PDXStrength News

Blog 32 – SCIENCE! 

A member asked me the other day, “How do you workout, Dylan?” (… but it sounded an awful lot like, “Do you even lift, bro?”)  I gave a long-winded answer – per usual – about using COVID to play around with and test a 12-week program based on the conjugate method; a method made popular by at Westside Barbell in Columbus, OH (for those of you who have heard of them… No, I am not on nor do I support the use of steroids.).  It’s not really as fancy as it sounds. Foundationally, it isn’t that much different than any other strength program by breaking up movement patterns and intensities over the course of the week. The main components that define the conjugate method though are:

• 2 maximum effort days and 2 dynamic effort days/week 
• A focus on lift variations (ex. squat = box squat or deadlift = rack pull, etc.)
• A focus on accessory work 

It’s one of the first sport specific methods that prioritized general physical preparedness, or GPP as it’s popularly called these days (machines like the reverse hyper and the belt squat, light sled drags/pulls for distance or time, and the use of bands/chains for accommodating resistance were popularized by Westside Barbell). Anyway, I’m probably missing something, but that’s the basics. What’s really important here is why I chose to utilize this method rather than, say, a methodology like CrossFit, Easy Strength, Starting Strength, the Coan Method, Wendler, the Bulgarian Method, etc. The bottom line being, I like steroids. ( that’s a joke) In reality, the method prioritizes the use of variation and accessory, which ultimately decreases the range of motion and use compound/multiple joint exercises (reducing wear and tear), while at the same time increasing loading capacity and the ability to more specifically target weaker parts of the body (producing GAINZ). All things that benefit a person with a fused spine, arthritis, decreased muscle structure/function, and a locked ankle.  

But the point of this blog isn’t to get lost in my affinity for the conjugate method (as Dr. Paul likes to state, “Methods are many, principles are few.” A lot of people have gotten REALLY strong, fit, buff, toned, HUGE!, whatever doing a lot of different things.) The point of those blog is to give you a better idea of why we chose to give you a certain number of reps at a certain percentage or loading variation, and better empower you to choose your own loading during our Group Strength and Conditioning or Strength Tribe classes. Enter Prilepin’s Chart, or as I stated in the title, “SCIENCE!” (Caveat to all my scientist readers… this chart was developed through the observation of high level training athletes in Russia – I know more steroids. – and NOT through a quantative scientific method. We’ll call it qualitative science so you don’t troll me in the comments… or maybe just “Bro” science.) Prilepin’s Chart looks like this:

Chart screenshot taken from Conjugate Strength and Conditioning by Jason Brown, MS, CSCS of BP Training Systems.  

Its basic claim is that any weight relative to a person’s maximal capacity can be utilized as a ticket to board the GAINZ Train. The Chart goes one step farther than a traditional percentage/rep max calculator chart by also prescribing an optimal rep range. (There’s also an intensity/intent component to the chart that is not included for the sake of simplicity here… Did someone just say foreshadowing?) Now certainly, the chart is not perfect. There are many anomalies or circumstances that work outside of the chart. For example, my central nervous system does not work well enough for me to lift above 90% for 4-10 reps, so I spend a bulk of my strength work between 80 and 90 (something a program like Easy Strength promotes). But, and keeping our sciency theme, almost all of us will fit within 1 standard deviation from the mean of this chart. In bro terms, the vast majority of this chart applies to the vast majority of people. And in reality, you’ve already experienced this at play in class. 

Every strength session (5×5 @ 75%, 7×1 @ 92%+, EMOM 10 2 Snatches @ 65%, etc.) that we do has bits and pieces of this loading framework, but it also appears in our WOD training sessions, like when we do ‘30 Clean and Jerks For Time’ you’re probably working at a weight that is around 50-60% of your loading capacity. OR if you were to take a ‘21-15-9’ we’re looking at 45 total reps, which this chart would say we’re working at about 40% of total capacity. There are certainly limits on this as well, like the consideration that many of us don’t have a true/tested 1RM, which would make the loading prescription calculation lower than “optimal.” We may have never thought about our workouts this way, but again “methods are many, principles are few.” *reader squints eyes and nods head in intellectual approval*

So as we look at workouts moving forward, whether in GSC or Strength Tribe or even Bootcamp, know that regardless of the work out that is written you have the ability to change the weight and reps (up AND down) to fit more optimally to your body and goals. And when all else fails… STER… NO! Ask your coach.

D

Blog 31 – Deliberate Practice… 

Hi again,

Welp, I have an admission. Immediately after submitting my blog about deliberate development… I totally disregarded my own advice and didn’t write blog last week; using the excuse that I was short on ideas to do so. This is a clear example of how the “all or nothing”/perfectionism mentality we’ve recently spoken about gets in the way of progress, or at least in the way of moving towards a goal. Part of the concept of deliberate development is also deliberate practice – the continued, routine effort of your craft (Yes. There is also a book all about deliberate practice. Yes. I have read it. No. I don’t recall the title.). 

Many great crafters, artists, writers, creatives, businesspeople, etc. deliberately practice their craft. They show up at the same time, in the same way, to move themselves through the same process and routine. They do this because they understand that ideal outcomes don’t just happen. They don’t just wait for the perfect solution. Ideal or creative outcomes don’t happen through a stroke of genius or a flash of lightning. It happens through putting in slow, deliberate, consistent, sometimes shitty and often unsexy work.  Then, at some point, their outcome may match the ideal they’ve created in their head. And if it doesn’t, then they take the process for what it is –a pathway forward– and show up again to do it over again and the next day and the next day and the next day.

I’d hope that the last blog clearly made the connection of this deliberate work and strength and conditioning. While that was more of a micro look at applying new stimulus through weights and facing some of our fears, this is more of a macro view. Show up in your routine, whether that 2x/week or 5. Deliberately practice your craft. It doesn’t have to be perfect, and you certainly don’t have to hit a PR every day. 

So here I am. Trying to be deliberate. Trying to work on my process and craft. Trying to make it to 500 words (probably not going to happen, but if I continue writing parentheticals, then maybe I can just casually and slyly add in about 25 more words here and there). Showing up to move my way through a process. Understanding that this isn’t my best blog. But what I have done is written about 425 words, felt connected to my friends, and hopefully given you a short little mental break for the day. I’m happy with that. 

See you soon, 

D

Blog 30 – Deliberate Development…

Hi Folks!

As of July 15, we are reintroducing equipment back into our Groups Strength and Conditioning classes! I can’t promise that Nigel won’t still be programming hill sprints regularly, BUT I will tell you that he (like all of us) is excited to put weights in your hands again… perhaps while doing hills sprints… you never know with him…

Anyway, with the reintroduction of weights and loadings, it’s also probably a good time to start reintroducing some little tips and tricks for that butt stuff and brain gainZ we like to talk about. “This one,” you ask? Deliberate development. “What’s that,” you ask? In this instance, it’s a concept authored by Robert Kagan and Lisa Laskow Lahey in the book, An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization. “Another book, Dylan?” Yes. “Where did, I find this?” I dunno. “What makes me think I can use the concepts of business culture to write about strength and conditioning?” Because I’m the one slapping the keyboard over here and Jocelyn hasn’t told me to rein it in yet.

So what is it? Deliberate development is an idea that people need to deliberately create scenarios in their lives in order to continue to grow and develop as people. Not all that off the wall of a concept, but humans have a funny ability to find the path of least resistance and then hold REALLY strongly to patterns that don’t veer too far from the safety of routine. There are many issues with this, some minor that no one would ever notice and others that affect other people and groups. Deliberate development is just finding opportunities to introduce feedback in to your life in order to continuously and consciously develop your schema. Pretty simple really, or for the sake of the blog and the remaining 200 words or so, I’ll leave the concept simple to oh so astutely write this blog with hyperbolic conviction.

We can apply this concept in many ways, but since I introduced “weights” in the introduction of the blog you inherently understand that this is the example that I will now use to blow your minds… or help you deliberately develop for the day. Coaches have spoken before about how relatively simple strength and conditioning is – gradually and safely increase loading overtime and the GAINZ Train will circumnavigate the metaphorical Earth that is your body and never have to stop at another stations. It’s science. (Yes, there are other factors in life such as aging that will slow the train, but please refer to said hyperbolic conviction for simplicity.)  So then, if we take science as fact (Yes, this is a reference to our current political and social environment), then the actual hard part about strength and conditioning is developing the individual and not the process. And how do you continuously develop the individual? (Look at all these callbacks!) You drive adaption by deliberately incorporating new feedback on your body in the form of weights or loading. 

We often get in to patterns at the gym too. We have to work out in the same spot. We have to use the same barbell. We have to use the dumbbell with the rubber grip or the kettlebell with the steel grip. But what these really are is your brain holding steadfast to the routines and patterns that make us feel safe (refer to my previous blog about “perfectionism” showing up in the gym). So what can we do about it? We have to get comfortable introducing unknowns into our workout. Heavier weights, different implements, challenging our selves to do one more rep (then maybe 5 more… SAFELY) before we rest. All of these are internally driven. Ultimately, it is up to you. You are the only one that sits with your own emotions, fears, desires, and choices. Coaches can challenge you, talk you through your internal conversations, and give you that little bit of belief in yourself to have the confidence to fail, but you have to make the choice. So what’s it going to be?

D

Blog 28 – Before you freak out…

… about my last blog describing some of the changes that we are implementing, let’s frame that conversation some more, AND finish by making a case how it can (READ: will) improve your gym experience. 

To start, we need to recognize how much perfectionism and idealism play in to the fitness industry. This shows up in multiple forms, but mostly in the form of creating an either/or, good/bad, right/wrong, etc. conversation with ourselves, which in itself limits or ability to understand and perceive accomplishment. Two examples:

• Time-based – You believe you have to work out for an hour. This can lead to two, wildly, different scenarios for people. On one hand, folks might not feel it’s “worth it” to work out for less than an hour. This may be people not coming to class because they are late, it may be rationalizing not to go for a 30-minute walk because it’s not the same as a 45-minute HIIT class. Either way, it leads a person towards a feeling of doing less (or to keep the theme, not being perfect). On the other hand some might feel that they didn’t do enough in the hour (or whatever their chosen time frame is), so they feel the need to do more – a second WOD, “just a couple of pull-ups,” “I need to work on my double unders,” etc. This, too, is a form of perfectionism that will ALWAYS lead the person towards a lower sense of accomplishment. “I didn’t use the prescribed weight, so I did XYZ.” “I’m not even going to sweat, so I won’t bother.” “I’m not coming this weekend, so I’ve got to get in XYZ.” In reality, the hour prescription of every boutique fitness or group class session is simply a matter of logistics. It’s easiest to communicate and schedule in mass via the clock. People have more important things to do with their time, and no one would come for a 30 minute or 2 hour workout. All of these are simply logistics; none of which is backed by any sort of science – for you six sigma “scientists” out there please don’t jump down my throat. 
• Prescription-based – We often give too much credit for what the whiteboard or website says the workout is and feel like we’ve done “less” if we don’t follow that to the letter. This is probably the most common conversation that coaches have at the gym. We try to help modify the workout to match where a person is that day, and create a situation where we unintentionally create harm by shifting a person away from the prescription. This could be in the form of reps, sets, weight, time, etc. “The whiteboard said X, but I only did Y.” “I modified the workout, so I didn’t get everything I could out of it.” “I didn’t do as well as you because you did more weight/reps.” “But Nigel said…”

These are just two examples, but this shows up in MANY forms around fitness (food, rest, etc). We encourage you to think about how this has showed up for you. It should be noted here, that PDX Strength and all of its coaches recognize how much our voice matters, various ways that we’ve contributed to this. We want to use the trust that you’ve granted us to create a better conversation around health and fitness in our community. We’ve contributed to this as much as anyone (if not more so), and want to do better. 

Speaking of better… I’m now going to blow your minds about how this will actually lead to an improvement in the magic workout word, “performance” – not that I don’t think that combatting perfectionism doesn’t, but I understand that you don’t think brain GAINZ are what you’re here for. Sooooooo, butt stuff…

When we design workouts, we look at various things – movement patterns, priority muscle groups, loading, intensity, skill, what we’ve done previously and what will do, etc. With so many variables it’s easy to overcomplicate working out (see above). But really, “performance” comes by intentionally and appropriately increasing volume (total loading = total weight X total reps) – “appropriately” being an operative term here. For the sake of simplicity (and word count here, and to work the term butt stuff back in), we’ll use an example from the last blog as reference:

PREVIOUSLY, we might have written “30 barbell snatches for time (95#/65#)”

NOW, we might say “30 ground to OH for time (Review Nigel’s notes on intention to determine loading.)”

In this example, we are talking about a hip extension/jump pattern priority (butt and hamstring – high power output) with an auxiliary shoulder movement. The intention loading is med-heavy. Something that allows for continuous effort, whether that’s 30 singles or 6 sets of 5s. 

Previously, it is most common for us to modify the loading. If a 95/65 snatch is too heavy, we move the weight to something like 75/45 and continue with the written movement “snatch,” OR we stubbornly try to complete the workout with the written skill at the written loading. In both scenarios we’ve moved too far away from the intention for the sake of being “perfect” (see above). In either case, the loading being too light or too heavy, our body will compensate with dominant muscle groups rather than priority muscle groups to accomplish the task that you ask it to (in this case taking the barbell from the ground to overhead in one movement  HOW’S THAT FOR FORESHADOWING?!), often moving away from the priority movement (butt stuff).

BUT(T), if we frame the conversation a little differently, “30 ground to OH for time (Review Nigel’s notes on intention to determine loading.),” then it opens up a completely different (READ: more appropriate) set of options for us. We’ve now created the opportunity to do the workout with a clean and press with a wide variety of different implements. Both of these movements allow you to focus more attention towards butt stuff and give your shoulder more direct loading. We’ve also removed some “skill” which allows you to move just as quickly and safety, if not more so, than stubbornly sticking with the snatch. AND … (Now are you ready for the kicker here? The reason that you’re all here anyway? The reason you’ve basically read a double blog post of my bullshit?) and when we modify skill level WE CAN INCREASE LOADING. That’s right folks, we’re actually creating a scenario where we can find a more appropriate, AND INCREASED, total loading (total weight X total reps)… So if all of this doesn’t perk your ass up (literally and figuratively), perhaps we spend more time visiting the conversation in the first half of the blog. 

Yours in BRAIN GAINZ and butt stuff, 

D

Blog 27 – All Levels All The Time(s). 

Hello my friends, 

PDX Strength is making a few changes to our regularly scheduled programming. One of the bigger changes being that our group strength classes are moving to an “all level” classification.  (You read that correctly. ALL LEVELS. ALL THE TIME!!! *theme music drops, laser show*)… While we’ve always offered a plethora of what we traditionally termed “all levels classes” (Bootcamp, KB Club, HIIT, Butt and Gut, Swöle), times are sporadic (albeit strategic) and maybe not always available in everyone’s schedule. Additionally, we have always held a “PDX 101 or equivalent” prerequisite for group strength; mostly as a safety, skill building, and learning opportunity for folks that are new to the use of a barbell, Olympic lifting, and high skill gymnastics movements like a rope climbs and handstands. 

This is happening for multiple reasons, but the main one being that PDX Strength started as an inclusive space for folks to come lift heavy shit, and we want to continue to be that – for the folks that continue to support us and for the folks that are just entering our space for the first time. Other reasons include all things affected by the pandemic and the phased re-opening strategies/schedules, but since we agreed that I won’t waste any more space in the blog to have you drink from the fire hose of chaos, that’s all I’ll say about that. 

So what does this all mean? Honestly? Not that much. Mostly that the written format of a typical work out might change (For you regular GSCers, don’t freak out. You haven’t even heard how it will change yet…) to movements that would be more familiar to an all-levels regular (if you’ve been to my KB Club on Thursdays, you have a general idea of the direction we are going.) Here’s the kicker for you regular GSCers (currently hyperventilating into a brown paper bag), the Gainz Train will still have room for you too.   

Nigel already does a great job trying to write out the intention of the workouts, which he will continue to do. But, there will just be a little flip to what is written on the board and a new concept that we introduce – modifying to a higher skill movement. We are already familiar with how to modify to lower skill movements; this is literally the opposite. Some examples:

PREVIOUSLY, we might have written overhead squats, which we would modify to front squat if there was an issue with the skill of an OH movement. 

NOW, we might say front squat, and allow folks who want a higher skilled movement modify to an OH squat. 

PREVIOUSLY, we might have written “30 barbell snatches for time (95#/65#)”

NOW, we might say “30 ground to OH for time (Review Nigel’s notes on intention to determine loading.)”

By communicating the workouts a little differently, we are not trying to take anything away. We are moving to a more inclusive communication around our workouts (and fitness), and keeping the choice for members to work at the skill level that they feel is most appropriate. Additionally, and my favorite part, this flip will allow coaches to coach more. More inclusive programming actually means that we are likely to make less modifications overall, meaning that coaches will have more time to specifically coach members through movement… or talk about the important stuff, like favorite ice cream flavors. 

We expect some conversation about this as it’s rolled out, so please don’t hesitate to ask your coaches if you have any questions, 

– Coach D