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re: The Greyskull Methods- A Primer
Posted on 12/27/21 at 9:55 am to brielf
Posted on 12/27/21 at 9:55 am to brielf
quote:
No, I did homework until August/September but stopped completely in October. Just did one chin up now and elbows started hurting immediately...
quote:
Alright, calories should be pretty high now. I weighed 74.0 kg 3 weeks ago (increased calories 3300 > 3600 then) and weight has fluctuated between 74.0 - 75.1 kg since then. Was expecting more/faster weight gain but gotta wait and see if it starts going up. My accessories don't have a lot of pulling now, doing DB bench/DB bicep curl on one day and Yates row/tricep cable extension on the other. Probably switching some of them soon...
need to get some pulling in. in general i like to have more pulling then pushing.
for chins, try neutral grip with fat grips on the bar. usually helps the elbows or try ring chins.
replace the db bench with some form of pulling.
quote:
I have strictly removed 10 % of weights every reset, + sets have been like 10 reps or lower. So I think volume has been a bit low, resetting to lower weight and adding some volume work should be good.
yea take more off next time.
1
Posted on 1/21/22 at 11:25 am to lsu777
Alright, felt like updating after almost a month. I was able to start home workouts again with neutral grip chin ups and push ups. I reset bench to 55 kg and got 17 reps, OHP to 35 kg and 14 reps and squat to 80 kg and 17 reps. I've been doing 10x5 and 5x10 for bench/OHP after work sets. I'm getting a lot less reps now that I'm approaching my old working set weights... This week I did 60 kg bench for 12 reps, 38 kg OHP for 11 reps and just finished 92 kg squat for 8 reps. I did one extra set (7 reps) for squat because 8 reps at 92 kg is exactly the same I've gotten before.
At this rate I think I'm gonna stall around the same weights as before, perhaps I'll manage a bit higher in bench/ohp but squat isn't looking great. Perhaps it's time to switch some movements when that happens.
At this rate I think I'm gonna stall around the same weights as before, perhaps I'll manage a bit higher in bench/ohp but squat isn't looking great. Perhaps it's time to switch some movements when that happens.
Posted on 1/21/22 at 11:30 am to brielf
quote:
At this rate I think I'm gonna stall around the same weights as before, perhaps I'll manage a bit higher in bench/ohp but squat isn't looking great. Perhaps it's time to switch some movements when that happens.
Yea prolly is. you need to look at your sleep and your diet.
what are your goals again? and how is the diet?
Posted on 1/21/22 at 12:31 pm to lsu777
quote:
Yea prolly is. you need to look at your sleep and your diet.
what are your goals again? and how is the diet?
Sleeping ~8 hours a night, but I wake up a lot during the night, it's been like that for 10+ years. I fall back asleep fast and I feel fine waking up though so maybe it isn't that terrible... Dunno if there's much to do about that, I've tried some supplements and even sleeping pills but nothing seems to help much. I guess I could try turning off PC earlier and read before going to bed but nothing has helped much.
I've been eating 3600 kcal a day for six weeks now. Pretty clean normal food, perhaps except for a big bowl of cereal every day. Around 160g of protein a day, sometimes more sometimes a little less.
I weighted 76.9 kg this morning, planning on getting a bit over 80 kg before I probably need to cut, like max 85 kg I think. I checked my test levels a year ago and I was barely in reference range so that could also contribute to bad progress. I weighed around 60 kg then after cutting to ~55 kg, so I think I cut too much and that might have affected test levels too. I should get a new test sometime.
Posted on 1/21/22 at 1:22 pm to brielf
quote:
Sleeping ~8 hours a night, but I wake up a lot during the night, it's been like that for 10+ years. I fall back asleep fast and I feel fine waking up though so maybe it isn't that terrible... Dunno if there's much to do about that, I've tried some supplements and even sleeping pills but nothing seems to help much. I guess I could try turning off PC earlier and read before going to bed but nothing has helped much.
I've been eating 3600 kcal a day for six weeks now. Pretty clean normal food, perhaps except for a big bowl of cereal every day. Around 160g of protein a day, sometimes more sometimes a little less.
I weighted 76.9 kg this morning, planning on getting a bit over 80 kg before I probably need to cut, like max 85 kg I think. I checked my test levels a year ago and I was barely in reference range so that could also contribute to bad progress. I weighed around 60 kg then after cutting to ~55 kg, so I think I cut too much and that might have affected test levels too. I should get a new test sometime.
man sounds like you are pretty much doing what you can. I would try maybe resetting one more time and then instead of rotating the lifts, might want to look at some other form of programming like 531 or the PPSA programs. many here have been getting great gains on ppsa and 531 is tried and true for sure.
if you want to stay LP style then think about moving to madcow.
Posted on 1/22/22 at 2:08 am to lsu777
quote:
man sounds like you are pretty much doing what you can. I would try maybe resetting one more time and then instead of rotating the lifts, might want to look at some other form of programming like 531 or the PPSA programs. many here have been getting great gains on ppsa and 531 is tried and true for sure.
if you want to stay LP style then think about moving to madcow.
Yeah I've been doing greyskull for a long time now anyway, at least it would be a bit refreshing to try something different. I'll take a look at those you mentioned, thanks.
Posted on 1/23/22 at 8:44 am to lsu777
Does greasing the wheel/homework sets work as supersets during a workout? Instead of doing them all day?
I can knock out 4-5 pull ups in between sets and get about 12 sets per workout. Or I could do a few sets of 10 pull ups (or less reps with weight added). Or homework sets where I spread 5-6 sets throughout the day.
Does it really matter if I do multiple mini sets during a workout? Or does Greyskull say it has to be throughout the day?
I can knock out 4-5 pull ups in between sets and get about 12 sets per workout. Or I could do a few sets of 10 pull ups (or less reps with weight added). Or homework sets where I spread 5-6 sets throughout the day.
Does it really matter if I do multiple mini sets during a workout? Or does Greyskull say it has to be throughout the day?
Posted on 1/23/22 at 11:20 am to StringedInstruments
Doesn't matter. Just get to a total rep count you are looking for and up reps every week. Covered under total work method.
Posted on 2/19/22 at 5:41 pm to lsu777
Hi there! I came across this post looking for a decent method of building strength and stuck gold. This is to the letter than I was looking for. Will implement it and keep posting progress/questions here to document them trough years.
For starting stats:
Generals - 38 Male living in Mexico City
Training age/history - Currently 5 months doing random stuff at the gym. 2 years doing yoga regularly, 18 years not doing any exercise. Back in middle/HS a bunch of football (regular football, not soccer) and bball, swimming regularly in elementary.
Starting records press/bench/squat/deadlift - 88x6/132x8/154x7/220x9
Inbody measured stats: Weight 205.6lbs, Height 6 feet 4 inches, 84lbs muscle, 27.2% body fat.
For starting stats:
Generals - 38 Male living in Mexico City
Training age/history - Currently 5 months doing random stuff at the gym. 2 years doing yoga regularly, 18 years not doing any exercise. Back in middle/HS a bunch of football (regular football, not soccer) and bball, swimming regularly in elementary.
Starting records press/bench/squat/deadlift - 88x6/132x8/154x7/220x9
Inbody measured stats: Weight 205.6lbs, Height 6 feet 4 inches, 84lbs muscle, 27.2% body fat.
Posted on 2/20/22 at 8:13 am to sleepygymcat
Welcome. We normally post our daily workouts in the daily thread and any questions or progress goes in here. I think you will enjoy this method.
Posted on 2/20/22 at 12:01 pm to sleepygymcat
I love Greyskull but I think mostly I loved going from wandering around the gym to having a plan. I’ve gained a lot of strength in a little over 6 months.
Posted on 2/20/22 at 3:54 pm to lsu777
Roger and TYVM!
I'll go study the GS 3rd ED while doing my best with a basic setup and learning the lifts. Will report experience gained after getting my feet wet.
Edit: Just wanted to comment on the wisdom of your "My advice is start lower than you think you should" suggestion; especially for someone like me that doesnt even know how to squat, today I hired a coach that knows his way around weights because my "knee felt tight after squats", was an eyeopener in my form and weight used.
I'll go study the GS 3rd ED while doing my best with a basic setup and learning the lifts. Will report experience gained after getting my feet wet.
Edit: Just wanted to comment on the wisdom of your "My advice is start lower than you think you should" suggestion; especially for someone like me that doesnt even know how to squat, today I hired a coach that knows his way around weights because my "knee felt tight after squats", was an eyeopener in my form and weight used.
This post was edited on 2/20/22 at 3:59 pm
Posted on 2/22/22 at 3:44 pm to lsu777
So I'm confused as hell on starting weight and training max - for instance, my one rep max on bench is 155lbs - so 90% of that would be my training max (140lbs) and if I take 80% of that, I get 112 (110lbs rounded) as a "starting weight", so is that the weight for my first week for my working sets, and the weight I go off of to increase the bar weight by 2.5lbs each week? And how do I pick weights and set numbers for warmup sets? Start with an empty bar and do a few sets going up from there til I get to the working weight, then do 5x2 + 10x1 (an arbitrairy number I picked or to near failure)?
And I bought the downloadable book, and I am reading it, wish it had a little more guidance in that regard. Thanks for any info.
And I bought the downloadable book, and I am reading it, wish it had a little more guidance in that regard. Thanks for any info.
Posted on 2/23/22 at 1:03 am to BigPapiDoesItAgain
I am a bit confused as well, but on the plug ins. Do I treat em like the base lifts, adding 1 kg each session, resetting if I can't get into the rep range?
Also, if I do two squats but only one dl a week, I guess I only up the squat once to try to keep em growing evenly?
@ BigPapi I am a novice but 110 lbs sounds good to start, maybe if you get to more than 10 reps up the weight by 5 instead of 2.5 if you want to? For warm up sets for me it's working to do a bunch (10 or so) of no weight, then go up trying to do 2 or 3 more sets as I feel. Have heard the key there is not to get tired or bored, but get enough so everything feels fired up for the money sets.
Also, if I do two squats but only one dl a week, I guess I only up the squat once to try to keep em growing evenly?
@ BigPapi I am a novice but 110 lbs sounds good to start, maybe if you get to more than 10 reps up the weight by 5 instead of 2.5 if you want to? For warm up sets for me it's working to do a bunch (10 or so) of no weight, then go up trying to do 2 or 3 more sets as I feel. Have heard the key there is not to get tired or bored, but get enough so everything feels fired up for the money sets.
Posted on 2/23/22 at 7:26 am to BigPapiDoesItAgain
just pick a weight. if your one rep max on bench is 155, start with 105 and set rep records.
for warm ups, start with empty bar and do one or 2 sets, add 20 or 30 lbs and do it again, then again until you get to your working weight.
dont overthink this
for warm ups, start with empty bar and do one or 2 sets, add 20 or 30 lbs and do it again, then again until you get to your working weight.
dont overthink this
Posted on 2/23/22 at 7:28 am to sleepygymcat
quote:
I am a bit confused as well, but on the plug ins. Do I treat em like the base lifts, adding 1 kg each session, resetting if I can't get into the rep range?
when you can do the reps nice and clean and strict and hit the numbers in the top of the rep range, add 1kg.
if not keep pushing the reps up
quote:
Also, if I do two squats but only one dl a week, I guess I only up the squat once to try to keep em growing evenly?
nope, add weight to the squat every time. you will be able to keep going on deadlift longer. it will even out in the end.
quote:
@ BigPapi I am a novice but 110 lbs sounds good to start, maybe if you get to more than 10 reps up the weight by 5 instead of 2.5 if you want to? For warm up sets for me it's working to do a bunch (10 or so) of no weight, then go up trying to do 2 or 3 more sets as I feel. Have heard the key there is not to get tired or bored, but get enough so everything feels fired up for the money sets.
correct. just want a little pump
Posted on 2/23/22 at 8:42 am to lsu777
Thanks for all the non-judgmental help in this thread. I was a little nervous about posting given my history of being away from weights for 20 some years (though not away from fitness in general). I've made tremendous gains in the last couple of months, but my workouts are stretching farther and longer, and I may be beginning to see a touch of burnout creep in. I'm doing abdominal sets in between my main exercises currently, every day I'm in the gym (6 days a week). I get the feeling I need to work smarter, not harder (or more). My metric thus far has been primarily in the way I look, without paying a ton of attention to how much weight is on the bar and looking at measurable objective progress in that regard.
I'm down to 12% body fat with a goal of 10% (155 lbs as of today) so don't have far to go. I've felt like I really have the diet dialed in with respect to calories and macros, but am wondering if I need to go all the way to that body fat goal before I stop operating in the hypocaloric range? I'm not trying to get big, per se, but mass (sounds contradictory when I mention mass and not wanting to get big??) and strength are very important to me.
Doing my bodyweight homework, though my chin-up (actually doing 1/2 my sets chin-up grip and 1/2 pull-up grip) capabilities lag behind my pushup capabilities, I've seen some definite benefits from this work.
TLDR: three remaining questions: (1) when to change to energy in/out neutral diet with regards to my body fat % goal (2) Should I do dedicated ab work every day (I know I get some core work with my bodyweight homework)? (3) if I do ladders instead of the spread out frequency method sets for chins, how much rest between the mini-sets and how much in between the clusters of sets? I'm fuzzy on that.
Again, many thanks for the help.
I'm down to 12% body fat with a goal of 10% (155 lbs as of today) so don't have far to go. I've felt like I really have the diet dialed in with respect to calories and macros, but am wondering if I need to go all the way to that body fat goal before I stop operating in the hypocaloric range? I'm not trying to get big, per se, but mass (sounds contradictory when I mention mass and not wanting to get big??) and strength are very important to me.
Doing my bodyweight homework, though my chin-up (actually doing 1/2 my sets chin-up grip and 1/2 pull-up grip) capabilities lag behind my pushup capabilities, I've seen some definite benefits from this work.
TLDR: three remaining questions: (1) when to change to energy in/out neutral diet with regards to my body fat % goal (2) Should I do dedicated ab work every day (I know I get some core work with my bodyweight homework)? (3) if I do ladders instead of the spread out frequency method sets for chins, how much rest between the mini-sets and how much in between the clusters of sets? I'm fuzzy on that.
Again, many thanks for the help.
Posted on 2/23/22 at 9:11 am to BigPapiDoesItAgain
quote:
Thanks for all the non-judgmental help in this thread. I was a little nervous about posting given my history of being away from weights for 20 some years (though not away from fitness in general). I've made tremendous gains in the last couple of months, but my workouts are stretching farther and longer, and I may be beginning to see a touch of burnout creep in. I'm doing abdominal sets in between my main exercises currently, every day I'm in the gym (6 days a week). I get the feeling I need to work smarter, not harder (or more). My metric thus far has been primarily in the way I look, without paying a ton of attention to how much weight is on the bar and looking at measurable objective progress in that regard.
I'm down to 12% body fat with a goal of 10% (155 lbs as of today) so don't have far to go. I've felt like I really have the diet dialed in with respect to calories and macros, but am wondering if I need to go all the way to that body fat goal before I stop operating in the hypocaloric range? I'm not trying to get big, per se, but mass (sounds contradictory when I mention mass and not wanting to get big??) and strength are very important to me.
just remember recovery, recovery recovery when in a defciet and in the gym that much. need to be very mindful of that. sleep, sleep sleep- 8-10 hours a night. if you cant do that, back off some and instead of goign to the gym....go for a walk.
great progress though and yes focus on performance and aesthetics will follow.
yes get to the goal bf % and reverse diet out. do go directly to hypocaloric. reverse out slowly adding calories weekly and try and get your baseline metabolism as high as possible for maintenance.
quote:
Doing my bodyweight homework, though my chin-up (actually doing 1/2 my sets chin-up grip and 1/2 pull-up grip) capabilities lag behind my pushup capabilities, I've seen some definite benefits from this work.
awesome and yes i actually switch between pull up, chin up and neutral grip and even chins to keep the elbows happy.
quote:
(1) when to change to energy in/out neutral diet with regards to my body fat % goal
get to goal % or slightly below and reverse diet out (look up layne nortons explanation of the reverse diet)
quote:
(2) Should I do dedicated ab work every day (I know I get some core work with my bodyweight homework)
this is up to you. if you keep sets sub max, you can do it as part of your homework. i suggest good old fashion situps focusing on performance.
quote:
(3) if I do ladders instead of the spread out frequency method sets for chins, how much rest between the mini-sets and how much in between the clusters of sets? I'm fuzzy on that.
pretend someone is with you training....how long it would take them to do it.
in general i like to say 1 rep = 5 seconds on the lower reps and as you get to say 10 reps...take 40-60s to do it.
Posted on 2/25/22 at 8:27 pm to lsu777
So 777, a few more questions if I may?
(1) here is where I was on press today: 45lb 1x10; 60lb 2x5, 1x8 - I started with the bar for a warm-up, and very much felt taxed (note that was the only warm-up set). Feels like the working weight was OK, but should I warm up with dumb bells and work up to maybe the bar alone being my last warm-up weight? I would think I'm able to make the 2.5lb increase next lift, just need to adjust warm-up sets downward.
(2) I had no real idea where to start on squat - I believe I undershot. Here is what I did: 60lb 1x10, 70lb 2x5, 80lb 1x5, 90lb 1x3, 120lb 2x5,1x20. Predicted one rep max based on the last lift comes to around 200lbs, so maybe reset working weight to 200 x 0.9 x 0.8 which comes out to a rounded 145lbs and adjust my warmup sets based on that figure?
(3) FM push ups - 15 push ups with good form and not feeling taxed. Been doing 7 sets spread throughout the day (total 105). Do I need to add sets or reps?
(4) FM chins (prefer hammer grip) - 7 is my max. 4 is my number with perfect form/range and not feeling taxed, been doing 6-7 sets of 4. Keep that for a while or try to add one to the sets here and there?
(5) Is it OK to do push ups and chins every day if I feel good (IE no soreness in those muscle groups)?
Thanks for being a guide on this. I feel like I understand a little more each time I re-read a section in the book, but it sure is nice to have a voice of experience to lean on.
(1) here is where I was on press today: 45lb 1x10; 60lb 2x5, 1x8 - I started with the bar for a warm-up, and very much felt taxed (note that was the only warm-up set). Feels like the working weight was OK, but should I warm up with dumb bells and work up to maybe the bar alone being my last warm-up weight? I would think I'm able to make the 2.5lb increase next lift, just need to adjust warm-up sets downward.
(2) I had no real idea where to start on squat - I believe I undershot. Here is what I did: 60lb 1x10, 70lb 2x5, 80lb 1x5, 90lb 1x3, 120lb 2x5,1x20. Predicted one rep max based on the last lift comes to around 200lbs, so maybe reset working weight to 200 x 0.9 x 0.8 which comes out to a rounded 145lbs and adjust my warmup sets based on that figure?
(3) FM push ups - 15 push ups with good form and not feeling taxed. Been doing 7 sets spread throughout the day (total 105). Do I need to add sets or reps?
(4) FM chins (prefer hammer grip) - 7 is my max. 4 is my number with perfect form/range and not feeling taxed, been doing 6-7 sets of 4. Keep that for a while or try to add one to the sets here and there?
(5) Is it OK to do push ups and chins every day if I feel good (IE no soreness in those muscle groups)?
Thanks for being a guide on this. I feel like I understand a little more each time I re-read a section in the book, but it sure is nice to have a voice of experience to lean on.
Posted on 2/25/22 at 9:44 pm to BigPapiDoesItAgain
quote:
(1) here is where I was on press today: 45lb 1x10; 60lb 2x5, 1x8 - I started with the bar for a warm-up, and very much felt taxed (note that was the only warm-up set). Feels like the working weight was OK, but should I warm up with dumb bells and work up to maybe the bar alone being my last warm-up weight? I would think I'm able to make the 2.5lb increase next lift, just need to adjust warm-up sets downward.
If you have bands, start with 10 shoulder dislocated, 10 pull apart and 10 y to t(hold band above head and pull arms straight down while extended aka make a T with your arms). Then go to bar and do 5 reps.
If not do 2 sets of pushups then go to bar for 1st warm up set and only do 5 reps.
quote:
(2) I had no real idea where to start on squat - I believe I undershot. Here is what I did: 60lb 1x10, 70lb 2x5, 80lb 1x5, 90lb 1x3, 120lb 2x5,1x20. Predicted one rep max based on the last lift comes to around 200lbs, so maybe reset working weight to 200 x 0.9 x 0.8 which comes out to a rounded 145lbs and adjust my warmup sets based on that figure?
No follow directions for adding weight. If you do more then 10 reps, double the progression. So go up 10lbs. Set rep records. Keep doing that snd setting rep records until reps fall below q0, then go to standard progression. Or you can just stay on normal progression and just set rep records. Don't recalc weight.
quote:
(3) FM push ups - 15 push ups with good form and not feeling taxed. Been doing 7 sets spread throughout the day (total 105). Do I need to add sets or reps?
Add a set one week. Next go up one rep per set the next week. Keep on in that pattern until it gets to hard. The drop reps and do more sets and progress again. Total reps is what matters more than anything. Just get them in.
quote:
(4) FM chins (prefer hammer grip) - 7 is my max. 4 is my number with perfect form/range and not feeling taxed, been doing 6-7 sets of 4. Keep that for a while or try to add one to the sets here and there?
Chins are slower but just try to add 4 or 5 reps per day every week. So looms like you are getting 28 reps right now per day. Next week get 30 per day. Keep pushing that up. Sets and reps don't matter that much. Just get it in and make sure they are not taxing.
quote:
(5) Is it OK to do push ups and chins every day if I feel good (IE no soreness in those muscle groups)?
5 or 6 days a week. I like a 2 on 1 off approach if older though (35+)
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