I enjoy Training Maximally and it treats me just fine. But I’m not really convinced that it’s Jim’s special program.
You build up to a heavy single based on how you feel and then back off and accumulate some volume at a lighter weight.
Some say that strength gains are best made by getting plenty of volume at the 80-87% range.
For me I don’t always go for PRs. I hit a heavy single and then try to do a bit more the next week. After a few weeks I’ll hit my PR or get close to it but then I’ll back off and start again. I might do an EMOM workout instead of pushing the weights. It’s a pretty simple progression.
I’ve mostly used this for deadlifts.
As for the rest of my workout I usually do my own thing depending on my goals.
DB pec flyes a bunchx30 lbs until my chest felt kind of pumped - these actually felt horrible and too heavy
DB bench press
10x30 lbs
10x50 lbs
8x70 lbs
2x8x90 lbs, 7-8 and 8-9 RPE - so 90 lbs is juuuust too heavy for this
3x8x80 lbs, 8, 8-9 and 10 RPE - staying at 80 lbs next week
Weighted dips supsersetted with strict BB rows
Dips 9, 8, 8 with 44 lbs - hands kept slipping which made these harder than they should have been
Rows 10xbar, 10x132 lbs, 3x8x198 lbs - very pleased with how these felt, will do 9s next week
DB pec flyes supersetted with T-bar rows
Flyes 3x15x25 lbs, felt better than the earlier ones
Rows 3x15x88 lbs, up to 100 lbs next week
Really good chest pump by now
PJR pullovers 3 sets to failure at 60 lbs
Around an hour and 15 minutes including some stretchy-mobility work after
So I can get an accurate idea of where it’s at. If I picked an arbitrary day each week to weigh in it would be less accurate. Plus, because I know quite precisely what I ate on any given day I’m able to spot patterns in the relationship between what I eat and what I weigh and how I look the day after. That’s been invaluable when it comes to deciding when to refeed, what to refeed, when to add calories and from what macros, etc.
Leg extension 55 lbs for a bunch until my quads pumped up a bit
Front squat
10xbar
10x132 lbs
3x10x220 lbs, 6, 7 and 8 RPE
2x8x220 lbs, 8 and 9-10 RPE
Next week I’ll shoot for 4x10x220 lbs
Got through the five work sets in a bit under 15 minutes. Last set was fucking hard, both on the quads and just keeping the bar
RDL, toes elevated, straps
10x132 lbs,
8x220 lbs
3x12x264 lbs - I’ll keep this for next week, still plenty challenging
Weighted decline sit-ups supersetted with walking lunges
Sit-ups 3x13x33 lbs - last set was hard AF out of nowhere
Lunges 1x12 with 50 lbs DBs - too much of an overall effort in that I got tired but didn’t feel my quads, so went to 2x15xbodyweight with pause at the bottom - much, MUCH better, quads blew up
Did some foam rolling/shoulder opening
All up too an hour and a quarter
One thing I’ve noticed this week that is markedly different is the tightness and soreness: I feel it the day after, not the same day and there is a LOT more of it. I don’t normally get sore or tight. So, my lats, erectors, hams and glutes felt Tuesday’s work yesterday and today I’m feeling my chest and upper back.
That sounds like so much work lol. Good for you though man! No way I could be that detail oriented when it comes to my physique or lifting. For myself I figure as long as my lifts are going up and my abs don’t disappear I’m in good company.
It’s very basic, very simple and may or may not bury me: spend 10 or so weeks getting reacquainted with the comp lifts with light weights for increasing reps, then into 20 weeks of comp-specific lifts three days a week and one extra bench variation day. It’s based on me competing around mid June 2018.
One other thing: when planning that out I realised I spent almost no time thinking about what to do for assistance. I already knew.
This is kind of cool. I’ve just about figured out my weekly training is generally going to be
Squat twice, one or two variations
Bench twice, one or two variations
Deadlift twice, two variations
Press once
Some kind of horizontal press that isn’t bench once
DB row once
BB row once
Pull-ups twice
Abs twice
Lower back once or twice
Arms twice
Another refeed. It’s looking like I may do these bi-weekly, probably the night after lower back and legs. That is, assuming it doesn’t make me balloon out. My reasoning was that I got insanely hungry half way through the day, much like on Tuesday. Scale and mirror tomorrow morning will be interesting.
Lacrosse ball pecs, traps and lats. Push triceps into safety bar. Broom shoulder dislocates and BTN press
Shoulder raise tri set with 15 lbs for a bunch until shoulders got a slight burn
BTN press
10xbar
8x66 lbs
5x10x88 lbs, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 RPE in under 15 minutes - up to 100 lbs next week
Shoulders pumped and burning but no pain. Unracking at forehead helps
DB incline press supersetted with DB rows
Press on EFTS bench at slot 2-3 10x20 lbs, 10x40 lbs, 3x12x60 lbs - if I hit this again next week I’ll go to 65 lbs
Rows 10x40 lbs, 8x80 lbs, 3x12x120 lbs - work sets all hook grip, may go to 125 lbs next week. If not then, soon
Lateral raises supersetted with bodyweight pullups
Raises 5x12x20 lbs
Pull-ups 5x4 wide overhand, wide neutral, close neutral, very close neutral, very close neutral
Dead stop hammer curls off thighs
3 sets to failure with 25 lbs
Including stretching done in under an hour and a quarter.
I’ve come to realise that mobility work is similar to strength work (except less fun), you can put in the time and see results but unless you start to prioritise some specific aspects, it’s unlikely you will make huge headway. Like strength work, mobility can only benefit your goals and quality of life and is certainly worthy of attention.
They say mobility is the 1st thing to go as we age…
