The bear as suggested by coach Davies sounds like just the thing to get squats back in my program without a squat rack. But the question remains. where in the week does it go? Leg day? Push day? The problem is the same with all the compound lifts how do I integrate them into my routine. would something like the bear stand alone? What do the rest of you do?
I think this is a great question.
I have found that I can get sloid form if I do a delt and core strength warm up exercise first.
My shoulders seem more able to go through the range of motion more fluid, and my core primed to hold my posture better.
I have tried doing it on the same day as squats and /or deads.
Squats I found where too much
I was far too warn out.
But if I did dead lifts after I found it to work out well.
My personal advice but I would like to hear what Coach D would say.
I like to do it on an upper body day.
I also like to use the bear as an Active recovery workout on “off” days.
However you have to go very light to utilize this ass kickin exercise for restoration.
E you can Bear on me anyday,
JA
I would also like to hear from coach Davies
Hey All,
The bear can help find some weak areas, at least as those weak areas relate to the bear motions. I would do the bear a few times find out what hurts the most and then place the bear accordingly. You can also find what supplemental exercises may be beneficial as well.
Since it is a complex, it can fit in anywhere.
Experiment with it and have ?fun?
Peace,
T-Ren
Thanks E, Jack and T. That helps a bit.
First off, let me say that as a skinny man, that this excercise is awesome! It makes you feel great during and after you perform it. I personally am throwing it in on an upper body day. But, I think with all the squatting you can throw it in on a leg day too. It is just a great almost full body movement. Just my 2 cents…
Ko and I simply have a “Bear Day”. Just make sure that you have an off day afterwards as your shoulders won’t be worth a damn.
I agree with Patricia and Ko on this one. I’ll have a bear-day-Friday now and then to finish off the week feeling like I really earned the weekend.
“Friday is Bear day and
Bear day is Beer day”
My mantra between sets. Started westside now, so I don’t know where I could fit it in anymore, but Friday may still work.
My RT program is set more along the lines for whole-body type workouts focusing on the power lifts (squat, bench, deadlift).
The bear is performed every other week after performing bench presses and deadlifts.
Funny coincidence. I was IMing a friend who had just read the Bear article last night, and was asking me where to put it. I said I thought of it as a full-body workout that shouldn’t be mixed with too much else.
At the same time I was IMing, I was perusing TForums and came across this thread!
E~,
With deadlifts, huh? I actually tried it for the first time on deadlift day yesterday. (I guess deadlifting made me brave.) That experience is what convinced me to consider it a full-body workout and do it on its own.
Patricia,
The off day afterward is definitely the right idea!
I tried it with a light weight yesterdsy to get the form down properly and the hardest part was counting! so does anyone have any tricks for keeping track of reps?
FSM:
yeah:
1, 2, 3, 4…and so it goes.
Hope this helps.
Well it will be a while before I work this into my training. Not sure where either. Keep up the posts though. Every bit of info helps. 
I have been doing a routine that splits the upper amd lower body into seperate days. So I do an upper body day, then a lower body day, and then I do a bear day before I take a day off. It seems to aid in recovery and give me that little something extra to promote growth just before a rest day. The bear seems like a light but still challenging leg workout, and a hard upper body workout all in one so it seemed logical to do it following a heavy leg day to help recovery and after my upper body had a day off so that it wouldn’t get double whammied. Seems to be working pretty well for me. I really like the bear so I look forward to doing it twice a week.
Hey Patricia,
I definitely agree with you on keeping the bear only day if the load is heavy enough. I vary on how I use it. Mostly I use it as a dynamic warm-up with anywhere from 1-3 sets of 3 revolutions. I also vary from 1 - 3 days a week. I currently do one set of 3 revs 3 days a week and mix in 1 - 2 other complexes before I move onto squats/bench or military press/ or deadlift, depending on the day. I’m only using about 30-40 % load right now focussing on the exploding aspect.
My wife liked it as a bear only day for 4 sets of 5-6 revs. “Amazingly harsh for so short a time” is pretty much what she said.
Peace,
T-Ren
just saw this post - so I apologize for not responding earlier. Maybe I should have some fun and post “The Bear” on Indo or Swiss Ball - but that would be just spark way too much of an argument. : )
I want mention further to emphasize bar-speed. A common problem is not observing the prescribed loads - major error. Over the long run with these types of movements can have a very profound impact on your development if done properly.
First for those who follow my strength routines as Nate noted - I don’t break things into upper/lower movements. The body works as a complete unit and if there is one lift that is a total body movement - this is it.
Jackass - don’t try this as active recovery. Far too taxing and technical demanding - if you wish to utilize a relatively similar concept. I would suggest these for your fighters to start:
- “the bear” with lighter load kbells
- Clubbells (10 or 15 lbs), PC to Attn/Squat to Arm Pit Cast (visit my site for an mpeg)
- follow both with the med ball circuit in my books
Now a big question for any of you. Did any of you actually try with the “Hamstring from Hell” and “Man of Steel” articles that I suggested? Give it try and get back to me.
Would it be helpful if I pieced it within the context of other training articles I have written here?
Finally, I am going to stress again - bar speed and explode.
I look forward to hearing from you.
In faith,
Coach Davies
I disagree Davies. You could easily make the bear a restoration movement. With light loads it is NOT taxing – obviously.
That’s what I am talking about Landon, I use lighter loads, if I went heavier there is no way I could do it twice a week but I am just learning OLY lifts so I probably couldn’t go much heavier even if I wanted to. With the lighter loads it feels alot like active recovery to me, as well as helping me to improve on my overhead pressing strength which is a weak area for me.
Hey,
Landon, what percent of loading are you using and how is the bar speed when you do it?
Peace,
T-Ren