Midwest Madness

————————————————————————Week 9 (80%)

Monday

  • A: Bench Press 3x5 (300lb)
  • B: Weighted Dips 3x8-10 (55lbs)
  • C: 3 Rounds, 90 sec. rest
    • C1: Kettlebell Swing x15 (55lb)
    • C2: Kettlebell Goblet Squat x9 (55lb)
    • C3: Kettlebell Clean & Press x3 (55lb)
    • C4: Hanging Leg Raises x5

Tuesday (Rest / Recover)

Wednesday

  • A: Back Squat 3x5 (380lb)
    • 380lbx3, 380lbx5, 380lbx5
  • B1: Belt Squat 3x10-12
    • 165lbx10, 165lbx12, 210lbx10
  • B2: Hanging Leg Raises 3x8 (Toes-2-Bar)
  • Notes: On first work set of squats my left knee caved in slightly and a weird sensation came in. Never really had knee cave issues before and have handled heavier weights in the past so a bit odd. Ended the set early and waited a bit longer rest period before deciding to continue. No knee pain for now, but something to monitor.

Thursday (Rest / Recover)

Friday

  • A1: Dumbbell Bench Press 3x15 (50lb)
  • A2: Smith Machine BB Row 3x12 (150lb)
  • B1: Dumbbell Incline Press 3x15 (50lb)
  • B2: Cable (Rope) Upright Row 3x12 (50lb)
  • C1: Dumbbell Decline Press 3x15 (50lb)
  • C2: Straight Arm Pulldown 3x12 (50lb)
  • D1: Dumbbell Fly 3x25 (30lb)
  • D2: Dumbbell Pullover 3x20 (50lb)
  • E: Smith Machine BB Shrugs 3x12 (240lb)

Saturday

  • A: Trap Bar Deadlift 3x5 (460lb)
    • Warmups: 170lbx5, 220lbx5, 260lbx5, 310lbx4, 350lbx4, 400lbx3, 420lbx3
    • Work Set: 460lbx5, 460lbx5, 460lbx5
  • B1: Overhead Press 3x5 (185lb)
    • Warmups: 85lbx5, 105lbx5, 125lbx5, 145lbx5, 175lbx3
    • Work Set: 185lbx5, 185lbx5, 185lbx5
  • B2: Band Good Morning 3x20 (#4 Band)
  • C: Band Lateral Row 4x20 (#2 Band)

——————————————————
Week 10 (82.5%)

Sunday: Rest

Monday:

  • A: Dumbbell Bench Press
    • 50lbx10, 65lbx8, 75lbx6, 80lbx6, 85lbx6, 90lbx6
  • B: Bench Press 3x5 (310lb)
    • 310lbx2, 310lbx3, 310lbx2
  • C: Dips 3x10
  • D: DB Rollbacks 3x10 (40lb)
    Note: bench didn’t go well today. Feeling it in right shoulder. May have tweaked it on Saturday with overhead press.

Tuesday:

  • A: Deficit Deadlift (1.75” Mat)
    • 135x5, 185x5, 225x5,
    • 275x3, 315x3, 365x3, 395x2
  • B: Conventional Deadlift 5x3 (415lb)
    • 415x3, 415x3, 415x3, 415x3, 415x3
  • C: Barbell Row 3x6
    • 275lbx6, 225lbx6, 225lbx6
  • D: 14” Camber Good Morning 3x8 (175lb)
  • E: Power Shrugs 1xAMRAP (225lb)
    • 225lbx30

Sunday:

  • A1: Overhead Press 3x5 (190lb)
    • 45lbx10, 135lbx5, 155lbx5, 175lbx3
    • 190lbx5, 190lbx5, 190lbx5
  • A2: Camber Bar Row
    • 137lbx8, 137lbx8, 157lbx10, 177lbx10, 207lbx6
  • B1: Incline Bench Press 3x8 (190lb)
  • B2: T-Bar Row 3x12 (155lb)
  • C1: DB Decline Bench Press 3x15 (60lb)
  • C2: Single-Arm Barbell Row 3x12 (80lb)
  • D1: Dumbbell Bench Press 3x15 (60lb)
  • D2: Pull-Up / Lat Pulldown 3x12 (90lb)
  • E1: Dumbbell Fly 2x10 (50lb)
  • E2: Dumbbell Pullover 2x10 (50lb)

Monday:
A) Front Squat: 125lbx5, 145lbx5, 175lbx3, 195lbx3, 215lbx3, 235lbx3, 265lbx3, 285lbx1, 305lbx1, 325lbx1, 355lbx1
B) RDL: 215lbx10, 235lbx10, 265lbx10, 285lbx8, 305lbx5
C) Power Shrug: 305lbx10, 325lbx10, 355lbx10, 375lbx8, 405lbx8
D) Band Assisted Nordics 3x10
E) Hanging Leg Raise (Tows-2-Bar) 3x10

Tuesday: Triceps / Brachialis / Biceps / Delt

  • A1: Tricep Rope Pushdown 3x8-10 (60lb)
  • A2: Crossbody Hammer Curl 3x6-8 (60lb)
  • B1: Dips 3x8-10 (BW)
  • B2: DB Preacher Curl 3x6-8 (30lb)
  • C1: Lying Tricep Extension 3x8-10 (67lb)
  • C2: Reverse EZ Bar Curl 3x6-8 (67lb)
  • D1: Rear Delt Row 3x12-15 (50lb)
  • D2: Spider Curl 3x6-8 (30lb)
  • E1: Rear Delt Fly 3x12-15 (30lb)
  • E2: Seated Incline Curl 3x6-8 (30lb)

Wednesday (Rest / Recover)

Thursday (Travel)

Friday (Off)

Saturday (Hotel Gym: FID Bench & 10-50lb DB set)
A1) DB Hammer Curls 3x12 (25lb, 40lb, 40lb)
A2) DB Bicep Curls 3x12 (25lb, 40lb, 40lb)
B1) DB Lateral Raise 2x15 (15lb, 20lb)
B2) DB Seated Rear Delt Fly 2x15 (15lb, 20lb)
C1) DB Fly 2x15 (25lb, 30lb)
C2) DB Squat 2x15 (50lb)
D1) DB Row 2x12 (45lb)
D2) DB Incline Press 2x12 (45lb)

Planning to start a new training cycle next week. Took some days off over a mini-vacation and some easier workout sessions lately. Left knee is a bit buggy at the moment so will need to assess how it feels moving forward over next couple weeks. Usually my body will correct itself if I give it the time.

Will be doing Conjugate Training for the first time. I have some familiarity working with bands, chains, box squatting, and use of specialty bars from past training/experimenting. Most of my training up to this point has been focused on regular straight bar squat, bench press, and conventional deadlift in a linear or Western Periodization block style with periods of 5/3/1 sprinkled in for good measure here and there over the years. I have been reading and listening to everything I can find on this type of training from all the usual sources for a couple of years now and feel I am finally ready to begin putting some of these ideas to use.

Training macrocycle will be 16 weeks long with four, 4 week microcycle blocks. These 4 week blocks will be comprised of 3 week waves for Dynamic Effort (DE) plus 1 week of repetition method (6x6, 8x8, or 10x10) replacing the typical DE days in that 4th week.

Two of the four weeks (weeks 1 & 3) will have Max Effort days working towards 1RM on a main lift with 3 lifts >90% for that day. One of these weeks (week 2) will be a 5RM instead of a 1RM ME day that will focus on Good Morning variation for lower and Weighted Dips for upper. Then the 4th week of each block will be doing a heavy set of the main lift (Squat / Bench) with 3 backoff sets focusing on slow eccentrics and pauses.

I will be using opposite stance (sumo) for deadlifts during the 16 weeks as I am working under the assumption that if I hate it then maybe it’s what I should be working on to address weaknesses. Pretty sure my hip flexors are gonna hate me, but maybe my lower back won’t.

As far as addressing weaknesses; all 16 weeks assistance exercises (GPP/RE) will focus on abs/obliques, hamstrings, triceps, and conditioning. I am a fan of doing circuits/supersets for assistance and using a concept 2 rower for distance, time, or sprints.

For variation (law of accommodation), I will rotate ME lifts every week, but repeat a slight variation of them , to better track progress or lack there of, in each microcycle block. I will rotate lower/upper assistance exercises every 4-week microcycle.

If I am feeling good on off-days I may incorporate extra workouts similar to a Wenning Warmup where light bands are used 4x25 and then finish up with LISS conditioning workout on the rower.

Overall goals for the 16 week macrocycle would be to lose 10lb of body weight and gain 10lbs on each powerlift S/B/D.

Week 1: Block 1

Monday: ME Lower

  • A: Sumo Deadlift 1RM
  • 135lbx5, 185lbx5, 225lbx5, 275lbx3, 315lbx1, 365lbx1, 385lbx1, 405lbx1, 425lbx1, 450lbx1
  • B: RDL 3x8-10 (185lb)
  • C: Nordic Curl 3x8-10 (BW)
  • D1: KB Swing x100 (55lb) 10, 15, 25, 50
  • D2: Full-Contact Twist (55lb) 5, 5, 5, 5

Wednesday: ME Upper

  • A: Floor Press 1RM
  • 135lbx5, 185lbx5, 205lbx5, 225lbx3, 245lbx1, 275lbx1, 295lbx1, 315lbx1, 335lbx1, 345lbx1
  • B: Cmbr Bar Pendlay Row 3x8-10 (227lb)
  • C: Decline DB Rollbacks 3x10 (40lb)
  • D1: Tricep Cable (EZ Bar) Pushdown x100
  • 10-15-20-25-30 reps (50lb)
  • D2: Decline Med Ball Sit-Ups x100
  • 10-15-20-25-30 reps (15lb)

Saturday: DE Lower

  • A: Cmbr Bar Box Squat 12x2
    #2 Band (155lb +100lb)
  • B: Sumo Deadlift 12x1 x4 Chain (315lb + 84lb)
  • C: Nordic Curl 3x8-10
  • D1: KB Swing x100
    • 10-15-20-25-30 (55lb)
  • D2: Hanging Oblique Knee Raise 5x10
  • Notes: Too light on speed squats. Need to increase the weight next time. I was going by Matt Wenning’s recommendation of 30-40% weight and 25% accommodating resistance but it felt like I wasn’t doing anything. When I got into sumo speed deadlifts I really notice it was too light at 30% +25% in chains and decided to increase weights. Unfortunately I don’t have enough chain for 25% weight so I just increased bar weight at bottom to bring up total weight percentage at the top. I went back to try a couple sets of speed squats at 245lb + Doubled Monster-Mini on each side (#2 Bands) as this would be closer to the 75-80-85% wave recommended by Louie Simmons. I will try this next time, but I can already tell it will be brutal for 12x2. Maybe I will end up somewhere between these two extremes and build up from there.
  • Measured the band tension with a luggage scale and it was spot on with what the mfg stated the tension would be at the top for a doubled band. Set my band pegs 10 hole spaces apart.

Sunday: DE Upper

  • A: Cmbr Swiss Bar Bench Press 8x3
    • #2 Bands (187 lb + 80 lbs)
    • Wide Grip: 3x187lb Double #2 Bands
    • Close Grip: 3x187lb Double #2 Bands
  • B: Cmbr Bar Row 3x10 (187lb)
  • C: DB Rollbacks 3x8 (50lb)
  • D1: Pushdown x100
    • 5x20 (#3 Band)
  • D2: Decline Med Ball Sit-Ups 5x10 (15lb)
  • Note: Luggage scale measured 40lb each #2 Monster Mini Band at bench press lockout position with band pegs 10 hole spaces apart.

Week 2: Block 1
Monday: Active Recovery / GPP
2x Circuits, 4 Rounds Each:

  • A1: DB Press 4x25 (40lb)
  • A2: Rear Delt Row 4x25 (#2 Band)
  • A3: Leg Curl 4x25 (#3 Band)
  • B1: Lat Pull 4x25 (#2 Band)
  • B2: DB Curl 4x10 (35lb)

Tuesday: ME Lower

  • A: Good Morning 3RM
    • 5x45lb, 3x135lb, 3x185lb, 3x225lb, 3x245lb, 3x255lb
  • B: RDL 3x10 (225lb)
  • C: Nordic Curl 3x8-10 (BW)
  • D1: KB Swing x100
    • 10-15-20-25-30 (55lb)
  • D2: Hanging Oblique Knee Raise 5x10

Wednesday: ME Upper

  • A: Weighted Dip 1RM
  • 2x10xBW, 5x25lb, 3x45lb, 1x70lb, 1x90lb, 1x135lb, 1x160lb, 3x1x125lb
  • B: DB Incline Press 6x6
  • 10x45lb, 6x60lb, 6x70lb, 6x80lb, 3x6x90,
  • C: Barbell Row 3x10 (205lb)
  • D1: Pushdown 4x25 (#3 Band)
  • D2: Standing Ab Crunch 4x25 (#3 Band)

Thursday: DE Lower

  • A: Cmbr Bar Box Squat 12x2
    • #2 Band (225lb + 100lb)
  • B: Sumo Deadlift 14x1
    • x4 Chain (315lb + 84lb)
  • C: Nordic Curl 3x10
  • D1: KB Swing x100 (55lb) 10-15-20-25-30
  • D2: Hanging Oblique Knee Raise 5x10
  • Note: Speed Squats (beltless) felt good and crisp at this weight and I believe I can continue scaling up weight from here with 3-week pendulum waves. Leaving town in a couple days for the week so trying to squeeze in both DE days before leaving and then taking a week off. Not ideal as less than 72hrs from ME session, but better than not doing them I figure.
  • Ate more carbs yesterday and today…result was I demolished this workout and it only felt better the further into it I got. I may not be right for the low carb approach.

Off-Week (Vacation)

Monday:

4 Rounds of 25 reps each:

  • A1: Vertical Band Pull x100
  • A2: Horizontal Band Pull x100
  • A3: Band Pull-Apart x100
  • A4: Band Overhead Press x100
  • A5: Band Pushdown x100
  • A6: Band Bicep Curl x100
  • A8: Band Good Morning x100
  • A9: Band Resisted Back Kick x100

Tuesday:
1 Round of AMRAP each w/ Light #3 Band

  • A1: Vertical Band Pull
  • A2: Horizontal Band Pull
  • A3: Band Pull-Apart
  • A4: Band Overhead Press
  • A5: Band Pushdown
  • A6: Band Bicep Curl
  • A8: Band Good Morning
  • A9: Band Resisted Back Kick
  • A10: Band Chest Press
  • A11: Band Chest Fly
  • A11: Standing Band Crunch
  • A12: Band Thrusters