Midwest Madness

Thursday (Rest / Recover)

Friday

  • A1: DB Bench Press 6x8-12 (75lb, 85lb)
    • 75x12, 75x12, 75x12
    • 85x10, 85x10, 85x10
  • A2: Barbell Rows 6x8-12 (175lb, 215lb)
    • 175x12, 175x12, 175x12
    • 215x10, 215x10, 215x10
  • B1: DB Incline Press 3x8-12 (75lb)
  • B2: BB Shrugs 3x12-15 (215lb)
  • C1: DB Decline Press 3x8-12 (75lb)
  • C2: T-Bar Row 3x8-12 (210lb, 165lb)
    • 210x12, 210x10, 165x12
  • D: DB Fly 3x12-15 (35lb)

I saw you do reverse hypers….any luck with the gym having a variant of one?

I just workout in my garage and haven’t been to a proper gym in years. It has been way better for me this way and I don’t really miss the crowds.

Been eye-balling a real reverse hyper for awhile. Not so much a cost thing but more of a sq footage thing. The nice thing about my set up now is I can still pull my truck in the garage when I want to (folding rack).

May eventually give Louie’s folding hyper a go, but it’s plate holders seem way too short. I like the idea of being able to get more volume in on posterior chain without additional spinal loading. I think it would be one of the missing ingredients in my training up to this point in time as I have been limited to mainly variations of squat and deadlift.

This is the reason I subbed in trap bar deadlifts rather than straight bar for my current training block so I could save my lower back some hell and be ready to squat again on Monday.

As a side-bar discussion, I have been absorbing all sorts of information about conjugate and westside style programming the past couple years, and surprisingly it isn’t something I have fully committed to in the past. I think I am finally getting to a point where I want to try a 16 week (or more) block of this style of programming as it looks like a lot of fun and maybe what I need to get through a training rut that Western Periodization has gotten me to so far. Looking over your log, seems like you may know a thing or two about conjugate. Curious to know your thoughts on it and if there are some good articles, books, etc that you would recommend.

Saturday

  • Warmup: Trap Bar Deadlift
    • 170x10, 220x5, 260x5, 310x5, 350x5
  • A: Trap Bar Deadlift 3x5 @ 70% (405lb)
    • 405x5, 405x5, 405x5
  • Warmup: Press
    • 45x10, 95x8, 135x8
  • B: Overhead Press 3x5-8 @ 70% (160lb)
    • 160lbx8, 160lbx8, 160lbx8
    • Gripping the barbell so tight it left knurling imprints in my hands after sets were done. Set up with forearm pushing against bicep while holding bar across upper chest/delts. Triceps pressing/resting against upper lats. Strong starting position for press.
  • C: Wide Stance Cmbr Good Morning 3x8
    • 175lbx8, 175lbx8, 175lbx8
  • D: Farmer Walk (Trap Bar) 3x
    • 260lbx1, 310lbx1, 350lbx1

I would agree with you on knowing a bit about Conjugate. There is loads of information out there on the tubes between Dave Tate and Matt Wenning. Some things I learned is it’s not always maxing out like we only see out there.

I am currently working on a 5 month block of pushing doubles and triples then move to a 2 month Absolute Strength Block for a Meet. One major thing I learned is we do not need to switch out supplement work, just change the way you are doing them.

Example is GHR.
Wk 1: Paused Holds
Wk 2: Pyramid Rep Work
Wk 3: 4x10 work
Wk 4: High Volume

Obv I am trying to push these every time they come around because if my GHR gets stronger than I know my lifts will be going up. When I selected the assistance work, I took my weaknesses into account and set it up as the following.

Lower

Main Exercise(depends how I feel/letting one of the gym bro’s pick the lift)


Supplement Work

  • Anything Glute/Hamstring/Lower Back

Accessories

  • Abs
    -I added more Glute/Hamstring work depends how pooched I am

For Lower Dynamic

I wanted to get DL’s in every week but not drain me as much, so I chosen an idea from Dave Tate about doing 60% and do 10 singles to help build explosive power.

Upper Dynamic
Wanted to try 65% for 8 doubles as Dave tate said it helped him push his bench. So he recommends to keep doing the starting weight till your bench stalls then readjust the 65%

The Main key is all the additional workouts I am doing.

1 Like

Thanks for the thorough reply. I just listened to a Louie Simmons podcast where he talked about doing bench press with wide grip for 6x6 (moving up 5-10lbs each week) and then 8x8 after 6x6 stalls, and then 10x10 once 8x8 stalls then back again to 6x6. Basically doing this instead of ME and DE benching from what I could gather but sometimes Louie is hard to follow…got to listen to what he is saying like 3 times in a row before it really sinks in. I think this may be what he did before he read all the Russian literature and developed his own methods but again hard for me to follow completely.

Anyway, for some reason I can’t shake this idea and feel certain this also would work for me but damn a 10x10 workout would take forever once you add in supplemental and assistance exercises, lol.

Will probably draft a 16 week conjugate cycle after I am done with my next 8 weeks I have planned out already and see where that takes me. I don’t compete or anything like that. Any free time I get is spent in a tree stand or with a fishing pole in my hand…priorities :wink: Just enjoy trying to challenge myself with new goals; I find more enjoyment out of trying to lift more weight on S/B/D than I do anything else. Guess I would rather be stronger than I look versus the other way around.

Good point about not maxing out all the time. That’s really the part I think gets left out of all the YouTube hype we see around Westside, but who really knows. Those guys had to be grinding away on reps on big lifts too some of the time.

Also, definitely been watching a lot Matt Wenning content lately…pure gold!

that could be considered Rep Effort, which they do time from time depending on the year

Sunday (Rest / Light Recovery)

  • A: Punching Bag
  • B: DB Bicep Curls 3x12 (35lb)
  • C: DB Overhead Press 3x12 (35lb)
  • D: Over-and-Backs 4x10 (#2 Band)
  • E: Band Pull A-parts 4x20 (#2 Band)
  • F: Band Lat Pulldown 4x20 (#2 Band)
  • G: Walk Outdoors

—————————————————————————-————Week 6 (72.5%)

Monday

  • A: Back Squat 3x5-8 @ 72.5% (345lb)
    • 345lbx5, 345lbx5, 345lbx5
  • B: Block Pull 3x5-8
    • 315lbx8, 365lbx5, 395lbx5
  • C: Band Leg Curl 3x20-30
    • #2 Band 1x30, #3 Band 2x20
  • D: Band Leg Extension 3x20-30
    • #2 Band 1x30, #3 Band 2x25
  • E: Hanging Leg Raise 3x8 (Toes-2-Bar)
  • Note: hard to get motivated after work today so training felt like just going through the motions. Some days are like that I guess. Pulling an all-nighter at work, so before going back in thought I would see if my workout would wake me back up…that seems to have worked.

Tuesday (Rest / Recover)

Wednesday

  • A: Bench Press 3x5 @ 72.5% (270lb)
  • B: JM Press 3x8 (135lb)
  • C1: Body Weight Dips 3x15
  • C2: DB Rows 3x12 (90lb)

Thursday (Rest / Recover)

Friday (Rest / Recover)

Saturday

  • A: Trap Bar Deadlift 3x5 @ 72.5% (415lb)
    • Warmups: 170lbx5, 220lbx5, 260lbx5, 310lbx5, 350lbx5, 400lbx3
    • 415lbx5, 415lbx5, 415lbx5
  • B: Overhead Press 3x5-8 @ 72.5% (165lb)
    • Warmups: 125lbx8, 145lbx6
    • 165lbx8, 165lbx8, 165lbx8
  • C: Front Squat 3x5 @ 72.5% (260lb)
    • Warmups: 165lbx5, 215lbx5, 235lbx3
    • 260lbx5, 260lbx5, 260lbx5
    • 305lbx1
    • Negative (Eccentric) Only: 355lbx1, 400lbx1
  • D: SG High Pull from Hang 6x3
    • 175lbx3, 185lbx3, 195lbx3, 205lbx3, 215lbx3, 225lbx3

Sunday (Conditioning)

  • 8 Rounds
    • A1: Front Squat (175lb)
    • A2: Concept 2 Rower (100m)
      • Round 1: 175lbx8, 100m Row
      • Round 2: 175lbx1, 100m Row
      • Round 3: 175lbx7, 100m Row
      • Round 4: 175lbx2, 100m Row
      • Round 5: 175lbx6, 100m Row
      • Round 6: 175lbx3, 100m Row
      • Round 7: 175lbx5, 100m Row
      • Round 8: 175lbx4, 100m Row
    • B1: Band Pull Aparts 4x25
    • B2: Band Lat Pull 4x25
    • B3: Neutral Grip Pull-up 4x5

———————————————————————————
Week 7 (75%)

Monday

  • Warmup: 3 mile walk (w/ doggy)
  • A: Bench Press 3x5 @ 75% (280lb)
    • 280lbx5, 280lbx5, 280lbx5
  • B: Barbell Rows 4x6-8 (225lb)
    • 225lbx8, 225lbx8, 225lbx8, 225lbx15
  • C: Weighted Dips 3x8-10 (+90lb)
    • +90lbx8, +90lbx8, +90lbx8
  • D: DB Rollbacks 3x10-12 (40lb)
    • 40lbx12, 40lbx12, 40lbx12
  • E: EZ Bar Pushdowns 3x10-12 (70lb)
    • 70lbx12, 70lbx12, 70lbx12

Tuesday - Thursday (Rest / Recover)

Friday

  • A: Back Squat 3x5-8 @ 75% (355lb)
    • 355lbx5, 355lbx5, 355lbx5
  • B: RDL 3x5-8
    • 315lbx6, 315lbx6, 315lbx6
  • C: Leg Curl 3x20-30 (#3 Band)
    • x30, x25, x25
  • D: Leg Extension 3x20-30 (#3 Band)
    • x30, x25, x25
  • E: Calf Raises 3x15-20 (100lb)
    • 100lbx20, 100lbx20, 100lbx20
  • F: Hanging Leg Raise 3x8 (Toes-2-Bar)

Saturday

  • A: Trap Bar Deadlift 3x5 @ 75% (430lb)
    • Warmups: 170lbx5, 220lbx5, 240lbx5, 260lbx5, 310lbx5, 330lbx5, 350lbx5, 370lbx5, 400lbx3
    • Work Sets: 430lbx5, 430lbx5, 430lbx5
  • B: Overhead Press 3x5-8 @ 75% (175lb)
    • Warmups: 35lbx10, 85lbx8, 105lbx5, 125lbx5, 145lbx5
    • Work Sets: 175lbx5, 175lbx5, 175lbx5
  • C: Front Squat 3x5 @ 75% (270lb)
    • Warmups: 125lbx5, 145lbx5, 175lbx5, 195lbx5, 215x3, 235lbx3
    • Work Sets: 270lbx5, 270lbx5, 270lbx5
  • D: SG High Pull from Hang 6x3
    • 185lbx3, 195lbx3, 205lbx3, 215lbx3, 225lbx3, 235lbx3

Sunday
* A1: DB Bench Press 3x12-15 (60lb)
* A2: T-Bar Row 3x10-12 (130lb)
* B1: DB Decline Press 3x12-15 (60lb)
* B2: Band Pull Aparts 3x25 (#2 Band)
* C1: DB Incline Press 3x12-15 (60lb)
* C2: Over-and-Backs 3x12 (#2 Band)
* D1: DB Bicep Curl 3x12 (35lb)
* D2: DB Rear Delt Row 3x12 (35lb)
* E: Decline Sit-ups 3x15 (15lb)

Monday

  • A: Bench Press 3x5 @ 77.5% (290lb)
    • Warmups: 45x10, 135x8, 185x5, 205x5, 225x5, 275x3
    • Work Set: 290lbx5, 290lbx5, 290lbx4
  • B: Barbell Rows 4x6-8 (235lb)
    • 235lbx8, 235lbx8, 235lbx8, 235lbx8
  • C: Weighted Dips 3x8-10 (+90lb)
    • +90lbx8, +90lbx8, +90lbx6
  • D: DB Decline Rollbacks 3x10-12 (50lb)
    • 50lbx10, 50lbx10, 50lbx10
  • E: EZ Bar Pushdowns 3x10-12 (70lb)
    • 70lbx12, 70lbx12, 70lbx10

Tuesday (Rest / Recover)

Wednesday(Rest / Recover)

Thursday

  • A: Back Squat 3x5 @ 77.5% (370lb)
  • B: RDL 3x5-8
    • 225lbx8, 275lbx8, 315lbx5
  • C: Swiss Bar 21’s 3x21 (47lb)
  • D: T-Bar Row 3x8 (180lb)
  • E: Hanging Leg Raise 3x8 (Toes-2-Bar)

Saturday

  • A: Trap Bar Deadlift 3x5 @ 77.5% (445lb)
    • Warmup: 135lbx5, 170lbx5, 220lbx5, 260lbx5, 310lbx5, 350lbx5, 400lbx3
    • Work Set: 445lbx5, 445lbx5, 445lbx5
  • B: Overhead Press 3x5 @ 77.5% (180lb)
    • 180lbx5, 180lbx5, 180lbx5

Notes: Short workout today as kept getting interrupted at home.

Sunday

  • A: Front Squat 3x5 @ 77.5% (280lb)
  • B: SG High Pull from Hang 3x3 (215lb)
  • C: Dead-Stop Good Mornings 3x8 (125lb)
  • D: Hanging Leg Raise 3x8 (Toes-2-Bar)