The "Manly Physique" Protocol

[tythomasjr]

@donnessa For the clean and press, do you clean before every rep or just to start each set?

 

[donnessa]

@tythomasjr Yes, every rep is a CLEAN AND a PRESS. That's part of why there's only 50 swings in the program. Because I've just done 50 cleans as well. [edit: It's also how I justify 2-hand swings in my head.]

 

[tythomasjr]

@donnessa Right on thank you.

 

[juancarlos]

@tythomasjr It's just press if there is no clean before each press.

 

[houseofsaul]

@donnessa Thanks for sharing. The reverse ladder push ups and pull ups look interesting. I may switch out my current progression to this. I have only ever used EMOM for swings, cleans and snatches. Currently for push ups I do 5 sets with 1 minute rest in between. The goal is to complete 12 reps for each set, once I can do that I will start aiming for 14 or 15 reps.

 

[donnessa]

@houseofsaul I mostly do EMOM so I don't have to worry about a timer! Once I'm starting, I want as little thinking as possible.

 

[dawn16]

@donnessa Thanks for this, looking for a program to do next after current adapted S&S one doing now. Want to pack in snatches and TGUs as risk/reward to bad for my shoulder and head now at heavy weights.

So those 4 exercises every workout in that order? And workout 3 times a week?

So it'd be:

• Pull-up: reverse ladder
• Clean and press: 5 x 5
• Swings: 5 x 10
• Press-up: reverse ladder

Add weights (for C&P and swings) and reps for (pull-ups and press-ups) as above?

That's also double presses (C&P and push-ups) every session? Ouch.

 

[donnessa]

@dawn16 That's how I do it!

 

[dawn16]

I'm going to do 4 week cycle then have 1 rest week. Then go up weights and decrease time. Think I'd change this up a bit having thought on it by:

• Clean & press & squat complex (double KB) instead of just C&P, still 5 x 5.
• Rest 3 minutes
• Swings I'd do 10 x 10 EMOM as doing that already.

C&P&S start with double 12kg, go up every cycle of 4 weeks: 16kg, 20kg, 24kg, etc.

Swings do 10 in 60 secs week 1, then 10 in 45 secs week 2, 15 in 60 secs week 3, 15 in 45 secs week 4. Start with 28kg then go up cycle of 4 weeks: 32kg, 36kg, 40kg (heaviest I have).

 

[donnessa]

@dawn16 Seems like you're adding weight a little fast if you're jumping on all your sets. Wouldn't work for me, but you know your body. Get it!

 

[dawn16]

@donnessa Cheers, no I'd do a few weeks on each weight, go up every few weeks.

 

[donnessa]

@dawn16 I'd say just pay attention to how the step loading works.

If this step I'm doing this for C&P...

20 20 20 20 20

Then the next step (4 weeks later) I'm doing this...

20 24 20 20 20

Each of those steps lasts for 4 weeks, the way I do it (and in S&S 2.0).

Increasing every set at the same time is a massive total volume boost and will lay you out if you're near your edge. If you're not near your edge (e.g. if I did 16s on this today), the jump won't be hard, but then I'd question why you started there in the first place.

 

[dawn16]

@donnessa Thanks, yeah I will try that. Feels like a very long time at the same level. I get the pros of doing that, but isn't what I've tended to do. Used to 5/3/1 and Stronglifts where you go up much quicker.

So the first 20 if the last one you go up on?

 

[juancarlos]

@donnessa Well, you gotta be in pretty good shape to do that EMOM. And bumping presses from 20x5 to 24x5 usually doesn't work so well unless you are significantly submaximal. What's your max press?

It's a reasonable looking program. I do think intensity information would be useful. You started pullups from 50% RM. Pushups you just matched but it is likely your pushup RM is higher than your pullup RM.

 

[donnessa]

@juancarlos You're right. I don't have intensity info here. In part because I don't know my max numbers, and I don't test often. And I'm a layperson, not a trainer, so I don't have 25 training clients to test it on to tell you what average would be.

I can tell you that I've been able to hit at least 1 rep C&P with my 32kg for a while (but maybe not before starting this protocol, I was just getting into 32kg TGUs when I had to stop S&S for my shoulder). But I'm expecting it will be a big leap to do even one set of 5 C&P with the 32kg. I'm willing to take it slow and stick with one set of that for longer (e.g. 8 weeks instead of 4). The step loading is taken straight from S&S 2.0, applied to this protocol.

I would say if you're concerned about intensity, start a little lower and allow yourself to progress faster. Then slow down when you think you're getting close. Far better than overexerting yourself in the beginning and burning out or hurting yourself.

And RE push-ups, my max reps is definitely higher than my pull-ups. But as I said in another comment, those are at then end of the workout, after 25 C&P per arm, and I do the push-ups every 30 seconds. So it's pretty much back-to-back. Very different than the pull-ups which are every 2 minutes, and I need every second of recovery. I do feel pretty near capacity on push-ups simply matching them to pull-ups, with the time windows considered.

If I'm going to channel Pavel, I'll say the gents should start with 16kg unless that's too much, and the ladies should start with 12kg. Increase in 4kg or 8kg increments, and space out your step loading as much as needed to master one weight before moving to the next. If you know you can start with more (and that's not your ego speaking), then start with more. For pull/push-ups, start 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 unless that's too much, then do less but think in terms of 5 sets. Even if the last couple sets are 0 and you'll add reps there once your capability allows. Again, if you can start with more, start with more.

 

[boatjourney]

@donnessa Solid effort post. Thanks for sharing.

 

[donnessa]

@boatjourney Thank you!

 

[donnessa]

@magicalmoons Feel free! Would also loosen you up. I don't do goblets (at least with curls) because I want all the energy my biceps have to open with the pull-up sets.

 

[magicalmoons]

@donnessa I ran through the routine 3x as a circuit with my 16kg bell to loosen up. It’s been a while since I played with them so started off easy to get back into the swing.

Feels great! Nice blend of exercises. I like finishing up with some weighted mobility, such as windmills or jefferson curls.

Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[donnessa]

Nice!