The StressStress-Free Strength Routine 21
By Geoff Neupert, Master SFG, CSCS We just had our second child – child – aa daughter. She’s amazing as is the pure p ure lack of sleep we are experiencing. It is not uncommon for me to get around four hours a sleep a night. This makes training very challenging. It makes makin g progress in my training even more so. The purely sane and rational thing to do during this period of time would be b e to go on a “maintenance” program. I am neither sane nor rational and I expect my body to make the progress I demand from it, or close to it, regardless of what my daughter dau ghter or the rest of my life is doing. In order to keep from hurting myself (again like I did routinely in my 30s), I am now no w working with my old weightlifting coach. I tell him what’s going on in my life, what I think think I can handle, and he writes my programs, with some guidelines of course. If you have a lot going on o n in your life and lack the ability to fully recover from your workouts like you once did, you have zero business training the way you used to – to – or or the way others do. What I want to share with you is what is routinel y working for me to push my m y strength levels back to where they were 15+ years ago, without having to work as hard as I did back then. It’s very simple, it’s called – The Top Set Method
This has been used for time in memorium by b y some of the strongest guys in the world. Very simply, you work up to one top set in your training and call it a day. Traditionally, you would go “all out” on that set. But for guys (and girls) who’s recovery ability is challenged, that would be a mistake. Instead, you should grade your exertion on an RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) Ex ertion) scale of 1 to 10 and keep your RPEs between 7 and 8. Sometimes, 6’s are good too – usually when you think a weight is going to be a 7 and it feels feels really light. Save the 9’s for the end of your strength cycle – cycle – one, one, two workouts at the most. Here’s how I suggest you set up your training:
1. Use either 5×5 or 5×3 for your workouts. Or for better results, alternate between workouts of the two. 2. Start your cycle light – around 60-65% to give yo urself some momentum and train the skill of strength. 3. Train 3 times a week using an “A -B Split” – that is, where you alternate between an “A” training session and a “B” training session.
Also, turn your warm ups into – Group Sets
Group sets, are a little trick I learned from my weightlifting coach. You simply perform your warm up sets back-to-back, adding load each set, with as little rest as possible between them. This excites your nervous system and allows you to put more force into each rep of that top set. And they work like a charm. (You might feel a little winded after doing them, but don’t worry about that – the metabolic effects don’t have a negative neurological transfer.) Here’s how I recommend you perform this: Sets 1-3: As little rest as possible between them and then rest 2-3 minutes after set 3. Set 4: First work set. Rest 3-5 minutes after. Set 5: Top set. However, if you’re really hurting in the sleep depa rtment or using some highly technical lifts, you may want to do it the following way (which is what I do): Set 1: Rest long enough to add load or around 30 to 60s, depending on the exercise or how I’m feeling on that exercise Set 2: Rest long enough to add load OR about 60-120s, depending… Set 3: Rest 2-3 minutes Set 4: Rest 3-5 minutes, usually more toward 5 m inutes the heavier the load Set 5: Top set. When I was younger, I used to love the high volume, multiple “70 Percent for five by five” type routines. Now, I just don’t have the time, energy, or desire to perform them. I’ve found I can make great, steady, measurable progress using the “Top Set Method.” If you’ve stalled or burnt out, you should give it a shot – It’s the most “stress-free” strength training method I’ve found.
Geoff Neupert: StrongFirst Bio
Geoff Neupert, Master SFG, CSCS, has been training both himself and others with
kettlebells since 2002. He’s been in the fitness/strength & conditioning industries since 1993 and has worked as a personal trainer, Division 1 strength and conditioning coach (Rutgers University), and a personal training bu siness owner. He has over 22,000 hours of one-on-one personal training since he started counting in 2002. He currently writes a daily strength and conditioning report called “K ettlebell Secrets,” in which he dishes out no-nonsense advice to get as strong, lean, and well conditioned as possible using kettlebells; he also consults with clients online. Geoff has authored multiple books and training programs, including, Kettlebell Muscle, Kettlebell Burn 2.0, Kettlebell Burn EXTREME!, Kettlebell Express!, Kettlebell Express! ULTRA, and Kettlebell STRONG!, The Olympic Rapid Fat Loss Program, Six Pack Abs 365, and The Permanent Weight Loss Solution. He has also co-author the ground-breaking training books: Original Strength and Original Strength: Performance. Geoff is a former state champion and nationally qualified Olympic lifter. He is m arried to a wonderful woman and has two young kids, who keep him on his toes, which coincidentally, is pretty good for hamstring development.
Geoff is also the CEO of Original Strength Systems, a movement restoration system who’s mission is to set people free through movement.
http://www.strongfirst.com
