Michael
Caneguru
He cuts down trees. He wears high heels, suspendies, and a bra?!
Winner of Twatformetrics Spartan Challenge
Posts: 5,288
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Post by Michael on Feb 25, 2019 22:43:23 GMT
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Post by mr potatohead on Feb 26, 2019 1:18:02 GMT
Thanks Michael. That was interesting.
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Post by guyincognito on Feb 26, 2019 16:46:04 GMT
Great article, thanks for posting! The fun thing for me is that I can read it in Mr. Zale's voice.
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Post by fredhutch on Feb 26, 2019 17:51:55 GMT
Thanks Michael, that's an interesting article. Fred Hatfield in his book "Bodybuilding: A Scientific Approach" says PHA is the best way for a bodybuilder or strength athlete to train for endurance and fat loss, since every part of it is still strength training, you're not spending any time on non-strength exercises like jumping jacks and such. I really like it myself. That article doesn't really explain the most important point of PHA, it seems to me; the circuit should be designed using maximum distance between successive bodyparts, the idea being you want to make the blood rush back and forth to the max. So you normally would not follow a chest exercise with a shoulder exercise, but rather go something like chest, thighs, upper back, calves, low back, shoulders, calves again, then biceps or triceps, and so on. You can't always get maximum distance between bodyparts but that's the goal.
I did classic PHA a few years ago and found it very demanding. Right now, for the last month or two, I've been doing a kind of modified PHA...since I still like to focus on one major bodypart each day, I have routines where every other exercise is the focus bodypart, and the ones in between are for other muscle groups at a distance from the focus part. This morning, for example, my focus was lower legs (calves, and shins with the DARD, which incidentally was designed by Bob Gajda--how's that for a coincidence). Every other exercise was either calves or shins, and in between I would do either lower back, upper back, chest, or shoulders...see, no thigh work today, too close to the lower legs. I do similar things with other bodyparts. Doing these workouts is very rugged conditioning, usually after the first few minutes I am breathing like I am sprinting uphill. I almost always do a full hour of this and it's great. One thing that's happening as a result of this routine is, almost all of my body is getting trained just about every day; and this seems perfectly fine. I was already pretty lean when I started this so I can't say how effective it would be for fat loss, but that's not the reason I'm doing it; I'm all about being able to work and exert strength even when gasping for air, and PHA is perfect for this. I sometimes do a little HeavyHands and KB swings at the end just for some conventional conditioning. Some of my exercises I do with enforced breathing and then holding the breath, like the classic breathing squat--this has long been one of my "secret" exercises, but I don't mind telling you guys.
Modified or classic, PHA is a great system. Too many people just jump to the conclusion that it is circuit training--and it is, PHA is a type of specifically structured circuit training, but not all circuit training is PHA.
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Michael
Caneguru
He cuts down trees. He wears high heels, suspendies, and a bra?!
Winner of Twatformetrics Spartan Challenge
Posts: 5,288
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Post by Michael on Feb 27, 2019 0:20:52 GMT
Most of the time I train I do each exercise in a non-stop manner. That's why I like these styles of training sessions. I once saw one of the PHA routines Bob used by at the time I had no weights and was drinking the wrong Kool-Aid. I tried it with just bodyweight but I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. It just didn't feel like when I do KBs or the Chain Reaction training. So I let it go to the wayside years ago. But I was always intrigued by it. I'm guessing it works best with cables and weights? Is that what You use when doing it? , I do have some weights now and I'm not a purist. Do You happen to know the original Sequences Bob used for this? I found this article that explains how to put a routine together: www.fitocracy.com/knowledge/peripheral-heart-action-pha-training/ Oh, by the way, I know some guys like building things. I was wondering what the DARD was and found this: "Most Gajda inventions are simple devices that can be made at home. There is, for instance, the DARD (dynamic axial resistance device). It is nothing more than a pipe threaded through the center of a disc-shaped weight with two other pipes attached to the end of the center pipe so that the device can be lifted with the feet while sitting on a table. The apparatus works the muscles in the front part of the shin and is used mainly by runners."
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Post by gruntbrain on Feb 27, 2019 0:40:42 GMT
A DARD or a homemade equivalent can even function as a bicep or forearm "blaster"
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Michael
Caneguru
He cuts down trees. He wears high heels, suspendies, and a bra?!
Winner of Twatformetrics Spartan Challenge
Posts: 5,288
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Post by Michael on Feb 27, 2019 0:44:58 GMT
A DARD or a homemade equivalent can even function as a bicep or forearm "blaster" Grunt, in my mind it seems like Bruce's forearm device but for the shins.
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Post by fredhutch on Feb 27, 2019 17:24:33 GMT
There was a site by a guy named Joe Skopec that showed how to make a DARD from plumbing pipe, but I don't think it's still up; that's how I put mine together, cost about $25 in pipe. You can buy them on amazon for about $75 if I recall correctly. There may be other homemade plans on the web.
I use weights, bodyweight exercises, cables, and a few self-resistance exercises for PHA workouts.
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Post by Alan OldStudent on Feb 28, 2019 7:30:19 GMT
A DARD or a homemade equivalent can even function as a bicep or forearm "blaster" So, Whatza DARD?
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Post by fredhutch on Feb 28, 2019 16:23:27 GMT
Alan, as my stepkids would say, "just f****** google it!" But Okay, just for you old pal...I don't remember what DARD stands for, but it is a device that hooks onto your feet, loaded with weights, that allows you to train your shins. It was invented by Bob Gajda. It is popular with runners because it helps to alleviate muscle imbalances between shin and calf; that's the reason I use it, I always try to train each muscle or movement and it's opposite, no muscle imbalances here, m8. Bodybuilders use it because well developed shin muscles add detail to the lower leg. Okay?
There are other ways to work the shins. You can do a self resistance exercise by sitting on the edge of a chair, resting the heel of the working leg on the floor, foot pointed, put the other foot on top of the working foot and use that leg to provide resistance for pulling the bottom foot toward the shin (ie, ankle flexion). You can do isometrics in this position also; and of course isos and dynamic movements combined in the same set, etc.
Another way for shin work, that I found very effective, was to use cables; anchor a cable under a door at floor level, sit on the floor with your legs out straight, loop the cable around the back of your ankle so the cable runs between the big toe and the next toe, now perform ankle flexion. When I did these I wore Japanese style shoes (tabi) that have a gap between the big toe and the rest, this gave me some padding from the cables. Actually thinking about it now that was probably the best shin exercise I ever did, worked better than the DARD, only reason I don't do it now is that my workouts move at such a furious pace that I have to use equipment that I can get into and out of fast...and I no longer have a pair of tabi either (a little piece of towel might be padding enough, though).
By the way, Bob Gajda also wrote a very nice book, "Total Body Training" that is packed with ideas; he advocates unstable surface training (a favorite of mine), shows a neck helmet too, may even have plans for a DARD, I don't remember. One funny thing about the book is that it makes no mention of PHA whatsoever, which is funny because PHA is Gajda's most famous idea. A few years back Gajda had a website which offered a PDF about PHA....I looked and couldn't find it now, however. Gajda said in his book that my old favorite lift, the straddle lift, is dangerous...he and I will have to agree to disagree on that one.
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Post by Alan OldStudent on Mar 1, 2019 5:54:25 GMT
Alan, as my stepkids would say, "just f****** google it!" But Okay, just for you old pal...I don't remember what DARD stands for, but it is a device that hooks onto your feet, loaded with weights, that allows you to train your shins. It was invented by Bob Gajda. It is popular with runners because it helps to alleviate muscle imbalances between shin and calf; that's the reason I use it, I always try to train each muscle or movement and it's opposite, no muscle imbalances here, m8. Bodybuilders use it because well developed shin muscles add detail to the lower leg. Okay? There are other ways to work the shins. You can do a self resistance exercise by sitting on the edge of a chair, resting the heel of the working leg on the floor, foot pointed, put the other foot on top of the working foot and use that leg to provide resistance for pulling the bottom foot toward the shin (ie, ankle flexion). You can do isometrics in this position also; and of course isos and dynamic movements combined in the same set, etc. Another way for shin work, that I found very effective, was to use cables; anchor a cable under a door at floor level, sit on the floor with your legs out straight, loop the cable around the back of your ankle so the cable runs between the big toe and the next toe, now perform ankle flexion. When I did these I wore Japanese style shoes (tabi) that have a gap between the big toe and the rest, this gave me some padding from the cables. Actually thinking about it now that was probably the best shin exercise I ever did, worked better than the DARD, only reason I don't do it now is that my workouts move at such a furious pace that I have to use equipment that I can get into and out of fast...and I no longer have a pair of tabi either (a little piece of towel might be padding enough, though). By the way, Bob Gajda also wrote a very nice book, "Total Body Training" that is packed with ideas; he advocates unstable surface training (a favorite of mine), shows a neck helmet too, may even have plans for a DARD, I don't remember. One funny thing about the book is that it makes no mention of PHA whatsoever, which is funny because PHA is Gajda's most famous idea. A few years back Gajda had a website which offered a PDF about PHA....I looked and couldn't find it now, however. Gajda said in his book that my old favorite lift, the straddle lift, is dangerous...he and I will have to agree to disagree on that one. Thanks Fred,
When I googled, I did not come up with anything very enlightening.
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Post by mr potatohead on Mar 1, 2019 11:18:06 GMT
There are other ways to work the shins. You can do a self resistance exercise by ......... resting the heel of the working leg on the floor, foot pointed, put the other foot on top of the working foot and use that leg to provide resistance for pulling the bottom foot toward the shin (ie, ankle flexion). You can do isometrics in this position also ........ When I ran a lot, many years ago, this was the cure for "shin splints" as my YMCA instructor called them. I guess it's the same idea as fixing shoulder pain by doing the isometric doorway OHP or as used for any other tendon/joint. Isometrics to the rescue! Funny how this comes back. I had long forgotten, but, apparently, I learned this way back then. But back then, I was still thinking with a 'gym-bro-meathead' brain and considered it body part specific (shin area), and completely missed that it is a general principle of applying isometrics to any tendon/joint pain or strengthening issue anywhere in the body. I hope I have it now. (Credit to BigBruvOfEnglandUK for the above vid) "Total Body Training" huh? I'm going to check that out. Thanks. I found another ARTICLE about PHA. I don't do straight bar deadlifts anymore. I think straight bar DLs are a really bad and dangerous stunt move for an average person to bother learning. I have the same opinion for slinging kettle bells up, around and overhead. At the very least, people should be paid to learn and perform potentially painful injury competitive stunts. I do what I thought was called a 'sumo lift' with my DIY Lift thing, but maybe it's a straddle lift? Whatever .... I do it like this (Bret Contreras), but not with my feet so far apart, nor standing on a platform and, consequently, I start from a higher position on the squat: I don't really do reps with it, but I do move it during the hold.
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Michael
Caneguru
He cuts down trees. He wears high heels, suspendies, and a bra?!
Winner of Twatformetrics Spartan Challenge
Posts: 5,288
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Post by Michael on Mar 1, 2019 13:59:30 GMT
Thanks for that article. That was interesting.
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Post by mr potatohead on Mar 1, 2019 15:15:02 GMT
BTW, another easy way to do an isometric for shin splints is to lay in bed on stomach and hook feet over the foot of the bed to pull the feet against it. Same direction of effort as if trying to raise feet with a weight on top of them.
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Michael
Caneguru
He cuts down trees. He wears high heels, suspendies, and a bra?!
Winner of Twatformetrics Spartan Challenge
Posts: 5,288
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Post by Michael on Mar 1, 2019 18:59:35 GMT
Interesting ideas. I just get on an edge of a step and just raise my toes back towards make shins. Or while sitting, I do it KSHD style, pull my toes toward my shins.
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