My good friend and college PhD candidate Mike T Nelson and I have been talking a lot this year about his theory on increasing tissue turn over with in the body. If that is possible, you would be able to recover faster and therefore get stronger faster, while dropping more body fat. Sounds like a win/win.
Mike has posted some information on this topic several times, and we will be doing a recorded call soon on the topic. For now click HERE and review Mikes latest post.
So one of the ideas we have is increased speed of movement plays a role. I started doing more fast lifts with Kettlebells. I have worked to get faster and faster, instead of heavier or working longer.
This was todays set, 49 reps with a pair of 16kg bells in 46 seconds for my first set. Please note this is not meant to be an example of how you should train for Girevoy Sport or in preparation for any particular sport. As always I do not need care about the titles and names so spare me from if this is a Jerk, or a push press, or whatever. I have no name for it other than overhead Kettlebell speed work
This is not something I think you should do. I simply post it to remind people to continue to question things, and continue to experiment. As far as results of my speed work this month– Dropped 3% body fat and I am lifting 5 days a week, breaking 4-8 PRs a day. PReveryday. For all of you still trying to understand what is a PR and what is not- these are no shit big ass PRs this month including adding 10lbs to my best two hands pinch, adding 40 reps to my best single hand switch snatch set, moving up to a tougher gripper, and my best long cycle clean and jerk set.
Its time you learn more about Gym Movement. Its time for you to get better everyday. If it not something you want, than its time for you stop reading this page. This page is about better. Click here not to learn about how you can get better today.
ATG
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Double clean and jerks haven’t tested well for me for a few weeks, so I tested single clean and jerks on Sunday… BAM volume PR, and the faster I moved the better it tested.
Monday I tested and again it tested well, BAM volume and density PR’s… two days in a row…
Today I am itching to get home from work because I feel like banging out more reps! Also on those same days set some PR’s in rows and floor presses and a few other things
Very good, Kris I will get out the first series of emails to you today.
Interesting stuff Adam, but if I could ask the obvious question: why does speed play a role?
And how do you measure tissue turnover rate? Is it lack of DOMS? Faster injury recovery (against a baseline)?
As a side note, would increasing turnover rate have any impact on the aging process – positive or negative? Both make sense, as new tissue production would halt visible signs of aging, but increased cell division would also deplete telomeres on body-cell chromosomes faster than normal, reducing lifespan according to the prevailing theory of aging.
I suppose you could check that with a study on lifespans of strongmen vs. average people.
Anyway, I was just wondering if you and Mike had talked about that.
A few good ones in here which I am leaving for Mike– lets keep it simple. As far as I can see the less something moves, the faster it dies.
What I can prove based upon this theory– More days have better testing movements, with greater tolerence for volume and intensity through out the week. With PR everyday being really damn fast, I am hitting big ass sexy PR everyday now.
Adam just curious, have u tested heavier bells lately? I like the double jerks because I can do them rotated to my right, where as the lccj It wouldn’t. All’s my to do this. How many sets are you hitting of these. I am guessing not too many because we want the minimum amount of effectiveness right? Or are you trying to put a ton of volume in.
Usually 1 set Frank.
I have been doing the same with my snatch and the numbers are going up in a way that wouldn’t seem possible.
I’ve been doing one set of fast snatches when they test well too, getting a 10 to 20 rep increase every workout, 30-40 reps per week.
I’ve moved from 40 reps w/ the 16kg to 200 reps in 3 weeks.
30 reps w/ the 20kg to 100 reps in 2 weeks.
10 reps w/ the 24kg to 40 in 1 week. All at max speed.
David, Brad . . .
Are you guys doing one set of each arm or just one set period?
1 set each arm of course.
I do one set with alternations every 5 or 10 reps, depending on the day. So just one for me.
Frank
with my fast lifts, typically 1 set, some times two.
So I test snatch, jerk, LC. I can snatch almost everyday, Jerk most days. I do my snatches with single switch just looking for smooth bell control, speed, and minimal tension during the set.
Jerks is either one or two sets all out like this before I slow down, or a slower paced set, typically 1 rep every 2-3 seconds. That set feels slow as shit, but all of those would be positive counted reps in competition.
Volume is not the goal, Movement is the goal. So i just do my set and look at the numbers. Without any effort or intention I do more faster every time. The beauty of the human body…
Keep up the awesome and inspirational work, Adam (and the rest of the crew!) This is my first post, so please forgive its length and its rambling nature
First off: I’ve gotten stronger and better since meeting Adam last year at HKC (believe it or not, Adam)! Now, with Gym Movement and the further insights of the contributors to this blog, things are looking really good for the future. I’m impressed with my own n=1 experiment! I’m stronger and better in nearly every way from when I was 25 yrs old (and I was in “good shape” then: played rugby and kendo from teens to 30s). Now, I’ve nearly recovered from all old injuries, including 27 years after shoulder surgery!!!
Perhaps this has been addressed elsewhere, so please direct me there if it has: does the quick lift or “speed builds size and strength” idea (for lack of a better term) fly in the face of the Specific Adaptation from Imposed Demands principle? If not, how are these reconciled? I’m curious because I’ve been doing more quick lifts, too, lately and am getting stronger (don’t know about bigger, though; no weigh scale). I always assumed that the low volume, high weight thing was more or less how strength is adapted for. Thoughts from anyone would be most welcome.
Also, and sorry to hijack this thread a bit, but I just joined Twitter and am not sure how to be part of the #PrEveryday contest. I left a tweet but don’t know how to get the “#preverday” part into it so that it participates in the group tweets. If someone could point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Juan
World’s strongest-looking artist.
Hi Juan. Soon “strongest-looking” will simply be “strongest!”
For the twitter stuff: when you write a tweet, simply type #preveryday (anything with the #sign in a tweet is called a hashtag) at the end of it. That means that anyone can go into Twitter, search for the hashtag #preverday, and see what everyone is up to.
Juan,
If F = MA (force = mass * acceleration) and we define strength as the production of force then we should be able to increase either the mass or the acceleration to build strength.
I don’t think it disagrees with SAID.
Juan, great to see you here posting!
I expect to see you continue to regain movement and resolve your pain faster and faster as you continue to experiment.
DDNs offer of physics is dead on- moving an object faster requires more strength. The first time someone picks up a 53lb s KB and presses it, it is typically slow. As they get stronger they can press faster, also they can press more reps, and press heavier.
There is certainly some other things required- we can not just take 1lbs weights and move them fast and turn in to the incredible hulk…but what if the lifting always stayed focused on speed?
Weight Lifters use two lifts which require exceptional explosive power ansd speed- the Snatch and Clean and Jerk. Many of them are very muscular and strong.
So mu thoughts on this– I just keep testing the weights and move up when I can. Work to crush the speed, exceeding 1 rep in under 1 second. Imagine if i could do that same set on this page with 32′s? Wow
Thanks Josh, Adam, & David. All makes sense as regards the quick lifts vis a. vis strength gains.
Lots of great info and unity amongst the contributors and commentators on the site, by the way. Excellent stuff and much appreciated. In fact, The Movement feels somewhat like a … like a …uh … oh I know; like a Movement!
Juan
Juan
We function as a team and you are welcome to join this team.
Sorry, just saw the answer to my Twitter question. (Note to self: must read to end of post before asking question!)
Tks.
4-8 PRs a day is awesome. I’m in the 1-2 PRs a day on the days I don’t do BJJ. I guess that is because BJJ is an unforgiving mistress. I am interested in this speed work as well. I may get into some of it heavy after I bag my free HSPUs. Oh yeah, one question . . . did you make any dietary changes in sync with the speed work to drop that body fat?
Hunter,
I can vouch that Adam’s diet consists of Guinness, Chipotle, and Big Ass Steaks.
Seriously.
Ok, draught or extra stout? Because I bet he downgraded to draught, lol.
DDN speaks truth. I am trying to break as many diet “rules” as I can while still dropping body fat and gaining muscle. So far I am making most diet plans look flawed.
Give me beer, give me steak, give me chipotle, fuck your salads, fuck your fruits, and listen to Mike T Nelson
Chipotle ALWAYS tests well.
Is it the biofeedback, or is Chipotle this delicious to everyone?
Good stuff guys and awesome feedback.
I agree with DDN, I don’t think this invalidates SAID at all.
Muscle responds directly to force. Stress it more than before and it will respond with more tissue. Studies have shown increases in mixed muscle protein synthesis (adding muscle, connective tissue) after training, with newer studies looking at the different rates of increase in contractile tissue (think–the muscle itself) and also connective tissue.
More info on that here
http://extremehumanperformance.com/blog/how-to-build-bigger-muscles-hypertrophy-with-new-research-part-2-applications/
For most recreational athletes, doing more speed work, esp at high(er) volumes is going to be a novel stimulus. As Frankie has stated, novel stimulus seem to lead to more muscle gains too.
Rock on
Mike T Nelson PhD(c)
Thanks Mike!
Yes, very helpful and, spot-on!
Adam the part you talk about diet is true. I eat sausage egg and cheese, On my way to work, fried chicken cutlets on a sandwich, pizza, beer you name it I eat it. I am leaner at 236 then I was at 218. People ask me all the time, what’s my diet like. I don’t know a lot about the diet mike and Adam are doing, I know I eat what ever I want and I have been OK so far.
Amazing results! I’ve been doing Biofeedback for the last month and I’ve seen some amazing gains myself. I still haven’t absorbed the amount of information in the face of everything I have ever read and makes sense. Now, with the speed element added, it just makes me more excited. Thank you for your continued hard work. Now, to find some people to train with that are of like mind around here! Be safe!
Demond, what kind of training do you do?
I’m doing deadlifts, KB snatches, chins, one arm presses, pistols, and hanging leg raises. Today I did some KB juggling because I miss doing it, and it’s summer time!
I’ve notices my deads and my presses are going up quickly. I do pistols instead of squats because I don’t want to become “Quadzilla”.
I’m still experimenting with what lifts I want to dedicate myself to for a while.
Maybe one day I’ll become the World’s Strongest Massage Therapist. LOL
Why do you ask?
Because I love it all. Just a curious fan of training and progress.