all posts post new thread

The Obstacle is the Way (was S&S and PTTP)

Hobbes

Level 6 Valued Member
I haven’t found a training log for anyone who is consistently doing two week blocs alternating S&S and PTTP. Dan John had suggested two week blocs of S&S’s predecessor (Program Minimum from ETK) and PTTP. So, after being mega inspired by Pavel Macek, I’m going to follow his lead and consistently follow the evil Russian’s programs. And see if at 63 with a lot of mileage on the body I can get results.

Here is the plan. Pavel Macek for most of his wo log did SuperJoints and S&S and, of course, was teaching/practitioner of Chinese combatives.

I’m going to do Press Reset, two week blocs alternating S&S and PTTP and practice movement skills - Animal Flow type of stuff with brachiates included.

I’m starting with limited rom in my left shoulder due to ruptured and damaged rotator cuff and a recent injury to my right shoulder. So my right shoulder is painful and weak, while my left shoulder is unstable and weak.
 
Today’s wo

3 rds of 5 prying goblet squats (12 kg kb), 5/5 kb halos & 5 shoulder bridges

10 rds emom of 2- hand 36kg kb swing

5/5 getups with 12 kg kb

The left hand getup is sketchy as I can’t post properly on my right shoulder. The right hand is better - I take extra time and work the right shoulder to reacquire movement.

I realize the disparity between the swing and the getup is disconcerting. I’ve been able to achieve the simple standard in the swing recently, but due to wonky shoulders not even close in the getup.
 
Today’s wo

3 rds of 5 prying goblet squats (16 kg kb), 5/5 10 lb plate halos & 5 shoulder bridges

10 rds emom of 1-hand 36kg kb swing

4/4 getups with 12 kg kb, 1/1 with 16 kg kb

I’m fine tuning the resistance as well as re-reading both S&S and ETK. I could only get to hand with the 16 kg kb in my left hand. It has been 7 weeks since injuring my right shoulder - at 63 shoulder capsule injuries take time.

I stretch daily as per S&S and do at least one reset. I also try to either ride my bike or walk. I’m not going to include these in the log.
 
Today’s wo

3 rds of 5 prying goblet squats (16 kg kb), 5/5 10 lb plate halos & 5 shoulder bridges

10 rds emom of 1-hand 36kg kb swing

5/5 getups with 12 kg kb

As I said, I’m really inspired by @Pavel Macek and his S&S journey. Of course - I’m an office worker, unlike Pavel.

So I do Press Reset rather than SuperJoints or other joint health practices - although I have done SuperJoints daily for almost 5 years. I do 2-week alternating blocs of S&S and PTTP rather than just S&S. Because I have been a strength athlete for decades. And I do movement skills rather than Chinese Combatives, although I have extensive experience in Wado Kai karate and off-mat training for freestyle wrestlers.

Today I realized how well Pavel’s effective and minimalist programs work with ‘play’. Anyone who reads Tim Anderson’s Original Strength series knows how he stresses the importance of play. I now have way more time to play! And I still am comfortable that I’m getting healthier and staying strong.

I read a great article today.


It kind of codified the types of play I like. I don’t see this as a ‘toolbox’ - to me it is a playground! Right now shoulder rehab is critically. For this two week bloc I do tripod vaults, hanging bar foot pinches, bench dips and various medicine ball and baseball throws and catches off the wall. I’m hoping to be able to swing a bat or club in a month or so. No way I’d have time or focus for this much play without the inspiration of Pavel M, the genius of Pavel T or the information provided by StrongFirst.

Thanks to all!!
 
Last edited:
Great post. Thank you for the shoutout and
Today’s wo

3 rds of 5 prying goblet squats (16 kg kb), 5/5 10 lb plate halos & 5 shoulder bridges

10 rds emom of 1-hand 36kg kb swing

5/5 getups with 12 kg kb

As I said, I’m really inspired by @Pavel Macek and his S&S journey. Of course - I’m an office worker, unlike Pavel.

So I do Press Reset rather than SuperJoints or other joint health practices - although I have done SuperJoints daily for almost 5 years. I do 2-week alternating blocs of S&S and PTTP rather than just S&S. Because I have been a strength athlete for decades. And I do movement skills rather than Chinese Combatives, although I have extensive experience in Wado Kai karate and off-mat training for freestyle wrestlers.

Today I realized how well Pavel’s effective and minimalist programs work with ‘play’. Anyone who reads Tim Anderson’s Original Strength series knows how he stresses the importance of play. I now have way more time to play! And I still am comfortable that I’m getting healthier and staying strong.

I read a great article today.


It kind of codified the types of play I like. I don’t see this as a ‘toolbox’ - to me it is a playground! Right now shoulder rehab is critically. For this two week bloc I do tripod vaults, hanging bar foot pinches, bench dips and various medicine ball and baseball throws and catches off the wall. I’m hoping to be able to swing a bat or club in a month or so. No way I’d have time or focus for this much play without the inspiration of Pavel M, the genius of Pavel T or the information provided by StrongFirst.

Thanks to all!!
Thank you for the shout-out and kind words.
Great post, keep doing what you're doing - OS Reset + S&S/PTTP! 2 week blocks - perfect combo!
 
Great post. Thank you for the shoutout and

Thank you for the shout-out and kind words.
Great post, keep doing what you're doing - OS Reset + S&S/PTTP! 2 week blocks - perfect combo!
Thank you Pavel! Just love following your posts - hope Africa was everything you wanted.
 
Today’s practice:

3 rds of 5 prying goblet squats, 5/5 halos and 5 tables

10 rds of 10 two-hand swings with 36kg kb

5 rds of 1/1 kb getups with 12kg kb

S&S recap - 30:41 minutes, 136 avg bpm

Play - 25:49 minutes, 116 avg bpm

My resting pulse was slightly elevated this week, but I attribute that more to a whole pile of vaccinations on Tuesday rather than the workout. I may be getting a cochlear implant and there is a battery of vaccinations for things like meningitis required. So I’m up around 58 - normally I’m low 50s.

Shoulder pain is getting more easily managed, but I’m getting worried I have ligament damage. None the less - S&S is doable. I just have to be patient with the getup. I did tables because of the shoulder movement. My hip extension is pretty good - I was still Olympic lifting 3 years ago and power snatching 90 to 100 kg.

It takes me 12-14 minutes to do my 10 getups, but there is a lot of movement exploration done in that time.

Swings feel crisp and explosive. But I’m going to stick with 36kg. Next week I’ll start practicing early in the am - I’m not as strong then.
 
Today was 2 hours of house/yard work followed by 40 minutes of laconic breaststroke laps in the little condo pool. Felt great at the time for my shoulder - not so good an hour later. Have to see - I haven’t swam since late March.
 
My resting pulse is still elevated and I believe I may be catching a nasty cold my wife has had for the 10 last days. She tests clean in the COVID quick test - fwiw.

Anyhow, I’m not going to derail if it is a cold. I’m drinking water, irrigating my nostrils, vitamin c and all the little home remedies that have combined to work to either prevent the cold or limit the effects in the past. Not very scientific, but…

One interesting idea came from a visit with Dr Mel Siff of Supertraining fame. I was fortunate to start up a correspondence with Dr Siff, then attend a Supertraining camp at his Colorado compound and spend some time afterwards with Mel and his lovely wife Lisa. They didn’t eat meals except on social occasions - they ‘grazed’. And Mel preferred to take vitamins while consuming a food they are found in. So I still take vitamin c with citrus fruit or peppers. Vitamin d3 with eggs, etc. Mel felt food had synergies and felt sometimes the so-called good element of the food needed the synergies to be most effective or possibly even effective at all. Intuitively this makes sense. And honestly - Dr Siff was brilliant. An idea every conversation. Still miss the man. 20081D46-A833-4EA9-B0FF-CA73D6656883.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Today’s practice

3x: Prying goblet squat, halos and tables as warm up

100 swings with 45# kb
10 getups with 15# kb

90/90, QL and stick dislocates

I call this S&S lite - I only have the two small kettlebells at home. So I either do S&S lite or I do the original program minimum. Snatches and, in deference to my shoulders, windmills for now rather than the prescribed bent press.

I know it seems rather light considering my normal 36 kg bell swings easily. But I like how my joints feel after S&S - I think just as a joint health minimum program Pavel designed well. I like the habit and psychological benefits that I get from doing what I can where I’m at.

My left shoulder is not ready for 50 swings even with a 45#. So I felt good about getting S&S lite in.
 
Today’s practice

3x: Prying goblet squat, halos and tables as warm up

100 swings with 45# kb
10 getups with 15# kb

90/90, QL and stick dislocates

Yesterday I basically slept all day. S&S lite was enough for today, but I am recovering.
 
Today’s practice - hopefully the last day of ‘S&S lite’.

Press Reset, then;

3x: Prying goblet squat, halos and tables as warm up

100 swings with 45# kb
10 getups with 15# kb

90/90, QL and stick dislocates
 
“A good book gets better at the second reading. A great book at the third. Any book not worth rereading isn't worth reading.”
Nassim Taleb

I remember first purchasing Power to the People from @Steve Freides in the early 2000s. At the time we were both members of the mfw Usenet group. Buying one of Pavel’s books raised a huge stink in the Usenet group. On one side - many felt it was a ridiculous price for a relatively slim book that had a lot of fill and advertising. Steve and I represented the other opinion - cheap for a damn good program and training advice.

I bet you I’ve reread it a dozen times, as I have Super Joints. I’ve already read S&S 3-4 times and similar for Q&tD. I purchased ETK after purchasing the others just to get background and then brought PTTP professional and Easy Strength for similar reasons. The only Pavel book in my library I haven’t read and re-read is RIS - simply because I'm not really interested in passive flexibility.

Every time I read them I get something new out of them. Previously I’d glossed over the side press - I now think it might be the thing that’s going to actually heal my shoulders. Side press and tgu that is. What was key? Pushing myself away from the bar.

In retrospect - what a great investment!!
 
Last edited:
I remember first purchasing Power to the People from @Steve Freides in the early 2000s. At the time we were both members of the mfw Usenet group. Buying one of Pavel’s books raised a huge stink in the Usenet group. On one side - many felt it was a ridiculous price for a relatively slim book that had a lot of fill and advertising. Steve and I represented the other opinion - cheap for a damn good program and training advice.
Keith, delightful to see you here! Please send me a PM and let me know what you're up to. Or use the Contact form and select Forum as your subject, and it will come to me.

-S-
 
Today’s practice

Press Reset, then;

3x: Prying goblet squat, halos and tables as warm up

100 swings with 45# kb
10 getups with 15# kb

90/90, QL and stick dislocates

- I elected to stay out of the gym all week to avoid any chance of passing on whatever it is I have. So S&S lite. I’m going to do a full week of S&S next week before transitioning to PTTP.

I’m also doing extra shoulder joint work - elbow circles, the Egyptian, Russian pool and shoulder circles from Super Joints.
 
Fridays practice

Press Reset, then;

3x: Prying goblet squat, halos and tables as warm up

100 swings with 45# kb
10 getups with 15# kb

90/90, QL and stick dislocates
 
Today’s practice:

3 rds of 5 prying goblet squats, 5/5 halos and 5 tables

10 rds of 10 two-hand swings with 36kg kb

5 rds of 1/1 kb getups with 12kg kb

S&S recap - 29 minutes, 129 avg bpm

Prior to S&S I rucked to the gym 3.5 miles (just over 5k). It was a good, crisp S&S workout. Then 21 minutes movement practice.
 
I elected to do a 3rd week of S&S since last week was so disrupted by my illness. I’ll start a PTTP bloc next week.

I ended up getting my right shoulder looked at by a doctor last week. Tear of the subscapularis. Going for scans this week to determine the extent of the tear. So this should be interesting. Every time I’ve had an ultrasound (left shoulder and both ankles) they’ve found ruptured ligaments or tendons. So I expect something similar - “have you injured this before?” 20 years of hockey and rugby, not to mention life? Redundant question. Just don’t ask me when. One boo-boo out of dozens.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom