MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

So I finished this training block with 2 failed PR attempts on Bench and Deadlift

Deadlift I wanted to hit 260 x3, but could only grind out 1 rep. Considering my max was 285 this is pretty poor

Bench, I wanted 160 x4, but only got 160 x2. So Bench just flatlined this training block.

Squat made good improvements, but mybsquat frequency was upped from 2x to 3x per week. Considering deadlift and bench frequency was lower than normal, but with a higher than usual volume, this leads me to believe that frequency is the way forward.

Looking back through old training logs, I made some of my best progress with a bulgarian style approach.

So, seeing as my comp in january has been cancelled, i am going to go with a bulgarian/conjugate hybrid, with a basic setup of:

Day One
Comp Squat
Comp Bench
Lat Pulldowns 3x10
DB Lateral Raises 3x 12-15
Triceps 3x 12-15


Day Two
Comp Deadlift
SSB Squat
Chest Level Pin Press
Biceps 3x 12-15

Day Three
Squat w/chains
TnG Bench w/bands
Bulgarian Split Squat (quad focus) 3x12-15
Wall Mounted Single Leg RDL 3 x 12-15

Day Four
Pin Squat
3ct Pause Bench
Seal Rows 3x10
Seated DB Press 3 x 10-12

Day Five
Deadlift w/chains
Slingshot Bench
High Bar Pause Squat


Week 1
Work up to singles @7-8 Only no accessories

Week 2 Onwards
Work up to singles to @8 plus back offs
Squat Back offs - 15% for 2-5 reps
Bench Back offs - 10% for 2-5 reps
Deadlift back offs - 20% for 2-5 reps

If nothing else, this will be fun, and I may rotated exercises weekly
 
Last edited:
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

So I finished this training block with 2 failed PR attempts on Bench and Deadlift

Deadlift I wanted to hit 260 x3, but could only grind out 1 rep. Considering my max was 285 this is pretty poor

Bench, I wanted 160 x4, but only got 160 x2. So Bench just flatlined this training block.

Squat made good improvements, but mybsquat frequency was upped from 2x to 3x per week. Considering deadlift and bench frequency was lower than normal, but with a higher than usual volume, this leads me to believe that frequency is the way forward.

Looking back through old training logs, I made some of my best progress with a bulgarian style approach.

So, seeing as my comp in january has been cancelled, i am going to go with a bulgarian/conjugate hybrid, with a basic setup of:

Day One
Comp Squat
Comp Bench
Lat Pulldowns 3x10
DB Lateral Raises 3x 12-15
Triceps 3x 12-15


Day Two
Comp Deadlift
SSB Squat
Chest Level Pin Press
Biceps 3x 12-15

Day Three
Squat w/chains
TnG Bench w/bands
Bulgarian Split Squat (quad focus) 3x12-15
Wall Mounted Single Leg RDL 3 x 12-15

Day Four
Pin Squat
3ct Pause Bench
Seal Rows 3x10
Seated DB Press 3 x 10-12

Day Five
Deadlift w/chains
Slingshot Bench
High Bar Pause Squat


Week 1
Work up to singles @7-8 Only no accessories

Week 2 Onwards
Work up to singles to @8 plus back offs
Squat Back offs - 15% for 2-5 reps
Bench Back offs - 10% for 2-5 reps
Deadlift back offs - 20% for 2-5 reps

If nothing else, this will be fun, and I may rotated exercises weekly
Merry Christmas mate hope it was a nice one :), all the best for the brand new year!

Ah dang that sucks about the comp being cancelled.. but new routine looks like alot of fun :)
 
Sleeved Squat
160 x1
180 x1 @sub6

Back was feeling tight so left it there

Bench w/bands (+ approx 25kg per side at lockout)

120 x1
130 x1
135 x1 @9
140 x1 @10
 
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

So I finished this training block with 2 failed PR attempts on Bench and Deadlift

Deadlift I wanted to hit 260 x3, but could only grind out 1 rep. Considering my max was 285 this is pretty poor

Bench, I wanted 160 x4, but only got 160 x2. So Bench just flatlined this training block.

Squat made good improvements, but mybsquat frequency was upped from 2x to 3x per week. Considering deadlift and bench frequency was lower than normal, but with a higher than usual volume, this leads me to believe that frequency is the way forward.

Looking back through old training logs, I made some of my best progress with a bulgarian style approach.

So, seeing as my comp in january has been cancelled, i am going to go with a bulgarian/conjugate hybrid, with a basic setup of:

Day One
Comp Squat
Comp Bench
Lat Pulldowns 3x10
DB Lateral Raises 3x 12-15
Triceps 3x 12-15


Day Two
Comp Deadlift
SSB Squat
Chest Level Pin Press
Biceps 3x 12-15

Day Three
Squat w/chains
TnG Bench w/bands
Bulgarian Split Squat (quad focus) 3x12-15
Wall Mounted Single Leg RDL 3 x 12-15

Day Four
Pin Squat
3ct Pause Bench
Seal Rows 3x10
Seated DB Press 3 x 10-12

Day Five
Deadlift w/chains
Slingshot Bench
High Bar Pause Squat


Week 1
Work up to singles @7-8 Only no accessories

Week 2 Onwards
Work up to singles to @8 plus back offs
Squat Back offs - 15% for 2-5 reps
Bench Back offs - 10% for 2-5 reps
Deadlift back offs - 20% for 2-5 reps

If nothing else, this will be fun, and I may rotated exercises weekly

I’ve come around to the view that max effort work for ‘large’ barbell exercises; deadlift, squat, good morning, bench, press and then 8-12 rep range for backoffs or accessories is probably ideal. Rotate when an accessory stagnates/plateau and come back when the next one likewise does.

As much as I love triples, and 5s are incredibly effective for novices (or 4-6 range), my general feeling now is that the RTS-driven high-specificity and RPE structured model probably only suits very specific strength pursuits, i.e. powerlifting. And only for a (relatively) short time.

When we look at how strongmen train, and what happens when they periodise a specific lift, it seems clear to me at least that high variation of exercises (which is really about joint angles and a wider range of load exposure) for moderate volumes builds so much more baseline strength and general size than 1@8, 2-3x2-4 back offs.

I’d also venture that of the big 3, only the squat is a good general hypertrophy exercise. Deadlifting is so leverage specific that it’s a coin flip for the person at hand, and benching has become a game of arching. Flat back benching has some utility, granted.

I hit a weekly volume on deads of 12-20 reps above 90%, and 20-25 reps above 80% (remember, per week) for a year and hypertrophy gains were borderline nonexistent. Slap 3-4x8-10 for 2-3 exercises for rowing in, progress the load and evoila, I’m now buying 3XL shirts.



TLDR; highly specific, minimalist-exercise selection style training such as RTS derivatives makes you highly effective at the big 3 for a short while, maybe a year? Overuse injuries beckon, as does psychological stagnation and a plateau in size.
 
I’ve come around to the view that max effort work for ‘large’ barbell exercises; deadlift, squat, good morning, bench, press and then 8-12 rep range for backoffs or accessories is probably ideal. Rotate when an accessory stagnates/plateau and come back when the next one likewise does.

As much as I love triples, and 5s are incredibly effective for novices (or 4-6 range), my general feeling now is that the RTS-driven high-specificity and RPE structured model probably only suits very specific strength pursuits, i.e. powerlifting. And only for a (relatively) short time.

When we look at how strongmen train, and what happens when they periodise a specific lift, it seems clear to me at least that high variation of exercises (which is really about joint angles and a wider range of load exposure) for moderate volumes builds so much more baseline strength and general size than 1@8, 2-3x2-4 back offs.

I’d also venture that of the big 3, only the squat is a good general hypertrophy exercise. Deadlifting is so leverage specific that it’s a coin flip for the person at hand, and benching has become a game of arching. Flat back benching has some utility, granted.

I hit a weekly volume on deads of 12-20 reps above 90%, and 20-25 reps above 80% (remember, per week) for a year and hypertrophy gains were borderline nonexistent. Slap 3-4x8-10 for 2-3 exercises for rowing in, progress the load and evoila, I’m now buying 3XL shirts.



TLDR; highly specific, minimalist-exercise selection style training such as RTS derivatives makes you highly effective at the big 3 for a short while, maybe a year? Overuse injuries beckon, as does psychological stagnation and a plateau in size.

Quite agree. There are many things I love about RTS, and I know if you work with them directly, the program differs a lot to their generic templates.

One of the main reasons Im switiching to a bulgarian approach is, as you said, mental stagnation. And when you enter your 3rd, 4th or 5th set of 3-6reps, boredom sets in and you basically enter survival mode and just becomes junk volume.

I do like the concept of RTS emerging strategies, and I think that you could apply this to a bulgarian approach and might be something I look to do.
 
Quick session today

Spider Bar Box Squat
(I dont think Spider bar or box squats will be featured that heavily going forwards, but was a bit of fun this morning)
152 x1
172 x1 @7.5
192 x1 @9
152 x5 @7.5

CGBP
140 x1
150 x1
160 x1 (PB)
162.5 x1 (PB)

Incline DB Press
40 x15x2

Pulldowns
91 x15,12,10

Tricep Pushdowns
65 x15
 
HB Buffalo Bar Squat
145 x1
165 x1
185 x1 @7.5
195 x1 @9.5

Block Pulls + chains (approx 30kg at lockout)
200 x1
230 x1
240 x1

Deadlift + chains
150 x5x2

5ct Pause Bench
130 x1
140 x1
150 x1 @8.5
155 x1 @9.5

Feet Up Bench
100 x16 @9

Bulgarian Split Squat
22.5 x12x2

DB Lateral Raises
7.5 x15x3
 
Quite agree. There are many things I love about RTS, and I know if you work with them directly, the program differs a lot to their generic templates.

One of the main reasons Im switiching to a bulgarian approach is, as you said, mental stagnation. And when you enter your 3rd, 4th or 5th set of 3-6reps, boredom sets in and you basically enter survival mode and just becomes junk volume.

I do like the concept of RTS emerging strategies, and I think that you could apply this to a bulgarian approach and might be something I look to do.

There’s great content and innovation coming out of that group, no doubt. BBM being the most well known derivative have popularised their practical applications as well. I think of them as being to intermediates what SSLP is for novices. They’ll have 80% of people covered (80-20 rule-esque). Where I think they fall down in general terms is going beyond powerlifting prep for a 12 week cycle.
 
SSB box squat against bands (approx +50kg at lockout)
120 x1
140 x1
150 x1
120 x3x2

Chest Level Pin Press
140 x1
150 x1
160 x1
165 x1

Flat DB Press
45 x14
45 x12

Pulldowns
98 x12x3

OHP
50 x10x2
 
Block Pulls

230 x1
250 x1
270 x 0- something went ping in my glute. I don’t think its anything serious, just a little tweak.
 
Looked as though the back was trying to take over a bit too early.
Yeah possibly. I felt pretty banged up and fatigued going into the gym, but i joined in with some of the other guys doing block pulls

Just rehaby stuff this week for me now as its pretty painfull
 
Yeah possibly. I felt pretty banged up and fatigued going into the gym, but i joined in with some of the other guys doing block pulls

Just rehaby stuff this week for me now as its pretty painfull

Tried the reverse hyper at all?
 
Tried the reverse hyper at all?
Yeah quite a bit, ran a number of blocks with it personaly I have never found it does much for me in terms of strength or injury prevention

My goal this week is just to find pain free movements and train those. So it may come into play this week.
 
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