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You should post here for:

• PRs
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You should post here for:

• PRs
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You should post here for:

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Weekly thread for discussing:

• recipes
• nutritional plans
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• macro schemes
• diet questions

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
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• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

Welcome to the weekly weightroom conditioning challenge thread. This post contains a conditioning challenge for members of the sub to attempt at their convenience during the week, and to share their results in the thread.

This week's challenge is:

Start with 30 KB swings, 20 push ups, 10 pull ups. Then 27-18-9 and so on until there’s no more left. Suggested KB weight is 24kg for men and 16kg for women, per Dan John's recommendations in the 10k Swings challenge, but feel free to do it however you can.

Post your attempts, results and experiences in the thread below.

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

Weekly thread for discussing:

• recipes
• nutritional plans
• favorite foods
• macro schemes
• diet questions

So I've been lifting for around 18 years now, it feels weird writing that out as its such a long time. In that time I've mostly done Olympic lifting, and more recently was throwing shot and discus. I used to train 4-5, on occasion even 6 days a week in some form.

But that is in the past, at least for now. I'm 37, with a fresh toddler at home and have become a part of the leadership team at work. Meaning that the amount of time I have to train is a mere fraction of what I had before. Not only less days, but I can also spend less time at the gym with any given session.

Therefore I had to keep these constraints in mind when designing my next training block. I love Alex Bromley's content, and have run a variation of Bullmastiff before with good results, therefore decided to use it again, in a heavily modified format. Full program as originally written here: https://empire-barbell.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Bullmastiff-PS-PDF.pdf

What I wanted to include was touchpoints on the Olympic lifts (which the original program doesn't have), while pushing my main strength lifts. I did 2x 3 week blocks + 2/3rd of the final 3 week block (Bullmastiff's base phase is 3x3 weeks in its original form). I used the basic setup of Bullmastiff of sets of 6/5/4 in each of the blocks, resetting the first week of the block to the predetermined 65/70/75% as per the program, and then working up on the subsequent weeks, with an AMRAP on the last set. What I changed from the Bullmastiff setup was that I added a to a top set to my primary and secondary bench and squat days, and not only doing the lower intensity volume work.

My split:

Day 1:

• Front squat: Top sets done all paused, volume sets were bounced with the last rep paused. Here my strategy was to hit a top triple week 1, double week 2 and single week 3, and then reset and repeat (i.e the double from block 1 I tried to hit a triple in block 2, etc). Volume work was 3x6 first block, then 3x5/3x4/2x3 block 2 and 3x3/3x2 block 3. Last volume set was a soft AMRAP (soft AMRAP for me means I'd try to hit a couple more reps than the prescribed volume, but not balls to the wall with it).

• Overhead work. First two blocks did jerks from the front rack, last block behind the neck jerks. Just working up to a heavy triple/double, nothing too special. Followed up by a bit of push press (from the front first two blocks, snatch grip last one). 3x6 push press first block, 3x5 second block (with an AMRAP on the last set) and lower volume last block.

• Accessory: 4x6-8 lat pulldown / pull ups, 3x10 biceps.

Day 2:

• Cleans, below the knew block cleans first two blocks, clean pull + hang clean last block. Working up to a heavy double/single, nothing too complex.

• Heavy pulling. 3x6 / 3x5 RDLs first two blocks (with a soft AMRAP on the last set), conventional deadlift last block.

• Close Grip Bench: top triple and volume of 3x10 / 3x8 / 3x6 from block to block. Volume work started from around 60% week 1 to around 85% at the end. 3x10 triceps accessories to finish things off.

Day 3: The heaviest day

• Snatch: building up to a heavy double or single

• Back squat: top triple / top double / top single week to week, then reset and repeat next block. Volume work 4x6 4x5 / 4x4 from week to week (excep that the last week of the block, I'd only do 2 volume sets). Although I prescribed a top 3/2/1, if I felt I had more in me, I'd hit a few more reps on that top set. Last volume set was an AMRAP.

• Bench press: all done paused. Exact same setup as back squat in terms of loading.

• Accessories: leg press and walking lunges for squats, DB bench for bench, and some sort of rowing exercise.

Abs tried to do a mix of crunching movements, side bends/oblique work, and planks.

Results: compared to the beginning of the block, not all time bests.

• Bench: added 5kg to my paused double, CGBP: used this more for volume work but hit a new 8RM albeit not sure of exact kg improvement

• Back squat: added 10kg to start of block

• Front squat: added 10kg to start of block

• Deadlift: added 4kg to start of block

• Clean from blocks, below the knees: all time 2kg personal best, 12kg over the heaviest clean (albeit from floor) that I'd done this year

Thoughts:

• Top set and drop set method works well, and little AMRAPs in there to chase some reps/volume was nice. Life hack on these: I always did some of my volume work before hitting the top set, and it was an excellent way to warm up. I.e if I had 4x6 squats, I did 3x6 first, then the top set, and then the last set as an AMRAP.

• Squat improvement I was quite happy with. On the top sets I really focused on maintaining a controlled, almost tempo, downward tempo as this helped keep my core rigid and not collapse over at the bottom. Really focusing on paused front squats I think added to my strength.

• Bench press had some small improvement, but I felt this was lagging. I think I was a bit lazy in my accessory work (not that I didn't want to do it, but rather I had to rush home from the gym) so on many of the sessions, I skipped my triceps and/or accessory pressing exercises. This probably dragged down what I could achieve, and maybe a bit more higher end touches/volume, not just one top set).

• Deadlift I didn't focus that much on, as my back has always been my strongest part and therefore needs less attention, therefore the gain wasn't as big. I did relatively low intensity RDLs for the most part, and only did one deadlifting session (where I didn't really go above 80%) prior to my max out session. However I think the squat gains really helped here, meaning if you push up that, then limited deadlift work won't necessarily hold you back from gains.

• No real improvement in the snatch, I think as I took it down to 1x a week but it is a highly technical movement that I've usually trained at least 2x a week, then that held it back.

• The waving structure of resetting intensities to a lower level I think helped build in good auto-deloads, I didn't take any explicit deload weeks myself.

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

Welcome to the weekly weightroom conditioning challenge thread. This post contains a conditioning challenge for members of the sub to attempt at their convenience during the week, and to share their results in the thread.

This week's challenge is:

20-18-16… of goblet squats and KB swings. Good option for a leg finisher. Recommended weight is 24kg for men and 16kg for women, per Dan John's recommendations in the 10k Swings challenge, but feel free to do it however you can.

Post your attempts, results and experiences in the thread below.

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks

You should post here for:

• PRs
• General discussion or questions
• Community conversation
• Routine critiques
• Form checks