Daily Dozen Exercises

[Ed the Ted]

Good list... do you listen to/read Dan John by any chance?

Personally I would definitely not do this every day. Joints probably can't take heavy work like front squats and trap bar lifts everyday, or they can but you have to go really light... why not do this workout every other day? You get stronger whilst you rest. I do similar but much fewer exercises and with more basic equipment, and every other day so that each workout I feel fresh and can have good form. I think it's good to think of strength work as practice rather than punishment... practicing strong movements well. Less is more in this mindset.

Today was... double kettlebell overhead press, double kettlebell front squats, pull ups, kettlebell swings, a 5k run with a swim in the sea in the middle. If I have squat/hip hinge/1 push/1 pull in a workout I feel happy. Without a barbell at home my workouts invariably all end up looking a lot like this one!

In the era BC (before corona) I would lift weights on the same days as practicing brazillian jiu jitsu (tues/thurs/sat) and rest hard in between (sauna and cold showers mon/weds/fri), with playful exercise/practice on sunday in the form of bike rides and acroyoga (sort of like partner acrobatics). I really really needed those days off in between to rest and recover.

 

[Ed the Ted]

If I absolutely had to have a daily dozen it would be:

dynamic strength/power:

kettlebell swings
kettlebell/dumbell clean/squat press. double or single.
press up

slow strength:

pull up (add weight if you're strong)
farmer walks
overhead squat (barbell, go deep)

mobility challenges:

skin the cat
jefferson curl
bridge press ups

not just ya muscles:

go for a run or a walk
swim in the sea
sit in a sauna

but like i said, even with half of this being more mobility and more relaxed stuff, i still think its too much for every day!

 

[TeeDee]

If I absolutely had to have a daily dozen it would be:

kettlebell swings
pull up
press up
kettlebell/dumbell clean/squat press. double or single.
overhead squat (barbell, light and deep)
farmer walks
skin the cat
jefferson curl
bridge press ups
go for a run or a walk
swim in the sea
sit in a sauna


Really though having written this out i think its too much. it will take forever and I think will overwork the joints in no time.

Thanks for commenting and your thoughts - Useful to have some ones elses eyes.

Ref Over working Joints - I think as KB tend to be more strength-endurance based that there is a definite possibility to over work the joints over the long term - I've read some of Dan Johns work and with regards to the 10 000 kb swing challenge I can see why although useful and task driven it potentially could impact the joints in some way as most KB are volume loading on the same joints.

 

[Ed the Ted]

Thanks for commenting and your thoughts - Useful to have some ones elses eyes.

Ref Over working Joints - I think as KB tend to be more strength-endurance based that there is a definite possibility to over work the joints over the long term - I've read some of Dan Johns work and with regards to the 10 000 kb swing challenge I can see why although useful and task driven it potentially could impact the joints in some way as most KB are volume loading on the same joints.

I absolutely recommend the Dan John podcast, he basically answers questions that people send him, perhaps 5 per episode and by now there are 40 odd episodes. He is a really great teacher, balanced experienced approach and no jargon! you could even send him your question about the daily dozen!

 

[TeeDee]

Good list... do you listen to/read Dan John by any chance?

Personally I would definitely not do this every day. Joints probably can't take heavy work like front squats and trap bar lifts everyday, or they can but you have to go really light... why not do this workout every other day? You get stronger whilst you rest. I do similar but much fewer exercises and with more basic equipment, and every other day so that each workout I feel fresh and can have good form. I think it's good to think of strength work as practice rather than punishment... practicing strong movements well. Less is more in this mindset.

Today was... double kettlebell overhead press, double kettlebell front squats, pull ups, kettlebell swings, a 5k run with a swim in the sea in the middle. If I have squat/hip hinge/1 push/1 pull in a workout I feel happy. Without a barbell at home my workouts invariably all end up looking a lot like this one!

In the era BC (before corona) I would lift weights on the same days as practicing brazillian jiu jitsu (tues/thurs/sat) and rest hard in between (sauna and cold showers mon/weds/fri), with playful exercise/practice on sunday in the form of bike rides and acroyoga (sort of like partner acrobatics). I really really needed those days off in between to rest and recover.

I've experimented with daily lifting before and its doable as long as one is sensible with intensity and volume. There is a program that calls for Squatting everyday and its quite effective as the Volume is very limited and the intensity is controlled. Pavel talks a lot about simple lifting on a few compound exercises and in my prog I really only see the first Big Four being taxing in terms of CNS burnout and feel the joints can take it.

I'm big enough that I want to 'train down' in body size and yet retain my strength/build upon it. I can read my body relatively well after the training and seem to know how to cycle things and when to back off and call it a day if not feeling it or getting a tweak in any muscle or joint.

 

[TeeDee]

I should also mention - Lifting protocols vary - If you look at the Bulgarians who dominate Olympic lifting they have a tendency to lift DAILY ( and with volume ) - What they do factor in is wave cycling the Intensity. Not EVERY day is a Heavy Day.

Lifting heavy is a SKILL and like most skills it gets improved with correct practice.

 

[Ed the Ted]

I should also mention - Lifting protocols vary - If you look at the Bulgarians who dominate Olympic lifting they have a tendency to lift DAILY ( and with volume ) - What they do factor in is wave cycling the Intensity. Not EVERY day is a Heavy Day.

Lifting heavy is a SKILL and like most skills it gets improved with correct practice.

Quite right, though at those levels training is always for performance at the expense of longevity. I certainly like the pavel-esque style of training where 'it should never feel that hard', and you take ample rest between sets. Always feel that works for me for pure strength training. I get the coughing-up-guts feeling enough in jiu jitsu, don't need it when i'm trying to work on strength!

 

[TeeDee]

Quite right, though at those levels training is always for performance at the expense of longevity. I certainly like the pavel-esque style of training where 'it should never feel that hard', and you take ample rest between sets. Always feel that works for me for pure strength training. I get the coughing-up-guts feeling enough in jiu jitsu, don't need it when i'm trying to work on strength!

BJJ must be an intense workout in itself - Kudos for sticking with it as I've been choked out a few times myself.

 

[Ed the Ted]

BJJ must be an intense workout in itself - Kudos for sticking with it as I've been choked out a few times myself.

Never come close to getting choked out... you just gotta accept youre caught and tap early!

 

[TeeDee]

Never come close to getting choked out... you just gotta accept youre caught and tap early!

Quite possibly - I do/have done combatives so I guess the idea was to really know what it feels like to have ones lights turned off.