FINALLY Wrapped Up My First Wave of Juggernaut

weet Jesus, it has finally happened. After much life, trials and tribulations, a holiday, and a stomach bug, I am FINALLY wrapping up my first wave of the Juggernaut Method AND I am getting to write about it. 

The most hardcore of the hardcore will tell you that training comes first, nothing should stand in the way of striving for powerlifting excellence, etc, but let's face it - ain't no meets paying my bills. Bruh gotta eat and a family gotta be taken care of EVERY so often. 

I dare say they actually like seeing me from time to time. 

Maybe.

I knew that I as going to take a little longer than the standard four weeks prescribed to complete a wave, but damn. First day on Juggernaut was way back on 10/28, just now hitting the first day of the next wave, "8s", as of 12/15. So basically what should have taken about five weeks (call it a nine or ten day week  how I have it programmed, as opposed to a seven day week as it is written) has taken about six. 

At any rate, nothing truly spectacular happened during this cycle or its last week, but I did add a little to every lift, so there is a little progress. If I can manage to stay on the wagon through this next wave we should see even more progress, gains will be reaped, glory will be had (not really), etc.

Just realized that I hadn't posted up on the second "week" of the wave.

Suffer.

In keeping with the format of block periodization, Smith has dubbed the second week "Transformation", then week three is "Realization", then a deload, Loosely speaking, the Transformation week work is for the same number of sets as in the Accumulation week, but for fewer reps- if Accumulation 10s was for ten sets of five reps, then Transformation 10s was ten sets of three reps at slightly increased weights, more reps on last sets. Keep in mind that I am following the "Inverse Juggernaut" pattern, so as the program was originally written Accumulation and Transformation weeks would be five sets of ten reps and three sets of ten reps (more reps on last sets), respectively. Realization is done in essentially a 5/3/1 pattern, with max reps for the last set, then training max for the next wave based on a calculation using those reps over the standard for the wave.

Confused? Go buy the book, as linked in the first paragraph of this post.

I even remembered my add reps on all sets for the Transformation week. Yay, me.

Quick last week wrap up:


10s wave, Realization 1: Squat Day

This was a short session, had to get in and out fairly quickly and everyone wanted to be all Talky Talkenstein.

• Warm up, stretch - about 10min
• Box jumps - 4s 5r
• Squat - worked up to a set of 11 @ 260lbs

Done

Did you know that dancing to Meshuggah is a thing? As in, there are a ton of videos on the intertubes where people have synced up dance performances to Meshuggah songs? It's bloody amazing, and now you will all suffer for it.

10s wave, Realization 2: Bench Day


Nice and straightforward day, got my work in and got out.

• Warm up, stretch - about 10min
• Bench - worked up to a set of 11 @ 150lbs
• Incline dumbbell bench - 5r @ 40lbs, 5r @ 50lbs, 5r @ 60lbs, 5r @ 65lbs
• Straight bar lat pulldown - 10r @ 100lbs, 8r @ 110lbs, 5r @ 120, 5r @ 140lbs, 5r @ 150lbs
• Straight fat bar press down - 5s 5r @ 150lbs
• Band pull aparts - 4s 15r w/ EliteFTS red mini Pro band

10s wave, Realization 3: Deadlift Day

• Warm up, stretch - about 10min
• Box jumps - 5s 5r
• Deadlift, sumo - worked up to a set of 12 @ 260lbs
• RDL a la Duffin - 10 @ 135lbs, 155, 175, 195
• Tbar row, slow - 4s 8r @ 45lbs

Not an awful day of deadlifting, though That shows I am still weaker than a few months ago. Think I did something similar with 300+ previously. Oh yeah, I did.

I am excited to see where I am with these in another few months of running this program. It seems I do better with volume in deadlifting and squats, so hopefully this is right where I need to run.

I even managed to remember a video. Shitty, shitty video:

10s wave, Realization 4: Press Day

This was another that felt pretty good when it all came down to it. I was honestly a little worried about making or exceeding goal on this one (10 reps +) as (1) I missed the press day on the previous week and (2) press has always been my weakest lift - especially after hurting my back/shoulder last year.

• Warm up, traction - about 10min
• Press - worked up to a set of 13 @ 100lbs
• Klokov press - 4s 8r @ 85lbs
• Tbar row, slow neutral grip - 4s 8r @ 45lbs
• Straight fat bar cable press down - 5s 5r @ 150lbs
• Band pull apart - 4s 15r w/ EliteFTS red mini Pro band

As one of the fellas at the gym said, I probably cheated by kipping off of my beard. Wish I had video of it, but alas, the phone is largely relegated to timer duties to keep me on track so I have not been doing much video.

There is always Meshuggah, though.

Followed those all up with a shorted deload and we're all wrapped up. All the work is feeling good, save for that first squat day in the wave- high quantity sets of five are absolutely killing my legs. As mentioned, I am squatting a little differently now, but sheeeeeeit. As mentioned, currently into the first week of the "8s" wave, and it is really no different, DOMS, wise. Legs are murdered for multiple days after the squat training sesh, points to need for improved recovery processes and more stretching before AND after needed.

Stay tuned and destroy.

First "Week" of Juggernaut Wrapped Up

uggernaut Accumulation phase numero uno is in the books.

Juggernaut is programmed as "waves" based on the prescribed base rep scheme for work sets. Each wave is then broken into phases. The four phases are Accumulation, Intensification, Realization, a la block periodization, followed by a deload phase. In a four day/week program, a phase would last a week. I am currently programming it as three days a week, or a roughly nine to ten day phase.

As mentioned previously, I decided to give The Juggernaut Method a try after analyzing my own issues with ever so briefly perusing its digital pages and reading some of the articles on their site, it looked like a well programmed way to apply some more volume to my training. While I heart the ol' block periodization, my previous programming protocol, I realized several weeks ago that I really wasn't ready for it. While I got a little better with the shoulder, etc, I lost way too much strength during that downtime- and that is not just with pressing. Everything suffered. Squats are crap, pulls are crap, conditioning and work capacity are crap. 

In short, I am not ready for a meet. 

Maybe meat, but not meet. 

And at least so far, Juggernaut feels like it will help quite a bit with restoring all of that stuff above.

Stuff. Yes, that's science.

So anyhoo, onto the work:



10s wave, Accumulation 1: Skeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewat Day

• warm up, about 10min
• Squat - warm up sets, working sets: 8s 5r, 1s 3r @ 210lbs (should have been 10s 5r) - 90 second rest periods
• X walks - 5s 10yds each direction w/ EliteFTS red mini Pro band, 90 second rest periods
• Seated hip abductions - 5s 10r w/ doubled over red band, 90 second rest periods

Good times. One thing you should notice is the sets/reps on this week- the prescribed work under standard Juggernaut method should be five sets of 10 repetitions at 60% of your training max (training max = 90% of your one rep max, a la 5/3/1) BUT I strained (popped?) something in my right quad on rep three of the ninth set just coming out of the hole and got put back down in the hole. I finished the rep, but the remainder of the set and all of the next set just weren't happening. Tried to roll it and stretch it out, but to no avail. Walked around for a bit to try to keep it warm, hit the accessory work, stretched a bit more, and called it a day. 

As mentioned in the previous post, my warm up apparently needs to be more thorough. Between the quad strain and the DOMS that followed for the next three to four days, it was no bueno. In memes, this translates to:

You get the point.

BUT I can say that the work itself felt good, and while one can obviously dictate rest periods themselves, having them built into the program is pretty great. As stated, one of my issues as a lifter in general is work capacity, and the built in short rest periods help that.

Sometimes, you just have to be told what to do.

10s wave, Accumulation 2: Bench Day

All work done with approximately 90 second rest periods between sets:

• warm up and band traction, about 10 min 
• Bench - worked up to 10s 5r @ 120lbs
• Incline dumbbell bench - 5s 10r @ 40lbs
• Lat pulldown, paused - 5s 10r @ 100lbs
• Band pull aparts - 5s 10r w/ EliteFTS red mini Pro band

Not much to report on this one. Good sesh, work felt good. I DID forget an important aspect of Juggernaut on this sesh and the following deadlift sesh - the idea that one should exceed the prescribed reps on the last set, leaving 2-3 in the tank on your first "week" of the wave, so I did just the prescribed reps.

Still, good times, and it felt good working at that repetition and feeling technique (bar path, touch point, etc) becoming more consistent.

Metal break.

10s wave, Accumulation 3: Deathlift Day

This one was a bit rushed, and I am still not 100% set on accessory work, so required work was about it for the day.

• Warm up, about 10min
• Box jumps - 5s 5r
• Deadlift, sumo - worked up to 5s 5r @ 215lbs, 5s 5r @ 220lbs, 90 second rest periods

One of the gym bros needed to work in, so we ran with his working weight for the last few sets. Past that, I honestly don't remember what I did for accessory work.

And as mentioned, forgot to get the "+" on the last set.

That said, another positive with this volume of work, especially at a consistent weight, is that you can really work on technique. Much as I got to work path and touch point on bench day, I worked on consistently setting up, opening my hips, and getting my pull point locked in. I have a tendency of slowly transitioning over to pulling with my back instead of my legs during high volume deadlift work, so I was working to actively counter that.

Quoth David, "Can you store a lot of water in that hump?"

Ha ha. You funny I forgot to raff.

OKAY, SO MAYBE MY FORM ISN'T PERFECT, BUT I'M NOT THE ONE LISTENING TO BOBAFLEX, DAVID!

ahem.

Yeah.

Just for that, I have to purge somehow.

Ah, yes.

I have the perfect remedy for Bobaflex.

Whew. All better.



10s wave, Accumulation 4: Press Day

Not much exciting here, just a press day. Press is my weakest comparative lift (even worse than my bench), so I am excited to have a day dedicated to it. Should be some good work happening here in the future.

• Warm up, stretch, traction - about 15min
• OHP, strict - 9s 5r @ 80lbs, 6r @ 80lbs
• Klokov press - 5s 10r @ 65lbs
• Tbar row, slow - 5s 10r @ 45lbs
• Band pull aparts - 4s 15r w/ EliteFTS red mini Pro band

All working and accessory sets done on 2 min cycle times

I remembered to get my extra work in on the last working set - only one extra rep. Ever since my upper back/shoulder injury and my subsequent lack of consistent rehab work I fatigue easily on overhead work. This is yet another area I hope to make strides on with this program as I know I need the improvement.

And who doesn't love overhead work?

Fascists and pedophiles, that's who.

And don't you forget it.

Go forth and press for freedom.

Ready to put in some work.

Alright, let's get reacquainted.

Firing it back up, time to get serious about the diet and get some good base training underway.

As to methods being used, I am perusing the Renaissance Diet and the Juggernaut Method. I don't claim to have the best, most thorough understanding of either as I am still reading through them, but I have culled what I believe are some of the general principles or the high level concepts. I am running with those for now and as I read more and gain a more thorough understanding of them, I will keep sharpening the axe, so to speak.

One of the biggest things I will be working on, from a diet standpoint, is honing the macro balance to more closely match the Renn Diet recommendations, as I know I am not currently in line with them and probably won't be for a minute. Current targets are 2700kcals/day on non lifting days, 3000kcals/day on lifting days. Macros are not set in stone yet, but it looks like around 225g/day protein (or more) with carbs and fat undecided, but trying to keep them relatively low.

At least as compared to the standard American diet.

Goals are pretty open at this point. Short term diet goal is to get under 220lbs bodyweight without letting the lifting suffer. No real time frame there except to try to get there in the next six months or so- want to hit it before next selected meet, which should be next spring.

Lifting goal is much broader than even that, currently only working on rebuilding my base strength and honing technique in the big three lifts. Juggernaut appears to be good for that with the higher rep work built in, so that's what we'll roll for right now.

Also trying to get back into the habit of early morning lifting. Yay.

As an aside, it's kind of funny that when you do a Google image search for "alarm clock" very few of them are shown as displaying a time earlier than 6:00AM

First morning in was last Tuesday, 28 October. This morning was a nice little "getting to know" session - early morning sesh + Juggernaut intro.

Woke up easy enough (for me), at about 4:30AM, brushed teeth and packed up, made a couple of brotein shakes and took a caffeine pill, and was out the door by a little after 5:00AM. Made the gym by 5:45AM and proceeded to warm up.

But apparently not enough.

The first few weeks of a Juggernaut cycle are the "10s wave", based on sets of 10 at a certain percentage. Because squats are special, the first day of a training week seems to always be squat day, and this was certainly no exception. I'll detail the programming coming up, but I can already tell I like the work, despite straining a quad or cramping it or whatever.

Point being, need more warm up and cool down, because I had DOMS in my quads and ass for the next four days solid.

This is going to be fun.