But no, you don't have to stick to that 3 set formula. I know some people like to use just two sets or even one hard set in some cases. On the flip side, I know others prefer to use more volume with 4, 5, or even more sets.
Doing more sets isn't bad, but it does put you at risk of "volume creep," which is where you have so much work to do you subliminally pace yourself. Doing this makes your grind phase more about endurance training rather than intense strength training.
The most crucial variable during the grind phase is intensity. You want to hit your muscles really hard, and it's difficult to do that when the intensity of the workout is watered down over many sets.
Ideally, the sets you perform in the grind phase should be bombing the hell out of your muscles. If you're doing it right, you should be in a significantly weaker state from one set to the next. If you're getting to the point where each set feels about the same, you're just cruising along and there isn’t much stimulation from one set to the next.
The rule I follow is it's fine to continue doing sets as long as the amount of fatigue in your muscles is growing. Once your intensity and fatigue levels plateau, it's time to move on.
Why don’t you have any handstand work in GSC?
Handstands and other "skill work" is very effective at building muscle and strength, but only if you've built up enough technical proficiency first. I've found that a lot of people aren't willing to invest the weeks, months or even years of practice required to build that technical foundation, and some people aren't aware they are lacking in that area. As a result, they never develop the skills necessary to work their muscles hard enough and seldom get very far.
The primary exercises in GSC are the simplest and easiest methods I know of to challenge and progress the raw work capacity of your muscles. These moves are what I consider low or moderate skill level exercises. They require less technical skill while requires a very high level of muscular strength and endurance.
That doesn't mean I don't endorse handstand work, far from it. If you want to include it, you most certainly can in several ways. You can practice handstands or any other inversion training as a finisher for your push chain workouts. You can even make handstands your main push chain exercise if you like. Just follow the same tension control and stability exercise for the push chain workout and perform the handstand variation you prefer in the grind phase. If you want to learn more, you can check out the chapter on handstand work I have in my book Smart Bodyweight Training.
One last point to consider is if you really want, or even need, to practice more direct shoulder work in the first place. I've known plenty of guys with well-developed shoulders, and they never did any focused shoulder exercises. In the '90s some bodybuilders even swore off direct shoulder work all together claiming it wasn't necessary and put the shoulder joints at an increased risk of injury.
The reason behind all of these examples is simple; your shoulders should be working pretty darn hard during all upper body exercises. Personally, I’ve always found dips to be a fantastic shoulder exercise in their own right. Couple that with the supplemental Y-fly during the hypertrophy phase for the push chain and you may find you won’t need any direct shoulder work either.
What about calisthenics “skills” like the muscle up or planche?
I never understood the whole idea of dividing the discipline of calisthenics into skill and strength training. All strength work requires some degree of skill, and all skill work requires a great deal of strength. It's not like we can separate the two and work just strength or skill.
But I understand this concept of calisthenics skill work in application. Moves like planches, levers, and muscle-ups are admirable objectives in the calisthenics community, and are a worthwhile accomplishment. So if you have a desire to practice such "skills," it's certainly possible to include them into GSC.
My recommendation is to slip a "skills phase" between the stability phase and grind phase. That way, you're still priming your neuromuscular system for optimal performance which is just as crucial for skill work as it is in the grind phase. You just want to practice those moves while your system is fresh, so that's why it's before the grind phase rather than after. Once you've done your skill work, move into the grind phase. I also recommend shortening the grind phase to 2 sets at first unless your joints and nervous system are used to handling the extra volume.
Do I really need to use Grind Straps? What about rings or just solid bars?
No, you certainly don't need a set of Grind-Straps to practice GSC. Any sort of suspension method, like rings or similar equipment, will work just fine. If you're using rings, it can be tricky to slip your feet securely into the rings. That's why I recommend practicing the support chain exercises with your hands on the rings and your feet on the floor instead.
You may find that having your hands suspended makes your support chain work much harder compared to suspending your feet. Adjust your range of motion or regress a level or two if you find that to be the case.
You don’t even need any sort of suspension system at all. All of the basic progressions can be done on the floor or on a sturdy set of bars at the local playground. Just be aware that sturdy bars will make the exercises easier so you may need to move up a level in the progressions to give yourself an adequate challenge.
How long should I hold an isometric variation of an exercise during the grind phase?
The grind phase is predominantly based on reps, but isometric exercise like the dip hold or strap planks don’t use reps so you’ll have to go by time instead.
The solution is to use a timer and hold for time. This does the same thing as counting reps since reps are just another timing mechanism in their own right. Generally, 15 seconds counts for about 5-6 reps so your goal should be to hold 3 sets of 15 seconds before moving onto the next level exercise.
Is it really necessary to go through the tension control and stability phases for every single workout?
Yes. I know it can be tempting to just skip the first two phases and get right down to business, but there are several reasons to always practice those first two phases.
The first is the importance of consistency. Improving tension control and stability requires hundreds of practice sessions to become proficient at it. Skipping just a few practice sessions can quickly turn into a habit of seldom doing it, and your rate of improvement will slow to a crawl, or even go backward.
The second reason is that your tension control and stability is continuously changing due to lifestyle factors. You may have decent lower body stability and tension control, but that can be a very different story if you've been sitting in meetings all day. Jumping right into a squat workout, even with a few warm-up sets means you'll be behind the 8-Ball from the get-go. This is why many people injure themselves in the gym. Something is just a tad off, but it's too little to notice until something goes pop and you need several weeks to recover.
So, yes, there are tangible benefits to taking just a few minutes in each workout to get dialed in and practice the first two phases. Besides, you'll get into your own routine, and you should rip through both phases pretty fast. They aren't meant to take more than a few minutes, although they certainly can last longer if you want.
Why isn’t there any weighted version of the support chain progressions?
The three support chains don't have a weighted variation, mostly because it's not necessary, especially you’re using a suspension system. Lengthening the body with your feet (or hands on rings) suspended can produce an insane amount of resistance along your body which will produce more than enough resistance for most anyone.
But, let’s say you’re Captain America and can perform 3 sets of over 20 reps of the highest progressions, can you add weight then?
The short answer is yes. The best way to do so is to add weight to your hips since that’s where you have the most resistance during those exercises. Weight belts, like the ones used for diving work wonders, as well as heavy chains you can wrap aro
und your hips. Just be prudent with the weight as a little will go a long way.
Can I use the Grind Style method with weights?
Absolutely! You can apply the Grind Style method to any form of progressive strength training, including free weights, machines, cables, sandbags, bands, or any other manner you prefer.
In that case, how would I go about combining weights and calisthenics?
Keep things simple, and don't overthink it. Overall, all forms of strength training are based on the six tension chains. The differences are mostly in the tools you use to work those chains. For example, a push-up and bench press are both push chain exercises. Romanian deadlifts and bridges are extension chain exercises and so on.
The way I approach multi-tool training is just to stay focused on programming the tension chains you want to work in each workout, and just swapping out the tools as you wish. Do dips and push-ups one workout, and then dumbbell bench press the next. It's the same tension chain, you're just using a different tool to provide the resistance.
Is there a GSC diet?
Yes, it's called eating a whole lot of delicious food.
I've never been a big fan of restrictive dietary programs that limit your food options. I'm also not a believer in force-feeding yourself to pack on muscle. Healthy eating is all about balance, and that's very hard to achieve when you're following arbitrary rules telling you how to eat without considering what's best for you.
That doesn’t mean I don’t have a method to the madness when it comes to food. I follow a simple set of guidelines which allow for both structure and flexibility. They work very well for most anyone, and you don’t have to submit yourself to a diet that’s so high maintenance that it becomes a “lifestyle.”
Here are my basic dietary guidelines. Adjust and modify them as you wish.
#1 Establish a consistent diet
Just like with your training, you want to create, and maintain, consistent dietary habits, so your mind and body can get used to what you're doing. Most of the time, this means sticking to a regular meal plan, like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Try to maintain consistency in what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat. If you can do that, all you'll need to worry about is tweaking and modifying your diet here and there.
#2 Eat plants and protein at each meal
Plant-based foods and protein sources bring the most nutritional value to the table. It's easy to get caught up in debates over what and how much of each you should be eating each day. However, getting a decent source of each at every meal will take care of you. From there, it's just a matter of adjusting portion size to dial in what you need.
#3 Listen to your hunger and satiety levels
Your hunger and satiety levels are the most important source of nutritional information you'll ever experience. One of the biggest reasons why I don't like restrictive diets or force-feeding is because it teaches you to fight, ignore, and override those natural signals. Doing that is like telling someone who’s learning how to drive to ignore stop signs and speed limits.
So eat when you're hungry, and stop eating when you're satisfied but not stuffed. If you can manage to do this most of the time, you won't have much trouble managing your diet or your weight.
#4 Watch out for liquid calories
Excessive calorie consumption is still a big problem, especially in first world countries. A lot of excess calories don't come from what you eat, but what you drink. This is due to the simple fact that you can slurp down a lot of calories (often times from sugar and alcohol) a lot easier than you eat them.
While I do enjoy the occasional beer, I generally steer clear of calories I can drink. This includes sodas, alcohol, coffee-based beverages, and even protein smoothies. I would just rather get my sugar and calories from something I can sink my teeth into and stick to tea or water as my beverages of choice.
#5 Whole foods are best
Generally, whole foods are going to be more nutritious and better for satisfying your hunger, fueling your workouts, aiding in recovery, boosting your energy level, and taste a heck of a lot better than overly processed foods.
Of course, the idea of "processing" is not black and white but instead on a spectrum. Anything cooked or even cut up is technically processed. Filtered water is processed as is ripe fruit since ripening is essentially Mother Nature's way of processing carbohydrates. So it's not as simple as eating foods that are or are not processed but instead eating more to the natural end of the spectrum.
#6 Embrace variety
Variety is the spice of life, and it’s the key to a healthier and more satisfying diet.
Consider the following comparison; eating half of a plain old pepperoni pizza or a few slices of pizza with a ton of toppings and a side salad. Which sounds more appetizing and refreshing? Which one will flood your pallet with a plethora of flavors, textures and aromas? Which one will provide you with a broader range of nutrients? Which one will help you feel satisfied and full of energy afterward?
Naturally, the option with the most ingredients and foods is the clear winner here. Not because it follows any sort of dietary dogma or was the “right” way to eat, but because it literally brought more to the table.
I know these ideas aren't the most revolutionary or sexy, but that's the point. I believe healthy eating habits should be like the plumbing in your house. It's an integral part of your daily life, but you don't want to have to really think about it or work hard to manage it. It should just work and do what you want without a lot of effort on your part. If it's not fulfilling that role, then something needs to be addressed.
Do I have to back-fill? What about front-filling?
Since coming out with the back-filling strategy, I've had some folks suggest the idea of doing the opposite with front-filling. This is done where you keep the first set or two the same and try to add reps to the last set and move forward.
I haven't tried this strategy, so I'm not sure how well it will work. My gut reaction is that it's going to be harder to add reps to the back set as you fill in the reps on the first or second set. On the other hand, it may not matter all that much either way. The whole point to back-filling is to progress one set in a workout while keeping the other two sets the same. I guess it may not matter how you do that as long as you're still holding to that general idea. Go ahead and experiment with it if you like and see what happens.
What do I do when I hit a repetition plateau?
It’s only natural for the reps to be harder to come by as your training progresses. When you start out, you may readily add three or even four reps to your workout at a time. Inevitably, you’ll get to the point where adding just one more rep will feel almost impossible.
Don’t be discouraged when this happens. If anything, this is very good because it means you’re really pushing the limits of your physical capacity so even the smallest progressions from this point on are going to stimulate a lot of change.
The big lesson here is that the more advanced you become, the less your progress will depend on adding reps. Instead, most of your development will come from making your current reps better.
Here’s the trick:
Let's say you're "stuck" at 8 pull-ups; what do you work on? The answer is to work on the difference between your first rep and your last rep. How does your technique erode throughout the set? Whatever that difference is, that's the thing you should work on. Do your best to make that 8th rep just as good as the first. Don't even try to do any more reps, purposely hold yourself to 8. Improve the quality of your reps, and before you know it, you'll find those extra reps will come as sure as the sunrise.
Why have my reps suddenly dropped, and what do I do about it?
Hitting a rep plateau is one thing, but sometimes your reps will drop off. There can be any number of reasons for this. Maybe you’re tired from not enough sleep, or perhaps your diet is all over the place. If this is the case, do your best to identify those temporary challenges and take care of them as best you can.
/> Another reason is you could have made a subtle change in your technique that's making the exercise more challenging. Most of the time, this is an increase in tension control or a bigger range of motion. In this scenario, congratulations on leveling up, and embrace the changes you've made.
The big question is how likely is it that you'll be at this different level of performance? If it's for a short time, due to a temporary challenge, then just keep trying to bring yourself back up to speed. If you're in a more permanent situation, like an improved technique, then I recommend resetting your numbers to reflect your new situation. Just wipe the slate clean, retest how many reps you can get during the grind phase and start fresh.
Do I have to do the same routine for the hypertrophy phase, or can I mix it up?
By all means, mix it up. Most of the stimulus to build strength and muscle comes during the grind phase, which is the most structured part of the workout. The hypertrophy phase can involve any mix of isolation or finisher moves. Be playful during this phase and get creative. It's not meant to be a large part of the workout, so keep it to a set or two. Just have fun and do whatever you feel is best for you that day.
I’m getting tired with GSC, is it okay to do other things and come back to it later?
Absolutely! GSC isn't the last word in training, or even bodyweight training for that matter. By all means, branch out and incorporate any other forms of training you like.
I do recommend you take a planned break though. Give yourself a few weeks or a month or two off and then come back to it later on. Change is good, but random change can lead to inconsistency and unstable training habits which can compromise your long-term results.
An excellent way to go about changing your routine is to use a basic periodization template where you switch up your training every 4-6 weeks to focus your training on different, yet complementary methods. For example, you could spend 2 months on GSC and then switch to circuit training for a couple of months. After that, you can return to GSC and see if you've made any progress. This approach gives you both the variety you crave and the structure you need to ensure you don't wander around with random training plans.
Grind Style Calisthenics Page 10