I started the program the day the article was published. It’s intense stuff, particularly the front squat day.
Paused front squats were harsh however the 1 1/2 front squats are insane. As soon as I finished my second set, I was muttering to myself “I’m changing program, this is too hard”. A stamp of approval if ever I’ve known one!
Strength gains ticking along nicely and will be very interesting to see what my 1RMS are on week 10.
I’ve had some pretty good gains over the last few months using your Built for Bad circuits. My shoulders, quads and glutes in particular (my parents who I hadn’t seen in about 3 months wanted to know what I was on). I then went to Dan John’s 40 workout and am ready for something new.
I’d like to do a blitz cycle of high pulls at some point. Would you recommend a high pull blitz before or after doing the power look program? I was thinking before given the carry over it has lower body strength.
Also, I’ve fallen in love with loaded carries of all types. Would it be ok to conclude Power Look workouts with loaded carries or is that too much volume?
[quote]OUBobcatLifter wrote:
I’ve had some pretty good gains over the last few months using your Built for Bad circuits. My shoulders, quads and glutes in particular (my parents who I hadn’t seen in about 3 months wanted to know what I was on). I then went to Dan John’s 40 workout and am ready for something new.
I’d like to do a blitz cycle of high pulls at some point. Would you recommend a high pull blitz before or after doing the power look program? I was thinking before given the carry over it has lower body strength.
Also, I’ve fallen in love with loaded carries of all types. Would it be ok to conclude Power Look workouts with loaded carries or is that too much volume? [/quote]
Loaded carries are a great addition to the Power look workouts.
As for a high pull blitz, I would do them before the power look program as it will give you a kick start in traps development, which do contribute a lot to the power look.
[quote]ChongLordUno wrote:
I started the program the day the article was published. It’s intense stuff, particularly the front squat day.
Paused front squats were harsh however the 1 1/2 front squats are insane. As soon as I finished my second set, I was muttering to myself “I’m changing program, this is too hard”. A stamp of approval if ever I’ve known one!
Strength gains ticking along nicely and will be very interesting to see what my 1RMS are on week 10.
[/quote]
Yes, 1 1/2 front squats are hell, especially if you do them properly (controlled half rep, no bouncing) and they really strengthen the muscles responsible for holding a solid posture during the front squat.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]OUBobcatLifter wrote:
I’ve had some pretty good gains over the last few months using your Built for Bad circuits. My shoulders, quads and glutes in particular (my parents who I hadn’t seen in about 3 months wanted to know what I was on). I then went to Dan John’s 40 workout and am ready for something new.
I’d like to do a blitz cycle of high pulls at some point. Would you recommend a high pull blitz before or after doing the power look program? I was thinking before given the carry over it has lower body strength.
Also, I’ve fallen in love with loaded carries of all types. Would it be ok to conclude Power Look workouts with loaded carries or is that too much volume? [/quote]
Loaded carries are a great addition to the Power look workouts.
As for a high pull blitz, I would do them before the power look program as it will give you a kick start in traps development, which do contribute a lot to the power look.[/quote]
Thanks for the advice coach. Can’t wait to get started, got some lifetime PRs on the horizon.
I came here just to see if anybody else hated the 5x6 as much as meâ?¦ I usually don’t yell and grunt often when I liftâ?¦ Don’t think I would’ve got through the squats and deadlifts this week if I hadn’t
[quote]Gammacka wrote:
I came here just to see if anybody else hated the 5x6 as much as meâ?¦ I usually don’t yell and grunt often when I liftâ?¦ Don’t think I would’ve got through the squats and deadlifts this week if I hadn’t[/quote]
The good thing is that everything feels easy after that
[quote]Final Argument wrote:
[quote]drutastic wrote:
Also, how do you suggest incorporating ab and calf work into this program?
Thank you[/quote]
Not CT but I know that he usually recommends “blitz cycles” for abs where he works them hard and almost every day for 3-4 weeks and then doesn’t do any direct ab work at all for 3-4 weeks. He recommends no more than 10-15 mins of ab work after your main workout.
You can reference this post here: Redirecting...
As for calves, i’ve been following something Chad Waterbury laid out in this article:
I’ve seen some results in my calves over the past two weeks and it doesn’t detract from my main workouts.
[/quote]
Thanks for info Final Argument, I appreciate it.
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]drutastic wrote:
Also, how do you suggest incorporating ab and calf work into this program?
Thank you[/quote]
Yeah, as it was mentioned I work abs in blitz cycles. For 2-4 weeks I ill work them every day at the end of my workouts, 3-4 sets of a superset of 1 loaded and 1 unloaded movement normally.
I have never done as single set of any calves exercise in my life and never plan it in my client’s programs.[/quote]
Thanks so much for replying Coach! I actually almost gave up checking this post because I figured you’d moved on, glad I didnt! I will start the ab blitz cycles this week and not worry about calves right now I guess lol! Anyway, thank you for all you contribute. I really appreciate all of your articles & videos, but more importantly your passion and openness in the pursuit of continual improvement. Thank you again.
Does anyone else get double vision after a set of 1 1/2 front squats?
They are brutal
Any tips on the top 1/2 push press? I find I can’t go heavy because the high pin setting prevents much leg drive when set at forehead level.
I think you may have read that one wrong. It says from rack position to just above forehead. So, the way I interpret it, is you essentially start out the same way but don’t finish the movement locked overhead (you finish just above forehead). The other assistance move in this phase is from the pins; however, that sounds like it is just an ohp only starting off the pins set at just above forehead so there should be no leg drive required. I hope this makes sense and that I have it correct.
[quote]reshumate wrote:
Any tips on the top 1/2 push press? I find I can’t go heavy because the high pin setting prevents much leg drive when set at forehead level.[/quote]
You don’t use pins for the 1/2 push press… you start the bar on your clavicle, like a regular push press and you do a “push press” but only pressing it to your forehead.
Coach,
would a two-board press be an acceptable alternative to 1/2 bench press? I use the elitefts shoulder saver pad.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Coach,
would a two-board press be an acceptable alternative to 1/2 bench press? I use the elitefts shoulder saver pad. [/quote]
2 or 3 depending on your mechanics. They key is using a movement in which you can use 5-15% more than your regular bench press.
Coach,
If I follow the training split you have recommended for this program
On
On
Off
On
OFF
On
OFF
What do you recommend I be doing on the OFF days.
I would rather be in the gym that sitting at home.
Or is there a different program you would recommend for 5-6 days per week?
Thanks for your time
[quote]stevemassivejoes wrote:
Coach,
If I follow the training split you have recommended for this program
On
On
Off
On
OFF
On
OFF
What do you recommend I be doing on the OFF days.
I would rather be in the gym that sitting at home.
Or is there a different program you would recommend for 5-6 days per week?
Thanks for your time[/quote]
I’m wondering the same thing. Is there a place for short sprints (10-40meters) 1-2 days per week? I’m already finishing my workouts with loaded carries and don’t want to burn out. I’d like to do some conditioning/speed work but not at the expense of muscle growth.
Did day one yesterday substituting zercher squats for split squats. Can really feel the movement. Should’ve tried them years ago. After finishing with zercher carries, Im baffled as to how some strongman competitors are able do zero her carries with loads exceeding 500 lbs. Talk about upper back and core strength!
[quote]OUBobcatLifter wrote:
[quote]stevemassivejoes wrote:
Coach,
If I follow the training split you have recommended for this program
On
On
Off
On
OFF
On
OFF
What do you recommend I be doing on the OFF days.
I would rather be in the gym that sitting at home.
Or is there a different program you would recommend for 5-6 days per week?
Thanks for your time[/quote]
I’m wondering the same thing. Is there a place for short sprints (10-40meters) 1-2 days per week? I’m already finishing my workouts with loaded carries and don’t want to burn out. I’d like to do some conditioning/speed work but not at the expense of muscle growth.
Did day one yesterday substituting zercher squats for split squats. Can really feel the movement. Should’ve tried them years ago. After finishing with zercher carries, Im baffled as to how some strongman competitors are able do zero her carries with loads exceeding 500 lbs. Talk about upper back and core strength!
[/quote]
In an ideal world sprint work is done as a separate workout the same days you do lower body. I wouldn’t put them on an OFF day… EXCEPT if you make it a 8 days week.
For example
DAY 1. Front squat
DAY 2. Bench press
DAY 3. off
DAY 4. Deadlift
DAY 5. off
DAY 6. Push press
DAY 7. Sprints
DAY 8. OFF
[quote]Christian Thibaudeau wrote:
[quote]OUBobcatLifter wrote:
[quote]stevemassivejoes wrote:
Coach,
If I follow the training split you have recommended for this program
On
On
Off
On
OFF
On
OFF
What do you recommend I be doing on the OFF days.
I would rather be in the gym that sitting at home.
Or is there a different program you would recommend for 5-6 days per week?
Thanks for your time[/quote]
I’m wondering the same thing. Is there a place for short sprints (10-40meters) 1-2 days per week? I’m already finishing my workouts with loaded carries and don’t want to burn out. I’d like to do some conditioning/speed work but not at the expense of muscle growth.
Did day one yesterday substituting zercher squats for split squats. Can really feel the movement. Should’ve tried them years ago. After finishing with zercher carries, Im baffled as to how some strongman competitors are able do zero her carries with loads exceeding 500 lbs. Talk about upper back and core strength!
[/quote]
In an ideal world sprint work is done as a separate workout the same days you do lower body. I wouldn’t put them on an OFF day… EXCEPT if you make it a 8 days week.
For example
DAY 1. Front squat
DAY 2. Bench press
DAY 3. off
DAY 4. Deadlift
DAY 5. off
DAY 6. Push press
DAY 7. Sprints
DAY 8. OFF[/quote]
Thanks for the advice. Now I need to figure out if I’m just sore from the first leg day or if I was drugged and beaten with a club.
Hey CT,
Any thoughts on loaded carrier on off days? or as optional work on lower days? It’s getting nice out and I wouldn’t mind training outside a bit!
Thanks,
Chris