Bottom Line Up Front: This will be a review of a strength and conditioning cycle I programmed myself that I performed from April to June 2015. This is going to get nerdy into strength and conditioning; be warned.
After having done a lot of kettlebell swings early in 2015 and being motivated by simplicity and Dan John, I was looking to combine some foundational kettlebell work with classic strength and conditioning concepts. These two microcycles make up the mesocycle (perform A in order then B in order) that I came up with:
Microcycle A
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Pull Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Squat)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Core Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Push)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Squat Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Core)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Push Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Pull)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
Microcycle B
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Pull Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Squat)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Core Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Push)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Squat Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Core)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
- 100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Push Strength
- Ladder (Hinge + G/W Pull)
- M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds
Here are the notes I wrote for myself. Sort of like the “rules” of execution:
- Heavy focus on KB swings
- Structure is largely variable for most workouts
- Strength work in 1-5 rep range per set
- Intent is to focus on relative intensity based on interest/energy that day
- 100 swings and TGU structure is open (any rep/set scheme)
- Ladders will target 1 to 10 to 1 but can be adjusted
- At least one G/W movement but can be multiple if desired
- Additional skill practice integrated at any time based on desire
Terms of Reference
A lot of these are terms I have used before (see my first article on programming below), but let’s be clear up front with some terms I am throwing around. KB = Kettlebell, TGU = Turkish Get-up. G = Gymnastics, which means bodyweight movements like pull-ups, push-ups, lunges, etc. W = Weightlifting (not Oly…), which means movements with resistance added like a barbell, sandbag, or kettlebell. M = monostructural, which are “cardio” movements like running, biking, jumping rope, or rowing.
I use a Pull, Hinge, Push, Squat, Core, Carries/Holds categorization to diversify the types of movements I am selecting to get at the whole body. Pull movements are pull-up or row variations. Hinge movements is a term I took from Dan John. Hinges are movements where the primary action is a back extension like kettlebell swings, cleans, snatches, or deadlifts. I used to use Pull for all these, which is very common in the strength and conditioning world, but that confused me with regard to how to differentiate pull-ups from deadlifts, if they are both pulls. Push movements are any pushing away from the body like barbell presses or push-ups. Squat is any movement predominantly done with a hip and knee extension like squat variations, lunges, or jumps. Core movements with a direct focus on the abdominals and/or the lower back. Finally, (a little more Dan John influence here) Carries/Holds is just carrying weights around or holding them in place. Farmer’s walk, overhead carries, back rack (barbell on the back like a squat) carries, suitcase carry, etc. Dan is huge on carries as the most functional thing you can do. I have been doing them for many years, but I never made them an actual category of movements.
When you see “+ Something Strength”, this means 1-5 repetitions per set of a specific movement. A Ladder is a conditioning workout structure which is a set of 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, etc. all the way to a certain predesignated number. Up and down (ascending and descending) ladder is 1 to X then back to 1. They don’t have to go up and down either. You can do a 1-20 ladder. You can imagine how much worse sets 15, 16, and 17 are relative to sets 2, 3, and 4.
You may notice there are no rest days in there. That doesn’t mean you have to do the whole cycle for 24 straight days. I just rest based on how I feel or my calendar. I may do 3 of these workouts in a row then take 2 days off, or go day on, day off for a week.
So to understand the short-hand above, Session 1 of Microcycle A reads “100 KB Swings, 10 TGU + G/W Pull Strength”. That means I have to do 100 kettlebell swings, 10 Turkish Get-ups, various sets of 1-5 reps focused on Pulling movements. The notes say the rep scheme and execution are up to me that day based on how I feel so there is no set way I have to do this. The intent is to integrate strength work in between sets of kettlebell swings. Something like 10 swings, 3 reps of weighted pull-ups, repeated 9 more times for a total of 10 giant sets. Then, 10 TGUs – no strength work in between these reps. Rest is as needed, usually 1-2 minutes between sets. It isn’t meant to be a giant conditioning workout done all in a row as fast as possible. Weight is up to me that day based on how I feel.
Session 2 reads “Ladder (Hinge + G/W Squat)”. This means I have to do a conditioning ladder of 1 to 10 to 1 with one Hinge movement and one squat movement, either G (gymnastics) or W (weightlifting). Something like 32kg/70lb kettlebell swing + weighted lunge with 80lb sandbag. 1 rep of each, then 2 reps of each, then 3 reps of each, etc. until the ladder is done. Rest as little as possible in between sets.
Session 3 reads “M Interval Sprints + Carries/Holds”. This means I will do some form of sprinting (running, row, bike, jump rope) and also carry and hold weights. The structure is wide open on this too. An example would be 30-second sprint on a stationary cycle, then walk 40 yards and return carrying a kettlebell in one hand, then 40 yards with the other hand, then 40 yards with the kettlebell overhead. Repeat until bored/exhausted/out of time. The possibilities with this are endless.
After Action Review
- This cycle took me about a month and a half to get through. 24 workouts done in about 45 days.
- On days in between these sessions I did 20-40 minutes of yoga most days. I rarely had a day totally off with no formal exercise or active recovery (yoga, weight vest walking, etc.).
- This is one of the most open cycles I have ever programmed. It gave a lot of room to adjust intensity and volume as desired. For example, there were times I did almost an hour of sprints and carries since I felt really good. Other times I did 20 minutes and got out of there.
- I loved the use of the ladders versus other ways to do a conditioning workout like AMRAP (as many reps in 20 mins as possible) or a fixed task for time (100 reps as fast as possible). The ladder starts easy then gets real bad real quick.
- I did not keep a detailed journal of workouts for the first time that I can remember. My whole journal for this mesocycle just has dates next to the workouts, no details at all. I couldn’t tell you now exactly what I did in any of these sessions. I am going to write a whole separate post on this since this is a fairly large psychological shift for me. To quickly hit some large points, I realized it didn’t really matter over time whether I knew exactly what I did in a workout after the fact. It mattered much more that I knew the general structure and focus. For example, I rarely needed to know I did 135 x 5 x 2, 185 x3, 205 x 2, then 225 x 1 reps of Overhead Squat. I needed to know I did Squat Strength work on a certain day. I would use the journal to identify connections to how I look, felt, or performed. So say it is May and I have lost weight or gained weight or felt really run down or felt great, I would look to my training logs. If I saw I worked out hard 5 days per week for a month, that alone may be enough to tell me to keep it up, step it up, or tone it down. All I need to know for that is days I exercised, not how many sets of which exercises or my time in my conditioning ladder. At an elite level or if you are really into attaining a specific goal (back squat 400lbs, run 5-minute mile), you need to get detailed. For me now, I don’t care so much as long as I know generally what went on.
- I didn’t use a clock at all to time workouts. I did all my conditioning workouts (METCONs for the CrossFitters) without the 3, 2, 1, Go! (clock starts and is visible at all times). As I just said, I really don’t care if I did my ladder in 25 minutes or 23 or 33. The only reason you’d really want to write down the times would be to compare the same workout at a later date. Since I am not even writing down the content of the workout, seems like timing it is silly. Again, big mental shift for me. It didn’t make sense not to write down a time to me before. However, I find the stress of the clock is unnecessary and counterproductive for me at this point. I have been exercising regularly for a few decades. I don’t need a clock for motivation. Huge complaint I have with CrossFit is that people sacrifice form and safety for time (video below, go to min. 3:40). Take the clock away, all of a sudden your lower back may stop rounding like a Halloween cat on every rep.
- You may be wondering if all those kettlebell swings was too much/annoying/boring. I can tell you it was not any of those. I varied the Hinge movements in my ladders (KB cleans, KB snatches, barbell cleans). Despite all this, I didn’t walk around all day with a sore lower back. A lot of people do kettlebell only training and are constantly using the swing as the basis for their workout, much like a runner uses running as the basis of theirs.
- Separating Pull movements from Hinge movements is revolutionary for how I look at programming.
- I am not sure how I am going to integrate Carries/Holds in the future into my programming. I used to do them sporadically at the end of workouts as skill work or supplementary work. It is kind of interesting making them a focus on a workout. Sprinting plus carries is fun though for sure.
The Future
My next cycle is structurally as follows:
- Strength work + short (15 minutes or less) conditioning ladder in the same session
- Sprint
- Strength + short conditioning ladder
- Endurance (long run, row, or bike, 30 mins or longer)
- Repeat
Going to add in some longer endurance events, shorten the conditioning workouts for more intensity, and combine strength with conditioning in the same workout.
QUESTION: Do you have any thoughts on the intent and structure of this cycle? Where do you think it could be improved? What do you think you may take away and integrate into your programming? Post thoughts to comments.
References & Further Reading
- How To Develop Your Own Strength and Conditioning Program
- DanJohn.net
- What is CrossFit? | BroScienceLife (NSFW)