Just read through this thread, loving the enthusiasm!! I’ve been on a boat the last week, but I’ll begin my Surge/growth phase on Monday! Im not doing the Surge Challenge specifically, but I’ll be logging my experience with the product, along with the workouts I’m doing. Expect big things 
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As a serial ab-neglector, some direct ab work before or after every training session would be pretty beneficial IMO. I wouldn’t try to do anything to induce an ab pump (because ab cramps are terrible), but standard hanging leg raises or ab wheel stuff would be a good addition as ‘daily’ work I think - could be added in as ‘warmup’ work too.
Okay I’ll consider that in Workouts 7-12. Thanks.
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Based on an old adage from the 1970’s of not loosing your pump, don’t you believe abs as a warmup is superior to abs after the pump?
Dr Darden do you have recommendations with the fat gripz? Will you include in the next set of workouts when you want us to use them? Or can we use them if we want now in the workouts?
Do your ab work as a warmup.
@Ellington_Darden @Tim_Patterson,
@Shaina_Madel and I were looking at some different glute exercises for this protocol and would like to know your thoughts regarding “fit chick” tuning. My thoughts were to change the training schedule while keeping muscle groups as similar as possible (only replacing forearms with glutes… girls don’t really need to train forearms like guys do IMO). The fit chick schedule we were considering:
Schedule:
- Workout 1 & 4:
Legs block
Thighs block
Glutes block
Calves block - Workout 2 & 5:
Lats block
Chest block
Biceps block
Triceps block - Workout 3 & 6:
Legs block
Thighs block
Glutes block
Shoulders block
For the Glutes Block we were thinking something along the lines of:
-
Pump
-BB Hip Thrust x10
-Frog Pump x10
-Band Pull Throughx10 -
Stimulate
-BB Hip Thrust x10
-Kneeling Squat x10 -
Flutter
-BB Hip Thrust
(all along the lines of the already written training blocks, respective to rest times and rep performance).
We had also considered step-downs, glute kickbacks, good mornings and some others - weren’t sure if those made more sense or not.
Used this article for inspiration as well:
I’m okay with your Glute block thrown in for your wife. Let us know how it progresses?
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I believe she will be starting up on Monday but we will keep everything logged and reach out if any changes are needed.
I feel the same. I love all of this excitement.
I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone, including yourself, can accomplish.
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Fat Gripz are great for pressing movements, and you can use them as handles for the exercise bands. Fat Gripz and bands can add variety to your lifts. You can use bands separately or looped together and substitute them for certain lifts:
Dumbbell Fly
Cable Arm Crossover
Lateral Raise
Biceps Curl
Leg Curl
Here’s an example of a banded leg curl:
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Thank you Tim. I had used them for the flutter reps for the bicep curl and it felt really good. I may try those leg curls if the leg curl machine isn’t back up and running next time.
Just finished workout 2 and have some feedback - feel free to disregard.
One week of workouts is now done. Some tips/pointers/observations:
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Go lighter than you think you need, especially if you’re not used to this type of training. Go by the effort/effect and not the weight on the bar as your guide. Adjust as needed.
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Weighted ring dips are a fantastic substitute for bench press. The pump phase, stimulate phase and flutter phase all worked well, although I could only use the 30# vest for the pump phase.
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Goblet squats were a nice substitute for the leg press. Even with these (doing three sets of 8 with almost no rest between and at the end of the workout), I’d go lighter than you think you should. I used a 28kg bell, and it was plenty.
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I’m doing crossfit workouts on off days for conditioning, and this seems to work well. Even though the Surge workouts are challenging, they are more “in the moment” challenging than, say a Boring but Big 531 workout that takes a lot out of you.
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The Surge workout drinks are good. I don’t know yet how much of a difference it will ultimately make, but it has worked well for me and my routine of first-thing-in-the-morning training (well, first thing after coffee and newspaper). I have struggled with what to have as some fuel in me to sustain my workouts. This fits the bill.
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Doing barbell squats for every phase (save for the Flutter phase) with different foot positions is brutally hard, but it is probably the most growth stimulating thing you could do for your legs.
Also, the workouts, the Surge, and eating like a horse have helped ensure I feel totally recovered by the time the next workout rolls around. Also, each workout feels about the perfect length, you’re doing a lot of work for each body part, but you finish before it wears out its welcome.
I recommend to everyone doing this, make sure you’re housing a ton of food. This should be the protocol in any mass gain plan.
I’m feeling pumped around the clock and I believe that is a major objective of the program. Might be my favorite program Dr. Darden has written!
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During the pumping phase of a block, which is more important:
A change in exercise?
Or, the 10 second rest period?
This week I have been timing the feasibility of getting from one machine to another and start the exercise within 10 seconds. In the triceps pump phase there are three machines between the seated tricep extension machine and the seated dip machine. I barely can make it from one to the other in 10 seconds.
How many seconds is it that the “10 second” rest period too long?
Take the amount of time you need to safely get to the next exercise, and try to keep it under 20 seconds.
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After running through a few of the workouts last week, I officially started the challenge today.
First off, I’d say that both the lemon drop and berry flavors are delicious. I personally have a preference for the berry, which I expected that would be the case since berry is one of my favorite plazma flavors.(second to orange).
Having done some of the workouts with and without Surge, there is definitely a noticeable increase in pump when using Surge.
Getting between exercises in 10 seconds can be a challenge in my home gym, I can definitely see it being an issue in a commercial gym. I pretty much setup each exercise before I start, to help make the transition as quick as possible. This also helps because it allows me to do a simple circuit style warmup of most of the workout.
Looking forward to seeing how everyone progresses!
I personally see the 10 seconds and 1 minute recommendations more as guidelines than absolute requirements. 10 seconds means as little time as possible, 1 minute means you get a slight breather but I’m usually able to follow that one pretty exactly
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I’m sure you’re correct.