Have you heard of a training method called grease the groove (GTG)? If not, it may just be the exact method you need to learn any calisthenic skill, or progress in any exercise. In this article, we will go over everything you need to know about grease the groove, and why you should incorporate this training technique into your daily life.
What Is Grease The Groove?
At its core, Grease the Groove revolves around the principle of frequent, submaximal repetitions of a specific exercise throughout the day. Unlike traditional training methods that emphasize exhaustive sets and muscle fatigue, GTG focuses on quality repetitions performed with minimal fatigue.
The idea behind grease the groove is to practice the movement pattern and gradually build strength and proficiency without inducing fatigue or muscle soreness. This is effective for improving technique, increasing neural adaptation, and building endurance without overtaxing the body. It’s often used for exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, or squats, where the goal is to increase the number of repetitions one can perform with good form.
Why Does Grease The Groove Work?
Rather than pushing to muscle failure in a single workout session, GTG prioritizes frequency. The exercise is performed multiple times throughout the day, with each set stopping well before exhaustion. This allows users to focus on their form and their body to build the neural adaptations required to improve at a specific exercise.
The execution of many high-quality repetitions throughout the day reinforces neural pathways for efficient movement. The low fatigue and soreness from each set allow users to have a higher total training volume with better form than they would be doing fewer sets at maximum fatigue and higher reps.
To put it simply, grease the groove focuses on performing many high quality reps and building a more efficient neural pathway for muscle activation.
Example Of Grease The Groove For Pull Ups
The best example of grease the groove would be for someone looking to improve their pull ups. If the maximum number of reps they can perform is 8, they would perform 1 set of 4 pull ups every few hours with a goal to do 7 -10 total sets.
Applying Grease the Groove to Calisthenics Skills
Grease the groove can be applied to any exercise, that includes calisthenics skills like the Front lever, planche, handstand, and max rep muscle ups.
For isometric skills like the front lever, instead of repetitions, you will be holding the position for time and sometimes performing a previous progression. If a person has a 4 second front lever hold and wants to increase their hold time they have several options. They could hold the full front lever for 2 seconds throughout the day, or they can hold the straddle front lever for between 4 and 8 seconds per set.
When applying grease the groove to isometric calisthenics skills, you need to be sure you are performing the skill or progression with perfect form to achieve the maximum benefits of this training technique. This is why you have the option of cutting your hold time for your current progression or using a previous progression for the same or longer hold time. Depending on the isometric skill and your own skill level, you will need to decide which option to choose. If you’re not sure, try both and see which stimulus your body reacts better to.
How Long Does It Take To See Benefits From Grease The Groove?
The benefits of Grease the Groove training typically start becoming noticeable within a few weeks of consistent practice. Initially, practitioners often experience an immediate improvement in technique as they engage in frequent repetitions throughout the day, refining their form and movement patterns. Within the first week or two, individuals may also observe an increase in strength, particularly in the muscles targeted by the chosen exercise. Even when performing skills, it’s common to increase isometric holding times by up to 3 seconds in as a little as 4 weeks.
More difficult skills may require more time to see results but over time grease the groove can develop the requisite strength, coordination, and neuromuscular control necessary to master any exercise. Overall, while individual timelines may vary, the consistent application of grease the groove principles can lead to noticeable improvements in skill proficiency and physical performance.
More Benefits of Grease The Groove
Here are more benefits to applying grease the groove in your training program.
- Enhanced Skill Acquisition: By practicing movements frequently throughout the day, you reinforce neural pathways, leading to faster skill acquisition.
- Improved Technique: With a focus on perfect form and submaximal effort, GTG helps refine technique and movement efficiency.
- Prevents Overtraining & Fatigue: Since each set is performed with submaximal effort, Grease the Groove minimizes fatigue accumulation, reducing the risk of soreness overtraining.
- Convenient and Time-Efficient: Grease the groove can be seamlessly integrated into daily routines, requiring minimal time commitment for each set.
Grease The Groove Rep & Hold Time Recommendations
If you’re not sure how many reps you should be performing when starting grease the groove, use this table as a guide. We have also created a table for isometric hold times. These are recommendations, based on our findings and implementation of grease the groove. Individual results and effectiveness may vary.
Grease The Groove Number of Reps
| Maximum Reps | Target Grease The Groove Reps |
|---|---|
| 3 | 1 |
| 4 | 1 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 2 |
| 7 | 3 |
| 8 | 4 |
| 9 | 4 |
| 10 | 5 |
| 11 | 6 |
| 12 | 6 |
| 13 | 7 |
| 14 | 7 |
| 15 | 8 |
Grease The Groove Isometric Hold Times
| Maximum Hold Time (Seconds) | Target Grease The Groove Isometric Hold Time |
|---|---|
| <4 | Perform an easier progression for 8 seconds |
| 5-8 | 2-4 seconds |
| 9-15 | 4-8 seconds |
| 15-20 | 6-10 seconds |
| 20-30 | 8-14 seconds |
| 30-45 | 10-20 seconds |
| 45-60 | 15-25 seconds |
| 60-90 | 20-30 seconds |
| 90-150 | 30-45 seconds |
| 150-240 | 60-90 seconds |
| 240-300 | 75-120 seconds |
| 300+ | 50% max hold time |
Other Training Techniques Like Grease The Groove
Grease the Groove training provides a highly effective approach for honing calisthenics skills, allowing practitioners to achieve remarkable progress with minimal fatigue and on their own time. By embracing the high frequency, submaximal effort, and focus on technique inherent in GTG, you can unlock new levels of strength and build more optimal neaural pathways. Follow our calisthenic blog to learn more about grease the groove and other training techniques.
