So I decided it was just something I ate (because that’s what I wanted to be true and because nothing else hurt) and went back to the gym. I couldn’t stomach the thought of doing what I was supposed to do, so I figured I’m going to experiment a little with CT’s stuff. Sorry, @davemccright, I think I’m pulling out of this program like it’s a prom date. I need to do something new; I’m really uncomfortable with how comfortable I am with training right now. Also like a prom date, I’m sure I’ll come groveling back in a couple months when this new thing isn’t working out.
Anyway, today was 5 second eccentrics on everything, which is absolutely humbling. We are not to talk about my weights
Superset 1:
Squats
45/8
95/8
135/8
165/10
185/8
205/6
165/12
BB Curls
The bar wasn’t 45#, so the weight is meaningless. Same deal with 3x8 to warm up, then 10-8-6-12. I had to rest pause that 12!
Superset 2:
Incline Press
45/8
95/8
115/10
135/8
155/5
115/12 (had to RP these too)
DB RDL
25/8
35/8
45/10
55/8
65/6
50/12 (the only thing I went too light on)
Superset 3:
Dual handle neutral grip pulldowns
Whatever the weight is by the scheme
Well it’s a shame to see you go, I hope you enjoy the new training program you’re on And I’ll still be here when and if you decide to jump back in! Glad to hear you’re healthy enough to be back in the gym!
Hate to see me leave but love to watch me go - I get it
Knowing me, there’s a better than 80% chance I just jump back in with you on week 4 next week. I just have these little spurts where I have to do something else, then I don’t like it and I go back to what I was doing but I’ll keep a little something from the experiment
I feel you on that man. I love changing things up frequently! I loved that Odin Force had like a totally different workout every day. It’s the Type 2A in us
This morning I pushed a sled and did crunches with no real plan or anything, but I got in 20-30 minutes of solid movement.
Then I took my daughter and her friend to Kings Island. Graciously, they didn’t want me to join them on any rides (so I’ve been playing on here while I wait). I think it would have been a catastrophe if I had.
No basketball tomorrow, but I’m going to go shoot around and see if we can get my elbows feeling right.
@davemccright where will you be on Monday in the program? Starting week 4? I think I may have kind of found something for when life happens/ I travel/ I hate what I’m doing - just jump back in without stressing about making anything up. That runs counter to the advice we always tend to see, but that might bring theory closer to application.
As far as I’m concerned, enjoyment, especially for the advanced lifter is vital to keep moving forward!
And yes I’ll begin Week 4 Monday, which looks to be a new block! I’m not sure how different it’ll be as I haven’t looked ahead, but I’m excited for it!
I am the opposite. I love consistency and doing the same thing over and over. I love the meadows programmes but where you change exercises each week I hate as I like the little progress on the same lifts.
If that part of Mountain Dog programs bothers you, you could perform then this way and get a bit more progression out of every lift:
Personally, I love the variation and it keeps me mentally engaged and I don’t have the patience to run the programs this way. I also consider myself on the advanced side (from a Bodybuilding perspective, not a powerlifting one) so I believe I get a lot out of the novel stimulus that comes from frequent changes to exercise selection. Any time I return to a lift, I’m always pushing more weight on it, and to me, making progression on a lift even in the absence of the neuromuscular adaptation you get from performing a move frequently, is a good sign you’ve built some muscle and strength! Everyone will have their preferences and I do believe that it is personality based.
Great discussion dudes, and happy cake day @rugby_lifting!
I’m more like @davemccright that I hate doing the same thing twice, and it is totally personality based. On the flip side, I also hate trying to add in some relatively unknown exercise that people don’t do… even if it might be good for me. I think that’s my competitive side; if there’s no “standard” I don’t give a crap to do it.
The Mountain Dog stuff scratches both itches: it’s very frequent variation, uses a lot of compound lifts, but also puts these lifts later in the day so I can’t hold myself to some poundage I either can’t or (more likely) can’t safely get after. It fits my brain pretty well.
Like the video @davemccright posted, I think folks could fit the style of training pretty well if they preferred more practice on a lift. I’d probably keep my assistance in 3-week waves and you could do 5/3/1, double progression, whatever you wanted for your main lift.
Something like the below for legs:
Block 1:
Lying Leg Curls
Week 1: 3 x 8
Week 2: 3 x 10
Week 3: 4 x 8
Squats
5/3/1 with a FSL widowmaker
Leg Press
12, 10, 8, 15+ with the same weight as your 12 (rest pause it)
RDL
3 x 8-10 (double progression)
Block 2:
Seated Leg Curl
3 x 8-10 (double progression)
10 partials after last set
Squat
5/3/1 then do the one where you back back down the pyramid after your top set
Great layout of a plan here! I think combining 5/3/1 progression with Mountain Dog Assistance is absolutely a winning combo, especially for those who want time getting more practice with a main lift!
Played ball in the heat and then swam for a couple hours yesterday. That was a perfect combination.
Today was kicking sticks, and, like any good marathon runner, I just joined @davemccright at this marker without completing the previous leg.
Lying Leg Curls
40/15
65/5
95/10 x 4 + 15 partials on the last set
These felt pretty good today!
Squatz
45/6
135/6
225/6
315/6
365/3
Definitely had more in me, but I forgot my belt (more accurately I was messing with the lever and apparently forgot to put it back on) so that was plenty. I did not do the hands on the plates today, so I guess my elbow is getting better.
Leg Press
3pps/10
5pps/10
7pps/10
That was plenty light, but I’m trying to slow down and milk more out of the harder parts of the ROM; seems like I’ll get more mileage out of my joints if I can stick to it.
DB Walking Lunge
All steps with one leg first, the switch for the return trip.
25s/10 x 4
Solid quad pump!
DB RDL
70/10 x 3
Felt really good this time - no lower back.
That’s a great video. I definitely agree with his sentiments there and would probably do that when I go back to a meadows programme.
The only thing I’d add to this is that maybe rather than repeating week 1 until you can’t add weight, I’d use some of meadows other progressions from week to week (like drop sets etc) but keep the exercises the same.
In fact even typing this I’m excited to run a higher volume meadows programme after my current Jordan Peters block.
If you love Volume, you could probably run Odin Force for 12 weeks instead of 6 and treat it as 4 week blocks instead of 2 Week blocks and get some major volume escalation by the end! I can’t see someone running that in that fashion and not making serious gains
