Point A to point B

Elite Athletes know where they want to go (Point B). They just don’t know point A. The flip is true for a housewife for example who knows her point A but has no clue as to the endpoint. 

5 Principles of Intervention 

1. Strength training for lean body mass
2. Fundamental movements are fundamental
3. Standards and gaps must be constantly assessed
4. In a training cycle/lifetime mix between consistent workouts (park bench) and goal-orientated (bus bench) workouts
5. Strive for mastery and grace

10 Questions of Intervention

1st Question: What do you want?

Often a whim. The pitfall is getting lost. Constant review of the 10 questions and 5 principles helps. 

2nd Question: Is it a health question or a fitness question?

Health is the optimal interplay of organs

Fitness is simply the ability to do a task. 

3rd Question: Will this goal allow you to spiral out – to enlarge your life?  

Is your goal in tune with other areas of your life? Headings you can use include Work, play, rest, and so on. Will it add to other areas of your life or take away from it?

4th Question: What Quadrant is your goal in?

Quadrant One	Quadrant Three
Physical Education – Exposure to lots of low-level qualities	Most of us – Few qualities at a low level
Quadrant Two	Quadrant Four
Lots of high-level qualities	Rare athletic competition – Few qualities at the highest level

If most of us are in Quadrant 3, including a lot of professional athletes. Then it is clear the job is to narrow the focus towards the mastery of the basics of fundamental movement skills. A few qualities at a low level. 

5th Question: How old are you?

Self-explanatory

6th Question: What can you lift?

Self-explanatory

7th Question: What are your gaps?

The use of mobility and strength standards to help clients understand where they are now. 

	Push	Pull	Squat	Hinge	Carry
Expected	BW	8-10pull ups	BW	1.5 BW	BW
Game-Changer	X 15 reps @ BW	15 pull-ups	X15 BW	X 2 BW	BW per Hand

Use 20-40m when carrying although further the better
Use a half-filled cup of water to get your TGU technique on point.

8th Question: Are you willing to go back to the start?

The self-explanatory question that digs into just how far back are you willing to go to find the level you are really at? 

9th question: Are you willing to correct your problems?

A question on how you spend your time

For example, Weight loss: 80% on lifestyle and 20% on muscle mass and FMS

Find a way to work on your weaknesses

And compete on your strengths

10th question: Would you mind if everything was seamless as well?

How you do anything is how you do everything

Grace, Posture & Integrity.

Fundamental Human Movements

Push, Pull, Hinge, Squat & Carry.

In summary, lift, carry and put things over your head.

The formula of Patterning, Grinding, Symmetry, and Ballistics was first adapted from a concept developed by Gray Cook and Brett Jones. 

Why add speed to dysfunction? Find the issue before you find explosive movement. Most of Dan John’s clients don’t use ballistic movements. 

	Patterning	GrindingThink next level	Symmetry	Dynamic
Push	Planks Standard: 2 min Plank Consider as progressions Wall supported handstands Cartwheel	Push-ups Presses	One-Arm Bench Press One-Arm Military Press Standard: 55kg 30kg for 5 reps: high school kids 13 for 10 for high school girls
Pull	Batwings5 x 5 Alternative: Human plank rows	Rows Pull-ups: Ab wheel style	One-Arm Plank Rows
Hinge	Hinge assessment	Bulgarian Goat bag swings	One Arm Deadlift	Swings
Squat	Goblet Squat	Double KB Front Squat OHSBack SquatFront Squat	Single side Squat

Planks can be used to drive metabolic conditioning: Think down and ups during the setup.

Push Press and Jerk use different cues.

Push press: eyes.

Jerk: feet

Standard: BW squat with a Double KB And 15 reps at BW is probably strong enough.

Using a random selection of weights in a workout takes care of the speed that you move and can be used to great effect

Know that you can overload the body with one arm press…compare it with two and you will see the difference..110 is easier than 220 with two arms. 

The hip displacement continuum

The swing is not a squat: Maximal hip, minimal knee

A squat is not a swing: Maximal knee, minimal hip

The order of learning

Patterning, Grinding, Symmetry & Dynamic

	Patterning	GrindingThink next level	Symmetry	Dynamic
Loaded carries	Farmers Walk Bag Carries	Car Push Prowlers	Waiters Walks Suitcase Carry Rack Walk-One arm only	Hill Sprint Sleds- if the technique is correct

Weights in hand options:
One-handed carries, Two-handed carries, Bags & Sleds.

Be aware that programming on symmetry may bias you into problem thinking…Get the balance right between symmetry work and patterning to take your bias away

The reverse is also true.

Master all 4 to get stages for the win. 

Carries x 3 a week. And only sparing all-out efforts. 

And everything else? 

File it under 6th Movement. No less important. Just the 6th on the list and not before the 5 Fundamental Movements. 

6th Movement includes but is not limited to :

Rolling: Example: Rolling 45’s. Dan John mentions in standards that he expects all to complete a TGU with a half cup of water. Rolling drills including the breakdown of TGU into various sections would certainly make up a lot of the homework required to complete the standard expected. 

Single leg work

Understanding repetitions before programming

Hierarchy:

1. Fundamental Human Movement: Postures and Patterns
2. Reps and Sets: Reasonable number of times we repeat the patterns
3. Then Load. 

Hip displacement continuum: 

Swing to Goblet squat

Swing: Maximal Hip Hinge. Minimal knee bend and Squat the reverse. 

Turkish Get Up (TGU):: One-stop shop. 

Add the push-up and you might have all the bases covered. 

Training sessions should focus on Quality, repeatability, and put you on the path towards achieving your goal. 

Whole-body movement and the rule of 10: 

The rule of 10 means you have 10 quality reps in a workout. 

TGU, Snatch, C&J & Deadlift.

And for Elite athletes, squat variations 

2x 5, 3×3, 1 x 10, 5 x 2 & 5,3,2. 

Going heavy on the basic movements is possible. But build in some easy days and cycle the load. 

Could also think about cycling through the movements with some heavier and some lighter in a day if there was a real focus on strength in a micro-cycle. Elite consideration only.  

Push, Pull, Hinge, Squat & Carry.

Bodybuilding movement (half body movements)

15-25 Total reps for the movement

Same 5

5 x 5 top end (25 reps)

Patterns and explosive KB lifts

Can also include iso hold work here

The total number of reps can be high 75-250. Insist on quality

For the carry: 120 sec of loaded carry total is considered a long time

Acid test: 

Correct load: Reps and Sets work

Didn’t get the reps and sets? Load is too heavy and the reverse is true for a load that is too light. 

Programming with Patterns and Grinds: 

The Eagle:

Pattern: loaded carry; Grind: squat

20m carry

8 double KB squats

X 8

The Buttburner 4000:

Pattern: squat; Grind: hinge

Goblet squat

Swing

1 Up to 10

Pattern: hinge; Grind: pull

RDL

BOR

Pattern: pull; Grind: push

Bat wings

Press up

Be aware. Before you go after ballistic combos aka CrossFit/MetCon workouts

Patterning, Symmetry, Grinding & Ballistic, all need to be in place.

An example of a workout would be:

Swing

Push up

Simple Strength: Park Bench

Rule: Never miss a rep

Advanced lifters use the rule of 10. Intermediate and beginner Rule of 25.

Week One	Mon	Tues	Wed	Fri	Sat
	2 x 5	2 x 5	5-3-2	2 x 5	2 x 5
Week Two	Mon	Tues	Wed	Fri	Sat
	2 x 5	6 singles	1 x 10	2 x 5	5-3-2

Loading recommendations for Simple Strength 

Load is easy and would probably be your 3rd warm-up set in a typical workout.

For 5-3-2:	Six singles	One set of 10
5 Reps at your 5 weight Add weight for 3 Then a solid double. Make the double	Add weight to each rep but make the rep	Easy

Option 1: Week 1 and 2, repeated x 3 more times.

Option2: Change lifts every two weeks

Option 3; Power and speed athletes

Day One	Day Two	Day Three	Day Four
5 sets of 2 Add weight to each set	Left-arm only Waiter walk Suitcase carry Single side squat Suitcase hinge One-arm row One arm bench One arm military press	5 sets of 2 Add weight each set	Right arm only Waiter walk Suitcase carry Single side squat Suitcase hinge One-arm row One arm bench One arm military press
Litvinov Sprint or Sled		Litvinov Sprint or Sled

For a 12 week program 

In Week 4. Repeat Weeks 1 and 2 and then repeat the 3-week cycle 4 more times. Think of Week 3 as a spacer. 

Secret if there is one. This workout gets easier and easier

Use Simple Strength 10 months of the year. Bus Bench for example Mass Made Simple in the gaps. 

A word on nutrition;

Reasonable and Tough; Park Bench and Bus Bench.

Warrior diets are about being in the present and eating only when necessary. Not on the clock or a schedule. Intermittent fasting bears a closer resemblance. Bus bench, going someplace type of thinking, ideal to achieve a lean physique. A tough diet.

A king-style diet is to eat with your head. Think ahead and also reflect. Be reasonable. 

The industry is keen on bus bench workouts with tough diets. It gets results but is unlikely to be sustainable over long periods of time.