This is day 6 of our Tim Ferriss prison series where we will finish covering the 6 core movements of Convict Conditioning.

Here is a summary of the 6 “Core Movements” with links to what we have covered so far.

1. Pushups
2. Squats
3. Pull Ups
4. Leg Raises
5. Bridges
6. Handstand Pushups

Today, we are going to focus on the sixth and final movement of “The Big Six Movements”:

Movement Six: Handstand Pushups

This is meant to be a supplement to Convict Conditioning as it is imperative to understand the correct implementation of each movement and the history behind them.

As a bonus, you can download the portable Convict Conditioning Wall Chart Bundle (zip file).

Why You Should do Handstand Pushups- A Note From The Book: by Coach Paul Wade

The following are excerpts from the book:

Healthy and Powerful Shoulders

It’s hard to think of any body part more associated with pure masculinity than the shoulders.

Since Atlas held the heavens aloft on his, men have inherently understood the connection between shoulders and strength.

The primary muscles of the shoulder, the deltoids, transmit the force of the major torso muscles in virtually all powerful arm movements- therefore, if the shoulders are weak, the whole upper body is weak by default.

Broad shoulders project an image of power and physical superiority unmatched by any other visual quality a physique can possess.

But we train them all wrong and this leads to injuries

Let’s take a moment to examine the two worst offenders when it comes to shoulder pain and injuries;

1. Shoulder presses (military presses, press-behind-neck, jerks, etc)
2. The bench press. (In this category, I would also include the plethora of machine movements which mimic these exercises. They’re just as bad.)

“Proper” form on these movements requires that the elbows are kept out to the side-to activate the major muscles.

On shoulder presses in particular, the elbows are supposed to be kept out to the side, supposedly to activate the side head of the deltoids.

This is why the press-behind-neck was invented-the path of the bar behind the neck literally forces the elbows out to the side.

It’s actually quite hard not to keep the elbows flared out when pressing a straight bar, particularly if you are using a wide grip-which is one of the reason wide grips are favored for shoulder presses.

The bench press is no better. The action of the weight coming down on the chest inevitably forces the elbows away from the body. In a bodybuilding coritext, it is usually considered “perfect” form to keep the elbows right out from the torso, nearly in line with the collarbones.

This is supposed to activate the pectorals more. In all presses, a “full range of motion” Is normally advised. This means that the bar touches the body, before being pushed away until the arms are extended, or nearly so.

These movements and their variants are unnatural

In particular, these two major elements of “good” form are incredibly artificial in terms of human biomechanics:

1. the elbows flaring out to the side of the torso, and;
2. the bar being brought into contact with the body in the bottom position.

How do I justify the statement that these two respects are unnatural?

Perhaps the best way to understand how the human body is naturally meant to move is to look at how humans instinctively move.

Let’s try to find an everyday movement similar to the shoulder press. Look at a father picking up his child. You’ll notice that in instinctive upwards-pushing movements, the elbows are not splayed out-they are kept forwards.

In fact, if you ask anybody to hold something up overhead, if their positioning allows it, they will always keep their elbows forwards. Splaying the elbows out to the side is totally unnatural. So is pushing from the point of contact.

Think of an instinctive movement similar to the bench press; perhaps pushing a broken-down car, or shoving an attacker away.

In neither instance would you bring the object you are pushing to your chest first. You’d begin the movement with your elbows only bent about halfway.

The body naturally understands that its own structure has more strength and stability that way.

If we lifted weights as we instinctively moved, there would be virtually no chronic injuries in the gym. But we are too “smart” for that.

We force our bodies into artificial positions they never evolved to accommodate; certainly not progressively and with heavy poundages. And then we wonder why we have to live with pain!

The Solution: The Handstand Pushup

As soon as somebody has a shoulder problem in the gym, they will immediately gain relief by reducing their range of motion by about half-by only doing the top half of the exercise, the portion nearest lockout.

During the handstand pushup, the body instinctively positions itself in a position healthiest to the shoulders.

The elbows are invariably kept inside the torso, opposite the chest muscles-pushing them out to the side feels very strange and makes balancing almost impossible, because the body wants to fall forwards in this position.

The handstand pushup would be an important technique in the pantheon of training exercises, provided it simply trained the shoulders without causing injury.

But it gives so much more, it’s almost beyond belief.

Strength, muscle, agility, and health-all in one exercise

• Performing handstand pushups is the equivalent of shoulder pressing your bodyweight. It may take years (and many injuries) to get to this level of strength with a barbell-in fact, many athletes just never get there. But the average person can learn to do handstand pushups in a matter of months. The result is incredibly powerful, muscularized shoulders in a short span of time.
• The handstand pushup teaches advanced balance and total-body coordination skills that just can’t be replicated with weights.
• The simple act of adopting the inverse posture-being upside-down-also has major benefits. The blood supply is reversed-the veins and arteries work against gravity in the opposite direction and become more supple, stronger and healthier.

Now, onto the ten steps.

[note note_color=”#c5e3fa”]Beginners are advised to master close pushups, Step 6 of the regular pushup series before even beginning Step 1 of the handstand pushup series. Doing so will condition your hands, forearms and shoulder girdle to the rigors of supporting the entire bodyweight. Mastering uneven pushups (Step 7) will also strengthen your rotator cuffs and help to iron out any pre-existing shoulder problems before you attempt to support your entire bodyweight in the inverse position.[/note]

Handstand Pushups
1. Wall Headstands Beginner Standard: 30 seconds Intermediate Standard: 1 minute Progression Standard: 2 minutes
2. Crow Stands Beginner Standard: 10 seconds Intermediate Standard: 30 seconds Progression Standard: 1 minute
3. Wall Handstands Beginner Standard: 30 seconds Intermediate Standard: 1 minute Progression Standard: 2 minutes
4. Half handstand Pushups Beginner Standard: 1 set of 5 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 10 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 20
5. Handstand Pushups Beginner Standard: 1 set of 5 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 10 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 15
6. Close Handstand Pushups Beginner Standard: 1 set of 5 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 9 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 12
7. Uneven Handstand Pushups Beginner Standard: 1 set of 5 (both sides) Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 8 (both sides) Progression Standard: 2 sets of 10 (both sides)
8. 1/2 One-Arm Handstand Pushups Beginner Standard: 1 set of 4 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 6 Master: 2 sets of 8
9. Lever Handstand Pushups Beginner Standard: 1 set of 3 (both sides) Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 4 (both sides) Progression Standard: 2 sets of 6 (both sides)
10. One-Arm Handstand Pushups Beginner Standard: 1 set of 1 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 2 Master: 1 sets of 5

Download the Convict Conditioning Wall Chart Bundle (zip file)

Previous Convict Conditioning Cheat Sheets can be found here:

1. Pushups
2. Squats
3. Pull Ups
4. Leg Raises
5. Bridges

Series Progression Chart  – Handstand Pushups

Training Programs: (for the Busy “Convict”)

The New Blood (Step 1)	Good Behavior (Step 2)
Practice this program, or a similar routine, during your early work on the ten steps. Once you get past Step 6 on all four of the exercises mentioned, it’s time to move to the next program.	• Good Behavior can be worked into almost anybody’s busy schedule. • This program can (and should) be used by any athlete to achieve solid strength gains-no matter how advanced they are.
The Veterano (step 3)	Solitary Confinement (step 4)
This workout is good for those with limited time on their hands. Sessions can often be completed in under six or seven minutes per day! Recovery is actually pretty fast during this program because the athlete never works the upper or lower body two days in a row. The exercises alternate in the most efficient manner possible. For athletes looking to gain strength and work their way up through the ten steps, this routine can be very productive. Because only one exercise is performed on a given day, the athlete can really focus and give his all.	This program includes ancillary work for the grip, neck, and calves. If you like the idea of trying these extras, but can’t take the daily workload, add a day’s rest between training sessions, or whenever you feel the need . This program is mean. Unless you are in good shape and living clean-regular meals, plenty of sleep, etc.-be prepared to get bullied, big time.

Best of luck, and once again, if you are reading this in jail, please let me know in the comments section below so I can contact my inside connections and send you updates! 

You can sign up to receive updates via RSS or email or sign up for the upcoming 4 Hour University! If any of this info helped please share with a like!

What workout would Tim Ferriss do if the feds found “Brain Quicken” to be a scam and sentenced him to 25 years to life?

This is day 5 of our Tim Ferriss prison series where we will continue to progress through the 6 core movements of Convict Conditioning.

Here is a quick summary of the 6 “Core Movements” and links to what has already been covered.

1. Pushups
2. Squats
3. Pull Ups
4. Leg Raises
5. Bridges
6. Handstand Pushups

Today we are going to focus on the fifth of “The Big Six Movements”:

Movement Five: Bridges

This is meant to be a supplement to Convict Conditioning as it is imperative to understand the correct implementation of each movement and the history behind them.

As a bonus, you can download the portable Convict Conditioning Wall Chart Bundle (zip file).

Why You Should do Bridges – A Note From The Book: by Coach Paul Wade

The following are excerpts from the book.

Combat Ready Your Spine

“If I had to name the most important strength-building exercise in the world, it would bet he bridge. Nothing else even comes close.”

“In essence, bridging will do away with back pain, make you healthier; stronger, quicker, more agile, and increase your stamina. You should be bridging.!”

“Bridging exercises are not widely practiced in the West. Perhaps this really is because our culture values appearance over ability, because in other parts of the world the bridge is highly esteemed as one of the greatest exercise techniques known-in the East, it is regarded as the “king” of exercises.”

“The bridging series will grant you an incredible combination of strength paired with flexibility. If this was all the bridge offered you, it would be well worthwhile including it in your routine. But completing the bridge series will give you more-more than practically any other exercise on earth. Much, much more. It fixes old back injuries and prevents new ones, like slipped discs; it tones the stomach, deltoids, legs and arms; it expands the chest and loosens the shoulders; it renders the entire body agile and coordinated; it improves balance and promotes healthy digestion.”

The Spine and Athletic Qualities

If you are one of these guys who has a barbell set at home for fitness and strength, you would do well to sell it and buy a cushioned mat to train your spine on instead.

I realize that this suggestion seems so far from the current bodybuilding-style culture of strength and fitness that it seems almost funny. But I’m not joking.

The spine is the equivalent of the universal joint on a motor car. Every piece of pressure generated by movement goes through it-from little motions of the head and neck, to very powerful forces such as those generated in a heavy football tackle.

If your spine is weak, you can suffer all kinds of trauma from these actions-anything from an excruciating “slipped disc” to a compression fracture. You might even break your back.

The more athletic movements you make, the more risk to your spine. The stronger your spinal muscles are, the more punishment your spine can take and bounce back smiling.

Apart from preventing sports injuries, the spinal muscles also play a fundamentally positive role in strength and athleticism.

• The spinal muscles are incredibly strong, and are involved in practically every major motion, from throwing and twisting to bending over and lifting.
• Without good, robust spinal muscles, strength cannot exist. It’s impossible to use the limbs-whether curling, squatting, pressing or pulling-without using the spinal muscles.
• These muscles are used more than any other voluntary muscles.

The stronger your spinal muscles, the better you will be at practically any athletic motion you can name.

Now, onto the ten steps.

[note note_color=”#c5e3fa”]Feel free to read about these movements, but remember-you are advised not to actually attempt these exercises until you can do Step 6 of both the squatting and leg raises.[/note]

Step 6 Leg Raise and Step 6 Squatting Series (must complete prior to starting bridge series)

6. Hanging Knee Raises Beginner Standard: 1 set of 5 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 10 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 15
6. Close Squats Beginner Standard: 1 set of 5 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 10 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 20
BRIDGES
1. Short Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 10 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 25 Progression Standard: 3 sets of 50
2. Straight Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 10 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 20 Progression Standard: 3 sets of 40
3. Angled Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 8 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 15 Progression Standard: 3 sets of 30
4. Head Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 8 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 15 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 25
5. Half Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 8 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 15 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 20
6. Full Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 6 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 10 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 15
7. Wall Walking Bridge (Down) Beginner Standard: 1 set of 3 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 6 Progression Standard: 2 sets of 10
8. Wall Walking Bridges (UP) Beginner Standard: 1 set of 2 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 4 Master: 2 sets of 8
9. Closing Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 1 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 3 Master: 2 sets of 6
10. Stand-To-Stand Bridges Beginner Standard: 1 set of 1 Intermediate Standard: 2 sets of 3 Master: 2 sets of 10-30

Download the Convict Conditioning Wall Chart Bundle (zip file)

Previous Convict Conditioning Cheat Sheets can be found here:

1. Pushups
2. Squats
3. Pull Ups
4. Leg Raises

Series Progression Chart Convict Conditioning – Bridge Series

Training Programs: (for the Busy “Convict”)

The New Blood (Step 1)	Good Behavior (Step 2)
Practice this program, or a similar routine, during your early work on the ten steps. Once you get past Step 6 on all four of the exercises mentioned, it’s time to move to the next program.	• Good Behavior can be worked into almost anybody’s busy schedule. • This program can (and should) be used by any athlete to achieve solid strength gains-no matter how advanced they are.
The Veterano (step 3)	Solitary Confinement (step 4)
This workout is good for those with limited time on their hands. Sessions can often be completed in under six or seven minutes per day! Recovery is actually pretty fast during this program because the athlete never works the upper or lower body two days in a row. The exercises alternate in the most efficient manner possible. For athletes looking to gain strength and work their way up through the ten steps, this routine can be very productive. Because only one exercise is performed on a given day, the athlete can really focus and give his all.	This program includes ancillary work for the grip, neck, and calves. If you like the idea of trying these extras, but can’t take the daily workload, add a day’s rest between training sessions, or whenever you feel the need . This program is mean. Unless you are in good shape and living clean-regular meals, plenty of sleep, etc.-be prepared to get bullied, big time.

Best of luck, and once again, if you are reading this in jail, please let me know in the comments section below so I can contact my inside connections and send you updates! 

You can sign up to receive updates via RSS or email or sign up for the upcoming 4 Hour University! If any of this info helped please share with a like!

I have touted the benefits of Occam’s Protocol since it was first unleashed upon the world by Tim Ferriss in 2010.

To me, Occam’s represented the perfect balance of resistance training and time commitment, in other words it seemed like something I could stick with for a long time.

And it has been, I have been using Occam’s protocol as the foundation of my weight training program for the last 3 years.

Occam’s protocol has been overshadowed by the 4-Hour Body Slow Carb diet and often gets completely overlooked.

Yet, they should be approached as a team. Although Tim claims that everyone can have success with slow carb without the addition of exercise, in my experience working with literally 100’s of patients over the past 3 years this has proven not to be the case.

The slow carb diet can be improved exponentially with the addition of an effective Occam’s protocol routine.

But Occam’s is Complicated!

Occam’s protocol seems complicated but once you have determined your starting weights it is really very straight forward.

Tim created some confusion in the 4-Hour Body with the addition of an overly complex “adding muscle” section that produced a bit of overlap among his various workout routines. This is most noticeable with his “geek to freak” protocol which is difficult to follow and shares many of the same ideas as Occam’s Protocol.

Given the rather complex mix of supplements that Tim recommends throughout the book, the entire adding muscle section can become a red-hot confusing mess.

You can see my simplified breakdown of 4-Hour Body Protocols here.

Occam’s protocol may thus appear to be a hard corp routine designed solely for professional bodybuilders looking to get “buffed” when in reality, it is an extremely simple routine that just about anybody could do.

It is incredibly effective for women who are looking to tone and tighten and it is equally effective for men who may want big arms and 6 pack abs. It can even be an extremely effective workout for seniors.

Occam’s protocol is backed by hard science. The slow, systematic core body movements that we see in Occam’s is what was behind Arthur Jones and Nautilus which he had been trying to convince people of since the 1960’s. Not surprisingly even in 2014 very few people want to listen.

Simplicity is Sexy

Occam’s can have many iterations, in my opinion it is best when broken down into 5 basic movements that are simple to perform and train every single muscle in the body in under 20 minutes.

This simple routine takes the best of what science and research has to offer and is effectively designed to maximize time under tension and eliminate time in gym (TIG).

In my opinion “time in gym” (TIG) should always be set to the Minimum Effective Dose (MED). Not that TIG is necessarily a bad thing, but there are better uses of your time. Like carving out your niche and building your passive income stream.

The Slow Carb Diet and Occam’s Protocol – Like “Peas and Carrots”

The slow carb diet is designed to optimize your body’s hormone levels for fat loss and in doing so it will optimize your body for muscle hypertrophy in the presence of effective weight training.

By adding weight training to the slow carb diet you will increase your bodies basic metabolic rate and further optimize your insulin levels (weight training will make you more insulin sensitive for up to 15 hours after a single workout) so will having a 15 minute orgasm. Or so I tell my wife.

You do not need to get caught up in the various supplement protocols that plague the 4-Hour Body.  Although PAGG has been slightly better than placebo in my “trials” the evidence of long-term efficacy here is lacking.

If you are doing slow carb you may consider the addition of Occam’s protocol with something incredibly simple such as PAGG and then consider a “5 a day” meal plan that includes supplemental shakes.

A sample could look like this:

1. Breakfast
2. Snack – Shake
3. Lunch
4. Snack – Shake (post workout)
5. Dinner

My favorite shake currently is a wonderful (yet a bit on the pricey side) nutritional product called Vega One. It has a healthy dose of omega 3 fatty acids, additional probiotics and just happens to be dairy, soy and gluten free. It is a great post workout shake or mid-day snack. It can work very well with the Slow Carb Diet.

An Effective Occam’s Routine

If you are following the slow carb diet and have not yet given Occam’s a gander now is the time.

The routine is not nearly as difficult as the book makes it seem and can be done very effectively as 6 simple exercise.

1. Incline Press
2. Leg Press
3. Seated Row
4. Shoulder Press
5. Lat Pull Down
6. Six Minute Abs

I created an Occam’s 8 routine a while back although I don’t feel the K-Bell swings are truly necessary. You could perform K-bell swings once mid week if you like, but you don’t need to. I think the modified six exercise approach above is perfectly enough.

• This entire workout takes less than 20 minutes.
• You must read the Occam’s section in the book to understand the fundamentals of finding starting weights, this is essential.

Like 4HWW Finances, and The Slow Sarb Diet – Automation is Everything

• Start with 5 Rules of eating and nail this down over the first month.
• After 30 days add in Occam’s protocol at least once weekly using the 5 resistance exercises I mentioned above plus the six minute ab’s workout seen in The 4-Hour Body.
• Add in some cardio that you enjoy a couple times a week for good measure. This could be anything, just make sure it is something you enjoy.

That is all you need to stay healthy for life. It really is that easy.

• The Slow carb diet is extremely simple to follow.
• Occam’s Protocol can be done effectively once per week for 20 minutes, you can add in a second day if you like.

In combination with a 4-Hour Workweek you should be all set to escape the 9-5, live anywhere and join the new rich, while enjoying a healthy and vibrant 4-Hour Body!

Until next time…

– Stephen

What is “Pre Hab” and why is it important?

Tim claims that the Pre-Hab Chapter in The 4-Hour Body is:

• The longest and most difficult chapter in the book  and
• The most important.

Pre-Hab is about identifying common imbalances and correcting them to prevent injury.

It should be the first step you take before adopting any of the workout routines featured in the 4-Hour Body, including Occam’s Protocol.

But, it is commonly overlooked (I have to admit to being guilty here as well) and thus:

• Sports injuries are now the second most leading cause of doctor visits, behind only the common cold.
• 70 to 80 percent of casual athletes have had a sports-related injury at some point in their past and most within the last year.
• By repeating the “No pain, no gain” mantra during a workout, you’re probably doing yourself a disservice and possibly setting yourself up for overuse injuries.

The basic premise of “Pre-Hab”

The basic premise of “Pre-Hab” is preparing your body to be powerful and injury free for the long-term.

When I started running more regularly 4 years ago I remember standing at the starting line before a race and the announcer said: “look to your left and look to your right – One of you will be injured in the next 3 months and may never return to running again.”

Hearing that, and thinking about my aching low back,  I was realizing that he was probably talking about me.

I had spent years inflicting all kinds of physical abuse on my poor body based on inaccurate information about what was the best way to train.

I had spent countless hours pushing heavy weights on the bench press, doing squats that would cause more harm than good, going on long training runs that would leave me icing my aches and pains and feeling completely drained for the rest of the day.

I did this all in the name of becoming better at my sport and trying to obtain a better physique. This, I assumed, was the right way to train because it was the way everyone else seemed to be doing things. Hence, Tim is right when he quotes Oscar Wilde in the 4-Hour Workweek: “everything popular is wrong”.

And because there was no “pre-hab” I ended up (as you would expect) in Re-hab.

Fixing Problems Before They Start

The key to pre-hab is foreseeing problems and fixing them before they start.

This is important for everyone because the goal of fitness is to bring the joy of movement into your life and as a benefit maintain long-term sustainable health – not to make yourself miserable or worse yet, land you on the injured list.

As Tim warns us in the 4-Hour Body:

“Pursuing rapid increases in performance without doing “pre-hab” for injury prevention is like getting in an F-1 race car without checking the tires.”

The small upfront investment of time (even two to four weeks) will allow much faster progress while avoiding serious setbacks.

Honestly, isn’t it worth a 2-4 weeks investment to build an injury free body for life?

So, I urge you to take the time to read through this intro and then open up your copy of the 4-Hour Body and really dig in.

The 80/20 of Injury Prevention

As always, when Tim wants to find the best way to do anything he doesn’t waste his time with useless self experiments (OK at least most of the time), instead he goes right to the source.

In this case a man by the name of Gray Cook.

Who is Gray Cook?

“Fixing professional athletes in his human durability factory, Gray has become perhaps the world’s most sought-after injury-prevention specialist.”

In essence Gray is an expert in identifying a persons physical imbalances and then fixing it.

So just what is the cause of most injuries and how do we go about fixing it? This is what Pre-Hab is all about.

Imbalance

According to Gray Cook the most likely cause of injury is neither weakness nor tightness, but imbalance.

The key to fixing imbalance is first identifying where it is coming from.

To accomplish this goal Gray has developed the Functional Movement Screen which is designed to find and identify balances.

Finding imbalance: Performing The Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

(video link)

The FMS comes in two varieties:

1. Administered by a certified professional: A series of seven movement tests, each test is scored on a three-point scale.
2. Self Assessment FMS: Gray Cooks Functional Movement Screen can be abbreviated to five movements with simple pass-fail evaluation:

1. Deep squat
2. Hurdle step
3. In-line lunge
4. Active straight leg raise
5. Seated rotation

This self-Functional Movement Screen is designed to identify two things:

1. left-right imbalances (asymmetry)
2. motor control issues (wobbling and shifting)

Why Tim includes the FMS as part of the pre-hab section of the 4-Hour Body eludes me.

The 7 week session Tim details in the book (and that I will cover below) does not use Gray’s approach to the FMS, but it is a simplified version based on the 4 core movements we are about to discuss.

That being said, I have covered the FMS as Tim did in the 4-Hour Body to be thorough. Although it is good to know you can set it aside for now, as it is not an integral part of the Pre-hab program as you will see.

Fixing Problems

This is made up of 4 basic movement patterns called “The Critical Four”

In the 4-Hour Body Tim has put these exercises in the order that you should learn them, as greater coordination is required as you move down the list.

The Critical Four Movements (easiest to hardest)

1. Chop and lift (C& L) (video chop and lift) (article by Gray Cook)
2. Turkish get-up (TGU) video
3. Two-arm single-leg dead-lift (2SDL) (video)
4. Cross-body one-arm single-leg dead-lift (1SDL) (video 1) (video 2)

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Putting it All Together

If your confused don’t worry, so was I.

But basically, if you didn’t read any of the above section and just started here you would be fine.

Below is the exact schedule Tim uses to both Find and Fix problems.

It is basically a modified Functional Movement Screen (FMS) using the critical four plus a 7 week program using the same exercises to identify and fix problems. 

It is the entirety of the Pre-Hab section.

The Critical Four Schedule: Finding and Fixing

This is a 3 day a week training schedule:

1. Tuesday
2. Thursday
3. Saturday

[note note_color=”#d4eaf4″ text_color=”#333333″ radius=”3″]

WEEK 1 – IDENTIFYING IMBALANCE

TUESDAY (30–45 MINUTES)

COORDINATION

This is not a workout. It is a PRACTICE SESSION

This session is about practicing the movements, just like a dance or karate form.

For this purpose, light weights are used, even for movements that use heavier loading in training (like the deadlift).

Developing a base level of coordination with these patterns will ensure that you do not base an entire training program on massive imbalances that could have been fixed with a few minutes of practice and neural adaptation.

* Practice with no weight until you can perform the movement on both sides, then add light weight.

1. Practice the TGU (Tukish Get Up) and
2. Variations 1 SDL (Cross Body One Arm Single Leg Dead Lift) and
3. Variation 2 SDL  (Two Arm Single Leg deadlift)

In all exercises, use the minimal weight needed to help stabilize the body.

THURSDAY AND SATURDAY (45–60 MINUTES PER SESSION)

TESTING

Now we will test to find your weakest quadrant and weakest sides in each movement.

Perform the Turkish Get Up (TGU) and the Single Leg Deadlift (SDL) only if you can execute them flawlessly without weight:

Chop and lift (C& L) (video chop and lift)

1. Chop down to left knee × 6–12 reps
2. Chop down to right knee × 6–12 reps
3. Lift up to left knee × 6–12 reps
4. Lift up to right knee × 6–12 reps

Turkish get-up (TGU)

1. 5 TGU each side (16-kg kettlebell)
2. 5 TGU each side (24-kg kettlebell)

These TGU weights are what Tim used. Read the TGU description that follows for suggested male and female starting weights. Dumbbells can be used in place of kettlebells.

Two-arm single-leg dead-lift (2SDL) (video)

1. 5 reps each leg

Cross-body one-arm single-leg dead-lift (1SDL) (video )

1. 5 reps each leg

FULL-RANGE SQUAT  (video)

1. 10 reps

Tim’s reasons for the “Full-Range Squat”

I’ve added the full-range squat because it’s important to at least maintain (or have) the ability to perform this movement, even if our focus is on the deadlift.

Important Point:

• Repeat this testing both Thursday and Saturday to ensure that you haven’t misdiagnosed imbalances.
• Use the same weights on Saturday, but don’t look at the number of reps completed on Thursday. Saturday is, once again, to confirm that imbalances aren’t just mistakes of some sort.

[/note]

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[note note_color=”#d5f4d4″]

FIXING

WEEKS 2-6

MONDAY AND FRIDAY, 30–45 MINUTES PER SESSION

Once you’ve identified your imbalances (week 1 above), the exercises for weeks 2–6 are designed to fix them.

The Workout (Option 1)

If you can perform 10 ass-to-heels squats with no weight, do the following in each workout (sets and reps are explained next):

1. Half-kneeling Chop and lift (C& L) (video chop and lift)
2. Turkish get-up (TGU)
3. Cross-body one-arm single-leg dead-lift (1SDL)

The Workout (Option 2)

* If you cannot perform 10 full-range squats, perform this instead:

1. Half-kneeling Chop and lift (C& L) (chop and lift)
2. Full-kneeling (Chop  & Lift) (this is a symmetrical addition, both knees down, that will help you develop proper squatting form)
3. Turkish get-up (TGU)
4. Cross-body one-arm single-leg dead-lift (1SDL)

SETS AND REPS

For all exercises for weeks 2–6:

Use a 2:5 ratio of sets for strong : weak sides and a 5 reps.

This means that you perform a total of seven sets using either workout option 1 or 2.

1. Two for the stronger side and
2. Five for the weaker side, as follows:

• Strong side × 5 reps
• Weak side × 5 reps
• Strong side × 5 reps
• Weak side × 5 reps
• Weak side × 5 reps
• Weak side × 5 reps
• Weak side × 5 reps

Take one minute between sets.

If you can’t complete five repetitions in the later sets, decrease the repetitions rather than decreasing the weight.

Record everything. I suggest a one-second or two-second concentric (lifting) speed and a four-second eccentric (lowering) speed. No matter what speed you use, make it consistent.

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 OPTIONAL WEEKS 7 +

MONDAY AND FRIDAY, 30–45 MINUTES PER SESSION

SUSTAINED PRE-HAB AND STRENGTHENING

For weeks 7 and beyond , you can incorporate the full- kneeling C& L and 2SDL for symmetrical corrections and pure strength.

Perform this sequence twice a week if you’d like to further reduce injury risk.

I simply retest every 4–6 weeks and fix accordingly.

But to continue with the program, once 10% or greater strength differences are corrected, use two sets of 3–5 reps (I prefer 5) per side for each exercise.

1. Turkish get-up (TGU)
2. Full-kneeling (Chop  & Lift)
3. Two-arm single-leg dead-lift (2SDL)
4. Half-kneeling Chop and lift (C& L) (chop and lift)
5. Cross-body one-arm single-leg dead-lift (1SDL)

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To identify the correct starting weights for each exercise YOU MUST READ THE SECTION  “Let The Testing Begin” in the 4-Hour Body.

Taking 30–45 minutes twice per week to do these exercises takes less time, and sacrifices less progress, than 6–24 months of recovery after a major injury.

Four exercises can keep you stable and strong possibly for life! Not a bad trade-off.

Too busy? Do whatever you can, as every bit helps.

Tools and Resources for Pre-Hab

1. Kayaking Dry Bags: A kayaking dry bag is designed to keep water out. It can also be used to hold water in, and it’s a great way to travel and still do your TGU. I use the SealLine Baja Dry Bag 30, which holds up to 30 liters. One liter = 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). Thirty liters gives you up to 66 pounds.
2. Bands for Mobile C& L : Gray Cook Bands – For those who want to do the C& L on the road or in their home, these resistance tubes are an effective and affordable substitute for exercise machines.
3. Metolius Nylon Daisy Chain for the C& L 
4. Black Diamond HotWire Carabiner for the C& L: Extremely lightweight carabiner rated “Best in Gear” by Rock and Ice magazine.