Sounds awful; tell us all about it! Haha
I’m there with you, in that I’m dialing back weight (story of my lifting life!) and focusing more on rep quality and muscular benefit than raw tonnage.
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The worst thing was his “Bulgarian Split Squat Drop Set of Death”. It’s on YouTube. Absolutely masochistic!
This is why I’m a big fan of the Meadows stuff.
First, following a program in general helps me take my own brain out and just execute. This helps me just show up and knock it out when life is busy and I don’t want to think (always). It also keeps me from trying to max every day because it seems like a good idea.
Second, he sequences his stuff and changes it around so I don’t really have something in my head to compare myself to. A lot of people seem to go great on the percentage-based stuff, but, for me, it creates a “I have to beat this” mentality and I’ll change my form to lift more weight rather than build more muscle (which is my real goal).
Third, it is 100% planned for longevity. That needs no explanation - I’m beat-up and wussy and don’t need more damage.
Finally, it is brutal! It’s fun to be able to leave it all on the floor and still progress. This also seems to make me dial in my eating more (I’m not going to do all that and then ruin it with junk food), which is 90% of the battle anyway.
Not sure why I rambled through all that, you weren’t asking for a marketing campaign, but there you go.
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Mountaindog Back Workout yesterday!
I warmed up on a treadmill - the humanity!
A. Meadows Rows
Bar/ 8
1p/8
2p/8
3p/8
3p+15/8 —> 3p/6 —> 2p+10/8
The —>s are drops
B. Smith Machine Row
135/8
185/8
225/8
255/6
C. DB Row
70/8
85/8
100/8
110/6 —> 95/5 —> 80/6
Really kept from tight on these - tough!
D. DB Pull-over
55/10
55/10
55/7
E. Hanging Leg Raise
4 sets of 12-15
F. Donkey Calf Raise
135/10 + 10 partials + 10-second stretch x 2 sets
These felt weird
And… I got my beautiful new belt!
First leg day with it will be Monday (or tomorrow if the gym is going to be closed on Monday). I’m excited, but this thing is stiff; it’s going to take some breaking in. Thanks all for the advice when I was ordering! @littlesleeper @T3hPwnisher @MarkKO
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Because of injury-induced ROM limitations, I HATE Bulgarian split squats. Yuck. But they’re so good for me. I need to watch that video, don’t I?
Beat up? Yes. Wussy? No. You’re beat up precisely because you’re NOT wussy. How about calling it “idiotic injury aversion”?
I appreciate your detailed response about why you like Meadow’s programs. In fact, you listed exactly what I’m needing out of workouts. Time for me to look into Mr. Meadows!
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You likely won’t be thanking me… Do them third or fourth in the workout (after leg curls and squats and maybe leg presses).
I like it! Thanks!
If you’re real interested, he has a Memorial Day weekend sale on programs on his site through tomorrow. There is one right on this site, if you want to get the flavor, though:
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If I understood that correctly, she did straight sets of eight with 15, 25, 35, and 45 lbs. Her “fifth” set was the drop set, right? I imagine that feels similar to Tabata RFESS.
Yeah, you just use 4 sets to work up, then you drop back down those same weights. So, for example:
50/8 + 8-second hold in the bottom —> drop to
40/8 + 8-second hold in the bottom —> drop to
30/8 + 8-second hold in the bottom —> drop to
20/8 + 8-second hold in the bottom
Cry, rest 3 minutes, do the other leg
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I would probably skip the first four sets and just do the triple drop set.
Fair enough. The work-up sets just kind of let you find a weight and a form you’re comfortable with
Relatively low volume legs today
A. Lying Leg Curls
50/10
90/10
120/10
150/10
170/10
170/6
B. SSB Squats
Bar/10
155/10
155 + ~ 45lbs chains/5
205+chains/5
235+chains/10
235+chains/10
I am really bringing my feet pretty narrow and keeping my torso upright with bar high on squats and getting some forward knee travel. It’s a lot harder on quads and easier on body so far.
C. Hack Squat
-/6
1p/6
1p+25/10
1p+25/10
D. Reverse Lunge (front foot elevated)
Couple warm-ups with body weight
25# KB/10, rest 20 sec. then 6, rest 20 sec. then 4
E. Standing Calf Raise
120/10
200/10 + 6 + 4 x 2
Tibia raise in between
I will take the rest of the day to enjoy my family with humility and gratitude for those courageous ones much better than myself; many, who were younger than myself, are forever mourned by their own surviving families so that I may live free. We can never repay their sacrifice, but we can honor them by living the best lives we can, loving our family and neighbors, and leaving the world better than we found it.
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Thanks for the links… and the heads up about when to do the BSS drop sets. I’m going to have to work up to weight before embarkong on this adventure, but I’ll tag you when I do, and you can remind me that I asked for the workout lol.
ETA: thank you for your service and for the positive, encouraging presence you bring to the forums.
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I tried these yesterday. My goal was to use 30, 20, 10, BW. I couldn’t stand up after the third 8 sec hold so I only made it through three rounds.
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Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words!
Horrific, right? I think this kind of stuff is great for me and probably even more so for you - you can destroy yourself without creating more damage and, maybe more importantly, you can recover in time to do your job without having messed up legs when you need to run.
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I just rewrote my upcoming plan since I’ve improved so much. My PT and I discussed a three day per week program for my legs. I told her it was going to be tough to continue doing 20 PT exercises for my hip in addition to what I’ll be doing for my shoulder.
I’ve included the drop set of death on all three days. I might just be doing bodyweight - I’m not sure how it’ll affect me if I do all sets while holding weight in my left hand. I definitely don’t want to develop any more imbalances.
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I don’t see how it could matter - we all have “normal” imbalances; like we carry groceries in our left hand so we can unlock the door with our right kind of thing.
I love that you’ve got it in there 3 days! You’re a masochist!
Well, one thing is certain - it hurts. But it doesn’t take a toll on the body like heavy squats or deads. It’s also pretty short and to the point. I didn’t did the progressive sets. I was warmed up so I just did the drop set, rested about a minute, did the other leg, and then walked very awkwardly back to the KB rack.
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I am really bad about being on here…
It’s finals week, and then I’ll have a couple weeks off. I’m in year 2 of my newer role at work, so the job has gotten easier, but the travel has increased (and I took this job to not travel, hmm…). I’m going to add a couple credits to each of my last two terms of school and finish this year.
I’m slowly tightening up my diet, because I’ve gotten as fat as I’m comfortable (I’ve no desire to set myself up for another hard cut)… well, after this weekend - I’m taking the kids to visit my college roommate. As long as I’m proactive about getting in light protein meals during the day so I’m not starving by evening, I do fine.
I’m pretty good on sticking to workouts, and I can fit it into any gym, so schedule isn’t really important here.
The big news… we found a couple of pit bull puppies (my favorite dog ever was a pit, so I’m happy with this). They turn 12 weeks old 4th of July week. We’re taking the kids on a vacation to see my family and then Lego-land, and then my wife will come back a couple of days early to get the dogs settled at our house; that should be exciting for the kids and it’s all the cardio I’d ever do anyway!
And… end of life update (not an update about the end of my life, I hope; just the end of this update about my life).
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Finally logging another day!
Legs yesterday
A. HS Seated Leg Curl
*I’m holding deep squats in between my first 3 or 4 warm-up sets to start getting those ready
-/10
25/12
45/10
45+25/6
45+25+25/8 x 2
45+25+25/8 → 45+25/8 → 45/8
B. SSB Squat
*Narrow stance and good slow descent
65 + chains/10
155+chains/8
205+chains/4
245+chains/10 x 3
C. Hack Squat
1 pps/8
2 pps/8 x 2
2pps/8 → 1p+25/8 → 1p/8
D. KB Reverse Lunge (front foot elevated)
BW/5
35/10 x 2
35/10 → 25/6 → 10/4
E. DB RDL
65/10 x 3
F. Standing Calf Raise
*Superset with tibia raise
3 sets of 10 and then one set with two drops
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Still going at it matey.
How you finding the mountain dog training? Is it being kind to you?
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How are you? How’s fatherhood treating you?
The mountaindog stuff is good for me right now. It is brutally hard while I’m in the gym, but it’s not based on hitting certain weights week after week, which is friendly to travel and schedule. It’s very joint friendly too
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