Question concerning Kurz DVD routine

[FutureProdigy]

I don’t quite understand the routine that Tom Kurz suggests in his DVD, Secrets of Stretching; I am trying to build a routine around it but need some help. He first starts off with preparation exercises he says we should do before pursuing one of the isometric routines - beginner, intermediate, advanced and very advanced (all of which have their own combinations of dynamic, relaxed and isometric stretches). I have the dvd video but I am still confused about trying to come up with a schedule. You do the early morning dynamic stretch every day this I know, but beyond this I am confused:

1) Do we also do ab/back extention work everyday? Even on top of the other back specific work (deadlifts, good mornings) ? Kurz makes mention of being able to do situps/crunches, and lying back extensions everyday.

2) Are we to continually do the exercises given in preparing for stretching once we begin one of the given 4 workout routines? What I mean is, the dynamic strength exercises are used to prepare your connective tissues ready for the isometric routines. So, if you're already at that stage and wish to improve flexibility, do you concentrate on the routine stretches themselves, given in the 4 workouts, and stop the preparation exercises (squats, adductor flys/pull downs, good mornings, deadlifts, situps, etc)? If not, when and how often do we do them? Do we do them before the isometric rountines as well or just the routines themselves?

3) In extension, how would I fit strength training into the schedule? Kurz mentions that squats, deadlifts, and good mornings are something we should do all year round but makes no mention on how to fit them into his purposed post preparation exercise routine. I would like to add squats, deads, and bench somehow year round. I was thinking of something along the lines of squat/bench (along with adductor pulldowns, calf raises and leg curls) on Tuesday, then bench/deadlift (along with good morning and back extensions) on Friday.

4) Lastly, how often do we do the preparation exercises before going on to do the isometric routines? The DVD says we do the isometric routines 2x a week but nothing of the frequency concerning the preparation ones.

5) Could someone help me design a routine built around the answers to these questions? Some background info which might help in the formation of a prescriptive routine… at the moment, I train kyokushin karate mon/wed and judo tues/thurs.

[FutureProdigy]

Basically, i need help in developing a routine based upon the above questions. Here's what ive come up with based on kurz method, my training/strength goals. What do you think?

1) technique or speed (kyokushin)
2) speed or strength (judo and weight lifting)
3) aerobic endurance (kyokushin)
4) active rest or technique (judo)
5) speed or strength (weight lifting)
6) aerobic endurance (running at the gym)
7) rest


weight lifting on Tuesday - squat (along with lunges front/back/side, adductor pulldowns, calf raises and leg curls)

weight lifting on Friday - bench/deadlift (along with good morning and back extensions and shoulder press)

where do i fit in the ab work - crunches, situps, and reverse crunches? Would i be able to do these every morning after the 'early morning workout' or should i do them less often? Kurz does make one disclaimer saying "abs/lower back done separately at end of workouts before stretching"... so do i only then do them 2x a week on tues/fri and thats it?

I got a lot of information from the video but am having a hard time putting together a set routine to follow.

[CSta]

I can answer some of your questions, or at least give you a little guidance. I also have the DVD and have been using it for about 18 weeks now. I have a workout plan, which I post in this topic area: "CSta's Training Log." You might wish to take a look at it. (I began posting the workouts a few weeks into my training.)

To help you answer some of your questions you might wish to read (for starters) the following articles in the Columns section off the main page: 17-19, 20-22, 29, 35, 42. There is a great deal of information packed in these articles, and if you are like me you will need to read them several times before all of the information sinks in.

With regard to some of your specific questions: "I) Do we also do ab/back extension work everyday?" I don't. I do abs and back 3 times/week. Every exercise I do, I do 3 times/week. (I don't do any other form of exercise, by the way, just the DVD.) Kurz states in Article 20: "Abdomen exercises can be done every other day, more often than deadlifts, squats, or presses because they are “local”—affect mainly the abdomen. Muscles of the abdomen recover faster than large muscles of the back, thighs, and buttocks, which are strongly affected by such exercises as squats and deadlifts."

"4) Lastly, how often do we do the preparation exercises before going on to do the isometric routines." I've been doing the preparation excerises for about 18 weeks, and I still do not do the isometric exercises. I do not feel my muscles are ready for such work. I plan on beginning the isometrics after I have been doing the preparation exercises for a few weeks (6-9) with loads that permit between 8 and 15 repetitions. I am just now beginning to add weight to my preparation exercises.

Sorry, I have more to say, but I'm being interrupted. Gotta go. Hope this has helped.

[CSta]

I'm back. Your question: At what point, if any, does one stop the preparation exercises? I believe the principle is, the muscles developed by the preparation exercises must be in sufficient shape to support the exercises that are more specifically for flexibility. For example, one's abs, lower back, and hip flexors must be strong enough before one may safely attempt adductor flys. If those muscles weaken to the point where doing adductor flys is no longer safe, then obviously they need to be strengthened. Thus, the preparation exercises (or similar exercises) need to be done at least as often as is needed to maintain the strength of the muscles that "support" the more flexibility geared exercises.

[FutureProdigy]

CSta - pragmatically speaking, how does this look - does it work according to Kurz's principles?

Monday: kyokushin karate

Tuesday:
Judo
sit ups
crunches
reverse crunches
back extensions (on floor)
adductor flys

wednesday: kyokushin karate

Thursday:
Judo
Squats 2 sets
lounges 3 sets (1 each of back, forward, side)
Deadlifts 2 sets (very light)
Chair Back extensions (very light) 2 sets
Leg curls 2 sets
adductor pulldowns 2 x 20-25 reps
sit ups
crunches
reverse crunches


Friday:
Aerobic exercise keeping heart rate (180-age) at range for 20 mins.


Saturday
Wide grip flat bench 2 sets
hammer grip db press 2 sets
overhead extension 2 sets
Shoulder press 2 sets
db side laterals 1-2 x 10reps light
db front raises 1-2 x 10reps light


Sunday:
Pullups 2x till failure
Dead lifts 2 sets
goodmornings 2 sets
Shrugs 2 sets
Squats (very light)
hammer curls or reverse curls 2 x 8-12reps
sit ups
crunches
reverse crunches

[CSta]

1) In some of your workouts, I notice an error in the order of exercises. When you perform an exercise (say, a squat) some muscles work as primary movers (your quadricepts) and some muscles work as supporting muscles (your abs and back). You do not want to perform exercises that exhaust the supporting muscles (crunches, back extensions) before you perform the exercises for the muscles they support. In Article 19, Kurz states the general order of exercises for the mid section and legs: "[F]irst you should do leg exercises (ending them with isometric stretches for splits when you are strong enough), then hip flexors, then lower back, and at the very end the exercises such as crunches for your abdomen. If you do sit-ups with weights, do them before lower back exercises because for this exercise you will need the full strength of your back. Sit-ups exercise both the abdomen and hip flexors so they should be done together with other hip flexor exercises. "

Thus, for Tuesday: adductor flys, back extensions, sit-ups (without weights), crunches, reverse crunches.

2) Keep in mind that some exercises for a particular muscle group are more difficult than others. For example, back extensions on the floor are easier than back extensions on a bench. In Article 19, Kurz's back progression goes, back extensions on the floor, then extensions on the bench, then good mornings, then deadlifts. I notice that you are doing all of these back exercises. Personally, I stick to his recommended progression, particularly because Article 19 applies to conditioning for combat sports, and I am training for taekwondo. You might wish to do the same.

3) Keep in mind that some muscles must be conditioned before others because they act as supporting muscles. For example, your abs, back, and hip flexors will support your adductors in adductor flys. Thus, your abs, back, and hip flexors must be of sufficient strength so that you may perform adductor flys safely and with good form. If your abs, back, and hip flexors are not strong, you might want to consider holding off on the adductor flys.

4) I cannot stress enough the importance of reading Kurz's articles. The DVD largely presumes such knowledge. Not having that knowledge could mean the difference between success and failure. Start out with articles 17-19 and 29. I also recommend reading his sports science book, "The Science of Sports Training," and sports training books by other authors (see the Athlete's Bookshelf link in Kurz's articles).

[FutureProdigy]

Thanks CSta. I read the articles you suggested and then tried to tweak the routine to suit those recommendations. I used to powerlift and bodybuild back in high school so i want to use a 3 day split and then modify it to fit kurz goals - this is why i added deads and squats in 2x (which i normally wouldnt do). After reading all the information i was once again a bit confussed so this is why i decided to write something up a bit more definite and get some more input on it.

[FutureProdigy]

CSta, i got another quick question: After reading some of the column literature and watching the dvd i am still confused. Heres where I'm a bit confused. I see pictures of kids doing splits in the testimonial section and i know all kinds of kids that take gymnastics and can do full splits, yet i also know that these same people would not have followed the routine given (in relation to preparatory exercises). These children would not have been doing squats, deadlifts, goodmornings and adductor pulldowns; yet they were still able to achieve the full splits. Must we really wait till we can lift the given weights before we start the isometric stretching? I dont imagine a child was lifting 1.5-2x their weight before they started their respective stretching routines.