Barbell The BEST Program

[John K]

Howdy y'all,

I wanted to share a video that I found very good. I've seen a lot of topics surrounding this, and this "answers" a lot of those questions, even indirectly. It is primarily related to barbell training, but its concepts apply beyond just that. He starts explaining why there isn't "one" way to train, what the most important things are (progression), and his preferred method of organization (base cycles and peaking cycles).

What's also interesting is how this approach is virtually identical to training running and cycling, including how most people get caught up in the sexy stuff that most belongs in peak cycles. I'm a huge believer in base/peak phases, not only for strength training (barbells, kettlebells) but also for running. These ideas aren't unique to Bromley, and there's a least quite a few similarities to material StrongFirst puts out - I might be overgeneralizing, but the idea of building a base with AGT and then having brief peaks into glycolytic training as prep seems virtually identical.

Anyways, I wanted to share because its a video that puts into words a lot of what I've learned over the past several years and thought others might benefit from it as well. It isn't my video, and I have no affiliation with Bromley. I hope some of y'all benefit from the video.



- J

P.S. Sorry for the click-bait thread title. I'm not too clever but it seemed a good idea before the caffeine hits...

 

[william bad butt]

This is great! Should be made a Sticky.

 

[Steve Freides]

@Coyotl and @william bad butt, I made it a little more than halfway through so maybe I missed something. These are concepts things that everyone who trains people learns. Everyone who attends PlanStrong or BuiltStrong not only learns these things but comes away with actionable specifics for program design, same Strong Endurance.

Following Simple and Sinister toward its Untimed Simple goal requires zero thinking about any of this.

-S-

 

[Ryan T]

Howdy y'all,

I wanted to share a video that I found very good. I've seen a lot of topics surrounding this, and this "answers" a lot of those questions, even indirectly. It is primarily related to barbell training, but its concepts apply beyond just that. He starts explaining why there isn't "one" way to train, what the most important things are (progression), and his preferred method of organization (base cycles and peaking cycles).

What's also interesting is how this approach is virtually identical to training running and cycling, including how most people get caught up in the sexy stuff that most belongs in peak cycles. I'm a huge believer in base/peak phases, not only for strength training (barbells, kettlebells) but also for running. These ideas aren't unique to Bromley, and there's a least quite a few similarities to material StrongFirst puts out - I might be overgeneralizing, but the idea of building a base with AGT and then having brief peaks into glycolytic training as prep seems virtually identical.

Anyways, I wanted to share because its a video that puts into words a lot of what I've learned over the past several years and thought others might benefit from it as well. It isn't my video, and I have no affiliation with Bromley. I hope some of y'all benefit from the video.



- J

P.S. Sorry for the click-bait thread title. I'm not too clever but it seemed a good idea before the caffeine hits...

I haven’t watched the video, but building your base (through the combination of easy aerobic/endurance and strength/power training) with periodic peaking is the approach we take at Be Well and Strong.

 

[Steve A]

@Coyotl and @william bad butt, I made it a little more than halfway through so maybe I missed something. These are concepts things that everyone who trains people learns. Everyone who attends PlanStrong or BuiltStrong not only learns these things but comes away with actionable specifics for program design, same Strong Endurance.

Only a minority of people on this forum have taken, or will take, any of these. This could no doubt be mirrored for any other forum. Consider the intended audience.

 

[Steve Freides]

Only a minority of people on this forum have taken, or will take, any of these. This could no doubt be mirrored for any other forum. Consider the intended audience.

@Steve A, point noted. I don't know who the intended audience is.

-S-

 

[william bad butt]

@Coyotl and @william bad butt, I made it a little more than halfway through so maybe I missed something. These are concepts things that everyone who trains people learns. Everyone who attends PlanStrong or BuiltStrong not only learns these things but comes away with actionable specifics for program design, same Strong Endurance.

Following Simple and Sinister toward its Untimed Simple goal requires zero thinking about any of this.

-S-

Agreed. I learned this stuff at Planstrong and reading other books, etc... I just like how concise, impeccable, and brief this video is. Like Cliff Notes...

Eric

 

[John K]

@Coyotl and @william bad butt, I made it a little more than halfway through so maybe I missed something. These are concepts things that everyone who trains people learns. Everyone who attends PlanStrong or BuiltStrong not only learns these things but comes away with actionable specifics for program design, same Strong Endurance.

Following Simple and Sinister toward its Untimed Simple goal requires zero thinking about any of this.

-S-

I don't think you've missed anything. I've spent years fumbling around learning what he presents in 20 minutes, and from what I've read on the SF site it mirrored a lot of the same philosophy. I've seen and heard a lot of "what's the best program?" or "what's the best way to train?" or "should I do this or this?" type threads and questions, and I felt that this helped provide folks a basis to assess for themselves - and maybe to cut down on the learning time. I'd love to attend those seminars and will one day, but until then I'll keep cobbling things together and seeing what works.

 

[Steve Freides]

@Coyotl, I see your point, and I know that a lot of people try to figure out their own programs, but it would never have occurred to me to do that.

I started resistance training on the machines at my local YMCA and I had the trainers there give me a program to follow. When I decided to venture into free weights, I followed PTTP. When I decided to start kettlebell training, I followed ETK. When I wanted to stretch, I followed Relax Into Stretch. And along the way, every time there was a Pavel workshop I hadn't attended, I went, and every time he offered something new, e.g., PlanStrong, I was in attendance. I've been to PlanStrong twice in person and once online, I think. When there are so many good programs out there, and so many good resources for designing programs, I can't see why someone without sufficient knowledge and experience would design their own program.

So, while I do see your point, I'm not sure that 20 minutes of a video, or even reading several books on program design would be, in my mind, sufficient for me to want to design my own fitness program. It's not an approach I personally would recommend to anyone anymore than I'd recommend a 20-minute piano lesson and then send someone off on their own to try to figure out how to get better.

And a guide to programming, no matter how comprehensive, is still only part of the picture - form and technique are hugely important things to take into consideration when designing a program, which is why having eyes on me in person was something I valued and value highly.

If all this makes me a member of the overwhelming minority, I'm good with that. I don't believe, on this forum, that I'm the only one who thinks the way I do about these things, though.

-S-

 

[North Coast Miller]

Finally watched the video but I honestly didn't think it would help anyone with building their own programming. At some point you just have to become more aware of what a lot of programs are doing or intended to do and see if they align with your goals. Program building begins with defining a goal.

One of the things that sort of bug me about all of the videos that use this training format - very few people who train will ever train to "peak" for an event. Some will to be sure, but the vast majority of people will not. You wind up with a lot of folks who are almost lost if they're not on a program, advancing toward a goal they might not even want to attain, or one that is every bit as arbitrary as any they might pull from a hat.

 

[Adam R Mundorf]

@Coyotl, I see your point, and I know that a lot of people try to figure out their own programs, but it would never have occurred to me to do that.

I started resistance training on the machines at my local YMCA and I had the trainers there give me a program to follow. When I decided to venture into free weights, I followed PTTP. When I decided to start kettlebell training, I followed ETK. When I wanted to stretch, I followed Relax Into Stretch. And along the way, every time there was a Pavel workshop I hadn't attended, I went, and every time he offered something new, e.g., PlanStrong, I was in attendance. I've been to PlanStrong twice in person and once online, I think. When there are so many good programs out there, and so many good resources for designing programs, I can't see why someone without sufficient knowledge and experience would design their own program.

So, while I do see your point, I'm not sure that 20 minutes of a video, or even reading several books on program design would be, in my mind, sufficient for me to want to design my own fitness program. It's not an approach I personally would recommend to anyone anymore than I'd recommend a 20-minute piano lesson and then send someone off on their own to try to figure out how to get better.

And a guide to programming, no matter how comprehensive, is still only part of the picture - form and technique are hugely important things to take into consideration when designing a program, which is why having eyes on me in person was something I valued and value highly.

If all this makes me a member of the overwhelming minority, I'm good with that. I don't believe, on this forum, that I'm the only one who thinks the way I do about these things, though.

-S-

Can I ask Steve, why you believe in Pavel so much? Your devotion to StrongFirst and Pavel is to be admired.
Thank you, Adam

 

[LarryB]

I think as a person who is still developing within this system (that is in many ways contrary to the ways we were trained as young athletes) it is gratifying to see your choice of training validated elsewhere.

 

[Steve A]

@Coyotl,When there are so many good programs out there, and so many good resources for designing programs, I can't see why someone without sufficient knowledge and experience would design their own program.

And a guide to programming, no matter how comprehensive, is still only part of the picture - form and technique are hugely important things to take into consideration when designing a program, which is why having eyes on me in person was something I valued and value highly.

This times 11.