all posts post new thread

Honest Effort

Back to using the Hobo Bundle/Offset pole regimen. Basics have not changed. I use a modified DeLorme/Watkins protocol, on the last set if doing upper body I use Rest/Pause for one repeat.

I have given up on using the Hobo Bundle to train pecs specifically, and just use loaded pushups for that. So only three exercises, Paddle, Shovel, and Laterals. This gives me a low, middle and high push and pull. I have mod'd these from earlier demos somewhat and feel I've finally found the ideal form for these three.

Have learned from the first go around NOT to use loads in excess of an 8RepMax, as the limiting factor is grip and bicep static holding strength. It is easy to overload these muscles with too much resistance/tension, while simply doing a few more reps beats heck out of the shoulders, lats, traps, obliques etc plenty enough for gains while allowing the grip and biceps enough respite to handle it. I have also learned to initiate every rep with a powerful contraction of the abdominals, and to maintain tension on the obliques, erectors, serratus for the entire ROM with exception of the very top when the load comes back into the range of my center of gravity. Then pre-activate before it swing wide again.

I am hoping to keep these in a range where I don't have to cycle them in and out to avoid burnout.

Have also scrubbed drop sets entirely in favor of Rest/Pause, which is far superior for this approach.

For squat, hinge, quad and hamstring exercises I do not use R/P, straight sets seem to be more than sufficient. I suspect the larger motor units in the lower body do not use increased firing rate to improve as much as the upper body, or maybe they fatigue sufficiently for adaptive response without need for R/P to increase intensity...IDK. When using a RPE of 9-10, it takes too long to recover for a R/P approach anyway. Or maybe I'm copping out and need to do it anyway....


As a final update to my previous I managed to hit 205, a 20lb increase in relatively lean mass in one calendar year. Currently around 190 or so and carrying about 5 lbs of fat too many from eating a ton of homemade toast with butter during quarantine.
 
Hello,

@North Coast Miller
In this thread, post #12, there is a routine that may interest you:

It works all the plans, whole body, and the grip as well.

Nice videos, as always !

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
What kind of weight do you use for these?

The row/pull and baby toss are about 60lbs, the squat n pop is about 75. Any heavier and there isn't enough acceleration.


I do the squat to shoulder as a grind with about 100lbs and need to add a lot more weight- 130-140 at least, but once they start catching air the medium bag is plenty.
 
Hello,

Do you use several bags ? Or do you load / unload the same bag from an exercise to the other ?

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello,

@North Coast Miller
In this thread, post #12, there is a routine that may interest you:

It works all the plans, whole body, and the grip as well.

Nice videos, as always !

Kind regards,

Pet'

Cool stuff!

I've gotten away from the variety circuits these days and have been doing mostly 2 movements in series for several repeats, then I'll use two different movements - normally a whole body ballistic/explosive and a lower body or whole body grind.
Yesterday was:
- Circular cleans & sandbag getups 5 reps x 3 repeats
- row pulls & squat to shoulder 5 reps x 2 repeats (those row pulls are brutal)
- baby toss 5 reps & 90 second loaded carries with my two heavier bags x 2 repeats

I didn't want any more after that.
 
Hello,

Do you use several bags ? Or do you load / unload the same bag from an exercise to the other ?

Kind regards,

Pet'

I have three bags set up, one is about 55-60, one about 75-80, one about 95-100, and I need to make one more loaded with steel shot to 120-150 (or more!) or so but that's a month or two down the road - I have to drive about 1.5 hours to make a counter call, or the cost of shipping is more than the shot. To me, once you get about 100lbs the bulk starts to make the mode impractical for a lot of stuff, at least for someone with a medium build.

This arrangement has really worked well as I have a bag for everything and can do progressions with variation or load, depending. I'd love to see SF come up with a sandbag program or I might make a thread for open suggestions on an A&A sandbag routine. I can guess at it but is not the same as someone with a lot of experience making suggestions.

Problem is not many are familiar enough w/ sand bag to make detailed suggestions re which exercises etc. Most people think sandbag is only for metcons or strongman. The more I use em the more I like em for everything.

Edit, for the curious:
approx dry weight 1 cubic foot of sand = 100lbs
approx weight 1 cubic foot of steel shot = 250lbs
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the details. Really like to follow your workouts. For the last couple of weeks I have been using my sandbag almost exclusively for grinds and macebell for ballistics ( 360's , gravediggers etc) . Weather is good, so nice to train outside.
 
Hello,

This arrangement has really worked well as I have a bag for everything and can do progressions with variation or load, depending. I'd love to see SF come up with a sandbag program or I might make a thread for open suggestions on an A&A sandbag routine. I can guess at it but is not the same as someone with a lot of experience making suggestions.

Problem is not many are familiar enough w/ sand bag to make detailed suggestions re which exercises etc. Most people think sandbag is only for metcons or strongman. The more I use em the more I like em for everything.
If sooner or later, you end up with writing a program using sandbag, I am ready to give it a go ! :)

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Love your approach to training, power to you, it seems to produce the results you're trying to get. The concept of using sandbags as a standard training tool would've never crossed my mind, weren't it for you. I like the idea of having to stabilize the sandbag/pole throughout the whole range of motion, and load up a specific range of motion more or less. I've been canoeing for about 15 years, 10 of those years competitively, so I like the input and your thoughts on that aswell!

And great physique of course!
 
I have three bags set up, one is about 55-60, one about 75-80, one about 95-100, and I need to make one more loaded with steel shot to 120-150 (or more!) or so but that's a month or two down the road - I have to drive about 1.5 hours to make a counter call, or the cost of shipping is more than the shot. To me, once you get about 100lbs the bulk starts to make the mode impractical for a lot of stuff, at least for someone with a medium build.

This arrangement has really worked well as I have a bag for everything and can do progressions with variation or load, depending. I'd love to see SF come up with a sandbag program or I might make a thread for open suggestions on an A&A sandbag routine. I can guess at it but is not the same as someone with a lot of experience making suggestions.

Problem is not many are familiar enough w/ sand bag to make detailed suggestions re which exercises etc. Most people think sandbag is only for metcons or strongman. The more I use em the more I like em for everything.

Edit, for the curious:
approx dry weight 1 cubic foot of sand = 100lbs
approx weight 1 cubic foot of steel shot = 250lbs
Sounds to me like you're the man for that job. Interesting log NCM!(edit) Watching your one handed bag cleans, how long do the handles hold up without starting to tear? Those must be really tough.
 
Hello,


If sooner or later, you end up with writing a program using sandbag, I am ready to give it a go ! :)

Kind regards,

Pet'

Well, I'm much more of a "guidelines and principles" sort of trainee, I haven't followed a formal program ever.

Laying it out in a manner that others could easily pick up would be an interesting project, and probably not very difficult. In my own head I picture my programs as being like those stories that have different endings depending on which version you choose. The guts follow a common plot, the resolution changes, the sequel starts off where the last one ended.
 
Sounds to me like you're the man for that job. Interesting log NCM!(edit) Watching your one handed bag cleans, how long do the handles hold up without starting to tear? Those must be really tough.

I'm only using 55lbs, so the strain is well within what the bags can take so far. These are relatively cheap bags and have two of those midpoint handles, so if I have to replace, repair with rivets or automatic awl I won't feel too bad about it. These bags are about 2yrs old or more IIRC, they don't owe me anything. Am looking to slowly upgrade to all Rep fitness V2 bags that are probably the best bag for the $, but am too cheap at the moment.
Am starting a 6 week block of 100% isometrics and will take stock after that.
 
I’m looking forward to your isometrics workout logs. Anything you can share already about your plans?
 
I’m looking forward to your isometrics workout logs. Anything you can share already about your plans?

Is going to be very minimalist. Only a doorframe, basement jack, small tree etc will be needed.
Have been working on the specific exercises and they will undoubtedly evolve somewhat over time, but basic stuff.

The holds themselves will be about 4seconds on followed by a quick 2-3 second unfolding/extension/flexion of the target joints, this sequence repeated 10x equals one set.

I'm not sure what to expect for adaptive response. Am hoping to get good holding and grind strength plus a bit of hypertrophy from the added muscle lengthening/shortening between exertions. The tinkering I did leading up to this has been pretty promising.

Starts up tomorrow and I'll post up some videos in a week or two.
 
Interesting . I have zero experience with isometric programs. I saw some recent posts of Steve Maxwell on Instagram , but they did not give much info , other then his focusing on isometrics these days. So again curious to see what it will bring you.
 
Interesting . I have zero experience with isometric programs. I saw some recent posts of Steve Maxwell on Instagram , but they did not give much info , other then his focusing on isometrics these days. So again curious to see what it will bring you.
I've used iso in the past, mostly using longer duration holds. I noticed some very interesting effects when combined with HIIT.

The period where it was my primary mode of resistance training was pretty short, only a few weeks.

This will be longer, and am hoping to get a wider spectrum of adaptive response.
 
Back
Top Bottom