Switching to Metal Militia

[ookla]

I am considering switching to the Metal Militia program as I have heard great things about it and am stalling out on the modified Westside routine that I've been doing over the past year. I've found that my bench and squat have stayed stagnant on WS while my assistance maxes have all improved. The only lift that has increased has been my deadlift. I lift raw and lifetime drug free. I am just shy of 6'1" tall and weight around 225. I have moderately long arms, a long torso with low shoulders and short legs. I currently squat 425 (pr), bench 345 (pr=370) and deadlift 515 (former pr=455).

I've read the MM bench thread on this training forum but I've not been able to find a full (3 lift/whole body) routine on their website.

I have two questions:
1) Is the MM training style good for raw lifters (with or without modifications)?
and
2) Where can I find a MM full routine for raw lifters that is well laid out?

[rickhussey]

Oher than the RAW MM routine I posted on this forum, I'm not sure they have a whole lot of info handy for raw lifters.

Post something here and maybe you'll get a reply from them
usmcom.proboards92.com/index.cgi?board=metalmilitia

I believe alot of them SQ and DL on the same day, which gives them more recovery time.

[ookla]

Thanks Rick. From what I've seen, it seems as if their system is pretty much for assisted lifters. I'll either do some higher volume straight bench work on my DE day or consider some of the European routines before cycling back into the regular Westside routine. Thanks again.

[Deleted]

I have noticed that too from what I have read, that most train Squat and deads on the same day. Andy Bolton does.

[rickhussey]

I think I am moving back to that. I had been training squats and deadlifts on the same day for over a year. I always felt recovered and the lower back felt healthy. Recently I split them out onto seperate days and don't like how my lower back feels.

[Deleted]

I wonder how much volume you can get away with and not have your workout last 3 hours trying to recover for your next set when you do both on the same day?

[toolpod]

I just switched off of a modified WS program to try a JM Blakely-style one.

I had moderate success with the WS program, but the first thing that had to change was the rotation length...3 weeks was waaaaay too long to rotate ME's for a raw bencher, IMHO. I changed up to two weeks, and then every week switching ME's.

For raw bench, the Pin presses seemed to help me the most.

Not sure about the MM template, so unfortunately can't shed much light on that one.

[rickhussey]

Toolpod, what sort of pin presses? Are you talking about pin presses to work the lock out?

[toolpod]

Rick,

I was doing the ones that are supposed towork the "mid-range"; kind of like a rack-lockout, except the lower saftey stop is set so that the bar is only few inches above your chest, and the second stop is set about 6-8 inches above that. The whole range of motion for the bar should start above your chest, and end below you lockout position.

You press up from a dead stop off of the lower support, and push the bar up into the upper supports and continue to drive into the upper support with force, holding it there for 3-5 seconds befor lowering the bar.

These really helped me. I'm looking forwar to rolling them back in to the routine in a couple of weeks on my accessory day.

[3speed]

jgean said:

I wonder how much volume you can get away with and not have your workout last 3 hours trying to recover for your next set when you do both on the same day?

I only have time to workout 1 day a week. I do adjust things occasionally but I normally do leg presses, bench, and deads one week. On the following week, I squat and bench....keeps me from deading every week. It usually takes me between 2 & 2.5 hrs to do all three and between 1.5 & 2 hrs to do the squat /bench workout. It took me a few weeks to adjust to this schedule but I love it now. Get in, get it done, and have a week to recover. I also believe it gives me a conditioning advantage come meet day.