Funny how different people are. I love mTOR sets with squats, and I don’t mind rest pause but drop sets suck with any exercise in existence.
I have been following this plan for 3 weeks and to be honest: i don’t look as full as usual.
Maybe it’s because of the lower volume as opposed to my usual routines i don’t know but im giving this plan a chance for another 3 weeks at least. Maybe not an ideal plan to mix with a carb backloading plan (which im doing currently)?. This means: only fats and protein pre and intra workout. All my carbs are after workouts.
I’ve been doing this program for two weeks and have felt great. I like lifting almost every day. I’ve decided to do something similar to your “less variety” plan.
Push: military press, high bar back squat, chest dips
Pull: kettlebell swing, Romanian deadlift, pull up
I have been doing three sets of loaded carries after my lifting. Overhead on push days and farmers walk on pull days. After that I do three rounds of rowing machine or sprinting.
it seems everyone is trying to bastardized the program. it’s meant for adding size and nothing else. A lot of the exercises are eritten in the program for a reason
side note I’ve completed 2 cycles so far and I love it . Its a ice change of pace hitting muscles more frequently with less draining exercises, but still intense in a different way. I’m gonna give it a fair 9-12 week run see how it affects me,
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I have been doing this program for 3 weeks now. Been doing all the recomended excercises. Have loved it so far! For exsample in romanian deadlift progress has been great! First week 308 lbs for 6, 2nd week 330 lbs for 6 and now in yesterdays workout 352 lbs for six.
Here is a link for my 3 week, workout A1
Soumi mainittu ja muskle 
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I think you have already answered the question yourself as to why this might not be working as well as you hoped.
One of the things CT states clearly is that glycogen depletion is horrible for the natural trainer. So, it makes alot of sense to have carbs pre and intra…moreso than after I think.
…and I’m still using the principles of low volume, high frequency. I keep thinking maybe I should go back and do a training cycle (a few workouts) of my previous higher volume training to shake things up a bit and to compare…maybe cycling between the two would be good…but honestly, I really really don’t think so.
This revelation from CT has literally changed my way of thinking of training forever. No F’ing joke. I’m so stoked, and quite appreciative.
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Hi, first time post here and I just wanted to say that this program has been awesome for me. 42 years of age and will be starting my fifth week of the program today.
I have made a couple of slight changes to the exercises and added calves and abs 3 times a week.
Let me say that every day I feel tight and my family and friends have all noticed some nice changes to my build. For years I used to jump around with my programs, trying to do as many exercises per body part as I could and never got anywhere. This program for me at least, is perfect, and I continually see gains in both strength and size.
So from me, thank you for writing this program and I’m very interested in seeing the extended version when it comes out.
Tom. That is great to here. I am also 42 and I am in week 1 of this program. I’ve also added in abs and calves. This might be 6 days a week, but I really like that the workouts are generally 45 minutes or less. Previously, I had done MD style training, which worked great for me, but it was taking a lot of time and eventually I would burn out. My plan is to run 3, 4 week cycles and adjust the exercises some every 3 weeks to make it interesting. Now that you are in your 5th week, do you have any key learnings or recommendations to pass on?
The main thing I would recommend is not to go too heavy. What I have found is that I keep my form as strict as I can with the weight I’m working with, and if I get through that workout fine, I’ll only go up slightly in weight. eg Hammer curls 45 lbs to 50 lbs the next week. If I only get 4 reps that next week, I keep that weight till I get 6 solid reps, then go up. So far every week I seem to have to increase the weight I’m working with. I really want to keep my form strict and make the targeted muscle work.
Another thing I found personally, is that with getting older, plus with years of playing full contact sport, some of my joints are not what they used to be, so I do warm up quite a bit whenever I do quads and also shoulder exercises.
One thing I will continue to do for another 7 weeks is keep the same exercises throughout the program. After that I will see how things stand, and again I’m waiting on seeing the extended version when its published.
Thanks Tom. Your progression plan makes sense. How much rest are you taking between sets? I am generally 2 minutes on most sets, but on the final set, I extend to 3 minutes. I go a little less on arms and calves, with 1-2 minutes.
Honestly I dont really pay too much attention to my rest periods between sets, but I would say its something like 1min to 1.30. I do take about 2 to 3 mins between exercises because with those last sets, I put everything into them. I suppose I should take a bit more time, but as soon as I feel recharged, I just get stuck into it.
curious buffd have you tried the layers program?
i totally get where CT is coming from with this natural style of training…I’m just too used to (and enjoy) focusing on one big movement per workout.
and then most of my assistance exercise i just do BW stuff, focusing tension where its needed
all these exercise selection in best damn workout plan baffles me
Sigil, different strokes for different folks. It seems this program won’t work for you, because frankly, you gotta love your training. And it is obvious you don’t love this program. Nothing wrong with that. I’m sure you know this.
That’s what is wonderful about weight training though…be it bodybuilding, powerlifting, olympic lifting, or crossfit…it can appeal to almost anyone and not one method or style will be right for everyone.
There are those who want a specific template to follow, and then there are those who enjoy the journey of learning their own uniqueness and try various things out to pinpoint what is ultimately best for them. CT wrote about this in a recent article. Be the free spirit you seem to be and experiment.
My 2 cents.
And yes, I have tried the layering program. I try practically everything because you never know if it might work for you. I like the layering program alot, but it is not something I would adhere to all the time This is unlike the principles of the workout plan for nattys…this is something I WILL stay with for a majority of the time because I think it works for ME and I ENJOY it. If it didn’t, I wouldn’t do it.
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I’ve seen a post by CT that he doesn’t like listing a workout in his articles but the editors want it. He is teaching philosophies and methods with the hopes we’ll be able to apply the principles to our programs.
I’m doing a 5/3/1 approach for 6 lifts and The Best Damn approach for assistance work. I’m doing a total body 3 days a week program b/c I struggled to get 6 workouts in with work. I do my strength work and 6-8-10 drop sets on my assistance exercises which I’ve selected for my needs/goals.
Both 5/3/1 and Best Damn seem to follow the principles of 2 purposeful work sets followed by 1 all out set to failure. So far it feels good but I’m only into week 2 of combining the programs.
I guess my point for you is this: don’t let the endless options fool you. You can apply the high frequency training and the three methods to your own plan.
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@Frank_C
Your marriage of 531 and Best Damn sounds interesting. Care to share more? On my mobile, I can’t seem to individually message someone, but I would appreciate if you sent me over, or posted here, the outline of your program in a little more detail. Thanks
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I have a question. Sorry I’m posting it here but I’m on my mobile and I can’t start a new topic for some reason. Anyway, I was wondering, for those who are on this program, how have you adjusted your calories? Considering most have stated they’ve gone from training 90 minutes to 45 minutes, I understand it’s six days a week rather than four, but it’s still a drop in training time and I’m curious how you’ve adjusted. Thanks.
@Sigil
If that’s you in your avatar, I would be interested in your layer approach as well. Obviously diet and genetics have a large part to play but I know you’re adamant about the layer system and have been doing it longer probably than anybody here so I’m curious exactly how your program it. A peek into your macros and energy system work would be cool as well. Thank you.
Yeah thats me a few years back (just a selfie, taken at a dressing room i think lol), very lean but lost size (coming off a phsyique competitoin) but was still running EC
I am bigger now, less lean, looking for sustainable size gains while still maintaining ab visibility for the long term.
I am quite in tune with body so for me, especially last two years I’m very keen on how my body “feels”/responds in each workout.
The layers system, provided nutrition on point & I’m using plazma creates a euphoric, indomitable feel that I rarely ever experience elsewhere. Pump, strength, power just builds after each ramp/cluster.
I can just keep going and going. The focus on one exericse allows mastery, and its a better feeling than hitting muscles from different angles (I throw some bodyweight & db work after the main layers to satisfy that craving).
I contrast this with a top-set, low volume approach (something like this best damn workout plan, but i’m thinking more like phil hernon’s style, reverse pyramid) where I don’t always get my best performance on the top set. It irks me because I only have 1-3 real “shots” whereas the layer isometric & ramp gives me plenty of practice and even the clusters allow me to “adjust” mid set (intra rep).
I fell in love with rings/calisthenics and the allure has been blessing/curse. I think I would be bigger if I just focused on layers proper, rather than spending energy/CNS on doing ring work. However I’ve gotten quite good so I think the actual negative impact is mitigated.
I’m taking this Dec to make some PROPER gains with good food/plazma & layers. Nursing my T-spine at the moment.
My split is basically push/pull/legs, although I think more of the “exercise” to be layered:
Bench press, Incline tilt
SGHP [can’t do now], do snatch grip deadlift (not layered, more like 5x5 with back off sets)
Trap bar deadlift
I rotate that basically 6x a week, throwing front squat & lunches for lower body and DB work [laterals] for shoulder. Basically covers everything.
I start each workout with some rounds of ring work & handstand pushups (5-10 min max), and lunge jumps.
I’m now being creative and layering different stuff - like weighted chins, weighted pushups/dips
Diet wise I basically do intermittent fasting, a little less anal now about the timing (16 hr fast/8 hr feeding) and incorporate CT’s recent diet principles, along with more white rice, sweet potato and some junk stuff at night
Thanks for asking
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