The Greatest Gym You’ll Never Lift At

            This was a few years after I got really into lifting, around late 2010 to early 2011. At this point I was one enlistment in the US Marines and had reenlisted with a lateral move into a new job field. By request, for what you’ll soon understand as obvious reasons. I no longer wanted to hold the primary Military Occupational Specialty 0311 Infantry Rifleman. It was a great time being a grunt, don’t get me wrong, but they ran all too often for my tastes. I’d rather lift. 

The new job of mine was surreal. When I read up on it I was amazed that it was in fact, a real thing. Is the Green Weenie up to something again? Truth be told it wasn’t my first choice. Initially I had gone through the process of trying to become an 0241, or topographic intelligence, but that wasn’t approved. Perhaps because of lacking intelligence? Probably. Anyhow, I was undeterred. I loved the grunts around me but was loving gains more. Researching for possible jobs I found the MOS 4133, Marine Corps Community Services, then at the time experiencing a shortage and thus suffering a very high individual deployment rate. I did an interview with a Master Sergeant in the field, who being a prior Drill Instructor was… lively, but it went well. Before going on ship my lateral move request was submitted. While at sea it was approved. 

Aboard USS Wasp, SPMAGTF 2009.

Behind me the Marines of Fox Company, 2nd Battalion 9th Marines.

It was perfect. A gift from Chesty. Thank you. Wherever you are.

MCCS Marines are literally in charge of gains. Not kidding. Here’s what I was looking at:

-          Many deployments. OK sweet, that’s what I’m in for anyways.

-          Run the Post Exchange, state side and in country. Even better, now I control the supplement supply chain (and all important tasty treats) wherever the Corps sends me. Pre-workout and protein always. Chips, candy, cookies, precious sips – you name it, I slang it.

-          Order and disperse gym gear in country. You gotta be kidding me… 

-          Other things related to morale, aka, “having a good time”.

My entire career was shifting towards my love for lifting. The process of going from grunt to PX Marine wasn’t much, six months on the job training, at the end of which I was augmented for my first deployment to Afghanistan; my first as a newly appointed PX Marine. That lively Master Sergeant told me it was a hard but rewarding hustle in the sandbox. I was genuinely excited to be going for this was a new adventure. 

Once in country we did the usual environmental awareness and operational security training. Some range time to dial in our weapons and walk example improvised explosive device lanes, so as to familiarize ourselves with what invisible wires in the sand look like. Following that I spent some time on a small Forward Operating Base (FOB), Delaram II (said D2), where I helped manage a ‘tactical field exchange’. Meaning a 7-11 inside a tent. It was a good gig to have. A consistent schedule where I could train every morning, get consistent meals, supps, and sleep – everything a gainer like me needed. The gym at DII was nice, but it is not the gym this story is inspired by.

DII Supplement Wall.

After a few months at DII I was rotated to work at Camp Leatherneck, the main USMC hub. There I would run Warrior Express Service Teams (WES-Teams as they were called) to combat outposts and forward operating bases in the northern part of Helmand Province. From Marjah north to Sangin and up to Kajaki Dam. Where this gym, a fucking great gym, once lived. WES-Team missions were the best. Myself and another sergeant would stock up as much as possible on candy, drinks, chips, tobacco, and of course workout supplements. Marines, of all branches having the greatest ratio of gym rats. Explains me quite well, honestly. Once fully stocked we would head out for weeks, typically on a convoy, sell out, then return home. Press repeat for six months.

Gains and deliciousness in a 20 foot shipping container.

The selections on a convoy WES-Team.

Similar to that taken to Kajaki.

We sergeants ran our own show outside the wire and it was fun. The Kajaki Dam mission was slightly different though. The terrain was rugged and hostile. To bring those Leathernecks their well-deserved taste of home we had to fly in. No problem. Rather than shipping containers and convoy for two or three weeks we would pack large boxes, 4-foot square each and full of product. Then fill two helicopters with those big boxes and be off to Kajaki. There we were left and stayed until the Marines had no more money to spend or we ran out of sellable product. This was the workflow of the WES-Team sergeants on Camp Leatherneck at the time. Either convoys or Kajaki Dam. Kajaki was our “vacation” mission. 

It wasn’t that the dam was easy going, no, far from it. FOB Zeebrugge was hopping full of artillery Marines who were happy to be blowing up baddies across the water. Have no doubt, my life at Kajaki Dam, the location of FOB Zeebrugge, was easy – I just sold snacks and lifted. The arty Marines around me were dirty, foul mouthed, smelled like Hell itself and from heaven they rained hell at will. There is a vibration in strong people and it is stronger in each when in groups; growing stronger as the group becomes larger. This was a large group of strong men from whose great gym rang the familiar chime of weight plates. The ground shook from deadlifts and the boom of howitzers alike. The cannons themselves singing to me that sweet familiar sound. The vibration started in the marrow of the artilleryman and extended to all around. From the dirt to the dumbbells. This open-air gym had a life, it was that resonant vibration, and I could feel it when I lifted there.

Tasty treats atop FOB Zebrugge.

Hauled to service the Marines on duty at OP Shrine.

The M795 155mm projectile weighs 47 KG (103 lb.) and is the standard high explosive round for Marine howitzers. The range for E1 variants is 37 kilometers. It is 30% more lethal than its predecessor the M107; then a featherweight 43.2 KG (95 lb.) Newer, highly capable artillery rounds named Excalibur weigh about the same as the M795, still over 100 pounds per round. It pushes the range to approximately 57 km (35 miles), is GPS guided, and packed full of octogen high explosive. In 2012 a US Marine Corps howitzer team at FOB Zeebrugge killed a group of insurgents 36 kilometers (22 miles) away using a single Excalibur round. This set a combat distance record. The lethality and precision of the artillery Marine increases with technology, but with it comes weight. Which is why so many of these guys were jacked, strong, or just damn sinewy and capable out of spite of their build or revenge against it. I’ll never know where such strength wells up from in men like that.

Marines from India Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12 Marine Regiment

newly aboard FOB Zeebrugge, October, 2010.

Source: Scott Olsen/Getty Images Europe

On FOB Zeebrugge lived this great gym of the Marine artilleryman. Whose job it is to load 100-pound rounds into 9,000-pound cannons at a maximum rate of five (hundred pounds) rounds per minute. To some, fitness is a hobby, others may call it a way of life, in these ranks fitness is life. Let me rephrase for clarity. A weekend warrior who loves biking may enjoy greatly their hobby, but it will not deter their profession or impact their family in a negative way; it is a hobby. Even if taken seriously, not so seriously as a promotion at work. Those who call it a way of life see things differently. A clear example would be someone who abandons everything to go train under a coach, we’ll say none other than Louie Simmons, whose gym and presence alone beckon those who wish to live a life of lifting. People have, and will continue to, change their lives so they can study and lift under Louie’s tutelage. That is their way of life, a means about it, put another way. Their method to bring satisfaction to this thing we all have.

But without strength, without fitness, the artilleryman has no life. They become useless to their crew mates and are less a threat to the enemy. In each case the weakling dies easily. Emotionally at the hands of tormenting brothers and leaders or physically by the stronger will of the enemy. This truth etched on the faces of Marines as they pushed one another toward greater ability at the Kajaki gym. If not to save their own lives, to be better at taking the enemy’s. 500-pounds per minute. The maximum rate of fire. A good artillery Marine would never let themselves or their mates be the limiter of that fire rate. And so, they trained, and trained hard, in one of the most austere and spartan gyms I’ve ever seen or lifted.

Lifters say training environment is everything. I agree that it is important, and to some much more important, sure. There are gyms of legendary training environments. That of Super Training or like mentioned previously, Louie Simmons’ Westside Barbell, and more recently Barbell Brigade. These environments ring with the vibration I describe for they are populated by strong individuals. It is more than equipment selection. More about who lifted on that equipment before you and those around you. The smell of sweat and blood pungent with individual reward for fluids lost and time spent. A difference exists in this vibration, however. It is not of survival, but reward. These people are a different kind of strong; strong none the less. They live to be strong and so the environment around them feels different.

Me, not the Kajaki gym. Just 300 pounds or so in bumper plates.

In fact, it is different. It is perfectly built to make the process of becoming strong easier. I’ve seen incredibly strong lifters become weak, defeated, because their “warmups didn’t feel right.” Worse yet those who cannot, somehow, lift without a special apparatus or specific bar. An inarguable weakness of their strength’s nature, or character. Not to say it is a lesser strength, or weaker, but it could be considered picky. Certainly specific, analogous to specialized; which is like saying prone to failure when subject to undesirable circumstances outside of their controlled environment. As legendary as it may be. This imparts something to the vibration I speak of, which is why these sorts of places feel different than Kajaki’s gym. The leadership and comradery of Westside ringing its bell, creating its powerful vibration. The gym at Kajaki rang with each of those too, just more violently. Amplifying it drastically. Coupled with this the environment itself commanded respect and required strength. This is something ‘hard core’ gyms strive after, but never fully achieve. Not quite like Kajaki. A gym in a warehouse in a commercial district in suburban America does not capture in its location the same feeling or emotion. No matter how hard the members try to make it so.

Such strength and their inspired gyms are unlike those who must be strong because their job requires them to lift 100 pounds all day and night upon commander’s orders. Maybe that day will come tomorrow and so they trained today. Trained yesterday and the day before that, and countless days leading up to what may eventually be the moment where they must load 100 pounds into the cannons for hours, with no end in sight. Should their weakness inhibit that somewhere a grunt may die. A grunt like I once was. To prevent this, the gym was built, and wouldn’t you know it, the artillerymen put it in the center of FOB Zeebrugge.

Kajaki Dam, to the far right the location of FOB Zeebrugge.

Witnessing their purpose for strength gave an understanding of what made this gym so special. So different. It was not outfitted well compared to anything you would see stateside. Just barbells, weight plates, a squat rack, two benches, a rack of matching dumbbells, and a Hammer Strength “deadlift” machine. The matching dumbbells being by far the fanciest thing on the whole FOB. With only two walls and a thin tin roof everything was lightly rusted. It gave the equipment a character reflective of the men who used it. Hard, worn, enduring. Should they break a dumbbell I could get them a new one; a shame it wouldn’t match. With use the new dumbbell vibrates with the same frequency of the artilleryman, matching eventually, in a way. 

Being a PX Marine allowed me the opportunity to lift almost anywhere there was a gym in our area of operations. It was my section who ordered and dispersed the gym equipment after all. I lifted at all kinds of Marine gyms. Some well outfitted with a litany of free weights and machines, like those on Camps Dwyer and Leatherneck. Others nothing more than a pulley rigged somewhere overhead, a sandbag bench, numerous filled and partially filled sandbags about, and other various heavy things: truck batteries, tires, large broken wrenches, fouled heavy machine gun barrels, etc. Marines will get their lift on, wherever, I learned. 

The amazing part was the imperceptible difference in these places. At Leatherneck, the main USMC base in country, you could see senior staff noncommissioned officers running the fat off desperately on a treadmill. Tired, weak, and frail from their lack of appreciation of strength. While a Marine, still, maybe intel, like I once wanted to be. Their comfortable office job ruined their sense of duty to physicality. The SNCO on the treadmill did not have to load 100-pound bombs as a private to kill the enemy, and so now he is fat and killing himself on a treadmill instead. This gym, with his presence in it rings differently. Less like Kajaki’s gym and more like an LA Fitness with its fatness and civilians. I saw no fat bodies at Kajaki. Perhaps the higher percentage of upper body adipose tissue dulls the vibration otherwise felt so sharply at places as violent and unforgiving as Kajaki. Populated by fit, strong, combat hardened Marines.

Stunning vistas. Lots of Taliban unfortunately.

I had the luck to visit Kajaki two or three times during my first deployment to Afghanistan. Each time I brought with me dozens of tubs of protein and pre-workout powders. Each time they sold out. Soon thereafter the gym would be packed full of Marines high on untold amounts of caffeine, hatred of the enemy, and love for their brothers. Personal records had by all, no doubt. Good thing the gym was open air because their body odor alone had the effect of tear gas. No telling the effects lingering protein farts could have had. This gym was unlike other Marine gyms, even many infantry gyms, which honestly were not ‘infantry gyms’ so much as battalion headquarters’ gyms (meaning all the non-grunts who support the grunts within the infantry unit). The guys doing the fighting, often a platoon or squad in size, stay at small, incredibly spartan patrol bases. In these cases, a TRX system was a blessing. These too I brought and issued out. Everywhere there is a Marine fitness is impressed upon them, much more so to those on the killing edge; the artillery, infantry, recon and raiders.

Kajaki’s gym was special. I’ll never forget it. There I deadlifted 455 pounds for the first time, in just boots and utes’, and I never surpassed that weight for a year. Not until I picked up powerlifting training specifically, back in the states, on a good schedule; fragile. I remember only being able to deadlift 405 to 415 pounds – not at Kajaki. I’ll joke that the rust wore some weight off, but the real reason was the vibration of the men around me and the resonance that carried beyond them; into everything, into me. I could sell out of all my product in two days and be stuck there for five more. Each of those I’d lift and joke, enjoying my vacation. “Bring an extra box of blue razz NO Explode next time POG,” they’d say, and I would, because maybe they’d be weaker without it, and I couldn’t handle that, truly. Though it was my own narcissistic judgement. 

That strength, a life itself, existed before me and will continue without me. I merely eased the means of execution and progression by bringing Marines equipment if needed, and snacks and supplements as often as my duties as required me. It was I who benefitted most, not those Marines from my services. Who temporarily became nasty and somewhat undisciplined whenever the WES-Team vacationed at FOB Zeebrugge, Kajaki, Afghanistan. There I learned what a different need for lifting felt and looked like, from that need what a gym could exist as, and where such a thing might be born again. In a place austere and inspiring. Unforgiving and respected. Inaccessible. Wild. This calls the strong. It is their vibration. 

I also learned there was no better pre-workout than howitzer fire. A lot of vibration. 

The reservoir from atop the south west hill looking east. 

Hill Bombs and Pause Squats: Committing to high risk efforts for personal development.

Preface: This post discusses relatable benefits of my past experience to training as an adult today. Whether this adds pounds to the bar or builds a more resilient head space the goal is to make risk taking produce advancement, not derailment. Risk taking should be measured and considered within reason. Besides advancement, risk is a large component of ‘fun’ in the gym, at least for me. So, bear that in mind, never being too stupid. (Don’t make me post that bosu ball squat photo…) Ideally this post improves risk-taking skill by means of specific practice with the pause squat.

My skateboarding background makes finding a connection to the gym rare. If one collected a group of 100 professional skateboarders 98 of them would look like you personally rescued them from a concentration camp. There is little comparison between such a crowd and the gym going type. One group obsesses about nutrition after hard sixty-minute workouts. The other eating only dollar menu items during marathon skate sessions lasting weeks. A huge gap exists between skaters and the massively strong. So, what do they have in common? Each take incredible risk. Nearly all professional athletes play this game as a function of their sport. Achieving ultimate victory by accurate navigation and will. But not all sports share severity of outcomes. Easily understood when comparing table tennis to tennis. By name and aesthetic similar; by risk, separate altogether. Through metaphor risks can be made similar, thus translating lessons effectively between unrelated sports.

"Look how tiny your forearms are. Eat a sandwich between plays kid. You look like a skateboarder."

The reason to do this is because observing and discussing risk taking behavior in dissimilar sports may communicate more effectively the skills improved and rewards earned while practicing risk within wholly different physical activities. In other words, some things visually or verbally do a better job at teaching stuff. So, I present to you, my lifting audience, Nuge’s Hill Bomb. 

I encourage everyone to watch all the “My War” videos on Thrasher’s YouTube. Some tough bastards. This hill bomb serving as a fantastic visual representation of what is gained from practicing heavy, long, pause squats. Or bench too I suppose. Further elaboration:

0. Each challenge commitment. Make, bail, or quit. Options for both skater and lifter. Few times in the gym do we run into this standard of performance. Making it through a workout is not the same as making a PR lift. Likewise quitting midway through a workout has less risk severity when compared to quitting in the middle of a rep. Rarely are we put in such a place while training. Pause squats can put us in that place without requiring chasing true rep max PR's, within the 1-5 rep range, too frequently. Which is not recommended. What is recommended is taking a fairly heavy weight and sitting down with it for a bit. Get comfortable with it. Have a tea party or something.

1. Sitting in the hole with a heavy weight long enough to gain attention earns respect in the weight room (and at the base of steep hills). This benefit speaks for itself. Should failure occur then the ego is destroyed, thus necessitating the importance of reason zero - commit to the rep. 

Less important reasons:

2. Technical improvement.

3. New form of progression (time).

Heavy pause squat progression carries a high risk of failure and potential injury. Hills can only get steeper and longer before eating the pavement, after all. Same goes for time and weight. From this progress many things can be gained. The first two above affect internally and externally motivated lifters. Knowing how to motivate yourself is a seriously effective tool to keep in the toolbox. Besides motivation factors, long, heavy, pause squats bring forth progress in the form of technical mastery. Holding a proper position under such load and duration takes improved skill. Skill encompassing a broad set of characteristics, such as but not limited to: speed, balance, bar path, and proprioception. Further, this sort of movement training shifts effort towards an isometric performance standard rather than eccentric or concentric intent with the lift, which is common in most resistance training plans. 

While most consider reps and weight the only form of progression for barbell lifts, begin working with time while doing paused variations. That being said pausing 50% of a max for two minutes is far from what I’m talking about. I will elaborate. The reason for this is to prevent straying too far from the intended application. Paused variations are used to help teach proper positioning, bracing, and bar control. Should the weight be too light, then the challenge exists only in duration. In the context of energy systems, that is more akin to running than lifting. In the context of Nuge’s Hill Bomb going slowly down a long, shallow hill, is not bombing a hill. The speed provides the technical challenge, just as the weight should, not the duration (which is a byproduct of getting up to speed for Nuge.)

More like aided stretching at this weight. Don't church it up.

For such reasons I suggest the pause length be kept to 10 seconds maximum. That long for the execution of one rep is nearly unbearable if properly weighted. Do not begin with a 3RM weight and attempt 10 seconds. Have some dignity and build up. Think ahead just a little and steer far away from failure if new to paused work. Consider only two to four seconds paused in the hole with a weight near your five to seven rep-max the first day; to feel things out. Of course, if a shorter pause is desired then the weight should go up accordingly. Do this over time. But the rep should always be just one, like the hill, one big bite, make it or don’t. Bust or bail. Stand or be stapled. 

A cautious approach for those familiar with paused work is to begin lengthening the pauses on the final rep of the last set. An example being someone who does five sets of three reps, each paused for one to two seconds. A short but somewhat steep hill. They begin taking their final reps for longer pauses, building up to whatever time they determined as their goal. Once achieved they add weight and strive to make it their new record. Those familiar with Hepburn’s method of adding a rep will find this similar in nature. When 10 seconds becomes comfortable at weights used for multiple work sets the lifter should refocus with weights relative to rep max sets as described above. Gradually longer pauses become an improved skill that can be safely tested with increasing weights. This practice drives up technical limits, pushing them nearer our maximal strength threshold. 

Many reading this use the Valsalva maneuver when lifting heavy so some advice is offered on breathing. Between three and five seconds breath control becomes a factor, so that must be improved first for most everyone. Using lighter weights and shorter pauses aids this improvement, which should be focused on first. Beyond that quality factors come into play: knee cave, chest collapse, general tension loss and more. This is because of fatigue and novice pause skills. Frequency and consistency dissipate these effects. Around the eight second mark one thinks time is up (if the weight is heavy enough), but it is not, so go a little longer. Weight makes time weird in the hole. Film these sets to track time and identify errors in ability. Doing so uses pause squats to target qualitative factors for improvement. You can see what is going wrong at what time in the paused set and strategize to ensure success on the next attempt. 

Assessing past performance for future victory a lifter plans ahead:

“Three seconds in I should take a deep breath and hold that as long as possible. When I let that go my chest always caves. Next time I’ll release that breath slowly and focus on bracing my abs harder as I do. Hopefully my chest stays higher as I reach the seven or eight second mark. Right when I feel my chest begin to cave I’ll take a deep breath and that should take me to the ten second marker. Standing before blacking out this time, I swear.”

Nuge progressively works up the hill in his War, having a few short goes as he feels out the Murderhorn. Practice runs allow him to identify the specific hazards associated with the hill as well as dial in his own riding that day and if needed adjust his board. Cracks, manhole covers, cross streets, etc., each demanding assessment. In much the same way pause squats allow lifters to notice what breaks down as they gradually increase duration and intensity. Over the course of many training sessions developing their pause skill and everything associated. 

Nothing feels dumber than crawling out from under a weight paused too long and dumping a bar earns no harsher scorn because of “show boating” in the hole. Those two reasons are why #1 from the list above should be considered. While not exactly a “do or die” scenario like bombing hills can be, pause squats function similarly in the weight room. Failure here still resulting in death; death of the ego. But damn does it grow when standing after a long pause under a heavy weight! The skateboarder and the lifter, each skillfully working with gravity to test their will and develop abilities. Those lacking courage stand on the sidelines in amazement. 

My longest and heaviest

Now beat me.

Fitness Content Quality Considerations

Years ago while at sea I was chatting with a fellow Marine. He was a senior staff noncommissioned officer, or SNCO, but I cannot recall if it was the gunny or sergeant major as I had great conversations with each. The topic of discussion was waste in the US military. One imagines $10,000 bullet-proof hammers. Our conversation was about other kinds of waste though, that which is deemed acceptable, some even desirable. That subject was nice for discussion as it addressed some key differences between expenditures, whether of money, labor, the combination, and effects on organizational success. This led to a more illuminating topic, one that educates me further each time it is recalled, that of quality. Fundamentally the subject of waste relies upon the definition of quality, for what is not quality is a waste. The issue with this however, is that quality itself is indefinable. Addressed in his book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert Pirsig posits that to recognize quality, whether of subject or someone, it must be contextual. Wikipedia simplifies it as:

“Pirsig's thesis is that to truly experience quality one must both embrace and apply it as best fits the requirements of the situation. According to Pirsig, such an approach would avoid a great deal of frustration and dissatisfaction common to modern life.”

Not a terrible read.

This post aims to apply truthful notions of quality to a specific subject within the fitness industry and dispel those notions that cloud the perception of consumers. That subject is in a word, content. Content in this context is akin to information, consumers akin to readers and practitioners of that information. Ranging from magazines to web articles and videos to professional and more developed content; things like certification courses and books come to mind. The purpose of this aim is to improve reader satisfaction with their consumption of fitness content while reducing or eliminating potential frustration in acquiring new information. Henceforth improving the quality of the content one chooses to consume. Ideally with the resultant increase in physical abilities. The end goal, to improve not only content as it continues to exist, but so too the progression of human ability. For the reader, to improve the ability to determine desired qualities of what they are consuming. Practical applications in furtherance of ability is an individual need; something best sorted out by the lifter and time in the gym. 

Packaging is a considerable element of any product, certainly content is a product, however packaging is not the product. Only the means in which it is presented. As such readers should refrain from attaching perceptions of “packaging” to quality of content; although it can be a situational heuristic. An array of references is a simple but straightforward example at the start of this discussion regarding the quality of fitness content today and its reliance on packaging. That example will be further expanded upon later as it relates to other notions of quality.

Addressed early in determining quality of content is the completeness of that information. Completeness lessens with brevity in nearly all fitness content. The use of data an extreme example of brevity and incompleteness, for there is no context when presented only a number. An added sentence or two is a dual edged sword. One side giving false confidence to the reader in an all to brief explanation; the supposed "context". The opposite edge cuts them down when they stumble. Opposing this though would be full completeness and brevity. Perhaps existing only when the creator has mastered their craft. Generating succinct content in complete and applicable forms is hard to come by, maybe only applicable to the newest trainee and absolute scientific statements. Though such rarities are easily confused by absolute statements of opinion. Most easily of all made brief and seemingly complete.

Quickly consumed information is the majority of fitness content as it exists today. Much of it in under five minutes. Ten being a stretch. So those who hold scientific backing as a requirement for content, a well-meaning intent, will find brevity seriously limiting the quality of the fitness information they consume in most cases. Consider the muscle rags that populate magazine racks wherever they exist. Ideally these offer glimpses into scientific ideas; commonly they misrepresent them. In other qualitative ways they fall equally short. Notice the significance of its packaging – high definition images, glossy pages, vibrant colors, striking fonts. Each manipulate the consumer into feelings of quality as the muscle magazine is read. The glossy pages feel good. The ripped fitness professional looks good. This information is good.

     35 Days ain't gonna happen if the starting point is 35% body fat.

Brevity is identifiable easily to the consumer. Quality not so much. Whether a magazine article on page or online most readers know a handful of paragraphs will take them a handful of minutes to consume. Easier still, a YouTube video explaining some fit-pro’s bench plan tells the consumer how much it steals from them: conveniently just two minutes and thirty-one seconds. Brevity is the most common structure in the fitness world that limits completeness of information thus negatively impacting the ultimate quality of content. Not only regarding scientific foundations within content as it relates to quality perceptions, but so too in regards to quality perceptions in relation to anecdotal fitness information. As fitness is not a wholly scientific endeavor, it is in part creative, it is clear that brevity within such confines serves anecdotal information equally bad. The perceivable truth, told when opening such a rag, jumps out! In large font the scientific is quoted in a sentence or two. The anecdotal? Said by the half-naked image that sentence is printed on. High quality information. 

Eliminating brevity does stand to eliminate learning new pieces of information that can be summarized quickly and conveniently. As it would happen fitness is not rocket science, and so concepts therein do stand a larger chance of effective summary, whether scientific or anecdotal. Brevity, specifically dealing with content as it exists in magazine articles (physical and online) and internet videos produces information saturation. An example paints a clear picture: science findings published weeks or months ago newly interpreted and condensed down into a mere 300 words by the 20-year-old intern… at every fitness website on the internet. Much of that leaning towards opinion. This forms information saturation. Fed primarily out of creator brevity, whether forced or desired, saturation of information further inhibits creativity. These over represented normative ideas filling the mind space where otherwise original content may be crafted. Brevity, incompleteness, and saturation of this kind is the enemy of originality, of creativity, two of many considerations that give context to quality.

In the worst scenario imaginable, years of quickly and easily consumed incomplete information, within an environment saturated with such content, leads fitness content creators down an endless road of low quality creations. Low quality from lack of originality and sigh inducing repetition. Fulfilling for neither them or their customers. This stokes the flames that destroy quality. Deadlines are due and articles must be submitted for publishing each week; the demands of an editor. Where is the time to think about esoteric training ideas? Who has time to read it? A modern content creator thinks. Information saturation serves to fill gaps on pages and update websites, earning more clicks, likes, more ad revenue. High quality but brief information is wholly different than this kind of content. Although it is harder to identify in such a saturated space, like finding eggshell in a blizzard. Hardly an effort worthy of a single mouse click. A creeping hazard across fitness professions.

Oversaturation leading to a drought of creativity is not a hard thing to understand. As the last few paragraphs told it, fitness content in most cases, is a curated endeavor. The information being generated from writers and the like, whether experts or those who fancy themselves, directed by their own or an editor’s commercial goals. Why publish what cannot sell, will not be watched, or read? Questions an editor. The creator morose in their brevity, why bother? Such an attitude culls the herd of creators and further stymies creativity as it pertains to fitness content. Does this lack of creativity promote an environment prone to quagmire, issue for both content creators and consumers? Certainly so. Just as creativity is a valuable trait from business to science its importance exists within fitness. From problem solving to motivation, inducing creativity progresses an individual. Removing it slows them. Likewise progress within the fitness field slows as creativity dwindles.

Recall in the first paragraph my conversation with a senior about waste. We ended up determining that one should seek to work within waste controlled structures, thus inherently reducing waste produced in the process of their efforts. That is to say proactive control versus reactive "clean up". In a similar way fitness has conceptually entrapped itself in quality limiting structures. The foremost cause of this failure being the waste of good information for the sake of brevity. Regarding information dissemination, the old adage “the medium is the message” gives credence to the term “muscle rags.” YouTube can be the audio-visual translation of this. The combination of which sometimes better suited for RedTube. At what point does this resource type betray itself permanently within quality limiting structures like brevity? The moment has already come.

Look like this in 7 minutes!

Follow the RedTube link below.

Moving beyond what we will call “common content” the next subject is higher on the echelon of quality. The previous may eschew the scientific or anecdotal details for hype words and aesthetic appeal, a quality in its own way. (It is assumed those magazines and sites are bought or visited in large part for the pictures anyways.) Things such as essays, books, and certification courses provide the consumer with more complete concepts surrounding fitness. Whether this be scientific understanding, if not understanding at least providing complete evidence; or reliable, clearly communicated, and honest anecdotal details. The error here is to fall back on identifying completeness with quality. Whereas completeness matters when misrepresentation is at stake, completeness matters far less when it stands to cloud consumer understanding; or otherwise mystify them about some fitness topic. A problem seen with “professional content”.

This “professional content” as it will be called, is so for a few reasons; some follow. The first is that the more dedicated, educated, and experienced individual tends to create this sort of information. People like this may write articles or film videos, even frequently, and when they do so it tends to be the cream of the crop. Packaged, at the very least, with bookends of letter scramble after their name and one or two references at the end of the brief article. But the majority who create “common content”, even of good quality, will not move onto create professional content. This is obvious because harder ventures are undertaken less frequently. Writing books, most would agree, is more difficult than writing articles. But again, not all things are equal and so the consumer must remain judgmental, situationally applying quality assessment even when learning new professional content. A long book detailing how one went from fat to fit is hardly a quality book if the author omits their gastric bypass surgery. Similarly, is the exercise scientist who fudges the numbers to prove a bias or conform to professional peer pressure. The lesson paragraphs before echoes here – Do not be fooled by packaging. Amazing transformations, fantastical abstracts, inspiring stories of success, a litany of graphs, charts, and references; these things are the professional’s packaging. Determining true professional content is hard to do. 

That does not mean though that these things are without purpose or use. Take for example a graph, its purpose is to communicate visually the results of an observance by the author. These can be tremendously helpful to the reader, thus improving quality of the content. But should that neatly presented package, the graph, contain information of little practical application or, worse yet, incorrect within the context of its use, is the product itself then of good quality to the consumer? Surely not. An example: Prilepin’s Chart, a commonly referenced guide for volume and intensity. A decades old analysis of Soviet era weightlifters. How applicable is this to the common fitness enthusiast with only one to two years of experience, who may resistance train as a hobby just three or four days a week, alongside cardiovascular activities like cycling, perhaps intramural sports such as softball? Clearly the guidelines set forth by Prilepin should have little impact on the training plans of this individual.

Grandma has PTSD from the time you made her do squats.

This does not mean the chart itself is of poor quality, rather its qualities are not properly suited for this consumer in its entirety. The inapplicable portions waste. Here of space and time. As the creator knows, or should know, the lack of applicability to the desired customer fills space that could otherwise hold more beneficial information; or not exist at all. Consumers of fitness content, already indoctrinated with brevity, soon begin recognizing wastes of their time. Information they cannot apply physically tends to fall within this consideration. This initiates a crisis of creativity because a creator of fitness content may seek out science to build upon seeing it as a just means to reinforce their authority; the professional majority’s chosen quality standard. This method fails to produce quality content when constructed improperly due to lack of true creator knowledge and understanding of their basis. Quality disappointment occurs when such basis is contrived upon false knowledge of the evidence or intentional perversion of it to fit creative needs, rather than the consumer’s own productive needs. In cases like this the packaging of science resonates poorly. This could be due to the creator’s poor inspection of elements and construction of the whole, or simply that particular reader is not convinced or motivated by such a basis. Which is another reason why fitness content creators also rely upon the anecdotal.

Just as with science, misrepresentations of anecdotal evidence as a creative basis for fitness content exists. Probably in the greatest quantities. Once again, the creator of content is seeking out a means to reinforce their authority, this time appeals to emotion are used instead of appeals to scientific faith. The anecdotal fitness evidence is manifested in a myriad of ways. From client weight loss stories to fanciful tales of personal struggle and glorified victories. The creator of such content intends to convince their customer that they can have the same results and to trust in the creator, because they have done hard things.

Should individual progress be the heaviest measure when considering quality of information? No. It is tied to ego and both the creator of information and the person who puts it to use are invested in preventing waste of their mental and physical efforts. At best let is serve as a window of possibilities. Proper use of anecdotal convincing requires a greater amount of space and time to communicate for its details cannot be exactly expressed. Rather they must be voiced by means of storytelling, using analogy and contextual references in order to frame the consumers understanding. Without it, the content is incomplete, thus reducing its quality. Undertaking reliance upon mostly, or solely, anecdotal evidence in today’s fitness content market is a foolish endeavor. This is because even in “professional content” brevity and succinctness are a valued trait, and so science, with its definite terms makes brevity within this context easier.

Present still is brevity, a characteristic broadly undermining fitness. Anecdotal evidence tells the story of individual differences and how one came to surmount these obstacles in the achievement of their goals. Without it, intangible lessons of personal fortitude and creativity are absent; persuasion towards motivation and inspiration.

Creators use one or both, science and anecdotal, as a means to make good quality content as well as authority progression; a quality inherent to all their creations. What readers must understand is that individual creator authority does not guarantee the quality of their individual products. Rather it should serve as a form of packaging. To this many fall victim: Applying creator authority as the primary quality concern rather than assess quality across their individual creations piece by piece. Such persons might be unknowingly trapped in a cult of personality bolstered by today’s social media driven professional ecosystem.

I'm over the top. That means I know what I'm talking about.

A professional can be a wealth of information, yet are only able to effectively communicate it in writing, underperforming as a speaker at seminars for example. Someone buys their book and months later pays hundreds of dollars to attend the author’s training seminar, leaving it dissatisfied. Maybe only in the presenter, perhaps too in the content, or the creator themselves. What effect does this perception have on quality thereafter, in all present?

This is a reminder to always determine information quality like food, by the bite, rather than from looking at the menu or even smelling it from across the table. Like food, fitness content must be interacted with in order to fully observe quality. Looking at a steak one cannot determine its quality. One must bite, chew, pulverize, and transfer the steak across the tongue. Taking time to savor its taste in order to determine a portion of quality. Other experiences wholly separate from taste, like texture, providing their own unique quality input. Similar is the consumption of fitness information. Its quality taking variable time to assess; but many things taste like they look. A nibble is often sufficient.

Professional content relies much more upon creator authority because it takes more time to create and consume. Their authority an investment of time to develop. Starting first with their ability to achieve and source quality bookends. Themselves sacrificing brevity to do so. A risk to the creator undertaken as a gift of brevity to their consumer. High quality fitness content of this nature requires immense amounts of time to create as it relies upon both story telling of anecdotal information as well as the breakdown into finer parts whatever science used in furtherance of consumer understanding. Thus resulting in the desired content quality from the creator. Whoever takes this in, via word, video, or lecture, has the responsibility of fully determining quality themselves. Each method of information creation having unto itself specific notions of quality.

Those attending seminars and reading books want to know their commitment of time, sacrificing their own brevity, will result in higher quality information earned. This is not always the case, but consumers still eagerly implement and proselytize fitness protocols hoping to achieve a sense of self despite whatever waste of time it may have actually been. Trust is not in the content, not of the product so to speak. The expedited trust resulting from the professional content packaging. Be wary of the effects this can have on quality perceptions. Contemplate greatly personality and appearance in a personal setting like a seminar for example. How have those things affected the quality assessment of the information given?

Further consider the surface impact of footnotes or references in professional content. This information is more detailed and separate from the source at hand. Its true applicability, and thus quality, must be gone into further to comprehend. What these things do is present the image of quality to the consumer. One sees these things on the page, reference numbers and footnotes, and bothers not to examine them. Assuming that surely the author has and determined their proper value to their own creation, and so the consumer of the information takes quality for granted based upon the mere existence of a number. (1)

Understand this – that robs one of gaining greater quality from that content! Do not be the reader who makes these things into packaging, for if the creator is truly the cream of the crop, then that was not the intended purpose. The purpose is to further improve the quality of the product one is interacting with. Recall that fitness information, like food, must be appreciated over a period of time to accurately understand quality. As one takes in professional content do so wholly to improve satisfaction. Satisfaction applied to fitness implies physical reward. Motivation enough to begin this practice if not already doing so.

"Dear diary, today I realized not a single citation in all of last week's 

reading made a difference to my squat. It was crushing. Why has the Lord
cursed me with everlasting weakness?"

Assume there existed a fitness content creator who used footnotes maliciously, knowing their inapplicability or inappropriateness to the content being made? To wow, amaze, or mystify the reader; Danielewskian in a sense. Using these things primarily to fortify perceptions of authority rather than provide information clarity. Hoping the consumer treats these things as packaging like they did themselves. Relying upon a false aesthetic to attain quality fulfilment. Readers may be surprised to learn that some content creators rely upon this manner of deception. Using these perceptions of quality to bolster authority. What a disaster it would be if the majority of consumers treated these things the same, as packaging. In such an environment quality dies. Being drowned out in an oversaturated market of content built upon incomplete and manipulated information.

When consumers of fitness content choose to make foot notes and references, whether to scientific or anecdotal resources, into packaging, the creators of such content see the allure of an easier route. True for both common and professional content. Questioning their motives, thinking, why take the time to vet these studies when most of my readers wont? Like brevity earlier this is a pitfall to avoid. Luckily when one avoids brevity they participate in combating the spread of such fitness content and hinder the professionalization of these individuals in the fitness environment.

But suppose now the consumers of such manipulated, incomplete, or otherwise determined low-quality content take in that information faithfully and produce results, is it after some chewing on, of quality? It could be argued that yes, this information is of quality ex post facto. Is not much of exercise science today proving what was effective decades ago? Maybe not the whole truth, but a large part of it. Here one must look back and determine the basis factors that resulted in their fitness progress? Was it faith and effort upon the information gleaned or was the creator truly ahead of their time? What studies are created out of a need to prove those efforts of lifters, bodybuilders, runners, cyclists, etc., whose claims have been clung to and now warrant examination? The results feasibly predetermined by training bias held by the scientists themselves. After all, who makes such a scientific field their profession without being actively involved in fitness personally? Few, if any.

Does it matter? The corruption of evidence, or creation of it, as a means to yield results if those results are in fact produced? Maybe so if differences in rate of progress could be made; individual differences would make this a substantial task. But should a person confess that they enjoyed the “unfounded” training means towards their goal more – what of the information then? The lesson here is that single factor quality assessments are near useless. Relying upon bookends of authority or just one or two means to evaluate quality of content is utterly incomplete. Many readers already placing far too much weight upon creator bookends and other forms of packaging.

     Sure there may be a better way.

But what if he just likes this stupid shit? 

Some choose to practice fitness for philosophic or emotive reasons, the execution of effort reflecting their underlying motivations. This commonly categorized within the anecdotal. A person driven by emotion may benefit less from scientifically based content, yet only find that content in today’s market. Walking in hand is the creator of that content, finding themselves limited because the professionals who came before too narrowly defined the path. Their unique content’s quality impacted due to a stale knowledge environment of which they had no part in constructing. Some creators find comfort in today’s limited environment, like prisoners do after a while, because considering broad terms invites the unknown. Frightening to a person whose authority is almost entirely dependent upon what they know. Admitting lack of knowledge diminishes this and so content creators skittishly venture into areas of information that may benefit them; whether by resource or inspiration. From this fear consumers develop the belief that only things conveniently summed ought to be trusted.

Should a mother trust in science, or faith, when needing the strength to rescue her children? What study should she refer to before sprinting into a burning building to drag them out, far surpassing any physical effort she has ever performed? Why, not too long ago, was a 900-pound deadlift almost unheard of when the record now stands over 100 pounds heavier today? Did that progress in human potential manifest from an improvement in factual training basis, technology, or something intangible? The cause of such improvement immeasurable as it is a combination of each. Are people fools if their exercise protocols are not based in facts, perhaps comprised more of philosophic justifications than the scientific? If fools, at what point should one quality consideration take priority over the others? Remove the emotive from Eddie Hall’s record 500-kilogram deadlift and what remains? Without that quality, emotive, not even the man himself. 

Now coming into focus is the limiting atmosphere of fitness content today. Its waste of human physical potential, unknown.

Spin Ups

Summary: About 7,550 words legitimizing fuckarounditis. Estimated 30 minute read time.

Listen to the narration on YouTube here.

Some may call it hazing, but we just called it training.

A dozen years ago I was a young Marine newly assigned to the Security Forces Company at the submarine base in Bangor, Washington. The duty wasn’t much. Stand post. Endure boredom and long hours on your feet, or ass, should one be destined to drive on post. I did a whole lot of both in Washington. The Marine Corps Security Forces Company (MCSF Co.) was comprised of four individual platoons and once the command’s orientation program was finished I was sent to the newly created 4^th Platoon. The climate of the command was harsh and very competitive. This came forth out of fear of lackadaisical attitudes and individual complacency. Leading up to this I had always strived to be in a billeted position. As a boot Marine this mostly required physical fitness and not being an idiot. Providence made me decent at each. This created early success in Bangor.

     After being “in the platoons” for a year and some months a person finds themselves over the whole standing post bit. There was a way out, only one known: to try and get into the Close Quarters Battle teams. Simply referred to by everyone as CQB. The short-term requirements were attending and graduating from the specialty school in Chesapeake, VA. The shorter-term requirements were getting the OK from the platoon commander to get your Chesty Puller loving ass kicked all day and night for a few weeks at Spin Ups before even getting a school seat in Virginia. The reason – identify the weak early. The Spin Ups program that the Bangor CQB teams ran was insanity. Early morning physical training became all-day physical training with its endless marksmanship drills, calisthenics, and runs.

Saw more shit than most veteran outhouses.

     I never had the opportunity to go to Spin Ups and join the CQB teams at Bangor. Fortunately, I was put on a meritorious promotion board and found myself being a Corporal running classes at the command’s orientation program. Part of me always wanted to see what Spin Ups was like. A slightly bigger part was cowardly afraid of failure – it looked hard! Back at orientation I had the pleasure of watching many of my friends suffer the fury while at Spin Ups. This was because the school house’s training field was shared by all. The training methods employed by the leadership of the CQB Teams were likable. These were combat hardened Marines forging hard young men before my eyes. Consistency, practice, effort, these things honed the killer abilities desired. That last one especially sought after by the instructors. The more effort a student showed, the better they performed, which built consistent outcomes, consistently powering that effort. Less fueling motivation than it was generating momentum.

     Looking back this concept gives inspiration because what Spin Ups sought was the motivated individual and in beating the crap out of them forge a more prepared individual. Ready to get what they wanted, really. The program taught skills and developed abilities specific to the school Spin Ups students were hoping to attend. This wasn’t pure chaos, although one could see where a Lance Corporal in his second week of the program may think so. Conceptually, it was expected immediate progress, small parts soft-core hazing, masked in Esprit de Corps, in preparation of more lasting training. This brief period of aggressive training identified the underperforming areas of the Marine and hammered them bloody.

This training intent can be successfully applied in the gym, whether it be the already motivated lifter, a competitor or hobbyist, or one seeking new motivation; stale from their old training, unsure of where to turn next. Everyone wants to get better: more fit, stronger, leaner, faster, so forth. How can these ideas borrowed from the Leathernecks be made applicable to normal folk?

Red dot is GZ. If memory serves correctly, this was

after a particularly quick gasmask hike back from the wire.

Spin Ups – The 1^st Application

Improving Deficiencies.

I have endured periods of training where I was both bored and broken; not a fun boat to row. In these times it seemed like I was working directly against the current. It is easy to think the solution could be to row harder - to bury the oars and pull! But no, the better solution is to get out of the way of what is working against us and find a better way. Spin Ups can present those ways; even ones before unseen or unconsidered.

     In the gym “work” is comprised of the various exercises, sets, and weights that are lifted. Everyone who lifts longer than a year will come to a point where they are unsure of exactly how they want to move forward in some regard, maybe in small part or whole, but they have an idea of where they want to go. An easily understood example is a person who has been struggling on all three lifts, the squat, bench press, and deadlift, finding no means to improve one or all. Each of the three is seemingly stagnant but the choice presents itself: “Do the fucking program?” Or, maybe the bench press is more appealing these days so prioritize that instead?

Except their training hasn’t prepared them for that venture. The volume, the intensity, the consistency of effort in a specifically focused plan like that has been absent. Knowing where one wants to be but not knowing the steps to appropriately get there is a tough thing to face in training.

     That is where using these ideas may prove helpful. The Spin Ups concept prepares the lifter for what is ahead in training. Whether it is known, or not, as Spin Ups can be a phase of discovery. A powerlifting meet, a Spartan run, or finding new hunger. Use Spin Ups not (only) as a means of hazing training but also as a mind set and frame work to produce results in the desired training heading. This concept may also expose training ideas of new interest like permit dabbling into strongman, finally. This is one way that Spin Ups may serve as a spark of newfound training motivation alongside genuine progress.

The training field.  The stairs in the background

everyone at Bangor went to war with.

These two though, genuine warriors.

Wanting to improve a single lift or muscle group, but unsure of exactly how? Stuck in a relationship with a program that’s got you down and want out?

I’ve periodically implemented short periods in my training that kick my own ass in preparation for something else further down the line. That’s a piece of Spin Ups’ purpose. The intent of these training blocks, typically just two to three weeks, can be various and some may consider them ethereal, even illogical. Like improving motivation to train or to even be in the gym at all! Mostly though, I used these short blocks to ramp up my abilities in specific areas. Lifters might do something like this for either of those two reasons.

The second will be addressed first – ramping up abilities in specific areas. When arriving at Spin Ups a Marine might handle the pistol like their hands are on backwards. How does one improve such a cursed individual? It is far too late in the trimester for an abortion, said the Doc. The only practical answer is to work hard at improving this fault in their ability. The grunt answer nearly massacres entire squads of 19-year-old infantrymen. Our backwards handed friend may have only handled the pistol a dozen times before. Now that his instructors have identified this, cruel yet honorably, they require he handle its 34.2oz a dozen hours a day, for the rest of Spin Ups. Those reading this have no need for such rabid concentration. Instead, the intent of improving rapidly towards a known goal can be applied; albeit with obligatory effort.

An example will be familiar to those who know well the common “off the shelf” programs of our day. Much like our imaginary Marine going from handling the pistol infrequently, to very frequently, lifters may want to increase their movement frequency. For those doing something like 5/3/1 they may want to move onto Smolov for their squat or bench press. Within GZCL program templates, like going from Jacked & Tan modeling to UHF (Ultra High Frequency) which can have 2x or 3x the frequency as the former.

Knowing they want to move into a bench press centric cycle the lifter would start adding in triceps, delt, and pec accessories on days where the main lift was squat, or deadlift. Typically, those days would have back or leg accessories planned. When performing these added T3 accessories they should be hammered using max reps, cheat reps, anything to get in a little extra work at the end of the session. It starts with just a little work, so the effort can be very high. Details follow on how initial additions focus the development of those muscles involved, instead of simply adding more of the compound lift. Two main reasons:

1. Accessories are kept lighter and recover more easily even with very high training effort. An important factor to consider during this training cusp, which must remain sustainable. This begins developing specific muscles involved in the bench press and functions well as a means of identifying lagging muscles early. Doing more sets with triceps over pecs, push downs vs. flyes for example, begins working on them sooner rather than later.

This is great because in a short period of time the lifter will be adding bench anyways and when they do, they are better prepared to do so. When beginning a training cycle predominately built on a single lift like Smolov for example, or UHF to a lesser extent, these minor faults will not result in failure.

2. Wanting to bench more often, and doing so immediately, could lead to bad decisions. Some are prone to this, perhaps the reader. Definitely the author. Thus, #1. Same goes for squatting and deadlifting. Consider this practice in delayed gratification. 

The "opposite" session is after a five-minute rest period – so that the lifter comes back fresher. It allows effort to be higher, which makes the gym more fun. The load and volume should be enough to get a pump, not so much to be sore later that day. If squats and deads went well this short “second session” is higher in effort almost naturally; which must be high in this period. If the squats and deads do not go so well, the new additions serve as a saving grace at the end of a workout. At least there’s a killer pump at the end of this mess.

     As mentioned above adding in T3 work more frequently and in ramping volumes is the first step. This progresses into T2 adjustments, further preparing the lifter for the more stressful work desired in the T1, which soon follows Spin Ups. If a lifter wants to begin doing more deadlifting then things like hamstring curls, hyper extensions, and barbell rows should begin taking a larger priority; initiating this preparatory phase. Adding these to their current plan in the final two to three weeks sets them up for success when beginning their lift centric training plan.

     This is successful because there are two mindsets. The first is that of the lifter who doesn’t want to sacrifice the results of their current plan in its final weeks. The second is the lifter who wants to get on with it anyways and maybe bite off more than they can chew. Both are urged to look ahead and plan their training strategically. Think about where they want to be in three months, not three weeks. Still further, three years.

Give time to consider the finer parts

of such a marvelous pyramid.

These two to three weeks of Spin Ups in this example are just focused training additions to an existing plan. In later examples Spin Ups may be the whole plan. Using lofty deadlift ambitions as an example goal, a T1 bench session would be quickly followed by something more deadlift related like hamstring curls, hyper extensions, and rows. A specific example using a lifter who wants to increase their deadlift in their next training cycle, but knows they currently lack posterior chain work capacity:

Current weekly training schedule for Lifter A.

D1: T1/Squat, T2/Pause Squat, T3/Legs & Abs

D2: T1/Pause Bench, T2/Close Grip Bench, T3/Pecs & Triceps

D3: T1/Deadlift, T2/Stiff Leg Deadlift, T3/Back & Biceps

D4: T1/Overhead Press, T2/Incline Bench, T3/Shoulders & Triceps

Desired weekly training schedule with increased deadlift related and back work in an effort to progress the deadlift specifically later on down the road. (Earning that double wide certification.)

D1: T1/Squat, T2/Pause Deadlift, T3/Back & Abs

D2: T1/Pause Bench, T2a/CG Bench, T2b/RDL, T3/Pecs & Triceps

D3: T1/Deadlift, T2a/Deficit Deadlift, T2b/Row, T3/Abs & Biceps

D4: T1/Press, T2a/CG Incline Bench, T2b/deadlift, T3/Shoulders

    A description of a 3-Week Spin Ups, where they are “spinning up” their posterior chain general strength and endurance as well as deadlift frequency soon follows. This is how a lifter can to go from the first schedule to the second sensibly. Also notice that the lifter understands the need for triceps focus in their training. When considering a new weekly training schedule, they have opted for Close Grip (CG) alternatives in the T2 to supplement the T3 triceps work that is no longer planned. Maybe they have ran Spin Ups before and found out then how poorly their triceps were developed.

     Week 1: Day 1, T3 first changes to back & abs. Do accessories for max reps, repeating the same weight for multiple sets. Striving for a certain average rep:set or total reps; depending on how personally that movement progresses best. The new T3’s would ideally match in volume those of the old T3’s at minimum. On Day 3, the lifter drives the T1 a little harder too; perhaps pushing an AMRAP within one rep of failure. This prepares them for the upcoming deadlift centric training cycle. Row variations loaded as a T3 are added to prepare them for a heavier T2b Row in the future plan this day. Progression should be by volume first, otherwise 5 to 10 lb. added per week. Do that for the next two weeks. Abs and biceps finalize the T3 shift this first week, obviously these need no motivation to train.

     Week 2: Add in the lighter T2b RDL work to Day 2 and 50% of the volume initially planned to D4’s T2b deadlifting in the future plan, which is heavier, thus it being at the end of the training week. This allows for recovery over the weekend. The new RDL work should start with one set, then two, then three. By the time “Week 4” rolls around, which would actually be Week 1 of the new deadlift plan, T2 RDL work capacity is up to normal T2 ranges of 20-30 reps in a workout. Day 1 and 3’s T3 movements should have reps added to the same weight, or weight added with very similar total reps.

     Week 3: Change D1 T2 to Pause Deadlift from Pause Squat. This adds in the final component to frequency. Its time under tension and intensity being relatively high, which is why it was added last. The two weeks prior acted to prepare for this. Ramp up intensity on the row variant for D3 and add in remaining volume for D4’s T2b deadlifting. The “spinning up” of the posterior chain has occurred gradually and the new deadlift plan can be tackled with greater skill, strength, and confidence. Additionally, that new plan has likely been improved by means of the Spin Ups creative process. More on that later.

The thing to remember while making these changes is that this cusp of training is perfect for identifying what works and what does not. Use a Spin Ups phase to dial in abilities and refine the structure of the desired plan for future gains. In this sense Spin Ups is a sort of semi-planned and dedicated “Fuckarounditis” where a lifter is permitted leeway so long as it functions to show where they need to go and demands effort to get there. Knowing the steps exactly week to week or month to month is far from important most of the time. Progression is deciding the heading and acting with effort in that direction.  

Knowing that more deadlifting was most desired in their training future the lifter in the example above gradually improved their lifting capacity to better serve that function. The row type, deficit amount, etc., can change workout to workout in Spin Ups. This allows finding the things that work best individually. Similarly, the T2 movements from Days 1 and 3 could be swapped because of a recovery need that was found during this phase. Small changes made because the need was identified early builds a more resilient foundation for future success. The deadlift is a prime example of an opportunity for more people to “ease into” grater workload using Spin Ups. How many programs off the shelf lack pulling volume? Too many.

This is the less harsh version. The version more closely aligned to the intended purpose of Spin Ups - physical and mental preparation, rather than the subversive yet still highly sought-after purpose of crushing a person. The above details how one could go about improving their capacity, without knowing all the specifics of a future plan. In doing so they begin working on what is wanted sooner (getting it done already!) while also earning previews into needs and abilities that serve as a muse for training planning. The Spin Ups period of two to three weeks allots plenty of time to get specifics in order while building the momentum needed to begin that new phase successfully.

Spin Ups in this use is a period of gradual experimentation where the lifter adds work and sustains effort in the chosen heading. This prevents reckless training which can result in over-soreness, wholly different from overtraining. Minimally, the incremental additions produce muscular endurance results within three weeks, this means a hard switch from one program to another is less likely to break a lifter off. Maximally, they are more likely to start off a new training plan without hang-up because the last three weeks prepared them for this new training direction. That means PR’s come quickly.

 Gains Train.

Some old train.

Workout modifiers and the Spin Ups concept.

These are things that many already do in the gym. Stuff like drop sets and last sets pushed for as many as possible. Framed within the Spin Ups concept these training modifiers increase effort, which is either #1 or #1 for reasons to do Spin Ups phases. If training is stale, these actions serve to provide momentum needed to break free.

     An Example: A lifter has been training with a 5x5 for a few months, making some progress, but not “feeling” like they are doing a lot in the gym. (Really, a common complaint.) For two to three weeks they could do a Rep Max set and Drop Sets (Both, One, or any combination of those that follow) to drive effort in either strength or endurance. This Spin Ups phase is harder and afterwards the data points earned allow the lifter to better figure volume and intensity needs, perhaps requiring a small shift from the original 5x5, which they continue onto. Likeliest scenario for these trainees - not using enough weight before!

Rep Maxes and heavy singles: In many common training plans and in personally coached environments a lifter may have to, or want to, do a single set at a heavier weight than the called for work of the day. For example, a 3x3 in the T1 was planned, but today the lifter was feeling good so they worked up to just one heavier rep before going lighter to that 3x3. The goal is a textbook single rep slightly heavier than the called for 3x3 weight.

This would be an “over warm single”, or many other names, but the idea remains the same. The work of the day has been modified by adding in higher intensity and very little relative volume. A Spin Ups phase could implement frequent overwarm work to assess technical limits in one’s lifts. Across three weeks finding where in the range of motion form breaks down, in what ways, at what weights. Does form hold strong even up to a 2RM? If so, great. What about follow on reps, does it consistently remain in good position with sound bar control across a few heavier reps? Thus, the reason to do not only overwarm singles, but more so, 3, 4, and 5 rep maxes as overwarm sets. In most cases lifters experience radical decline in lift quality across reps during heavy sets. Not simply in posture, but also rep speed slowing; a valuable goal for improvement in the T1. Use overwarm rep maxes in a current plan during Spin Ups phases to identify technical faults early, so that a future plan can close the gap more permanently.

Drop Sets: The 3x3 is done, but still more work is needed to be performed, whether for development of technique, endurance, or strength. A drop set would be preferred if the 3x3 weight limited the amount of work or sacrificed technique. Lowering an amount ranging from 10% to 20% is typical and permits more volume within technical capacity. There is little room and sparse time for reps with poor form. Using drop sets assumes that the 3x3 was near the intersectional limits of volume, intensity, and technical ability thus requiring a reduction in load (intensity) to develop the remaining two; volume and ability.

Example Drop Set Progressions:

*3x3 is simply an example*

Endurance Focused
Week 1: 3x3, drop 20% for 2 Max Rep Sets.
Week 2: 3x3, drop 20% for 3 Max Rep Sets.
Week 3: 3x3, drop 20% for 4 Max Rep Sets.

Week 1 identifies two things. The first being endurance after a near limit workload (the 3x3 sets). The second is follow up performance to that initial drop set MRS, or "rep out" – this is a truer sign of muscular endurance. The first drop set can go incredibly well simply because the reduced load has an affect on the nervous system. Muscle fatigue will have genuinely set in by the second set and the rep drop better identifies capacity. The following two weeks works on adding volume to the same relative percentage; assuming the 3x3 is progressing in weight week to week. Alternatively, a lifter could opt to hold the drop set Max Rep Sets (MRS) at the Week 1 weight for the remainder of Spin Ups, building a base of volume at that weight.

Strength Focused
Week 1: 3x3, drop 20% for 2 Max Rep Sets.
Week 2: 3x3, drop 15% for 2 Max Rep Sets.
Week 3: 3x3, drop 10% for 2 Max Rep Sets.

In this example the progression holds the number of sets, although the amount of volume could go up if the lifter excels each week adding reps to their two sets. However, the intensity progression each week may prevent that. This starts with a large drop, just 80% of the previous workload, which should permit significant volume with good quality. The next two weeks get heavier, 85% and 90% relative loads, which drive work capacity near those limits of the 3x3 or other used straight sets. There is no standard amount of what should be expected as normal when it comes to these drop percentages and reps one is able to perform. If a lifter finds themselves tiring after follow on sets in their normal T1 work this method of drop set strengthening could prove useful in developing their intensity capacity.

Last Set AMRAP: Extra reps are performed at the end of the set because the lifter “is in the groove”. Gaining more volume at this higher intensity means more work is being done by the lifter. That’s effort in action. These are great when technical limits are strictly enforced. Unfortunately, this modifier is often abused for the sake of showmanship or needless PR’s; “PR’d my 11 Rep Max Today. #HerniasForGains” The AMRAP is preferred over the drop set when the weights can be pushed and maintained with good quality, otherwise, use a drop set to gain that volume and sustain movement quality. Because the AMRAP is at a heavier load a lifter may find the need to use just one in a workout; not being able to survive another kind of modifier.

     Last set AMRAP’s are also a great means of identifying how many pounds were left off the bar in the straight set. Say a lifter that does five sets of three reps and the last set they pushed to six reps, this informs them that an increase of 10 pounds the next week should be no problem. If there is an off day just 5 pounds! If, however they failed to even opt for an AMRAP, maybe alternative means should be employed. Consider holding the weight for the straight sets and utilizing drop sets for a few weeks to work on building capacity.

Max Rep Sets (MRS), (Repeated AMRAPs): When appropriately applied the weight lifted keeps the technical limits in mind. The purpose is to drive each set to within one or two reps of actual failure. This modifier is high effort because the load remains consistent and more reps are gained after already high effort sets. Typically done in the T3 because it is great for getting a pump, this works equally well for driving progress in the T1 and T2, but again, technical limits with the movement should be strictly enforced. Got an extra five reps on a T1 AMRAP and they all looked textbook? Rest three minutes and repeat the weight.  Readers will surprise themselves. Lifters with sound technical limits capable of great sustain across repeated AMRAP’s, or Max Rep Sets (MRS), may find this a source of new inspiration (pain) and progression in the format of volume PR’s within limited sets. More information on this kind of training can be found in the Volume Dependent Intensity Progression (VDIP) post.

Rest Pause Reps: Ceasing the movement for only a few seconds, always less than 10, which is likely still too high, then doing just one to two more reps. Repeating this process within one rep of failure. Or with a spotter, or several, to failure. Very similar to AMRAP sets, but allows for greater extension of effort.

Each of these workout modifiers can be planned in initially or done in the moment. Most focus on gaining more volume in a session, each for a specified reason, so make sure they are employed purposefully.

Many have workouts planned weeks on end, progression mapped out by the pound. Some have nothing planned at all! A Spin Ups phase allows one to use these modifiers to paint a picture of their overall aptitude. The sustainability of this brief, but intense phase, is less a consideration. Remember, limit such phases to three weeks. Greater attention should be paid to gathering specific points of data in this “limited purposeful fuckarounditis” so that a more sustainable plan can be made and moved on to.

     Few lifters know how to properly apply the above modifiers. Those who do are advanced and elite level lifters; although not everyone who fills those ranks understands when to cap an AMRAP, how much is too much to reduce for a drop set, what lifts respond best to rest pause, what their actual technical limits are, etc., In the short span of two to three weeks an existing program can be altered to provide a lifter the opportunity to find these things out for themselves. Not familiar with drop sets? Try some out, expect harder workouts, but have fun with the effort. Likewise, with using MRS on accessories rather than straight sets of 10 reps; 3x10 commonly. Always doing a 5x5? A few weeks of Rep Max finding (within technical limits!) on occasional workouts can give clarity about the carry over of volume work to limit strength as well as generate training momentum – because the work is paying off!

     For more inspiration on identifying problems, the decision making and action processes required for solving them, look to the OODA Loop created by John R. Boyd, renowned fighter pilot.

A straight up killer invented that.

Spin Ups – The 2^nd Application

Kicking Your Own Ass, Properly.

     The prior expanse detailed how training could occur, somewhat normally, while implementing concepts from the Spin Ups program. Requiring effort foremost. Yes, the structure, progression, all those things matter; still less so than effort. The Marines of Bangor CQB did not only use Spin Ups as a means to improve their skills and abilities quickly. There was also an element of physical hardening too; after all they’re Marines! People broke at Spin Ups and that was OK. Those who did not earned the right to rush into buildings guns blazing while the rest waited outside.

     Recall that the instructors at Spin Ups were the top guys already in Close Quarters Battle teams. These were corporals, sergeants, and staff sergeants, who had seen combat and were seeking nothing less than the same killer instinct from their subordinates. The tightness of their shot groups often dictating how many reps or miles more remained in the day. The instructors alongside the whole time. Perform or die. The consequences in those circles are that simple. Now this is a mindset that is truly hardcore. Nothing close to the façade seen in social media super stars or the branding of gyms and goods as such today. The lesson here is to understand the nature of the decision that put these men in those positions. The U.S. military is volunteer and those highly skilled positions are few, but very sought after. The danger is the draw. They want to be the tip of the spear, so they fight to get there and fight to stay. (That’s the hardcore part.)

     When a lifter begins to doubt their resolve mid workout they should recall that they wanted to do Spin Ups and should not let themselves down.

“I train for no reason other than nearly killing myself. It is my perfect drug. What is your prescription Dr. Feelgood?”

     This section details specific workouts and their related ideas. Not for the meek or those too far out of shape, this portion of the write up more closely reflects the actual Spin Ups as it was performed; translated to gym friendly training of course. That being said the Spin Ups “program” portion below should not be considered exact but more of a guide. Keep in mind the demands at Spin Ups in Bangor were highly endurance driven, lots of cardio, lots of reps. As such the gym friendly version below contains reflections of the same. The format is flexible enough that if a lifter needed to take an easy day, they could.

     The Spin Ups weekly training plan is far from complete. This is where one’s creativity in the weight room can be expressed, igniting new progression as well as new training ideas; recall that ethereal intent spoken about earlier. Training in such a way can be more than progression by weight on the bar or reps jotted in a notebook. The proper use and understanding of modifiers and active adjustment of training based on forecasted needs isn’t motivating, it is more than that – it generates training momentum. Spin Ups also serves as inspiration for other modes of improvement which may later be stumbled upon.

     This could be a good thing, or a bad thing. Depends on the lifter. Some Marines would show up to Spin Ups completely unaware of their actual abilities, whether physical or mental. They were dropped immediately… after a few runs and shit. Should one bite off more than they can chew do not take it as a loss, it is an opportunity to continue applying the progressive corrective action Spin Ups is about. Let’s assume the cardio portion is too much, take a few steps back and start again by strictly regulating the rest taken between sets and exercises. This will increase workout density, which improves conditioning. In the very best way Spin Ups gives lifters a three-week excuse that legitimizes fuckarounditis for the sake of “data collection” because they “need to dial in their next training.”

That’s the story. Stick to it. Let’s party. (Just don’t be mad if it doesn’t stop and the next program never happens because Spin Ups is masochistically enjoyable.)

Not Bangor's missile magazines, but close.

Run up and down those all day. Welcome to Spin Ups.

Spin Ups – The Program: Weeks 1 through 3

     The unfortunate theoretical backwards handed Marine, some 230 months late for an appointment, begins their day at Spin Ups with a run to the dry-fire range. A short, but always too fast jaunt. This is the first portion of the Spin Ups “program”. After a proper warm up, 3 to 5 minutes on the bike followed by Joe DeFranco’s Agile 8 is suitable for most, perform the following:

    Rotate through Workouts A and B. No more than four A/B workouts in a row without a rest day. Workouts C can be done as able, Session A can count as an "active recovery" day; very similar to, although not exactly like a rest day.

    Begin and end both Workout’s A and B with: Row, Bike, or Run (track, stepper, elliptical, or treadmill OK) a half mile, or equivalent, at the fastest pace. 

    Progression: Faster time each week.

    Consequence if slower: 1 Pull Up, 2 Mountain Climbers, 3 Push Ups for every 3 seconds slower. All reps done as fast as possible with no rest.

     “Excellent pace Marine!” The instructor would say to Lance Corporal Backwardshands. Now real training can begin. Remember, that was the Spin Ups class’ short run to and from the training field. Consider this time on the torture device of personal choice the same. After which training with free weights begins, like a pistol and rifle – right?

Note: Always keep 1 to 2 reps in the tank, never realize actual failure in the T1 or T2. MRS (Max Rep Sets) also means Max Recoverable Sets!!!  

Workout A

T1: Upper Body Push, Vertical or Horizontal – Find 7/5/3RM’s then reduce load by 20% and perform 2 Max Rep Sets.

Example: Spin Ups Week 1 requires finding a 7RM, do that, leaving 1-2 reps in the tank. Assume it is 315 pounds. Multiply that by .80 and repeat that weight for the drop sets, which rounds to 250 or 255 due to plate math. Week 2 would be a 5RM with the same corresponding drop percentage.

Progression: When the workout is repeated do the opposite push. If it was bench press last workout, this time it should be incline or overhead press. Follow the simple Rep Max descent written above (7/5/3) and add one set to drop set each week. Further determine loading by re-reading drop set portion in this post. Readers could opt to keep drop set weight consistent across weeks and drive reps (endurance) or increase them weekly (strength.)

Rest 2-3 minutes between drop sets.

T2: Lower Body, Squat or Deadlift Variant – Use 65% to 75% of known Training Max; suggested as a technically sound 2RM possible any day of the week at the start of the program.

Progression: Using the same load week to week try to add reps using only three sets, each for “max” reps; always keeping one rep shy of failure.

Consequence if total reps aren’t met: Use rest pause method to gain reps until prior week’s total is met or beat. If rest pause is not practical then perform follow up Max Rep Sets (MRS) as needed.

Example: 32 reps were earned in Week 1, but only 28 in Week 2. A lifter would have to do four more reps using rest pause to tie their past performance. They do five though.

Rest 1-2 minutes between each set.

Alternative Exercise: Use a barbell row instead of a deadlift.

[Cardio Intermission] 10 to 15 minutes back to the chosen method of cardiovascular training; bike, rower, treadmill, track, etc.

Progression: This is a more casual pace, but still quick, “to the next range” for LCPL Backwardshands if it were. For the reader, it’s a cardio break before crushing the remaining T3 exercises. T3a through d keep body weight only.

T3a&b Super Set: Push Ups & Pull Ups, 3MRS each
No rest between movements.
Rest 30-60 seconds between each super set. 

T3c&d Super Set: Back Step Lunge & Ab Wheel, 3MRS each
No rest between movements.
Rest 30-60 seconds between each super set.

T3e Challenge – Barbell Bench or OHP. Choose the opposite plane of what was done in the T1. In fewest sets possible: 1^st Attempt, 50 reps. 2^nd Attempt, 75 reps. 3^rd Attempt, 100 reps with just the bar. As the workouts rotate this challenge alternates horizontal and vertical pressing. If the volume increases are too much, hold the volume and attempt to progress by doing fewer sets to achieve the total desired reps.

Workout B

T1: Lower body, Squat or Deadlift Variant – Find 7/5/3RM’s then reduce load by 20% and perform 2 Max Rep Sets. 

Example: Exactly like described in Workout A. Keep in mind options of front squat, opposite stance deadlift, specialty bars, even paused variants. Think outside the box with regards to T1 movement selection. As a general rule, keep them compound movements. Once again, understand drop set progression choices as well.

Progression: Same as described for T1, Workout A.
Alternative Exercise: Use a barbell row instead of a deadlift.
Rest 2-3 minutes between drop sets.

T2: Upper Body, Horizontal or Vertical Press Variant – Use 65% to 75% of known Training Max; suggested as a technically sound 2RM possible any day of the week at the start of the program.

Progression: Same as T2, Workout A.
Consequence if total reps aren’t met: Same as T2, Workout A.
Rest 1-2 minutes between each set.

[Cardio Intermission] Back the chosen method of torture, this time for much longer. Whereas in Workout A the intermission is shorter and at a casual pace, this intermission is longer, and harder.

Progression: Week 1, 20 minutes, sprint final minute.
Week 2, 25 minutes, sprint final 2-minutes.
Week 3, 30 minutes, sprint final 3-minutes.

These won’t be actual sprints, but the intent is to kick up the pace to the fastest sustainable for that final brief period.

T3: Barbell Conditioning

Three options for T3’s in Workout B. Each are conditioning circuits to be performed with the barbell. The progression is making these faster! So, record times! Rotate these T3 circuits through Workout B as desired. Keep weight and rounds the same when repeated - focus on improving reps and times!

    Circuit Option 1 – “More Cardio Death”
Bike, Run, or Row 250m (or equiv.) then do 10 push-ups.
Repeat this until zero push-ups.

Recording split times shows endurance gains.

    Circuit Option 2 – “Backattack”
BB Row, 135 pounds x 10 reps
Deadlift, 135 pounds x 10 reps
Barbell Roll Out (like ab wheel w/ bar), x 10 reps
Pull Ups, Body Weight x Max Reps
Repeat for 3 Rounds, Record time.

Recording pull ups per set shows endurance gains.

    Circuit Option 3 – “Oppress’n Pull’n”
OHP, 95 pounds x Max Reps
Push Up, Body Weight x Max Reps
Pull Up, Body Weight x Max Reps
BB Row, 95 pounds x Max Reps
Repeat for 3 Rounds, Record time.

Record reps each round for all lifts. Improvement shown across weeks in that reps drop less across sets.

The above three circuits are simple and straight forward to perform and understand in terms of flow and their progression across weeks. Be sure to record data, it will be tremendously helpful in showing actualized progression during Spin Ups (also making clear the path forward!) These T3’s are by no means the limit of what is possible. The only warning is to keep them fairly simple to execute and they should help round out a training plan. Even while in Spin Ups the chaos should make sense, which is why there is substantial back accessories in the T3 circuits written above; pull ups, rows, the like. This is because it is trained less directly in the T1 or T2 as written. To aid in filling this gap a lifter can choose the T1 Barbell Row in Workout B as noted. If one chooses to do so the T3 can be balanced in other ways. 

Workout C

     “C” is for cardio. Choose one or all, depending on schedule and abilities. Workout C is a mandatory workout having three choices:

            Session A: 45 to 60-minute run, swim, bike, or row at an easy to moderate pace. This is the easy one, everyone can do this, and should be doing this.

     Session B: “10 Minutes. Then add a Minute.” Choose a method of cardio and go at a moderate to hard pace for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes is crossed think, Can I add a minute at this pace? If so, do, and keep going. Do not hesitate. Try to maintain the pace continuing to add time, do not add minutes and get slower.

Session C: “Three Miles, Three Ways.” Run, Bike, Row (or Swim…) a mile a piece. Pace these as desired, order them as desired. Don’t drown. (Recall inspiration here is the U.S. Marines, great swimmers, who still drown. Don’t do that.)

Swim Qualification was always fun.

Keep it to three weeks of hell.

     Seriously, this kind of training should be hard. It should leave a lifter at the end of their workout feeling like calling an Uber. Train that hard during Spin Ups. Push the cardio, cheat reps to get some extra in the T3’s. Do not be sloppy, but use momentum to get to wherever necessary or wanted in training. That was the purpose of going to Spin Ups for the Marine anyways – to get out of standing post and into the Close Quarters Battle teams. It takes effort to get there though. One may choose to undergo a Spin Ups period to improve a specific ability, like the bench, or just as likely, to simply crush themselves in the gym for a few weeks. In either case it is where they wanted to be. It is understood that both endeavors are in their own ways a means of progression. The first obvious, the second more ethereal. Neither can be sustained with high intensity for long, so keep Spin Ups to just three weeks.

Bordering broken, but ready for what’s to come. (After a decent rest.)

     Shivering, wet, and miserable but nearly finished with this nightmare, LCPL Backwardshands is in his final days of Spin Ups and his joy is nearly boiling over. Only weeks ago did he earn the nickname, but now due to relentless drills he has become a regular pistolero. Not only that, but the associated training that came along with the increased pistol handling: Magazine and weapons changes, marksmanship drills, even the wild PT, all of it he noticed carried into a big pool of abilities. He finishes the program ready for a weekend off and an easy to follow. After all, it’s been a hard three weeks. Soon he will have a school seat in Virginia where yet again he must prove his skills to become a close quarters marksman. That, he understands, is a longer course. Sure, it may have easier days than the easiest in Spin Ups – the harder days though, he has only heard of. Backwardshands the gunslinger is happiest of all that he has not let himself down while at Spin Ups; the M9 as cumbersome as it is. (It’s always the pistol’s fault.) CQB School should go well he thinks, driving a few more nails with each trigger pull, whispering “No more standing fucking post.”

     In similar ways Spin Ups can wholly improve a lifter’s training. The first application of this concept is to identify deficient areas in abilities or in musculature and begin gradually increasing volume and intensity in the direction necessary for improvement over a two to three-week period. This can be done through week to week restructuring as detailed in the first section. The path towards improvement does not need to be clearly laid out either – act first, create movement in the direction of known heading. That momentum drives effort by means of various workout modifiers, like overwarm rep maxes, drop sets, and AMRAPs. Data further exposing the needs and desires required for more lasting progress. These modifiers serve as identifiers in training and are important. Which is why they should be recorded! They inform lifters of what must be paid attention to, in one way or another, and from these future training should be based. For that reason, training modifiers require high amounts of effort. The second application of Spin Ups needs less conclusion – kick one’s own ass purposefully, know why it is being done, and how it applies to a grander personal vision of progress. Lifters who implement phases like this find themselves standing less “post”; meaning training plateaus.

     Spin Ups as applied to the gym is not a program. It is more of a frame of mind, like having one’s gaze always cast ahead; looking for whatever fissures may halt progress. The gradual shift of accessories, knowing what modifiers to use, why, when, and how to apply them to future training planning, understanding the difference in creating momentum versus motivation – these things are proactive resolution so that crossing the gap never needs to happen. It has been filled before arrival! Those who attended Spin Ups did so because they wanted a perceivably better position, fairly soon, and understood the hard work necessary to get there. Lifters can use these concepts in the same manner to ensure continued progress in the gym. Getting stronger, leaner, bigger, more fit and generally becoming a better human being will never be easy. It requires effort.

Sprint to the gym and get some.