high frequency: managing fatigue

Not an expert, just putting down on paper what is working for me. Inspired by Jim wendlers weight vest and chad Waterbury high frequency training. Embarked on because my right side seized up mid sandbag clean a few weeks ago. Vertical type movements are the only thing that feels extremely safe 

How we do:

1-2x daily

1st session: ring pullups, ring dips, legs.

2nd session: repeat, or ring rack pullups and dips.

Legs use a grab bag of goblet squats, banded reverse lunges, or bodyweight squats 

After stuff

Nuances:

All reps are done PAUSED. We are not thoughtlessly banging out reps. We are building connective tissue and work capacity that LASTS. 

No sets are done to failure. High frequency only works if you can recover day over day. 

Progression (upper):

Start with 5x3 per movement.

Every week, add a round (6x3, 7x3, etc) until completion in under 30min isn't possible.

Reset to 5x4 and repeat.

When the marriage of reps and sets is no longer feasible, rest to 5x3 and add weight or use a more difficult progression.

Progression (lower):

This is VERY specific to me. My legs are incredibly detrained. Anything I try to do that is 'theraputic' like sled drags just HURTS. I've found that pain enters the chat with medium volume regardless of weight. The reps, progressions, and weight is VERY low on purpose because I am working on rebuilding connections to my body as opposed to building size and strength.

The long term plan is to either continue using light weights/progressions indefinitely in the morning (with heavier kettlebell work in the afternoon) as a warmup to live the joints, OR progress to more extreme ranges of motion. Examples being sissy squats, atg split squats, wide stance lunges, etc. Lots to work on that has a benefit!

After stuff:

1. Recovery

Band pushdowns, curls, rows, etc. many different grips for extremely high reps (30-50). The goal is to push blood in the area without accumulating additional fatigue.

2. Minor body part for high reps.

Calves, tibs, neck work really well here. Use a rep goal with high reps (ex: 3x50 to increase weight) while avoiding failure. Choose one movement per day and go to town. Like the main work, feeling the muscle through large range of motion is more important than increase weight and banging out reps.

What works really well is to use one of these movements are a rest period between rounds of mains.

Example:

3 ring pullups

3 ring dips

3 goblet squats 

35 seated calf raises

Shit hurts, what do now:

Couple of options...

- Switch movements temporarily or permanently. 

- Reduce volume. As long as it takes.

- Rest. 

In a more isolated sense, if your joints hurt focus more on post workout band exercises to force blood into your joints. I've def seen a difference with and without this method.

Never under any circumstance lift through a painful range of motion. We want buttery joints.

Benefits?

I'm still very new to the party. This early on, I can tell ya my day to day energy is amazing. That alone is worth the price of admission. Body composition is slightly improved but nothing to write home about. I won't really be able to evaluate how much or little this does for aesthetics for a few months. 

Overall, a+ experience. I'm more into feeling good than looking good. And this makes me feel very very good.