Other/Mixed Two-Lift Programs, a Conversation Starter

[WhomtheBellTolls]

Its the opposite of S&S.
Where KBSwings is lowerbody FAST exercise
And the TGU is an Upperbody Carry.
Minimilistic as you onky need a Trapbar and bands when you get stronger.

 

[masa]

I used to do:
- Swings and get ups
- Swings and presses
- Swings and push ups
Those are good combinations. Nowadays I prefer cleans and push presses due to my limitations. I feel cleans are healthier for my lower back than swings. Same with push presses. My shoulder likes those. If I do long period of time strict presses, then I feel some discomfort. But not with push presses. Jerk would be even greater, but it's more technically challenging.

 

[Mark Limbaga]

If you consider the clean and jerk one lift .

C and j+pullups
C and j+lunges
C and j+ getups

 

[Anders]

My current program mostly consists of doing Double Kettlebell front squat following a program and push-ups doing GTG. It is quite entertaining, but meditative at the same time.

I am sometimes dreaming about a Q&D program consisting of snatch and push-ups.

 

[TimothyGander]

Since the end of 2020 I have been doing floor presses (single kettlebell) and swings, both one-arm and two-arm (I think it still counts as a two-lift program). An argument for limiting the number of lifts that I don't see often is that it allows you to really perfect the moves and gain deeper insight into their details. In my (admittedly limited) experience these technical discoveries really do carry over to real life activities in the way that going through the moves with barely 'okay' form (which is practically unavoidable when you do a large number of exercises, especially if you train alone or with other amateurs only) just doesn't.

However, in my opinion the definition of a minimalist two-lift program should encompass specialized variety within each lift. For example, in my book ROP is still pretty minimalist - technically it contains four different exercises, but three of these (swing, clean, snatch) consist of the same hip hinge ballistic movement pattern. Or, say, PTTP where you can rotate sumo and conventional deadlift within a single cycle.

 

[Steve Freides]

An argument for limiting the number of lifts that I don't see often is that it allows you to really perfect the moves and gain deeper insight into their details.

You just need to hang out here more - that is _the_ big reason. I am reminded of the Bruce Lee line about not fearing a person who has practiced 10 kicks a thousand times each, but fearing the person who has practiced a single kick 10,000 times. (I think it was a Bruce Lee line in a Pavel book but I could be mistaken.)

-S-

 

[TimothyGander]

You just need to hang out here more - that is _the_ big reason. I am reminded of the Bruce Lee line about not fearing a person who has practiced 10 kicks a thousand times each, but fearing the person who has practiced a single kick 10,000 times. (I think it was a Bruce Lee line in a Pavel book but I could be mistaken.)

-S-

That Bruce Lee line is quoted in Naked Warrior, and I know, it's not like I've came up with this argument on my own. However, this thread seemed to mostly rotate around "is doing a minimalist program enough" and I wanted to reenter the idea that a minimalist program may counterintuitively result in accomplishing more.

 

[Steve Freides]

That Bruce Lee line is quoted in Naked Warrior, and I know, it's not like I've came up with this argument on my own. However, this thread seemed to mostly rotate around "is doing a minimalist program enough" and I wanted to reenter the idea that a minimalist program may counterintuitively result in accomplishing more.

Well put.

-S-

 

[Scrumdog]

I've recently had COVID. It's done my fitness levels in but I think I'm about ready to start training again and going to look to do something simple to ease back in so this thread was interesting.

I'm going to do the swings from S&S. I think this will work well and I'll be able to build up from whatever I can manage initially back to 10x10 and I'll be able to manage the number of days training per week depending on how my recovery goes.

I can't abide TGUs so will do presses instead and look to do these 3x a week. Any suggestions on how to program these? I've got 2x24kg bells which are about a 5RM.

 

[Halfakneecap]

Could you just do ladders?


Minimalist programs work for me. Currently I’m splitting my S&S days into swings plus strength aerobics and then getups plus strength aerobics. I get swings, getups, and lots of practice with one arm clean and press and a reasonable amount of one arm front squats. I really don’t need much more for my goals, and it keeps it interesting. The strength aerobics feels like good conditioning as well. After 20 minutes I’m drenched in sweat

 

[Carl]

Back to the 2 drills only theme, I think these chin up focused options ‘could’ be enough if forced to abbreviate.

1) Chins (vary grip)
2) Hover lunge


1) Chins (vary grip)
2) Trap bar deadlift


1) Chins (vary grip)
2) Sled push (or hill sprints)

Why the chin up obsession? Something about the move makes me feel strong, so it would always be high on my list of ‘must’ drills.

Love this thread.

 

[Cearball]

Back to the 2 drills only theme, I think these chin up focused options ‘could’ be enough if forced to abbreviate.

1) Chins (vary grip)
2) Hover lunge


1) Chins (vary grip)
2) Trap bar deadlift


1) Chins (vary grip)
2) Sled push (or hill sprints)

Why the chin up obsession? Something about the move makes me feel strong, so it would always be high on my list of ‘must’ drills.

Love this thread.

I'm sure I read an article about this type of limited programme covering the most muscles in the body once.

 

[Steve Freides]

2) Hover lunge

That's a new one for me.

-S-

 

[oukeith1]

How do folks go about programming two lift programs? If I were to go with Zercher lift and bench press, are there any best practices? Would PTTP style work? Or does squatting necessitate a different strategy?

 

[Benjamin Renaud]

That's a new one for me.

-S-

I think it's just another name for the airborne lunge if I'm not mistaken.

 

[BJJ Shawn]

How do folks go about programming two lift programs? If I were to go with Zercher lift and bench press, are there any best practices? Would PTTP style work? Or does squatting necessitate a different strategy?

I'm definitely not equipped to truly answer this, but the Zercher squat is taught in the Barbell 201 class and there is a programming manual that comes with the class. If there's one you can make it to, that may be a good way to learn the answer.

Also, as PTTP is similar to easy strength, I know Dan John says often that for whatever reason the squat doesn't work well in that program. I could not tell you the why, but I know I've seen him say that a few times.

 

[Carl]

I think it's just another name for the airborne lunge if I'm not mistaken.

@Steve Freides This is correct - same move from Naked Warrior.

It seems to have more names than any other exercise (skater squat, airborne lunge, hover lunge etc).

Easy to set up, hard to do and seems to cover most of lower body.

 

[KLB81]

Is it more important to have a Pull/Press combo or an upper/ lower body combo?

for example Deadlift / Pullup would appear to be a good combo, two pulls


Interesting that despite the StrongFirst general principal of a "pull and a press" the TSC is 3 pulls