Junk volume = sarcoplasmic hypertrophy = transient swelling = not real muscle gain.
Ive seen a lot of people make great progress after eliminating too much junk volume.
4/21/24: 200pm workout
Phase 3 Legs
Front squats:
3x15 w/155lbs . . should’ve went a little heavier here but didn’t want to miss reps
BB step-ups:
3x10 each side w/115lbs . . really focused on not pushing off with the opposite foot here at all
Seated leg curls:
3x8 each side w/3 second eccentric each rep
it was hard to get motivated today as I just don’t get that excited to hit legs but we got er done . . had a nice t-bone and 4 eggs for breakfast, an oat, banana, almond butter, whey, egg white smoothie pre workout and a big bowl of pulled pork that the Mrs just made and jasmine rice postworkout
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4/23/24: 530am workout
Phase 3 Upper
BB bench:
worked up to 3x295 at an RPE of 8.5
AMRAP at 205lbs . . got exactly 20 reps
Close-grip pullups:
5x3 w/15 sec rest between each min-set . . had 55lbs added on a belt . . was hitting failure til the 5th set
Hammer strength shoulder press:
3x15 w/70lbs added each side . . hit failure right at the end of the last set
Hammer strength seated row:
10x3 w/20 sec rest between each mini set . . 170lbs added each side and was using a wide grip
Bayesian cable curls:
2x15 each side . . nasty pump
Lean-away cable lateral raises:
2x15 each side
felt great this morning . . gotta stay focused though as I’ve been reading about John Meadows Gamma Bomb and Creeping Death and am ready to start one of them here . . I have a week and a half left of this program then a deload week
2 Likes
4/24/24: 500pm workout
Phase 3 Lower
Trap bar pulls:
8x 145lbs
3 box jumps
5x 235lbs
3 box jumps
5x 325lbs
3 box jumps
8x 415lbs
3 box jumps
8x 415lbs
Leg press (mid platform foot placement):
2x20 w/320lbs . . constant tension/no lockout
Single-leg leg extensions:
2x15 . . had such a pump it was painful . . never experienced in my legs before
Trap bar carries:
2x 75ish feet w/415lbs . . walked slow, probably 20-30 sec TUT
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4/26/24: 530am workout
Phase 3 Push - final week
Db incline press (low incline/20 degrees):
2x20 w/75s
1x20 w/70s
Omni-position cable flyes:
lo to high: x15
mid height: x15
high to lo: x15 . . all reps performed w/ a slight pause and squeeze
Nautilus shoulder press:
3x15 . . stopping short of lockout
Machine lateral raises:
20x each arm
drop weight a little
15x each arm
drop weight a little
15x each arm
Overhead cable tricep extensions:
1x20
2x15
really enjoying these early morning workouts . . been super motivated
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4/27/24: 700am workout
Phase 3 Pull
Hammer strength iso-lateral pulldown:
1x20 w/80lbs added each side
1x15 w/90lbs added each side
Cable lat pulldowns:
Wide-grip x15
Closer grip x15
Underhand grip x15
Bent BB rows:
3x15 w/185
Hammer strength shrug machine:
3x15 w/100lbs added each side & a full 2 sec pause on each rep
supersetted w/
Face pulls:
3x20
Ez bar curls:
100lb bar x7
60lb bar x11 + 5 bottom half partials
50lb bar x12 + 4 bottom half partials
felt awesome this morning . . was unable to do full ROM right at the end of each set for about each exercise, which was perfect . . had a scoop and a half of Surge pre/intra workout and then a NY strip steak, 4 eggs and potatoes and onions for breakfast
have high rep leg day tomorrow then going to take Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday off and start Gamma Bomb on Friday next week . . woo!
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4/28/24: 200pm workout (yesterdays workout)
Phase 3 Legs (last day)
Front squats (ATG):
20x 135lbs
2x15 w/185lbs . . was really sucking air after that last set
BB box step-ups:
3x10 each side w/135lbs
Single-leg seated leg curls:
3x10 each leg w/slow eccentric
Box jumps (36"):
3x5
so I’m thinking I’ll take today (Monday) off, maybe hit a real light day tomorrow, take Wednesday and Thursday off and then start Gamma Bomb on Friday . . think that’s enough of a ‘deload’ between programs? I feel great still and am super motivated to train
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Change of plans . . took 3 full ‘rest’ days and got back to er this morning . . since I finished with high volume I decided I’m going to run John Meadows High Evolutionary (more intensity) and then run Gamma Bomb (more volume) after that . . yeehaw
5/2/24: 515am workout
Week 1 High Evolutionary
Db decline press:
35s x15
55s x10
75s x8
95s x8
115s x8
115s x8
drop set
80s x10
Smith machine decline press:
work up to a ‘hard’ set of 8
top set: 245lbs (actual weight) x8
Cable crossover:
‘hard’ set of 10
20 sec rest
7 more
20 sec rest
6 more
Dips:
16x +45lbs (failure)
15x +45lbs (failure)
12x +45lbs (failure)
Bent rear delt flyes:
2x20 w/20s
1x20 w/15s . . good burn
Db lateral raise partials:
3x15 w/40s
Incline bench ‘Y’ raises:
1x15 w/20s
1x15 w/15s
felt awesome to get back to it . . think I’m really going to like Meadows training style
2 Likes
5/3/24: 530am workout
Week 1 High Evolutionary - Back
Meadows row:
worked up to a ‘hard’ 12 w/3-25s
then 8 reps each side w/4-25s
Chin-ups (little wider than shoulder-width grip:
max reps x3 - got 14, 12, & 9 w/BW
Banded DB pullovers:
2x10 w/50lb DB . . never did these before, crazy good stretch in lats
Close-grip cable pulldown:
10x 160 . . driving elbows straight down and chest up
10x 150
Incline bench KB rows:
2x12 w/24kg KBs
drop set
1x8 w/16kg KBs
Hyperextensions:
1x10 w/empty barbell . . wasn’t sure about these, will do a little more research til next week
felt great after this one, lats felt so full so had the Mrs snap a pic when I got home
cheated a little with breakfast this morning . . the Mennonite deli I like in town does breakfast on Friday’s so had 2 burritos with eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and gravy and a small plate of biscuits and sausage gravy . . so good
2 Likes
5/4/24: 100pm workout
Week 1 High Evolutionary - Arms
Drag curls:
12x 70lb Ez bar
12x 80lb Ez bar
12x 70lb Ez bar
Preacher concentration curls:
2x10 w/25lb Dbs
1x10 w/20lb Dbs
Seated hammer curls:
1x12 w/25lb Dbs
2x12 w/20lb Dbs
Rope tricep pushdowns:
3x10 w/160
Overhead cable tricep extensions:
3x12 w/150
never did a pure arms day before but I liked it . . was only in the gym about 30 minutes and had a great pump
2 Likes
Nice!! Will be following. I was thinking of running this next!!
His programs are tough!
sounds good! I have a schedule of his programs mapped out for the next year, rotating from high intensity to high volume
2 Likes
5/5/24: noon workout
Week 1 High Evolutionary - Legs
Lying leg curls:
warm-up sets
10x 130
10x 130
drop set
9x 90 . . last 2 were partials
Low bar squat (ATG):
warm-up sets
10x 275lbs
10x 295lbs . . not a lot of weight, I know, but I haven’t ‘free’ squatted in awhile and really focused here on perfect form
Hack squat:
10x 3 plates per side
20 sec rest
8 more reps
20 sec rest
6 more reps . . felt like lying down and curling up after this one . . whew
BB RDLs:
1 warm-up set
2x10 w/245 . . constant tension/no lockout
this was awesome, I was smoked after all said and done . . nutrition-wise I had 4 eggs, a lamb steak, 2 slices of ezekiel bread and 2 oranges about an hour preworkout . . a scoop of Surge intraworkout and then about an hour after I got home I had a strawberry, banana, whey, peanut butter, almond milk smoothie and a 1/2lb of shredded chicken thighs
6 Likes
I’ll bet! I’ve done this. It’s a shock after not free squatting/deadlifting of any kind for a least a year.
sure is . . I need to add some post-leg day stretching back into the mix
5/7/24: 900am workout
Week 2 High Evolutionary - Chest/Shoulders
Db incline press (30 degrees):
warm-ups
10x 90s (RPE 7.5)
10x 100s (RPE 8.5) . . should’ve gone a little heavier but the next weight up is 115 and not 100% certain I would’ve gotten 10 reps with that . . will find out next week
Incline BB press:
warm-ups
8x 225 (RPE 8.5)
8x 235 (RPE 9.5)
Feet elevated push-ups:
35x
30x
25x
Dips:
16x +45lbs
15x +45lbs
15x +45lbs
supersetted w/
Bent Db rear delt flyes:
3x20 w/15s
Incline bench Y raises:
2x15 w/15s
1x15 w/10s
Viking landmine press:
worked up to a ‘heavy’ set of 8
8x 160lbs added to the bar
had a banana, whey, almond butter smoothie pre workout, a scoop of Surge intraworkout and then about 3/4lb diced chicken thighs mixed with onions and peppers and 1/2 cup of jasmine rice
4 Likes
5/8/24: 130pm workout
Week 2 High Evolutionary - Back
Meadows row:
warm-ups
12x 90lbs added
8x 112.5lbs added
Chin-ups:
11x +25lbs
9x +25lbs added
8x +25lbs added
Banded DB pullover:
2x10 w/65lb Db & red band
Close-grip pulldown:
2x10 w/170 & quick pause at top of each rep
Incline bench KB row:
2x12 w/24kg KBs
drop set
11x 16kg KBs
90 sec farmers walk w/24kg KBs
traps were on fire after that farmers walk, I know the weight was pretty light but that minute and a half had them fired up
had a big plate of eggs, potatoes, peppers and onions for breakfast, a big plate of lamb leg and jasmine rice and an apple for lunch (pre workout), a scoop of Surge intraworkout and then a big plate of grilled chicken thighs and jasmine rice postworkout with the kids when they got home from school
6 Likes
You’ve inspired me. Starting high evolutionary next week!!
2 Likes
awesome! . . good call . . will be following
1 Like