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Introduction
Over
2,000 days ago I started training without rest days. This means I am working
out every day. Nearly all my workouts have been with weights. Few have been
bodyweight only, such as when travelling and without gym access. Nearly all my
workouts have been guided by my General Gainz training framework. Few have been
outside of that framework. The following sections detail two such examples. The
first, Maelstrom, is a deadlift program that is unusual because of its high
rep, high frequency, low intensity progression. The second, Monotony, is less a
program and more a means to complete a quick yet grueling workout. Each of
these have helped my training and I am hopeful that the same will be true for
you.
Whether or not you complete Maelstrom or try a Monotony inspired workout, I appreciate your readership and wish the very best for your training. May the following concepts at the very least inspire you to try something new, to try harder, to try trying.
Maelstrom
A single set volume progression.
UPDATED COMPENDIUM LINK. FIRST TAB.
Introduction
Maelstrom is a deadlift
program. That is the lift it was conceived for. This works well because the
deadlift has higher potential for max weights, and with that, potential for work
capacity. The deadlift is commonly trained for very few reps per set and for
very little overall volume. Maelstrom is not that kind of deadlift program. It
is a high frequency, high volume, low intensity (meaning weight on the bar
relative to your 1RM) approach.
Maelstrom is the opposite of how the deadlift is commonly trained. So, while it improved my one rep max marginally, what really improved was my stamina, both specific to the deadlift and my fitness generally, as well as the durability and apparent density of my posterior chain. (Cue my gym members asking if I’m cutting, meanwhile I had gained five pounds in a month and my lats were chafing my triceps nearly as bad as my thighs.)
This novel approach was
fruitful for me. I believe that for others out there the same will be true. While
I enjoy the more traditional way of training deadlift (several sets, some
variations, maybe a heavy set here and there), I did not have the time to commit
to this lift, but I wanted to train it – so could just one set be enough?
I figured that the
deadlift, out of all the other foundational compound lifts, would be the best
(and perhaps the only) lift able to progress with so little else to support it
other than a single work set per workout. But that’s the hitch… every workout
has a single work set of deadlifts.
As designed, Maelstrom is
to be run every day. Every day has just one set of deadlifts. Should you want
to take days off, that is up to you (early in my first run through I missed
three days because I forgot I was supposed to be deadlifting every day; gym
owner autopilot). Will you still progress if taking days off? Probably. However,
I chose to run this program daily because it fits my goals, abilities, and I
have the needed access and equipment. Others have done the same. When taking
days off from this program, account for each respective cycle taking longer to
complete.
While using this program
for the deadlift, other exercises can be used to assist your deadlift progress,
such as different vertical and horizontal pulling exercises as well as a
variety of leg exercises. Perform those exercises on a day that allows you to
recover well enough for the following day, which will also have a single set of
deadlifts. With that in mind, the Day 7 workout, having the least amount of
deadlift volume, might be a great place for you to put most of your pulling and
leg assistance exercises. This is because the following two days, though higher
in volume, have very little weight. Therefore, the 1st and 2nd
days may be good recovery workouts (in the first few weeks). As their cycles
progress, they will develop your capacity and help you improve your skill with
the deadlift.
However, since the rep
progression for the first few days is much faster, those sets will also become
challenging. So do not be fixed to a certain amount of accessory work, whether
that is the number of exercises or the number of reps, as the overall volume
for the deadlift will climb as the weeks progress (especially for the first few
days). This will become exhausting. You may find that the lighter days become
enough work for your deadlift to progress, and that you do not need the same
amount of assistance exercise volume every week. You may also find that you
must shift the days when you do assistance exercises. That is fine. What
matters most is that you find a way to complete each day’s deadlift set,
progress them weekly by adding reps, working through each day’s individual cycle
sustainably so that you can add weight when starting a new cycle.
As for me personally,
when I ran Maelstrom, I did not include a significant amount of squatting, good
mornings, lunges, leg presses, etc. For the most part, I did rows, lat pull
downs, ab exercises, and reverse hypers. I reduced my squat frequency from 3x
weekly to 2x, then to just once a week as a neared the eighth week of
Maelstrom. I found that the deadlifting alone was enough for my posterior
chain. I didn’t need a few different deadlift variations anymore. The squatting
I did do was not high volume and the intensity was balanced with my recovery
(read: I wasn’t trying to chase squat PR’s while working through the Maelstrom
progression with my deadlift). The same may be true for you, or not. Your
individual skill, work capacity, and recovery should dictate how much other
work you do.
Final thoughts: Others
have tried this with different lifts, notably bench and overhead press, but did
not have positive results. I believe this is because those lifts have much
lower threshold weights and since the muscles being trained are smaller, they
fatigue faster. So, if you do plan on trying this progression model for another
movement besides the deadlift, then you should consider shifting the volume
and/or weight progression in such a way that is more suitable to those lifts
(read: probably not a 100-rep set).
This is a program that
should be used for a single lift at a time. Train the other lifts with a
separate program that is not as volume intensive. By doing so, your recovery
will not be as challenged. Whatever that other program is, just replace your
deadlifting (or choice lift) with this program.
I found it nice not
having to do several sets of different posterior chain exercises each week to
feel like my deadlift was progressing. Just one deadlift set per day proved
enough. The time saved by not doing Romanian deadlifts, good mornings, single
leg deadlifts and split squats, and so many other “deadlift accessories” was
then budgeted towards doing more arm exercises. This helped me achieve 18”
arms. That’s a whole other program and story.
 |
| Maelstrom for bicep curls? No. |
My Results
Here is a playlist that has nearly every set I completed when surviving Maelstrom the first time. Sort by date added (oldest) and they should be in order... mostly. Below are hyperlinks that will take you to particular sets. However, not all sets are linked below.
I want this section to
contextualize my progress clearly. Maelstrom improved my deadlift from a hard
545 with a belt to a hard 600 without a belt. Only the latter is a lifetime
personal record.
I ran Maelstrom for eleven weeks before I tested for a new one rep max. This meant I completed a full
cycle of the Day 1 progression, plus a reset of three more weeks for that day.
Other days have shorter cycles, so I repeated those progressions several times throughout
the period. All of this will make sense in the following sections where I break
down the individual days and their respective progression.
My
heaviest no-belt deadlift before running Maelstrom was nearly a decade prior
and just 545 pounds. My best pull with a belt is 635 pounds, also completed
nearly a decade before running Maelstrom. My heaviest deadlift in the months
leading up to completing one full cycle of Maelstrom was 545 pounds, with a
belt (and with the hype of being at a deadlift party). That was a very hard single because I was not training the deadlift much before I committed to the
Maelstrom progression.
Because Maelstrom is a
low intensity, high volume, high frequency approach, I did not deadlift
anything more than 445 pounds until the week before I pulled 600, when my
curiosity got the best of me, and I completed a 555 one rep max with some pounds left off the bar. That
gave me the desire to go for a hard effort 1RM attempt the next week, when I
completed my 600-pound PR.
Maelstrom’s sub-maximal
intensity approach developed my skill and strength in such a way that I could
deadlift frequently without hurting myself. My joints felt good throughout the
program. That was never the case when I was training in a more traditional
approach for powerlifting; an approach that was agonizing and yielded only a minor
gain over what I achieved with Maelstrom (which honestly could be attributed to
wearing a belt for my lifetime PR). Considering the two different approaches
and the comparable results, I am now keen to the Maelstrom approach that
employs volume and frequency rather than intensity and much more time.
Even the longest portion of the Maelstrom deadlift set (including warm up sets)
took up no more than 15 minutes of my usual workout. Most days it was five
minutes or less.
So, not only did it
produce a one rep max personal record for me, I also completed many high rep
sets that were also PRs. Those lighter weights hurt less and ultimately
developed resiliency. This is important because I am nearly 40 years old, have
been lifting for close to two decades, and a hard one rep max or even five rep
max deadlift takes much more to recover from than it did before. If I could
turn back the clock, I would tell 30-year-old me to run Maelstrom instead of
chasing heavy rep maxes (which are honestly easier and a lot more fun than
doing dozens of reps with a single plate).
Maelstrom is a different kind of difficult. It is one thing to facedown a heavy single that is near your max or perhaps a new lifetime best. Such an effort takes but a few seconds. It is an entirely different sort of thing to facedown a set of 100 reps, knowing full well that the next few minutes is going to becoming increasingly miserable. The end of which isn’t welcomed by cheers and high fives, but stares of disbelief and disgust from other gym members who just witnessed your total masochism and complete abandonment of humanity as you cranked out rep after rep with a meager weight for an eternity.
Summary
Graphic
 |
| Save this image. Zoom in and read. |
Progression Summary and Considerations
Each day has just one set of deadlifts. Complete
all reps in one set. Those reps and the weight used is based on a one rep max
(1RM) that you are confident you could achieve any day of the week, rain or
shine, fed or starved, poor sleep or good, at the start of the program. Do not
use your absolute best 1RM, when peaked, when everything was perfect, and you
were your very strongest. When starting Maelstrom, use a reasonable 1RM as the
basis for the percentages calculations that define each day’s respective weight.
The weight is repeated each week, adding reps as prescribed. The number of weeks between resets is longer with the lighter days and is shorter for the heavier days. This promotes more sustainable progress with the lighter weight higher rep sets and allows for more rapid weight increases on the lower rep heavier days.
As a volume
deload, the days cycle at their individual rate. Therefore, while Day 1 may
still be adding reps, you will reset (and thus deload the volume) on the
following days when their cycles finish. For example: Day 1 is an 8-week cycle
while Day 5 is a 4-week cycle and Day 7 is a 2-week cycle.
I encourage you to start
light because 100 reps of anything is tiresome, especially the deadlift.
Though starting percentages are given, adjust those based on your ability. Being conservative at the start is best, as it will allow for more
cycles to be completed, thereby building more capacity and strength as you
repeat cycles.
A higher daily max will
have greater weight increases between cycles. A lower daily max will have
smaller weight increases between cycles. A stronger lifter may increase
Day 7 by 10 pounds per cycle (2-weeks) and Day 1 by 30 pounds per cycle
(8-weeks). Meanwhile, a weaker lifter may increase those days by 2.5 pounds (or
micro loading) and 10 pounds, respectively. In any case, you should start with
weights that are conservative and increase likewise between cycles. The point
is to start with light weights for all days, as that allows for sustainable
progress as you repeat cycles.
When repeating cycles, do
not increase your “daily max” that each day is calculated by. Instead, just add
weight to the previous cycle’s starting point. The only point I would consider
retesting the daily max is after a complete run through of Day 1, which is
eight weeks. However, if planning on running consecutive cycles of Maelstrom,
resist the urge to test a new 1RM; just add the respective percentage to the
last cycle’s starting weight. (I fully admit that I did not resist that urge on
my first completion of Maelstrom and I did test for a lifetime 1RM. But that is not the course of action I will be taking when I run this
program again.)
Weight increases when
starting the next cycle are recommended but should not be seen as concrete.
Only increase weight as you see fit. Understand that the goal is not merely to
add weight, but more importantly, to complete the cycle of adding reps to that
single set of deadlifts, thereby building capacity. In the case of choosing not
to add weight from one cycle to the next, you may opt to use the same weight
when restarting a cycle, then focusing on tempo, position, and other such
qualitative metrics as the means of progression.
What I mean by this is, should your Day 1 set in the last two weeks of its cycle take you five minutes and completely wreck you in the process, then maybe the best choice in that scenario is to add very little weight to the next cycle (less than the above graphic prescribes), or add no weight at all; then instead trying to improve the speed of your reps and how little you rest between them. Doing so means completing the 90 and 100 rep sets faster on Day 1 in weeks seven and eight after repeating the cycle at the same or even a lighter weight.
Do not think of that as
regression. It is not, so long as you are progressing other aspects of the set (speed,
tempo, quality, etc.). Such might be the case with the first two days because
their volume climbs steeply. Though very light, you may find your capacity to
deadlift for two minutes straight to be limited. Therefore, such capacity
should be improved in a following cycle, perhaps by keeping the weight increase
small, or repeating the weight, or decreasing it to improve the speed of the
set instead of the weight lifted. That option was revealed to me in later
cycles of the last few days. It will prove helpful to you before you enter the Maelstrom.
Use the rest/pause method
as needed (I typically rested at the top when doing the very light sets). Use
straps as needed. The straps will help with the very high rep sets. Use a belt
if you want (I chose not to because I wanted to limit my weights).
To recap: The days rotate through their cycles independently. The heavier the day, the faster the cycle, and the faster you add weight. The lighter the day, the longer the cycle, and the slower you add weight – although the reps grow massively. The days progress through their own cycles independently. So, while Day 1 is eight weeks per cycle, you will run through four cycles of the two-week progression that is Day 7. You use the same weight for each day’s respective cycle length, with the week-to-week progression being adding reps as you progress through the cycle. You only add weight when you restart the cycle for an individual day. This is the gist of Maelstrom.
Daily Sets and Cycle Lengths
Each day has just one
set. That set progresses weekly by adding a certain number of reps. Each day
has a certain number of weeks per cycle. When the last week is reached and the
total number of reps is completed, reset with a heavier
weight at the starting reps (the lowest of each respective day).
Each cycle reset executes a volume deload. This is when you add weight and complete another cycle in the Maelstrom. Some resets are only a handful of reps or less while others are dozens of reps. This is determined by the day that is starting another cycle in the Maelstrom.
The following section uses weights based on an example daily 1RM of 500 pounds. This is where I started. The videos linked are just a sampling of all the videos I took while I was surviving Maelstrom. I recorded nearly every set. These videos are in this playlist.
Day 1: 125 lbs. x 30 reps (Remember,
this weight is based on my daily 1RM of 500 lbs.)
Start
the first cycle at 25% of your daily 1RM weight.
Add 10 reps each week.
When
this day reaches a set of 100 reps, add weight, and reset back to 30 reps. This
functions as a volume deload.
For
the cycle back to 30 reps, increase the weight by 10% to 12.5% of the weight
previously completed for the 100-rep set. In the case of using 125 lbs., that
would be roughly a 15- to 20-pound weight increase.
Day 2: 175 lbs. x 20 reps
Start
the first cycle at 35% of your daily 1RM weight.
Add 8 reps each week.
When
this day reaches 68 reps, add weight, reset back to 20 reps.
For the cycle back to 20
reps, increase the weight by 7% to 9% of the weight previously completed for
the 68-rep set. In the case of using 175 lbs., that would be roughly a 15- to
20-pound weight increase.
Day 3: 225 lbs. x 15 reps
Start
the first cycle at 45% of your daily 1RM weight.
Add 6 reps each week.
When
this day reaches 45 reps, add weight, reset back to 15 reps.
For the cycle back to 15
reps, increase the weight by 5% to 7% of the weight previously completed for
the 45-rep set. In the case of using 225 lbs., that would be roughly a 10- to 15-pound
weight increase.
Day 4: 275 lbs. x 10 reps
Start
the first cycle at 55% of your daily 1RM weight.
Add 4
reps each week.
When
this day reaches 26 reps, add weight, reset back to 10 reps.
For the cycle back to 10
reps, increase the weight by 3% to 5% of the weight previously completed for
the 26-rep set. In the case of using 300 lbs., that would be roughly a 10- to
15-pound weight increase.
Day 5: 325 lbs. x 5 reps
Start
the first cycle at 65% of your daily 1RM weight.
Add 3
reps each week.
When this day reaches 14
reps, add weight, reset back to 5 reps.
For the cycle back to 5
reps, increase the weight by 2% to 3.5% of the weight previously completed for
the 14-rep set. In the case of using 325 lbs., that would be roughly a 5- to 10-pound
weight increase.
Day 6: 375 lbs. x 3 reps
Start
the first cycle at 75% of your daily 1RM weight.
Add 2
reps each week.
When this day reaches 7
reps, add weight, reset back to 3 reps.
For the cycle back to 3
reps, increase the weight by 1.5% to 2.5% of the weight previously completed
for the 7-rep set. In the case of using 375 lbs., that would be roughly a 5- to
10-pound weight increase.
Day 7: 425 lbs. x 2 reps
Start
the first cycle at 85% of your daily 1RM weight.
Add 1
rep each week.
When this day reaches 3 reps,
add weight, reset back to 2 reps.
For the cycle back to 2 reps, increase the weight by 1% to 2% of the weight previously completed for the 3-rep set. In the case of using 425 lbs., that would be roughly a 5- to 10-pound weight increase.
Reminder: Be conservative with your weight increases between cycles! For example, I added 15 pounds when repeating Day 1 and 5 pounds when repeating the Day 7 cycle.
Cycle Lengths
Each
day has its respective cycle length. This is how many weeks you will be using
the same weight while adding reps to the single set of deadlifts on that day. Independent
cycle lengths also function as volume deloads which aid the overall recovery process. Such
cycle lengths also allow for more rapid increases in weight in the last three
days (which is why their weight increases are less between cycles compared to
the first few days that have longer cycles).
|
Day 1 |
8 Weeks |
|
Day 2 |
7 Weeks |
|
Day 3 |
6 Weeks |
|
Day 4 |
5 Weeks |
|
Day 5 |
4 Weeks |
|
Day 6 |
3 Weeks |
|
Day 7 |
2 Weeks |
These are the standard
cycle lengths when training the deadlift every day. If you are taking
days off from deadlifting, these cycle lengths will be extended. Though perhaps
intimidating at first glance, know that your work capacity will increase, and
you may find a set of 50, 80, or even 100 reps to not be as taxing as first
imagined. This was the case for me when I started my first run through
Maelstrom. Thinking of doing 125x100 intimidated me. But after I completed it,
I sat down (winded) and realized it wasn’t as hard as I made it out to be, and
that I could in fact add weight and again work towards a 100-rep set.
When taking days off from the deadlift sets just remember that you will repeat a weight for the respective number of weeks. So, for Day 1, that is using the same weight for 8 workouts, adding 10 reps each workout, working from 30 reps to 100 reps. When spacing out the deadlift sets by taking rest days those 8 workouts will last more than 8 weeks.
 |
| Weight is added and you descend further, rep after rep, as you spin round the walls of the maelstrom. |
Starting Weights and Projected Weight
Increases
Increase weight from
cycle to cycle in a sustainable manner. You may find yourself doing 10-to-20-pound
increases between cycles for the first four days, and potentially increases of 5 to 10 pounds for the last three days (or micro loading day 7
depending on the weight of your initial daily 1RM that each percentage is based
on); this is because the later days are heavier, and their cycle lengths are
shorter. Conservative increases are best because they promote successful
completion of each cycle, resulting in more cycles being completed, and
therefore more weight in the long run. Think long term! Do not rush to add
heaps of weight to the 6th and 7th days as their cycles
are shorter and start light. Remember those days cycle fast and you will do
better adding a small amount of weight each time that day repeats.
The
following charts project weight increases from cycle to cycle using the percentages given from the previous section. Although percentage ranges are
given in the previous section, they need not be strictly adhered to and should
be thought of as loose guidelines. These charts serve to provide a long-term
view of what multiple cycles can produce.
These charts are just examples. Increase the loads from cycle to cycle based on your ability.
Starting percentages of your daily 1RM
|
Day
1 |
Day
2 |
Day
3 |
Day
4 |
Day
5 |
Day
6 |
Day
7 |
|
25% |
35% |
45% |
55% |
65% |
75% |
85% |
Percentage increase
between cycles
Percentage added to the
previously lifted weight, not the daily 1RM. For example, starting Day 1 with
125 pounds I began my next cycle at 140 pounds, roughly a 12% increase to the weight lifted during the preceding cycle.
|
Day
1 |
Day
2 |
Day
3 |
Day
4 |
Day
5 |
Day
6 |
Day
7 |
|
10%
to 12.5% |
7% to 9% |
5% to 7% |
3% to 5% |
2% to 3.5% |
1.5% to 2.5% |
1% to 2% |
Remember, these are
intended to be flexible ranges, allowing for sustainable progress from one
cycle to the next.
Daily Max Charts
The charts below outline
5 cycles starting each day with their respective percentage of the given
initial daily 1RM (starting at 500, where I began). Each chart adds the
respective percentage weight increase each cycle for each day.
The
below charts are examples. Use these as inspiration for your progression, or
take from them exactly, should you feel your strength lines up with one of the
below examples. If your daily max is greater than 500, then you will have to
develop your own table using the information previously given in this post.
500 Pound Daily Max
|
|
Day
1 |
Day
2 |
Day
3 |
Day
4 |
Day
5 |
Day
6 |
Day
7 |
|
Cycle
1 |
125 |
175 |
225 |
275 |
325 |
375 |
425 |
|
Cycle
2 |
140 |
190 |
240 |
290 |
335 |
385 |
430 |
|
Cycle
3 |
155 |
205 |
255 |
305 |
345 |
395 |
435 |
|
Cycle
4 |
170 |
220 |
270 |
320 |
355 |
405 |
440 |
|
Cycle
5 |
190 |
240 |
290 |
335 |
365 |
415 |
445 |
450 Pound Daily Max
|
|
Day
1 |
Day
2 |
Day
3 |
Day
4 |
Day
5 |
Day
6 |
Day
7 |
|
Cycle
1 |
115 |
160 |
205 |
250 |
295 |
340 |
385 |
|
Cycle
2 |
130 |
175 |
220 |
265 |
305 |
345 |
390 |
|
Cycle
3 |
145 |
190 |
235 |
280 |
315 |
350 |
395 |
|
Cycle
4 |
160 |
205 |
250 |
295 |
325 |
355 |
400 |
|
Cycle
5 |
180 |
220 |
265 |
310 |
335 |
360 |
405 |
400 Pound Daily Max
|
|
Day
1 |
Day
2 |
Day
3 |
Day
4 |
Day
5 |
Day
6 |
Day
7 |
|
Cycle
1 |
100 |
140 |
180 |
220 |
260 |
300 |
340 |
|
Cycle
2 |
110 |
150 |
190 |
230 |
270 |
305 |
345 |
|
Cycle
3 |
120 |
160 |
200 |
240 |
280 |
310 |
350 |
|
Cycle
4 |
135 |
175 |
215 |
250 |
290 |
315 |
355 |
|
Cycle
5 |
150 |
190 |
230 |
265 |
300 |
320 |
360 |
350 Pound Daily Max
|
|
Day
1 |
Day
2 |
Day
3 |
Day
4 |
Day
5 |
Day
6 |
Day
7 |
|
Cycle
1 |
90 |
125 |
160 |
195 |
230 |
265 |
300 |
|
Cycle
2 |
100 |
135 |
170 |
205 |
240 |
270 |
305 |
|
Cycle
3 |
110 |
145 |
180 |
215 |
250 |
275 |
310 |
|
Cycle
4 |
120 |
155 |
190 |
225 |
260 |
280 |
315 |
|
Cycle
5 |
135 |
165 |
200 |
235 |
270 |
285 |
320 |
300 Pound Daily Max
|
|
Day
1 |
Day
2 |
Day
3 |
Day
4 |
Day
5 |
Day
6 |
Day
7 |
|
Cycle
1 |
75 |
105 |
135 |
165 |
195 |
225 |
255 |
|
Cycle
2 |
85 |
115 |
145 |
175 |
200 |
230 |
260 |
|
Cycle
3 |
95 |
125 |
155 |
185 |
205 |
235 |
265 |
|
Cycle
4 |
105 |
135 |
165 |
195 |
210 |
240 |
270 |
|
Cycle
5 |
115 |
145 |
175 |
205 |
215 |
245 |
275 |
Daily and Cycle Breakdown Charts
This table breaks down each day’s volume, weights started with, cycle lengths, and progression across cycles. Use it to help digest the details of the previous sections.
 |
This sheet is accessible in the above linked compendium. |
 |
This sheet is accessible in the above linked compendium. |
Conclusion
Maelstrom was a grueling program that I was scared of when I started. The whole thing seemed like it would swallow me up. As the cycles progressed and the volume increased, I felt as if I were descending into some bleak funnel of endless reps. Yet, the tides change. So too did the deadlifting, which came at the perfect time - when hope began to fade.
Just like the mariner in the above linked story "A Descent into the Maelstrom" by Edgar Allan Poe, I came out of the storm alive but changed. Looking at it, the progression seems too much. Being in it, it feels the same, some days. Others, when the volume resets, provide a brief respite, just enough to look out into the storm and appreciate the grandness, violence, and peculiar beauty.
That is what I learned from this high-volume high-frequency deadlift progression. In the midst of it, when on rep 72 of 100 with a pump from neck to calves, and that weak voice cries quit... I summoned the will to snuff out, at least momentarily, the defeatist within me. If I can find ways to keep doing that, maybe one day I will be rid of him.
 |
| Sisyphus pushes on long after your name has been forgotten. You can manage a few minutes. |
Monotony
One exercise for time
Bottom
Line Up Front: As Many Sets as Possible (AMSAP) with one exercise against the
clock.
Progression
Options:
1.
Add
weight while continuing with the same number of reps per set within the same
time limit.
2.
Add
a rep to each set while continuing with the same weight within the same time
limit.
3.
Add
more time while continuing with the same weight and the same reps per set.
Of course, those progression options could be combined, but I like to keep
things simple and only do one in a single workout. Over the course of several
weeks, I may choose option two until reaching a threshold, then I may choose
option one or option three; alternating between the options as I see fit.
It
is suggested that you likewise keep things simple, for simplicity provides
clear progression while also fulfilling such a workouts namesake.
On
Monotony
Many see the word monotony in a negative light. With
such a bleak and short-sighted outlook, no wonder it is synonymous with
boredom. However, in a training setting, monotony can be a good thing. It
breeds consistency, ushering results. Monotony forges patience, delaying
gratification, creating a greater trophy at the end of the ordeal. I urge you
to embrace Monotony in at least one part of your training for a period. Monotony
is an underrated and little used means of developing simultaneously our minds
and bodies.
“It
is better to see monotony as a positive force of our own creation. Like the
erosion that shaped the Grand Canyon, so too does the monotony we endure shape
us, revealing our greatness a little more each day. This process births
self-awareness through patient endurance, in time building the strength of
character only achievable by remaining active and conscious in our development.”
– Physicality, Creativity, Consciousness
The
concept that follows and the workouts derived from it are monotonous. Though
boring, I’ve rarely felt achievement like I did when finishing a 20-minute bout of squats with 135 pounds. The same is true for so many other lifts that I’ve
used with the training approach I call Monotony. These workouts are detailed in
later sections of this post.
Monotony’s
Origins
I began implementing these kinds of
workouts for two reasons. The first was that I wanted to increase my conditioning
specific to one exercise, the squat. This was last year when I was trying to
complete a series of extremely high rep squat goals. The second reason was that
I had opened a gym, and though I was always in it, suddenly I found myself
having less time to train, or needing to train at irregular times.
So,
rather than skip a workout because I did not have the time, I instead opted to
make the best use of the time I could set aside for training, even if that was
just 10 to 20 minutes. I have found that even at my busiest I could carve out
10 minutes of my day to focus my mind and remaining energy on completing one
task: a workout that is just one exercise, all out. Productive training can be
achieved in many ways.
While
adjusting several variables such as load and volume are popular, adjusting time
is less used, especially in the circles from which my usual style of training
originated: powerlifting and bodybuilding. It is impossible to conform a
typical powerlifting or bodybuilding workout to so short a time. So, rather
than skip training because in those limited paradigms such a short workout
would be seen as suboptimal, I instead chose to optimize the time I did have
and instead lift according to a different worldview of training. Enter Girevoy Sport.
I
took inspiration for this concept from Girevoy Sport, AKA Kettlebell Sport.
Using kettlebells, competitors perform a lift in a specific amount of time
without setting down the kettlebells. Think of how hard a 20-rep set of squats
is. Now instead of just 20-reps, keep doing reps for ten minutes, without
racking the weight. That’s Girevoy Sport, a criminally underrated strength
sport that tests strength-endurance rather than limit strength, as all other
strength sports do (apart from some events in strongman and some in CrossFit
competitions).
Where
I departed from Girevoy Sport is that I allowed myself to set down or rack the
weight. This opened the door to doing more reps and using more weight without
sacrificing too much of the primary goal: to train strength-endurance with a
single lift. What it came down to was trying to complete as many sets as
possible within a given amount of time. Depending on the lift it might be a set
every 45, 30, or even 20 seconds. Monotony’s approach is like doing a set Every
Minute on the Minute (EMOM) but faster.
Reps
Per Minute (RPM)
The goal of Monotony is to have a high
RPM. Therefore, it is best to start light and for few reps per set (just
singles, doubles, and triples at first) going for less than 10 minutes. Doing
so will allow you to maintain a fast pace, or RPM. Once you have some shorter
Monotony sessions completed, add a few minutes while trying to maintain that
same RPM.
I
have started with 10-minute sessions at approximately 25 seconds per set and
ramped that up to 20 minutes while maintaining the same RPM. I have even
achieved double progression where I added time and managed to increase my RPM;
such is possible because Monotony will improve your skill and stamina with the
lift you are training with the Monotony approach. This kind of work helped me
accomplish an extensive list of high rep squat sets ranging from 25-rep maxes
to a 100-rep max (all reps completed without racking the bar).
When
employing Monotony for a lift, be mindful of your RPM. If your RPM decreases
significantly after adding weight, reps, or time (more than 15 seconds is my
personal standard, you can set your own) consider reducing one or more of those
factors. For example, if you went from 10 minutes to 20 minutes without ramping
up to that 20-minute session, you might see your RPM decline around the
15-minute mark. Likewise, if you were previously using 60% of a 1RM for 10
minutes and increased to 70%, or if you went from doing sets of two reps to
sets of five reps. Though small numbers, keep in mind that you are doubling (or
more) that variable, whether it is time when going from 10 to 20 minutes or volume
when going from doubles to sets of five.
Starting
Monotony
This is not a program that you
commit to for all your lifts. I do not recommend that. This can be how you
train a single lift within a larger training plan. Does this have to be the
only way you train that lift? No, of course not. So, for example, if your heavy
bench day is Monday and you have a lighter bench day later in the week, then
you might employ the Monotony approach to develop the lighter bench work you
had already planned to do.
You
can also employ Monotony as I did. Using this approach on days when time has
nearly run out and you have just ten to twenty minutes to train. I did not plan
these kinds of days, they just happened. When they did, I devised a way that allowed
me to still complete a productive training session: Monotony.
Monotony uses light weights for high
reps in a short time. Therefore, I do not suggest you use this approach for
your truly heavy work; weights more than 85% of your 1-rep max, for example. I
suggest you start light and gradually build up your reps and/or your time until
you reach a threshold at which you then add weight.
There are a few considerations when using
Monotony for your training:
1.
Use
a light weight.
a.
50%
to 60% of your 1RM - or - a weight you can perform for 15 to 20 reps in a single all-out
set (not talking about breathing squat widow maker sets here).
i. Heavier weights may be used if the
reps per set are singles or doubles.
ii. These reps should be non-stop, piston like, without a nanosecond of rest at the top or bottom of each rep. As you fatigue, do your best to continue performing reps in this manner.
2.
Keep
the reps per set to very few.
a.
Choose
sets of 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 reps. I have never gone above 5 reps per set because
the sets themselves will take more time, often resulting in a “breathing rest”
to complete the last one or two reps before racking the weight, especially towards the end of the time period. Avoid doing
this by properly managing load, time, and reps progression.
b.
The
goal is to use the same number of reps for all sets in the period.
c. Fewer reps per set allows for more weight, such as doing singles. In this case you might use 70% to 80% of your 1RM or a weight you can lift for 10 reps in a single all-out set (at a quick tempo, not breathing squats). I did not do this much at all, as the RPM was too slow for me.
3.
Start
with a short period.
a.
Begin
with 10 minutes and build your endurance from there. If you start at 50% of
your 1RM and perform sets of 5 reps, you will likely complete 15 to 20 sets, maybe several more. That
is potentially more than 100 reps completed in just 10 minutes. For the average
powerlifter or bodybuilder, that is a lot of volume in a very short time.
b.
Increase
the time when your RPM remains steady throughout the period.
i. If you started at a set every 30
seconds but barely finished the last two minutes with just one or two sets,
then you should not increase the time but instead work towards completing more
sets in the same amount of time with the same or reduced weight.
4.
Progress
gradually by a single factor.
Alternating these as you see fit, based on your performance. Increasing two or
all three at once might be disastrous… but maybe not if you started very light,
with very few reps, in a very short period.
a. Add weight while continuing with the same number of reps per set within the same time limit.
b. Add a rep to each set while continuing with the same weight within the same time limit.
c. Add more time while continuing with the same weight and the same reps per set.
5.
Use
compound exercises
a.
Squat,
bench, deadlift, press, rows, lunges, etc.
Example
Workouts
Below are workouts I have completed
with the Monotony approach. Sometimes this was all I did because my training
time was limited. Sometimes the lift I trained with Monotony was a part of a longer,
more typically structured training session. Either is fine. Monotony, being as short
as 10 minutes (that is as brief as I made it; it could be made shorter if you
desire) can fill the gaps in your day where an otherwise usual workout is just
too much. Similarly, you can employ Monotony to fill a gap in your training
plan, whether to function as a component of a conditioning progression or to
function to develop work capacity for a single lift as I did with the squat. Do
you have 10-minutes to commit to being drowned in sets and sweat yet survive as
a stronger being? Try Monotony. Survive. Improve.
The following workouts are examples.
You might try these yourself or take inspiration for your own version. Be
warned: take a few weeks to build up to longer periods of Monotony (15+
minutes), especially when performing higher rep (4 or 5) sets because the total
volume accumulated in such a brief period can be incredibly high. The lighter
the weight the faster you can move, and the shorter the rest between sets can
be. It is possible to eclipse 200 total reps in 20 minutes. If your training is
composed of usual bodybuilding or powerlifting programs, then you perhaps can
complete such a workout, but you likely do not have the ability to recover from
a longer, higher volume bout with Monotony.
A final caution: Rhabdomyolysis is
real. Monotony hedges a sensible progression against such a risk. Therefore, start
with a shorter time with fewer reps with light weight. Proceed with your health
in mind.
These are some of the workouts I
have completed using the Monotony approach. I built up to the 15-to-20-minute
periods from starting with 10 minutes, so once more, I urge you to do the same.
·
Squat 135 pounds x5 reps for 20 minutes. 44 sets complete.
o
This
was about 30% of my estimated 1RM at the time.
·
Press 155 pounds x2 reps for 20 minutes. 37 sets complete.
o This was about 70% of my estimated 1RM at the time.
·
1-Arm
Dumbbell Row 50 pounds x5 reps (per arm) for 20 minutes. 45 sets complete.
o
I
could row this weight for 20 strict reps at the time.
·
Press
185 pounds x1 rep for 20 minutes. 43 sets complete.
o
This
was around 75% of my 1RM at the time.
·
Squat 315 pounds x2 reps for 20 minutes. 30 sets complete.
o
This
was around 60% of my 1RM at the time.
·
Press 205 pounds x1 rep for 20 minutes. 27 sets complete.
o
This
was around 85% of my 1RM at the time. The heaviest I have gone by percentage of
my 1RM.
·
Press
135 pounds x3 reps for 30 minutes. 51 sets complete.
o
This
was around 85% of my 1RM at the time. The longest I stretched Monotony for. My
RPM declined steadily after 20 minutes.
· Pull Ups (no added weight) x2 reps for 20 minutes. 70 sets complete.
o My max reps at the time were around 12.
·
Pull
Ups (no added weight) x2 reps for 30 minutes. 82 sets complete, +1 single.
o
My
max reps at the time were around 12. Compared to the above 20-minute period,
you can see how significantly my RPM declined after 20 minutes. This was the
second time I tried to last 30 minutes (which did not go as well as I hoped
for).
·
Deadlift 405 pounds x1 rep for 20 minutes. 37 sets complete.
o
This
was around 67.5% of my max at the time.
·
Bench
Press 80 kilograms (176 lbs.) x3 reps for 15 minutes. 26 sets complete.
o
This
was around 60% of my max at the time.
o
During
this period of my training I was benching very little while favoring the strict
overhead press more. So, my work capacity and max strength was very low at this
time.
·
Sled Push/Pull 320 pounds for 30 minutes. 1 lap = 35 feet. 72 laps complete.
o
Using
the sled is easier for longer periods of time and is far less fatiguing than doing
something like squats and deadlifts for the legs.
o This was performed after squatting 315 pounds for 21 reps in a single set.
· Alternating 1-Arm Dumbbell Clean & Press 30 pounds for 15 minutes. 220 reps complete.
o
I
had not done this before cleaning each rep from the ground, so I used a lighter
dumbbell. Because of this my RPM was faster than anticipated.
I
am sure you see a trend with the above workouts. There is only one deadlift and
one bench example. This is because at the time I was just getting back into
benching due to a persistent issue I have with my shoulder. Because of this
issue, I have not consistently used Monotony for bench because I must be more
cautious with my set up, and even then, my shoulder might not comply.
Therefore, I encourage you to do the same. Do not use Monotony with a lift that
causes you trouble or that you are more prone to injury when performing.
Regarding my deadlift, I was experimenting with a very unusual and high-volume program called Maelstrom. Therefore, I have not done much deadlifting with the Monotony approach. However, because these two have an overlap, volume, I do plan on using Monotony in the future when it comes to deadlift training.
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| Lift often. Get wide. |