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Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic

#273 - M.E.D. Masterclass #5: Spicing Up the 3-Week Cycle with Supplemental Lifts

Beast over Burden powered by Barbell Logic

Barbell Logic

Nutrition, Fitness, Health & Fitness

4.7 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2020

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Pressing on with installment #5 of the Minimum Effective Dose (MED) Masterclass, Matt explains how volume and intensity work in the 3-Week mesocycle introduced in the previous class. While most lifters can continue to PR both their intensity sets (using backoff sets) and their volume sets (by increasing tonnage), eventually they run into a practical dilemma. When is enough volume... enough?

 

Logically, a lifter could continue to make progress in the 3-week model by adding more volume. But at some point doing 6x5, 7x5, 8x5, etc. becomes both daunting and logistically impractical for the vast majority of people. So instead of driving volume up ad nasuem, Matt prefers to merge volume and intensity days. Now the lifter is performing a single "intensity" top set, followed by typical volume work -- 4x5 or 5x5. This keeps the total amount of work in a single workout manageable, while providing enough stress to continue to drive strength adaptations.

 

This is also the point where Matt starts to look at supplemental lifts. Supplemental lifts are lifts that look similar to the main lifts -- rack pulls, pin squats, press starts, etc. These can be used on the secondary movement of the workout as a lower-intensity but still high-stress lift. Supplemental lifts also provide some much-needed novelty, which serves as a mental break and also tends to drive additional gains via a sort of "novice" effect. Lastly, they can be used to shore up the lifter's weak spots, such as breaking through a particular sticking point in the deadlift or squat.

 

In next week's masterclass, Matt will discuss supplemental lifts in more detail, how to choose them, how to cycle through them in the 3-week program, and how to judge their effectiveness.

 

Discounts

  1. Want to try online coaching for FREE? Email experience@barbell-logic.com for a free trial of Barbell Logic Online Coaching. You'll get feedback on your technique and programming from a Barbell Logic coach, and see what the fuss is all about!

 

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Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey listeners this is normally when we would talk about a holiday sale or how

0:07.4

now is the right time to start with online coaching because of how much money

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you can save however as I met with our marketing team

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earlier this month to discuss promotional ideas,

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we found ourselves focusing on the ideal outcomes

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for people who want to work with a coach.

0:21.4

And that call to mind how many of our clients got into

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this for the form corrections and ended up making real life

0:28.1

transformations through strength training. We realized that the ideal Barbel logic client is not afraid of hard work.

0:35.0

They don't just have goals, they are driven by continual self-improvement.

0:39.4

They pursue strength because they care deeply about the people who they love who depend on them.

0:44.8

We know that price is always a consideration when it comes to deciding to sign up for something.

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But our successful clients tell us that in addition to carefully deciding where to invest their money,

0:55.2

they're also very intentional about how they invest their time.

0:58.8

And when you care about your time that much, there is fear that you could waste your time and not see the results you want.

1:04.4

If any of this sounds like you I'm here to make you a promise. You give us six months of

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two to four workouts a week and if you don't see changes in your strength or form

1:14.4

we will give you all of your money back that's all six months the worst case

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scenario is it ends up costing you nothing The best case scenario is you invest in yourself

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and you get exactly what you want out of your training.

1:28.0

The only risk is a bet on yourself.

1:30.0

It's time to place that bet and put your money

...

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