Massive Iron Newsletter - Volume 4 (September 8th, 2024)
If I were to tell you that I never missed a workout I would be a liar. This week I got extremely busy and missed my biceps work. Typically I do my biceps right after my shoulder work, but as fate would have it, I needed to put in a fence in our backyard this weekend.
There's always a balance that must take place between life and the hobbies and interests we love. I would absolutely love to be able to train six days a week for 90 minutes each day, but life never allows me to do so.
I just want you guys to know that this is okay. All the optimal talk you see on the internet is simply a waste of air. Consistency is the real key; that and when you get in the gym and do work make sure you focus on hard training.
Don't worry about the ups and downs and missed sets. Focus more on avoiding weeks on end away from the gym. Even if you can only get into the gym a couple times a week for 30 minutes, that's enough to sustain progress and to even build some muscle.
Consistency and hard training. Consistency and hard training.
The Rep Goal System
The Rep Goal System was featured in my original book, Massive Iron. It involves pushing every set of an exercise for maximum, safe, quality reps. It is a very effective approach and remains the gold standard for anyone who wants to maximize each and every set.
The Rep Goal System is a great choice for lifters at all stages of training if they enjoy maximizing every set. It allows you to focus on the most important aspects of the building process: hard training and progression.
The premise is simple: maximize every set. By doing so, you maximize workouts and progress. You leave nothing on the table and exit the gym knowing you gave it everything you could on that given day.
Most online workout systems provide you with no guidance on how to progress. They simply list sets and exercises and wish you good luck. Workout systems like this are generic, a dime a dozen, and pointless. They are a “to-do” list rather than a training strategy designed to maximize gains.
The Rep Goal System does the opposite. It tells you exactly how hard to push a set and when to add weight. It ignores arbitrary set and rep schemes that sound good on paper and instead provides you with parameters to work within so you can perform up to your potential on that given day.
Here’s how it works. For each exercise, you will see listings for:
- Total sets
- A rep goal total
For example, a chest workout might look like this:
- Bench Press - 3 sets, 25 rep goal total
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press - 3 sets, 25 rep goal total
- Pec Dec - 3 sets, 35 rep goal total
Sets. Sets are sets. Each set is a group of reps; all sets should be worked for as many reps as possible. Only stop the set when:
- You feel like you may fail on the next rep.
- Your form starts to dramatically deteriorate.
There is no need to train until failure. Progression is the driving force for gains, not failure. If failure happens, so be it. It’s not the end of the world. Just don’t chase after it as a goal.
Rep Goal Total. A “rep goal total” for a given exercise is the goal for each of the sets combined. It is NOT reps per set. Once you reach a rep goal for a given exercise, it’s time to add weight. The next time you perform this exercise, add 5 pounds to the bar or 5-10 pounds to the machine stack.
So, looking at the bench press example above, let’s say you hit the gym and perform the following reps for your 3 sets:
- Set #1 - 200 pounds x 10 reps
- Set #2 - 200 pounds x 8 reps
- Set #3 - 200 pounds x 7 reps
Adding up the reps, you find you reach 25 total (10 + 8 + 7). Because this was equal to or greater than your rep goal, you will add weight the next time you perform this exercise.
What happens if you fail to reach the rep goal for a given exercise? You simply try to improve the next time you perform the lift. It’s really as easy as that.
The Rep Goal Total Isn’t Magic. The rep goal total for an exercise isn’t magic. Progression is. If you find that a certain exercise feels better with more reps per set, increase the rep goal total by +1, +2, +3, +4, or +5. If you feel you are performing too many reps on average, drop the rep goal total by anywhere from -1 to -5.
This isn’t going to change results. You will still be maximizing every set and progressing as quickly as possible.
Trust your own judgment and make changes as needed. Just don’t mess around and keep changing the rep goal total for an exercise each week. Once you find something that works, stick with it and focus on progress. Messing around slows gains. Make intelligent changes when needed and evolve your training when appropriate.
You will find over time that each exercise is unique. Bench presses might feel better with fewer reps per set, while barbell rows might feel better with more reps per set. Don’t overthink these differences; they aren’t important in the grand scheme of things. Progression is. Getting tired of hearing this yet?
Rep Goal Total Examples
Example #1 - Leg Press
For this example, your workout calls for 5 total sets of leg presses with a rep goal of 70 total reps. Not knowing where to start, on week one you slap 350 pounds on the leg press sled and your session goes like this:
- Set 1: 350 pounds x 22 reps
- Set 2: 350 pounds x 18 reps
- Set 3: 350 pounds x 16 reps
- Set 4: 350 pounds x 15 reps
- Set 5: 350 pounds x 12 reps
This was a brutally hard session that resulted in a total of 83 leg press reps. Because this was more than the 70 rep goal total, you would add weight the next time you perform leg presses.
Since you overshot your rep goal total by quite a bit, you decide to try 375 pounds the following week. Your session goes like this:
- Set 1: 375 pounds x 20 reps
- Set 2: 375 pounds x 18 reps
- Set 3: 375 pounds x 16 reps
- Set 4: 375 pounds x 15 reps
- Set 5: 375 pounds x 12 reps
Another quality workout. You nailed a total of 81 reps, 11 over your rep goal total. This is not a big deal. The point of the Rep Goal System is to help you zero in on a quality weight and to help you understand when you should add weight. Going beyond your rep goal total for 2 weeks in a row isn’t a major issue. You are making progress, and it's obvious. Just continue to zero in until you fail to reach 70 reps for a given week. At this point, you would continue to use the same weight until you do reach the 70 rep goal total.
During week 3, you decide to try 400 pounds. Your workout goes like this:
- Set 1: 400 pounds x 16 reps
- Set 2: 400 pounds x 13 reps
- Set 3: 400 pounds x 11 reps
- Set 4: 400 pounds x 9 reps
- Set 5: 400 pounds x 8 reps
You completed a total of 57 reps, 13 shy of your rep goal. There is no need to panic. You slapped too much weight on the bar, and you know it. This is the beauty of the Rep Goal System. Simply continue to use 400 pounds until you reach 70 total reps, and then add weight.
How much weight you add when you reach 70 total reps is up to you, but I recommend keeping it reasonable. Because this is a lift that allows you to use a lot of weight, you could add 10 or 20 pounds if you’d like. Or, if slow and steady progress is more appealing, it’s certainly OK to add only 5 pounds. Going with minimal increases will likely allow you to sustain very consistent progress week in and week out. On the other hand, jumping up by 10-20 pounds might require you to train for several more weeks before adding weight.
Either way, you’ll likely progress in weight at the same rate. The Rep Goal System is auto-regulating and will reward you either way.
Example #2 - Dumbbell Curls
For this example, we’re using an exercise that doesn’t allow for an insane amount of weight. Our workout calls for 3 sets of curls and has a 30 rep goal total.
Having never tried dumbbell curls before, you decide that 35-pound dumbbells sound about right. Your first workout goes something like this:
- Set 1: 35s x 8 reps
- Set 2: 35s x 6 reps
- Set 3: 35s x 5 reps
You managed to perform a total of 19 reps. This was well short of your rep goal, and the weight felt heavy. Realizing that you were not quite as strong as you thought, you decide to lower the weight to 30-pound dumbbells. Next week’s session goes like this:
- Set 1: 30s x 12 reps
- Set 2: 30s x 10 reps
- Set 3: 30s x 8 reps
You were able to reach the 30 rep goal total. Next week you will move back to the 35-pound dumbbells. It is likely you will need to use them for quite some time. Don’t be concerned if you fall well short of the rep goal total. Focus on improving a little bit each week.
Why Your Lower Back is Killing You on Squats
Lower Back Stress
I get this question a lot: "Why is my lower back hurting?" Lower back stress is the number one most common issue with squats and deadlifts. You do squats and deadlifts, you jack up your lower back. I think most of us have been there. Anybody that's squatted or deadlifted for a while has been there.
Lower Back Issues
There can be an issue with your lower back even if you have good squat or deadlift form. I want to explain this to you guys because it doesn't necessarily mean you're doing anything wrong. It means you're strengthening yourself, but there might be a lagging muscle group. Let me explain.
Muscle Groups Involved
You have a lot of big muscle groups involved with the squat and deadlift to varying degrees. I'm not saying these muscle groups are equally worked in both lifts, so let's establish that. You have your quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips, upper back in deadlifts, yoke, and lower back. You have all these big muscle groups involved. Then you have your little weak lower back and your erectors.
What Can Happen
What can happen, even if you have good form, is that you're bringing up these big muscle groups. They're getting bigger and stronger, and as you start to get stronger in the squat and deadlift, there's a good chance these bigger muscle groups will become more proficient with these big lifts while the lower back and erectors might lag behind a little bit.
So even if you have good form, it's very likely that you can wake up one day after a back squat or deadlift session with your lower back feeling like monkey piss. It's just the way it goes. It doesn't necessarily mean you're doing anything wrong.
Good Form
Furthermore, I find, and this is just my opinion, that if you are doing things right and have good form, eventually you might reach the stage where your lower back is the weak point in the chain.
I find that a lot of clients doing things correctly on squats and deadlifts eventually build strength to the point where their lower back becomes the weak muscle group among the bigger muscle groups. They might hit a period of a couple of months where their lower back really takes a beating, even though their form is good.
Listen to Your Body
Just continue to work on your form and listen to your body, especially your lower back during these exercises. Give it some time. If you're starting to pick up some lower back fatigue, it might be time to take a week off or a deload week. I'm a big proponent of taking deload weeks when your body is telling you that you need them.
Conjugate Cardio
by Mark Estrebillo (Instagram @coachmarkestrebillo)
Conjugate Cardio? Yes, You Can Do It!
When you hear the word "Conjugate," you probably think about lifting heavy weights, right? Well, the same underlying principles that have helped people get brutally strong? They can be used to improve your cardio! Conjugate Cardio is a smart way to work on your heart and lungs, just like you would for strength training. Let’s break it down into three simple parts: High-Intensity (HIIT), Mixed Workouts, and Steady-State (the kind that makes your heart strong for the long run).
Why Should You Listen to Me?
Here are some things I’ve done to prove I know what I’m talking about:
- Squatted 315 pounds for 20 reps
- Rowed 2000 meters in 6:58
- My resting heart rate is 52 bpm
Now, let’s jump in and talk about how YOU can get your cardio game on point!
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Think of HIIT as the "max effort" for your heart. It’s hard, fast, and makes you sweat. But just like lifting your heaviest weight, you don’t want to do it all the time. Plus, not all HIIT workouts are good for everyone. For example, Tabata (a super intense version of HIIT) is often too much for most people to handle.
Instead, here’s a smart way to add HIIT to your routine, just like you would with lifting heavy weights:
- Week 1: 15/45 seconds (Work/Rest) - 3 rounds
- Week 2: 15/45 seconds (Work/Rest) - 5 rounds
- Week 3: 15/45 seconds (Work/Rest) - 7 rounds
- Week 4: 20/40 seconds (Work/Rest) - 5 rounds
- Week 5: 20/40 seconds (Work/Rest) - 7 rounds
- Week 6: 30/30 seconds (Work/Rest) - 5 rounds
- Week 7: 30/30 seconds (Work/Rest) - 7 rounds
- Week 8: 30/30 seconds (Work/Rest) - 10 rounds
8-Week Plan:Tip: Match your cardio to the main lift of the day. After deadlifts? Try rowing. After squats? Go for the air bike. Bench day? Grab the battle ropes. Find what works for you!
Mixed Workouts (CrossFit, but Smarter)
This is where you move fast but don’t go crazy. I like to call this "CrossFit, but smart." You’re working hard, but not so hard that you’re dying by the end. These workouts mix things up, so you’re doing more than just one thing, but you don’t push as hard as with HIIT.
Here’s a 12-minute example:
- 10 Dumbbell Snatches (each arm)
- 10 calories on the Ski Erg
- 10 Ball Slams
- 10 Reverse Hypers
The key? Keep it moving, but don’t push to the max. Aim to get 3-4 rounds in and keep the intensity at about 7 out of 10.
Steady-State Cardio (The Long Game)
This is where you build your aerobic base—the foundation of your cardio. This kind of training helps you recover faster, both during workouts and in between sessions. Plus, steady-state cardio is the only kind that’s proven to help you live longer!
My advice: Train for both a long life and a strong life.
Here’s the plan: Do 30-60 minutes of steady-state cardio 2-3 times a week. Keep your heart rate at about 60-70% of your max.
Bored? Try this:
Break it up into smaller parts by switching machines.
- 20 minutes on a Recumbent Bike
- 15 minutes on an Elliptical
- 10 minutes on an Incline Walk
If you’re new to this, start small—try 15/10/5 minutes on each machine. If you’re a cardio champ, go for 25/20/15. The goal is to build up your endurance over time.
Final Thought
Conjugate Cardio is all about using smart methods to get better at cardio. You’ll build a stronger heart, faster recovery, and a body that’s ready for anything. Stay strong, stay fit, and have fun with it!
About the Author
Mark is a former LW Strongman and has competed in Strongman for over 6 years, including a top 20 finish at United States Strongman Nationals and has coached others into the sport as well, including a 7th Place Nationals finish for one of his athletes. He has also competed in Powerlifting, DEKA Strong, Physique, and Highland Games as a lifetime drug-free athlete.
He employs a unique take on conjugate with most of his training and has even collabed with Steve Shaw on a joint program “Massive Strongman”
Mark can be found on instagram @coachmarkestrebillo and Youtube as well @coachmarkestrebillo
5 Brutal Bench Workouts for Strength and Size
We all love the bench press, right? I'm going to show you five ways to take your average bench press workout and make it a little bit more brutal and engaging. We're going to move beyond straight sets and create something a little bit more growth-inducing and challenging.
These approaches aren't revolutionary, but they will give you some ideas to try in the gym. You'll find these more intense and they'll leave you more sore. Some of them you'll like, some you won't.
Method 1: Bench 1.5 Reps
You can do this with straight sets, ramping sets, threes, or any set and rep protocol. You can even do it on the last set of an exercise or a drop set. Here's how it works:
- Perform a complete rep.
- Bring the bar down to your chest, push all the way up, then bring it halfway down.
- Bring the bar back down to your chest and push all the way up again.
That sequence counts as one rep. Do this for the total number of reps in your set—8, 10, 12, whatever. This will force you to stay tight on your bench and it's a real ass kicker.
Method 2: Bench 5-10-10-20
This is something I give to a lot of my clients. Start with a weight you can perform about 20 reps with:
- Set 1: 5 reps
- Set 2: 10 reps
- Set 3: 10 reps
- Set 4: 20 reps
It's going to get more intense as you move along. This protocol is a lot of fun and I see a lot of my clients consistently moving up in weight. You don't have to use this exclusively—you can add it as a second bench day. When you hit 20 reps on your last set, move up five pounds.
Method 3: Bench Up and Downs
This combines your warm-up with a "run the rack" type of protocol to crush your bench and get in some good volume:
- Start with the bar for 8-10 reps.
- Do a 40-rep warm-up set.
- Calculate your approximate one-rep max and start with 50% for 8 reps, then move to 55% for 8 reps, and so on.
80% of your one-rep max will be about 8 reps. As you increase weight, your reps will decrease. Rest naturally between sets, and attack the next set when you feel ready.
Method 4: Massive Volume Training
This is a take on German volume training. Instead of doing a 10x10 on bench:
- Perform 5 supersets or 10 total sets with 60-90 seconds of rest in between.
- Alternate between bench press (10 reps) and push-ups (10 reps or max reps).
You can do these superset style or alternate back and forth, resting 60-90 seconds between sets.
Method 5: Bench Press Bulldozer
This is a rest-pause protocol. Start with a weight you can perform 12-14 reps with:
- Perform 5 total sets with this weight (after your warm-up sets).
- Perform each set for max safe reps (not to failure).
- Rest 15 seconds between sets.
This will give you some nice chest soreness the next day.
There you have it—five brutal bench press protocols to kick up your bench press training, make it more interesting, and promote better growth.
Thanks!
I appreciate everyone that supports this newsletter and the world that is Massive Iron. A couple of notes before we go.
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Thank you for being a part of the Massive Iron community. Stay strong and keep pushing your limits!
-- Steve Shaw (The big hairy ugly dude)