I think we’ll be allowed to go back out in the world around May 1. I don’t know that that really impacts anything for me, other than I’m now embarrassed by my fat. Maybe I should deal with that.
Warmed up with jumping jacks and the stretch
Seated Band Leg Curl
Mini/20
Monster/15
Mini + Monster/12
Light/10
Light + Monster/6
Light/12 + 30 partials + 10-second iso-hold
Front Squats
45/10
135/6
205/6
255/6
300/6
This was all my weight (and all the rack is rated for), so it was something I wanted to do. It was pretty tough.
TRX Lunge
Just put my back foot in the TRX.
BW/10 x 3
TKE Sissy Squat
Put a band around my knees, feet together, and did kind of a sissy squat and TKE together.
Monster/12 x 3
RDL
Tried to really get a stretch
135/5
205/10 x 2
Calf Raises
5 toe raises each leg on each step on the way back upstairs
Warmed up with jumping jacks and band over-and-backs
Incline Bench Press
This incline was one pin higher than last week. I’m not sure if it’s quite as high as the incline at my gym or just under. Eyeball test says it’s relatively close I guess. I don’t know why I analyzed it to this level just now.
Band activations in between first 3 sets
45/20
95/12
135/8
185/6
205/6
225/8
225/5
Bench Press
Pause 2" above chest, then finish rep. I paid way more attention to a good pause this time, rather than just kinda slowing down through that range.
135/5
205/5 x 5
Banded Push-ups
Off the neutral handles
Light/7
Light/8 + 5 + 3
Thanks man! I assume I’m getting deep enough. Maybe I’ll video if I do this again to find the truth of the matter!
Honestly, I stopped really caring about dieting. I also stopped rushing my workouts, so I’m taking some real rest between sets. Weird how I immediately got stronger…
Did a 45-minute walk on a call today. I enjoyed both the call and the walk, a rare combination.
Then some legs!
Warmed up with jumping jacks and that stretch I actually like
Seated Band Leg Curls
Monster/20
Light/12 x 3
Light/12 + 10 + 6
Front Squat
45/10
135/6
205/6
255/6
300/7
I took a video on my phone but I don’t know how to put it on here. Before anyone tells me how, be warned: the angle is a free colonoscopy.
I don’t know why it seems like when I’m digging myself into the most fatigue, I have the best workouts… for awhile until I crash, but then cheeseburgers and beer bring me back quickly!
Rode bikes with the kids. I intended to run some sprints after I lifted, but I don’t know if I will.
Then push day!
Warmed up with jumping jacks and wall slides - my left shoulder is starting to not be comfortable in all its positions.
Incline BB Press
Chest activations in between first 3 sets
45/20
95/10
135/8
205/6
225/6
235/5
Banded Bench Press
Good pause in the bottom of each rep
Short mini on each side
135/6
155/6
175/6 x 2
Hey TfP, just finishing up a “cut” in the next couple of weeks and looking ahead, I normally run 531 endlessly, but this cut has me realising I want to look sexier! I’m thinking go full on BBer training for a while!
If recall correctly you’re this forums biggest Meadows fanboy, so my question is, are there any specific programs you rate highest? Or would you hear recommend running something like reactive pump? Biggest priority for me right now is arms!
Awesome! It’s certainly for me, even though I’ll never get on a stage. One thing I would point out is, kind of like 5/3/1 isn’t a peak program for powerlifting, you can get stronger while “bodybuilding;” I think a lot of the conceptions about it’s pump training and you don’t push things, whatever, is based on what competitive guys are doing at the end of their diets. Kind of the same though process as powerlifting will make you fat and out of breath, because the guys at the highest levels are pushing just their total.
So I definitely have my favorites. I’ll give you a couple I’ve done and liked at the end of my diatribe here, but I’d also have you check his site. He has a list of programs on his mountain dog diet site, and how many days per week, split, progression method, etc. So I’d recommend you take a look at that, see which ones line up with what you might like, and then ask me if I’ve done them and what I experienced.
Yes! Yes, I would. John’s programs are detailed, great, and fun, but they are expensive. I would try a few of his workouts on YouTube (especially right now while you’re likely out of the gym and having to make a ton of substitutions), read some of his early articles on this site to see if you are onboard with his thought process, and then run Reactive Pump to see if you like it. It’s not my hands-down favorite of his programs, but it’s free and available, it will introduce you to his methodology, and you’ll get to see if you like his structure.
Like 5/3/1 you’re going to see some of the same principles throughout his programs:
Specific exercise sequencing. This is a big factor for John for a handful of reasons:
The first exercise serves to safely warm up the muscle and establish mind-muscle connection
You can then do your compound movement more safely while still pushing hard
You stretch the muscle later, which may reduce DOMS and might be safer
You’ll see a focus on appropriate amounts of weekly volume. Typically 10-20 sets per week. Like 5/3/1 is focused on specific weekly progressions, Meadows’ stuff will hold to specific volumes per muscle group (these vary based on program/ frequency/ etc., but it is a specific part of the plan)
You are going to see intensification methods that take sets past failure. For me, this is part of the enjoyment. Some people hate this stuff and don’t get use out of it
So I think there are a few ways he’d recommend you tackle this. The first is to have a dedicated arm day. I get a lot more out of arms on their own day rather than in a push/ pull/ leg split or something like that. So don’t add extra in the week until you are giving them their own attention first.
Next, make sure you’re getting a good pump in your arms. Save the heavy lifting for the heavy lifting, if that makes sense. An example is biceps curls - you can curl more weight by letting your elbows travel (forward on the concentric and backward on the eccentric is how you’ll notice you’re cheating when you check), but you’ll get more biceps focus by keeping them pinned and controlling your eccentric.
Third, once you’re crushing it on your arm days and really hit that next plateau (this should take quite awhile; for me, it has yet to happen), you can add some frequency. An easy way is up to 6 sets of 10 of one exercise on your push/ pull days with short-ish breaks. So like 6 sets of rope push-downs after your chest/ shoulders with 60-second breaks.
You’re real question was around my favorite programs, though.
I liked Program X and will probably go back to it in fall. It’s a fun conjugate + bodybuilding style, and may be a fun transition for you. It’s one of the few that actually requires bands (everything else may recommend them, but you can drop them without real impact), because they provide an overload.
I really enjoyed Gamma Bomb, and I’m not alone - it’s a lot of folks’ favorite. It has an upper body focus for 6 weeks, then lower. You switch right about the time you’re getting worn out.
Everyone loves Creeping Death 2, but it wasn’t my favorite. I will probably try it again with a better mindset. I used it when cutting, and I don’t think I was going to like anything.
I didn’t love Sentinel, which is a higher frequency program. I just didn’t like that set-up. I haven’t done Taskmaster, but it does have an arms block. I still wouldn’t recommend these as an intro to MountainDog programs.
In the same vein, I wouldn’t recommend 28 days later as a start, but I did it and did really enjoy it. It’s 4 straight weeks of workouts, some are super short, and I think it’s a cool run up to like 4th of July or something. If gyms open in June, I’ll probably do it simply out of excitement.
High Evolutionary has been my recent favorite. It’s the base split (Legs, Chest & Shoulders, Back, Arms), which I prefer by far, a more moderate volume, which has proven better for me, and only 6 weeks, which satisfies my ADHD. Grandmaster is apparently similar, but I haven’t tried that one.
While we’re still at home, I’m doing a highly modified version of Colossus - a lower volume PPL. I am enjoying it as well, and my lifts are improving. This is likely due to me not traveling, sleeping plenty, and eating 3-5 meals every day - I don’t do any of these things consistently when I’m working normally.
I am sorry for the novel, but I want to be as helpful as I can. I’ll leave this with a few thoughts:
You’re probably going to get more of the look you want from building your shoulders than your arms. Go ahead and build both, obviously, this has just been true for me. His workouts focused on rear delts, which shocked me how much they rounded my shoulders out.
Any program written by someone that knows what they’re doing is likely to do what it says it will do. Like 5/3/1 will get you stronger, but so will other things, John’s stuff will get you bigger, but so will other things. I think the keys are:
Stay healthy so you can stay consistent
Progress (weight, reps, volume, etc. - lots of ways)
Work muscles more than joints
Do an appropriate volume! In most cases, this appears to be 10-20 hard sets per week. I do best around 9-16, depending on muscle group.
Along those same lines, even though these are really detailed, keep in mind they’re written for the world - not just for you. He’ll offer substitution recommendations, especially in his more recent programs, but you have to know you. I’d stick to the program as much as possible the first run, so you know what does what, but then don’t be scared to adjust for yourself. Especially if we don’t have competition dates. I’ve found I like to be really crisp on the main lifts, and then use whatever weight doesn’t terrify me on the other stuff.
No program is the most fun thing ever every day. I typically love whatever I’m doing week 1 or so, then the novelty wears off, and by week 6 it’s a grind no matter what. When I say I love John’s stuff, it doesn’t mean I still don’t have to drag myself in some days. There is something in every single day that I enjoy, though, and over the run of a program I find I’m still able to improve something and I haven’t been really injured or even banged-up in quite awhile.
He has sales! Don’t buy right now. He’ll have a sale on Memorial Day and Black Friday. I believe he’ll also offer something when we are lifted from quarantine - in Ohio, where we live, all signals indicate that will happen right around Memorial Day; I’d anticipate your best opportunity then. If you miss it, though, you can run Reactive Pump and YouTube workouts from now until Black Friday easily; that would give you plenty of time to see if you like it. I say this just because I don’t really know what the price of his programs represents to you.
I hope some of this is useful. Please feel free to ask more questions. I like John’s programs and I like the human being (what I know of him). For me, these programs are what I enjoy most; I don’t however, think there is THE answer.
Push this morning.
I had no business trying to do another heavier press workout 36 hours after my last one, and it showed up, but I wanted to. I’m going to likely keep pushing it for the next few days.
On the plus side, I started wearing elbow sleeves - they help an absolute ridiculous amount. I don’t like looking like I need a wet suit to go to the gym, but whatever.
Warmed up with jumping jacks and the wall slides - these get my left shoulder quivering.
Sticking with the band activations in between the first 3 sets.
