2-Week "Montana Method" Template

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CoolColJ
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1421

Post by CoolColJ » Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:02 am

bjb wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2020 5:26 pm Hanley - just wanted to say thank you for putting this together. I just finished my first 3 week cycle of the Montana Method and got PR’s for all my lifts - without feeling all beat up like my prior heavy 4 day split would leave me (volume day was 5x5 @ 90%). I feel enlightened.

New PR’s:
SQ: 470
DL: 470
BP: 315
OP: 215

I was skeptical but I’m a believer now.
What were your old PRs?

bjb
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1422

Post by bjb » Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:59 pm

Old PRs

SQ: 465
DL: 460
BP: 305
OP: 210

I had crashed and burned (once again) after these old PRs on a 5x5 4 day split. I was ramping back up when I said f it - I’ll try something new. Now after a 2nd 3 week cycle of MM, I am now

SQ: 475
DL: 470 (missed 475)
BP: 320
OP: 220

...and still don’t feel beat up.

DPriest442
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1423

Post by DPriest442 » Fri Aug 07, 2020 9:44 pm

bjb wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:59 pm Old PRs

SQ: 465
DL: 460
BP: 305
OP: 210

I had crashed and burned (once again) after these old PRs on a 5x5 4 day split. I was ramping back up when I said f it - I’ll try something new. Now after a 2nd 3 week cycle of MM, I am now

SQ: 475
DL: 470 (missed 475)
BP: 320
OP: 220

...and still don’t feel beat up.
How'd you fit in PR attempts to the routine?

bjb
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1424

Post by bjb » Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:23 pm

MM PRs.png
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dw
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1425

Post by dw » Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:42 pm

I wonder if I could MM my squats for the purpose of avoiding my good morning tendencies that start around RPE 7.

DPriest442
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1426

Post by DPriest442 » Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:54 pm

bjb wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:23 pmMM PRs.png
Squatting 5x6 after a PR wasn't tough?

CoolColJ
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1427

Post by CoolColJ » Sat Aug 08, 2020 6:24 pm

dw wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:42 pm I wonder if I could MM my squats for the purpose of avoiding my good morning tendencies that start around RPE 7.
You need stronger quads :)

bjb
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1428

Post by bjb » Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:45 pm

DPriest442 wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:54 pm
bjb wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 12:23 pmMM PRs.png
Squatting 5x6 after a PR wasn't tough?
It was unpleasant but it wasn’t tough. I consider the OHP density blocks way more unpleasant and tough.

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BenM
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1429

Post by BenM » Sat Aug 08, 2020 9:07 pm

Yeah I'm with @bjb on that one. I find those density blocks of OHP really tough, and reps drop off fast. But if you look at those squat numbers, a set of 6 at 340 should be like RPE 6-6.5? I wouldn't have any issues doing that after a heavy single at all. By the third or fourth set I'd be getting tired, but there wouldn't be any problem getting through it.

dw
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1430

Post by dw » Sun Aug 09, 2020 5:52 am

CoolColJ wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 6:24 pm
dw wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:42 pm I wonder if I could MM my squats for the purpose of avoiding my good morning tendencies that start around RPE 7.
You need stronger quads :)

That would be the purpose of getting my squat volume in uncompromised.

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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1431

Post by acorn1293 » Wed Aug 26, 2020 5:44 pm

@Hanley sorry if this has been touched on before but would there be any significant negative effects to overall strength gains if I performed all my deadlifts as singles a la SSPTs deadlift table while running 2 week MM? For example, would 20 singles at 75% ~EMOM vs 75% for 5 sets of 4 reps have similar enough of a training effect on strength to not notice a huge difference?

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Hanley
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1432

Post by Hanley » Wed Aug 26, 2020 6:11 pm

acorn1293 wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 5:44 pm @Hanley sorry if this has been touched on before but would there be any significant negative effects to overall strength gains if I performed all my deadlifts as singles a la SSPTs deadlift table while running 2 week MM? For example, would 20 singles at 75% ~EMOM vs 75% for 5 sets of 4 reps have similar enough of a training effect on strength to not notice a huge difference?
Should be fine. Maybe a tiny hypertrophy & work capacity cost doing singles....but probably a strength benefit with the singles.

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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1433

Post by acorn1293 » Wed Aug 26, 2020 6:21 pm

Cool thanks for the quick reply! I've been doing well with the normal rep ranges you suggest so I'm not gonna change anything. Just wanted to know if that was a future option.

bjb
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1434

Post by bjb » Tue Sep 22, 2020 8:41 am

So after 4 cycles of the 3 week version of MM, I keep making good progress with new PRs for the big 3. However, OHP hasn’t seen a PR since the 2nd cycle.

SQ: 465 > 485lbs
DL: 460 > 485lbs
BP: 305 > 330lbs
OHP: 210 > 220lbs
Bodyweight stayed the same at 196lbs

This last cycle was tough due to work and family stress and the extended wild fire smoke in Seattle. The PRs I got were all brutal. So, I’m taking a week off to recover and contemplate.

I really enjoy the Montana Method - I usually don’t feel physically beat up, I like how it changes day to day, and the PR progress is super nice. So, I’m leaning towards another cycle but with modifications to see if I can get my OHP PR to move.

What would you all do?

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Hanley
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1435

Post by Hanley » Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:06 am

bjb wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 8:41 amWhat would you all do?
I had to go back and look at my own template. The 3-week template is heavily, heavily biased toward bench. I think you could just sub OHP for the prescribed bench sessions, but use the very high-end of the volume range (maybe even 10% over the volume ceiling).


THEN....make the "pushups" block some sort of hypertrophy-bench session, and make the "OHP" session low-fatigue bench work anywhere in 77-85% e1RM range.

bjb
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1436

Post by bjb » Tue Sep 22, 2020 12:00 pm

Sounds great! Thank you!

TheGloriousW
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1437

Post by TheGloriousW » Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:00 pm

Anyone have a time estimate to complete the 3 week General Strength workouts. Can it be done in 1:15 with decent rest periods? I could superset bench and DLs, but not bench and squats.

I am also having a hard time trying to spread it over 5 consecutive days.

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Hanley
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1438

Post by Hanley » Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:42 pm

TheGloriousW wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:00 pmI am also having a hard time trying to spread it over 5 consecutive days.
I've revised it:



Now it's totally divorced from "calendar time". I've been meaning to do that for a while. Now it's just 12 sessions. You autoregulate intersession rest.

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augeleven
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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1439

Post by augeleven » Tue Sep 22, 2020 3:18 pm

TheGloriousW wrote: Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:00 pm Anyone have a time estimate to complete the 3 week General Strength workouts.
I ran it 2 ways: as written and also on a 9 day week (lift-jog-couch potato).
I was worried about not lifting frequently enough on the 9 day week rotation, but I gained strength, so *shrugs*

I was able to get the work done around an hour, keeping interset rest between 1-2 minutes. Also maybe I did my own thing for assistance instead of multiple push-up amraps.

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Re: 2-Week "Montana Method" Template

#1440

Post by slapHAPPY » Thu Sep 24, 2020 3:47 am

Baraki mentioned in the latest BBM video that he has done sets at around rpe 7 this past year on Deadlifts, and he just hit a 15 lbs lifetime pr.

@ 2:39

Interesting stuff.

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