re: The Greyskull Methods- A Primer

My half marathon training program is the Hal Higdon Novice I plan. I’ll be running 12 miles per week for the first two weeks and peak at 23 miles in week 11 (it is a 12 week program). I run maintenance miles (generally 2-4 miles) on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Saturday is the distance run day and it increases from 4 miles in week 1 to 10 miles in week 11.

I can run base GSLP on top of that, right? Pushups and chin-up frequency method for homework.

Sunday: rest
Monday: homework, base GSLP, maintenance run
Tuesday: Homework, maintenance run
Wednesday: homework, base GSLP, maintenance run
Thursday: homework
Friday: homework, base GSLP
Saturday: distance run

I could probably add some curls in there too although I really appreciate how quickly base GSLP gets you in and out of the gym.

You recommend I don’t bump up the weight until I can get 10 reps on it, right?

Yea run the base plus chin ladders. I wouldn't do FM stuff to start with.

And yes run the reps up to about 10 before adding weight.

Run twice a week to start. Add a 3rd after 6 weeks or so once you feel like you can handle the volume.

Got to focus hard on recovery for sure.

LINK

Look on pages 65-69

questions on the Aesthetic Routine:

1. How high is the High Incline DB Press? 60 degrees?
2. Why can't we do a lower Incline?
3. for the CGBP how is the progression since it has a "+"

thanks

thank you very much.

I'll play around with the angle. tried 60 on Day 1. will try 45 on Day 3.

thanks again.


on the CGBP what rep range would it be for a double increase? 12-15?

Above 15.

quote:

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Sunday: rest
Monday: homework, base GSLP, maintenance run
Tuesday: Homework, maintenance run
Wednesday: homework, base GSLP, maintenance run
Thursday: homework
Friday: homework, base GSLP
Saturday: distance run

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As an Athlete I want to give you one tip: If you run with this schedule don't go balls out on fridays squat. You want to have somewhat fresh legs on saturday for the run. Instead I myself do and would recommend to you too a dynamic effort squat day for fridays. Do 6x2 with full explosive intent, with 1 min rest between sets. Weight would be around 90% of your Mondays squat weight. That will set you up nicely for your heavy run on saturday - and keep your nervous system ready for your next heavy squat on monday.

None at all it's the path greyskull recommends after you have maxed the results on the linear progression. In your case, unless you have made significant impact and are completely stuck reset after reset, I would say stay the course.

There is no magic to strength and hypertrophy. It's about being consistent.

But in general for greyskull it's

3x5+ lp,1x5+ lp, 3x5 plus extra volume/frequency, rpt dependent model as explained by Martin berkham usually for 2 sets, then to rest pause.

We try to maximize the gains in each before going to the next level.

rpt dependent model explanation

Most would stick to the aesthetics template as follows

Week 1:
• Monday-
o Press-2x5,1x5+ -->RPT
o High Incline DB Press-3x10-12 ->RPT
o Weighted Chin-2x6-8
o Yates Row-2x6-8
o Squat-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT

• Wednesday-
o Incline Barbell Bench-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT
o Barbell Curl- 2x10-12
o Close Grip Bench-2x8,1x8+ ->RPT
o DB Side Lateral Raise Super-setted with Face Pulls-2x10-12
o Deadlift-1x5+ ->RPT

• Friday-
o Press-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT
o High Incline DB Press-3x10-12 ->RPT
o Weighted Chin-2x6-8
o Yates Row-2x6-8
o Squat-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT

Week 2:
• Monday-
o Incline Barbell Bench-2x5,1x5+->RPT
o Barbell Curl- 2x10-12
o Close Grip Bench-2x8,1x8+ ->RPT
o DB Side Lateral Raise Super-setted with Face Pulls-2x10-12
o Squat-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT

• Wednesday-
o Press-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT
o High Incline DB Press-3x10-12 ->RPT
o Weighted Chin-2x6-8
o Yates Row-2x6-8
o Deadlift-1x5+ ->RPT

• Friday-
o Incline Barbell Bench-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT
o Barbell Curl- 2x10-12
o Close Grip Bench-2x8,1x8+ ->RPT
o DB Side Lateral Raise Super-setted with Face Pulls-2x10-12
o Squat-2x5,1x5+ ->RPT


Those with --->RPT you will go to the RPT dependent model Martin describes in the first link.

quote:

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Using RPT with Greyskull, would you advise keeping the weight being static for sets 1, 2 and then dropping it 10% for set 3 (AMRAP). Or dropping the weight 10% each set. I feel like either would work.

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I recommend just as Martin describes. Set 1 is maximum weight you can handle for 4-6 reps, but push it for a rep record every time. Second set Is 10% less for somewhere in the 6-10 rep range pushing for a rep record. Third is 10% less in the 10-15 rep range.

The key like the straight set lp is to consistently over months get way stronger while pushing the shite out of yourself.

quote:

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Also, a more general question for everyone - how far can Greyskull realistically carry you as far as an aesthetic physique goes? I've seen my best size and strength gains on the program and I have some anxiety about switching off, but I'm wondering when that will really be necessary. I've tried other programs for brief periods (531, Kinobody, brosplit, Hepburn method) and have always come back to Greyskull as I always leave the gym feeling "just right" after I lift.

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I consider myself pretty aesthetic, granted I am not using greyskull right this second, but I used greyskull to get where I am.

Stolen from kinobody, let's look at where we need to be to maximize our aesthetics, on top of below, we want nice quads in the 23-24" range, calves the same size as arms and a bubble butt, not wide, just bubble.


Physique Standards


Superhero Status Ratio’s
Waist – 45% of height
Shoulders – 73.5% of height
Chest – 63.5% of height
Arms – 23.5% of height

Superhero Status for 5’8 Tall
Waist - 30-31”
Shoulders – 50-51”
Chest – 43-44”
Arms – 16”

Superhero Status for 5’10 Tall
Waist - 31-32” (45% of height)
Shoulders – 51-52” (73.5% of height)
Chest – 44-45” (63.5% of height)
Arms – 16.5” (23.5% of height)

Superhero Status for 6’0 Tall
Waist - 32-33”
Shoulders – 52-53”
Chest – 45-46”
Arms – 17”

Superhero Status for 6’2 Tall
Waist - 33-34”
Shoulders – 53-54”
Chest – 46-47”
Arms – 17.5”


Can you achieve the above on greyskull aesthetics programming....short answer is yes. You might need to do some higher volume cycles where you do something to focus on weaker bodyparts to eventually achieve the actual numbers, but GS will get you heading in the right direction.

For example if your shoulder are lacking, you might put press on every Monday and Friday with adding in 10*5 supersetted with bodyweight chins after your main three sets. Similar to the boring but strong from 531.

Might be chest needs work and you are responding to the pushups or FM dip work(doubtful), start with putting it on Mondays and Fridays, add in volume like above but let's say you know you respond better to rep range of 8-10. Start with 5*10 for 3 weeks, then add a set a week emom style or e2mom supersetted with some type of row or chin.

You do these cycles for 8-12 weeks, take a deload week and hit another body part specialization or back to traditional.

JP has posted the arms and back specialization programs on strength villain.

This is our second tier though of bringing up a body part. Our first tier is going to be using frequency method bodyweight exercises to bring it up. Use chins and close grip pushups to bring the arms up, incline pushups to bring the upper chest up, dips to bring lower chest up, burpees for fat burn, lunges for quads, glute Bridges for arse, calve raise for calves, ring rows for back thickness. Ladder method works here too, just get the reps in, it's the sub maximal volume that does the trick because it's easy to stack lots and lots of volume with not much in the way of cns fatigue. See the 10000 pushup challenge thread to see people getting these results from daily bodyweight.

Shoulders are trickier if they are not responding to bodyweight movements, you can use handstands or handstand push-ups if you want or the better way is figure out what positioning on pushups hit your shoulders. Everyone will be different, some might need to do reverse grip l, some fist pushups etc.

You can use rings to bring the difficulty up on some of these exercises, weight also. Static holds work well to bring up body parts too.

Overall the key to breaking thru a sticking point muscle wise is to specialize the muscle by packing on lots of volume that you can recover from. Also getting into a position for YOUR anatomy to maximize the muscle you are wanting to bring up.