On Century Training

[SteveB]

I'm planning another run on the Bruiser Century/Gama cast program, at the same time I'm going for 15 reps of FlowFit2 in 15 minutes. I'll be using the 4X7 protocol. First day was yesterday, doing 20 sets of 5 casts spread through the day GTG style. Sore today, but not bad. At any rate, I was writing about this on my blog, and a very good guy and lifetime athlete/martial artist Steve Perry (some of you may have read his excellent novels) questioned me about it. Scott, I'd love it if you would address his question.
##
STEVE PERRY'S NOTE FOLLOWS.
##
"But I'm also going for a 100-rep "Century" with the bruiser, using the Gama cast (a sort of over-shoulder figure . Yep, I've tried before and failed. But the I.F. seems to give me a better recovery, so I'm trying again."

Why?

Seriously, I'm curious. I understand the need to have goals, I've done it myself. Most recently, I decided I need to get X-number of set of chins and pushups and crunches done on alternating days, with rope climbing and weights on the other days.

Then I realized that by picking an arbitrary number and striving for it, I wasn't listening to my body. Not being in the moment, but living in the future.

What is it in people that needs the prod of *this* many reps?

If you are being chased by the leopard, you don't run until you reach a mile, you run until you get away, or it catches you ...

Grabbing the bar and doing chins until my body tells me it is time to stop makes more sense than saying, "Okay, I'm going to do three sets of ten, and then stop."

Is it in the wiring? Or is it the software? Run that one past Scott, I'd be curious to see what he thinks.

[Adam Steer]

Hi Steve,

First, let me say that it was an honour to meet you in Bellingham this past weekend.

As to your above post, I am sure Coach Sonnon will have much more to say about it, but it prompted me to reflect on a blog post (http://coachsteer.typepad.com/coachsteer/2007/07/on-competition.html) that I put up recently which I feel sums up my thinking on using "numbers" in our training. Basically, the crux of the post is that numbers can serve as a form of competition (even if only with ourselves) that forces us past perceived and self-imposed limitations. Without milestones or benchmarks to push past, it is too easy to convince ourselves that we have reached our "edge," when many times we are not even close to our potential.

Cheers,
Adam

[Scott Sonnon]

That's an excellent question. The problem is the solution. Progression relates to HOW you feel, in the Circular Strength Training System.

There is no such thing as maintaining. The body either expands or collapses, progresses or regresses.

So, in CST, we use incremental progressive resistance, as opposed to arbitrary qualitative increases. Baby steps are smaller (and are more intuitively latched in), but accumulate faster than larger (arbitrary) leaps.

As we all know, you cannot progress without stress (and if you don't progress, you regress.) So, surgically controlling precision stress is the hallmark feature of the Circular Strength Training System (which sets us apart from say, a club swinging program.)

We subjectively monitor three variables in CST Intuitive Training: discomfort, technique and effort. When the discomfort remains under a 4 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the worst pain imaginable), technique remains above a 7 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being your best form possible), and effort consistently remains below a 6 for two sessions, then you can progress to the next level. Since Steve (Barnes) is doing a density cycle, this would be the next step up in rest compression. As a result, we inextricably bind quantitative progression with qualitative increments.

This is only one example in the system. There is also breath. No reason to go into the science behind it for now, but suffice it to say this: when one can consistently exhale on compression (say moving belly to thighs in a squat) rather than needing to exhale on driving the earth away, then one can progress. This transition from discipline level breath to flow level breath demonstrates an empirical signal that one can progress. Usually only the coach can observe this, unless you videotape your sessions (since flow level also involves a "soft-focus" of only being aware of the performance.)

A very accessible source material for this in stress physiology is "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" by Dr. Robert Sapolsky.

[rutherford]

Why?

Seriously, I'm curious. I understand the need to have goals, I've done it myself. Most recently, I decided I need to get X-number of set of chins and pushups and crunches done on alternating days, with rope climbing and weights on the other days.

Then I realized that by picking an arbitrary number and striving for it, I wasn't listening to my body. Not being in the moment, but living in the future.

It's definitely in the wiring. Critical thinking, problem solving, and planning are all valuable tools and have their place and a primary role in human existence.

Setting an arbitrary numeric goal is a way to provide direction, and there is a positive emotional reward for meeting these goals.

But, Steve Perry is right that there needs to be balance. Intuitive Training is the way to listen to your body and perform in the moment. It takes into account the constantly changing biorhythms and provides the vehicle by which we reach our goals.



If you are being chased by the leopard, you don't run until you reach a mile, you run until you get away, or it catches you ...

This seems like a bit of a non sequitur. A survival event like this is health first only in that you survive if you succeed. Giving your maximal effort every time is not sustainable.


Grabbing the bar and doing chins until my body tells me it is time to stop makes more sense than saying, "Okay, I'm going to do three sets of ten, and then stop."

Adam has this one right. It's easy to fool one's self if there's no goal.

However, if Steve Perry said, "I'm going to do pull-ups until I reach a particular perceived rate of effort for as long as I can sustain that rate of effort," then I'd be more likely to get behind his statement with fewer reservations.

[SteveB]

Steve Perry is a good friend, a fine martial artist and really one of the best people I know. Nearing sixty, he is the picture of a life-long athlete who is genuinely searching for insight and depth. I recognized that his question was genuine...I kinda suspect he might turn up over here and poke around a bit.