Longstrength

[Al Myers]

Longstrength

[Ben Edwards]

This sounds very interesting. I had a nearly year-long phase where I did the Heavy Hands training pretty hard back when I was skinny. Quite neat training.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Thom Van Vleck]

I have this “active recovery” routine I do before working out that involves nothing more than an empty bar on a lot of stuff to warm up. Involves some stretching, not too extreme, and basic movements. I then go and throw, usually at 100% after just a couple throws.

I also recall my Uncle Phil talking about his all time best PR on the powerclean (300lbs at 181lbs of bodyweight) which had eluded him for a long time. He said one day he walked in wearing “street clothes” and my Uncle Wayne was doing sets and reps on the clean with 300. Phil said he walked up and cleaned it as easy as you please.

I don’t think doing 5 warm up sets is essential, but doing some is pretty wise….especially past 40. I think you might set that long jump record, but in the process you might get hurt!

Thom Van Vleck
Jackson Weightlifting Club
Highland Games athlete and sometimes All-Rounder

[Al Myers]

John’s series of articles on the principles of Longstrength applies to how he used them to “warm up”. Dr. Schwartz developed his entire training system behind these principles, with warmups just being a small part of it.

The older I get the more warming up I need. I think most lifters do some type of warmups that involve non-barbell movements. Before my heavy days, I like to get to the gym 30 minutes prior to my scheduled workout time just to get loosened up and prepared for my training. I don’t consider doing this as part of my training. Many of the things I do is what John is going to be talking about in his article on Longstrength. So, I don’t consider this as “new information”, but rather a more indepth evaluation and discussion of the importance of it. A big part of Longstrength is the use of heavyhands, which Ben mentioned, and is a topic in itself.

This article by John was published in Hardgainer close to 20 years ago, which would put John at the time about the same age as I am now. In discussing training with John, it is unbelievable how much our training ideas are the same and how we reached the same belief independently. Also, your ideas on training evolve as you age just the same as how your body changes in regard to lifting as you age. A forty year old needs to train different than a 20 year old, and a 60 year old needs to train different than a 40 year old. A constant challenge in our unending battle with the weights!! Al

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