“The Mash Blueprint for Strength Programming” and “Squat Every Day II: Variations in Intensity and Volume” have both launched today at the lowest price that they will ever be. Check them out below:
==> “Squat Every Day II and The Mash Blueprint”
The Mash Method
Over the years people have constantly asked me, “So what programming did you use as a powerlifter or weightlifter?” That’s actually a very good question. I performed a semi-Westside program, but at the end of the day I went heavy very often. However, I had found a way to constantly set personal records, and I didn’t even realize that I was simply using several versions of the post activation potentiation theory or PAP.
Before writing this book, I researched for a couple of days, so that I would get a better understanding of PAP. I wanted to know why it works, and I wanted to know why it works better for some than others. My man, Bret Contreras, wrote a great article on his website laying out the details of PAP. Before we go any farther, I need to give a brief definition of PAP.
This is taken directly from Bret’s article: “PAP is a phenomena by which muscular performance characteristics are acutely enhanced as a result of their contractile history. The underlying principle surrounding PAP is that heavy loading prior to explosive activity induces a high degree of CNS stimulation which results in greater motor unit recruitment lasting anywhere from five to thirty minutes.”
Most of the time people refer to PAP when using a strength movement in conjunction with a powerful more ballistic movement like plyometrics or sprinting. My man Coach Joe DeFranco is famous for his contrast speed training. He calls in contrast training. One example is where he uses heavy sled drags in contrast to short sprints. I will admit right now that I use this method with all of my sport athletes with amazing success.
A lot of people including me will perform back squats with a jump of some sorts. Others will use the bench press in contrast to explosive push-ups. Whether you are doing a squat with jumps or bench press with plyo-push ups, the key is to pair similar exercises together. The heavy strength movement will excite the nervous system, and the contractile history will be that of a heavy squat or bench. The theory is that will leave your body prepped for the heavy movement when you simply performing a jump, sprint, or plyo-pushup with bodyweight. Both of these are great, but there are a lot of other uses for PAP.
The one that I used during the majority of my career was heavy holds, partial movements, bands, chains, and weight releasers in contrast to straight weight full range of motion movements. This Mash Method Principle is the one that I used the most to break records on a daily basis. Let me give you one example that I used.
I would perform the prescribed sets for a dynamic squat day with bands. Then I would work up to a heavy double with bands but not to failure. Then I would take the bands off and hit a PR. How did this work?
Let’s pretend that I worked up in the squat to 625lb bar weight + Blue Bands, which is 825lb total weight at the top. If my max is 800lb, that’s a total of 103% of my max squat. At the bottom of the squat the bands will deload to about 30% of their original strength, so that leaves about 685lb of total intensity at the bottom portion or 83% of maximum. 83% isn’t that hard or taxing on the CNS. I was able to squat this weight easily, and I was able to excite my nervous system for 825lb at the same time.
When I would take the bands off and work up to a max single of say 805lb, my body was prepared for 825lb. All of this gave me an advantage to hit PRs on a regular basis. The biggest issue was balancing the PAP response and fatigue. The response was the highest right after completing the set, but so was the fatigue. I found out that it was best to complete the straight weight max somewhere between 3-8 minutes after the banded word was complete.
It was also a good idea to not kill myself during the banded sets and repetitions. The less total volume that I completed would always equal the better result for the straight weight portion. I will detail how this worked over a few weeks in my FREE Book that is coming out soon called you guessed it: “The Mash Method”.
The book will contain over 15 different ways to use the Mash Method with detailed descriptions, periodization, and more. This is the way that set so many records in days as an athlete. It’s also the way that my athletes are setting so many records.
The book will contain:
• Ways to increase absolute strength in the squat, bench, deadlift, press, and the Olympic lifts
• Ways to maximize hypertrophy by using this method
• Ways to use the method in everyday strength training phases
• Ways to increase vertical leap
• Ways to increase 40yd dash time
• Ways to crush sticking points
I think that you are going to love it, and I am excited to give it away for Free. Make sure that you are signed up for the Newsletter to get the book. If you sign up now, you will get my Free E-Book “The Big Six”.
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Thanks for reading!
This is going to be sick!