Since a 2 hour conversation via cell phone with Adam in mid-March, I have committed to testing my client’s movements with biofeedback and as soon as I can lift again [30 days post surgery is when I can lift loads], I plan to
test myself.
After watching the Gym Movement DVD and Grip n’ Rip 2.0 DVD, I understood enough to begin testing. As a trainer of almost 10 years, I know how to enact ‘good form’ and how to record and interpret data regarding volume, intensity, and density.
Since I have begun, I noticed that I use simpler verbal cues for my clients and aid in the estimation of relative tension and appropriate levels of effort regarding the movements I use the most.
The movements I have tracked over the last 6 weeks with my 5 most regular clients [3 sessions a week] are the pull up, the 2 kettlebell clean and press, squatting, deadlifting, and kettlebell snatches. After gathering enough data from my clients regarding the aforementioned metrics, today was the day I set out to have a client bust a PR.
The Nurse, as she will be referenced, was tasked, two weeks ago, to perform 50 reps of the double C&P with a pair of 8kg kettlebells. She did so in 11:35.
She was making funny faces and moving slow on some reps, and those were the final reps for each set. Today, she tested well at the start of the session for the C&P, and she tested well after every other set during the PR setting session we just had.
Previous numbers included sets of 10-10-7-10-3-8-2 with rest periods of up to 1:30. She was not allowed to look at the clock and was instructed to restart a new set only when she felt rested enough.
Today, she performed:
- 12 reps in :55, rested :48
- 10 reps in :36, rested :38
- 10 reps in :35, rested :36
- 10 reps in :38, rested :40
- 8 reps, DONE
Give or take a few seconds on the recordings I just made, but her total time was 6:03. A full 5 and a half minutes better than before. We retested
with grip and toe touch after every other set. And only on the final rep, the 50th rep, did she make a funny face or appear to be straining.
She was calm and relaxed, and did not look at the clock once.
I am not blown away by her time alone, as I am additionally floored by how relaxed she looked on each set. Without looking at the clock, she matched her naturally gauged rest time almost exactly to her work time. She even tested well for a 4:00 Tabata squat afterwards.
Moving, indeed.
Eric ‘Will’ Williams
Professional Personal Trainer
Suburban Philadelphia
http://www.rkc2005.blogspot.com
{ 11 comments }
That´s exactly what my experience is too… it just feels right and work sets and rest times are pretty much consistent thru the sessions…
Since starting with biofeedback I feel very relaxed about training and can focus on fun stuff instead of spending all my time searching for the perfect program….
Great stuff!!
/Fredrik J
Sweden
That’s one hell of a PR. Awesome work!
Hi Adam / Frankie / everyone
I found out about GM / Biofeedback 4 days ago and have been frantically searching for all the info I can find. Unfortunately Gym Movement and grip N Rip have sold out and Adam’s previous videos have been taken dow
Adam, Is there any chance these videos will be put up again to help fill in the blanks. Also, perhaps having a forum would make it easier to get questions answered.
I am going to train tonight with Biofeedback and have a few questions.
1) When testing what sort of weight do you use to make sure you get a good testing response ie, if you do presses for sets of 3 reps with say a 24kg for lots of volume do you have to get up to 24kg to get a testing response or will a couple of presses with a 16 kg tell you ie, what % of your normal training load is required for a testing response
2) If you test poorly all the time on say the kettlebell military press but have to pass the RKC2 1/2 BW MP do you do minimal MP training and instead focus on other presses that test well and will it improve even with limited training of the MP
3) Do you compare baseline tests from session to session to determine if you should train at all or do you only test against the basesline test for that sessi0n. For example, say your toe touch is 6 inches below knee usually but today only 3 inches is that saying to have a day off?
4) If you have a strenght test to train for how do you determine what training load to use. Do you test each weight inc until ROM decreases and then use the last weight that tested well and do reps until form gets slow and there is tension. What if these reps are quite high but you want to train strength, do you just train with a heavier weight or do the higher reps?
5) If you are doing swings is the toe touch test still applicable since the movement tagets the hamstrings? Should another test be used and if so what?
Sorry for all the questions, I just like to get as much info as I can. Also, any chance the Grip N Rip videos can be done as online videos for those of us that are outside the US.
Thanks
Mike Capper
Mike
Grip and Rip 2.1 will be released this month.
I will not be putting up the old youtube videos, I will not add a forum. I will not do grip and rip as a download now, but for our new few products I will consider it.
If you would like we can do a coaching call this week and work on your program, click on the get better now banner and fill in your information.
Thanks Adam, I have emailed you via the contact form some queries regarding the session.
Thanks
Mike Capper
I will get back to you quickly Mike
Testing using grip strength as an indicator…is this done with a dynamometer?
thats one way to do it
I’m pretty curious about how one’s supposed to be testing well for tabata squats. Doesn’t the idea of going all out for 20 seconds and resting only 10 seconds go against the GM protocol?
Paul E.
GM is about doing what tests better/tests best. If tabata tests well for someone than go for it. I would personally go a different way. Keep in mind the most important part- If Wills client wants to do tabata, than Wills only job is to show them how to do tabata better.
From what I’ve learned in the Grip n Rip DVD, I really can’t get my head around how tabata intervals could fit with GM. A change of breathing pattern would be inevitable, but maybe it’s possible to hold back and not sacrifice rep quality (i.e. no excess tension and alignment shift) for rep quantity?
And as far as testing is concerned, I can test lightweight squats, but I can test the tabata interval scheme?
thanks