Statics Are Wrecking My Ability To Do Chins/Presses

Hi everyone,

I've started a killroy 70 template and I'm beginning each workout with a super set of front levers/frog stand, and then back lever/l-sit, with 2 mins rest between each set. The problem is when I go on to the dynamic exercises like chin ups and HePSUs, my shoulders and back are wrecked and I can't come close to my usual performance. Do I just push through or should I try and find a way to minimize fatigue?

Thanks.

Are you running an SSC at 50% of your max hold? Do note that max hold means perfect form. Front lever with retracted scapula, back lever with arms apart from the lats, not too hollow, and L-sit horizontal with fully depressed scapula.

If this is so, then don't worry. The FSP is where your focus should be.

Another interpretation is that the FSP are not wrecking your ability to chin and press; but rather exposing a previously undiscovered scapular weakness that requires attention.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Amebix138 said:

Do I just push through or should I try and find a way to minimize fatigue?

How long have you been at it? When I was doing SSCs, I found that they would be fairly fatiguing for the first few days, whenever I switched things up. Maybe see if it's still really bad in a week? Or just knock 5s or so off your statics so it's not as bad?

How many days a week do you workout on the Killroy70 program and how many sets are you doing? I'm doing 4 days a week on Coach Sommer's WOD and my SSC is composed of the same FSP's as yours. I superset all four exercises together and rest 2 minutes too. I find that working only 4 sets for each static is enough before I move on to the daily workout. This ensures that I do not get worked so much that I cannot perform after the SSC.

Many people here agree that 2-4 sets of each SSC exercise is enough per day. That's all you really need to make some excellent progress. And like Phrak said, the first few days of the SSC cycle will be a little rough until you adjust.

Coach Sommer said:

Another interpretation is that the FSP are not wrecking your ability to chin and press; but rather exposing a previously undiscovered scapular weakness that requires attention.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Is this post just being ignored? It shouldn't be.

You clearly don't have the endurance you need yet, and there are a few possibilities here.

1) You should be starting off with just 1-2 sets of your FSP, and slowly build into a full 4 sets or so over a period of maybe 2-3 months.

2) You should be taking a longer rest period between your warm up and your work sets. You may need a good 10 minutes, complete with some recovery drink. Over time, you can reduce that rest time progressively if you want until it's just 2-5 minutes.

You may even need to combine these strategies.

You may also want to consider that it may be a very good idea to do 1-2 days per week where you maintain your chins and presses and spend 2-3 other days per week working on the FSP, using 1-2 sets of FBE to warm up so that you can focus on your FSP progressions. You may need to do this for a good 8-12 week cycle, but it can make quite the difference in the long run.

Joshua Naterman said:

Is this post just being ignored? It shouldn't be.

When I posted this:

If this is so, then don't worry. The FSP is where your focus should be.

I was thinking of this:

Coach Sommer said:

- If you are feeling the FSP work to this degree, then that is where your primary efforts should be and not in the FBE work. Continue to do the FSP first and then finish your workout with whatever level FBE you are capable of for that day.

People really keep posting the same questions which Coach has answered a long time ago already. I really do hope that the second edition will address this thoroughly. Because I've got a lot of time, I can go through coach's old posts, but you can't expect everyone else to be able to as well.

The second ed. will clarify things.

Still this is the nature of internet forums, I'm sure with all the clarity of the 2nd edition there will be a host of new questions that we will see all the time too.

It will absolutely give a solid, clear base to work from and to a point that most would consider to be quite advanced, though in terms of GST it's still just elementary level.

One of the really important GST strength training concepts that somehow has just been missed or forgotten in the general fitness world is scapular strength and mobility in a wide range of positions. The FSP's are key to building this.