Trap bar high pulls (wider handles than the bar I have been using):
8x3 w/260lbs . . wanted to do 10 sets but it just wasn’t moving as explosively as I wanted towards the end so I dropped the weight to 170 and did one set of 6 after the working sets here
Incline bench Y raises:
4x12 w/20s
Seated rear delt flyes:
3x15 w/15s
will take tomorrow and Tuesday off from lifting now and I think I’m going to substitute back squats on Wednesday for Zerchers to keep the emphasis on the ‘yoke’ look
my upper back was a little sore going into this one and I those pendlay rows pushed it too far, think I strained my traps slightly . . I’m worried what it’s going to feel like in the morning . . might call this program here and go back to Meadows next week . . we’ll see what I feel like tomorrow but I decided that I’m going to run Avalanche next and then Brian Alsruhes Darkhorse after that
definitely a strain in my upper back . . gonna be in real discomfort the next couple days . . going to take the weekend off and hopefully I can start Avalanche on Monday
That’s awesome! I always wondered how that program was! I believe that’s the last true Bodybuilding program John built before his untimely passing. I’m sure it’s great!
I’ll let you know . . I’m thinking I might swap out one of the pump days for a sandbag day, carries and shouldering . . been watching some Alsruhe videos lately and am really being drawn to the more explosive stuff . . my plans are to rotate Meadows programs and heavy programs like Alsruhe and Juggeryoke for example
Ok, training ADD took over . . strained my left lower trap and after a couple trips to the chiropractor it’s better but still not 100% . . been watching a lot of Alsruhe videos over the last week so I bought Darkhorse and that’s what we’re running . . I did a couple workouts over the past 10 days like some lighter sandbag work and some arm stuff, lateral raises, rear delts, etc. but back to a serious program today and it felt awesome . . love the feeling of training like an athlete
9/14/24: 1030am workout
Darkhorse Week 1 Day 1
5 total rounds w/2:00 min rest between rounds
worked up to 1RM Pin Press @185lbs (bar set right at the point of my nose)
3 weighted pull-ups working up to a top set of BW+90lbs
:20 sec battle ropes after each round not thrilled with the weight here as I was shooting for 200lbs but I’ll get there
10 mins EMOM
3x flat bench press @115lbs + doubled over blue Rogue bands
10x DB squeeze press w/90s
15x Db lateral raises w/25s
160ft Waiters walk w/53lb KB (each side)
:90 sec rest
12x Db squeeze press w/80s
15x Db lateral raises w/20s
160ft Waiters walk w/53lb KB (each side)
:90 sec rest
12x Db squeeze press w/80s
15x Db lateral raises w/20s
I’m really going to like this program if my left trap can handle it . . felt fine during the workout but can tell it’s tight now, tomorrow will be the real test with 3RM rack pulls and some rows as assistance . . cut the volume down to 2 sets as opposed to 3 to make sure I can recover, after the first wave I’ll bump it up to 3
Not interacted before but saw you’re running my favourite program, so I’m in for a follow, I haven’t read much of your journal though, so excuse the question asked in ignorance, no ab work?
Hey sounds good . . it called for V sit-ups between sets of banded bench press today but being that heavy rack pulls and banded squats are tomorrow and not being 100% physically I opted out . . I’ll do the majority of the an work going forward especially on lower days . . any advice for this program being that you’ve run it before?
Excited to see you run an Alsruhe program. Always been interested in doing so but never pulled the trigger. Tough in a commercial gym. These programs look so fun though
Not too much, nothing surprising anyway - it’s hard all round so prioritise recovery, it’s also fanatically effective. Also given how long the sessions went on for (and how ruined I was) I never did the assistance work, Brian stated in his video that assistance was optional, I will definitely re-run it at some point, and when I do I’ll make sure it’s at a point in life where I’ve got enough time to hit the assistance work as well.
Try and have fun (in between lying on the floor gasping and sweating that is!)
Yeah the one gym I go to is out in the country so there’s never many people there and they have a huge turf room that’s good for loaded carries, bear crawls, sled pulling/pushing, etc. . . only problem is it’s not 24 hours so I’m a member at a 24 hr one too so days like today I can go early in the morning before church and the boys football game
Appreciate it! For the first wave I think I’m just going to do 2 volume sets as opposed to 3 to try and manage recovery and then if I feel good I’ll do all 3 starting in the 2nd wave
10 mins EMOM
3x SSB squat @140 lbs + doubled over blue Rogue bands
3 box jumps (30”)
2 rounds
12x Uni-lateral chest supported rows w/125lbs each side
10x Db RDLs w/105s
BW - 203
was hoping to work up a little heavier on the block pulls but I haven’t deadlifted in a looong time so I’ll take it . . I felt great during the session but my traps stiffened up pretty good now, I’ll keep aloe cream on it today to try and keep the muscles relaxed . . love this style of training, I was absolutely drenched in sweat til I was done
10 mins EMOM
3x Strict press w/60lbs + doubled over red bands
3x pull-ups . . might have went too heavy with the doubled over bands here . . will try moving the pins lower and not doubling the bands over next session
Assistance
20 Dips w/BW+45lbs
8 Db pullovers w/85lb Db
10 Cable chest flyes (lo to high)
:30 sec rest
15 Dips w/BW+45lbs
8 Db pullovers w/85lb Db
10 Cable chest flyes (lo to high)
called it here as it was 6:20am and I had to get moving
felt good doing the heavy rows but my upper back muscles stiffened up some on the ride home . . will put some heat on it tonight before bed and keep moving forward . . definitely going to try a different set-up on the banded presses next session as I think the tension at the top was a fair bit heavier than 50% of my 1RM
had a scoop and a half of Surge intraworkout then breakfast was a 5 egg omelette with uncured ham and smoked cheddar, a hunk of a porterhouse steak leftover from last night, and a bowl of oatmeal with whey powder . . lunch will be a 1/2lb of pulled chicken, another small piece of steak and a good sized serving of mashed potatoes
5 Wide-stance Box Squat (parallel box)
w/100lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/120lbs each hand
2 mins rest
5 squats w/140lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/140lbs each hand
2 mins rest
5 squats w/190lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/160lbs each hand
2 mins rest
5 squats w/230lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/180lbs each hand
5 squats w/280lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/180lbs each hand
2 mins rest
5 squats w/320lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/180lbs each hand
2 mins rest
5 squats w/345lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/180lbs each hand
10 squats w/280lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
50ft Farmers Walk w/180lbs each hand
10 squats w/280lbs
3 burpee pull-ups
5 Barbell Ab rollouts
10 mins EMOM
Deadlift w/185lbs + doubled over green bands
10 mins EMOM
3 Front foot elevated split squats each side w/45lb Dbs
this was really draining but really fun at the same time . . probably could’ve worked up a little higher on the ME squats but just kept thinking about all the work to come
work up to 3RM seated Db press
5x press w/25s
5x BW pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts w/35lb KB (each side)
2 mins rest
5x press w/45s
5x BW pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts each side
2 mins rest
3x press w/60s
3x BW+35lbs pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts each side
2 mins rest
3x press w/75s
3x BW+60lbs pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts each side
2 mins rest
3x press w/85s
3x BW+80lbs pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts each side
2 mins rest
3x press w/95s
3x BW+80lbs pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts each side
8+ press w/75s (12)
6x BW+60lbs pull-ups
5x Kb uppercuts each side
2 mins rest
8x press w/75s
6x BW+60lbs pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts each side
2 mins rest
8x press w/75s
6x BW+45lbs pull-ups
5x KB uppercuts each side
10 mins EMOM
3x BB bench w/135lbs + doubled blue bands
3x Decline sit-ups
3 rounds:
12x DB squeeze press w/85s
15x Db lateral raises w/25s (20s on last set)
150ft Waiters walk w/53lb KB each side
BW - 201
haven’t been this low in years and I’m not trying to lose weight either . . going to have to start eating more to keep up with the demands of this program
