https://danjohnworkouts.com/
Be sure to try it out with the free two week membership. I will be adding a bunch of essays over the next few days in the members area.
Be sure to try out the Park Bench workout generator...it's amazing.
An example of the new writing and reediting:
Introduction to Easy Strength
The following is an attempt to explain a strength program for athletes. Many athletes need to get stronger (obviously) but don’t have the time to train like a strength sport athlete AND train for the specific sport. So, Easy Strength takes care of this quality: strength.
Oddly, some of the best results of this program have come from older, advanced trainees (not athletes but experienced trainers) who have said, literally, “I just wanted to see what could happen.†Easing up for eight weeks and focusing on just one quality seems to be the answer to a lot of problems.
The follow-up emails are often incredulous rants about how “obvious this all is.†I hope so. The key is doing the program; that is, not missing reps and basically keep doing the same thing over and over for forty workouts.
The acquisition of strength, I think, is like learning to type better. To get better at typing, you type. You don’t push harder to type better nor do you guzzle energy drinks. You type. To get stronger, sometimes you just need to “show up and lift†for forty workouts.
As always, the secret to success is to “Show up.â€
Easy Strength
“Easy Strength†is a term first used, I believe, by Steve Baccari. It’s odd to explain this to people who just read fitness magazines and online insanity, but strength is actually an easy quality to improve.
Here: lift weights.
I only joke a bit.
Like flexibility, strength is “learned†by the body. That’s why so many things “work.†When I was stuck as an Olympic lifter recovering from heavy cleans, Dave Turner had me do a few weeks of isometrics at the exact spot I struggled with in the front squat.
“Instantly,†over about six weeks, I never had an issue again. My nervous system “learned†what to do.
The problem with going to failure or training with “insanity,†and you can’t make this idiocy up, is that the body gets tired, but it seems to not learn how to get stronger.
First, as the nervous system figures it out, the load begins to climb up. It seems that the body has a discussion about all this additional load and the hormones kick in with Robb Wolf’s lovely term, “The Hormonal Cascade.†Then, the body “grows†and adapts in some interesting ways.
Easy Strength is a simple system of repeating the lifts that we want to improve with lighter, but progressive, loads. The idea is to make the heavier loads feel “easy.â€
I learned this same concept from former world record holder in the discus, John Powell. He told me a “secret†one day that changed my career. John’s insight was simple:
Once you throw 200 feet after training for years and doing all the right things, how do you get to 201?
More? More what?
Instead, John argued that rather than try to force that 100% effort higher, focus on 80%. How easy can you throw 160? Well, it is ridiculously easy to throw 160 as 200 foot thrower…so easy, you throw 180. No, he said…160. Suddenly, as everything eases off and maybe you focus on throwing into a bucket or trash can at 160, it becomes even easier.
Soon, your 80% is maybe 165 or 170. Maybe, John argued that your 100% isn’t 200 anymore… usually it is farther. Losing your mind trying to MAKE yourself improve is far less efficient than simply prodding your easy efforts “up.â€
This is Easy Strength in a nutshell. Never miss a lift. If you miss, it was too heavy. Never strain. Never snort nor scream. Take it easy.
When the load feels too light, go heavier.
That sentence is what most people miss on the Easy Strength program. Let’s begin the adventure of explaining how to do the program and maybe learn some more things on the way.
Bus Bench, Park Bench and the Hangover Rule
On this site, you should know about the concept of Bus Bench and Park Bench. Let’s review:
The concept of park bench and bus bench comes from the late Archbishop George Niederauer, a good friend. He described this with prayers, but it works great with weightlifting too. He said, “There are certain kinds of prayers where you want a result.†Those are bus bench prayers. When you sit on a bus bench you wait for and "expect" the bus to arrive.
Archbishop Niederauer also had what he called the park bench concept. When you sit on a park bench you have almost no expectations except to enjoy the sun for a few minutes and watch a squirrel or two.
It’s the same bench. Different expectations.
In weightlifting, fitness and most sports, we have programs based on both concepts. Park bench workouts are “punch the clock†workouts. There’s no peak. Do some work without expectation.
Bus bench programs are peaking programs. They are all the “do this†kind of programs. There's a result you're aiming for and it’s all sketched out and you follow the plan.
Both types have their purpose. It can be nice to cycle both styles throughout the year. Selecting a bus bench program 2-4 times per year and filling the gaps with park bench workouts is not a bad approach.
Easy Strength is a workout that actually is “both.†You expect to get stronger, yes.
But, it just “arrives.â€
The “Hangover Ruleâ€
I learned a great lesson at both dining tables and bars: some of the most amazing feats in track and field history have come from less than stellar stories. Now, this rule, the “Hangover Rule,†doesn’t happen in the vertical jumps, high jump and pole vault, because the athlete knows what they are about to do.
But, very often…more than you think…an amazing performance comes on the day after an evening of too much fun. The athlete slumps into the field and tries to find a place to nap. The athlete expects nothing, save to show up and keep the promise of competing.
An odd thing happens: the warm ups don’t feel great, but something “good†is going on. Maybe the first efforts are a bit sluggish, but the distances or speed are very good.
Not long after, the mark is yelled out to the crowd and the crowd goes crazy.
It’s a new world record! When I first heard about this, the storyteller added the lovely image of puking into some rose bushes as he walked up to the facility.
So, why does this happen? Why does someone do so well when hungover or (fill in the blank)?
Because that’s the way it works.
I’ve been with people who have elaborate plans about meeting the “love of their life,†yet the story never unfolds like the plan.
Remember that. Memorize that.
I think Easy Strength works for this same reason: you don’t expect much, so you just get the work in.
And, then, like meeting the love of your life at a party where she is being set up with one of your friends and you step in and “steal†here (like me, for example), the magic happens.
I wished peaking worked more often. But, it usually doesn’t. If it did, everyone would do well at the nationals…at least seasonal bests…but that rarely happens. I will discuss peaking later after we get a sense of the full preparation of the Easy Strength protocol.
The “Beginning†of Easy Strength
Years ago, when I first met Pavel, he challenged me to do a “40 Day Workout.†I followed his simple instructions to a “T:â€
“For the next forty workouts, pick five lifts. Do them every workout. Never miss a rep, in fact, never even get close to struggling. Go as light as you need to go and don’t go over ten reps for any of the movements in a workout. It is going to seem easy. When the weights feel light, simply add more weight.â€
So, I did exactly as he said. On the 22nd workout, alone in my garage gym, I broke my lifetime best Incline Bench Press record that was 300 for a single. Without a spotter, in a frozen garage, I benched 315 for a double. All the other lifts went through the roof and I was as amazed then as I am now.
It is “too easy.†In fact, it is so easy that I have had to break it down into literally dozens of pages of article to make it as simple as possible! And, the more I try to simplify it, honestly, the more lost some people become about the program.
I am not entirely convinced that I am a genius, but somebody has to prove to me why I followed those simple instructions so easily and vast hordes of trainers can’t seem to follow the concept without the obvious answer is that I have an unrivaled intelligence. Or, perhaps, I just can follow simple rules.
“Easier Strengthâ€
So, I came up with “Easier Strength.†I didn’t want to do this, but I was exhausted explaining to people that “Three Sets of Three adding weight each time†meant to do “Three Sets of Three adding weight each time.†So, my frustrations, I think, lead to even more clarity.
Let’s start with an advanced experienced trainer who has “never†done any Loaded Carries. (In three weeks, I will be a genius as the Farmer Walks alone will change everything.)
There are a few “rules†before we begin:
1. Never miss a rep!
2. Follow the “Rule of Ten†for the appropriate lifts for an advanced lifter. So, keep the total number of the reps at ten or less. (Three sets of three, two sets of five, five sets of two)
Advanced athlete’s warm-ups:
10-15 Goblet Squats (As many or few sets as you want or need)
75 Swings or Hinge Variations (Sets of 10-25; really grease that Hinge Movement)
Any mobility work that is needed and prudent.
“Easy Strength†for an Experienced Lifter
Week 1
Mon (1) 2 x5 Tues (2) 2 x 5 Wed (3) 5-3-2 Fri (4) 2 x 5 Sat (5) 2 x 5
Week 2
Mon (6) 2 x 5 Tues (7) 6 Singles Wed (8) 1 x 10 Fri (9) 2 x 5 Sat (10) 5-3-2
Lifts for the above:
Press Movement: You might decide to change the lifts every two weeks, “Same, but Different.†So flat bench press, incline bench press, and military press can be exchanged for each other after every two-week block. Or just stick with one…like I usually recommend now.
Pull Movement: Pull ups or Chin ups (or, yes, Neutral Grip Pull Ups) have seemed to work better than anything else people have tried. I have often just done six singles the first few days to “practice the movement.â€
Hinge Movement: There are two options here depending on need: either pick a deadlift variation (and perhaps rotate it every two weeks, for example, thick bar deadlifts, snatch grip deadlifts, clean grip deadlifts, orthodox deadlifts, Jefferson Lifts or Hack squats) or do roughly 75 kettlebell swings.
Many people have told me they swing in the warm ups and deadlift in Easy Strength fashion and make excellent progress. This is good advice. After trying this myself, I think it works “the best.†At least, until I try something else.
Loaded Carry: Vary the distance EVERY time, and probably the load…if you can.
You might notice that I don’t have the squat. I’ve been doing this programming for nearly two decades now and we just can’t get the squat to “work.†Squatting is great, but maybe not with the ES protocol. Here’s what works with Easy Strength.
Vertical Press
Vertical Pull (Pull ups and variations)
Deadlift Variations
Swings/Loaded Carries (The swing in the warm ups is plenty for most people.)
Ab Wheel
The ab wheel is the salt and pepper keeping the anterior chain happy, the first three are the main dishes. Loaded Carries can be game changers for many athletes.
If you need to know the squat movements, here you go (and I would love you to succeed doing these!):
Squat Movement: Front squats, back squats, overhead squats, zercher squats or safety squats are all fine.
The Easier Strength Workouts
Week 1
Mon (1) 2 x5 Tues (2) 2 x 5 Wed (3) 5-3-2 Fri (4) 2 x 5 Sat (5) 2 x 5
Week 2
Mon (6) 2 x 5 Tues (7) 6 Singles Wed (8) 1 x 10 Fri (9) 2 x 5 Sat (10) 5-3-2
Two sets of Five: it should be easy and be like your second or third warm up lift in a typical workout. The idea, the “secret,†is to get THIS workout to feel easier and easier!
Five-Three-Two: Five reps with your 2 x 5 weight, add weight for three, then a solid double. Make the Double!!!
Six Singles: I don’t care how you do this, but add weight each set. No misses!
One set of ten: the day after six singles, very light load for ten easy “tonic†reps.
Example Workout for an Experienced Lifter:
Monday, Day One.
Incline Bench Press: 165 for five reps, 165 for 5 reps (300 Max Single)
Thick Bar Deadlifts: 185 for five reps, 185 for 5 reps (265 Max Single)
Pull Ups: Two sets of Five
Farmer Walks: 105 with each hand, 100 meters out and back (three stops)
Ab Wheel: Two sets of five reps.
Day Two can be heavier or lighter depending on mood and feel. The important thing is to show up and get the movements in. If one day is too hard and compromises the next day, that is fine as long as you lighten the load and continue getting the reps in without compromising speed.
Day Three “should†begin with the five rep number from the usual 2 x 5 workout, then add some weight for three, and finally add some weight for two. Be sure to get the double. Most people on the easy strength program find that this workout is the test for how things are progressing. The weights begin to fly up on the double but stop there. Challenge the load in another session.
Remember, this is a long-term approach to getting strong and don’t keep testing yourself. Save the big effort for somewhere down the road.
Just keep adding load as you go.
Day Four and Day Five are the most confusing days. Again, the load on the bar “depends†on how you feel. If the efforts feel easy and light, “nudge†the load up. Here is the secret (again): the goal of this program is gently raise your efforts (load) on the easy days so that the bar feels light. If you start out lifting a weight, say 205 at one effort level and in a few weeks you are lifting 245 at the same perceived effort and speed, you ARE stronger.
After a day of rest, Day Six is going to feel easy and it should be like that. Get the reps in.
Day Seven has a simple rule: you will do six singles adding weight EACH rep. So, it can be five pounds or fifty depending on how each single feels. It is NOT a max effort on the last set, it is the sixth single. If the loads feel heavy, just add five pounds. If the bar is flying, add more.
For people who come from the tradition of “smashing the face on the wall,†Day Seven is confusing. Your goal is to determine the load on how the weight feels. If it pops right up and feels light, toss on the plates. If it doesn’t, respect today and realize that you are going to have plenty of opportunities to get stronger in the future.
Day Eight is a “tonic†day, the way we used to use the term. Go really light and just enjoy ten repetitions. It can be as light as 40% of max (or lighter if you feel like, too) and just use the movement to unwind after yesterday’s heavy attempts.
Day Nine is often the day when people see the reasoning behind the program. This is the day where the weights seem too often be just “far too easy.†That is the sign of progress in this program. I remember actually thinking I misloaded the bar and I had to double check my math as the bar seemed to be far too light to be right.
Day Ten is often the day where people “test†themselves a little and this can be fine as long as you feel like going after it. Again, don’t miss.
Week Three: Time for a Change?
Depending on the athlete, or client, some need will need some variation. Some will not. So, I offer three ideas for Week Three.
Week Three, Option One
Now, the original program designed by Pavel demanded that you repeat Weeks One and Two for three additional times. Oh, and it works well. By Week Five, I was a machine on the lifts and broke lifetime Personal Records, smashing my Incline Bench Press record by fifteen pounds (and doing it for two reps, not just a single) and crushing my old Thick Bar Deadlift record (from 265 to 315). This is staggering improvement. So, Option One is to simply keep on keeping on.
Week Three, Option Two
I like this one more for athletes who just need variation. You make small changes to the movements, from Bench Press to Incline Bench Press, Thick Bar Deadlift to Snatch Grip Deadlift and Pull Up to Chin Up. This is Pavel’s “Same, but different†approach. That small change seems to keep enthusiasm high for the entire Eight weeks.
Week Three, Option Three
I have a few athletes doing this now and I believe (maybe “hope†is a better word) that this is the better option for speed and power athletes. It is both a “deload†week and week filled with more metabolic challenges.
Day One
Push Press or Push Jerk (“Rule of Tenâ€) Five sets of Two, adding weight each set, is a great workout.
“Lift and Offs†(Used to be Livtinovs): After doing a Hinge or a Squat movement, either sprint, sled or prowler immediately after finishing the first movement. In a gym setting, this can be difficult, but I have done this outside with great success with just a kettlebell and a hill.
In a gym setting, Squats followed quickly by Prowlers can be amazing, just don’t pause in between the movements.
Day Two
Left Hand Only!
• Waiter Walk
• Suitcase Walk
• Single Arm Front Squat (Kettlebells are best)
• Suitcase Deadlift
• One arm row on the TRX (or suitable device)
• One arm Bench Press.
Reps, sets, load, time and every other factor “depends.†The idea is to push the stability and symmetry muscles and movements. There is an odd metabolic hit to these moves as one sweats a lot more than expected doing this. So, for example, this can be done with a single Kettlebell in a park (which is wonderful, by the way) and the athlete can challenge various aspects of training and get a good workout while also practicing mastery of body position and dynamics.
Doing just one side also frees up the mind a little bit. It is pretty obvious what you will be doing in a few days so you can experiment a bit and play the edges of tension and relaxation as you train.
Day Three
Push Press or Push Jerk (“Rule of Tenâ€) Five sets of Two, adding weight each set, is a great workout.
“Lift and Offs†(Used to be Livtinovs): After doing a Hinge or a Squat movement, either sprint, sled or prowler immediately after finishing the first movement. In a gym setting, this can be difficult, but I have done this outside with great success with just a kettlebell and a hill.
In a gym setting, Squats followed quickly by Prowlers can be amazing, just don’t pause in between the movements.
Day Four
Right Arm Only!
• Waiter Walk
• Suitcase Walk
• Single Arm Front Squat (Kettlebells are best)
• Suitcase Deadlift
• One arm row on the TRX (or suitable device)
• One arm Bench Press.
At the beginning of Week Four, the athlete will mix up the variations in the basic movements (Push, Pull, Hinge, Squat, Loaded Carry) and progress along using the same rep and set template in Weeks One and Two.
After finishing the program (Weeks One and Two repeated four times total; Option Three would be a twelve week program), fully assess mobility, basic strength levels and the program vis-Ã -vis your goals. I would suggest maybe an FMS screen and blood tests, too, but costs can be an issue.
Applying Easy Strength to Sports
Does Easy Strength work? Yes.
So, why don’t we have X athletes do it?
We do and they improve quickly and everyone is happy!
How about Y athletes?
Hmmm, well, you know…it depends!
The next section was my quest to eliminate the term “it depends†from my strength coaching.
Daniel John
Just handing down what I was handed down...
Make a Difference.
Live. Love. Laugh.
Balance work, rest, play and pray (enjoy beauty and solitude)
Sleep soundly. Drink Water. Eat veggies and protein. Walk.
Wear your seat belt. Don’t smoke. Floss your teeth.
Put weights overhead. Pick weights off the floor. Carry weights.
Reread great books. Say thank you |
