Thank you for the tips! It turns out that spread that lats was the “magic cue” I’ve been looking for. I took a wider grip today and spread my lats rather than pull them together like I usually do and my shoulders felt great and the press very smooth. Thank you again.
@barbedwired You got it brother, that is why i am here! If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to ask them!
@Benanything You got it brother, glad I could help!
Roran: That is awesome man, it is often just the cues in our heads that make or break a lift. I am really, really glad that one worked for you!
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“There’s a storm inside of us. I’ve heard many team guys speak of this. A burning. A river. A drive. An unrelenting desire to push yourself harder and further than anyone could think possible. Pushing ourselves into those cold, dark corners, where the bad things live. Where the bad things fight. We wanted that fight at the highest volume. A loud fight. The loudest, coldest, darkest, most unpleasant of the unpleasant fights.” --Marcus Luttrell
MONDAY, 22FEBRUARY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 3/Day 1
CONDITIONING - As Many Rounds As Possible in 12 Minutes
50 Foot Bear Walk Forward
50 Foot Bear Walk BackWard
50 Foot Gator Walk Forward
50 Foot Gator Walk BackWard
50 Foot Crab Walk Forward
50 Foot Crab Walk BackWard
100 Foot Banded Side Straddle walks
STRENGTH - Maximum Effort Lower
SSB Squats
160x2
250x2
340x1
430x1
520x1
590x1
610x1 (NEW PR)
620x1 (New Bigger PR)
VOLUME -
Hit 8 Reps at 430 and racked it, my legs were definitely done for the day.
NOTES:
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So everything was going so well. I loaded the 6 plates a side on the SSB to make up 610. i came out of the hole and the bar started folding me over. I fought really hard pushing my back up against it, but once I got past the sticking point, i pushed for 1 second too long and it threw me off balance. I started loosing the bar backward and had to turn into the Lord f dance to save it. I still counted the rep, but wanted something clean for the video, so I add 5’s and hit 620 for the even bigger PR.
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I think i am going to hit my Maximum Effort upper with close grip bench to try and beat that PR, then I am going to back waaaayy down and focus on res and form. I have been red lining it for like 12 weeks now and know I am right at the point where something is going to give. I have felt like this for about 3 weeks now, but this time I mean it. This will be my last week of heavy conjugate, then i will kick back to form and hypertrophy work for 6-8 and then re-start my heavy stuff again while adding more event specific exercises for my upcoming comp. I am throwing around the idea of entering my first powerlifting comp just 10 days after the pro-card show but haven’t committed just yet. I am also looking t a Powerlifting comp coming up in August. That is the next thing on the horizon after the Pro-card show. Time will tell.
Hope all is well out there is T-Nation world.
- by the way, elitists asked a question on their instagram account about, “who should we sponsor?” If you have an instagram account, it would be really helpful if you guys went over there and commented leaving my name (Brian Alsruhe @NEVERSATE ON Twitter). I would really appreciate that. I know some of you already have and i am eternally grateful for such things. You guys support me so much and it is very, very humbling!
Thanks for your responses concerning the conjugate method. Much appreciated.
Congrats on the prs, happy to see the method is agreeing so well with you.
Talking to the camera gave me a good laugh. You seem pretty good at it considering you’re not so comfortable. That will improve with time imo. You have a commanding presence, so just doing it more will do the trick. I like it. The tips are really helping out as well. I particularly like the “drive the elbows up” cue during front squats. It’s different from the usual cues, so a fresh perspective in a way.
Great news about possible supp company sponsorship, best wishes. And later today, I will get all my contacts to vote for you on Instagram. That will be phenomenal for you, again, best wishes.
Possible pl comp in your future?!?! Nice! Would you alter any of your techniques, such as bigger bench arch, wider legs, or stick with what you normally do? Thanks in advance.
I also enjoy the pics you’ve been putting from your daily workouts, I so wish I could pop in sometime. Soon, I fear you will be in huge demand. But that’s a good thing!!! Anyways, keep up the great work, you’re more than motivation, even inspiration, you’re helping us aspire!
Great work. 1 question, why do you switch all the excercise up, but the DE squat variation? Is that just hands down the best movement, or something you need to work on?
Weird to be talking eye collors…there is a chick in us all I guess.
Hey Brian, I’ll gladly hop on there to spread your name. What is the name of the elitists account on Instagram?
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@littlesleeper The instagram is ‘underthebar’ -dave tate’s account
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Thanks Badger.
The deed is done 
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Hey Alpha, good luck on the sponsorship opportunities!
EDIT
Just thought of something I’ve been meaning to ask, if you don’t mind. Due in no small part to yourself, I decided to run conjugate, (loosley using the template found over at elitefs… looks to fit my goals well). At what level would you say a lifter would get more out of DE upper versus the RE upper found in westside for shinny bastards type stuff?
On a side note, I feel like this log could easily make it as a “Brian’s coaching…” forum
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@Betabill Thanks for the kind words man, hopefully as I get more comfortable talking to the camera, the production vale of the videos will just continue to go up.
As far as changing my technique on the big three for an upcoming powerlifting comp: On the bench, I don’t have the option of a bigger arch. Or at least I haven’t found a way to do it yet. I have broken my back twice, so I don’t have the thoracic mobility that a lot of other guys do. However, my short little T-Rex arms seem to be of benefit, so maybe it all evens out. On my squat, I have tried moving my legs out wider with mixed results. It definitely does add a little bit more power to my squat but it tends to aggravate my groin to a point that i am not really willing to chance. So, at least at first, i would be keeping things mainly the same. Hopefully i get get a decent total with what I am doing and move forward from there.
And don’t worry about me getting too much in demand. I am an extremely loyal person and don’t forget where I came from. I will be the same guy regardless and will always be willing to help people out. Thanks for checking in brother!
@Panopticum Because that is what the program calls for. The way i understand it, the DE days are more about working on your technique at your competitive stance/grip and getting better at those lifts while improving bar speed. The variation comes in on your ME days. i have chosen the SSB because I am a Strongman, not a powerlifter (yet) and I feel like the SSB has greater carry over to those events. And the banded Deads are done in my exact competition stance, just with the accommodating resistance added. i hope that helps.
As far as eye color…You brought it up man! Hahaha
@littlesleeper Thanks brother! I really appreciate the support!
@RampantBadger You’re the man brother, thank you!
@TX_iron Thank for the kind words boss! And I don’t think you need to be at any certain level to switch from the rep work over to the DE work. i think they just have different focuses. I kind of do the RE stuff when i perform my drop-back sets for Volume on the ME effort days by making my first set AMRAP. For strongman, I think it is just a better way to approach it. If I were trying to build more mass, I’d probably do more of the RE work and if I were focused on Powerlifting alone, I would run the DE work as prescribed.
And I would love to have a “Brian’s Coaching” Forum…But that is way above my pay grade and would be up to T-Nat to make such a thing a possibility. If that is something you guys would want to see, i would email the powers that be and request it. If they build it, I’ll run it. So it goes…
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I REALLY want to thank all of you that submitted my name on the EliteFTS instagram. That means so much! You guys are so amazing and i really appreciate all of the support you guys have shown me over the years!
Awesome. I’ll stick to the plan then and keep it as DE. I am tying to bulk up a bit, so I’ll weave in some more strategic volume (specifically ME down-sets)
Consider this a vote for Brian’s Coaching, haha.You’ve got a very unique style of training that clearly works.
Any chance you’ll revert back to your old stance since you’re planning on doing a powerlifting meet?
this is what I’m talking about, a close stance quasi sumo type pull.
I’m asking this cause this is how I primarily(all assistance work done conventional) pull when it comes to my deadlifts and it’s 5%-10% above my conventional max. I’ve always assumed you switched back to conventional simply because it was more “strongman friendly”.
Oh and what are your experiences pulling with conventional and how do they differ from how you used to pull?
I get the DE now. Just was curious because you switched up the pressing, yet stayed the same with the squats.
And as an idea for an article, maybe a formal, easy to find article on you training style. It works, a lot of people are interested in it, and there isn’t really a good way to find it…I need to pretty much roam the forums to find something.
Sorry for showing some interest in those goddamn gems of yours 
…
OK, now the new smileys are freaking me out.
@TX_iron I think that is a good plan brother! And i really appreciate the vote!
@Benanything Man, thank you so much for posting that HORRIBLE video of me hahaha! Will I be switching back to that stance? No. Hell, No! For my body’s leavers, i am not sure I could have chose a poorer way to lift heavy things! I have super short arms, a long torso and a back that has been broken twice. Pulling in that fashion did nothing but constantly hurt me. When i brought my stance in, i got a lot stronger and actually started developing both my upper and lower body. Even to this day, my Sumo Pull is probably 60lbs less than my conventional. That, combined with he fact that I can’t pull Sumo in Strongman, it is a no brainer.
With Sumo, I feel like my hamstrings are going to rip and all of the weight is supported with my lower back. With conventional, i feel like I can use my lats, quads, gluten and hamstrings so much better for breaking the weight off the floor. Than the lockout is taken care of from all of the strongman/upper back work. So, in a long way of saying it, I will absolutely NOT be switching back. Thank you for asking though man!
I think if the difference between your sumo and conventional is that close, then it really wouldn’t be that hard to bring up your conventional with more front carries and working on your weak points.
@Panopticum I mainly do it that way because I want to hit the squats and dead DE style because I know I won’t be in any shape to do it the next day. The pressing can be more spread out in my opinion.
And the gem comment made me laugh!
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“Make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previously never have thought of doing, or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservation, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun. If you want to get more out of life, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty.” --Jon Krakauer
WEDNESDAY, 24FEBRUARY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 3/Day 3
CONDITIONING - At the Top of Every Minute for 10 Minutes
100 Foot Atlas Stone Carry @ 260lbs
STRENGTH - Maximum Effort Upper
Close Grip Bench Press: 135, 225, 315, 365, 405, 435, 465 (PR)
VOLUME - 3 Rounds
Close Grip Bench Press @ 365 - 10 Reps, 5, 5
10 Blast Strap Layouts
ASSISTANCE - 3 Rounds
Log Incline Bench Presses: 240x10, 300x5
10 Blast Strap Layouts
10 Plyometric Push-Ups onto Benches
More ASSISTANCE - 2 Rounds
Max Effort Dips
Banded Tricep Push-Downs
NOTES:
- Good workout for me. I was pretty happy to hit the 465 Close Grip PR and the 365x10 during the Volume.
- Everything else was Pretty Straight froward. I got some good footage that should make for an interesting video.
Here is the training video from Monday’s Training session: In it it has the 610 SSB Squat that i almost dropped backward into death and then the rally to hit the 620 PR. Also has a lot of me talking to the camera so i can get more used to it…And of course outtakes where I completely mess it up.
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Well, we all gotta start from somewhere, right? Besides, 575lbs is 575lbs after all. Thanks for the advice!
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What is your diet looking like with this type of training (favourite meals, typical day of eating)? Running maintenance/surplus (which I’d be interested to know how many calories this is, for pure curiosity sake)? Any particular carb timings?
I know you mentioned previously that you are a Metabolic Drive guy, but beyond this, are there any additional supplements you are taking (BCAA’s, dextrose, glutamine, creatine, etc)?
Sorry for being nosy, feel free to not answer any of the above…I figured I might as well pick your brain for some diet info since your training info has been so helpful.
Thanks!
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@Benanything Hahaha Yea, you are right man, but did you have to pick a video that was that ugly!?! Hahahaha
@littlesleeper Well man, it is simpler than you might think. I have never counted calories in my life, so I honestly have no idea what my intake on a given day would be or if I am in a surplus or deficit. Now that i quit my day job and run my gym full-time my diet has changed a little bit, but it is not that much different than it used to be. An average day of eating usually looks like this:
Meal 1: Protein Shake (3 Scoops, around 70-75g of protein in Coffee), 1 Flameout, 2000IU’s of Vitamin D
Then Coaching & Usually some form of conditioning
Meal 2: 8 Eggs, and a decent amount of sausage, steak or bacon. 1 Avocado, 1 Flameout. Lots of Whole Milk
Meal 3: Protein Shake (3 Scoops, around 70-75g of protein in Milk or Water), 1 Flameout
Strength/Strongman Workout & Usually some form of Conditioning
Meal 4: (immediately after workout) Protein Shake (3 Scoops, around 70-75g of protein in Coffee), Usually some form of Fruit.
A few hours of Coaching
Meal 5: A LARGE serving of some type of dead animal, and LOTS of Vegetables. 1 Flameout. Lots of whole Milk
Meal 6: Protein Shake (3 Scoops, around 70-75g of protein in Milk), 1 Flameout
I sometimes will take creatine malate (biotest brand) pre-workout and just got sent some free supplements from another company that may be interested in sponsoring me so for the last week or so I have been taking BCAAs during and pre-workout before I train.
I don’t want to disrespect the people at Biotest or T-Nation so I am choosing not to say the company’s name here. But I will say that Metabolic Drive definitely tastes better and seems to be more substantial than the free stuff I have received. If I had the choice, I would choose Biotest over anyone else because I know their products and have been using them for years. But free stuff is better than paying for supplements when you are the owner of a small start-up and struggling for cash. I reached out the the guys here about a possible sponsorship or even a discount, but i never received an email back. Is what it is, I suppose. I can totally understand their standpoint and hold no grudge against them at all. I am a small time athlete and it is a smart business decision on their part.
i don’t do any carb timing because I stay away from starches. I find that i perform better on higher fat content and lower carb, so that is what I go with.
I hope that answers your questions and gives some insight to what a daily day of eating looks like.
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“Always dream and shoot higher than you know you can do. Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.” --William Faulkner
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” – Mark Twain
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FRIDAY, 26FEBRUARY2016 - Work For Today
Wave 2/Week 3/Day 5
STRONGMAN - Maximum Effort Lower…I was supposed to do my Dynamic Day, but my time on Conjugate is short and I know I need to run something lighter weights for a while then peak for my comp in May, so i just decided to go for it.
Axle Deadlifts
135
225
315
405
500
585
640 (PR)
VOLUME - 3 Rounds
5 Axle Deadlifts @ 515lbs
10 Kettlebell Side Bends (Each Side)
ASSISTANCE - 3 Rounds
10 Axle Sumo Stance Stiff Leg Deadlifts @ 315
10 SSB Good Mornings @ 270 (Pins set at same height as the start of my deadlift)
12 Reverse Hypers: 270, 360, 360
NOTES:
- Well, the 640 Axle Dead PR was a surprise! It was slipping out of my left hand for the entire rep. I locked it out for literally a split second before I had to Put it down (READ: Drop it), but I’ll take it all the same!
- Assistance really lit up my hamstrings. I can already feel the trauma, I am sure tomorrow is going to be ugly…
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Here is the latest training video where I hit a 465 Close Grip Bench PR and give out some tips for building a bigger bench. I hope you guys enjoy it and make the big decision to subscribe to my YouTube Channel! Thanks in advance for checking it out everyone!
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Holy protein-packed shit! That’s well over 300 grams of protein, prolly inching towards 400. Are you currently in a growing phase?
Always a pleasure to get some laughs, bro!
It sure does, thanks so much. Very similar food choices to what I eat, but sliiiggghhtttllllyyy larger quantities! And I don’t know how I’ve never tried protein in coffee…I tried this this morning and let me tell you this is a game changer. Delicious.
I couldn’t think of another person who would be more fit to represent a supplement company, especially Biotest. I’m rootin’ for ya through this process and have no doubt you’ll meet some success before long with the quality work you’re putting in.
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@Panopticum Hahaha yea man, sorry, I was cutting and pasting the “protein shake” part… My first shake of the day is 3 scoops, the others are only 2 scoop each. And the shake after my workout is made with water, not coffee…I really should have read what I wrote before I hit submit…Sorry about that…And I am not trying to gain any muscle mass right now…i need to stay within my weight class.
@littlesleeper Yea man, Chocolate protein in coffee is amazing! It is a daily occurrence for me brother! And I really appreciate the kind words brother!