Thanks … These give me somewhere to start and some where to grow into
A friend of mine who I recommended Walrus circuits to interpreted it in an interesting way - Vince Gironda 8x8 program.
Especially if completing Walrus circuits in EMOM style.
He set up weighted vest sets, EMOM ( very little rest) like this:
Dip 8x8
Inverted Row 8x8
Pike pushup 8x8
Split squats 8x8
Vest good morning 8x8
Wearing a 65lb vest and using bodybuilding / Gironda style, muscle concentration, 2 second negative sets.
He states it took max 40 mins, did wonders as an upper body workout, and is very similar to what Gironda really aimed to achieve.
He had a lower body session too using just weighted vest/ body weight and stability ball.
Completing them twice a week each for a 4 day bodybuilding split (Upper/Lower/Off/Repeat) and stated he had amazing results for those interested in weighted vest mass building / bodybuilding.
Food for thought.
1 Like
Btw, these weren’t circuits.
All 8 sets for vest dips were done first before moving on to next body part / exercise.
A very different approach style and goal mind set to the Walrus program, but an interesting take.
Im following the “Isaac Hayes template”, made famous by Tom Furman. For me, in my current situation it looks like this
Day 1
WALRUS, jumps
Day 2
Easy conditioning (30 min)
Day 3
Mobility. Often a 30-60 min yoga session
Day 4
Repeat
So far my WALRUS is done unweighted. Last session was
5 Dips
4 Pull-ups
10/10 Bulgarian Split Squats
X 10 rounds
Slowly addong reps and lowering sets. Love this!
1 Like
Has anyone transitioned back to barbell trading after following the Walrus program for an extended time - how did it go? Did you lose much strength on the barbell lifts?
Yep. Recently did just that. Kept strength levels just fine.
1 Like
Bumping this one year later.
Anyone still doing WLRUS?
Hi Raubtier,
Apologies for late reply. Better late than…
I’ve been doing some heavy dumbbell work, for example stiffs and single leg squat, along with floor presses and rows for one set of max reps.
I also experimented with 8x8 using weighted vest movements
However, I had continued with the Walrus method, doing at least one walrus session a week.
A big thing I’ve worked on over the past two years is weight gain (which is hard at 36 years of age and having 2 decades of physical training under your belt).
A family trip to Turkey resulted in me having a breakfast challenge with my bro in law and having enormous amounts of eggs ( I had not eaten breakfast or lunch for best part of a decade).
Since then, I’ve had 6-8 large eggs, turkey and cheese at 6am every a day (95% compliant).
Previously, I maintained an easy 10% body fat at a bodyweight of 80kgs with one huge meal a day. Over the past 18 months, my goal has been to gain decently clean weight ( not too much fat). I’ve gained 10kgs and am at 90kg around 15% body fat. Just by adding 6-8 eggs in at breakfast and, when I can be bothered, a protein shake midday!
My clothes got too tight so I had to buy new items (literally ripped three of my trousers).
I’m now looking to get to 95kg. Plan on adding peanut butter and banana sandwiches during the day (Paul Carter idea from Blue Collar Eating). I will hold for 6 months before trying to rid of the fat slowly with increased conditioning.
A key thing is, although I’m still using 30-40kg vest weight in my Walrus sessions, my bodyweight increase of 10kg has added to the resistance, hence it’s a strength gain in my eyes!
I’d like to think that it’s proof of a forgotten gem. Adding weight / muscle mass isn’t so much about what training program you’re doing. It’s about eating more clean food! I don’t credit Walrus training to my mass gain, rather just me adding more clean food. As Wendler says, you can be on the best mass/muscle program ever, but if you’re not eating, your not growing.
Eat up and Walrus away lads.
2 Likes
I forgot to add.
I don’t go to the gym every day for 2 hours.
I still train just 2 days a week at max.
Agile 8 and skipping rope for warm up.
Conditioning is the same - sprints after session 1 and dB farmers Walks with my vest on after session 2 for an added 10-15 mins. These two things are simple, free, effective and are done on my street.
Stretch every night for 10 mins.
2 Likes
It’s amazing how big a lever nutrition is. After 24 years of training, I’m only just now starting to come to this same revelation. As long as you’re training hard, it really doesn’t matter HOW you’re doing it, as you’ve noted here. But if you DON’T have your eating squared away, it doesn’t matter how perfect your training is: you’re not going to get results. Meanwhile, you square away the nutrition, you see the results.
1 Like
@aaronru Really dig your approach! Just curious what your OMAD/Warrior Diet supplement regimen looks like?
Hi Camaro
When I ate one meal in the evening, starting at around 6pm, it would be a ton of protein from chicken legs, mince mutton or beef, along with carbs such as mountains of rice or potatoes, and salad.
I’d wait an hour then have fruits, nuts, seeds in greek yoghurt and sometimes oats.
Some evenings I’d have eggs too.
Looking at 150-200 grams protein, 200-300 grams carbs, and 50-60 grams fat.
Eating once a day was amazing.
-
I had the best sleep of my life, considering I couldn’t sleep well historically.
-
All of my IBS/ poor digestion symptoms that I’d get every few months went away for years on end.
-
I felt very alert and on a high throughout the day not eating and just drinking water, coffee, and sometimes shakes.
Now I eat at 6am and 6pm.
1 Like
@aaronru That’s awesome! Caloric breakdown is identical to mine.
Did/do you take any supplements?
Hi, sorry I misread your question before.
Only supplement I’ve had is a double serving of a protein shake here and there, if I have a tub in the cupboard.
I don’t swear by them or take them daily.
Shakes probably flare up my poor digestion. My experience is that supplements haven’t helped much and that I’d rather spend the money on more eggs or a huge portion of wings.
Most protein is bought for family so I make sure I buy a lot more for my huge serving. Hence, that’s more important to me than buying protein powder
Calories wise, the above led me to maintaining low bf % and weight for a good part of a decade (mid twenties to mid thirties). However, over past 2 years, the calories have bumped up as I’ve gained weight.
Thank you! I appreciate the detailed responses.
@aaronru Hey, man! I’ve spent the last 6 weeks adopting your exact approach (WALRUS training + Warrior Diet), and have been absolutely crushing it!
I do have one more diet question for you - I was wondering if your macros were about the same on non-training days? Or did you go for low carbs on those days?
I’ve been loving the large meals of chicken wings, rice, and vegetables! Would love to hear more about other meals you’ve enjoyed.
Thanks again for your inspiration.
1 Like
Hi Camaro,
Macros were the same.
The beauty lies in the ease of it all and the consistency.
It is so easy to sort out one meal in the evening than the 6+ meals many lifters eat a day.
No carbs all day, some protein and fat in palm of nuts or a casual shake, but the majority of calories from 6pm to about 10pm is what worked so well for me.
Huge feasts at night felt so right.
I did this for so many years, it wasn’t a quick fix or something I wrote off quickly.
Looking back, I probably could have done Walrus every other day or daily, as I spent so much time doing it.
I was just a very busy working dad that didn’t want or need to put too much time into training.
Now my kids are older, I’ve added dumbbells and other implements, as also changed my goals.
Keeping 1-2 x walrus sessions or vested walks with pushups + lunges per week, let’s me know I’ve still got balance and all the athletic qualities needed for living life pain free while aging well, regardless of what I do in other areas of my training.
Aaron.
2 Likes
Other meals:
Lamb chops 1x kg,
1x kg roast potatoes, carrots etc,
Boiled veg.
Ready to eat Smoked salmon or mackerel fillets 400g - I just grill them for 3 mins,.
Mountains of rice,
Salad.
Chicken thigh stew with 1kg boneless thigh, celery, carrots, peas, tomatoes, mustard, cinnamon.
Huge lasagne trays X2 for family that lasts days - I eat half.
Leaf green salad.
Keep crushing it.
Just tick off the sessions and wait for 6 months to a year and you’ll see the benefits.
I remember feeling decades younger!
1 Like
Hey, been following your posts for some time. Are you still training Walrus style? Still enjoying it? I’ve heard some really great feedback from friends mirroring your experience. Only difference being they’ve worked up to either 5-6x/week or are on an every other day schedule.
Hi Steve,
Currently on one or two heavy weights sessions and one or two heavy walrus sessions per week.
Heavy vest walks, heavy carries or sprints after each session.
Eating more to gain more weight.
Breakfast same 6-8 eggs with cheese and turkey.
Dinner same - tons of meat, rice/potatoes and salad.
Added a ‘lunch’ - look up Chase Karnes shake. I’m sure it’s not his idea, as drinking calorific but healthy shakes have been around for time.
Tried 3 months no Walrus - felt sluggish and ‘less able’ from an athletic stand point. And as a husband and father, being physically dangerous is number 1! So quickly put them back in.
Nothing will make you feel younger!
Aaron.
1 Like