barna284
Level 2 Valued Member
Has anyone ran this version?
Other/Mixed EASY MUSCLE (Geoff Neupert)
- Thread starter Xene
- Start date
Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
flightposite
Level 6 Valued Member
I don’t recall seeing an 8wk body weight dip/chin version of schedule A. Unless there is a newer version I’m not aware of.
I do recall it saying something about you could do like his friend Michael OMalley does and do a month of chins and a month of dips. Not specifically mentioning BW though.
I have only ever down schedule B. Because I prefer the barbell to kettlebell and I enjoy improving my squats.
Schedule B. Utilizes chins and dips. I do them weighted with a weight belt and love them for what it’s worth. But I’m sure doing them Bw only would be great also as long as your body weight provided enough stimulus.
I am currently on wk 3.
flightposite
Level 6 Valued Member
You use a 10rm on both of those movements. If you can do your body weight for more than ten reps you add weight hence not body weight anymore lol.Chins and dips are both bodyweight.
4+4=8
It’s only Body weight when you are only supposed to use body weight. But the template clearly reads find a 10 rep max for both dips and chins. If op or anyone else wishes to use only bw go for it. Or if you are not strong enough to use additional weight again that is fine and goes with the programming.
But pull-ups and dips are not universally bw just because you are moving your body. By that logic a squat is only body weight even when I have 400lbs on my back.
And of course it’s not no one would say that.
The definition of body weight is using ones own body weight and that’s it. If I add weight to that it is no longer body weight.
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Pete L
Level 6 Valued Member
The pedant in me would go on to argue that the bodyweight Chin Up is a subset of the exercise Chin Up. And therefore, under some specific criteria, it "is" possible to run Schedule A using a bodyweight Chin Up.
The 10RM is implied and not explicitly written.
I was also using an assumption that some of the rep schemes can be scaled down from the 10RM figures such as with RMBF.
However, I can certainly see the correctness of your point and wouldn't disagree with it (other than for fun).
jmoran01
Level 5 Valued Member
Omg I just realized I did this wrong! I didn’t rest after the C&P but went right into the FS. No wonder I couldn’t make it to rung 3 of the ladder hahaha. Ugh. Okay next week (week 2 day 1) should be no problem.
Gepet
Level 4 Valued Member
Easy muscle is targeted at men over 40 (based on its website )
Would you modify this in any way if you are 31 with decent sleep? Or would autoregulation take care of difference in energy and recovery that might come about with age? I'm between Easy Muscle, which I already own, or BTS3 which I might buy if on sale. The goal is muscle gain with the equipment I currently own (KBs, rings, paralletes and pull up bar).
Would you modify this in any way if you are 31 with decent sleep? Or would autoregulation take care of difference in energy and recovery that might come about with age? I'm between Easy Muscle, which I already own, or BTS3 which I might buy if on sale. The goal is muscle gain with the equipment I currently own (KBs, rings, paralletes and pull up bar).
No. Let autoregulation do its thing.
Gepet
Level 4 Valued Member
@Geoff Neupert thanks for your helpful response. Can I ask one more question? I plan to do Schedule B and just tested my RM for the FSQ:
2x20kg 15 reps
2x24kg 3 reps (3-4 mins after the 20kg RM, could have gotten to 5-6 but I would not have reached 10reps)
What should I do for my 10RM squat? 2x20kg but slow down the eccentric? Paused Squats? Any other suggestions?
Yes (meaning one or both)
I would suggest waiting a few days and retesting with 24s. Make sure you are keeping tight, keeping the elbows connected, and driving your shoulders up and back.
Otherwise I would take a look at the reps prescribed per day and understand them as percentages, and then do that percentage of 15 with the 20s. For instance, on a day of 5s, that is 50% of 10, so you'd do 50% of 15 - or alternating sets of 7 and 8. This can be absolutely exhausting, and it can be easy to cut the rest a lot, but you'd still want to have a slight pause at the bottom, control the descent into the hole, and make sure all reps are pristine and not getting sloppy as you get tired. Doing this option will give you legs that go, but might not do terribly much to develop strength.
Likewise you can do this with 24s if you don't get 10. I've done this before and it works well enough, but you really got to make sure you are resting long enough between sets.
solarbear
Level 6 Valued Member
I might run Geoff's other program Strong and really master those 24's first. That is what it is designed to do. I think that would make Easy Muscle work that much better to run an appropriate 10 RM.
Day67plus
Level 1 Valued Member
I'm om the same page as you. Currently able to do 3-4 rep with double 24s so planning on running Strong and then do another double bell program that uses 10RM
Gepet
Level 4 Valued Member
Thanks for the interesting suggestion. I did not think of adapting the reps for a 15RM, and I can see why from a strength perspective it might not be ideal. However, I wonder whether from a hypertrophy perspective the outcome would be as intended?
Gepet
Level 4 Valued Member
Unfortunately, I don't currently own Strong. I want to buy it, although I don't think I want to spend ~$100 right now. Especially since I own EM and Giant and haven't run either of them. What RM are required for each movement in Strong?
To clarify, my RM for each move ATM are:
- DBL FSQ: 2x20kg - 15 reps; 2x24kg - 3 reps*
- DBL MP: 2x16kg - 12 reps, 2x20kg - 6 reps
Day67plus
Level 1 Valued Member
OK if you have Giant you might go with that one instead of Strong since both are based around Double Clean and Press. In the Strong program Geoff says it's focused around a weight with "tough 4-5 reps". I don't own Giant myself but I've understood it's around 10RM?
Hypertrophy seems to occur pretty reliably with high reps. The two big problems with high reps in something like a squat are form fatigue (your form fails before the target muscle) and closely related conditioning fatigue - you get too out of breath and the recovery takes too long before the target muscle is sufficiently taxed. Both problems can be dealt with by our good friend Progressive Overload, which in this case will build you a massive engine and fantastic squat form.
GreenSoup
Level 6 Valued Member
We had some excellent and immediately useful answers in the thread already. I am still curious to hear what @Geoff Neupert has to say specifically on his program. As someone using swings and dips without a large collection of KBs or a dip belt I will probably need that answer too on the day my RMs get too high. I'd like to know what the upper limit is on reps would be before GN says "that's too light to be effective on this plan." A 15 rep max? 20 rep max? Would it be different for upper body and lower body exercises?