DCP's Montana Method log

[DCP]

Press

Standing Military
155 x 1
175 x 1
191 x 1 @ 9
151 x 7
151 x 4
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3

20 minutes LISS - bike, HR 130-135

Feeling good so far.

[DCP]

Power

Safety Bar Squat
222 x 3
260 x 2
295 x 1
295 x 1
315 x 1
last single felt good and fast

Bench Press
180 x 3
207 x 2
237 x 1
237 x 1
252 x 1
237 x 2
237 x 2

Deadlift (conv)
290 x 4
290 x 4
290 x 4
290 x 4
290 x 2
low back just fatigued/locked up on the last set. might have been taking too short of breaks between sets - 2-3 mins. I knew if I tried to grind it out it wouldnt be pretty.

Low back feeling OK, a bit sore and tight but I think it will ease up in a day or two.

[DCP]

Strength

Safety Bar Squat
260 x 5
260 x 5
260 x 3
260 x 3
260 x 3
260 x 3
260 x 3
little residual discomfort in my low back but no significant pain.

Bench Press
225 x 1
252 x 1
207 x 5
207 x 5
207 x 5
207 x 3
207 x 3
207 x 3
207 x 3
207 x 3
felt good, short breaks for the triples like 2 mins between.

Chinups
11
then 5,5,4,4,4,4,4
41 reps total, 7 minute density block after first set to failure

[DCP]

Good weekend. Recuperated from work week and watched lots of wrestling, MMA, baseball and basketball.

Hypertrophy

Safety Bar Squat
225 x 5
260 x 3
260 x 7
260 x 4
260 x 7
260 x 4
260 x 6
260 x 3
Jagged sets were fun, lost count and ended up doing 7 instead of 6 on set 3

Bench Press
180 x 5
207 x 3
207 x 6
207 x 4
207 x 7
207 x 4
207 x 7
207 x 4
207 x 6

Chinups
7,4,5,4,4,4,3,3,3,3
40 reps in 7 minutes, density block

[DCP]

Press

Standing Military
151 x 6
151 x 4
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3

7 minute density block, 25 total reps. Was supposed to be a 10 minute block but I misread instructions.

Cardio 10 mins on bike 10 mins jogging back to apartment.

[DCP]

Power

Deadlift (conv)
245 x 4 / 5
was supposed do
287 x 5
338 x 3
338 x 3
338 x 3
338 x 3
Tweaked back again on 4th rep. Not sure what is going on, I have a feeling I am losing extension at the top. Kept trying to do air squats to keep it loose.

Bench Press
180 x 3 / 3
207 x 2 / 2
230 x 1 / 1
230 x 1 / 1
243 x 1 / 1
266.5 x 1 / 1
237 x 2 / 2
237 x 2 / 2
Tight belt and lying flat with small arch was fine. Didn't really feel it.

Close Grip Bench Press
205 x 10 / 10 @ 9
Probably had 1 rep left

Safety Bar Squat
225 x 3 / 3
260 x 2 / 2
287 x 1 / 1
Was supposed to also do
287 x 1
303 x 1
333 x 1
296 x 2
It was feeling OK until 260, then at bottom of the hole I would get the sharp pain in the low lumbars and lose tightness, first set of 287 nearly fell forward because of it. Decided to call it a day.

Im a bit irritated but it's ok. I am going to take some Aleve for 3-5x days and see if it helps. I think I will be OK to go for planned Strength day on Sunday or Monday if need be. Last week when I hurt my back on Wednesday I was able to get through strength day on Friday. Will talk to Hanley how to move forward on pulls, I think RDLs are well tolerated but maybe let whatever this is dissipate a little before trying.

[cb]

@DCP That's a shame about your back. I had some back pain at the start of my first month on the Montana Method that interfered with deadlifting. Hanley did a really nice job of programming deads for the rest of the cycle in a way that maintained strength and let me recover. Hopefully he can do the same for you, too.

Other things that helped just in case you aren't already aware of them: Alan Thrall's youtube video "I hurt my back" and Austin's Barbell Medicine podcasts on pain.

[DCP]

@DCP That's a shame about your back. I had some back pain at the start of my first month on the Montana Method that interfered with deadlifting. Hanley did a really nice job of programming deads for the rest of the cycle in a way that maintained strength and let me recover. Hopefully he can do the same for you, too.

Other things that helped just in case you aren't already aware of them: Alan Thrall's youtube video "I hurt my back" and Austin's Barbell Medicine podcasts on pain.

Thanks! I have full faith Hanley can help me program around it. Good thing is 5 doses of Aleve has knocked out like 90 percent of the issue. I think I should be able to do RDLs as planned and will figure out whats going on with deadlifts. I will probably post some videos here to get some advice.

[DCP]

Hypertrophy

Safety Bar Squat
277.5 x 4
277.5 x 4
277.5 x 4
277.5 x 3
277.5 x 3
277.5 x 3
277.5 x 3

Bench Press
222 x 4
222 x 4
222 x 4
222 x 3
222 x 3
222 x 3
222 x 3

Chinups
7,5,5,5,4,4,4,4,4

42 reps total in 7 min density block

Wasn't able to do strength day yesterday due to late arrival from travels. Went ahead with hypertrophy today.
Felt good today, only slight lingering low back/glute pain.

[DCP]

Press

Standing Military
151 x 8
151 x 4
151 x 4
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3
151 x 3
31 reps in 10 minute density block

Followed by 25 minutes on the bike, HR 135-140.

[DCP]

Power

Safety Bar Squat
225 x 3
260 x 2
287 x 1
287 x 1
303 x 1
333 x 1
343 x 1

Bench Press
180 x 3
207 x 2
230 x 1
230 x 1
252 x 1
266.5 x 1
281 x 1

Good day, busy day at work, had a headache but powered through it all.

[DCP]

4/19 - 8 sets of 5 for chins
4/20 - jujitsu with bro - 30ish minutes. Low back still feeling it since I haven't gone in a while

4/21
Power

Safety Bar Squat
303 x 3
303 x 3
303 x 3
303 x 2
303 x 2
303 x 2
Felt great and smooth

Bench Press
243 x 3
243 x 3
243 x 3
243 x 3
243 x 2
243 x 2
Felt a little slow but review of video showed good speed.

Was supposed to do some pulls, did a couple of warmups with 135 but didnt feel just right. I think doing RDLs will be fine tomorrow but will play it safe and load conservatively.

Coming toward last week of 1st month training with @Hanley and its been great. I feel not beat up and look forward to sessions, will continue working with him in the foreseeable future!

[DCP]

Hypertrophy

Safety Bar Squat
205 x 5
241 x 4
278 x 3
315 x 2
315 x 2
315 x 2
315 x 2
Felt stronger as the work sets went along.

Bench Press
165 x 5
192.5 x 4
225 x 3
252 x 2
252 x 2
252 x 2
252 x 2
252 x 2
about 2 mins between doubles, felt crispest sets 3 and 4

Romanian Deadlift
185 x 8 @ 6
185 x 8 @ 6
185 x 8 @ 6
Felt good, no back tweaks. Each set was able to range a little bit more toward the bottom. Went a bit conservative, work sets in week 1 was 195.

[DCP]

Tuesday 4/24

Press

Standing Military
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 3 / 3
151 x 2 / 3
Notes: @ 10 minute density block, total 32 reps


4/25
Power

Safety Bar Squat
225 x 3 / 3
260 x 2 / 2
278 x 1 / 1
278 x 1 / 1
278 x 1 / 1
278 x 1 / 1
278 x 1 / 1

Bench Press
180 x 3 / 3
207 x 2 / 2
225 x 1 / 1
225 x 1 / 1
225 x 1 / 1
225 x 1 / 1
225 x 1 / 1

Deadlift (conv)
225 x 4 / 4
225 x 4 / 4
225 x 2 / 4
Cut it short on last set, couldnt get low back set and comfortable enough to pull. Goal was 4x4

Good news is did not hurt myself deadlifting today! I think I am heading in the right direction. Coming up on end of first month of this Montana Method with Hanley.

[DCP]

Power

Safety Bar Squat
340 x 1
340 x 1
340 x 1
Felt easy and crisp @92%

Bench Press
273 x 1
273 x 1
273 x 1
273 x 1
Bar path weird on middle reps, otherwise felt OK, @92%

Chinups
12
4,4,4,4,4
3,3,3,3,3,3
= 50 total reps
first set near failure and then 7 minute density block

Month 1 done! Going well. Excited to start again on Monday

[cb]

Nice lifting. Looks like a bench PR isn’t too far away!

[DCP]

Finished 1st month, bumped e1RM SSB from 370--->390, Bench from 296--->310, assuming my deadlift 1RM is 400 for this cycle

Hypertrophy

Safety Bar Squat
@70%
275 x 5
275 x 5
275 x 5
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3
275 x 3

Bench Press
1@85%
then 70%
263.5 x 1
217 x 5
217 x 5
217 x 5
217 x 3
217 x 3
217 x 3
217 x 3
217 x 3

Chinups
12
then 7 minute density - 5,5,5,5,5,5,3,3
48 reps total

[DCP]

Nice lifting. Looks like a bench PR isn’t too far away!

Thanks! The frequency has helped my bench alot, especially the feel under heavy singles. Last couple of years frequency had gone down and I think that stagnated it for me

[DCP]

Deadlift and Press

Deadlift (conv)
280 x 2
280 x 2
280 x 2
280 x 2
280 x 2
280 x 2
280 x 2
280 x 2
Felt great. No tweaking of low back. Things changed from previous times deadlifting - did it in shoes, uses straps for all my sets, dropped my hips a bit before the pull to get comfortable.

Standing Military
140 x 9
140 x 4
140 x 4
140 x 3
140 x 3
140 x 3
140 x 3
140 x 2
140 x 2
10 minute density block, 33 reps total. Probably shouldn't have done 9 in the first set. Next time will try 5s EMOM and see how it goes.

For accessory I also did Hip Abduction/Adduction machine for a few sets of 15, then jogged back and from gym total of about a mile. Good day!

[DCP]

Power

Safety Bar Squat
235 x 3
275 x 2
305 x 1
305 x 1
322 x 1
353 x 1
315 x 2
Top single felt fast and smooth.

Bench Press
186 x 3
217 x 2
248 x 1
248 x 1
263.5 x 1
279 x 1
248 x 2
Top single felt a little slow, set up on the bench wasn't the best, will focus on being better next time.

Close Grip Bench Press
217 x 9

Curls
85 x 15
85 x 13
85 x 12
Kept it strict.

Feeling confident after power days. DOMs dissipating. Rewarded myself with tacos.