Toe-Squatting my way to Montana

[Mugaaz]

Starting a new log here to coincide with signing up for Hanley's Montana Method.

Male, 6'4, 275lbs.
I started lifting in 2014. I've gone from land whale, to skinny, to fat but not quite land whale in that time. I did SS originally, then TM, got injured, rehabbed, signed up for SSOC, did modified TM, got injured, quit SSOC, rehabbed, then tried a bunch of stuff spinning my wheels. Basically, I need to hit some fucking PRs or I'm going to go crazy.

Before my recent injury my PRs were as follows:
Squat: 440
Bench: 315 tng, 300 paused
DL: 530

I don't know my current maxes, but my best guess based on recent traiing:
Squat: 370 (pure guess)
Bench: 305 tng , 290 paused
DL: 520

I've been dieting for the past 4 weeks or so. I meant to start dieting sooner, but it kept getting put off due one reason or another. My diet is real simple, I smoke 20lbs of boneless/skinless chicken thighs, then portion them out in 5-8oz servings. I eat 3 of these a day with various frozen vegetables, heating both in the microwave. Fourth meal is is usually 3eggs + ham/bacon + english muffin(s). Go out to eat once a week with coworkers. Almost always ends up being Indian food. So far it is working ok, lost about 6 lbs in past 4 weeks.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I am one of the worst squatters of all time. Youtube categorizes 1RM my squat videos as offensive comedy. All my old 1RMs are a good morning performed with only my toes in contact with the ground. I've gotten a little better since then, but there is still much work to do.

I'll consider this program a success if I set a PR on my bench or DL within 3 months.

[Mugaaz]

AM
Chins: 6 @ -50, then 21 in 7m20s | Strained my neck sometime during the density block. Lost 20 degrees of ROM rotating to the right and like 40 degrees going back and right. 8 hours later have almost all of it back. An auspicious start.
10m elliptical, 15m treadmill walking (3.8mph/2.5incline)


PM
Bench: 215x5rx7s | Finished this in about 18m. This honestly felt like RPE 0, even the last set.



Squat: 260x5rx6s | Warning, wall of text incoming: After reading the thread here, I figured I'd try squatting in flats for the first time ever. *HOLY SHIT*, what a difference. This is literally the first time ever I could feel the middle of my foot while squatting or feel anything approaching "balance". I'm not saying these are perfect, but I think the improvement is going to be massive once I get used to squatting in flats. I'm fucking done with my Romaleos. Interesting to note I couldn't even come close to hitting depth when I warmed up with the bar and was about to get my heeled shoes. Put 135 on there and it wasn't as bad. When I got up to 225 I had no problem hitting depth, and I think I actually felt a "bounce" for the first time that I can recall. I ignored the time limits between sets on these so I could review video and make changes set to set. Oh yeah, I tried a thumbs around grip with a tight wrist wrap to see if this will prevent elbow tendonitis from squatting. I wasn't paying attention to RPEs during these sets, but it wasn't hard.

[heidikay]

Welcome! I'm doing the Montana Method also and really enjoying it so far. I really like having someone else (smarter) do my programming.
Re: squatting in flats vs heels -- I'd been using flats forever and tried heels a few weeks ago (Reebok Legacy Lifters). Felt completely bizarre and I felt like my depth was compromised and I was on my toes. I much prefer flats.

[Mugaaz]

Hello Heidi! I like having someone else doing my program as well. I have a hard time not pushing everything to RPE10 otherwise.

4/17
7m block LTEs - 65 + bar: 10,6,4,4,4,4,7 |Feel like I'm racing during the 7m blocks and its causing me to mes up.
25m treadmill

[Mugaaz]

4/18

AM:
Deadlift - Worked up to 1x480@9.5, 390x4 | Single was way, way harder than I expected. I haven't been doing any deadlifting above 80% in the past several months. My thoracic spinal erectors on my right side started cramping hard after this. Decided to stop after the first set because my thoracic erectors started hurting much worse after it. Gave it 10 mins but wouldn't calm down. Tested just setting my back and bracing against the bar. That didn't hurt, but when I relaxed and let go it flared up again so I called it.


PM:
Bench - Worked up to 1x260@0, 1x280@7 | Felt pretty easy.


Squat- Worked up to 1x305, 1x335@8ish |Went fine, back was a bit tender after each rep but no real problems.

CG Bench - was supposed to do these, but somehow didn't see it on fitbot. Will do these tomorrow unless Hanley objects.

[Mugaaz]

4/19
25m treadmill walking
light machine rowing and pulldowns to get some blood in my back

4/20
Squat: 295x2rx8s | went fine but got a bit on my toes last set

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCuZWl0Iz6g

Bench: 245x3rx5s | Super easy, but forgot to pause the first rep
CG Bench: 185x8rx3s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHb_Dgol480

SGDL: 260x5rx4s | Weight was easy, not castrating myself was hard. Never done them before, no idea if I am doing these right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oitkia8e_UM

[Mugaaz]

4/23
Squat: 3x5@70%, 4x4@70% (260) - easy no issues
Bench: 1@85% (245), 3x6@70%, 5x4@70% (215) - easy no issues
7min density chins: Was in a rush between calls at work and lost count. Can't remember what I did, maybe 30 @ -60lbs on assisted machine?

[Mugaaz]

4/24
Deadlift: 4x4@70% (365) | Back felt pretty good throughout, tweak is mostly gone. Easy session
LTE density block: 60 + bar (different type than last time) | Tried the bar with the rotating grips, because the EZcurl bar at work gym is an absolute POS that hurts my wrist. This didn't hurt my wrist, but it is a bit awkward. I always forget how many reps I did during these density blocks because I have the timer on my phone going.
Pulldown density block: 185 lbs. | 36 reps?

4/25
Squat
3@60% (225)
2@70% (260)
2 singles @77.5% (285)
1@~82% (305)
1@90% (335)
1x2@80% (295)

Felt pretty good overall. No complaints.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyRJM5p0L34

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBo4UL7ywUY


Bench:
3@60% (185)
2@70% (215)
2 singles@80% (245)
1@85%, (260)
1@90%, then (275)
1x2@80% (245)

Easy.

CG BP: AMRAP @ 70% (215) - 14 reps. Could have gotten 15, but didn't feel up for that level of grinding.

Treadmill Walking: 15m @ 3.8mph/2.5inc | 10m @ 3.9mph/2.5inc

Curls: 50(barbell)x15rx3s

[augeleven]

I see what you mean re: toes on that @8 squat on 4/18. I see your heels lift a bit. I get on my toes a bit too, and am currently trying to fix this flaw. Have you noticed any ankle or foot pain related to this?

[Mugaaz]

I see what you mean re: toes on that @8 squat on 4/18. I see your heels lift a bit. I get on my toes a bit too, and am currently trying to fix this flaw. Have you noticed any ankle or foot pain related to this?

Nah, never had any sort of ankle or foot pain. Don't think it has anything to do with "ankle mobility" either. It is usually a result of being forward of midfoot balance and then amplifies that problem further. When you then get "way forward" the moment on the back is going to increase and you'll see chest collapsing, thoracic rounding, etc.

Honestly, switching to flats has made the problem much easier to deal with. I'm still doing it a bit, but it is nothing like it was before.

As far as the 4/18 video, I dunno. I see something going on with the foot, but I don't quite understand it yet. From other videos it looks like the weight distribution on the foot goes considerably towards the inside of the foot and also forward. I'm going to try shifting more of the weight to the outside of the foot and get more towards the heel to see what difference that makes.

[augeleven]

Thanks for the input. The heel raise wasn't exaggerated. I just went back and looked at my singles from the last month or so and most of them have a little heel lift. Now that its been brought to my attention by your log title, I'm probably going to see it everywhere

[Mugaaz]

I can link some older videos of disgusting levels of heel lift if you like =)

[Mugaaz]

4/27

Squat:
3x3@80% (295)
3x2@80% (295)

Easy, no problems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVviA6WmAck

Bench:
3@80% TnG (245)
1@80% 2ct pause (245)
3@80% TnG (245)
1@80% 2ct pause (245)
3@80% TnG (245)
1@80% 2ct pause (245)
3@80% TnG (245)

Easy, but some mild elbow pain, (fairly typical for me)


Deadlift:
4 doubles@ 80% (415)
Easy, no back pain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPGHLU1P1YQ

[Mugaaz]

Weight loss weekly progress:
26-01: 275.77 xxxx
02-08: 274.14 -1.63
09-15: 272.66 -1.48
16-22: 272.11 -0.55
23-29: 269.83 -2.28

4/30

Squat: Went well, no problems.
3x4@75% (277.5)
4x3@75% (277.5)



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj-FGSKeXgI

TnG Bench: Easy
1@85% (260)
3x4@75% (230)
4x3@75% (230)


Chins:
7m density block, -60lbs on assisted machine. 36 in 7m30s

Treadmill
10m 3.8mph/2.5incline | 15m 3.9mph/2.5 incline

[Mugaaz]

Been lazy on updating. Here is the rest of the week

5/1
Deadlift:
1x450 | wanted to start pulling heavier singles more regularly since I seem to have gotten bad at doing them
4x4@75% (390)

LTE:
LTE bar weight + 70 , 42 reps

Pulldowns:
Pulldowns 180lb, 30 reps

5/2
Curls:
3x15 (50)

Squat:
3@225 2@260 2 singles @ 285 1@305 1@335 1x2@295

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=0Ia8TQfstjk

Bench:
Warmups
1@82% (250)
1@90% (275)
2x2@80 (245)

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=q7WvprfxONs

Squatted before benching and made this bench session a lot harder because of elbow tendonitis.

CGBP:
3x5@70% (215)

Treadmill Walking:
5m 3.8mph/2.5 incline | 20m 3.9mph/2.5 incline


5/4
Deadlift:
1@80% (415)
1@85% (445)
8 singles @80% (415)

Bench:
3 singles @85%, 2 ct pause (260)
3x3@80% (245)
3x2@80% (245)

Squat:
3 singles @85% (315)
6x2@80% (295)

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=uv8g3Un_W_A

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=8MnXSfq_m8Y

[Mugaaz]

5/7

Squat
4x3@80% (295)
2x2@80% (295)

TnG Bench
4x3@80% (245)
3x2@80% (245)

Deadlift
5 singles @82% (425)

Had horrible cramping during this session. Bought some magnesium and calcium on the way home since I don't think it was dehydration.

5/8
22m cardio, cut short for meeting.

5/9

Squat
5 singles @75% (280)

Bench
5 singles @75% (230)

Chins
37 in 10:34 @ -50lbs.

5/10
25m cardio 3.9mph/2.5incline


Will be testing singles tomorrow. Honestly have no idea where I'm at so that promises to be exciting.

[Mugaaz]

5/11

No PRs today.

Squat: 335x1, 355x1, 370x1

Got on my toes on 355. Got weight back on my heels for 370, but torso ended up collapsing so I stopped there because I'm not looking to re-injure my neck/back again. Decent result considering I hadn't been squatting with any real consistency this year. Chest and back looked solid on 355, with only issue being not focusing enough on getting weight over the midfoot. Solid place to build from.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=kSfrhspuWu8

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=SASm7UNRzA4

Bench: 295x1, 305x1, 315x0

Really wanted 315, but wasn't there. I can live with 305 for now.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=oK2_fQTR4Fk

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=GMXdG26hitM

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=N0IGTqp7Ax0

Deadlift: 480x1, 500x1, 510x0

Was real disappointed with this. Doesn't seem to match my e1rms at all from volume work I was doing immediately prior to starting MM. Think I must have detrained due the lack of pulling volume after the back tweak during the start.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=ES9kzqPNRuY

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=FbLXmrHzibA

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=bfX3IQI6nZY

[Wilhelm]

You'll get those PRs next time, @Mugaaz.

[Mugaaz]

Thanks Wilhelm. Here's to next time: Doing another Montana cycle, Hanley is tweaking it a bit. Hope we can get dialed in and get some PRs.

5/14:

Squat:
6x6@260 (70%)





Bench:
7x6@215 (70%) ...may have done 8 sets, lost count.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=E_-KAhqcWx4

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=GUA3G7UNOq0

10m chins:
36.5 in 9:57 @ -50lb

Treadmill:
20m @ 3.9mph/2.5 incline, 5m @ 4.0mph / 2.5 incline

[Mugaaz]

Deadlift:
Was supposed to do a single at 455, but I forgot about it. Oops.
5 sets of 4@ 365 (72%)

LTE:
LTE bar weight + 80lbs: 8 reps, then 31 reps in 6:57

Don't feel any fatigue from the benching yesterday, but I am feeling some fatigue from the 6x6 squats.