Programs You Didn't Think Would Work

What are the programs you hesitated to try because you didn’t think would work, but in the end turned out to be pretty solid?

For me, it was probably EDT. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Staley, it was just different going in with a certain time allotment. Once I got my mindset right, I had a lot of fun with it. And of course, we all know EDT works.

I’m just trying to find some new programs that maybe I’ve overlooked or brushed off too quickly. So what has worked for you that “shouldn’t have”?

HIT programs from Dr. Darden and Mentzer. I only gave them a try due time constraints. Ended up gaining like mad.

[quote]ocn2000 wrote:
HIT programs from Dr. Darden and Mentzer. I only gave them a try due time constraints. Ended up gaining like mad.[/quote]

HST is also a good one. It’s kind of like HIT with periodization.

Ian King’s stuff is also top notch. I’m guessing that most people have been surprised by programs by programs with very little volume.

I think of all the various programs as tools in a weightlifting “tool box”.

A short list of parameters (tools): high volume, medium volume, low volume, high frequence, medium frequence, low frequency, heavy weight, medium weight, light weight, high reps, medium reps, low reps, compound movements, quasi-isolation movements, sport specific training (ex: practicing with a bench shirt if you’re into that sort of thing), speed work, explosive work, endurance work, rehab work, general conditioning, etc…

All of these “tools” have there place in training.

It’s a mistake to mentally lock yourself into a limited range of what works and what doesn’t. If some guru tries to convince you otherwise, ignore them because they’re full of shit.