon/Wed/Fri, and then on Tues/Thurs/Sat (Sun is total rest day) I do a 2H KB swings workout, 7 x EMOM at 40kg. Wave time, starting at 16 mins session 1 week 1, then 18 and 20 that week, then week 2 do 18, 20, 22 mins; then week 3 do 20, 22, 24 mins, etc. building up to 30 mins EMOM on last session of week 6, then will de-load for a week. Swings feel like they compliment the other stuff well, and I love them!
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Red_and_Black
Level 6 Valued Member
On my last hard week this coming week, then there's a de-load week and then there's a test week.
Just done the first session, ends up being:
60 x Racked double KB squat, 2 x 20kg.
40 x Double KB press, 2 x 16kg.
50 x Weighted KB pull-up, 1 x 12kg.
Was good, not too bad at all, so must have made reasonable progress after the last 5 weeks, as I thought I'd have struggled with the pull-ups. Squats and presses are pretty steady though. Takes a long time, works out over 90 minutes with a good warm-up and all the rests!
Just done the first session, ends up being:
60 x Racked double KB squat, 2 x 20kg.
40 x Double KB press, 2 x 16kg.
50 x Weighted KB pull-up, 1 x 12kg.
Was good, not too bad at all, so must have made reasonable progress after the last 5 weeks, as I thought I'd have struggled with the pull-ups. Squats and presses are pretty steady though. Takes a long time, works out over 90 minutes with a good warm-up and all the rests!
Red_and_Black
Level 6 Valued Member
So I finished week 7 last week of this program, so this week is week 8, the 'test week'. Wasn't quite sure how to run the tests, so ended up going for a max number of reps within 30 min session with the weights I'd done the session with, so I guess more a muscular endurance test rather than a max strength test.
Today was squat day, so I set a EMOM timer for 30 mins and planned to do 5 EMOM for 10 mins, then maybe drop 4 EMOM for 10 mins, and then maybe 3 EMOM for the last 10 mins. Managed to stay with 5 EMOM for the whole 30 mins, and ground out a couple of sets of 10 in the last few minutes. Ended up doing 160 reps on 2 x 20kg in 30 mins, for total of 6,400kg lifted. Legs feel a bit fried and wobbly now!
Having 2 days rest and then will test presses with the 2 x16kg been using for the workouts, then another 2 days rest and test pull-ups with 1 x 12kg.
I really enjoyed the program, thanks to @Fabio Zonin for putting it out there. @the hansenator did you try this program in the end?
Today was squat day, so I set a EMOM timer for 30 mins and planned to do 5 EMOM for 10 mins, then maybe drop 4 EMOM for 10 mins, and then maybe 3 EMOM for the last 10 mins. Managed to stay with 5 EMOM for the whole 30 mins, and ground out a couple of sets of 10 in the last few minutes. Ended up doing 160 reps on 2 x 20kg in 30 mins, for total of 6,400kg lifted. Legs feel a bit fried and wobbly now!
Having 2 days rest and then will test presses with the 2 x16kg been using for the workouts, then another 2 days rest and test pull-ups with 1 x 12kg.
I really enjoyed the program, thanks to @Fabio Zonin for putting it out there. @the hansenator did you try this program in the end?
the hansenator
Level 6 Valued Member
I got derailed - hurt my back and then vacation. I started again Monday but just for the upper body. I'm still being cautious with lower body exercises and am addressing that separately.
Saparker12
Level 4 Valued Member
I did it last summer. Doubled my reps. Warm up was a simple mobility flow- flexible steel-style.
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