The JB Model Of Progress
Following on from a recent post i wrote on Movement Complexity i want to break down how we view movement complexity within ones training and how it applies to your development.
Strength & Movement is the tagline attached to our name it states clearly what we are about
We believe that in general, most people lack strength across many domains – from tissues and muscles through to mental and emotional strength. Movement is also something that tends to lack – from coordination, timing, speed through to flexibility and agility.
Technically speaking mobility is the underpinning factor behind any movement. If your tissues wont allow it, you can even begin to get strong there. Strength would be the second factor. If you aren’t strong enough to do the movement then its not going to happen either (no its not your core, you are just too weak…).
This being the case we use a simple scale of progressions, called landmarks to give one a linear path to follow as they develop as a mover.
Lets look at the Pull Landmarks to make this a bit clearer:
- ring row
- ring chin (feet on floor)
- eccentric bar chin up
- bar chin up (supinated grip)
- bar pull up (pronated grip)
- rope climb
These 6 movements are all variations of a pull, so mechanically they involve the same joints and generally the same tissues – elbow flexion/extension and shoulder flexion/extension/depression and retraction.
The Ring Row is the most accessible variety, requiring base level strength and mobility and something that almost anybody can work with. Once that becomes easy enough we would move to a Ring Chin with the feet on the floor. This is a more complex variation as it requires more articulation through the shoulders and the trunk, and it also requires a bit more strength. Once that has been achieved, the eccentric chin up would be next, which again would represent an increase in complexity and ability.
You see the pattern here
On top of this, we use a rep range of roughly 2-5 reps which means that you would work up to consistent sets of 5 reps on particular landmark before moving to the next landmark and bringing the reps back down to 2.
It’s a simple scale, allowing you to see what is on and what is just beyond the horizon for you. In terms of developing strength, its not about doing as many reps as possible with a simple variation of a particular movement (you can do ring or TRX rows all you like and you will likely never build up to a proper pull up, no matter how many reps you can do). It’s about developing proficiency in one movement and then advancing to the next one and exposing yourself to something you are not so proficient at. This is how we become stronger, and capable of more incredible physical tasks.
This is not to say that we don’t on occasion use higher repetitions of a simpler movement pattern than what you are capable of – this has its place too. But in terms of strength training and overall development, our model is designed to provide you with a process of constant development.
Without continued development, it’s just another shitty bootcamp
You might be working on ring rows this week, but we see you climbing the rope in a couple of years from now.
Another important point to make here is that by working on a particular landmark you will generally ensure that you remain proficient in all the previous landmarks. If you can climb a rope, or do a single chin up, you can count on being able to do a bunch of ring rows and eccentric chin up without ever having to actively practice them.
Our Push and Pull landmarks are written up on the board at the gym and we encourage you to familiarize yourself with them. They are YOUR landmarks now..
Happy gains friends…
Joey