This is the second in a series on my progress on biofeedback. Click here for the first post.
I still feel like I need more time to have revolutionary results. So far the results have only been great!
My lifts are going up. By following my biofeedback my body is guiding me to do higher volume most of the time versus what I use to do which was singles or maybe 5×5.
You may have heard about cycling or waving the loads before in periodization or other training plans. It looks like the reason that works is because that’s what the body naturally wants to do!
The question you may be asking is, is this higher volume leading to more strength on the top end? So far it seems to be yes. Still need more time to see the overall and definite trend but I’m starting to see it right now. About once a week or so the testing guides me to work up to a max (in different lifts). As long as the exercise keeps testing better with increasing loads I keep going.
One big change is that I no longer do a daily joint mobility routine. I don’t need to. My body isn’t beat up from training, in fact I rarely get sore and when I do its just a small amount.
I have improved my flexibility without doing static or isometric stretching. Even my hand balancing practice is getting better, when I’ve been stuck for a long, long time.
I leave each workout moving better than I did before the workout. I feel good, if not downright fresh and ready to do much more. Sometimes I feel a little worked after high volume or many exercises but I never feel dead tired or like I need to lay down to recoup.
Making it Hard or Making it Easy? The Choice is Yours...
I saw a comment on another blog regarding PR’s and I want to clarify what that really means. PR stands for personal record. It doesn’t mean you have to max out in your lift in order to get it. It simply means you’ve done more in one way or another than ever before.
Progress is the name of the game in training. And progress comes in the form of PR’s. There is no other way.
So these are my results…so far. I will continue to do this because its working. There is no turning back. I expect over time it will get even better. And I will report on what happens.
On that note, Adam Glass is re-releasing the Grip and Rip DVD’s with even more material that explains how to do all this properly.
When I got started I had lots of questions. It took time to get the feeling and to be doing it right. With these DVD’s you’ll cut the learning curve in half. And then you’ll see these results faster.
No other training information or program out there will give you the capabilities this one does. To listen to your body for your own training. To guide you in how you and only you should be training.
Not to mention I’m actually having even more fun then before with this stuff.
***BONUS***
These DVD’s are going to show you everything you need to get started fast. But I was thinking about what I could offer to complement this and I happened on this idea. You see, I learned best by going through the process myself. You can tell me something or show me how it works and I still might not ‘get it’.
Maybe you’re the same?
So I’m going to film my next two workouts and walk you through exactly what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. How I test, when I test, why I test, when I stop my sets, everything I can show you.
These will be made available as online videos on a secret page only for you who order now through this link and forward me your receipt.
They made a limited number of copies and they’re likely to sell out fast. So if you want this information and my bonus, which is the closest thing I can give you to walking you through it in person, you need to act now.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Bio Feedback, Flexibility/Mobility, Recovery by on May 21st, 2010. 2 Comments. 
What is the best time to workout?
Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. But I want to cover all the different times to workout and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
This is going to be individual to each person. Some people have tons of energy when they wake up at 5AM in the morning. I am not one of those people. Then there are the night owls and everything in between.
Why mornings are the best time to workout.
If you are having troubles actually doing your workout this is a good option. When you do this you get your workout in and then you are good for the rest of the day. There is nothing else that can get in your way when you do it first thing after you wake up.
I don’t want to go into nutrition here but there are certain advantages to training first thing on an empty stomach. There are also advantages for not doing so. Maybe I’ll cover these another time.
The biggest issue with morning workouts is your body is not warmed up. Yes you can do a warmup to get your body running and warm. If you are doing morning workouts this is a necessity not an option. You need to get your joints running smoothly and your muscles warmed especially as it gets colder.
This is not just to prevent injury but to optimize performance. Just think about trying to do a near max lift the moment you roll out of bed and you’ll get the idea of why this is a must.
Why noon or afternoon is the best time to exercise.
This is personally my favorite option. I like to sleep in but when I get up the morning time is my best time to get work done. Like this post right here I am writing in the morning. But after a few hours my mental energy starts to dip. I need a break.
The best and most effective break for me is to go and train. Intense mental work followed by intense physical work. And after that I like to eat, nap, and then get back to work. This nap falls in line with the midday energy dip that most people feel if you‘ve ever studied the circadian rhythm.
While some kind of warmup is a good idea since you’ve been up and moving around your body is good to go. Despite warm-ups my performance just seems better midday then early mornings.
Plus since I train outside it’s a good time to get some sun (another thing you should try to do each day).
Why evenings or night time is the best time to workout.
For most people this is the only choice. When they get off of work is the only time they can workout. Though it can be tough after a long day at work you’ll feel better doing it. I think the best option is to start right away and don’t get side tracked by anything.
This is similar to the afternoon workouts in that your body has been moving all day and is ready to go.
Another advantage of working out later is that most people’s biggest meal tends to be dinner. You train hard, eat a good, big meal and then go to sleep. This sounds ideal for recovery purposes.
Now depending on the time between training, eating and sleeping this could be better or worse. For most people you don’t want to do either working out or eating too close to bedtime as it can throw you off. For others this isn’t as big an issue.
There you have it. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of what time you workout. Let me end with saying the best time to workout for you is when you can and will workout. If you don’t have options just do it when you can. If you do have options then you can experiment.
Another thing you might want to look at which I cover in the Keys to Successful Training Online Course is establishing a pattern of when you train and doing that the same each day.
Would love to hear your comments on this subject. Agree with me or not, comment below.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Flexibility/Mobility, Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Nov 10th, 2009. 1 Comment.
It was just over a week ago. I was doing single arm kettlebell presses. But I wasn’t just using one kettlebell. I was using two in one hand to increase the difficulty.
Everything was going great until the last rep of my last set.
I can’t tell you exactly what happened except I lost control at the top, both kettlebells came down and my fingers got smashed between the handles.
Haven’t felt that kind of pain in some time.
The end of the ring finger on my right hand swelled up and turned black and blue. I thought it was possibly broken at the time but now I think it’ll be all right.
And that brings me to two lessons.
First, be careful. Injuries do occur when lifting and exercising. Almost always its because of neglect or stupidity. Neglecting to keep correct and safe form. Using weights you really shouldn’t be handling (trying to show off or prove something among your buddies). Mostly just getting sloppy when you should be laser focused.
In this case when I lost control I should have just ditched the weights and moved away instead of trying to regain control. Never fight a falling weight!
And if you’re doing certain lifts or feats of strength realize the potential for injury may be increased. Just be aware of the facts if you choose to take certain risks.
This in no way means you shouldn’t lift or exercise. People get injured all the time from doing next to nothing. Be smart and safe and you can train completely injury free.
Sometimes you just need a reminder. Hopefully reading this serves you well so that you don’t have to crush your finger to get back on track.
And secondly, when you do have an injury, train around it. Do not take it as an excuse to layoff completely (of course if its really bad you should do just that). But with a minor injury to any part of the body you can still train other areas.
I was back training the next day. Have hit plenty of PR’s since then. Although some of my hand training had to be cut out I’m still going at it hard.
This doesn’t mean you should be stupid and not let the injury heal. But nothing can stop you when you are on the right track.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Health, Kettlebells, Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Jul 24th, 2009. Comment.
After you train there is one thing you have to do in order to get stronger.
And that is RECOVER!
Without recovery you’ll only train yourself into the ground. You don’t have to recover 100% between workouts but you do need to get most of the way there.
In my workouts I’ve been doing five working sets for my main exercises. But as I progressed and the weights went up this became harder and harder. That’s to be expected.
However, I felt completely beat at the end of most workouts. It was too much and I felt a little rundown the next day. Sometimes this resulted in a less than optimal workout that day.
So this week I am starting an experiment. I’m cutting my working sets down from five to three sets. Just more than half the volume.
The thing is, in training, you have to do enough to trigger gains. From there it’s a matter of recovering than doing it again next time.
This experiment will mean less total work, though no less intensity. It should still be plenty to force myself to get stronger.
Plus, from less overall volume, the workout will take less time and less of my recovery ability.
If you’re not making gains like before perhaps doing less, not more is the ticket to breaking new ground.
I’ll report later on how this works out for me. I expect good things.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. I’ve upgraded the blog. It has a new look and more functionality than before. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.
Filed under Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Jul 14th, 2009. Comment.
What is vital power?
Bernarr MacFadden, the father of physical culture, explained it as such:
“Vital power is more than the capacity to pursue your work with comfort! It is more than the power of endurance! It is, as has been said, life itself! It is the force that is hidden latent in the seed of everything that is created. It builds the beautiful human structure, cell by cell, within the womb of the mother. It is the power that makes us attain a certain stature. Without it we cannot be safe-guarded against disease. With an abundance of it we can defy contagion.
“The lack of vital power is easily discerned. If you are frightened somewhat, does your heart begin to beat furiously and suffocating? If you run, are you distressed for lack of breath? Is your digestive apparatus easily disarranged? Do your kidneys or liver give you trouble? Are you subject to sever headaches? Do you lack strength and endurance? Does an ordinary day’s toil fatigue you? Does even a little addition to your usual amount of labor leave you exhausted? If so, you may rest assured that you are lacking in vital power.
“It is he who is able to retire at night and sleep soundly, who awakes refreshed in the morning; who leaves home for his business feeling strong and contented, and able to do and dare; who goes blithely and easily through the day’s work; who finds rest, not fatigue in an evening’s recreation; who can stand an extra strain upon his physical resources when that strain comes; who enjoys life and does not find time for moping or for dreading; who always feels as is he could cheerfully undertake to do far more than the task that faces him; who hardly realizes the meaning of illness, and who believes that health is largely a result of will power; who enjoys every waking moment of life and who feels that his career does not give full scope to his energies–THIS IS HE WHO POSSESSES VITAL POWER!”
This comes from his book Building of Vital Power and is as true today as when it was published over 100 years ago in 1904.
Last night I was out at a show of my friends’ band in Oakland. We didn’t make it home until almost 4 in the morning. I woke up about four hours later. Now I normally sleep between 8 and 9 hours a day. Quantity and quality of sleep is a necessity especially when you train hard.
However, when some people might let the lack of sleep destroy there efforts in the day, when you have a huge reserve of vital power you can power through it without slowing down. Not only did I get up and start working, I completed my workout even surpassing my goal for the exercise.
If I kept up this behavior for days on end it would surely catch up to me, but one day of just about any sub-optimal behavior, whether eating poor foods, lack of sleep, even a night of drinking should not derail you.
But sometimes these things gets in the way of your training goals. That’s another subject I’ll be going into at the upcoming free teleseminar a week away. If you haven’t already signed up make sure you do.
If you want to make 2009 your best training year ever make sure you are on this call. I promise I’ll be well-rested and ready to deliver great hard-hitting content to you.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Jan 14th, 2009. Comment.
The majority of the time you should be content to make small jumps improving in your workouts. Great progress over time is made by these small steps.
But once every so often its great to challenge yourself. Doing a workout that is longer and tougher than the normal fare.
Over the years I’ve done many of these of all different types. Like the Ultimate Royal Court Challenge. Or a 1000 rep kettlebell snatch test.
These workouts are always grueling and tend to stick with you for some time, even if you never doing something like it again. And you’ll always be paying for it in soreness then next day.
Above all else these challenges are a battle of mental toughness. Its so easy to give up and quit and takes so much effort to keep on going.
One reason I bring this up is that for those celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow may find themselves with extra time on their hands (I suppose unless you’re doing the cooking). And that time can be put to good use in a challenge workout.
Afterall, you can put to good use all the food you’ll be eating in repairing your body.
If you take up a challenge or have done some great ones in the past I’d love to hear about it.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. On a different note, there’s a new feat of strength page on the site, this one on phonebook tearing.
Filed under Mental Training, Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Nov 26th, 2008. Comment.
Let me start of by saying that I only recommend products to you that I use or have used and find to be helpful in my training. You’ll never see me endorsing an ab-zapper or a treadmill or anything like that.
Only the best will make the cut if I’m going to put in the time and work necessary to tell you about it.
And of that cut, what I’m about to share with you has to be right near the top.
The Boys Are Back in Town DVD Set
What is it? When you click the link you’ll find out. But to keep it short it’s a three DVD set of footage from a once in a lifetime seminar taught by four guys at the top of their game. The combined years of knowledge of the instructors has to be over a hundred years.
Have you heard these names before? Steve Maxwell, Mike Mahler, Steve Cotter and Nate Morrison.
All of their knowledge is distilled into seven hours of no-fluff content for you to watch from the comfort of your own home.
The Boys Are Back in Town DVD Set
Though I didn’t attend this seminar I’ve met three of the four instructors at other times. They’re all experienced and the best part about this seminar is you coverage on all different aspects of training.
Everything from joint mobility to chi-kung, kettlebell training for high reps and max endurance to low reps and huge explosive power, maximizing hormones and breathing techniques that are sure to be different from anything you’ve ever seen before.
This is one DVD set you’ll be watching over and over again. Personally, I’ve gone through it twice (and some parts of it more) but I think it’s time to watch it all over again.
The amount of material covered is huge and it’s sure to shock you into new gains.
There is plenty more to be said about it. Just click the link to read more including what other people have gained from this presentation.
The Boys Are Back in Town DVD Set
If you only buy one thing on strength training and physical culture this year this is it.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
P.S. The attendees paid $1595.00 to attend the seminar. While it’s usually better to absorb information live, you won’t need to pay anything close to that price now – The Boys Are Back in Town DVD Set.
Filed under Bodyweight Exercise, Conditioning, Flexibility/Mobility, Health, Kettlebells, Lifting Technique, Recovery, Strength Training Concepts by on Sep 13th, 2008. Comment.
“Thoracic rotations?!?”
I thought I was doing it, but all I was really doing was moving my shoulders around.
Nope, my mid-back was stiff and immovable. Try with all my might I couldn’t seem to get the movement down.
I had heard of this kind of training before. They called it Z-health, but this was the first time I got to experience it live.
Steve Maxwell led us through a few of the exercises and I was sold. Mostly because I hate it when I can’t do something correctly. When I got back home from the workshop I began my study of the system.
That was almost two years ago. Now, I am no expert, not even close, but I can tell you the results this kind of training has given me.
No bad injuries since I begun regular practice.
More mobility in many areas of the body.
Increased performance in all lifts and exercise.
Confidence in knowing my body is healthier and runs better than before.
That seems like a lot, and its not all directly contributable to Z-health, but it has made a positive difference.
It looks odd, maybe even too simple. And at the high levels it even appears to be magic (that’s another story for later), but the main point is that it works.
Strength training may not have come a long way over the years, but the understanding of the human body’s inner workings has, and this is the cutting-edge.
In strength,
Logan Christopher
Filed under Flexibility/Mobility, Health, Recovery by on Jul 11th, 2008. 1 Comment.
