This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/weightroom by /u/giantpipsqueak on 2024-01-09 00:50:44.

Intro

Decided to run Bullmastiff base phase on a bulk after seeing good reviews. Program information can be found here:

I decided to add a 90% 1RM overwarm-single to the main lift each day, as I’ve found that they really helped my numbers go up.

Also decided to superset all of the bench/OHP sets with pull-ups and ab wheel rollouts for an each number of reps. Once you drink the Brian Alsruhe kool-aid there’s no going back.

I wanted to focus a bit on arm size, so all of the accessory/bodybuilding work on bench/OHP days was arm work, typically two supersetted bicep/tricep lifts. Leg day assistance started as split squats/lunges and good mornings. For the developmental lifts, I went with:

Main Lift Dev Lift
Squat SSB Squat
Bench Incline Bench
Deadlift Snatch Grip Deadlift
OHP Behind-Neck Press

How it went

I really enjoyed the progression of the main lift and developmental lift, and the auto-regulation style of having the last set in the main work be an AMRAP and dictate a percentage-based jump the following week worked well. I made sure to push myself on the development lifts and not just mail it in, and I always felt that at the end of the main/dev lifts that I got a great workout in. Downside to that is I always felt drained for the accessory work on the squat and deadlift days, and was always sore the next day (which I like).

I did not stay consistent in terms of time, what should have taken me 11 weeks (9 weeks and 2 deloads) took closer to 16 I think, just from missing time during the holidays, being busy with other things (pregnant wife takes priority), or just being sore. As I get older I get more ok with taking extra rest days, but I do wish I had been more strict at times.

If your conditioning isn’t great like mine, you will find that the workouts take time. Especially since each week you are adding a set to your developmental and accessory lifts, factor in rest times and work times and you’ll find the amount of time you need grows quite a bit. As I workout from home, minor things like taking care of the pets or doing laundry etc. add time to my workouts. It wasn’t uncommon for the last workout of a wave to take me over 1:30 minutes. I could have shortened rest times and been more efficient, but I wanted to focus on the weight more than conditioning. Also the longer amount of time means it’s even more difficult to work conditioning into the end of a workout.

I did focus on arms quite a bit, it’s hard to say if they’re much bigger since I put on a decent amount of weight and everything got bigger. Well, almost everything. I think the only way I can really see major arm-growth is to focus on them and less on the main lifts, but that’s just not in the cards for me. For this program I went hard on the main/dev lifts so I never felt I had a ton of focus or patience on the accessory work, usually by that point I just wanted to get the work done and start making dinner.

Good mornings were not a great accessory choice for lower body, by the time I was done with deadlifts and squats my lower back was already work pretty hard, good mornings weren’t necessary. SSB split-squats were great on the one hand because they are tough, but as they’re not really “isolation work” they are even more brutal when you’re already spent. But, as I only have barbells and no machine, this was the best way for me to hammer my quads. Would love to have a leg press or leg extension machine so I can really hammer my quads without getting the rest of the body involved.

Diet

Didn’t eat as well health-wise as I would have liked, though that’s still not too bad compared to some people. Holiday break was the only bad stretch but that’s to be expected. Other than that, eat to fit your training, and I ate like someone dedicated to putting on weight. No counting calories, nothing special, just ate a lot of food and tried to make sure that it had some protein. I made my go-to chicken and dumplings dish quite a bit and ate every drop.

I ran out of protein powder early on and never got more as money is tight with the baby coming. I should have gotten some just to make sure I was meeting a satisfactory amount each data. But I certainly got some from my diet.

Results

Stat Start End Change
BW 172lb 185lb +13lb
Squat 295lb 335lb +40lb
Bench 225lb 250lb +25lb
Deadlift 370lb 415lb +45lb
OHP 135lb 140lb +5lb

Finally pushed into the 1000lb club! I know the results are tied to the weight gain as much as the program, but the program did get me here. Hard to look at this as anything other than a huge success.

Have gotten multiple comments about how broad my shoulders look and even got a thigh compliment from my wife, but I always take them with a grain of salt.

What I would do different If/when I run this again, I would pick different development lifts (except SSB squat) each time just to keep it mixed up. I would find lighter/less demanding accessory lifts for lower body days as if you are giving everything on the main/dev work, you’ll be fried by the time you get there. Or do one leg lift and one back lift for accessories.

I would find a way to get more back work in as it’s easy to neglect it.

Light conditioning (~10-20 minutes) on the off-days.

Instead of doing arm accessories for upper body, give the shoulders their fair due.