Fresh Start w/ The Doollas Method

[puckett26]

After a reading a review on training handled by Doollas I got interested. I felt that my training has gotten a bit dry. It was working well for my squat but my bench and deadlift has grown very little. After talking with Doollas, we decided this might be a good fit and he has taken me on as a client. So I will be logging the training here for you all to see. I will try to post videos as often as I can as well. Enjoy!

[puckett26]

Week 1 Day 1

Deadlifts x 3 @ 8RPE
245x5
335x5
425x3
515x3
Top Set- 565x3
Drop Set- 535x2
Drop Set- 525x2

Pause Squats x 2 @ 8RPE
135x10
225x5
315x5
405x3
495x2
Top Set- 505x2
Drop Set #1- 455x2
Drop Set #2- 455x2

Good Mornings
145x3x10

Hanging Knees Raises (abs)
3x8

Summary- This was my first time training since my last meet, I was still feeling beat up from my last meet. All an all good work out. There is alot of new things for me with this new workout. Prior to this I never did deadlift workouts. Now I did squat workouts and sometimes deadlifted after but doing them first gassed me pretty good. I also never really pulled reps with anything over 315, so once I got to 400-500 I wanted to stop after each rep due to habit. This whole RPE idea I really like because on previous training programs I would have a set weight or percentage for the day and if I failed, the rest of the workout was crap. So I look forward to learning how to judge the RPEs better. Here is the video.

[puckett26]

Week 1 Day 2

Pause Bench x 4 @ 9RPE
Barx10
135x10
185x8
225x6
275x5
Top Set-315x4
Drop Set- 275x3
Drop Set- 275x3

Long Pause Bench 3 x 5 @ 9RPE
Top Set- 225x3x5

Front Raise
30lbs x 3 x8

Dumbbell Over head Press
3x10

Summary: I have some shoulder and elbow issues and I was in some pretty bad pain. Due to that the numbers were pretty low. No video

[puckett26]

Week 1 Day 3

Squat x 4 @ 9RPE
135x10
225x5
315x5
405x5
495x5
Top Set-585x4
Drop Set- 495x3
Drop Set- 495x3

Abs x 3 x 10
Summary: Woke up extremely late for work so only got to finish squats, I was supposed to 2 more things but I didnt get to them. This was probly a good thing because my elbow was still bothering me. No video

[puckett26]

Week 1 Day 4

Close Grip Bench x 3 @ 8RPE
Barx10
135x10
185x8
225x6
Top Set-315x3
Drop Set- 255x3
Drop Set- 255x3

Overhead Press x 5 @ 9RPE
135x5
155x5
Top Set- 185x5

Side/back Raise
35lbs x 5 x 8

Rows
3x10

Summary: Close grip bench didnt hurt nearly as bad as my normal bench did. So I think Im going to narrow the grip and see how that effects my shoulder health. The first week is over and although I began to feel better I still felt the aftermath of the meet. Hopefully I worked all the kinks out this week. No video

[puckett26]

Week 2 Day 1

Deadlift x 4 @ 9RPE
245x5
335x5
425x4
515x4
Top Set-565x3
Drop Set #1- 515x3
Drop Set #2- 515x3

Pause Squats x 3 @ 8RPE
135x5
225x5
315x5
405x3
Top Set- 495x2
Drop Set #1- 405x3
Drop Set #2-405x3

Leg Raises x 3 x 10

Goodmornings x 3 x 10

Summary: Overall I felt much better today. Im still having issues judging the RPEs but I know it will come with time. On deadlifts the goal of the day was 4 reps @ RPE9. Although my elbow felt fine today my grip wasnt there so the set got cut short to 3 reps instead of 4. Again going into pause squats my lower back was tired and the old quads were feeling it. Cut the set one short, youll see in the video I thought about it but didnt attempt it. Im not going to let myself down like this again. It was a learning experience. I think one thing that effected this workout was I tried to keep the workout in between 45minutes to 1 hour. I achieved my goal but was gassed. Before a workout could easily last 2+ hours for me. I figure cutting the rest time will help me. I really enjoy this "new" style of training. The video will be up some time later tonight but I have got to go buy a new car first!

[NorthStrong]

Nice lifting in here man! In on a new Doollas client. I learned a lot working with him. Subbed.

[Doollas]

In. Great log, these are the kind of details I'm lookin for as a coach, very thorough.

[puckett26]

Week 2 Day 2

Pause Bench x 5 @ 9RPE
Barx10
135x10
185x8
225x5
275x5
315x5
Top Set-335x5
Drop Set- 275x3
Drop Set- 275x3

Long Pause Bench x 3 x 3 @ 8-9RPE
Top Set- 300x3

Front Raise
3x10

Flyes
3x10

Summary: Moved my grip in about an inch and I feel like that protected my shoulder alot. Still some discomfort BUT I could still train. This was my best session so far and probably the closest I have gotten to the recommended RPEs yet. I think that I need to pause my paused sets a tad longer. Other then that this was a good workout. I have video of this work out just havent had time to edit yesterdays or todays but they will get up as soon as I get a chance.

[Doollas]

Forgot to mention it, but put down the RPE of all sets as well. The RPE of the drop sets is very telling. Also, stick to that 10% better, should have gone 335 to 300. If you do the 10% drop and aren't fresh enough to get the reps, cut it at that point.

[scottyk31]

In for 800lb squats! Hear great things about The method.

[puckett26]

In for 800lb squats! Hear great things about The method.

I hope I see a few of those too!

[puckett26]

Week 2 Day 3

Squats x 3 @ 8RPE + 2 drop sets -10%

135x10
225x8
315x3
405x3
495x3
545x3
600x3
Top Set- 650x3
Drop Set #1- 585x3
Drop Set #2- 585x3

Wide Bottom Half Squats x3 x 8 @9 RPE
225x8
225x8
225x8

Romanian Deadlifts x4 @9
245x4
335x4
385x4

Abs
3x8

Summary: I have 4 words for this work out, WIDE BOTTOM HALF SQUATS! Those things are serious. I finally worked with some decent weight in this workout. Nothing to crazy, top set was 650x3. It moved ok, I wasnt to happy about my depth but im working on it. Then I went to wide bottom half squats... I went lighter then I shoukd have because it was my first time doing them. Starting out I was extremely high but as the reps went on they went lower. My stance was wider then normal, but not nearly as wide as most. I could feel the tightness and pulling from my hip to the inside of my knee lol. I felt very weak and exposed but when I racked the weights my groin felt great, and opened up alot. I look forward to doing these again. Next up RDLs, I maybe have done these once so Im not sure if I did them right. If anyone has critiques let me know. Last I did some obliques to finish up. Good workout. Here is the video.

[puckett26]

Oh boy am I feeling those wide squats right now...

[kmc06005]

In.

Nice home gym. I'm looking forward to following your progress.

[NorthStrong]

Dallas is getting more and more evil I think...wide stance bottom half squats fuark. Sounds awful. Strong top set of squats though!

[puckett26]

Dallas is getting more and more evil I think...wide stance bottom half squats fuark. Sounds awful. Strong top set of squats though!

Thanks man. Yea those squats were rough but once I was done I felt great.

[zmcdole]

Nice to see you have a log here.

[puckett26]

Week 2 Day 4

Close Grip Bench x 4 @ 9RPE
Barx10
135x10
185x8
225x4
275x4
300x4
Top Set-315x4
Drop Set- 275x4 @ 9.5RPE
Drop Set- 275x4 @ 9.5RPE

Overhead Press x 10 @ 9RPE
135x10
155x10
Top Set- 185x10

Side/back Raise
5x10

Pulldowns
3x20

Summary: Close grip bench feels good. Other then the first warmup set or 2 the shoulder felt great. The elbows on the other hand werent cooperating by the time I got to the top set. And they were screaming at the Overhead press set of 185x10 so I made that my top set. Even with that being said, I feel like I got some decent work in once again. On a different note, normally when I bench, it takes a while for my hips to loosen up to even be able to get my feet solid to the floor, which causes me to bench all shoulders till about 225 or so. I think those wide bottom half squats got my hips opened so good that by the 2nd warm up set I could already achieve my proper positioning. I think these may become a new staple.

[puckett26]

Nice to see you have a log here.

Thanks man.

[Doollas]

That lower workout was solid. Only thing on RDL's, if I program 5 or fewer reps I'd prefer if you reset at the bottom. If it's something high rep, don't worry about it.

[puckett26]

Week 3 Day 1

Deadlift x 5 @ 10RPE
245x5
335x5
425x5
515x5
565x5
600x3
Drop Set #1- 525x5
Drop Set #2- 525x5

Pause Squats x 4 @ 9RPE
135x5
225x4
315x4
405x4
Top Set- 455x4
Drop Set #1- 405x3
Drop Set #2-405x3

Leg Raises x 4 x 8

SLDL x 3 x 10

Summary: Man I was feeling great going into this workout. I felt strong and fast. 565x5 moved fast and felt easy. I was going to go up to 585x5 but at the last minute I choose to go to 600x5 which I shouldunt have done because I failed on that set and only got x3. So then I went on to do my drop sets and wasn't sure what I should base my drop sets off of, the 600 or the 565. So I just went off the 565 since that was the last successful set. After those deadlifts my back was fried didn't go nearly as high as I would have liked to but that's the beauty of auto regulation right? Finished off with some abs and some SLDLs. I don't think that I have EVER done that much volume on the deadlift before. But hey if you want to beat the best you have to train like the best.!

[Doollas]

If you fail a top set I usually want you to take it easy after that (for that movement). Since I called for near failure and you were two reps short of 5, I would have done one drop set based on 565. Had you got 4 reps, maybe two drop sets. If you went from a lower weight to the weight you failed at (let's say you were stupid and went from 500 straight to 600), I would use a weight in the middle to base the % on - it's kind of a guessing game in situations like that but overall you should think about the goal for that day/week and base your decisions off that.

How are you feeling? I don't want to kill you with volume just yet, so if you start feeling sick or achy let me know.

[puckett26]

If you fail a top set I usually want you to take it easy after that (for that movement). Since I called for near failure and you were two reps short of 5, I would have done one drop set based on 565. Had you got 4 reps, maybe two drop sets. If you went from a lower weight to the weight you failed at (let's say you were stupid and went from 500 straight to 600), I would use a weight in the middle to base the % on - it's kind of a guessing game in situations like that but overall you should think about the goal for that day/week and base your decisions off that.

How are you feeling? I don't want to kill you with volume just yet, so if you start feeling sick or achy let me know.

Im feeling great man, I think I just went to high because I was feeling so good. Honestly I havent felt this good since before the meet. The volume is good no worries. Here is the video, all that is recorded is the deadlifts.

[Doollas]

Reset those reps! As you lose weight, we are also going to get rid of that rolling down the road (I hope).

Do you have the capability to do wild pulls?: 1:38ish:

[puckett26]

Reset those reps! As you lose weight, we are also going to get rid of that rolling down the road (I hope).

Do you have the capability to do wild pulls?: 1:38ish:

Ok. As far as the rolling, Ill try but its something I have always done it. Doesn't really have to do with the weight, its just my process. Yea im pretty sure I can do the wild pulls after seeing the video.

[puckett26]

Week 3 Day 2

Pause Bench x 3 @ 9RPE
Barx10
135x10
185x8
225x3
275x3
315x3
335x3
355x3
Top Set-375x3
Drop Set- 350x3 @ 8RPE
Drop Set- 350x3 @ 9RPE

Long Pause Bench Press x 3 x 4 @ 9RPE
335x3 9.5RPE
315x4 8.5RPE
315x4 9PRE

Front Raise
4x8

Dips Slingshot assisted
3x10

Summary: Not a whole lot to say about this workout. Shoulders feeling better, elbows held up ok. By the end of the work out the shoulder was showing signs of fatigue. When I was doing the long pause bench I started out with 335 which was a bit too high so I only got 3. So I dropped down to 315 for the last 2 sets and got 4. Good work. On to the next one!

[puckett26]

Been away for about a week. Hurt my back moving stuff at work, go figure. And I am in the middle of moving so things have been crazy. Ill update the best I can but will be back to updating on time this coming week. Intensity phase on deck!

[puckett26]

Been a rough last 2 weeks, with moving and its been hard getting all the workouts in and with quality but I got them in. My internet was just turned back on because of the move so I havent updated the log in about a week or so. But I am back at here was today

Week 5 Day 1

Deadlift x 2 @ 9RPE
245x5
335x2
425x2
515x2
565x2
605x2
Drop Set #1- 555x5

Subbed Trap bar deadlift for Pause squats x 4 @ 10RPE
250x5
340x4
430x4
480x4
Drop Set #1- 450x4
Drop Set #2-450x4

Leg Raises x 6 x 6
Kettlebell swings x 3 x 10

Here are a few deadlift sets from today

515x2

565x2

605x2

[puckett26]

Week 5 Day 2

Pause Bench x 2 @ 10RPE
Barx10
135x10
185x8
225x4
275x2
315x2
365x2
385x2
Drop Set- 355x1


Long Pause Bench Press x 3 x 5 @ 9RPE
335x1
295x3
275x5

Front Raise
5x8



Summary: This was honestly the worst work out I have had in a long time. I felt fine going into it but as the sets went along the weight all the sudden felt heavy. 315x2 felt fine then I decided to jump to 365x2 which I think was a mistake because the weight felt heavier then it should have. Went up to 385x2, and my lats cramp up so bad that I couldnt lay down on the bench for about 20 minutes without cramping. Rolling and stretching did nothing. I went with the weight from last week on Long Pause bench and I could barely do one. Lats were that bad. I then dropped to 295 a weight that should not have been an issue at all and I could only get 3. I thought about just stopping there because of the cramps but I finished with 275x5 because the cramps were just to intense by this point. I finished with some front raises. I was supposed to do a Pec excercise to finish off but I couldnt. I started to pound water after that. From the cramps and how I felt I think i was dehydrated. Not sure how but I also had not been drinking my normal gallon of water a day while dealing with the moving and all so that could have been it. I dont know, Ill be forgetting about this workout soon.