except you do front squat which tend to be hard on the upper back too 
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I think hog makes a good point. At some point you gotta try stuff. The program has you doing some cool things you might not āget around toā otherwise. No matter what results you get, youāll be better prepared for future training. Youāll have some experience and more context when you check out other programs or talk to other lifters about lifting.
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Absolutely for the average Joe Darkhorse is probably as good as anything out there. I forget a lot of us here train for more than one specific goal.
About the same here. While doing my main lift I prefer to set my timer for however long my rest intervals are, get a drink, and then sit down and wait the rest of it out. I like to focus on my main lift, watch the video of the set and make adjustments. Maybe find the right song if Iām going into my top set.
This is a good point. Trying to superset two heavy movements together could be dangerous.
I think you would have to be a fool to go into a program with zero doubts. Thatās true, 12 weeks isnāt that long of a time. Youāll almost definitely get the strength gains youāre looking for, plus youāll learn about yourself as an athlete and weight lifter. Wins all across the board!
You are correct. I remember him stressing that this is a new program. He said a few people from his gym ran it and saw good results, but he wants people who run it to let him know how they fare throughout the process and what their results are. One thing to consider though, is that I donāt think he specified what type of people ran Dark Horse. If it was a bunch of novice lifters, then thereās no proof that Dark Horse is a good program. If it took someoneās 450lb deadlift to a 500lb deadlift, then itās a good program. I guess we just need to wait and see how our boys hog and mort do on it.
I believe that a lot of it has to do with the focus being placed on that one lift for several sessions in a row. Neural adaptations almost definitely play a role in those variation PRs. My first bench session of dark horse had me work to a 3rm with spoto press, I got 235. A week later I got 245x5. I felt great on both days, so I know my 3rm wasnāt a product of me being under hydrated or anything. But hey, neural adaptations are a huge part of lifting weights. Which reminds me, I donāt know if I thought this up or if Alpha recommends it, but: I was thinking that after running the full program, just doing a week of regular comp lifts and then a deload to reawaken the neural pathways/muscle memory. I donāt know, just a thought to go along with the physical adaptation theme
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Woke at 81,4 kg - 179,5 lbs
I do not superset/giant set heavy movements, I superset rows and pull ups with Bench and OHP but donāt go near failure on the rows/pull ups, those I use for priming the body. The following core and conditioning/strong man also is āfor funā meaning not going balls to the wall.
Yes and that is why the ME work for a RM is not as taxing as it is on the comp lift where a RM is as much weight as you can lift. The variation is not as straining because the muscle actually can handle more weight.
You work the comp lifts every week for 10 emom sets to keep the motor pathways good and even better because the focus is technique and speed.
And the last 3 weeks is one deload week then 2 weeks of testing the comp lift one upper and one lower each week.
I would definitely do a deload after those two weeks.
Later to day last day of the first 3 weeks - paused DL 1RM
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He put out a deload videoā¦basically during the deload week the competition lifts EMOM for either singles or triples. No max effort work and you keep the comp lift work light.
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Todays training
The Danish Vikings Darkhorse
W3D4: DL variation 1RM
Warmup: jump rope, yoga stuff, stretches, lazy lifter
Complex: 2 rounds
- BB x 6, DL, row, hang clean, front squat, strict press, back squat, GM, push press
Dynamic warmup:
10 rounds EMOM alternating PC and squats
- powerclean to push press 3 x 40, 45, 50, 55, 50 kg
- 10 BW squats
Main Giant set
*KB sving 9 x 6 @ 24 kg
*Paused DL 5x100 (D), 3x115(D), 1x130(H), 137,5(S), 145 kg (B+M), 152,5 (B+M) PR hell yeah
Volume
- 120 kg x 7(M), 5(S), 5 (S)
- plank 6 x 15 + 3 x 10 seconds
- Burpee (F**K me) 9 x 5
DE Squat emom
- 10 x 3 @ 70 kg
Assistance super set
- KB goblet squat 3 x 10 @ 24 kg
- RDL with band at waist height 3 x 10 @ 50 kg
Done in 1 hour 5 minutes.
Shooting for 1 x 145 kg DL and that went up pretty neat. Why not do it the Hog way go big og go home so put on 152,5 kg most pulled and without the pause was 150 kg.
Today it was a bit easier than it has been before, maybe Iām getting used to it.
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Nice work, Mort!
Whyyyyy??? 
Youāll see rapid improvement with new lifts. Itās been mentioned but your body is getting better at doing what it needs to do every week. The first couple of times that you did these new lifts your body was confused.
Youāll also notice changes over time in how things feel and how you prefer to do them. A year ago I couldnāt do touch and go deadlifts. It was weird. Now itās what I prefer. I learned to exhale at the top, inhale, brace, and just reverse the motion back to the floor. I really like the way it feels now. If I try to do multiple reps from a dead stop itās way harder than touch and go now.
Oddly enough, Iām much stronger now that I do touch and go deads. Perhaps the bracing and increase time under tension did my body good.
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First off, this entire post was spot on Mark. The piece that was gold was the junk volume piece. Itās so easy to add junk, and most stuff is exactly that. Junk. I also used to add in copious rows and chins in between my main work, and now that Iām not doing it, my joints hurt less and Iām less generally fatigued. This means I get to add more quality effort toward the main lift through out the training cycle.
Itās a fine line, however, I do think we place too much emphasis on accessories/extras.
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Programs that focus on the main lifts generally lack pulling movements. They have deadlifts but itās not the same for the shoulder girdle as a row or pull up. I think thatās the only type of accessory work people need to add (or make sure is part of the program in the first place).
The articles around here seem to think people need more horizontal pulling than vertical so you can narrow it down even further. Do some pull ups as warm up sets just so you can move your own body around and then add some quality rows and call it good.
I politely disagree. I think this way of thinking is a cool fad right now and not necessary.
People row and pullup just as incorrectly as they press.
So you want them adding this junk volume in?
Iām not saying donāt row and pull up. Iām saying do just enough, quality movement, and save the rest for what really moves the needle.
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I love giant sets and circuit training for fat loss. It can be used for gaining strength, but you need to really consider load and selection of the non-main movements.
Honestly, when Iām done chasing strength, thisāll be my lifestyle method of training. Keeps you lean and you can couple a low rep main movement for strength. Same reason Iāve grown to love complexes.
Keep up the good/hard work Mort!
Excellent! Now weāve Re-Invented the Conjugate Method!
Just enough Max Effort to increase strength. Just enough Dynamic Effort to maintain your lifts. Then dense Repetition work, applied Directly to your weaknesses, to improve your bodyās movements.
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I dig that 
Which part? After reading your response I think weāre in agreement. Was it the part about horizontal vs vertical pulling?
I guess it was this generalization. But yeah weāre close. Iām assuming the programs youāre talking about are novice main lift programs like Ripās. These are programmed this way for a specific reason. To keep noviceās heads out of the weeds for a bit. Even Rips novice linear program introduces chins in the 3rd phase. This is not a long term program though, more like an intro to the main barbell lifts.
Most complete programs have enough pulling volume imo.
Thereās been this movement the past 2-3 years thatās telling people to row/chin/facepull in between every pressing move. Thatās junk volume, imo, and takes away from the bread&butter lift.
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5/3/1?
First off I have to say that I agree with you, in general the āpull between all setsā āpull before you pushā thing us being pushed too hard. If you have a strong enough back, why the hell would it matter ifwetger you gained that strength pulling before, in between or after your presses? That doesnāt make sense to me.
Iād define junk volume as stuff thatās being done with no intention - youāre just pumping it out on the lat pull down, face pull or even the bench press. For powerlifting doing rows or chins between sets of bench may be counterproductive, but for strongman or bodybuilding it can actually help a great deal by getting the training density up. (Given that the rowing/etc is done with intention). Iām not saying that all strongman/bodybuilding work should 've done zigzagging between exercises, but there are definitely some points where that may be helpful.
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This may be where it started, yes, but it seems to have evolved into many other methodoligies/programs now.
Also, to be clear, Iām not totally against it. Meaningful and targeted volume is what Iām after. Anything beyond that is a waste and taking away from the ābankā.
And to be clear Iām far from an expert on anything training related lol. I cant even program properly for myself lol. 10+ years in and I still do too much.
Weāre on the same page though it seems.
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Agree across the board!
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