[Rich Ellis]

Hi Rich,

I was wondering how long does your workout lasts?

——————

Hi mate.

Sessions are typically 90-120mins

[Rich Ellis]

Hi Rich, could you put the template up this weekend if you’ve got time? Do you find it’s a good workout for strength and size with the straight sets for strength and the 10% sets and clusters for added volume?

———————-

Genuinely sorry mate, I just tend to always update from my phone. I’ll be sure to get it posted. Have a great weekend mate

[Rich Ellis]

Today I started the second rotation of my plan.

Straight sets

Biceps and calves

Hammer Curl 2 x 6

EZ Wall Curl 1 x 8, 1 x repeat set

Toe press – 1 x 8, 1 x repeat set

Cluster sets

Narrow Mag Grip Pulldown – 1 x 3 part 10% Set, 1 x 3 part rest pause set

Low pulley Row – 1 x 3 part 10% Set, 1 x 3 part rest pause set

Numbers all up, intensity high, accuracy high… Happy with the work that got done

Rest day tomorrow, then back to it!

[Rich Ellis]

hi rich

do u find that doing the 2 exercises for back is giving u a good feeling of workout I know some do 4-5 exercises for back but I really like the simplicity of this session and was just wondering weather 2 does the trick cheers.

———————-

Hi mate

As is usually the case, we have to caveat this with “it depends”.

For me, I also have another session with a further two movements in.

Importantly though, don’t just look at the number of movements, but the number of affective reps brought about by the cluster sets.

[Rich Ellis]

Good session today

Straight sets hams

Paused RDL 2 x 8

GHR 1 x 10, 1 x repeat set

Quads cluster sets

Hack variation 1 x 3-part 10% set, 1 x 3 part rest pause set

Leg press 1 x 3-part 10% set, 1 x 3 part rest pause set

Round to rotation 2 of the plan tomorrow, so that sees the rep targets drop on the straight sets from 8 or 10, to 6 or 8 respectively.

[Rich Ellis]

It would be cool if you posted up the template Rich

——————-

Thank you for the reminder mate, will do!

[Rich Ellis]

Rotation 1 session 2b

———-Delts straight sets ———
High inc machine press 2 x 8

Cuff lateral raises 1 x 10, 1 x repeat set

——- pecs and tris cluster sets ——-

Cable x-over 1 x 3-part 10% set. 1 x 3-part rest pause set.

Machine press 1 x 3-part 10% set. 1 x 3-part rest pause set.

Overhead rope extension 1 x 3-part 10% set. 1 x 3-part rest pause set.

Final session of the rotation tomorrow, straight sets on hams and calves, clusters on quads.

[Rich Ellis]

Rotation 1, session 1b

Corner bar row 2 x 8
Probe row 1 x 10, 1 x repeat set

———-clusters——-
Incline DB curl 1 x 3-part 10% set, 1 x 3-part rest pause set

Cable Curl 1 x 3-part 10% set, 1 x 3-part rest pause set

Toe press 1 x 3-part 10% set, 1 x 3-part rest pause set

[Rich Ellis]

Rotation 1, session 3a (Quads straight sets, Hams & Calves Clusters)

45 Deg. Leg Press 2 x 8
Split Stance Leg Press 1 x 10, 1 x Repeat Set

—-

Standing Leg Curl 1 x 3 part 10%, 1 x 3 part Rest Pause

Rear Kick (maxed it out so will change movement) 1 x 3 part 10%, 1 x 3 part Rest Pause

Seated Calf 1 x 3 part 10%, 1 x 3 part Rest Pause

Back to it tomorrow

[Rich Ellis]

I did the 3-part 10% set and cluster set for isolation movements on my push workout this morning and got one hell of a pump! Looking forward to you laying out the template of your workouts so I can incorporate it into my own routine.

————

Good to hear mate, I’m pleased you enjoyed it. I’ll look to get that up over the weekend for you (pester me if I don’t!)

[Rich Ellis]

YES team!!

Leg day today – Straight sets for Quads, clusters for hams and calves…. I’ll post the session later.

Get it!

[Rich Ellis]

Good session today. Very very very rarely train with anyone but just so happened to be starting at the same time as a mate who is following the same template so we got it on. Nice change.

I had a pleasant and unexpected surprise in that I was able to decline bench press. I don’t even know why I tried, but smith press was uncomfortable in my trial run last week so I gave it a go… It went well. I haven’t consistently managed any barbell pressing for over a decade now, so I won’t hold my breath, but if it holds, I’m in a surprisingly good starting point (hadn’t really expected any residual pressing power)

Enough of that, went on to also do inc DB press, “Kennelly’s”, then onto clusters, which was cable rear delt, and supine cuff laterals.

Good session, happy meat head!

[Rich Ellis]

First day of “let’s get serious”. Weighed 295.8lbs this morning, so now….. let’s get it onnnnnnnn

[Rich Ellis]

“Thanks Rich. It’s cool to read about a slightly different approach.
Could you talk a bit about what seems like a very low volume approach even allowing for the intensity and your strength?
Also what’s the target? Are you competing?”

Maybe on first glance it looks very low volume, but if we look a little closer…
I have six sessions and will usually train five days a week, so for the sake of ease, we can say that near enough, in a week, each muscle group gets the straight sets and the cluster sets…
Straight sets. Two movements, two sets on each, totalling four sets.
Cluster sets. Two movements, “two” sets on each. I use inverted commas, because I would actually consider each portion of the cluster a set, so we now have six sets per movement, and twelve sets it total for the clusters. This is a weekly (loosely) set volume, of sixteen sets per muscle.
Some people might argue the point, but for me, as was probably clear from my earlier post, the stimulating reps are the key, and with each of the clusters delivering a high proportion of these reps per set, the distinction is warranted.

It is also worth noting that volume is a variable for progression, so there is potential to add in if every other progression tool stalls

As for competing, no mate. I had a short stint in powerlifting, but my injuries cut that short. That was certainly where my talent was.

[Rich Ellis]

Some really interesting ideas here. What’s a 10% set, if I’m not being dim?

One thing I’m interested in is some of the exercise selection for chest and shoulders in view of your injury history.

I’ll also be awaiting the template eagerly.

I’ll be sure to get it posted mate.

As for the 10% sets…. perform a set of 8, drop load by 10% and rest 60s, perform another max rep set (should be about 8 again), reduce load by a further 10% and rest another 60s for a final effort, again, aiming for positive failure around 8 reps