Why we Grease the Groove…

Pavel Tsatsouline is a former trainer for the Soviet Special Forces.  Pavel came up with a simple equation for getting better at particular exercises:

Specificity + Frequent Practice = Success

What does this mean?  It means you have to perform a specific exercise over and over again to get better at it.  As Pavel says, “if you want to get good at pull ups, why not try to do…a lot of pull ups?”  The key is not training to failure.  I think this is best explained with an example.  If you can perform a maximum of 10 pull ups, then you’ll want to train by performing 5-8 reps, 3-4 times per day, 4-6 days per week.  Heck, you could even hang a pull up bar in your doorway and just do 5 pull ups every time you walk through that door.  Now that’s practice!

Why does this work?  When you perform strength training, your muscles gradually get more efficient at the movement.  During this neurological process of getting more efficient, it becomes easier for your muscles to repeat that movement.  Hence, by doing more pull ups or more pushups, you get better at doing them.  This technique does not only work with bodyweight exercises either.  You can easily increase your bench press or squats by incorporating the same methodology.

IT IS FEVER TRADITION TO WALK INTO THE GYM.. PERFORM 5 DEADHANG PULL UPS & BEFORE YOU LEAVE POST WOD, PERFORM ANOTHER 5 DEADHANG PULL UPS!

You should not have to be reminded to GREASE THE GROOVE!