Issue 15

Joe D, Sun Fearlessness, A New Study, Zone 2 Challenge And The Event Of The Year

What is happening fam!

We have a BIG one for you today jammed with all the goodies.

Today we’re covering:

• The Industrial Strength Show 🎙️

• A thought from Arnold 💬

• Supersets vs Straight Sets, a new study 📑

• A Zone 2 Conditioning Challenge 🏃‍♀️

• Join us in October!

Now, Let's dive in!

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THE WARM UP | JOE DEFRANCO

By Jason Brown

One of the most influential coaches in my career as a coach was and still is, Joe DeFranco.

Joe catapulted to fitness fame in 2008 with his program Westside for Skinny Bastards as it was a sensation over on t-nation.com.

I spent many hours of my life reading every word Joe put out…all written articles back in the day.

Studying the way he programmed among some of the other greats like Waterbury and Poliquin was one of the ways I learned.

So getting an invite to come on Joe’s podcast last July was a huge honor.

I’m bringing this one back for those who have not heard it, and here’s some important timestamps:

8:50 – Jason Brown joins the show | Podcast begins…

9:35 – Jason’s training background & early influences

19:30 – Jason’s experience w/ Crossfit

26:45 – The value of providing free content online

31:05 – What aspects of Crossfit training does Jason no longer program

39:30 – Benefits of aerobic conditioning & how Jason incorporates Zone 2 cardio into his programs

49:25 – Why Jason sold his beloved Elitefts T-Bar Row machine?

51:25 – The main reason why Jason switched from an Upper/Lower split to Full Body split

52:20 – Examples of how to make your Zone 2 cardio less boring

57:10 – Training variability | Why Joe & Jason prefer 3-4 week training blocks

1:05:40 – Why & When Joe and Jason incorporate chains into their programs

1:10:45 – One of the most overlooked traits of a great coach

1:16:45 – How to keep clients longterm and grow your business “from within”

1:20:05 – The 4 “R’s” of growing your business

Listen to Episode 428 of the Industrial Strength Show with Joe D & Jason Brown

THE MAIN LIFT | A THOUGHT

 By Dani Brown

"The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens."

-Arnold Schwarzenegger

THE PUMP | SUPERSETS V STRAIGHT SETS

By Jason Brown

Recently, I came across a post by Dr. Brad Schoenfeld regarding a study on supersets.

This study found that supersets are not only just as effective for strength and hypertrophy when compared to performing a single exercise, but they also offer the obvious benefit of being more time-efficient.

Now, I don’t believe this is the ‘end-all’ approach, and I’m not suggesting that you should only use supersets in your programming.

However, I do want to address that many high level coaches have been advocating the benefits of performing one exercise at a time with long rest intervals between sets, claiming it is the ONLY and BEST WAY to train for hypertrophy.

While there is some merit to this approach, it is simply one way of doing things.

What about those pressed for time?

What about those who don’t care as much about hypertrophy?

What about those newer to training?

There are many questions to consider when choosing an approach; blindly stating that there’s one way to hit the goal post is silly.

Now that we have a study supporting the efficacy of supersets, does that mean they are the only way?

Absolutely not.

If supersets are effective, would the same be true for giant sets or circuits?

Possibly.

To sum up, here are some recommendations that address a variety of goals:

• Strength Gains: Train one main lift (squat, clean, bench, deadlift, press) with 2-3 minutes of rest between heavier sets.

• Power Gains: Train for speed with one main lift, resting 90 seconds to 2 minutes between sets.

• Size Gains: Utilize push/pull supersets with 45-60 seconds of rest between sets.

• Efficiency: Use giant sets or circuits if you train from home, want to be efficient with your time, and are less concerned with strength/power gains.

Sample Full-Body Sessions: 

• Strength & Power

  • Main Lift (Speed or Heavy)

  • Assistance Lift for Main Lift

  • Remaining body-part giant set

  • Abdominal Work

• Hypertrophy Gains

  • Push/Pull Supersets (e.g., Squat & Row, Press & Hinge)

• Work Capacity Gains

  • Full Body Circuit (e.g., squat, pull-up, press, carry) plus 1-2 accessory movements to finish (e.g., hinge & direct triceps)

I’ll never be a coach that ‘dies on a hill’ with one approach…both have merit in this argument.

THE COOL DOWN | ZONE 2 CHALLENGE

By Jason Brown

There was a time I wouldn’t touch long conditioning sessions with a 10ft pole.

Now, you won't see me go a week without it.

Knowing what I now understand about conditioning, I could never not include it in my training.

It’s one of the simplest ways to boost your endurance, performance, and strength all with less than 2 hours per week, especially when paired with a great strength plan.

What happens when you do Zone 2 work?

• Efficient Energy Use: Z2 training primarily uses fat and some carbs for energy, enhancing your body's ability to use glucose efficiently. More efficient energy use means less fatigue.

• Enhanced Cellular Function: this type of training improves the function and density of mitochondria—the powerhouses of your cells—leading to increased energy production.

• Boosted Cognitive Function: Z2 training also increases brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF), which support cognitive functions like learning and memory.

Now fortunately for women, they can reap the same benefits as men can from Z2 work doing a little less.

For women, 60-90 minutes per week will be a huge improvement, and for men, 90-120 minutes each week. And of course, wear your heart monitor so that you know for certain, you are in Z2.

Zone 2 is between 60–70% of your maximum heart rate (HR max). For example, if you're 35 years old, your zone 2 heart rate would be around 111–130 beats per minute. It should feel slow and easy.

When I look at the training stats of my athletes on EVOLV in TrainHeroic, the conditioning compliance is significantly lower than on the strength training days.

Here’s a challenge, specifically for those of who know deep down in your little heart that you should be doing conditioning but typically don’t…

==> For the entire month of July, do all prescribed conditioning sessions. For EVOLV and CXC that’s two days each week.

I’ll even make it interesting: anyone on one of my teams that completes all conditioning sessions for the month of July, we’ll enter you into a random drawing to win a $250 Amazon gift card.

(*the optional Saturday in EVOLV or Sunday recovery in CXC are NOT required)

Are you in?

Let me know with a post in the athletes group ==> JBC Athletes.

COACHES NOTES  

The Vigor Fitness & Business Summit page is LIVE, and I can’t even tell you how PUMPED I am to present at this one. I’m not doing just any presentation; Luka and I are running something I’ve dreamed of:

A live programming presentation where we literally help coaches write a program start to finish, giving insight into how WE think when we design client programs.

I would only agree to do this type of thing with a handful of people; Luka is one of them.

Check out the details here. I even think Dani will come with our three kiddos 😃 and we’d love to meet you.

As always, thank you for reading this week’s issue of E-WOD!

See you next week and remember, results are king! 

JB + DB 

PS - if you have a moment would you give us your opinion on E-WOD? There may be a free gift involved 😌⇩