Journey to a natural pro card

[ebomb55]

1.12.13

Back

Pullups
3 weighted sets

Smith Rows
1 pps x 15
1 pps + 25 x 15
2 pps x 12
2 pps + 15 x 12
2 pps + 25 x 8

Underhand Pulldowns
5 x 8

Dead Stop Dumbbell Rows (explosive)
100 x 4x8

Meadows Pullovers
65 x 3x12

Banded Hypers
Bw x 10
+ 1 mini x 10
+ 1 mini/1 monster x 10
+ 2 mini/1 monster x 10
Dropset
2 mini/2 monster x 10 to 2 mini/1monster x 10 to 1 mini/1 monster x 10 to 1 mini x 10 to bw x 10
50 total reps

Awesome back session. MMC was strong today. I really enjoy the smith and dead stop rows when done explosively. They both fry my lats. The hyper dropset was brutal.

[ebomb55]

1.13.13

Legs/Cardio

Seated Leg Curls
5 x 10

Back Squats (explosive, stop when speed slows)
135 x 10
185 x 10
225 x 6
245 x 6
265 x 6
285 x 6
305 x 6
315 x 6

'Dead-Treads' HIIT
8 x 15-20 seconds sprints @ 12 incline/45 seconds rest

Bulgarian Split Squats
2 x 10 LR w/30 lb DBs LR
2 x 20 LR w/ Bw

If you haven't tried dead-treads for cardio, I highly recommend you give them a go. These were brutal. Very similar to a car push or prowler push, and they got me equally as tired lol.

[The Solution]

Got a video of those dead treads?

[ebomb55]

Got a video of those dead treads?

Here's one:

[ebomb55]

1.14.13

Arms/Calves

V Grip Pushdowns
5 x 20

Pronated Kickbacks
30 x 6
35 x 6
40 x 6, 6, 6, 6

Incline Smith JM Press
25 lb/side x 10
1 pps x 10
1 pps + 25 x 10, 10, 10, 10,

All biceps movements use Grip Force

Cable Curls
5 x 8

Dumbbell Curls
25 x 4x8 LR
20 x 20 LR

Short Barbell Reverse Curl (full ROM)
Bar + 10 x 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

Nasty pump today. First day of the second semester today, so I figured it'd be a perfect day for a good arm session hah.

[ebomb55]

1.15.13

Chest/Shoulders/Calves

Leg Press Calf Push/Dorsiflexions
2 pps x 70 seconds/50
2 pps x 70 seconds/50

Machine Press
70 x 10
80 x 10
90 x 10
110 x 10
130 x 10
140 x 10
160 x 10
180 x 10
200 x 10
220 x 10

Dumbbell Hex Press
40 x 12
50 x 3 x 12

Pec Minor Dips/Band Over-Backs
3 sets

Machine Delt Raises
3 x 30

Spider Crawls
3 sets, 1 with short mini, 2 with short monster mini

6-Ways
3 x 10 @ 10 lb

The usual chest/shoulder work.

[NaturalPursuit]

what type of machine press do you do for chest?

[ebomb55]

what type of machine press do you do for chest?

It varies depending on the gym I'm at but I usually use the nautilus nitro machine or life fitness.

[ch3v3ll3]

Nice chest workout. So what does strength progression, if any, look like on this program? Do you take more of an auto-regulatory approach to what weight you use each day?

Also, how advanced do you feel one has to be to reap the benefits Mountain Dog training? What bodyparts do you feel responded the best?

Yea, this is 20 questions lol.

[ebomb55]

Nice chest workout. So what does strength progression, if any, look like on this program? Do you take more of an auto-regulatory approach to what weight you use each day?

Also, how advanced do you feel one has to be to reap the benefits Mountain Dog training? What bodyparts do you feel responded the best?

Yea, this is 20 questions lol.

This chest/shoulder session was a secondary session, so the only goal was to get a great pump and increase blood flow to the target muscle groups. There is no real strength progression built-in to these secondary days.

As for the primary days, I do take a more auto-regulatory approach to 'adding more weight to the bar' whether it be with squats or pressing movements. That being said, the goal of my training right now is hypertrophy, with adding weight to the bar being secondary to that.

I feel that anyone can reap the benefits of MD training, but I definitely believe that to fully reap it, you need to at least be at an intermediate level with the amounts of weight you can use. While that might seem to contradict what I said above, I believe that to reap the benefits of TUT/continuous tension/pump style training, you need to be able to use a good amount of weight for that to have an effect. What that is, I'd say it depends on the person.

Honestly, in the 10 months working with JM, I have gained size in every area. I'd say my legs, which were a strong part, have gotten bigger, but specifically the sweep aspect and my hamstrings. I think arms have definitely improved, which is shown in pics. Back, chest, and shoulders have also definitely improved. I attribute these improvements to my focus on MD principles, MMC, focusing more on feeling the muscle than adding weight to the bar (although they're not necessarily mutually exclusive).

I think a misconception is that you need to always add weight to the bar to gain size, which I am believing in less and less as I make more improvements not focusing on doing just that. I think a beginner and intermediate to a degree needs to focus on that aspect to reach a certain level of development that will allow this style of training to have a more pronounced effect, but that's just my belief.

[ch3v3ll3]

This chest/shoulder session was a secondary session, so the only goal was to get a great pump and increase blood flow to the target muscle groups. There is no real strength progression built-in to these secondary days.

As for the primary days, I do take a more auto-regulatory approach to 'adding more weight to the bar' whether it be with squats or pressing movements. That being said, the goal of my training right now is hypertrophy, with adding weight to the bar being secondary to that.

I feel that anyone can reap the benefits of MD training, but I definitely believe that to fully reap it, you need to at least be at an intermediate level with the amounts of weight you can use. While that might seem to contradict what I said above, I believe that to reap the benefits of TUT/continuous tension/pump style training, you need to be able to use a good amount of weight for that to have an effect. What that is, I'd say it depends on the person.

Honestly, in the 10 months working with JM, I have gained size in every area. I'd say my legs, which were a strong part, have gotten bigger, but specifically the sweep aspect and my hamstrings. I think arms have definitely improved, which is shown in pics. Back, chest, and shoulders have also definitely improved. I attribute these improvements to my focus on MD principles, MMC, focusing more on feeling the muscle than adding weight to the bar (although they're not necessarily mutually exclusive).

I think a misconception is that you need to always add weight to the bar to gain size, which I am believing in less and less as I make more improvements not focusing on doing just that. I think a beginner and intermediate to a degree needs to focus on that aspect to reach a certain level of development that will allow this style of training to have a more pronounced effect, but that's just my belief.

Cool man! Good **** to hear! To be honest, I always kinda judged Meadows' approach as being for enhanced guys, but it appears that that is not the case.

[ebomb55]

Cool man! Good **** to hear! To be honest, I always kinda judged Meadows' approach as being for enhanced guys, but it appears that that is not the case.

Ya, definitely not the case. The proof is in the pictures :P.

[ebomb55]

1.16.13

Secondary Back

Pull-Ups (mixed grip)
50 reps over 3 sets

Meadows Rows
90 x 10 LR
100 x 10 LR
115 x 2x10 LR

Meadows Pullovers
60 x 4 x 10

Neutral Grip Sternum Chins
2 x 10
Neutral Grip Pulldowns
2 x 10

Straight-Arm Pulldowns
4 x 10

The usual secondary back session...focusing on the pump.

[ch3v3ll3]

Are you training bodyparts 2x a week now? What's split look like currently?

[ebomb55]

Are you training bodyparts 2x a week now? What's split look like currently?

Yep, everything except for arms gets trained twice a week right now (the reason being that they get enough indirect stimulation through pressing and pulling).

Split looks like this:
Heavy Legs
Heavy Chest/Shoulders
Heavy Back
Secondary Legs + HIIT
Secondary Chest/Shoulder
Arms
Secondary Back
Repeat

[mikeyvegas]

Yep, everything except for arms gets trained twice a week right now (the reason being that they get enough indirect stimulation through pressing and pulling).

Split looks like this:
Heavy Legs
Heavy Chest/Shoulders
Heavy Back
Secondary Legs + HIIT
Secondary Chest/Shoulder
Arms
Secondary Back
Repeat

I like your split. I think I'm going to give it a try. I was running:
Heavy Lower Body
Heavy Upper Body
OFF
Back & Shoulders Hypertrophy
Legs Hypertrophy
Chest & Arms Hypertrophy

But I think your split would be a good change of pace. Thanks!
Great job on the log and prep!

[ebomb55]

I like your split. I think I'm going to give it a try. I was running:
Heavy Lower Body
Heavy Upper Body
OFF
Back & Shoulders Hypertrophy
Legs Hypertrophy
Chest & Arms Hypertrophy

But I think your split would be a good change of pace. Thanks!
Great job on the log and prep!

Awesome man, good to hear you're giving it a shot!

Just remember that on the secondary days, be very careful not to go to heavy, but to rather keep the rest periods short and focus almost exclusively on the pump and MMC so you don't fry your CNS.

[ebomb55]

1.17.13

Legs!

Lying Leg Curls
50 x 20
80 x 20
110 x 15
120 x 12
130 x 10
135 x 8
150 x 6 + 30 partials

Back Squats (full ROM, goal is to be very explosive, not to failure)
135 x 20
185 x 10
225 x 8
275 x 8
315 x 8
Worksets
405 x 3x8

Leg Press (hardest leg press I've done) No lockout
6 pps x 40 (too light)
8 pps x 30 (better)
9 pps x 20 (most machine can hold)
9 pps x 10 (3-4 second eccentric, feet close together on platform and low)

Leg Extensions
3 x 10 + 8 partials

Dumbbell RDLs
90 x 10
95 x 10
115 x 10
70 x 10

Very tough leg session. For some reason, the order of the exercises today and the manner in which they were done really took it out of me. The hamstring curls were tough as usual. The squats were done with a weight that was relatively tough, but not close to failure, a weight that I could probably do 15-20 with if pushed, but the explosive style of these really crushed me. The high rep on the leg press destroyed me and I had to dig deep to finish with the extensions and the RDLs.

[ebomb55]

1.18.13

HIIT

'Dead-Treads'
5 minute warmup
10-11 incline
30 seconds sprint/2-3 minutes medium
6 sprints
5 minute cooldown

Just a little HIIT today...Dead-Treads are brutal, definitely something that I will continue doing in the future.

[ebomb55]

1.19.13

Chest/Shoulders

Machine Press (continuous tension)
50 x 20
70 x 20
90 x 20
120 x 15
170 x 15
Worksets
200 x 12
265 (stack) x 16, 8

Reverse Band Incline Press (light bands)
315 x 3x5 (explosive)
355 x 2x4 (tougher)
365 x 2x2 (tougher)

Decline Smith Press (very slight decline)
315-275 x 10 sets of 3 (10-15 seconds rest between)

Dumbbell Front Raises (same time, 3 second eccentric)
15 lb x 3x12 (very tough)

Dumbbell Press
60 x 8
80 x 8
90 x 8
80 x 3x8

Pec Dec Rear Delt Flies/Band Pull-Aparts (1 second squeeze)
15/monster mini x 10
4 rounds

Very strong chest/shoulder session. I was feeling really strong on the machine presses today, and just went for it with the top set hitting the stack for more than I ever have. Reverse band incline's felt strong, a bit tough as my chest was crazy pumped from machine presses. The decline set would have been a lot better with a partner, as unracking the weight for 10 sets was very hard.

Delts got a nasty pump today...They were pretty fried after the front raises.

[ch3v3ll3]

Nice workout. What machine press are you using?

[Widowmakr1]

I want to make love to your quads

[ebomb55]

1.20.13

Back

Meadows Rows
3 warmups x 8 LR
135 x 3 sets of 8 LR
Dropset
135 x 8 LR to 90 x 8 LR

Close Grip Pulldowns
4 x 8

Dead-Stop Dumbbell Rows (done with a pronated grip, explosive = goal)
100 x 8 LR
105 x 8 LR
120 x 2 x 8 LR

Meadows Pullovers
65 x 3x12

Banded Hypers
Bw x 25
Bw + 1 mini + 1 monster mini + 1 light band x 15
Bw + 1 mini + 1 light band x 15
Bw + 1 monster mini x 25
(pump city)

I woke up this morning with flu-like symptoms (aches/pains, fever, sore throat) and they didn't get too much better throughout the day, but I figured I'd go and give it a shot. After a few warmups on the meadows rows and a good sweat, I got into it and crushed it today. I feel significantly better.

Always been a big believer in training through sickness and today once again reaffirmed that belief lol.

[detazathoth]

So I have to read this now?

Damnit.

[ebomb55]

So I have to read this now?

Damnit.

Haha, I guess so...

[ebomb55]

Hey guys, I have been out pretty much the entire week with the flu, Friday being the first day back in the gym. I have actually decided to train for a powerlifting meet and a friend of mine is helping me out with the training, so that will be my focus now.

First day was bench, here's how it went down

Medicine Ball Throws
3 sets of 3

Bench Press (paused)
Bar x 10
95 x 8
150 x 8
170 x 5
205 x 3
235 x 3
250 x 3x3

Incline Close Grip Bench Press (using fat gripz)/Pullups
135 x 10/10
185 x 10/10
205 x 10/10
225 x 10/10
205 x 10/10
185 x 10/10

Chest Supported Rows/Dumbbell Overhead Press
90 x 10/65 x 10
135 x 10/65 x 10
135 x 10/65 x 10
135 x 10/65 x 10
135 x 10/65 x 10

Rolling Dumbbell Extensions
40 x 8
40 x 8
50 x 8
50 x 8
35 x 4x8

Bench felt pretty good for not doing it in a long time. I'm working on the form, the arch, and everything involved, but overall, it felt pretty solid. 250 is not near my max, and the reps felt very explosive.

[ebomb55]

1.27.13

Deadlift Day

Warmup
Depth Jumps + Jump for Height
3x3

Deadlifts (paused)
135 x 5
225 x 5
285 x 5
340 x 3
395 x 3
450 x 1
485 x 3x3

Arched Back Good Mornings
135 x 10
185 x 10
205 x 10
225 x 10
205 x 2x10

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squats
70 x 8 LR
90 x 2x8 LR
70 x 8 LR

Back Raises
+ 40 lb x 5 x 12

TRX Standing Roll-Outs
5 x 10

Awesome session. Will definitely need to work on the form with the good morning's, but the deads felt great. Very explosive.

[The Solution]

So is john not going to put you on "The Incinerator" and place you on a powerlifting routine now?
What does your new split look like since you will train for a Powerlifting meet?

Flu season is here, glad to see your back, that can be deadly and it looked like it crushed you. Hope you get well soon.

[ebomb55]

So is john not going to put you on "The Incinerator" and place you on a powerlifting routine now?
What does your new split look like since you will train for a Powerlifting meet?

Flu season is here, glad to see your back, that can be deadly and it looked like it crushed you. Hope you get well soon.

Haha, oh it did crush me. Out of the gym for 4 full days is pretty rough.

John will be putting me on the incinerator, just after the meet. I'm working with a friend of mine that competes in powerlifting and trains people, so he is doing my split. The split right now looks like this:

Monday: Bench Assistance
Wednesday: Squat
Friday: Bench Press
Sunday: Deadlift

HIIT will be done early on, but tapered off as we near the meet.

[ebomb55]

Back to my normal eating, here's today:

Meal 1: 4 free range eggs, 1 slice applegate farms turkey bacon cooked in VCO, 4 slices Vermont bread

Meal 2: 1 quest bar

Meal 3: 4 ounces uncooked Ezekiel Pasta, 6 ounces chicken breast

Meal 4: 5 ounces grass fed flank steak + 4 ounces chicken breast, 4 ounces brown rice pasta, 1 rice cake + 1.5 tbsp peanut butter

Meal 5: 4 free range eggs, 3 slices Applegate farms Sunday bacon, 2 slices Applegate farms turkey bacon, 1 millet bagel + VCO

Macros today came out to 105 fat, 400 carbs, 255 protein.