2-Week "Montana Method" Template

[CoolColJ]

Hanley - just wanted to say thank you for putting this together. I just finished my first 3 week cycle of the Montana Method and got PR’s for all my lifts - without feeling all beat up like my prior heavy 4 day split would leave me (volume day was 5x5 @ 90%). I feel enlightened.

New PR’s:
SQ: 470
DL: 470
BP: 315
OP: 215

I was skeptical but I’m a believer now.

What were your old PRs?

[bjb]

Old PRs

SQ: 465
DL: 460
BP: 305
OP: 210

I had crashed and burned (once again) after these old PRs on a 5x5 4 day split. I was ramping back up when I said f it - I’ll try something new. Now after a 2nd 3 week cycle of MM, I am now

SQ: 475
DL: 470 (missed 475)
BP: 320
OP: 220

...and still don’t feel beat up.

[DPriest442]

Old PRs

SQ: 465
DL: 460
BP: 305
OP: 210

I had crashed and burned (once again) after these old PRs on a 5x5 4 day split. I was ramping back up when I said f it - I’ll try something new. Now after a 2nd 3 week cycle of MM, I am now

SQ: 475
DL: 470 (missed 475)
BP: 320
OP: 220

...and still don’t feel beat up.

How'd you fit in PR attempts to the routine?

[bjb]

MM PRs.png

[dw]

I wonder if I could MM my squats for the purpose of avoiding my good morning tendencies that start around RPE 7.

[DPriest442]

MM PRs.png

Squatting 5x6 after a PR wasn't tough?

[CoolColJ]

I wonder if I could MM my squats for the purpose of avoiding my good morning tendencies that start around RPE 7.

You need stronger quads

[bjb]

MM PRs.png

Squatting 5x6 after a PR wasn't tough?

It was unpleasant but it wasn’t tough. I consider the OHP density blocks way more unpleasant and tough.

[BenM]

Yeah I'm with @bjb on that one. I find those density blocks of OHP really tough, and reps drop off fast. But if you look at those squat numbers, a set of 6 at 340 should be like RPE 6-6.5? I wouldn't have any issues doing that after a heavy single at all. By the third or fourth set I'd be getting tired, but there wouldn't be any problem getting through it.

[dw]

I wonder if I could MM my squats for the purpose of avoiding my good morning tendencies that start around RPE 7.

You need stronger quads

That would be the purpose of getting my squat volume in uncompromised.

[acorn1293]

@Hanley sorry if this has been touched on before but would there be any significant negative effects to overall strength gains if I performed all my deadlifts as singles a la SSPTs deadlift table while running 2 week MM? For example, would 20 singles at 75% ~EMOM vs 75% for 5 sets of 4 reps have similar enough of a training effect on strength to not notice a huge difference?

[Hanley]

@Hanley sorry if this has been touched on before but would there be any significant negative effects to overall strength gains if I performed all my deadlifts as singles a la SSPTs deadlift table while running 2 week MM? For example, would 20 singles at 75% ~EMOM vs 75% for 5 sets of 4 reps have similar enough of a training effect on strength to not notice a huge difference?

Should be fine. Maybe a tiny hypertrophy & work capacity cost doing singles....but probably a strength benefit with the singles.

[acorn1293]

Cool thanks for the quick reply! I've been doing well with the normal rep ranges you suggest so I'm not gonna change anything. Just wanted to know if that was a future option.

[bjb]

So after 4 cycles of the 3 week version of MM, I keep making good progress with new PRs for the big 3. However, OHP hasn’t seen a PR since the 2nd cycle.

SQ: 465 > 485lbs
DL: 460 > 485lbs
BP: 305 > 330lbs
OHP: 210 > 220lbs
Bodyweight stayed the same at 196lbs

This last cycle was tough due to work and family stress and the extended wild fire smoke in Seattle. The PRs I got were all brutal. So, I’m taking a week off to recover and contemplate.

I really enjoy the Montana Method - I usually don’t feel physically beat up, I like how it changes day to day, and the PR progress is super nice. So, I’m leaning towards another cycle but with modifications to see if I can get my OHP PR to move.

What would you all do?

[Hanley]

What would you all do?

I had to go back and look at my own template. The 3-week template is heavily, heavily biased toward bench. I think you could just sub OHP for the prescribed bench sessions, but use the very high-end of the volume range (maybe even 10% over the volume ceiling).


THEN....make the "pushups" block some sort of hypertrophy-bench session, and make the "OHP" session low-fatigue bench work anywhere in 77-85% e1RM range.

[bjb]

Sounds great! Thank you!

[TheGloriousW]

Anyone have a time estimate to complete the 3 week General Strength workouts. Can it be done in 1:15 with decent rest periods? I could superset bench and DLs, but not bench and squats.

I am also having a hard time trying to spread it over 5 consecutive days.

[Hanley]

I am also having a hard time trying to spread it over 5 consecutive days.

I've revised it:



Now it's totally divorced from "calendar time". I've been meaning to do that for a while. Now it's just 12 sessions. You autoregulate intersession rest.

[augeleven]

Anyone have a time estimate to complete the 3 week General Strength workouts.

I ran it 2 ways: as written and also on a 9 day week (lift-jog-couch potato).
I was worried about not lifting frequently enough on the 9 day week rotation, but I gained strength, so *shrugs*

I was able to get the work done around an hour, keeping interset rest between 1-2 minutes. Also maybe I did my own thing for assistance instead of multiple push-up amraps.

[slapHAPPY]

Baraki mentioned in the latest BBM video that he has done sets at around rpe 7 this past year on Deadlifts, and he just hit a 15 lbs lifetime pr.

@ 2:39

Interesting stuff.