Steady State for previously mastered mobility work

Hi all,

I have instituted some Steady State Cycle- style work in a couple places in my training sessions, and thought I'd quickly recount a couple cool experiences.

Deadlifts-- began at a very light 50kg for 2x3 before each session (5x a week)-- first thing, no warmup. After 8 weeks, re tested and upped it to 90kg with no difference in perceived effort. I'm now 4 weeks into that and 2x3 is a joke-- expecting to find warmup weight after next microcycle at around 110-130kg before I have to work to any degree. This is the only deadlifting I do, no claims to being strong with the weights but I'm into these as a sort of whole body primer for GST.

H1 Weighted shoulder extensions--

Been SSCing these at 12kg for 1x10 (at which weight I had about 90% ROM when I started). That's a 1kg ankle weight over each end of my very basic 10kg bar.

8 weeks later today, this feels like a joke and I tested it with 1x10 @ 15kg. Sort of surprised, but no problem getting the reps, so continued testing. Expecting to fail miserably, I put 2x 5kg plates on instead-- this only dropped it to somewhere between 60-80% ROM (counting off the horizontal).

Foundation manna work has doubtless helped this a lot but it's still quite a jump and it surprised me I highly recommend this kind of progression for mobility elements you have solidly mastered with lighter weights. The majority of the work is sub-maximal, as you'd want in a warmup, and only requires thinking about once every couple months. The hardest part is having the patience to use that kind of load for so long

Jon

A word o warning-- I had forgotten how crazy the cramps on these (shoulder extensions) can get when you're working close to your max. Shoulders, traps, mid back, and chest are all strongly tendering their disapproval

If anyone reads this, please send cheesecake.

Sounds like a very similar program to Dan John's Easy Strength. Have you read it?

Mark Collins said:

Sounds like a very similar program to Dan John's Easy Strength. Have you read it?

I have not, I got it from BtGB. Coach mentioned the deadlifting protocol a little while back and it got me to thinking about approaching the mobility work in a bit more of a structured way than just 'as heavy as possible AS LONG AS max ROM per rep.' Although that worked fine to a point too

Will you try implementing this for other H1 weighted mobility elements (or Foundation ones, I just can't think of any that would be definitely worthwhile off the top of my head)?

For my schedule deadlift 5 times a week is  too much. i'm using it one times a week in a cycle of 4 weeks, 3 of works one deload and i keep the same deload week as foundations. the good thing is that i've never thought to progress with one session in a week. i started on november with 1205 kg for 1RM and now i moved the 1RM to 150 kg. the program is easy and consist of only 3 sets. btw as the weight moves up is necessary avoid bad technique. reasonable amount of strength gain over the retraction and depression stabilization phases after the end of RC F4 and the beginning of HBP F4. also when the lift is not perfect the jeff curls built up a generous help to avoid back injury.

Bro said:

Will you try implementing this for other H1 weighted mobility elements (or Foundation ones, I just can't think of any that would be definitely worthwhile off the top of my head)?

I'm doing it with dorsal dislocates too, the motion is the same as the extension reps and this is a substantially harder for me than the overgrip ones. Once I have those to 20kg I plan to revisit the prone ones in the same way.

Otherwise I don't think so; I wouldn't use the test approach for Jefferson curls for example, as I wouldn't want to risk a big jump overtaxing a weak link. Better to inch up more slowly, 4-8 weeks at a given weight. Spines scare the **** out of me and I wouldn't want anyones ego anywhere near mine.

alex87 said:

For my schedule deadlift 5 times a week is  too much. i'm using it one times a week in a cycle of 4 weeks, 3 of works one deload and i keep the same deload week as foundations. the good thing is that i've never thought to progress with one session in a week. i started on november with 1205 kg for 1RM and now i moved the 1RM to 150 kg. the program is easy and consist of only 3 sets. btw as the weight moves up is necessary avoid bad technique. reasonable amount of strength gain over the retraction and depression stabilization phases after the end of RC F4 and the beginning of HBP F4. also when the lift is not perfect the jeff curls built up a generous help to avoid back injury.

Yes, I got some coaching when I did that testing back in Feb so my technique is if not great at least safe at these weights-- I hit just around 150kg 1RM, then went down to 50 when I begin doing them regularly as I said. I have had no problems so far, it's by far the easiest part of my warmup, and plan to work as long as it takes to 1.5BW (120kg) at warmup intensity as Coach described. I'll probably just leave it there; deadlifting heavy is not a goal of mine, it is an activation drill for me

I remember that thread now. Was it in the weighted lunge thread?

Mark Collins said:

I remember that thread now. Was it in the weighted lunge thread?

Indeed.

Jon Douglas said:

I'm doing it with dorsal dislocates too, the motion is the same as the extension reps and this is a substantially harder for me than the overgrip ones. Once I have those to 20kg I plan to revisit the prone ones in the same way.

Otherwise I don't think so; I wouldn't use the test approach for Jefferson curls for example, as I wouldn't want to risk a big jump overtaxing a weak link. Better to inch up more slowly, 4-8 weeks at a given weight. Spines scare the **** out of me and I wouldn't want anyones ego anywhere near mine.

Yes, I did think about JC as one exercise that one would keep and improve beyond F1 mastery levels, but same as you, I don't like 'playing' with my spine too much.   But this SSC approach for the weighted mobility in warmups is definitely interesting. Provided you did reach the mastery requirements, you're at mastery so there's no rush, 8 weeks is nothing.

alex87 said:

i started on november with 1205 kg for 1RM 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edit: !!!!!!

NoHiddenCosts said:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Edit: !!!!!!

I did notice that earlier but forgot to comment. Went from 1205kg to 150kg. Bad, Alex, bad! 

Quick update;

Re-tested my warmup deadlifts to 120kg before the sets of 3 started to slow down a bit and require some work. Given that my 1RM was just under 150kg back at 50kg warmups, I am a bit curious to re-test that too!

However, I'm thinking this is getting too heavy to do more than 3x a week, my lower back was starting to feel some fatigue by Thursday. As they are really not a goal of mine, could be time to sub them out and investigate a harder drill (snatch grip DL, hang clean?) that allows me to use less weight for similar activation/niche development