The Alchemy of CST®

by Adam Steer

The ancient pseudo-science of alchemy concerned itself largely with the transformation of matter, thus the infamous alchemist's pursuit of turning lead into gold. The cornerstone of alchemy is a three step process of analysis, deconstruction and reconstruction. The belief was that by understanding something and breaking it down into its most rudimentary elements, the substance could be recomposed in a different form. Although none of the alchemists ever succeeded in turning lead into gold, I believe that there exists a new alchemy called CST®, one which achieves very real and concrete transformational results. Applied to physical culture, the tenets of analysis, deconstruction and reconstruction will reap the new alchemist rewards far beyond gold. Physical, mental and emotional health will be the bounty of any who decide to delve into the tools of the new alchemist.

The opening to this discussion is somewhat melodramatic, but the analogy of alchemy recently struck me as being very apropos in relation to CST®. As I moved into the final circuit of my current THP, I came to reflect on a recurring theme of my entire CST® journey. I was amazed at how many examples I could compile in which I had gone from serious doubt about my capacity to perform a certain skill to the point where that skill was not only doable but, in some cases, easy.

For example, in this THP I wanted to achieve the Switch Shoulder Squat with the Bruiser (performed here by Coach Sonnon). At the outset the movement quite literally scared me. But I was not daunted, because I knew the formula! Analyze the skill, break it down into manageable pieces, and then eventually put it back together again. That is just what I did. I broke the skill down into simple Swings with the Bruiser (which I did in my A Circuit), and Cleans to Shoulder Park with the Bruiser, floor parking the Clubbell between reps and switching sides (which I did in my B Circuit). When I put the two back together into the Switch Shoulder Squat, not only could I do it but it felt immediately grooved. In fact, a cycle or two before I switched to the C Circuit I actually had to stop myself from naturally doing the completed movement. My body wanted to move to the more complex action.

That is just one of many examples of the quantum leaps that I’ve experienced in my CST® skill development. Because the system is incremental and always moves from the simple towards the complex there are very few limits, within reason, to what you can achieve with time, planning and intelligent work. I remember receiving my 15 lb Clubbells and thinking that I was in way over my head trying to do Arm Casts. Now I can twist around my 15s like a hot knife through butter. There was a time when I thought that I would never be able to do a Threading Bridge, but now I can run through the Spider Monkey flow from start to finish with great enjoyment. I can remember thinking that I really screwed up by purchasing a Bruiser after picking it up for the first time, but then I did a Density Cycle of Clockwork Squats with it. The list goes on. The point is that it doesn't matter where you are today. What matters is knowing where you want to go and understanding the formula of how to get there. Understand your goal, figure out how to break it down into chunks that jive with your current state, then, when the time is ripe, put it all back together again and reap the benefits.

The interesting side benefit of this approach to physical culture is the mental and emotional rewards to be harvested. Obviously, the body's bones, muscles, connective tissue and nervous system (and much more) benefit from this type of movement, but it goes much deeper. How does it make you feel to achieve, sometimes with ease, something that you thought you would never be able to do? Imagine the benefit to your self esteem of consistently breaking past the boundaries of what you currently think you are capable of. The implications are astounding. But there’s more. CST® does not hand you a list of exercises with a set and rep scheme. You don't have a cookie cutter formula to take with you from one machine to another. You actually have to think for yourself if you want to truly understand and excel within the framework of CST®. You have to understand yourself and where you need to go with your physical development. You have to research approaches that could get you there. You have to break down those approaches to bite sized and executable pieces, and then craft a plan, a THP, a map, to guide you on your way. Sometimes I actually feel more like an artist than an athlete when I am putting together a THP. That kind of mental exercise can do nothing but benefit our long-term prospects of staying sharp.

The dream of turning lead into gold may have been a fanciful pursuit, but CST® is a genuine path to significant personal transformation. Just as the alchemist studied matter in order to understand it, break it down into its most basic form and reconstitute it as something new, the CST® athlete must understand their goals in relation to their current capacities and then come up with an approach which breaks the goal into its composite parts, parts that can later be reconstituted into new personal milestones and achievements. Unlike the dead end rat race of conventional strength and conditioning, CST® challenges you to continually learn new skills and to teach your body to move in new ways. This means true transformation on every level.

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1

Publisher: Scott Sonnon - Senior Editor: Ryan Murdock

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