re: The Greyskull Methods- A Primer

Before LSU gets back I'll give My opinion on these

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For rep progression, let's say I'm doing DB bench press. How many warm up reps should I do? And my three working sets, let's say I do 45x5; 45x5; 45x5 -- next week I will go up to 50x5. If let's say I hit 45x3 on the last set, do I stick with 45 next week? 

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Warmup with 25x5, 35x5 then hit 45s for 5,5,5+

Progress with 2lbs (or 1lbs per arm) in upperbody lifts if you get at least 5reps in the last set. I would stay with same weight trying to increase reps on the last set until you can hit 8 reps on the last set if you can only do larger increases.

If you get below 5 reps on the last set, try again next week, If you fail again, reset 10% and work Back up.

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And for bodyweight progression, let's say for pullups -- am I doing 5/5/5 and then move up to 6 the next week?

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If you mean FM homework, you could do that, but I would first add 1 set per day each week until you are doing 5-6 sets per Day, then add 1 rep per set but decrease sets by one. After that alternate each week either add one set or add one rep removing a set. Stay between 4-6 sets a Day.

Now if you mean weighed or unweighed chins during a workout, do 2 sets all out trying to get 6-8 reps (you May do 1-2 progressive warmup sets of 6-8 if you are chinning a lot of weight). If you get 6-8 reps on both all out sets, add weight(2lbs), or try to add reps (your choice) the next workout

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Do you recommend rotating lifts using the “OG” three day set up or rotating lifts in an A/B setup such as A1, B1, A2, B2 or lastly rotating lifts in A/B setup using three variants for each lift?

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I like rotating lifts on The OG 3-day setup with 3 "push" variants, 2 squat variants and deadlift, so each lift is trained once a week. Like this:

Bench, Squat, plugins
Press, Deadlift, plugins
Incline, Front Squat, plugins

You may use the same idea with plugins, an Upper back plugin would be M: Chins, W: Rows, F: Pullups for example.

Thanks for reply, Yes, I agree with you that proactively rotating lifts on the 3 day “OG” template would be simpler and still help from going stale. Per reseaching GSLP 3 and your advice, I’m going to do this:

Monday: Bench press, inverted row variant, squat 2x5, 1x5+

Wednesday: Press 2x5,1x5+, chest supported db row, trap bar deadlift 1x5+

Friday: Close Grip bench press, belt squat 2x8, 1x8+, 2nd inverted row variant.

I’m doing GSLP principals but admittedly I am experimenting with a bench press program written for me that uses amrap set and same principals as GSLP but it calls for bench and close grip so I will use those two variants for this cycle . Next cycle I will sub in Inclines like you mentioned in the example. I can’t do unassisted chins hence the bodyweight row substitutions similar to rack chins. I just don’t know what set/rep scheme to use on these? Currently I’m capable of doing 1x10. 1x9, 1x7-8 on regular supinated grip inverted bodyweight rows.

Lastly, I run frequency method negatives for chin ups and pushups 5-6 days per week, currently doing 6 negatives with about 1 minute rest between them per JP’s advice. Secondly, doing 6 sets of 9 pushups throughout day, was up to 7x14 before I got flu and then bronchitis.

Does this look solid? Any ideas on a good set/rep progression scheme for the inverted rows and chest supported DB row? Are three supplemental pulling movements too much each week?

Thanks man

Sounds like good advice, thanks for the feedback!

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777, how does JP program rest/pause sets in the LCI program? I believe it is different than the rest/pause one would see in something like Kinobody.

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Interested in an answer for this one, too. Started GSLP in September with some great results but now trying to shed some weight so I started GSLCI this week. Going to stick to GSLP for the lift and then follow JP's template for C and I. I started with a 30 second pause after each circuit set, but wasn't sure what was appropriate.

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how does JP program rest/pause sets in the LCI program?

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I have no personal experience for this as LSU777 does, but according to The LCI method book, Rest Pause is used for the more advanced lifting template, usually rotating with some other Set/Rep schemes weekly.

For the Press for example you rotate between 11-15RP, ramped 3x3 and ramped 5x1. The RP is performed by pressing to failure, taking ten breaths, pressing to failure, taking ten more breaths, then pressing to failure a third and final time. The total rep count is what is recorded. The target range for the press is 11-15 reps.

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777, how does JP program rest/pause sets in the LCI program? I believe it is different than the rest/pause one would see in something like Kinobody.


Interested in an answer for this one, too. Started GSLP in September with some great results but now trying to shed some weight so I started GSLCI this week. Going to stick to GSLP for the lift and then follow JP's template for C and I. I started with a 30 second pause after each circuit set, but wasn't sure what was appropriate.

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OK I am back, not a ton of time today but should have plenty over the course of the week to answer everything.

For rest pause, this is only for the main lift. Here is the direct quote from the powerbuilding book

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Rest Pause Training

Rest Pause training is one of the most effective tools available for strength and mass gain. The manner in which I implement it is directly influenced by the writings and teachings of Dante Trudel. I have never seen another method produce the results that Rest Pause training in this manner will.

Rest Pause training involves performing a set of an exercise to failure, taking ten to twelve deep breaths, and then doing it again.

Once you’ve reached failure the second time you repeat the process, taking another ten to twelve deep breaths and then going to failure for a third time.

It is a simple idea to implement into your training, but it is important to know what exercises Rest Pause can be used with. As a basic rule, we use RP with all movements with the exception of squats, deadlifts, and other heavy pulling movements like the rack pull. We avoid using it with these movements because it presents a safety concern as the fatigue level and poundage’s used can cause you to operate with bad form that can cause injury. A rest pause set for the bench press might look like this. 225lb for 7 reps followed by twelve deep breaths, then 3 more reps, then twelve more breaths, and then one more grueling rep for a total of 11 reps. When we use RP, we have a rep range target. This number is the total number of repetitions that we are looking to get out of the three efforts. Below I will list the recommended rep ranges for each movement when performed RP style.

Rest Pause Rep Ranges by Movement

Pressing Movements (Shoulders) 11 to 15 reps
Bench Press Variations (Chest) 11 to 15 reps
Vertical Pull movements (Back 1) 11 to 15 reps
Chest (Tricep Focus) movements 15 to 20 reps
Biceps movements 15 to 20 reps

Increases in weight can be made once the desired rep range is reached. If you choose to, you can wait until you are deeper in the rep range before adding weight.

This is particularly effective with dumbbell exercises, which do not allow for as incremental of an increase as a barbell movement does. For instance, in the previously mentioned example of our guy bench-pressing 225 for 11 total reps, he has the option of increasing the weight on the next workout, or keeping the weight the same and shooting for a number deeper in the rep range. Neither approach is superior to the other; both have their place.

I normally make the decision of the trainee or myself based on how I’m feeling that day and what my warm-ups feel like. If I feel like King Kong, and the warm ups re easy, I’ll probably add weight. If I feel sluggish that day, or don’t feel strong like some days, I’ll opt to stay at the same weight and shoot for more reps. Either way, as long as you’re making progress in weight or reps, you are doing it right. As is the case with conventional sets, once you fail to make progress on the lift for two sessions in a row, you swap the movement out for another from its category, and have a go at that one until the progress stops once again.

Notation for a rest pause set should look like this in your training log.

Bench Press 225lb 7. 3. 1 RP (11)

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This is a great technique, I usually only have people do this though once they are pretty advanced. Usually run the basic LP then a 2 sometimes 3 set version of the dependent Reverse pyramid training, best described by Martin Berkham here

On rest pause I like to tell people to do 15-20 seconds if they have a timer on the first set, 20-25 on the second.

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I started with a 30 second pause after each circuit set, but wasn't sure what was appropriate.

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Unless listed, you do not rest during the circuit. Always straight through. Density is key here.

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For rep progression, let's say I'm doing DB bench press. How many warm up reps should I do? And my three working sets, let's say I do 45x5; 45x5; 45x5 -- next week I will go up to 50x5. If let's say I hit 45x3 on the last set, do I stick with 45 next week?

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yes stick with 45s and try to get more reps.

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And for bodyweight progression, let's say for pullups -- am I doing 5/5/5 and then move up to 6 the next week?

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prolly more along the lines of 6/5/5 for first week. then 6/6/5 then 6/6/6 or however fast you want to progress or think you can safely and methodically.

How would class work or where would it be?