Ground Up Strength

We've talked a lot about single rep training on GUS up to this point but I know people tend to be wondering about using "singles, doubles, and triples" in general (not to be confused with SDT Progression).

The reason we've focused on singles is because we consider them to be "quintessential". Once people learn how to use them in their training they realize they've spent a lot of time using a sledge hammer when a regular hammer would have worked. But of course there is more to low rep training than singles so I thought I'd write down a few things about doubles.

Most of the time when we see doubles these days it's not about "using doubles" it's just a flash in the pan as part of some program that uses percentage based progression of some kind. I don't like percentage based progression. And I don't consider just happening to use two reps on your way up the intensity ladder to be using doubles as such.

Doubles in themselves have advantages. Especially with more technical lifts. For instance they allow you to lift very heavy while maintaining quality. And often the second rep is better than the first. That is because you've gotten over the anticipation and jitters of the first lift and the second one just flows…it's more automatic. Depending on how much anxiety you have and your experience/comfort level with the lift this can be a big advantage. So doubles have that advantage over singles. And they trump triples since the third rep is where things start going down hill again.

If you've read the Singles Scene and used it you're probably in love with singles right now but you will have to come down to Earth eventually and realize you can't use them continually. And even though we did a very comprehensive job of making them effective and safe while taking some of the intimidation out of them that many bring, such as Brooks Kubik, you do have to be willing to push the envelope at times to get the most out of them. For some who find themselves a bit scared of the weight doubles would be a better initiation to intense lifting. Also, for those who are too new to training to be attempting or even need to tackle near maximal lifts but feel ready to handle heavier poundages and enjoy the psychological edge that lifting heavier will bring, doubles are the best choice.

If you already know how to go about singles and can find your relative max then an easy way to go about programming with doubles is to start with 80 to 85 percent of your max (single) and see how many good doubles you can do with that. Aiming for at least around 3 the first time. After that it's a simple matter to increase the sets (up to 5 or 6).

Those who are new to this kind of heavy lifting can use a slow build up (from an empty bar), using singles and/or doubles with moderate rest periods until you find a weight that is challenging but comfortable for one double. You should feel pretty confident with it. Then progress from there. Remember that the build up must have good rest periods or you will simply end up with a relatively light double. As the weight increases during the buildup the rest periods should increase in time.

Before I move on I want to answer the question that will come up for many of you:

"Since I can do X amount for a double, how much can I do for a single?"

The answer is who the heck knows? I am constantly shouting about the business of 'predicting' maxes based on a certain load and rep number. You may be surprised to know, in fact, that pulling off a certain double does not always mean you can do a heavier single (at least not while maintaining quality).

Jim Schmitz summed it up perfectly in an article from IronMind:

"People quite often ask, “I can do a certain weight for a double, how much do you think I can do for a single?” I like to answer with a statement I first heard many years ago from Artie Drechsler, author of The Weightlifting Encyclopedia. He said, “Whatever you can do for a double, you can do for a single!” Don’t get hung up thinking that because you’ve done a certain weight for 2 that you can do so much more for 1; you have to actually do it."

Go ahead and extend that thinking to all your training. Most trainees are being taught to spend a lot of time "predicting" or estimating their 1RM based on some percentage scheme and want to know how much they can do for a single without ever doing one. This is compounded by gurus telling them they shouldn't do maximal lifting because "it will get them injured" and only those wishing to compete do maximal lifts. Most injuries happen as a consequence of fatigue with relatively intense high volume lifting.

It's pretty strange to me when I get asked by people what their max should be based on their 5x5. "I want to know how much I can lift but I don't want to actually lift it".

Makes sense.

Just because some guru got hurt when he tried to go heavy doesn't mean you can't lift heavy. Chances are it was all the high volume bodybuilding stuff done to failure that led to the injury in the first place.

This is an illustration of the kinetic chain principle at work. I provided a short and simple explanation of that at GUS but the relationships at work are not simple.

Here in my tirade about unstable surface training I talked about how the proprioceptive mechanisms at the ankle get 'messed up' after a bad ligament injury.

Rehabilitation of an ankle sprain often focuses on retraining these mechanisms through the use of bosu balls and other unstable bases.

However, it has been observed that patients with a history of grade II or III sprains showed delayed firing of the gluteus during hip extension compared with controls (Bullock-Saxton, et al 1994). The idea is that there is a proprioceptive feedback loop and changing motor patterns in the lower limb muscles after these sprains alter postural control thus affecting gluteus firing patterns.

Postural control? Yes, the gluteus is one of the most, if not THE most, important postural control muscle in the body. Why do you think people are constantly harping on glute strengthening and activation? A simple ankle sprain can lead to altered gait which can lead to delayed glute firing which can lead to an unstable pelvis. This leads to back pain. Without your glutes functioning properly, the SIJ can encounter too much movement and this compromises load transfer from the legs to the trunk. The result is a viscious circle of compensations which lead to injury and pain.

This was just one illustration of how the glutes affect things. The best way to train the glutes is through strenuous hip extension exercises. Squats are valuable glute trainers as well but a full squat is best to get the most out of the glutes. A full squat in research terms is below parallel. In GUS terms it is dang low with the torso down between the legs and the hips nice and open.

Various exercises are prescribed to teach hip extension (over lumbar extension) and to promote gluteal firing. This is sometimes called activation. The quadruped position with contralateral leg and arm raise, the bridging exercises, and the Cook Hip Lift. While these can be great for retraining and activation they are not how you 'strengthen' your glutes.

While those full squats will help you'll want a lot of variety and even those standing hip extensions with the low pulley or band are great. Step-ups (including lateral) are good, especially with increasing loads, and of course split squats and lunges. The one-legged squat has value all it's own. You can do hip extensions (aka hyperextensions) as well. But the biggest bang for your buck comes from the deadlift and it's derivatives. Pullthroughs. Etc..

One unusual and rarely done 'squat' that is great for training the glutes both functionally and for strengthening is the kneeling squat. The advantage of the kneeling squat is that it is particularly selective of the gluteals. High resistances can be used and it practically isolates the hip extensors. Heavy weights are where the glutes shine so the next time someone tells you to train your glutes doing quadruped leg raises you tell them that 'nobody put the gluteals in a corner!'. (sorry)

Read about the kneeling squat at GUS. Please pay attention to the cautions I give in that explanation. The kneeling squat is highly effective but it can be dangerous. By the way, the main caution I give is to keep contracting the glutes throughout. Try that in general during all weighted movements. Tighten the glutes. This will help stabilze the pelvis which will help you keep that initial arched set in your lumbar.

See also:

The glutes category