Completed one cycle of this program with great results. Here is my feedback:
Pros:
-The volume is awesome and the rampup on the main lifts as well as the variety over the course of the 5 weeks is great and keeps it interesting and logically progressive.
-The workouts are short and depending on your diligence at the gym you can knock these workouts out within an hour and a half or even less depending on your rest needs (I took longer but I'm slow in the gym)
-The 6 days a week appears like it would be exhaustive but it is not and there is a lot of benefit to be reaped from doing the main lifts 3 times each every week.
-The weights picked from the formula felt perfect. Some minor adjustment may be needed here and there depending on the individual, but I felt like every workout for the main lifts were sufficiently challenging but not overbearing.
-I added 10 lbs to my squat, 10 lbs to my bench, and 40 lbs to my deadlift over the course of 5 weeks. (Deadlift was really a 20 lbs all time PR but I had lost a lot over the last year so when I tested for max prior to this program I pulled 20 lbs below my previous best). So it definitely helps produce results.
-It's quick. 5 weeks is nothing and to get such results in such a short amount of time is awesome.
Cons:
-Monotony of accessory movements. While it is a nice feature that you can pick the upper body, lower body, and core accessories that you want to do for the program, doing the same accessory workout every other day for 5 weeks gets boring.
-Rep scheme for accessory movements could use work especially for specific movements. for the first few workouts of the first week, 10 reps felt sufficient especially since they were movements I don't normally do, but soon after, 10 reps was not sufficient, and even upping weight didn't get me to feel a burn or a pump when doing the accessory lifts. 10x ab rollouts does not create a great stimulus after you've done it a couple times. I started upping it to 15 reps, and/or doing them slower and more concentrated to get a good stimulus. As the weeks go on and the reps lower and the weight goes up, it's hard to see/feel a benefit in doing 6-8 reps of an isolation movement.
-Testing bench press max effort and overhead press max effort in the same workout does not make sense. Yesterday I tested my bench press and put 100% effort in. I gave myself a lot of rest time afterwards then warmed up for OHP max but my triceps were just too shot. I will wait a day then go back to the gym and test OHP. I also think max effort squat and DL same day isn't the best either but it was far more manageable.
-Doing a workout after testing 1RM doesn't make sense to me. On the same day I was told to test Bench and OHP max, I was asked to barbel row, do pullups, DB curls, and an optional upper body accessory. Same with doing core exercises after squat and DL max.
A few notes:
I did not follow the program 100% strict. I took more than 1 rest day a week some weeks (which is why it took more like 6 weeks than 5 weeks to complete), I did not always get 8+ hours of sleep, and there was a day or two where I did not do the accessory lifts. I also did not do any accessories on the PR days.
In general I liked this program a lot and will be de-loading next week and plugging in my new numbers and doing it again for another 5 weeks.
Thanks IB!!! Repped +1
Pros:
-The volume is awesome and the rampup on the main lifts as well as the variety over the course of the 5 weeks is great and keeps it interesting and logically progressive.
-The workouts are short and depending on your diligence at the gym you can knock these workouts out within an hour and a half or even less depending on your rest needs (I took longer but I'm slow in the gym)
-The 6 days a week appears like it would be exhaustive but it is not and there is a lot of benefit to be reaped from doing the main lifts 3 times each every week.
-The weights picked from the formula felt perfect. Some minor adjustment may be needed here and there depending on the individual, but I felt like every workout for the main lifts were sufficiently challenging but not overbearing.
-I added 10 lbs to my squat, 10 lbs to my bench, and 40 lbs to my deadlift over the course of 5 weeks. (Deadlift was really a 20 lbs all time PR but I had lost a lot over the last year so when I tested for max prior to this program I pulled 20 lbs below my previous best). So it definitely helps produce results.
-It's quick. 5 weeks is nothing and to get such results in such a short amount of time is awesome.
Cons:
-Monotony of accessory movements. While it is a nice feature that you can pick the upper body, lower body, and core accessories that you want to do for the program, doing the same accessory workout every other day for 5 weeks gets boring.
-Rep scheme for accessory movements could use work especially for specific movements. for the first few workouts of the first week, 10 reps felt sufficient especially since they were movements I don't normally do, but soon after, 10 reps was not sufficient, and even upping weight didn't get me to feel a burn or a pump when doing the accessory lifts. 10x ab rollouts does not create a great stimulus after you've done it a couple times. I started upping it to 15 reps, and/or doing them slower and more concentrated to get a good stimulus. As the weeks go on and the reps lower and the weight goes up, it's hard to see/feel a benefit in doing 6-8 reps of an isolation movement.
-Testing bench press max effort and overhead press max effort in the same workout does not make sense. Yesterday I tested my bench press and put 100% effort in. I gave myself a lot of rest time afterwards then warmed up for OHP max but my triceps were just too shot. I will wait a day then go back to the gym and test OHP. I also think max effort squat and DL same day isn't the best either but it was far more manageable.
-Doing a workout after testing 1RM doesn't make sense to me. On the same day I was told to test Bench and OHP max, I was asked to barbel row, do pullups, DB curls, and an optional upper body accessory. Same with doing core exercises after squat and DL max.
A few notes:
I did not follow the program 100% strict. I took more than 1 rest day a week some weeks (which is why it took more like 6 weeks than 5 weeks to complete), I did not always get 8+ hours of sleep, and there was a day or two where I did not do the accessory lifts. I also did not do any accessories on the PR days.
In general I liked this program a lot and will be de-loading next week and plugging in my new numbers and doing it again for another 5 weeks.
Thanks IB!!! Repped +1