AthleanX - Anyone used any programs

[Walker147]

So just from his YouTube account and watching a fair few videos I’ve tried to take parts of it and make it into a 3 day Full Body Program, most of the stuff I’ve taken from his “bro split”recommendations, don’t enjoy “bro splits” personally and although he has some full body recommendations, they have 0 volume on arms which am sure most of us enjoy whether it’s actually required is another question unless your wanting to be competitive but who doesn’t love a good pump in the arms 😂

This is what I’ve came up with: (any advice would be great)

A:
Back Squats: 5/5/10/20
Barbell Hip Thrusts: 20/10/5/5
Dead Rows 2 x 8-10
Lat Pulldowns 2 x 10-12
Bench Press* 6/8/10/12
Cheat Lateral Raises & OHP 3 x 6
CG Bench 3 x 8
Weighted Chins 3 x 6
Face Pulls 1 x 15-20

B:
Superset:
A1 Deadlifts 10/8
A2 Weighted Chin Ups 10/8
B1 Deadlifts 6/4
B2 Weighted Wide Grip Pull Ups 6/4
Weighted Parallel Bar Dips* 10/8/6/6
DB Lunges 2 x 10
DB Incline Curls 2 x 12
Tricep Pushdowns 2 x 12
Face Pulls 1 x 15-20

C:
Goblet Squats 2 x 10-12
Bulgarian Split Squats 2 x 10-12
Hyperextensions Y/W 2 x 16-20
Incline Bench* 6/8/10/12
Raises 3 x 21s (7 x of Front/Lateral/Rear)
Barbell Curls 3 x 10
Bench Dips 3 x 12
Shrugs Ladder 1-10
Face Pulls 1 x 15-20

*** asterix chest sets he had recommended supersets with 15 rep Cable Crossovers which I’ve not included because of the sheer amount of chest work? Include or not include?

Any advice would be great

Just come off a fairly similar program I found on muscle & strength 3 x full body which I ran for 5-6 weeks and enjoyed it, just wanted to shake it up

[BeginnerGainz]

I wouldn’t do anything he recommends, at all, ever. Certainly wouldn’t pay for it.

The only thing, and I mean the only thing, he has ever gotten right was the “x sets of 1” mentality where you treat every rep like the first and do each one right.

He just doesn’t know what right is for almost anything (like breathing out when you descend on a squat).

[air2fakie]

Unless you're drawing muscle fibers on your body with a sharpie before working out, I don't really get what your program has to do with AthleanX, good or bad.

[TAWS6]

Athlean is a typical YouTube fitness hack to put it nicely. Most people who run his programs never make it past the novice phase of a 225 bench, 315 squat. Which for most men shouldn’t be very difficult.



Here are some good programs from novice - advanced
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...2916931&page=1

[jaxqen]

Unless you're drawing muscle fibers on your body with a sharpie before working out, I don't really get what your program has to do with AthleanX, good or bad.

I think he is talking about this one.
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=180353413
https://athleanx.com/articles/full-body-workout-plan

Athlean is a typical YouTube fitness hack to put it nicely. Most people who run his programs never make it past the novice phase of a 225 bench, 315 squat. Which for most men shouldn’t be very difficult.

Seeing this thread, I looked him up to see what he has been doing lately. Shouldn't have, but did.
His proteje Jesse has a deadlift of 540 lbs, 3 times his BW, which is impressive.
And the weights seem real, he is in a gym with people.
No idea if he is on TRT or something else.

PS: his squat is 380


And he was a skinny guy at first with some health problems, from what I know.
He is not huge now, but he put on a lot of mass.



--------------------------------------
On a funnier note, I wonder what face Jeff had when he decided to add in his yt title stuff like [WORKS EVERY TIME] or [I'M BEGGING YOU]
I actually imagine him begging me.

[MyEgoProblem]

Quite frankly even his rehab /physio advice is NOT in line with current medical advice from real doctors and rehab specialists.

Fear monger
Nocebo artist
Crap and frequently IMPOSSIBLE to do programming

Obviously a stopped clock is right twice a day, but avoid

As for this setup? I hate the rep setup.20/10/5/5 and 5/5/10/20 hard pass.

[BeginnerGainz]

I think he is talking about this one.
https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showt...hp?t=180353413
https://athleanx.com/articles/full-body-workout-plan




Seeing this thread, I looked him up to see what he has been doing lately. Shouldn't have, but did.
His proteje Jesse has a deadlift of 540 lbs, 3 times his BW, which is impressive.
And the weights seem real, he is in a gym with people.
No idea if he is on TRT or something else.

PS: his squat is 380


And he was a skinny guy at first with some health problems, from what I know.
He is not huge now, but he put on a lot of mass.



--------------------------------------
On a funnier note, I wonder what face Jeff had when he decided to add in his yt title stuff like [WORKS EVERY TIME] or [I'M BEGGING YOU]
I actually imagine him begging me.

Being good at one lift means nothing tbh.

Especially after what, 5-6 years of constant training?

I find it funny since Jeff can’t deadlift for sh!t he has to switch up to using Jesse as an example, and it still isn’t even a good example.

And since Jeff is most certainly using something, Jesse most likely is as well. Just my take.

[EliKoehn]

Can Cavalier really not deadlift? Would be weird if someone's protégé, who is used as an advertizement of their method, singles out the thing that the progenitor himself can't do.

On that video, I was expecting a super wide sumo stance and a springy bar that bends through half the RoM before breaking the floor. Nope, conventional. I actually find that very impressive! Even non-natty, at that bodyweight, that's actually kind of insane. Looks real to me.

I have to say I'm very gratified to see someone pulling strapless and without chalk. It CAN be done. You build grip strength up just like any other aspect. People are selling themselves short insisting that straps are necessary at commercial gym levels of weight!

[BeginnerGainz]

Can Cavalier really not deadlift? Would be weird if someone's protégé, who is used as an advertizement of their method, singles out the thing that the progenitor himself can't do.

On that video, I was expecting a super wide sumo stance and a springy bar that bends through half the RoM before breaking the floor. Nope, conventional. I actually find that very impressive! Even non-natty, at that bodyweight, that's actually kind of insane. Looks real to me.

I have to say I'm very gratified to see someone pulling strapless and without chalk. It CAN be done. You build grip strength up just like any other aspect. People are selling themselves short insisting that straps are necessary at commercial gym levels of weight!

Mixed grip negates a lack of grip strength.
It accomplishes the same exact thing as straps: holding more weight than you could otherwise.

[EliKoehn]

Mixed grip negates a lack of grip strength.
It accomplishes the same exact thing as straps: holding more weight than you could otherwise.

And hence double overhand is even more impressive. Both still utilize only your hands though, and that's the key difference.

I highly doubt that you'd honestly say that it's an equal effect. With straps, grip is taken out of the equation almost completely. You could have pencils for forearms and still end up deadlifting relatively big weight because the bar is literally attached to you. Mixed grip is still just your hands alone.

So it's not grip anymore because your hands are facing opposite directions? And it's therefore the same as literally tying the bar to yourself before you begin?

[TolerantLactose]

Mixed grip negates a lack of grip strength.

It mitigates, not negates. It's not nearly the same as straps.

[BeginnerGainz]

And hence double overhand is even more impressive. Both still utilize only your hands though, and that's the key difference.

I highly doubt that you'd honestly say that it's an equal effect. With straps, grip is taken out of the equation almost completely. You could have pencils for forearms and still end up deadlifting relatively big weight because the bar is literally attached to you. Mixed grip is still just your hands alone.

So it's not grip anymore because your hands are facing opposite directions? And it's therefore the same as literally tying the bar to yourself before you begin?

You can still drop a bar with straps. It does not make the contribution of your grip 0%.

And yes, when you use a mixed grip the bar can no longer roll out of your hands. Of course you can still drop it for a myriad of reasons.

Finally, you answered your own question about mixed grip time and again. Because when you mix grip, you can deadlift more weight than you could otherwise. That should tell you everything you need to know.

On a personal note, I never use straps on conventional deadlifts. I find it throws off my set up. Last I checked, I’m good up to 375 double overhand, then it gets dicey. I tried hook grip but before but I just can’t get a feel for it.

[MyEgoProblem]

200kg dubove crew! Probably 185 now.

Thumbs too stumpy to hook crew!

Always use chalk to avoid sweat and tears crew!
(its not about lifting more cos grip strength, just stop slipping from sweat on a decent bar)

Mixed grip is basically the same as trap bar grip for rolling. Same cheese if we are calling it 'ez mode'

I used mixed because why limit your pc growth for grip? - i hear this a lot here xD

And cba messing around setting straps up for up for floor pulls, my setup is top down, difficult to do and stay tight

[BeginnerGainz]

200kg dubove crew! Probably 185 now.

Thumbs too stumpy to hook crew!

Always use chalk to avoid sweat and tears crew!
(its not about lifting more cos grip strength, just stop slipping from sweat on a decent bar)

Mixed grip is basically the same as trap bar grip for rolling. Same cheese if we are calling it 'ez mode'

I used mixed because why limit your pc growth for grip? - i hear this a lot here ������

Never use chalk because I don’t like the texture crew

What is 200kg in “man on the moon” freedom units? BTW, Old glory is getting lonely up there.

[MyEgoProblem]

Stop using **** chalk then, you don't even notice good liquid chalk tbh.

Except for the hand prints.

#Average Figure of 8s straps enjoyed crew - 100% grip negation

[EliKoehn]

You can still drop a bar with straps. It does not make the contribution of your grip 0%.

And yes, when you use a mixed grip the bar can no longer roll out of your hands. Of course you can still drop it for a myriad of reasons.

Finally, you answered your own question about mixed grip time and again. Because when you mix grip, you can deadlift more weight than you could otherwise. That should tell you everything you need to know.

On a personal note, I never use straps on conventional deadlifts. I find it throws off my set up. Last I checked, I’m good up to 375 double overhand, then it gets dicey. I tried hook grip but before but I just can’t get a feel for it.

The bar can't roll out of your hands with mixed grip? Surely you're joking... Happened to me many times on the way up to 5. Fingers can and do still uncurl when grip gives out. It is easier than double overhand no question, but it's still a test of what you can do without an accessory, and that straps and mixed grip should be equated in terms of difficulty is simply a silly notion.

That said, a guy pulling 405 raw and double overhand would be more impressive to me than someone pulling 455 mixed.

I just don't think we're going to see eye to eye on this one, so you do you man.

@Ego, what was the most you ever pulled again? Didn't you say it was something well over 600?

[MyEgoProblem]

Bg - 440.99lbs doh by the Google my dude.
Very rarely do the full conversion, just double me add 10% in my head.

Eli - 260kg@8 belted reg bar.
Have footage of 255@7 or 255x3 somewhere.

deads really aren't my strong point, short arms and long shins does not a good starting position make.

Pulled way over 300 from mid shin tho. 😂 Fun.
Pulled way less from 2" blocks or defecits.

[EliKoehn]

Bg - 440.99lbs doh by the Google my dude.
Very rarely do the full conversion, just double me add 10% in my head.

Eli - 260kg@8 belted reg bar.
Have footage of 255@7 or 255x3 somewhere.

deads really aren't my strong point, short arms and long shins does not a good starting position make.

Pulled way over 300 from mid shin tho. ������ Fun.
Pulled way less from 2" blocks or defecits.

'Mirin, very impressive.

[jaxqen]

Does liquid chalk help you even if your palms are not sweaty?

Being good at one lift means nothing tbh.

What does it then?

I hate Athlean X click bait ****, but he is the only one that took a skinny guy under his wing and showed his progression over the years... both strength and physical.
I don't remember seeing this on other channel.

1. Can Cavalier really not deadlift?

2. Would be weird if someone's protégé, who is used as an advertizement of their method, singles out the thing that the progenitor himself can't do.

He got caught using fake weight on a deadlift. No idea why, since people who follow him don't care about this. Probably they didn't even know how much that means.
I don't think 80% of his viewers actually lift.


I don't find it weird.
I had a talk with someone about something similar, a father being upset that his son got better than him at something, while the father was his teacher also.
And I don't get it. Well, I get the whole old lion vs young lion thing, but still, if it is your son or apprentice you should be proud about it and consider that you have a merit there.

And seriously, Cavaliere is 47 years old, would you expect him to deadlift as much as a young guy?

Mixed grip negates a lack of grip strength.
It accomplishes the same exact thing as straps: holding more weight than you could otherwise.

Weren't you a proponent of of "straps don't help you hold more weight, only to do more reps"?

I would swear by this.

I highly doubt that you'd honestly say that it's an equal effect. With straps, grip is taken out of the equation almost completely. You could have pencils for forearms and still end up deadlifting relatively big weight because the bar is literally attached to you.

Dude, have you ever used straps?
Maybe I don't know how to put them, although I think I do.
How is the bar attached to you? If you let you grip go, the bar falls.
I tried them and straps help, but not that much.
"Almost completely"?
Seriously?


I am talking about straps, not hooks, to be clear.

[BeginnerGainz]

What does it then?

I hate Athlean X click bait ****, but he is the only one that took a skinny guy under his wing and showed his progression over the years... both strength and physical.
I don't remember seeing this on other channel.




He got caught using fake weight on a deadlift. No idea why, since people who follow him don't care about this. Probably they didn't even know how much that means.
I don't think 80% of his viewers actually lift.


I don't find it weird.
I had a talk with someone about something similar, a father being upset that his son got better than him at something, while the father was his teacher also.
And I don't get it. Well, I get the whole old lion vs young lion thing, but still, if it is your son or apprentice you should be proud about it and consider that you have a merit there.

And seriously, Cavaliere is 47 years old, would you expect him to deadlift as much as a young guy?

Even when he used actual weights, his deadlift looked like absolute dog sh!t.

Not sure about anyone else, but I don’t count anything as a PR if I lose form too much.

[EliKoehn]

Dude, have you ever used straps?

Only once, maybe twice.

For the record, I don't hate them as a thing and in general. I do not prefer them for my own recreational goals with lifting, however, and I also don't think that they should be equated with a raw grip in terms of difficulty. For instance, a bodybuilder doing RDLs or stiff legs at relatively high weight using straps makes sense. Say his next upper workout is the following day and there will be dedicated forearm work, notwithstanding the grip required for rows, pullups, etc. It doesn't make sense to deliberately fatigue the forearms the day before. Then take someone who lifts to chase weight on a select number of exercises (whether that's formal powerlifting or not), and the approach becomes quite a bit different.

I see the sense in it, but that's not the sort of training I prefer to do nor get eager and excited about. The only issue I would take is if someone claims that their max with straps is the same as a mixed grip max at the same weight.

[jaxqen]

Only once, maybe twice.

For the record, I don't hate them as a thing and in general. I do not prefer them for my own recreational goals with lifting, however, and I also don't think that they should be equated with a raw grip in terms of difficulty. For instance, a bodybuilder doing RDLs or stiff legs at relatively high weight using straps makes sense. Say his next upper workout is the following day and there will be dedicated forearm work, notwithstanding the grip required for rows, pullups, etc. It doesn't make sense to deliberately fatigue the forearms the day before. Then take someone who lifts to chase weight on a select number of exercises (whether that's formal powerlifting or not), and the approach becomes quite a bit different.

I see the sense in it, but that's not the sort of training I prefer to do nor get eager and excited about. The only issue I would take is if someone claims that their max with straps is the same as a mixed grip max at the same weight.

I don't have a problem with you hating or not liking straps.
I just don't understand "With straps, grip is taken out of the equation almost completely. You could have pencils for forearms and still end up deadlifting relatively big weight because the bar is literally attached to you."

almost completely? - not really, not even close
pencils for forearms - forearm hypertrophy doesn't always equal grip strength
the bar is literally attached to you - how so? if you let your grip go, the bar falls


And yeah, my mixed grip usually equalled straps, if I remember right.
I would even dare to say I was stronger with mixed grip.
But my limiting factor was the bar slipping.
It slipped with straps, also, the textile material just helped a little.
But with mixed lower back was my limiting factor.


Not arguing with you :P
Just trying to know what miracle straps did you use, so I can buy them and let the bar attached by my wrists without falling on the ground because it takes my grip out of the ecuation almost completely.

[EliKoehn]

I don't have a problem with you hating or not liking straps.
I just don't understand "With straps, grip is taken out of the equation almost completely. You could have pencils for forearms and still end up deadlifting relatively big weight because the bar is literally attached to you."

almost completely? - not really, not even close
pencils for forearms - forearm hypertrophy doesn't always equal grip strength
the bar is literally attached to you - how so? if you let your grip go, the bar falls


And yeah, my mixed grip usually equalled straps, if I remember right.
I would even dare to say I was stronger with mixed grip.
But my limiting factor was the bar slipping.
It slipped with straps, also, the textile material just helped a little.
But with mixed lower back was my limiting factor.


Not arguing with you :P
Just trying to know what miracle straps did you use, so I can buy them and let the bar attached by my wrists without falling on the ground because it takes my grip out of the ecuation almost completely.

Well, if they're virtually the same then why is mixed grip meet-legal but straps are not?

Ok, I admit to some hyperbole in my example there but I've never seen or heard of anyone losing their grip while using straps. Obviously you still have to be holding onto the bar, but I've never seen this become some kind of seriously limiting factor. You're adding like 5 extra inches of taught and self-reinforcing surface area contact, which is connected to your wrists. I don't see how someone can deny that this makes a really big difference over not using any accessory equipment.

[air2fakie]

If you're doing DL as a grip exercise, then don't use straps.

[paulinkansas]

Before I turned into a feeble little old man, I used straps for DL's and shrugs. Reagan was president at the time.

[jaxqen]

Well, if they're virtually the same then why is mixed grip meet-legal but straps are not?
.

If sumo is easier, why the majority of professional powerlifters uses conventional?
I don't know, man.
Powerlifting stuff.

I just told you my experience with them. Maybe for others straps >>> mixed.
And maybe I don't remember, haven't done conv in a while and havent used straps for anything in a while, just some sponges for vertical pulls, because I have blisters.

I didn't say it doesn't make a difference, just that you used too many hyperboles.
It's like me saying "if you use a huge arch on the bench, you can have pencils for triceps because huge arch takes care of almost everything"

You can try and use them once again and see how much you can add to your deadlift compared with raw. 10%? 20%?

Also mixed grip with straps should be something sent from God himself.

[EliKoehn]

If sumo is easier, why the majority of professional powerlifters uses conventional?
I don't know, man.
Powerlifting stuff.

I just told you my experience with them. Maybe for others straps >>> mixed.
And maybe I don't remember, haven't done conv in a while and havent used straps for anything in a while, just some sponges for vertical pulls, because I have blisters.

I didn't say it doesn't make a difference, just that you used too many hyperboles.
It's like me saying "if you use a huge arch on the bench, you can have pencils for triceps because huge arch takes care of almost everything"

You can try and use them once again and see how much you can add to your deadlift compared with raw. 10%? 20%?

Also mixed grip with straps should be something sent from God himself.

Laughed out loud at your bench comparison. That should be someone's forum username: "PencilsforTriceps"

That was the only hyperbole I used though? And good point regarding that. I'm not a fan of a huge arch and find it kind of weird.

[paulinkansas]

If you ever shoot a rifle with a shoulder strap you can use that sling wrapped once around your arm that is supporting the forearm of the rifle. It will keep the weapon stable and increase your accuracy. This may seem like worthless knowledge, but someday your life might depend on it.

[TAWS6]

The last video of his I watched was a few years back. He was pushing recomp for naturals LOL. Kind of like that potato douchettes main-gain non sense. So yeah. No one really takes him serous. His deadlift was the icing on the cake.

[radrd]

I've tried a few of his routines off of YouTube and had to heavily modify to make them workable. Some of the movements he has created or recommends aren't well thought through and should be substituted for simpler options. That said, I primarily enjoy his stuff just to give me some new exercises to try. For intermediate and advanced lifters that know better than to trust everything he says to be gospel, you can get some decent variations to incorporate. Newbies should look elsewhere because his programming generally leaves a lot to be desired.