Squats and Deads

From Mens Fitness Magazine: "Mistake #3 - Timing squats and deadlifts improperly.  These two exercises are the most taxing lifts on the central nervous system, especially the deadlift.  This [deadlifting] cannot be done optimally when you're recovering from a squat session." 

by Neil Anderson

This seems like a silly notion.  It might be true if life was about training.  Unfortunately (for these folks), squatting and deadlifting occur in nature.  Frequently this happens on back to back days - if not daily, or several times per day (farming, construction working, homemaking, sports, etc...). 

It is our experience at GPP that your major muscle groups can/must be trained more frequently than every 48-72 hours.  You were absolutely built for this.  It is also our experience that calling ANY movement that naturally occurs "wrong" is equally a bad idea.  Doing so exhibits a fundamental lack of knowledge, experience and functional understanding of what we are ultimately capable of and built for.

Why Russian Style KB Swings?

by Neil Anderson

Our GPP Exercise Mandate is: "Perform only those exercises which are most efficient and effective for attaining our goals of optimal health." 

Anything more and we are wasting effort that could be better used elsewhere.  Anything less and we are also wasting intention and/or effort. 

Because of the reasons above, GPP chooses the Russian style (RS) kettlebell swing.  RS swings differ from the American style at the top of the movement.  The top of a RS swing goes to just above eye level.  American style goes completely overhead to the point where it almost goes over backwards. 

RS swings are at the foundation of most ballistic movements and lifts.  These include, snatches, cleans, clean and jerks, jumping, bounding, leaping and yes, the American style kettlebell swing. 

The shorter more compact stroke of the RS swing keeps the user in the "meat" of the lift for longer periods.  This allows for more strokes and less wasted effort.  Although technically American style swings move a load longer distances these distances are not linear; therefore the work performed at the top of the stroke (eyeballs up) is much less than work performed from eyeballs down.  This makes the effort from eyeballs up less than effective and therefore inefficient at accomplishing the GPP Exercise Mandate.

Types of Sets

by Neil Anderson

Straight Sets - a number of repititions followed by a rest, then another set and repeat until all assigned sets of that exercise are complete.  Then move to the next exercise.

Super Sets - a set of two different exercises done back to back without rest in between. Rest. Repeat. Click here for a more complete explanation.

Giant Sets - a set of 3 different exercises perfomed back to back without rest in between. Rest. Repeat.

Drop Sets - several sets of the same exercise performed back to back with very little rest in between.  Often each successive set of exercise is done with a lighter weight or fewer reps. 

Circuit Sets - moving from one exercise to another in rapid succession taking very little rest.  Generally, a circuit has 7 exercises and is regulated by heart rate.  Repeat for assigned rounds.

Burnout Sets (B/O) - A single set of exercise done to complete exhaustion. Note: "complete exhaustion" occurs upon breakdown of productive form for a given exercise.