2024 - 01 - 07
Escape Velocity Week 1 | Cross-Training BJJ, and Mobility
Austin Haedicke
aerobic-capacitystrengthcultivation
1283 Words | Read Time: 5 Minutes, 49 Seconds
2024-01-01 07:00 -0800
Mobility and hypertrophy were the main themes this week. I was traveling for the holidays and cross training at the gym I began BJJ / MMA at. With that in mind, the goals was simply to play and learn with uncommon training partners. On the strength and conditioning side I explored some new and old movements and pushed into a painful territory of chest / shoulder development.
Weekly Summary:
The week started with a capacity / movement test. The Death-By-Burpee was made a lot worse by the pre-fatigue movements (bear crawls), particularly if one lacks back and hip mobility which then puts more forward load on the shoulders.
The main grappling goals was to remain playful and curious in order to take advantage of cross training with partners that are different from my usual ones — both in terms of sizes and styles.
Friday’s strength / muscle endurance / hypertrophy session was a chest-wrecker that left me sore for a few days and made Sunday’s recovery work a welcome reprieve. Naturally, traveling through a small local fitness gym, the strength session drew some unwanted attention, albeit with respectful applause, from the locals.
Contents:
- Tuesday: Capacity - Death By Burpee test
- Wednesday: Mobility - testing / developing daily routine
- Thursday: BJJ - Cross Training (Gi)
- Friday: Strength Endurance / Hypertrophy - Escape Velocity 02
- Saturday: BJJ - Cross Training
- Sunday: Mobility / active recovery
2023-12-26: capacity, level 1
Intention: assess movement and accumulation capacity
Warm Up:
8 Minutes at Zone 2 (conversational pace), then
4 sets of:
10m Bear Crawl Forward
10m Bear Crawl Backward
10x 1-arm Kettlebell Swings (each side)
6x Inchworm push-ups
Work:
For Time:
Death By Burpee (EMOM, 0:00 - 0:59 = 1 burpee, 1:00 - 1:59 = 2 burpees, 2:00 - 2:59 = 3 burpees, etc. until you can’t complete the required reps in the minute).
Results: Austin
KB Swing: 20 lbs.
DBB: 14
Support: Breathwork - 5 min 10-10 nasal breathing, 5 min 6-6-12-6 nasal breathing
Notes:
Intention: Begin Escape Velocity program - ESC:0001, average for someone “familiar with the movement and with good conditioning is 15”, NonProphet record is 23.
What worked well, what allowed it:
I matched my prior DBB attempt (August 2023) despite not doing any capacity work and only a minimal amount of Zone 2 training.What didn’t work, why:
Limitations in hip mobility will cause excess loading of the shoulders, especially during the bear crawls. I didn’t fail because of cardio / respiration, it was the build up in my shoulders.Plan for next time:
Continue to develop hip mobility and thoracic extension. It would also probably be helpful to do more horizontal pressing (which I almost never do).
2023-12-27: capacity / movement, level 1
Intention: Recovery / explore / develop morning mobility routine, ~30 min today. Goal is 5 min daily routine.
Notes:
2023-12-28: sport, level 1
Intention: stay curious, learn from other black belts.
Warm Up:
45 minute Gi BJJ class: Cross-collar choke
- slap side of neck with top / cross grip
- for under-grip variation, trap defending arm with first elbow, switch to over-top variation
Work:
1-hour Gi open mat:
5 rounds: focus on occupying / closing armpit-space
Density: 25 (5 x 5 min rounds) / 60 min = 0.417
Total / Average Difficulty: 12 (2.4)
- White (1), Blue (2), Purple (3), Brown (4), Black (5)
Support:
Breathwork:
3 min - 10-10 nasal breath (both nostrils open)
3 min - 6-6-12-6 nasal breath (both nostrils open)
Notes:
What worked well, what allowed it:
Friends close, elbows closer. Grip fight everywhere.What didn’t work, why:
Some positional errors, allowing silly sweeps from side control; game geared towards sub-only.Plan for next time:
Take every roll serious, OR plan to work on a specific position and get / stay there.
2023-12-29: strength, level 2
Intention: hypertrophy, muscle endurance
Warm Up:
Pull Up x2
Push Up x8
Air Squat x12
Repeat for 10 min.
Work:
Bench Press 10-1
Row 7 calories between sets
For Time
Support:
12x Renegade Row (6 each side)
10m Weighted Bear Crawl
12x Devil Press
5 rounds; superset styleTechnical snatch work: 10 min
Breathwork: 5min of 10-10, 5 min of 6-6-12-6
Results: Austin
Warm Up: 11.5 rounds
Work: 18:30 (175#)
Support: 3 sets at 1 set at 35#, 2 sets at 20#, 2 sets at 15#
Notes:
What worked well, what allowed it:
While pressing isn’t a strong movement for me, the work sets got easier as the reps got below 5. The cardiovascular component was negligible.What didn’t work, why:
The support superset was devastating for the shoulders. I started conservatively with the “girl” load of 35# and still had to go down from there. This is a good facilitator of the “quit, don’t quit” conversation. I have places to be, I can negotiate outcomes, I can compromise technique, I can continue.Plan for next time:
The combination of pressing and planking definitely accumulated throughout this session. My horizontal pressing definitely needs development.
2023-12-30: sport, level 2
Intention: play, increase density
Warm Up: None
Work: 1.5 hour open mat, mixed BJJ
Results: Austin
Density = (8 x 6 min rounds) / 90 min total = 0.533
Total / Average Difficulty: 16 (2)
- White Belt (1), Blue Belt (2), Purple Belt (3), Brown Belt (4)
Support:
5 min mobility
5 min breathwork: 10-10 nasal
Notes:
What worked well, what allowed it:
Staying patient while passing DLR / Lasso-guard. Whizzer hard AF when someone tries to wrestle-up from bottom half guard — don’t do it half-way, put their face on the floor.What didn’t work, why:
Oddly, I was kind of sloppy with allowing underhooks while on top half-guard, but did a good job of setting up counters. Several times I still got swept and usually would return with a sweep+pass, but this isn’t a sustainable strategy with higher ranked opponents.Plan for next time:
Continue to grip fight from everywhere, all the time. Also, focus on doing things “all the way”, not sort of in or a little pressure, all of it, or pick another option.
2023-12-31: strength, level 1
Intention: explore movement, active recovery
Work:
2 x 5 clean-grip overhead squat
- PVC, 5 second pause at bottom, keep bar inline with base of neck
2 x 10 clean-grip strict press
- PVC, 5 second pause at bottom, focus on scapular constriction
3 x 5 Shoulder CARs on each side
- taking at least 30 seconds for each rep.
3 x 5 Hip CARs on each side
3 x 5 Ankle CARs on each side
2 x 60 seconds Table top lat-cow stretch
3x10m of each:
- Lunge (bodyweight)
- Alternating kick
- Single-leg Deadlift (bodyweight)
10 minutes of Third world squat (broken up as needed)
PAIL/RAIL Internal rotation of the hip
- 2 x 30 seconds, each side, each direction (4 min total)
Notes:
What worked well, what allowed it:
This was a good active recovery session. My hamstrings are extremely tight, and I’ve well documented my hip and ankle restrictions. These movements still felt good and the session was more engaging than purely passive stretching.What didn’t work, why:
I’m going to have to stay patient with these developments. Historically, I’ve gotten hyped up about “mobility” but eventually the flame fades — or, the opposite, I’ll take too minimalist of an approach and get frustrated when I don’t see the results I want.Plan for next time:
In the new year I’ll be adding 5 minutes of mobility to my daily routine. The Escape Velocity program has about 5 dedicated mobility sessions for the 6-week program. So, in addition do 5 minutes every day it will be a good idea to have every third or fourth training session be specifically dedicated to mobility development.