52 reps? Damn, that’s quite an accomplishment. Amazing work!
james
ECO-- Lots of flopping ! I was afraid someone was going to use a gaff hook and clean and fillet me!
Matty- Thanks brother!
James- Thanks for dropping in and thanks for the kind words…
Sssshh, don’t tell anyone but I harbor secret desires of squatting 225x20…ssshh
Today was a refresh day and I did it a little different, instead of one big rolling set I just did some rack pulls up to 365, Zpresses to learn the movement and get comfortable with the position, a few paused inclines and a 45 minute walk on a trail with my dogs…that was awesome they were so much fun to be with…now they are asleep one under the desk at my feet and the other right next to me…great stress reliever!
Tomorrow is Day 14 the FINAL day…looking to improve on 33 reps at 185…I might push this to Tuesday because today will be football watching and it is un American to watch football without beer…will see.
HEY, EVERYONE!! GOAT WANTS TO SQUAT 225 X 20!!!
Oh, wait . . . was that supposed just between the two of us?
Tomorrow is my squat challenge. I forgot to get oxygen and barf bags. Wish me luck.
OP- You are a machine: you will do just fine…Im predicting a big number
Day 14 Finals Day
Incline BP choice of max single or 2 sets of 2,3,5
235x2,3,5 and 2,3,3,2 just tanked. although the 5 is a rep PR… Im going to max at the end of the week so I did the ladders today. So in 6.5 weeks I added 4 reps to my ole max…not bad
Bat wings 45s 5x10sec hold
One Arm Press
70’s 2,3,5 x 2 Right, 2,3,5, and 2,3,4,1 left
Bird dogs
5x20sec side
Complex 3x5x115
squats the goal was 185/50…35, 15 …so I didn’t reach the goal and only improved two reps on the opener but squeezed the 50 into 2 sets and that was with about 1:45 sec rest between…Im doing 225x20 soon!!! I hate squats !! I did make a lot of rep progress whether it was with 135 or 185 so thats good.
ended up at 180lbs up 6 from the start and that wasnt a goal but its good weight so I think I’ll keep it. (haha)
14 down 0 to go!!
Peace
Amazing stuff, Goat. Did you say your legs are looking different?
Cav- They are about 3/4 inch bigger, but you would never know…I have chicken legs well now maybe adolescent rooster legs…I didn’t eat enough to gain size only put on 6lbs so that isn’t going to go far.
The program ended yesterday. Taking today and tomorrow to just loosen up do some light stuff ( whatever moves me) and get ready to try a max squat on This weekend…so today after the usual warmup I did Db swings, kayaks, facepulls and various planks…some T-mill more foam rolling and that was it…
Off to the salt mine…Peace
QU…what are kayaks ??
One day I might have to try that.
You should do a smolov squat cycle. You’d love it.
Good grief, Goat. "I only put on 6 pounds in a month, but only because I didn’t eat much . . . " Take it from someone who’s eating like 2 and a half horses, that’s downright superhuman.
BN- If you goggle it, there is demo video on this site…its a standing row on a cable machine but the video and explanation will give you a better idea.
Joe- Smolov? No way that’s for the terminally insane…I only suffer bouts of insanity.
Cav- its actually not much weight.
Reflections from the madness mayhem and manworld known as MMS:
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I did this to exercise squat demons and not bulk… I know that wasn’t the intention of the program but it was my own need…Overall, it was a success. If someone had said to me in 6 weeks you will squat 185 35 times I would have said yeah, right after I win 100 meters in the Olympics… Mentally I am much more comfortable and that came out when I popped the 15 reps yesterday to finish my 50…There weren’t any doubts that even fatigued it was going to happen…Lesson: push harder against the walls of time you dumb goat!!
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The limiting factor for me was GPP…I need to scrap what I have been doing there. It works fine for general health and mobility but not for pushing forward. Wind was the major factor in 50 rep regime…and I sucked…I improved but not enough.
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When outside stress influenced my nutritional habits ( ie less protein and water) two things happened. My mental state deteriorated rapidly and I didn’t push as hard as I was capable. Lacked desire and focus to sustain it through the workout. Subsequently, my lifts suffered ( no, duh). Pretty obvious but something to really pay attention to.
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Although I had done a lot of horizontal pulling prior to this I was in fact having nagging rhomboid (right side)issues. Whenever I tried to up my pulls, the next day I regretted it and the discomfort and low level pain would continue and linger. The Bat wings really seem to help. The first few sessions they complained loudly, but by week 4 they were in much better shape. Keeping these in the regiment for sure.
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I get up at 4:20 lift at 5am fasted. I cannot keep things down and train at that time of day…the night time protein shake which I had always said I would do but never did until this program really helped…More alive in the morning, stomach much more settled and I added 6lbs overall.
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Quads grew 3/4 inch and hips 1 inch…didn’t take any upper body measurements prior but there is no doubt my shoulders are fuller. Since my waist stayed the same. The majority of the 6lbs is lean.
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really liked the 2,3,5 ladders… My Incline numbers moved up very nicely. I am going to incorporate them into squats and see how I do. I think it will be a good switch from the high reps…although I now harbor secret desires of 225x20! Dammit Dan, look what you’ve done!
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Bird Dogs were a non event for me. I have done them previously and would look more towards Pallof Press variations for any work in that area.
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One arm Presses frustrated the crap out of me…moved up to 70’s and hit the wall with my left. And that is still 20lbs shy of 50% body weight yet I have a 180MP. Something to address…
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Although I didnt use the program for its intention of bulking, I would say that it was excellent overall…at 51 to pick up lean body mass, move my incline up, exercise squat demons and fix a rhomboid issue…in 6 weeks?..worth the price admission.
I hope anyone who takes the time to read this post finds something in it worth considering.
peace, Paul
sorry for the long post
A fascinating experiment, Goat. And 6 lbs is a good gain, at least by my standards. It took me over 2 months to pack on 5 lbs. Wait a minute . . . that coincides exactly with my Sheiko cycles . . . maybe there is something to this hi rep stuff.
I’d never noticed before, but that is a real hefty incline bench for a 180 lber and a 6 lb lean mass gain at 51 is incredible.
Personally I don’t quite see what all the fuss is about your 52 reps on squats. I’ve done 50+ reps loads of times.
What’s that?
Sorry?
What? They were all in one set?
HOLY SHEEEEIIITTT, HE CRAZY!
And if you’re trying to sell us that Dan John routine…you had me at 3/4 of an inch.
Cav- I think there something to working hard…harder than we think we can!
Brett Thanks for the kind words on the incline and age and the humor! the 3/4 thing makes both my quads combined the size of your forearm…
Ok so is the plan beyond this week:
Day1
Snatch Rack Pulls working reps will be no more than 15 looking more like 5x2 maybe 5x3
Bench ( going to try flat but may have to move CGB) using the 2,3,5 rep scheme and sequence from the MMS gig I just did
Upper body assistance: Z press, cable rows, one arm BB curls 10’s for reps
Day 2
Squats Following the 2,3,5 gig
Speed bench work ( again defaulting away if the shoulder says no mas) been nearly 18 months since my last flat BP
Lower body assistance, RDL’s , Split squats , maybe some hammie curls…
Day 3
Walks ( farmers, waiters etc), DB swings, bat wings, chins
Going to freelance this day no pre determined rep scheme or sets or exactly which walk I do…going to go in and rock what I am up for…
Looking at Tuesday, Thursday , Friday
Monday Wednesday a little cardio and some Pallof press, plank , blah blah blah days
Six weeks dust to destiny
Sat/ Sunday long dog walks, watch football, consume liquid calories, ride motorcycle…before the liquid calories! And bow season is approaching!! Time to walk the trails with the gorillas and look for signs of traffic!! Game on!
Peace
Be sure you’re good and recovered when you test your squat max. Really curious how it turns out.
And yes, there’s something to this “hard work” thing . . . except that anytime someone tried explaining it, they never made sense. (My log title is partial sarcasm to all those who steered me in the wrong direction) Perhaps a better phrase would be “lots of good work”!
wow good work man! 35 is still quite impressive!
I think next you should try a broz style squat everyday program 
Zeno- Thanks
Went to gym this AM just to get loosened up and screw around…SO I decided to see what would happen if I flat BP’d since I added it to my program for next cycle…
DIdn’t have any major issues, shoulder is tender, Im going to have to go slow and be careful during the cycle, nothing biofreeze won’t cure… 135x8, 185x5, 225x11 ( +3PR) 245x2 265x1…
one arm curls 5ft bar 3x10 side,
BB shrugs 225x8
Thats it, a little more foam roll and stretch and good night Irene!
OG- great work.
I need to re-read and take a look at these progressions
nice job
kevin - thanks if you have any questions I will gladly answer anything I can.
Wasnt able to max test squat and incline this weekend. Ended up working 2 12hour days for my wife’s business to get a shipment ready for pick up this AM…The business is in the same park as the gym as I took lunch yesterday and just did some stuff…Wasnt mentally ready for max efforts and my diet has totally sucked all weekend.
Rack Pulls from knee worked up to single at 425.
Waiters walks 45db up and down the DB rack 2 sets each arm
Z press worked up 95lbs for 10…just getting this dialed in for this week since I added to my program.
Whip snatches up to 95lbs for 6…
That was all the time had before she cracked the whip aagain!!
New program starts Tomorrow with squats and Bench on the same day…should be a treat!
Peace