How Reed Trains

I thought it was time to put one of these pages togeather for Reed, over the last year his lifts have gone through the roof. Reed dosen’t train like anyone else, he dosen’t eat like anyone else, and he doen’se use ASA’s like anyone else, but he’s open, honest, and nuts about all 3. He’s also pretty fucking funny !

I think I’ll just leave it there, and let him give us some stats, and traing theory. We all know he’s well over 6 feet , but I don’t know what he’s weighing now day ( looking fucking lean ) and I think I’ve witnessed his squat go from 400 to 600 this past year alone, so that plus his other lifts, plus what he’ done to get there would be a good start !

Reed how do you train?

With Sam Byrd

The end

:wink:

By the way I’ve never started a how you train thread before, and now I’ve done two in one week, one for Pwnisher, and one for Reed, both these guys have played a huge role with me coming back to PLing this past year, and altough polar oposites persoanlity wise, both are really strong, and both have managed to come up with they own personalized training theory’s way outside the box, worth mentioing.

Reed, today is my volume squat day, and I’m going to be trying some reverse band squats, for the first time ever, on your recomondtions, and I’d like to here more about how you set this up, with your reverse band–progressive ROM thing you do. Later

[quote]AnytimeJake wrote:
I thought it was time to put one of these pages togeather for Reed, over the last year his lifts have gone through the roof. Reed dosen’t train like anyone else, he dosen’t eat like anyone else, and he doen’se use ASA’s like anyone else, but he’s open, honest, and nuts about all 3. He’s also pretty fucking funny !

I think I’ll just leave it there, and let him give us some stats, and traing theory. We all know he’s well over 6 feet , but I don’t know what he’s weighing now day ( looking fucking lean ) and I think I’ve witnessed his squat go from 400 to 600 this past year alone, so that plus his other lifts, plus what he’ done to get there would be a good start !

[/quote]

Lol 6ft tall that’s hilarious

You’ve earned a thread with your name on it, just from raw intensity alone, fuck if people haven’t been getting inspired by you lately, than they must be dead ! LOL

Anyway, did some reverse bands today with squats, fuck, I’m fried. I always thought using reverse bands was gay, anything that allows you to cheat I think is gay :slight_smile: but, I have to say, this worked well today. I didn’t use them to handle more weight ( Sun is heavy day for me ) but I did 3x3 with 365, then right wehn I’d normaly start ramping back down, because I was burnt, instead I put on the bands, and got another 3x3 with 365, and this allowed me to push way past the point of no return.

I couldn’t even get my back off set of 315x10 like I normaly do. I was fucking fried, and 315 felt like a ton. I’ll talk more about this with you later, I’m fucking beat right now, in a good way later .

From week to week my training changes a good bit in terms of volume and intensity. How ever the movements pretty much stay exactly the same.

Bench Moves: Ill use bands, boards and or the sling shot quite often as I am one of the few raw lifters I know who has a horrible time locking out a weight. So triceps strength has been of highest priority to me. I also have had a mental mind block on this lift and finally I came to the realization that overload training worked amazing for my lower body lifts why the hell have I not tried it for my Press. Seemed like a no brainer and for the first time in months I am finally seeing progress in the press again and I am much more comfortable with it. Training is set up along these lines.

Saturday: I focus on comp style pressing. I alternate between Heavy 1-5 reps weeks using 80-95% of my 1rm and higher “rep” weeks more along the lines of 70-80% of 1rm for sets of 5-10.

Tuesdays: This is my overload day. I may be using 90-110% of my max here in movements such as Board Presses but, since it much shortened range of motion it hardly taxes my system and allows me to go heavy quite often with out feeling like I was ran over by a truck. I alternare here between Comp Style Board Presses one week focusing on 1-5 reps at a given height and then the next weeks is full range against bands or with reverse bands.

Squat and Deadlift Training: I am a huge believer in if your Squat is going up so is your deadlift. So I hardly ever go over 405 in my training UNLESS it is off of a box or with reverse bands set up. This just as with the board presses for my bench allows me to feel some heavy weight but, not tax my CNS as bad. 500 off the floor fries me for a few days I feel utter shitty but, with 650+ with decent band tension even deloaded at the top I feel great to go.

Mondays: I focus on CAT Squats and Block or Reverse Band Pulls. I hardly ever go over 365 on the squats these days. The goal here is to take work up to a weight and hit 7 sets of 5 in under 10 minutes. This has been a Sam Byrd Staple for years he swears by it and my Squat has followed suit so, therefore I swear by it.

Thursdays: Front Squat and Speed Pulls. Another Sam Byrd swears by is Front Squats. He strongly believes for a unequipped lifter a big front squat is the most important thing next to perfect technique. If you can grind a FS 500 you will crush a 600 BS considering yout in a much better postion to incorporate the posterior chain plus if you round forward slightly the bar is not going any where and you can make it happen.

Accessory work is limited to your weaknesses one of the few things Sam agrees with when it comes to West Side training is to pick 2-3 accessories that target the areas you specifically are lacking in and crush them with high volume. So for Bench I focus mainly on Close Bench, JM Presses and Various Push Downs. For Lower Days its GHR, Stiff Leg Deadlifts, and Abs.

Upper Back is trained EVERY SESSION. Usually a Vertical Pull on Squat and Deadlift Days and Rows on Bench Days.

This is about all I have for now I am on a lunch break and unfortunately this Rotessiore Chicken and 2 Packs of Rice is going to eat its self. Anytime Ill be on here around 5 or 6 so any questions on the Reverse Bands Set up I can answer I will. Was thinking of even going in to The Pit tonight and just doing a decent video explanation on it kinda like Punisher did for his pull and ROM program.

Sorry for any errors I wrote all that on my phone will revise it later

Wow, you are my height, with probably 40 lbs more muscle. I need to fill out a bit, apparently. Starting March 2nd, I will be trying to add about 10 lbs bodyweight to be closer to 74 kg for the USAPL Bench Nationals in August.

Reed wrote

Anytime Ill be on here around 5 or 6 so any questions on the Reverse Bands Set up I can answer I will. Was thinking of even going in to The Pit tonight and just doing a decent video explanation on it kinda like Punisher did for his pull and ROM program.

Ya I’d like to see that, as today was my first day trying the reverse bands at home, and I think it’s going to give me the peace of mind, remove the fear I’ve had going past 405 at home training alone in my garage, better than using the box, it seems to mimik the movement better, and I think will help build some confidence.

I can squat 450 to a parelle box, but without the box, anything past 405 fucks with my head, and the thought of dropping down in the endless hole, with my rebuilt knee. I think these will help get my head back in the right spot., enough chatter, I’ll post a pic of my set-up, it’s not ideal, but it’s what I got for right now, and I have a vid of my last set, but I’ll throw that up on my log. later, and thnks

They’re really loose, and don’t seem to do much until the last couple of inches of my squat, right in the bottom, so I think I have the length right, just by luck, and they’re 50lb bands, so I guess that means I’m getting 100lbs of help in the bottom. Thanks

[quote]Reed wrote:

[quote]Ecchastang wrote:
Wow, you are my height, with probably 40 lbs more muscle. I need to fill out a bit, apparently. Starting March 2nd, I will be trying to add about 10 lbs bodyweight to be closer to 74 kg for the USAPL Bench Nationals in August. [/quote]

Damn i never would have guessed that When I see your avatar you looked monstrous honestly I have been reading your posts alot simply because I thought you were a shredded 200 lol. No offense still very impressive and your far leaner than I am. I guess I just look stupid tiny to me. I literally look at 160-170 lbs guys in the gym and am like damn I wish I was that big and then Sam Byrd slaps me :-(… I seriously think I am a prime example of manorexia [/quote]
The heaviest morning weigh in I have had in two years is 153.2 lbs. I compete in the 67.5 kg 148.8 category, but for nationals I have to do either 66 kg (145 lbs) or 74 kg. So for the first time in my life, I am going to try and gain weight. It might negatively affect my rock climbing, but it is something I want to do at least once.

Nice…I saw your squat progress vid, and that was extremely impressive. I’m interested in the CAT squatting:If your doing 7 sets of 5 in under 10 minutes, they probably aren’t very fast, correct? I remember Sam’s squatting big article, and how he was doing CAT squats with the same weight for months on end. Is that what you’ve been doing?

[quote]Ravenous_ wrote:
Nice…I saw your squat progress vid, and that was extremely impressive. I’m interested in the CAT squatting:If your doing 7 sets of 5 in under 10 minutes, they probably aren’t very fast, correct? I remember Sam’s squatting big article, and how he was doing CAT squats with the same weight for months on end. Is that what you’ve been doing?[/quote]

The Squats themselves are very fast but, if you ever notice any of Sam or my CAT Squat videos there is a distinct pause between each rep and then almost exactly 60 seconds of rest between reps. So even though 10mons is the goal technically you only have 3 minutes. Which 35 reps with 315-365 when your max is only 500-600 when honestly applying full force to the bar can really tire you out.

The Squats themselves are very fast but, if you ever notice any of Sam or my CAT Squat videos there is a distinct pause between each rep and then almost exactly 60 seconds of rest between reps. So even though 10mons is the goal technically you only have 3 minutes. Which 35 reps with 315-365 when your max is only 500-600 when honestly applying full force to the bar can really tire you out.

Don’t know about anyone else, but this just made me more confused, WTF ?

[quote]Reed wrote:

[quote]Ravenous_ wrote:
Nice…I saw your squat progress vid, and that was extremely impressive. I’m interested in the CAT squatting:If your doing 7 sets of 5 in under 10 minutes, they probably aren’t very fast, correct? I remember Sam’s squatting big article, and how he was doing CAT squats with the same weight for months on end. Is that what you’ve been doing?[/quote]

The Squats themselves are very fast but, if you ever notice any of Sam or my CAT Squat videos there is a distinct pause between each rep and then almost exactly 60 seconds of rest between reps. So even though 10mons is the goal technically you only have 3 minutes. Which 35 reps with 315-365 when your max is only
500-600 when honestly applying full force to the bar can really tire you out.[/quote]

Wait 60s between each REP? Or did you mean set?How do you progress on your CAT squats? Sorry for all the questions lol.

And isn’t Sam working on a book?

Lol sorry I meant 60 seconds between sets sorry lol

Yes he is working on a EBook he is just extremely busy guy. Husband, Lawyer, and training he barely has time to eat

So lately you’ve been getting lean, and gaining strength at the same time, wouldn’t mind to here you explain how thats fucking possible !

I remember when I first started here, you were trying a number of things for your squats, including daily squatting. (I found that thread in a random search.)

You’ve outlined what you’re doing now.

What things have you tried that just straight up didn’t work for you? Besides daily squatting, lol.

Good stuff, you make eating sound like a job, it’s almost as much work as the lifting of the weights, I get this, and it almost burns me out somtimes, I’ve been eating over 4000 calories a day, meat, veggies, rice, trying to keep it clean, and home cooked, but it becomes alot of work, doing all that cooking and eating, and i’m on house arrest, I don’t know how you manage it with a full time job. I don’t think guys realize somtimes how much prep, and work goes into eating to get bigger and stronger, whithout becoming a blob, do you carry around a suit case full of food every where you go ?

I mainly asked, because I’m going to be trying to lean out a little here coming into summer, and I don’t want it to effect my strength training, I wanted to get your advice with some ASA talk. I was just wondering before I get into asking you questions here though, if you want to keep those questions for another thread, and keep this one mainly training, and nutrition based. I’ll leave that up to you. My question is about leaning out, and gaining, or maintaining strength, and what compounds you like best, or have had good luck with. thanks Reed,

Try not to let having your own thread, go to your head !