In the Cube Method group on facebook, B Lilly addresses a lot of the stuff and questions that people have that aren’t in the book. For example, on the first rep day, it’s 1x8 @ 70%. He says make sure you work up slowly to that, such as hit 60 and 65% each at 8 reps before the 70% and if you feel good, hit the 70% for 8 again or even rep out with that weight if you’re feeling really good. That achieves Prilepins recommendations. I’ve also read where he said you can work up for two more sets after the 8x3 speed work if you’re feeling good just as long as it’s still relatively fast. Also, after the ME days such as 5x2 @ 80%, he says work up with two singles after that.
I think if you add in a few things, which he suggested but maybe wasn’t so clear about it the book, you get some good volume. You definitely get plenty of volume in with accessory work. Plus, like Westside, the Cube is a template. Adjust it to fit your needs.
After years of training the Cube is the best template I’ve used yet. Since I do a lot of bodyweight+ added weight stuff I volume the hell out of my training.
Thanks for all the feedback guys. its looking like the general consensus is that its a solid program, just a little lacking in volume. From the book it seemed like the assistance template fills out the volume issue well but I’m not trying to major in a minor. This weekend I’m gonna make up a template and I’ll keep a log to see how it goes. For the record, I compete raw in the 148’s. I walk around in the low 160s and my best lifts to date are 375/215/455
Im just finishing the first wave (3 weeks), i was doing a westside based routine leading up to this for the last couple years… For instance i max 330 on bench, I rotate floor press (Rep day), 2 board press (Heavy days) and band benches (speed day). For this first 10 weeks im keeping the lifts the same for rep,heavy,speed days…
The biggest thing is knowing your KPIs, for instance i know if im hitting 225 for 7-10 on floor press im good for a 315-330 bench press. 2 boards are a bit harder for me so i know im usually good for 10-20 more lbs without the 2 board. I could even throw in OHP in the cycle and i know based on reps, or weight what i can hit on flat bench.
Your still using a westside type of roatation, not to sure how clear that was but ive messaged BL several times via facebook and this is what i have come up with. Im use to using different programming for squats or deadlifts so those on the cube will be a wait and see… THe only thing i have changed is on bench days i will usually do a second heavier movement such as pause benches 3 or so sets of 5 or sling shot for the same 3 x 5 then do the program as listed. If you have any questions add him on facebook and shoot him a question and you will see who isnt just pushing bullshit its something hes passionate about
whoever mentioned the example of the rep day if it says 8 do it my rep day had 225 for 8 even the set at 200 i did before was 8 reps little difference but you will notice the changes in your physique and all that good stuff.
I’ve been doing my own program that is sorta a bastardized version of the cube way before brandon lilly wrote it, I wish I would of wrte a book on mine now (though I might do that now), but the only difference between this and westside is no bands and chains AND THE MOST IMPORTANT PART… The dynamic effort day and the Max effort day doesn’t cross every 72 hours.
Its only trained once a week per lift. What I do is add bands to my volume work to kill two birds with one stone and take a deload week every 3rd week to enhance recovery. I’ve been seeing consitant gains in strength ever since I started doing this. I use the same percentage jumps for my volume days and use a 1 rep band tension max. So. On the first week I do 70% first micro, 75% 2nd micro, then I do 80% the 3rd micro. The 2nd week which is my max effort week I go for a rep max with straight bar weight @80% 1st micro, 85% 2nd micro, and the 3rd micro I do -3-4X1@93%+
I’ve only been doing it for 3 weeks now, starting week 4 this week. I’ve always liked the ME and DE days but with Westside I just made the tendonitis in my right elbow worse with the frequent DE work. So far my body (back & elbow) has been handling the Cube just fine. I really like it so far and am just sticking to what he has laid out in the book, although I do throw in one or two heavy singles on ME day. I think the only real adjustment I made is that I really like doing dips so on the days where he has 100 pressdowns I do 5 sets of 10 Dips and then I do 50 pressdowns. I just feel like my training is lacking something when I don’t do Dips. I also add-in chin-ups or pull-ups almost every session.
The 50 squats on RE Squat day ssssuuucked… but it’s all good. Loved doing the Sumo SLDL’s he recommended.
[quote]pctitan wrote:
how do you guys rotate your bench movements? in the book it has floor press and incline bench in the 3 week plan, do you stick with it for 9 weeks?[/quote]
For the next 3-weeks (4-6) I’m going to stick to the book still. I think by then I’ll have a real feel for how this method is affecting me. I may take the 4th workout day and do some Flat Bench work and work up to a 5RM or something and see how it feels coming off my chest and then evaluate for weeks 7-9. Would it make sense to use the same percentage used for ME Bench day on the Floor Press and instead to Close Grip Bench Press instead? I would absolutely love to hear from some of the more experienced folks about what they’ve been doing with their bench work with the Cube.