The Latest Article - Enter the Kettlebell For Army Fitness Test

[StrongFirst]

Pick Your Perfect Program in 2023 | StrongFirst

“Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”— Samuel Taylor Coleridge from The Rime of the Ancient MarinerThe quote above from the classic poem describes the availability of programs for the trainee. Programs, programs everywhere, nor a one to follow…

www.strongfirst.com

 

[Steve Freides]

Great advice from @Brett Jones, StrongFirst's Director of Education here. In our forum FAQ, under "Before you ask for training advice," we ask many of the same questions - this article makes a great read for anyone here on the forum looking for training advice.

-S-

 

[Brett Jones]

Thank you Steve.

 

[Pavel Macek]

Great article; thank you @Brett Jones !

 

[Brett Jones]

Thank you

 

[StrongFirst]

Blindfold Training for Mental Focus | StrongFirst

In my last article, “From Wheelchair to Sinister: The Importance of Mental Strength,” I wrote about the power of mental strength. I am back today to discuss the mind once more, but this time the importance of mental focus and its place in the progression of our practice. As students of strength...

www.strongfirst.com

 

[Steve Freides]

The article in the previous post is also being discussed in the following forum thread:

Blindfolded Training

I enjoyed the short SF article about "Blindfold Training For Mental Focus" Back in my competitive swimming days, I would often swim with my eyes closed during (relatively slow) portions of warm-ups/cool-downs and technique drills. In a controlled (i.e. indoor pool w. minimal waves) and...

www.strongfirst.com

-S-

 

[StrongFirst]

The Power of Simplicity: How Get-Ups and Pullups Enhanced an MLB All-Star’s Program | StrongFirst

When it comes to training, most people tend to trend in the direction of complexity and novelty. Whether that’s an athlete finding fancy movements they think will make a favorite pro-athlete look cool on social media or a coach wanting to show how competent they are in shaking things up, doing...

www.strongfirst.com

 

[StrongFirst]

Three Pillars for Healthy Aging | StrongFirst

In 1922, T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) wrote a memoir of his time in the desert entitled “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.” In his reflection, he talked of his experience with the tempering of the soul. The word “tempering” is often associated with the process of making something stronger and...

www.strongfirst.com

 

[StrongFirst]

Enter the Kettlebell+ for the Army Combat Fitness Test | StrongFirst

The Fall 2019 implementation of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) raised many concerns within my unit. The pushup, sit-up, and run events of the old Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) were replaced by six events: a three-rep max low handle trap-bar deadlift, a standing power throw with a 10lb...

www.strongfirst.com

 

[Marty]

Enter the Kettlebell+ for the Army Combat Fitness Test | StrongFirst

The Fall 2019 implementation of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) raised many concerns within my unit. The pushup, sit-up, and run events of the old Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) were replaced by six events: a three-rep max low handle trap-bar deadlift, a standing power throw with a 10lb...

www.strongfirst.com

Thanks to the Strongfirst team for allowing me to share my thoughts and experiences! I hope this can be helpful.

 

[Steve Freides]

Thanks to the Strongfirst team for allowing me to share my thoughts and experiences! I hope this can be helpful.

Thank you, Marty, for the article. And if you don't, one musician asking another, what instrument(s) do you play?

And a note to all our forum members - in addition to commenting on the article, you are invited to comments, ask questions, etc., right here in this thread on this and on any of our articles as they come out.

And, of course, you're also welcome to start a new thread specifically about any individual article and your comment/question related to it.

-S-

 

[Marty]

Thank you, Marty, for the article. And if you don't, one musician asking another, what instrument(s) do you play?

And a note to all our forum members - in addition to commenting on the article, you are invited to comments, ask questions, etc., right here in this thread on this and on any of our articles as they come out.

And, of course, you're also welcome to start a new thread specifically about any individual article and your comment/question related to it.

-S-

Hey Steve! I play trumpet exclusively. Not talented enough to take on any more. Haha!

 

[Steve Freides]

Hey Steve! I play trumpet exclusively. Not talented enough to take on any more. Haha!

I am a bit of a dilletante trumpet player, @Marty. Having grown up playing guitar and having added piano in college, I started playing brass instruments when my oldest son was little - I'd take his French Horn lessons whenever he couldn't make them. I now teach teach a handful of cornet (for the smaller/younger ones) and trumpet lessons every week and a few French Horn as well.

What I really like about your article is your progression as explained here:

"My recommendation is to begin with the original ETK+ movements and template—it works. Then, once you understand the process, according to your training goals, adjust the movements to fit your needs while continuing to follow the structure and intent of the modules."

There's a lot of training wisdom condensed into those couple of sentences.

-S-

 

[Marty]

I am a bit of a dilletante trumpet player, @Marty. Having grown up playing guitar and having added piano in college, I started playing brass instruments when my oldest son was little - I'd take his French Horn lessons whenever he couldn't make them. I now teach teach a handful of cornet (for the smaller/younger ones) and trumpet lessons every week and a few French Horn as well.

What I really like about your article is your progression as explained here:

"My recommendation is to begin with the original ETK+ movements and template—it works. Then, once you understand the process, according to your training goals, adjust the movements to fit your needs while continuing to follow the structure and intent of the modules."

There's a lot of training wisdom condensed into those couple of sentences.

-S-

The Strongfirst methodology is so similar to how I learned trumpet. The concepts of song and wind (Arnold Jacobs) relate perfectly well to the inch wide, mile deep idea. Learn and refine the fundamentals. Amazing musicians let their unbelievable ears and musical ideas guide their physiology. Very strong people have extremely refined nervous systems and highly reactive structures because of their mental focus and training. 6 in one hand; half dozen in the other.

 

[paules]

Thanks to the Strongfirst team for allowing me to share my thoughts and experiences! I hope this can be helpful.

Marty, this is an outstanding article. Thanks for sharing. Not dissimilar to how I currently organise my training (2 x grinds, 2 x ballistics, 2 x zone 2 and 1 x variety) but I will incorporate a number of things from your article.