Scorpion, Pull Ups and Kung Fu (Ft. SAMULI)

July 25, 2018 by VAHVA Fitness

VAHVA physiques in action. Featuring the co-founder Samuli! Also answers to several important questions.

Our last couple of videos have generated lots of good discussion and new questions. Here are answers to many of them.

Bodyweight or weight, which one do you use?

We use dominantly bodyweight but we also don't shy away from weights. We may use small weights, kettlebells and other tools in our training. 

The reality is that both work but we have found that the bodyweight movements work better for most purposes. Weights are often used as a tool for stability training and for more precise targeting. 

For example, Movement 20XX is 100% bodyweight training and works perfectly well. Athlete 20XX is 70% bodyweight training and 30% weights. Both work.

The black and white thinking that it has to be either one is a clear illogical limitation that makes zero sense. 

We do limitless training and it is at a level where it doesn't even matter so much what you do but how you do it. Bodyweight training works but if you use it badly, it will produce bad results.

Is skill training all bad?

In the skill vs. strength training article we made a clear distinction between what is skill training and what is strength training. 

There is no problem with skill training (bodyweight skills, lifting heavy etc.) per se. In fact, a great deal of Movement 20XX is skill training because it's useful, fun and has benefits in many areas of fitness (coordination, body control, spatial awareness etc.)

The problem is prioritizing skill training and not understanding the difference. When you prioritize skill training, you are sacrificing your health, posture and joint health for skill development.

The proper strength training (that almost no one is doing) should be the foundation and the priority. From this foundation you will make the best progress and do it in a way that is not in a conflict with your body. 

People who focus primarily on skill training may make good progress in the short term but later hit continuous plateaus in their training, hurt their joints and just get worse results overall. 

In conclusion, skill training is fun and beneficial to do but the current obsession with skills is unhealthy and shows a lack of intelligence.

What is your problem with calisthenics?

We don't have any problem with calisthenics exercises (they are great as a part of training) but how they are done in the current street workout phenomenon is not good.

The problem is not just the exercise selection and the obsession with skills but the whole methodology. There is too much over-emphasis on bar exercises and there are many problems in programming: proper intensity, volume and frequency.

You say lifting heavy causes bad form, but it's possible to lift heavy with a good form.

The problem is that this never happens in practice. If we were to look at the form that is used, in one second we would see 10 different problems to fix.

Once these problems are fixed, the weight would drop so low that the person would not consider it heavy lifting anymore.

In the video you saw us doing lots of basic exercises. The mastery of these basics is everything. If you cannot do a proper bodyweight squat, you cannot do a heavy squat.

Moreover, there are levels to the form standards. What most people consider good form is bad form for us.

We believe in the form and training principles because these will dictate the results, not the weight. The body has no idea how much you are lifting but it cares about the stimulus.

Ultimately, we care about the results, not the medium. 

What are your objectives?

We have personal goals but our goal with VAHVA Fitness is to prove these three objectives:

1: Our training methodology and style work at the highest level.
2: Our training methodology and style can take a person who has never exercised before to a high level with enough time and effort (this is soon proved - stay tuned).
3: Our training methodology and style will make any person strong, healthy and functional.

Because everything we do is universal, the method works for every body type, gender and age. Eventually our method will be used by pro athletes because the method has no limitations. 

When it comes to personal goals, we are feverishly working on Mixed Martial Arts.

I want to join Athlete 20XX but it's too expensive.

Athlete 20XX is underpriced at the moment for the depth, uniqueness, results and quality of the training system. You can't compare it with anything out there and people have no idea what is really is and what it can do for you. 

It's up to you to decide how much you want to invest in transforming your body and ability to move. You will get what you pay for. What is free is not a good level.

Movement 20XX is a great entry-level program that can produce great results. 

What is the background of Samuli?

This will be extensively covered in a future video!

What is the biggest problem with the mainstream fitness?

Bad advice: "STOP DOING THIS" is the cheapest form of authority and just spreads false and bad information. 

Another problem is the obsession with skills and not the body.

A lot of people are also saying their training is something other than it is. A training style that focuses on lifting heavy is not functional or athletic. A training style that prioritizes bar exercises and handstands is not functional or athletic either. 

What we do is functional and athletic. We are not talking about how to learn the iron cross (an advanced gymnastic skill). Most teachers shouldn't talk about how good their style is for athleticism, functionality, posture or health either.

Giving shortcut information is also a problem. Everything is always about the shortcut. The problem is that these shortcuts don't work. The sooner you stop wasting your time on shortcuts, the quicker you will make progress.

There is always "1 fix" for diet. 1 fix for all injuries, 1 fix for mobility, 1 fix for strength and 1 fix for everything.

These shortcuts are all gimmicks that almost never work. What works is the big picture. This is, by the way, almost impossible for most trainers and students to understand. 

The reason it's hard to understand because there isn't 1 thing that makes it work. It's the integration, interaction and synchrony of every element that makes our method work.

This is the reason why you can't just take bits and pieces from different sources and try to glue them together. Doesn't work.

The old quote: "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts" is correct.

Train hard, stay safe.



samuli jyrkinen

About the author 

Samuli Jyrkinen

Samuli is the ninja behind the scenes (photography, videography, websites, program platforms and more). He has been training religiously for over a decade and has a firm grasp of physical and mental fitness. You will find our story here.

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  • Finally ! It is great to see Samuli in physical action. May he keep both his mental and spiritual powers intact so that he can realize elevated physical prowess.

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