Brandon's Backyard Buffoonery

How were these with a stone? I’ve done them with sandbags are really enjoyed them

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I liked them too. I’m more of a squatter than a hinger so the pick was actually probably the worst part. I have bigger stones and bags to use next time but will probably have to scale the reps at first.

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Yup that’s where I add in ab work, with the farmers and teddy bears I’m usually too spent to even think of ab work, but I find that the pull-ups are basically a filler of active recovery and a bit of volume between the bread of the harder work and even adding ab work doesn’t make it too unpleasant.

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Anything EMOM is just plain horrible, You never fully recover and it just gets worse every round.

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1/29/25 (cont.)

10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

1/30/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 1, Day 4

Strength (20 minute time limit to get to top set):
A1) Bottoms Up Squats - 45/89/133/155/177/199 x 5
A2) Hanging Knee Crunches - 6 x 5

Volume (10-minute EMOM):
B1) Bottoms Up Squats - 122 x 5 x 10
B2) Hanging Knee Crunches - 10 x 3

Assistance (10-minute EMOM):
C) Bulgarian Split Squats - 20lb vest x 5 each leg x 10

36:18

  • You gotta love a “light day”. Probably my favorite session so far. Lots of work, but just squats and abs meant very little setup and cleanup.
  • Left a little in the tank on the top set. I probably could have made this my “medium” squat and done frontals on light day, but who cares. I like this movement a lot. Great quad burn.
  • Definitely some room to grow on the Bulgarians as well, but still a gnarly pump by the end of those.
  • Looking ahead to the future: I have a week away planned in April. If I run this program 4 days per week (with one spicy 5 session week somewhere in there) it will take me perfectly up to my vacation. So, that is the plan going forward. I think 4 days vs 5 will be better for my recovery anyway, especially since this program is no joke. And Brian totally signs off on this in the preamble to the book, so I’m within bounds.
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I love how a program written by Brian for older athletes that wanna just cut to the chase still absolutely floors the trainee. Dude only knows one speed and it’s so endearing. This is his “Easy Strength”, haha. So awesome to see you put in the work.

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Yeah, he’s a clever marketer for including the word “Master” in the title like that. Sure, this program has less volume than most of his other programs… but you could say that about the majority of ALL programs in the lifting world, haha. To his credit, he says you can autoregulate with that top set and with your frequency.

Similar story, I’m most likely running his RPM program after this one, which he markets as “fat loss”. It has 10 round squat and deadlift volume work, twice a week EACH, along with a bevy of other stuff. Well, of course you’re gonna burn some fat doing that, it’s probably harder than all but the most masochistic of us have ever trained, but you’re still gonna need to eat if you wanna live to see the other side. Most reviews I’ve seen of it have talked about actually gaining muscle/strength/both on it.

5 Likes

1/30/25 (cont.)

2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

1/31/25

10 rope chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals (wet outside meant the rope was best option for chins)

2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

2/1/25

10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2/2/25

10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2/3/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 1, Day 5

Strength (20 minute time limit to get to top set):
A1) Wide Bench - 67/89/111/133/144/155/161 x 4
A2) Lying Leg Raises - 7 x 8

Volume (10-minute EMOM):
B1) Wide Bench - 111 x 4 x 10
B2) Lying Leg Raises - 10 x 5

Assistance (10-minute EMOM):
C1) 1-arm DB Meadows Row - 51 x 8 x 5 (each side)
C2) 1-arm DB Incline Bench - 51 x 8 (each side), 40 x 8 x 4 (each side)

39:34

  • I’m loving these variations on the main lifts that I haven’t done for years or in some cases ever. Awesome chest pump on the wide bench today. I think I might even come up with something to swap in instead of the plain squat/bench/deadlift when those days come up. Thinking box squat, board press, and then maybe making deficit deads my medium pull and doing snatch grip for my light day. I’ve done the “conventional” lifts for so many years, I think some time getting better at some variations will pay big dividends.

January Daily Work Totals
263 Chins
1,030 Pushups
1,580 BW Squats
40 Miles walked in a vest

This stuff adds up fast. Note that these are only from those extra sessions I added. If it happened in a regular workout, I didn’t count it.

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Awesome work!

:bangbang:

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2/3/25 (cont.)

10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

2/4/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 2, Day 1 (Light Deadlifts)

Strength (20 minute time limit to get to top set):
A1) 1.5" Deficit Deadlift - 133/177/221/243/265 x 5
A2) Field Goal Situps - 5 x 10 (2.5lb weight in each hand)

Volume (10-minute EMOM):
B1) 1.5" Deficit Deadlift - 166 x 5 x 10
B2) Ab Wheel - 10 x 3

Assistance (10-minute EMOM):
C1) Deadlift Row - 111 x 5 x 5
C2) RDL - 111 x 8 x 5

41:50

  • My whole posterior chain is smoked. Was totally wiped out by the time it got to assistance. He included some burpees in there as well but I had nothing in the tank for them.
  • Field goal situps were kind of meh. I’m giving the benefit of the doubt for a lot of his “esoteric” core work but will likely use the ab wheel more often than not for wave 2.
8 Likes

2/4/25 (cont.)

10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

2/5/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 2, Day 2 (Heavy Press)

Strength (20 minute time limit to get to top set):
A1) Pin Press from eye level - 56/78/100/111/122/128/133 x 3
A2) Russian Twists - 7 x 10 (44lb plate)

Volume (10-minute EMOM):
B1) Pin Press from eye level - 107 x 3 x 10
B2) Ab Wheel - 10 x 3

Assistance (10-minute time limit):
C1) BW Bicep Curls on ropes - 3 x 15
C2) BW Tricep Ext on ropes - 3 x 15
C3) BW Face pulls on ropes - 3 x 15

37:34

  • Quick note on the daily work - a trick I’ve discovered is just finding a good ~5ish minute song on my playlist, then hitting play as the timer starts. That way, it’s just a matter of getting through the 1 song. A mental trick to make an otherwise dreadfully boring time go by faster. Last night’s - My Wave by Soundgarden.
  • On to today - it took some ingenuity to get my squat stands setup for the pin presses, but they were absolutely a win. I know Brian is a big believer in push press/jerks for overloading the press, but I’ve done a lot of those in the past. There was a good “grind” in the pin presses that I never got with those, so I’m hoping to see some growth from them.
  • Side note - it’s hilarious how much easier the EMOMs are for upper vs lower. This was very doable, especially for the heavy day, whereas yesterday’s light deadlift day was a soul sucker.
  • Assistance was my own today - he called for bottoms up KB presses, but I don’t have light enough KBs for that movement, especially after all that volume. I got a good enough pump with what I did.
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Those kinda remind me of these spread eagle sit ups which are cool in their own way and might be a good sub:

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2/5/25 - Daily Work
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals
2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

2/6/25 - Daily Work
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals
2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

2/7/25 - Daily Work
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals
2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

2/7/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 2, Day 3 (Medium Events)
Carries (10-minute EMOM):
A) KB Uneven Carry - 53 + 70 x 50 ft down > drop/turn/repick > 50 ft back x 10

Back (10-minute EMOM):
B1) Close Grip Chin - 5/5/4/3/3/3/3/2/2/4 (34 total)
B2) Knee Raises on dip bars - 10 x 5

Loading (10 minute EMOM):
C) Sandbag to Shoulder - 100 x 4/3/3/2/2/2/2/2/2/2 (24 total)

34:15

  • I call this episode “the one where I use a lot of chalk”. Just hell on the hands by the time I got to the chins. Luckily I didn’t lose any skin. Carries were a little lighter and shorter than last week. It’s also easier to drag 1 KB out at a time and call that the warmup, compared to dragging out the trap bar. Noting the rep counts for the chins and shouldering so I can beat them when they come back around next wave. Also glad to get some ab work in during the chins. Would have been very easy to skip.
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Haven’t posted a food pic lately but this was too good not to share. Half rack of baby backs, chicken leg quarter, chicken wing, deviled eggs, sweet potato, homemade applesauce, and sautéed spinach. I’ve been waiting forever for a decent day to break out the smoker, but it was worth the wait.

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This is like a textbook photo of how to achieve anabolism.

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I mean he clearly missed the opportunity for chicken rice and broccoli /sarcasm

Shows eating clean can still look and taste awesome!

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2/8/25 - Daily Work
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2/9/25 - Daily Work
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2/10/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 2, Day 4 (Heavy Squat)

Strength (20 minute time limit to get to top set):
A1) Box Squat - 133/177/221/265/287/298/309 x 3
A2) Plate Halos - 7 x 10 (22lb plate)

Volume (10-minute EMOM):
B1) Box Squat - 247 x 3 x 10
B2) Ab Wheel - 10 x 3

Assistance (10-minute EMOM):
C) Front Foot Elevated Split Squat - 45 x 5 (each side) x 5, 67 x 5 (each side) x 5

41:36

  • That was awesome. Never done box squats before; apparently there’s a big difference between what I can squat to a parallel box (bench) compared to my high-bar, A2G free squat. This feels like a great variation for a heavy day.
  • Oddly enough, the volume EMOM was still not that hard. I think deadlifts just sit in their own category when it comes to being awfully hard for EMOMs.
  • I’m starting to notice my core is getting more tight and locked in. All these reps are adding up.
  • I liked the assistance work. I like the front foot elevated more than rear. Felt the stretch better.
  • Bench tomorrow with lots of dumbbell assistance - what’s not to like?
10 Likes

2/10/25 - Daily Work
2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2/11/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 2, Day 5 (Light Bench)

Strength (20 minute time limit to get to top set):
A1) 1 1/4 Close Grip Bench - 89/111/133/144/150/155 x 5
A2) Russian Twists - 6 x 10 (44lb plate)

Volume (10 minute EMOM):
B1) 1 1/4 Close Grip Bench - 100 x 5 x 10
B2) Lying Leg Raises - 10 x 5

Assistance (10 minute time limit):
C1) 1-arm DB Row - 33 x 15 (each side) x 5
C2) DB Floor Press - 33’s x 12/10/10/10/10

42:24

  • Another good day. Bench continues to be the easiest day no matter the loading, as you get to spend most of it lying down. That variation was killer though, huge upper body pump. I think I have a really good rotation going for the Heavy/Medium/Light split. Heavy days are for the partial/overload movements like board presses and rack pulls, light days are for the greater ROM/time-under-tension movements like the 1 1/4, deficits and pauses. This approach has been really fun so far.
5 Likes

2/11/25 - Daily Work
2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2/12/25 - Daily Work
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals
2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest

2/13/25 - Daily Work
2 mile walk w/ 20lb vest
10 chins/40 pushups/60 BW squats in 5:00 using Tabata work/rest intervals

2/13/25 - Brian Alsruhe’s “45 Master Sessions”: Week 3, Day 1 (Medium Deadlift)

Strength (20 minute time limit to get to top set):
A1) Trap Bar (low handles) - 133/177/221/265/287/298 x 4
A2) Dip Bar Crunches - 6 x 10

Volume (10 minute EMOM):
B1) Trap Bar (low handles) - 210 x 4 x 10
B2) Hanging Knee Raises - 10 x 3

Assistance (10 minute time limit):
C1) Bent Row - 89 x 7, 111 x 6, 122 x 5, 133 x 4, 144 x 3
C2) Sumo Stiff Leg Dead - 89/111/122/133/144 x 7

42:ish (stopwatch died in the cold…)

  • Deadlift continues to be the hardest day physically, but the silver lining is since I don’t have to get out the bench or squat stands, the setup and cleanup is lightning fast. I was outside for 50 minutes total, so very little time spent on either end.
  • Very happy with the topset - interested to see where I am next week when I go back to the block pulls as this was very close to my week 1 weight with those.
  • I feel like my strength is really coming around in general with this program. BW is up a few pounds but I feel with all the daily work that little to none of it is fat.
  • Wanted to do ab wheel but it was literally blowing away, so stuck with the power tower for my core work.
  • Again, between the volume and assistance, my posterior chain is utterly smoked.
  • Random playlist highlight - In A Darkened Room by Skid Row. Classic power ballad from right around when those stopped being cool, haha. Also been listening to the new Linkin Park a lot. Don’t write it off just because it’s a girl singing - it kicks ass.
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Agreed, I didn’t realise they were going to carry on until their new stuff dropped, heard it before I knew what it was and liked it, thought this sounds very LP-esk but with female vocals!

Loving your 45M run through, assuming you’re enjoying the program?

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