Roadmap from Beginner to Advanced 

Thanks for the video. I discovered you recently and am making my way through your catalogue. May I ask, what sort of rep+set range would you recommend for the squat, bench, deadlift and overhead press for a new lifter who wants to focus primarily on developing technique/form? I used to lift for a year and a half or so doing the stronglifts programme but I never really developed my technique properly. I’m just getting into lifting again after years of depression and I want to start with a better foundation this time around, to try and make up for lost time and to set myself up for success down the line. Are there any programmes you would recommend? I quite like the idea of powerbuilding, and I plan to do calisthenics/functional training alongside my weight training. I have a large work capacity and very good recovery. If you could provide any advice it would be very much appreciated.

Hello again, just to expand on my previous comment, what books of yours would you recommend, given my situation? You’re clearly knowledgeable and a lot of what you say makes sense to me. I want to focus on developing technique for squats, deadlifts, bench, and overhead press, and I want to add in barbel rows, barbel curls, some dumbell exercises, bodybuilding, bodyweight/calisthenics, general functional training, etc. Essentially, I’d like to be as well rounded as possible whilst developing excellent technique on the core compound movements. When I used to lift, I would progress very quickly and my work capacity + recovery was, in my opinion, abnormally high. It has been a few years but I can’t see that having changed. Thanks for your time.

Hi Alexander, great video. Could you do an indepth video on the GZCL program?

Hey Bromley, A video/series I would really enjoy is how to best utilize some of your programs for different athletes. For example "How to run Bullmastiff for the Strongman Athlete" (Can the peak cycle be used as event prep? Should Strongmen do something other than normal bench?) I really like your programming but wonder if its worth my time investing in bench gains when what I really want is better placing in overhead events.

Hey fellas. I actually bought one of these mattresses using Bronleys code. It works. I'm a 6' 285# joocey boy and it's holding up well.

That’s cool I love working out with my dad

​@@noone-pg4lrI'm trying to get my dad to do more lifting instead of just running on the treadmill and doing a couple of machine excercises aimlessly with way too little weight. He's 65 but in relatively good shape still, so I'm trying to encourage him to keep it that way. He's got a lot of incorrect beliefs about some excercises or positions being dangerous for whatever reason the media or some friend of his has portrayed them to be. Anyway, I got him to machine chest press last week. He tried it a couple of months ago with horrible form and said it felt weird in his shoulder so he was reluctant to try it again, until he did. Now he likes it. Go figure 😂

What an excellent thing your dad did for you. I’m doing exactly this with my 3 children tomorrow.

That seems simple but is in fact one of the best pieces of advice ever given

💯 when I started I was skinny fat, I would fixate so hard on rather I should bulk or cut that I would forget the most important part, go to the fucking gym

THIS!

Can you please explain? I always thought staying in a caloric surplus/deficit would matter when you are building your goal physique

​@@olddirtybastiat3915you have probably gotten an answer by now, but if not, here it is: you are correct. What he meant is that whenever you are in that caloric surplus/deficit, you should be consistent with the gym. Not that just going to the gym will do the bulking/cuttibg for you.

you should be very fine running Bullmastiff again (base phase at least). Nothing wrong with that, could be nice to introduce some different forms of developmental exercises for SBD. Just to switch things up (from the fun side of things), introduce novel stimulus and so on. Could actually be beneficial because you know what to improve on from the first run through. You know your weaknesses and strengths. No need to really change a program if it's at least "bearable". I'm currently on my deload week before testing my 1RMs. I would honestly run it again myself but I would maybe fasten up the peaking phase (I'm not an competitive athlete in PL, just wanted to try the peaking phase for fun), from 9 to 4-5 weeks just to get to the higher intensity type of things for one block (basically one month). But this is my own preference because I'm not a competitive PL. I'm so glad that I have some experience with the autoregulation from Bullmastiff, works wonders. The only thing I didn't really like on the whole program was the peaking phase. I don't know if the auto regulation method is the right thing to do in that phase (first 6 weeks are okay, but the last 3 weeks of the hardest work it doesn't seem that great to me, I wasn't able to get to the intensity I would expect from the last weeks of peak). Most of my last heavy working sets (they were all over 100% of my 1RM thanks to all the reps I did before) are in the 5-6 rep range. Yeah for sure it means that I got way, way stronger thanks to Bullmastiff (I really think that it's fucking good) but I think that it might hurt me when I'm gonna be testing my 1RMs because I never really got used to the really low reps (1s, 2s, 3s) with super, super high intensity. Let's see how this thing goes in the next week.

@@lukasprudky816 Thanks for the thoughtful answer man. I had the same experience in the peaking phase - I did a +30kg PR deadlift and did that weight for 5 reps, but after that I just couldn't lift more weight even for one rep. On the other hand, I had a huge +30kg squat PR in one max rep test day. I was too greedy on the bench, added only 15 kg to previous 1 RM, but I wanted more, so I took too much weight and sprained my shoulder... That also had educational value too, to be honest

"Peak strength" contains information and recommendations about progression from novice to advanced. IMO, it's more useful than "Base strength".

I have a technique bar that weighs 15 pounds and a pair of 5 pound technique plates. The bar can handle 150 pounds of plates. There are also 15 kg weightlifting and 35 pound powerlifting women's bars out there. Both my York technique bar and my girlfriend's Vulcan technique bar are good. Hers is prettier. ; )

What were your numbers before and after the program? Did you bulk or maintain during the program?

@Chief S/B/D/OHP started at 365/285/405/180 and now it's 405/315/455/195. Also my weight is about the same the first 3 weeks I was bulking and the last 3 weeks I was cutting. I had lifted heavy before but never dropped out all the volume and accessories so that made a big difference

I also made great gains on greyskull coming out of beginner phase with a couple of accessories thrown in, pull-ups, rows, curls, tricep pushdowns and that was mostly it

for example i couldnt find an example for his lying shoulder shrug

How is it possible to do double progression and every set to failure at the same time?

@@lukaposeidon8490 If I go beyond my target rep range on the first set and I am able to stay at least in the target rep range for the subsequent sets, I go up in weight next workout. Maybe it is not strictly speaking double progression?

It's not overkill/dangerous if you have proper deload. When it comes to strength work on compound lifts, you have to worry about CNS fatigue in addition to muscle recovery. When it comes to accessory movements & bodybuilding work on the other hand, you only need to worry about muscle recovery. Do high volume, and your body will adapt & gain the endurance needed (as long as you're not doing over the top/ridiculously high volume, obviously). Wave periodization is great for managing recovery/fatigue when it comes to deadlifts.

You'll run yourself into the ground without being able to recover eventually with that approach. This approach characterizes beginner lifting and not much else.

Newbie. Sometimes called Noob gains.

Just wondering what bodyweight is that at?

@@lmk3182 110kg

Meatspin

Thanks for that

When you stop making measureable gains from week to week you arent a novice anymore... At least in my book.

Rondell hunte was a 600 deadlifter first time 😅. Elites are different bruh. I thought I was hot shit cause it took me 2 weeks to deadlift 385, now a little under 3 months for 460.

He's currently off-cycle. He made several videos about it. But you shouldn't copy some else's steroid cycle, you should work with doctors to ensure you're limiting the damage the steroids will do as best as you can.

Every parent thinks they know better than the professionals, but "father of athlete" is not a profession or academic major. Theres reasons you might have had success where others wouldnt have and, unless you study those differences professionally, you won't have any way to recognize them. If your kids didn't get burnt out or get injured, count yourself lucky your kids were who they were; it wasn't your brilliant methods, it's because they were outliers.

It is the truth.

@@jahimuddin2306 Lies

@@jahimuddin2306 Dont get me wrong women dont care about abs either. They only care about your looks (face and height for the most part)

@@3ncore706, How many bodies do you have?

Basic social competence is a billion times more useful in attracting a woman than the superficial wealth and status bullshit red pillers obsess over. And its 10x easier to get.