Blaine Sumner - Gorilla Warfare

This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

Like any sport involving heavy weight implements, balance and environmental factors, Powerlifting poses some inherent risk. The author advises readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the skills described in this book, be sure that your equipment is well maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training, and comfort level.

Any logos and trademarks used in this book were used in an editorial manner with no intention of illegal use. All third party logos and trademarks are property of their proper owners.

All Rights & Liabilities Reserved By Gorilla Squad, LLC Copyright © 2016

Blaine Sumner can be reached via email [email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………..……………………………………2 WARMING UP…………………………………………………………………………………………………14

THE THREE POWER LIF TS…………………………………………………………………………………22 SQUAT………………………………………………………………………………..………………… 22 BENCH PRESS……………………………….……………….………………………………………28 DEADLIFT……………………………………………….………………..…………………………… 32 GORILLA WARFARE SYSTEM…………………………...………………………………………………36 NUTRITION…………………………………………….…………………………… ..………………36

COMPETING ……………………………………………………………………… .…………………38 WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR GYM TO GET STRONGER……………………………… 44 THINGS I WISH I KNEW WHEN I STARTED….…………..……………………………… 47 INJURIES…………………………………………………………….………………………………… 52 THE PROGRAMS……………………………………………………………….…….………………………56

VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM……………………………………..…………………………62 GREAT APE PROGRAM………………………………………….…….………………………… 73 GEARED GORILLA PROGRAM……………………………………………...…………………79 CLASSIC CHIMP PROGRAM……………………………………….……………………………85 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………. .……………………… 91

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INTRODUCTION WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR? This book is for anyone who wants to get stronger and perform better athletically. Most of it is aimed at powerlifters but the concepts and lessons can be applied to resistance training for strongman, bodybuilding, crossfit, and any other sport. Coaches, athletes, and parents can all learn something from this material on how to take one’s strength and power to the next n ext level.

WHO AM I? I

grew

up

in

Conifer,

Colorado

participating in 4 sports in high school (Football, Wrestling, Lacrosse, and Track & Field) earning All-State or AllConference accolades in every sport. After

graduation

I

attended

the

Colorado School of Mines where I earned my degree in Petroleum Engineering and played 5 seasons of NCAA Division II football. I played nosetackle, snapper,

short

and

snapper,

fullback.

I

long

had

a

successful college career and made an unsuccessful run at the NFL. In my 2 GORILLA WARFARE

pursuit of the NFL I drew a lot of attention based on my testing numbers. At 335 pounds I performed 52 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press (NFL testing record), vertical jump of 32”, broad jump of 9’ 5”, a 4.8 second 20 Yard Shuttle, and a 7.5 second 3-Cone Drill. I also set the record for the Kirwan Explosive Index. After hanging up the cleats, I began working in the energy industry full time and set my sights on becoming the strongest Powerlifter in the world. Since making this commitment to Powerlifting I have won an IPF Raw World Championship, 9 USAPL National Championships, multiple Outstanding Lifter Awards, and the Arnold Classic several times. In addition I have broken 22 American records and 5 IPF World records. My best lifts in competition as of publication are 1,069 lb. squat, 839 lb. bench press, 761 lb. deadlift, and 2,656 lb. total.

I have trained myself and learned through trial and error while being influenced

by

some

extremely

capable people. I have taken my knowledge of engineering gained at one of the toughest engineering schools in the country and applied what I learned from statics, dynamics, and physics to lifting. I have combined this with a maniacal pursuit of strength and obsessive passion for analyzing technique from every possible angle. This has brought me to the highest levels of the powerlifting world and in this book I will relate it to lifters with different leverages and body types.

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MY DEVELOPMENT AS AN ATHLETE AND LIFTER Long before I began powerlifting, I was a 4 sport athlete. This gives me a unique background and perspective on training that th at is advantageous to someone who has only lifted weights, but never competed in other sports. Understanding techniques, strategies, and leverages that come from other sports carries over well to improving powerlifting technique, preparation, training, and peaking.

I was always very active growing up; if I wasn’t at sports practice, I was outside

running,

jumping, climbing, and doing general horseplay. I

first

began

playing

football in 1st grade and was one of the smallest and slowest kids on the team. Fortunately this would change as the years went by. I also began playing baseball and wrestling around this time. I continued to wrestle through high school but began playing lacrosse instead of baseball in 3 rd grade and played through high school. At the end of high school I also picked up the shot put and started to throw it for fun.

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I entered high school at about 6’ 0” and 145 pounds, rail thin, and not even having any wiry muscle. I don’t remember my exact numbers, but I know I could only bench a 25 pound plate on each side and squat a 45 pound plate on each side. I was one of the weakest kids on the football team and was trying to play middle linebacker. I knew I needed to get bigger and stronger to succeed so I started spending a lot of time in the weight room. My high school football coach, Larry Fitzmaurice, had us on a Bigger,

Faster,

Stronger

program

and

encouraged us to eat and get bigger. By the time sophomore year rolled around, I was up to 6’1” and 170 pounds and continued to get stronger. I was dedicated to doing everything possible to become a better football player and knew I needed to build my body to be a good linebacker. Going into my junior year I had grown to 6’ 1” 215 pounds and was a solid high school linebacker. I had big goals for wrestling that year after having qualified for the State Tournament the prior year. Unfortunately I suffered a setback when a torn meniscus in my right knee required surgery to repair. This was my first major injury, but certainly not my last. By the time senior year rolled around I had built myself into a prototypical college sized linebacker at 6’ 2” 250 pounds. After not skipping a single workout throughout high school, I had taken myself from one of the weakest kids on the team to by far the strongest. I had a great senior year in every sport and was receiving attention from many colleges for various sports. My final high school lifting numbers were a 600 5 GORILLA WARFARE

pound squat, 400 pound bench, and 425 pound power clean. After deciding on a football scholarship at the Colorado School of Mines, the next phase of my development began.

During the winter of my senior year in high school I knew if I wanted to be a good college football player I’d need to get bigger and stronger so I began to seek out an expert who could help me. My Dad used to compete in powerlifting and searched for powerlifting gyms around us. We lived in the mountains west of Denver and the closest gym was in Aurora which was an hour away. In spite of this, a few times a week my Dad drove me out there and that is where I learned about proper training, nutrition, and technique. Dan and Jen Gaudreau G audreau were the owners of this gym called Rocky Mountain Lifting Club (RMLC). Along with my Dad, these two were my powerlifting mentors and coaches and will still be for the rest of my lifting career. Dan has over 20 years of powerlifting experience, over 10 IPF World Championships, and multiple IPF World Records. He has been the coach of multiple USA National Teams and has coached a number of lifters to IPF World Championships and IPF World Records. Jen has over 30 years of powerlifting experience and IPF World Championships of her own. After a 25 year hiatus my Dad has returned to competitive powerlifting winning a national masters championship and establishing several masters American records. I learned more about powerlifting, training, and athletic preparation from these 3 than I could have ever imagined. Being able to train under their watchful eyes I was able to learn proper technique in squats, bench press, deadlift, power cleans, and every assistance movement. In addition I learned about the importance of proper training methods,

6 GORILLA WARFARE

programming, nutrition, and rest. I continued to train at RMLC all through college and do so now whenever I am in the Denver area. I did my first powerlifting meet the summer following my high school graduation at a local NASA competition. My numbers were around 650 pound squat, 375 pound bench, 580 pound deadlift.

I continued getting bigger and was recruited by Mines to be a defensive lineman. I reported to fall camp of my true freshman year at 6’ 2” and 290 pounds. Due to the rigors of a difficult engineering school all true freshman redshirted so they could adapt to the coursework and still practice, just not travel for games. The true freshman lifted hard in anticipation of battling for playing time the next year. Football was a year round grind. Fall was the season, winter was morning conditioning and afternoon lifting, spring was more lifting and spring ball, and summer was all training. I reported to fall camp my redshirt freshman year at 320 pounds which was perfect for a 3-4 nosetackle. I had a great season but tore my left shoulder labrum and continued to play. During the off season after my redshirt freshman year I had an accident in the weight room from squatting. That and the cumulative damage of playing football resulted in a partially torn patella

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tendon that really hurt at the bottom of my squat. So being a young, dumb, egodriven lifter I was doing high box squats with much heavier weight than I should have been handling. I felt a huge crack while doing 725 X 3. I knew this was the worst I had ever been injured and that it was serious. I had ruptured my L5-S1 disc, herniated my L4-L5, and had degenerative disc disease in many more discs which is not uncommon for a lifter or football player. The discs led to serious sciatica and I got the whole speech from the doctor about “never being able to squat again”. I tried to keep myself in shape so I could play the next season but lifting was a struggle. I was depressed because I couldn’t lift heavy and at the time I didn’t know how to work around injuries so I did hardly any lifting. My weight dropped from 320 to 260 by the time fall camp for sophomore year rolled around. I felt like I had no strength and even though I started all season, I had a bad football season. I also tore my other shoulder labrum that year.

After football season I got myself back together again, researched my injuries, reached out to people, and started to get my size and strength back. I reached a point where I just said, “Screw this, I’m I’m going to get back under the bar. If I kill myself, so be it, because I won’t be a great player if I’m not training”. training” . The first squat session back I remember struggling with 315 for reps but this was the first major turning point in learning to train smart. From this point on I swore to train smart and not do stupid things that would lead me to get injured. I got to where I could do 315 for 3 X 10 and kept doing 3 X 10 until I could add weight and continue to do 3 X 10. I reported to fall camp my Junior year back up to 315 pounds and had an outstanding year. I was squatting and benching heavy throughout college football

8 GORILLA WARFARE

but never with powerlifting as the goal; only to get stronger for football. Encouraged by competitive powerlifters, I decided to do USAPL USAP L Men’s Nationals and Raw Nationals that summer. First was Men’s Nationals (single ply) in Palm Springs, CA where I put on gear 2 weeks before the meet after rarely using it. I squatted 905 pounds which broke Mark Henry’s over 10 year old USAPL American Junior Squat record. I also benched 573 pounds and deadlifted 628 pounds. A few weeks later I did Raw Nationals in Denver where I squatted 805 pounds, benched 430 pounds, and deadlifted 705 pounds.

I reported to my Senior football season at 335 pounds and had the best year of my career. I tore my other knee meniscus that season but continued to play. After the season ended I spent about 8 months giving up all life responsibilities to train 100% in preparation for the NFL. I spent this time with Loren Landow in Denver who is regarded as THE movement specialist for the National Strength and Conditioning Association and has a Trying to lockout the winning deadlift of 793 lbs. at the 2015 IPF Raw World Championships in Salo, Finland

coaching resume as impressive as anybody in the country. He has been the Strength and Conditioning coach for hundreds of NFL, NHL, and MLB players; UFC fighters including Shane

Carwin and Nate Marquardt; and the TV show ‘The Ultimate Fighter’. The

9 GORILLA WARFARE

knowledge I gained during these 8 months was something I couldn’t have learned in 10 years reading books. Loren is an absolute guru in human movement and performance and taught me to move and use my body in ways I never thought possible. I learned how to properly warm up and techniques for moving the human body in any direction at any speed. The NFL didn’t pan out for me so I began my career as a Petroleum Engineer and focused on powerlifting full time outside of work.

About a month after NFL fall camps started, USAPL Raw Nationals were in Scranton, PA. With the NFL dream gone I realized that it was time to move on so I signed up for the meet with about two weeks of preparation. I squatted 854 pound, bench pressed 452 pounds, and deadlifted 733 pounds. This qualified me for the inaugural IPF World Raw Championships in 2012 in Stockholm, Sweden. 2012 was a great year for my powerlifting career. I began the year at the Arnold where I broke the IPF Squat World Record with 975 pounds, bench pressed 672 pounds, and deadlifted 717 pounds. Three weeks later I flew to Australia to lift at the Pacific Raw Championships where I squatted a world record 881 pounds, bench pressed 463 pounds, and deadlifted 711 pounds. Two months later I flew to Stockholm where I won the IPF World Championships by squatting 827 pounds, benching 474 pounds, and deadlifting 700 pounds. My opening squat had been red-lighted for depth so I had buried my second attempt causing me to tear my hip labrum. Six days after Worlds in Sweden I flew to Orlando, FL F L to compete at the USAPL Men’s Nationals not knowing if I would be able to squat. Fortunately the support of the squat suit allowed me to lift around the injury. I squatted 1,003 pounds and became the first

10 GORILLA WARFARE

person in the USAPL to squat over 1,000 pounds at a national meet. I also benched 689 pounds and deadlifted 705 pounds. The hip injury was the most serious powerlifting injury I have sustained and significantly hampered my squatting and deadlifting. To finish the year off I travelled to Puerto Rico to compete in the IPF World Championships (single ply) where I went 4 for 9 squatting 980 pounds, benching 650 pounds, and deadlifting 733 pounds for a disappointing 6th place finish.

I fought the hip injury and it really set back my training for about a year. In 2014 I started to come back and competed at the USAPL events at the Arnold. I did 3 meets in 3 days where on a Friday I competed raw and went 854/501/717, Saturday I competed single ply and went 1,025/783/672, and on Sunday I bombed out of the single ply bench meet after pressing 827 but getting called for raising my head. It took over 2 years after my hip injury until I finally recovered and hit an 881 raw squat again at 2014 USAPL Raw Nationals where I went 881/529/739. I have competed in over 40 powerlifting competitions from 2006 – – 2016 and I am still learning from every attempt I take on the platform.

To date, my best raw lifts in competition came at the Pacific Raw Challenge in Perth, Australia in September, 2015. I squatted 915, bench pressed 529, and deadlifted 766 to set the IPF World Record Raw Total of 2,210. My best single ply lifts in competition are a 1,069 squat, 839 bench, 761 deadlift, and 2,656 total.

11 GORILLA WARFARE

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK? When I began brainstorming ideas for this book, I knew I wanted to do something different and universal with lessons from not only my lifting career but from my other athletic endeavors. The strength community is saturated with information simply due to the small audience. My hope with this book is for every strength athlete – from – from weakling to world class - to be able to learn some things that will help with their training and pursuit of strength. On the cover of the IPF Magazine en route to winning the IPF Raw World Championship in 2012

Improving your performance as an athlete is a 3-legged stool. These legs are representative of: training, rest/recovery, and nutrition. With any one of the legs gone or weakened, the stool will topple. Your performance will only be as strong as your weakest leg in the 3-legged stool. Whenever I attend a clinic or seminar, I consider it a success if I can take away one point and improve my performance with it. And the same thing applies to this book – if – if you can take one thing away from any section you will become a better athlete.

12 GORILLA WARFARE

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WARMING UP Warming up is broken down into three components: static, dynamic, and barbell. If you are an athlete on the field or court preparing for a game or practice, only the first two will apply to you. If you are a strength athlete, the barbell will be your last mode of warm up. These are warm ups I’ve learned over the years from participating in sports and working with world-renowned NFL and UFC preparation coach Loren Landow. The first warm up series to perform is the static series, followed by dynamic, and finally barbell. See pictures on the pages following the descriptions.

1. Static Warm Up: The Static Series refers to your body staying in a relatively stable position. The purpose is to get your joint capsules moving in the full range of motion to lubricate the joint and prepare for movement. In all static movements it is important to keep feet dorsi-flexed the entire time while bracing the abs and keeping the core tight. The entire body should be stable and the only movement is at the targeted joint. There should be no swinging or heaving of the body to get better leverage. a. Quadruped Series: Position yourself on the floor in the quadruped position. Keep your arms straight down with palms on the floor, knees directly underneath the hips, with toes slightly tucked. There should be approximately a 90 degree angle between arms/torso and torso/upper leg/lower leg. Keep your head down so the spine is in a neutral position.

14 GORILLA WARFARE

i. Fire Hydrant: Raise one leg at a time from the hip, raising your leg out to the side of your body like a dog urinating on a fire hydrant. The only movement should be in the hip capsule. Knee and ankle remain locked. Perform 10 reps per side. ii. Leg Sweep: Sweep: Straighten one leg directly behind you and ‘sweep’ the leg forward and back. Only the hip joint should move. Perform 10 reps per side. iii. Hip Circle: Initiate by doing the fire hydrant, then instead of bringing the leg straight back down, rotate the hip in a circular motion. Make sure to work as much of the 360 degree range of motion of your hip capsule as possible. Perform 10 reps per side. iv. Heel-to-sky: From the quadruped position, raise your heel directly up towards the sky and hold at the top. You should feel your glute squeeze hard at the top. Perform 10 reps per side. b. Straight Leg Series: Again it is important to brace abs and keep the core tight while always keeping both feet dorsi-flexed. i. Front Raise: Lie flat on your back with the passive leg bent, heel on floor, and foot dorsi-flexed. Keep the active leg straight with foot dorsi-flexed and raise your active leg straight up as if you were trying to kick something above your head. Do not bend your knee. Perform 10 reps per side. ii. Side Raise: Lie on your side with the entire body straight. Raise the top leg while keeping feet dorsi-flexed and your whole body straight. Perform 10 reps per side.

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iii. Low Leg Side Raise: Lie on your side. Place your top leg in a ‘Figure 4’ position with your foot in front of the other leg. Raise your bottom leg towards the ceiling keeping the foot dorsi-flexed. Perform 10 reps per side. iv. Side Sweep: Lie on your stomach with both legs straight and feet dorsi-flexed. Sweep one leg out to the side keeping all joints solid with only the hip moving. Perform 10 reps per side. c. Rocker Series: Sit on your butt with legs straight in front of you. i. ‘4 Hurdle’: Hurdle’: Initiate by rocking backwards trying to touch your toes behind your head, then rock forward and tuck one leg so it makes a ‘4’ with your your other leg which is straight. Temporarily lean forward like you are trying to touch your straight leg. Rock back trying to touch your toes to the ground again, and an d rock forward but switch the ‘4’ leg. Perform 10 reps per side ii. Cheerleader: This is just like like the ‘4 Hurdle’ but when you rock forward, spread both legs and reach as far forward as you can between your feet. Perform 10 reps per side.

2. Dynamic Warm Up: The Dynamic Series requires a small section of straightaway to perform the movements. Throughout this series it is again crucial to brace the abs, keep the core tight, and dorsi-flex during all active movements when possible. a. Walking Series: These are all performed standing.

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i. Toy Soldier: Keeping your down leg straight, kick your other leg straight up in front of you, trying to touch it with your opposite hand. Don’t bend your knees knees and don’t lean forward, even if it means you can’t touch your toe. 10 reps/side. ii. Lunge: Perform a lunge keeping your shin as vertical as possible. Feel the stretch in your groin. Take your same side elbow and try to place it next to the same side foot. Perform 10 reps per side. iii. Hurdle: Imagine there are a series of hurdles that you will approach sideways. One hurdle is high, the next is low. Approach the first hurdle and ‘duck’ under it. High step over the next low hurdle. Perform 10 reps per side. b. Running Series: A strength athlete may stop at this point and move on to the barbell warm up. All others will wrap up with this warm up s eries. i. Skip to Jog: Begin skipping at a slow pace, move to a faster pace, then progress to a moderate jog. 30 yards is plenty. ii. Ground Starts: Go through various starts for about a 10 yard sprint. This includes starting from belly, back, and quadruped. Switch them up randomly. iii. Falling Starts: Stand upright with feet together. Begin falling forward until you start to lose your balance, then take your first step and drive. iv. Position Starts: Have the athlete start in their specific athletic position initiating movement in all appropriate directions. v. Random Starts: Switch up how the athlete starts the sprint. This could be a side shuffle, skip, walk, or retreat. 17 GORILLA WARFARE

3. Barbell Warm Up: The barbell warm up is for the strength athlete and is specific to the movement that will be performed. This is simply the warm up leading up to your working sets for a specific exercise. The more compound a movement is, the more time and sets are required to reach the working sets. For example, if you are squatting, take the empty bar and sit in the bottom of the squat and move/wiggle around. This is the final touch on warming up the full joint capsules that will be active in the movement. It is important to work at a MINIMUM the full range of motion (ROM) of your lift. This means you may work beyond your normal ROM while warming up.

Once your body feels warmed up, begin loading weight. This is relatively simple but there is one important rule to remember. The size of your increases should decrease, or stay the same. This means don’t follow a 40 pound jump with a 60 pound jump, either make a 40 pound jump or less. The purpose of this is to prime the central nervous system (CNS) for predictable weights. It sounds simple but I have seen many lifters hit PR’s simply by taking more warm ups and smarter jumps.

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QUADRUPED SERIES

Fire Hydrant

Leg Sweep

Hip Circle

Heel-To-Sky

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STRAIGHT LEG SERIES

Front Raise

Side Raise

Low Leg Side Raise

Side Sweep

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ROCKER SERIES 4 Hurdle

Cheerleader

WALKING SERIES

Toy Soldier

Lunge

Hurdle

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THE THREE POWER LIFTS The three power lifts are defined as the back squat, bench press, and deadlift. These are arguably the three most important lifts for any athlete, with a clean of some kind also included. This next section will cover some fine details and cues of each of the powerlifts.

SQUAT The squat is arguably the most beneficial lift for anybody. It has been dubbed ‘The King of Exercise’ for good reason.

Dunking a 904 lb. squat in knee sleeves at the 2015 IPF Raw World Championships in Salo, Finland

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The Unrack

This is one of the most overlooked parts of the squat, yet is so important. Even though setting up properly isn’t the hardest part of the lift, it can make or break your squat. On all your warm up sets, even with just the bar, it is crucial to set up like it is a 50 pound PR. First get your feet set – set – they they should be even with each other and your ankles should be as directly below the bar as possible. Unrack the weight with confidence and aggression. Then step back. You should take a MAXIMUM of 3 steps back, 2 if possible. I unrack the weight with the same stance width I squat with then take 2 small steps straight back. If you take 3 steps, the first two should establish your distance from the rack, and the third should establish your stance width.

Approaching the bar with confidence and aggression is crucial 23 GORILLA WARFARE

Common Mistakes: 

If you have a tendency to get hunched forward when you squat thus getting too much weight forward, experiment with your head position on the unrack. Chances are you look down when you unrack and walk back. Experiment with looking straight ahead with a neutral position during the unrack.



A lot of people get caught up trying to get the perfect foot position down to the half inch. Maximal lifts are all about time under tension. The precious seconds you spend wiggling your feet and re-stepping so it feels perfect is time draining your CNS from a huge squat. Be confident in your set up. Squirming for 5 extra seconds suggests hesitation and a lack of confidence.

The Descent

After you have set up and are ready to squat, take the biggest breath you can. Fill your lungs with as much air as possible and build up as much pressure in your entire body as possible. Push out against your belt in 360 degrees like you are trying to break it. Initiate the descent of the squat by pushing your butt back, knees slightly out, and think about sinking your hips straight down. Hold your air the entire way down and visualize yourself as a spring being compressed and ready to explode. The very 24 GORILLA WARFARE

bottom bottom part of the squat should be a slight ‘dip’. ‘dip’ . This ‘dip’ means a slight acceleration as you approach parallel but does not mean any relaxation. Everything needs to remain tight but the last 1” – 3” of depth should be achieved by aggressively dipping or accelerating into the hole and increasing the stretch reflex.


Some people initiate the lift by pushing the knees forward out over the toes. Any forward knee travel should be natural and not forced.



Too much weight is shifted forward. Your heels should remain in contact with the floor the entire time. Some lifters will get too much weight forward and if you watch closely, you can see the heel coming off the ground slightly. The majority of the weight should be felt on the rear half of your foot.



Dipping does not mean the shoulders hunch forward. The upper body should stay relatively the same. A slight ‘out’ with the knees will usually open enough space to dip and pop back up.

The Ascent

After the final dip, it’s time to explode and power through the toughest

part

of

the

squat.

Weight should remain mostly on the rear part of the foot. If you were watching a squat from the

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side, it should look like it is being performed in a smith machine. The bar should have a nearly perfect vertical path on the ascent as well as the descent.


By far the biggest mistake I see is elbow position. The success of a heavy squat is surprisingly determined by what the upper body does. It is simply a matter of leverages, technique, and positioning. It is a very natural reaction of overcoming load to squeeze your traps and back. When you do this in a squat, it causes the elbows to shoot backwards. When the elbows shoot backwards, it will cave your upper body, allow your hips to shoot up, and force you to finish the squat with an ugly good morning. Focus on squeezing your elbows forward and underneath the bar throughout the squat, but it is most important when firing out of the hole. Forcing the elbows forward will keep your body more upright and allow the hips to rise at the same rate as the bar.



Another common mistake is failing to focus on pushing your knees out when coming out of the hole. Simply pushing the knees out will cause the glutes to fire and help push past most sticking points. Remember to keep the elbows under the bar through this process.

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Low Bar vs. High Bar

A common issue that arises when discussing the back squat is the placement of the bar. There are two very distinct styles of squatting, high bar and low bar. There are gradations in between but for generalization sake, we will talk solely about the high bar and low bar. It is my belief that if the primary goal is to move the most weight possible, then a low bar position is the way to go. If athletic performance is the main goal, a high bar will develop more explosiveness in common athletic planes of performance. Both of these are suggested guidelines and like most things in lifting, you will find world-class lifters succeeding doing lifts very differently. Low Bar: Most low bar squatters (myself included) carry the bar on a shelf created by the rear delts. This usually requires somewhat of a forward lean to create a friction angle for the bar to rest. It is usually harder to achieve proper depth with the low bar but its prime movers are the largest muscle groups in the body composed mostly of the posterior chain (glutes, spinal erectors, hamstrings). Less quad emphasis will be used for a low bar back squat. In performing a low bar squat try to keep the shins as vertical as possible by forcing the knees out. This may require somewhat of a lean. For this reason good mornings are the assistance exercise of choice for low bar back squatters. High Bar: The high bar position is achieved by placing the bar on the traps or extreme upper shoulders. The torso stays much more vertical and upright during the high bar squat and there is more forward knee travel. There is much more emphasis on the quads during the execution of the high bar squat. The top assistance exercise for a high bar squat is the front squat.

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BENCH PRESS The bench press is the favorite pastime of all gym go’ers, in America it least. For some reason Monday is the universal bench day in most every commercial gym. Whether you are a football player, basketball player, powerlifter, or violinist you will be asked at some point in your life “how much do you bench, bro?” So why not learn to make it huge!

Setup – The first part of

the setup is getting your body positioned and coiled on the bench. A flat back is not ideal. For powerlifters an arch is desirable and for athletes

it

should

be

somewhere in between. The majority of the weight should be on the upper back and traps. Really dig in and sink into the bench to create your upper body anchor. The feet should be placed somewhere comfortable that feels powerful and allows you to create tremendous leg drive. Even though it is considered an upper body lift, by learning to use your whole body I assure you that your bench will increase dramatically. Even though the butt needs to remain in contact with the bench, 99% of your weight should be distributed between where your traps/upper back are dug into the bench pad and your feet on the ground. Weight should not be on the butt, it just needs to be in contact. Grip width is another thing that can vary wildly. For athletes a natural 28 GORILLA WARFARE

“push up position” grip should be used. The forearms should be roughly perpendicular to the ground when the bar is on the chest. For lifters trying to press the most weight, a wider grip is desired as it reduces the range of motion (ROM). A wider grip has more pec involvement and a narrow grip will be more reliant on the triceps. You will see the full spectrum of grip width among great bench pressers.


Don’t set up loosely on the bench. Getting setup properly should almost be exhausting in itself. Trying to get your body extremely tight and anchored down will take effort.



Don’t forget to squeeze squeeze the bar. By gripping the bar as tightly as you possibly can small pressing muscles will be activated that may otherwise not be used. You will surprise yourself how much lighter weight feels when you are squeezing the life out of the bar.

Descent

Simply put, bring the bar to your chest. Elbows should be neither flared out to 90 degrees, nor tucked hard by the body, but around 45 degrees away from your body. Too much flare and it will put excess stress on your shoulders, too much 29 GORILLA WARFARE

tuck and you will have reduced power. Everybody is different with their “sweet spot” and where they need to touch. Experiment around and find where you are strongest. A great way to do this is long pauses on the chest or pin presses. Your body will naturally find its most comfortable position when the bar is on the chest. There are also multiple ways of touching. Some lifters gently touch their chest, others sink it in. Sinking the bar in is more likely to lead to injury in my opinion, but the risk is acceptable if it increases your max.


The bar should not come crashing down but also not inch down at a snail’s pace. A steady, controlled descent is best. Never lose absolute control of the bar.



Do not release your air at any time during the descent (or until you get through your sticking point during the ascent). Big air will allow your chest to expand, shortening the ROM. In particular, make sure you do not let out a gasp of air the minute you begin the press.

Ascent

Once you have paused the bar on your chest, explode up. As in the squat, think about coiling everything like a spring and when it comes time to press explode violently but

30 GORILLA WARFARE

under control. Make sure you have very good leg drive and feel the weight on your feet and upper back. Drive the bar up with your entire body. Think about driving your feet away from you. This will make it feel more like a decline press which nearly everyone is stronger at.


Just because the weight gets heavy, don’t get out of your groove. Changing your technique or the sweet spot where the bar touches your chest is an invitation to injury. Practice and “grease” your perfect groove. Committing to and never abandoning that greased groove will ingrain it in muscle memory.



Don’t quit pressing until pressing until you are locked out. The entire time you are pressing, it should be with everything you have. Once you think you are through the sticking point, don’t don’t just coast through.

Locking out 839 lb. to secure 1st place at the 2014 USAPL Bench Press Nationals

31 GORILLA WARFARE

DEADLIFT The deadlift is the final piece in the triathlon of a powerlifting event. Some say “the meet doesn’t start until the bar hits the floor” floor” although I like to think “meet is over after squats!” Unlike the other two movements, there is no eccentric (lowering) phase of the lift which makes it different in many ways. There are also two very distinct styles of deadlifting – deadlifting – sumo sumo and conventional. A sumo pull is when feet are wider than the grip, and conventional is the opposite. Both are good tools but athletes would be best suited by the conventional deadlift.

Setup

Just like the squat and bench press, the setup has a lot of implications for the rest of the lift. First set your grip. A narrower grip will reduce the ROM, but may bind you up during the lockout. A wider grip is usually easier to lockout, but tougher off the floor. Grip the bar very firmly. It is not a row, so keep your arms straight and fully locked out; they are simply a hook to grab the bar. The arms should do no pulling during the deadlift. Once the grip is set, pull your hips down into a good 32 GORILLA WARFARE

starting position. Back should be neutral (arched to slightly flat), shoulder blades back, head neutral, and weight on the heels. Right before you begin the pull if you were to let go of the bar you should go flying backwards.


Don’t rush rush the set up. You should not compromise your ideal grip or starting position in order to yank the bar off the ground faster.



Don’t put too too much weight forward. The deadlift will turn ugly quickly if you have a lot of weight on the toes. You should almost fall backwards. You are leveraging your bodyweight against the bar.

Ascent

Once you are setup into a tight position and are ready to pop like a jack-inthe-box, begin the lift by pulling all the slack out of your body and the bar. Initiate the lift by using as much leg drive as possible. Try to fight the urge to let your hips rise and turn it into a stiff

33 GORILLA WARFARE

legged deadlift. Drive the bar off the ground with your legs. Once the bar is above your knees, fire your glutes, drive your hips through, and finish the lift. Common Mistakes: 

There is not enough leg drive. Don’t let the hips shoot up and cause your back to round. Some pullers are successful like this, but try to drive the bar off the floor with your legs and keep your upper body in a similar position to that with which you started.



Don’t forget to t o fire your hips! Most of us live in a world where we sit all day. As a result, our glutes are underdeveloped and rarely used as intended. Find exercises and warm ups that wake your glutes up because you will need to use them properly to finish the lift.

Sumo vs. Conventional – There

are

two

different

styles

of

deadlifting. They are the sumo pull where hands are narrower than feet, and the conventional deadlift where hands are wider than the feet. For translation into athletic

performance

conventional preferred.

For

deadlift

the is

powerlifters,

Locking out 766 lb. in Perth, Australia in 2015 to secure the IPF World Record Raw Total of 2,210 lb.

there is not a significantly larger population that pulls one way or the other. Each has t heir pros and cons. Generally, 34 GORILLA WARFARE

a lifter who is stronger and more comfortable with a high bar squat and upright torso will pull better conventional and a lifter who squats using more of the posterior chain will be better off with a sumo deadlift. There are always exceptions and a lifter’s individual leverages can play a role in what they will prefer. A sumo deadlift is slightly harder to learn and if adequate hip mobility isn’t present, sumo likely won’t be a great choice. I am a firm believer that for a powerlifter, both sumo sumo and conventional should be performed in training. Sumo is often considered to be a more technical lift and timing of each part of the lift must be perfected to maximize the poundage.

35 GORILLA WARFARE

THE GORILLA WARFARE SYSTEM Simply stated, the Gorilla Warfare System is a combination of: 

Simplistic, old school, linear periodization;



Higher frequency; and



Weekly high intensity priority.

This approach enables the lifter to perfect technique with heavier weights and keep the central nervous system (CNS) primed.

NUTRITION I am not a nutritionist, dietician, or doctor and don’t claim to have a n academic background in nutrition. With that being said, I took myself from a 6’ 1”, 145 pound high school freshman to a 6’ 3” 370 pound World Champion powerlifter while being drug free. For an athlete there are guidelines that will make anyone better and they are easy to follow. 1. Eat as much “real” real” food as you can. This is unprocessed stuff. Things with one, and only one, ingredient. The fewer ingredients, the better. 2. Ideally, protein sources should be limited to the following: lean meat, eggs, and protein powder. 3. Carbohydrate sources should consist primarily of the following: potatoes, yams, rice, and oatmeal. 4. Ideally, fat sources should be limited to the following: Omegas, Olive Oil, nuts, avocados, and natural peanut butter.

36 GORILLA WARFARE

5. Figure out your metabolic rate and how many calories you need per day. Spread that out evenly over 6-7 meals. 6. An easy way to naturally increase your muscle building hormones and improve body composition is to not have carbs until lunch time. Or take it a step further and push it back to your first meal after lunch. 7. If you are looking to gain weight, mix a 16 ounce shake of 50% whey protein, 50% casein protein, and milk. Put it in your fridge, drink it in the middle of the night. 8. Get a good blender, learn to make some serious shakes. Chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, egg whites, spinach, kale, ground oatmeal are the most efficient, nutritious things you can put in your body. Learn to do it. Thank me later. Seriously.

A daily ritual of mine for the past 5 years has been ‘Chicken Shakes’ consisting of chicken breast, egg whites, spinach, and water

37 GORILLA WARFARE

COMPETING – THE THE DAY OF THE MEET Hundreds of hours of blood, sweat, and tears are put into a meet prep phase. You’ve probably battled through injury, illness, drama, and frustrations all to lead to the day you finally get to step on the platform. Don’t screw up a long successful training cycle right before, or the day of the meet. Make sure you bring everything – mentally – mentally and physically – physically – to to the meet to ensure your best chance of success. Equipment Before you leave, take some time and mentally walk through every lift, from bottom to top making sure you have everything you need to lift. Squat: Shoes, knee sleeves/wraps, singlet, undergarment, belt, squatting t-shirt, wrist wraps. Bench: Shoes, singlet, t-shirt, wrist wraps. Deadlift: Shoes, socks, singlet, belt, baby powder. Miscellaneous: Ammonia, water, chalk, attempt card.

Selecting Openers and Attempts Performing a max, 3 rd attempt type single lift in the gym should never, ever, ever happen during a meet prep cycle. Granted, I have done this before but I learned from it and now know it is a mistake. The risk vs. reward of hitting an all-out max single in the gym has such a high risk with practically no reward – reward – so don’t do it. It’s a lose-lose scenario. There are only three outcomes:

38 GORILLA WARFARE

1. You miss the lift. Now you are screwed for the meet. You Y ou haven’t found what you can hit, but you have found what you can’t hit. You’ve now created a ceiling you know you can’t hit on meet day. You have limited yourself and are going into the meet with negative momentum. 2. You hit the lift, but it’s sloppy. So you hit the lift, but your squat was high, or your butt came off the bench, or you hitched the deadlift a little. Again, like the first scenario, this now creates a ceiling. You grinded up a squat that you cut 2” high. Trust me, you won’t sink it and come up with it in a meet. Don’t be delusional telling yourself that “you will hit it on meet day”. 3. You hit the lift clean. Gym lifts don’t count. Simple as that. So wh at if you hit a big number? Sure it may now give you the confidence on meet day that you can hit it, but but it still doesn’t count. You would be better off hitting more singles at a lighter weight. You won’t gain strength or any physical benefit by hitting a true max close to a meet. With that being said, the proper approach to a meet is starting from the bottom up not the top down. This means only worry about finding an easy, safe, clean opener. Don’t worry about what your goal 3 rd attempt is and work backwards. Find a crisp opener and the rest will fall together on meet day. Here are the rules to find your opener: 1. It needs to be something you can hit for a triple, even on a bad day. This will generally be around 90% of your projected one rep max. Be honest with yourself. This means deep squats, paused bench presses, and dead stop deadlifts. This can also be determined by doing a double and leaving one rep in the tank.

39 GORILLA WARFARE

2. No meet was ever won in the warm up room. Don’t play the max warm up game in there. there. I’ve seen plenty of times when guys go way too heavy in the warm up room, even hitting their opener or more, trying to psyche out their opponent. Have your warm up weights and timing written down before you even leave for the meet. Do not change them for anything except unforeseen meet conditions. 3. OPEN LIGHT! Simple. Simple. It’s not a competition to see who starts with the most. It’s about who ends with the most. Selecting 2 nd and 3rd attempts is a bit more of a game day situation

than

choosing

openers. 2nd attempts are like openers in that you should rarely miss them. It should still be easy enough that you know you will be able to lift the weight. The 2nd attempt can also be adjusted based on what your competition is doing. If your nearest competitor misses their opener,

consider

a

more

conservative 2 nd attempt to pad your lead. If the opener feels better than usual, you can be a bit more aggressive. The 3 rd 40 GORILLA WARFARE

attempt is always the most strategic attempt. If you have a close competitor, beating them should be the main goal. If not, this is where you take a chance and try to hit a PR. In a perfect world with no outside influences the day of competition, attempts would look like this: 1 st: 90% - 91% - 2 nd: 95% - 96% - 3 rd: 100% - 101%.

Meet Card One of my favorite sayings is “Failing to prepare, is preparing to fail.” Learning to put together a Meet Card for the day of competition is crucial to success. This will be an extremely handy and helpful tool for you and your handler. The meet card serves a few purposes: Timing your warm ups, picking your attempts, noting any current records you are chasing, rack heights, Wilks calculations, and KilogramPound conversions. Below is the meet card I used on the day I broke the IPF Raw Total World Record in Perth, Australia

41 GORILLA WARFARE

.

42 GORILLA WARFARE

WHAT YOU NEED IN YOUR GYM TO GET STRONGER Lifters are often looking around for the fanciest, newest equipment or gimmick to get stronger. Many ‘lifter friendly’ pieces of equipment have been developed over the years but nothing, and I mean nothing, can beat a barbell. The barbell is one of the most underappreciated tools in the world. There is nothing better for strength and athletic development than heavy, compound movements while holding a barbell. Every important plane of motion and joint range can be significantly strengthened by barbell movements. A simple power rack, barbell, and healthy supply of plates are all a person needs to achieve phenomenal success. Over my athletic and lifting career, I can say with certainty that the more time and more percentage of training time spent with a barbell increased my strength more than anything else. I used to just hit my compound movement (heavy, multi-joint lift such as squat, bench press, deadlift, power clean), then move onto machines for accessory work. A typical squat day may have looked like: Squat, Leg Press, Glute Ham Raise (GHR), Reverse Hyper, Calves. When I started simply doing more and more squats and staying with the barbell, my strength and efficiency greatly increased. The best thing you can do for the main powerlifts are to perform squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and very close variations of each.

43 GORILLA WARFARE

95% of my time spent training t raining is in this room with nothing but a rack, barbell, and plates

With that being said, other tools in the gym certainly have their place. I find that auxiliary equipment is best used for training while injured. Certain specialized equipment can allow you to work lifts similar to the competition movements. By removing certain variables utilizing other equipment you can find something that allows you to practice the movement with reduced pain. An example would be when I tore my hip labrum and was unable to perform raw r aw squats. I experimented with different bars, squat styles, and equipment until I figured out a recipe that could maintain my strength without performing raw squats and aggravating my injury. I found that even though I could not perform raw squats in my style, I could still do front squats, belt squats, GHR, Reverse Hyper, and squats in supportive squat briefs with very limited pain. Working these different movements allowed me to train around my injury while not losing very much strength until I could return to training raw squats. This is just one example of how auxiliary equipment can be used to work around an injury.

44 GORILLA WARFARE

Another note on assistance work and using machines is that the more novice the athlete is, the easier it is for them to gain strength in the competition movements by training with less specific movements. If you take an athlete who has never performed a squat before, their squat would see great improvement by performing nothing but good mornings and leg extensions. Conversely, if you took an elite powerlifter and had them perform exclusively the same movements, their squat would go down. In summary, a novice athlete will see strength gains from much less specific programming and by the use of non-specific machines and equipment. The more advanced a lifter is, the more specific their exercises and programming needs to be. Many of the strongest, most physically freaky athletes in the world are football players. Their priority is being a football player and athlete. Becoming stronger and faster in the weight room is secondary. But even with strength training being secondary for them, these are some of the strongest men in the w orld. If you take a look at a college or NFL training facility, what will stand out the most is the huge number of power racks and platforms stretching as far as the eye can see. Other equipment and machines are used, but only as a very small fraction of the total work put in. These athletes are built in the racks and on the platforms using squats, bench presses, deadlifts, overhead presses, and cleans. Just like world class powerlifters in Russia, Ukraine, and Norway, they spend their time with practically nothing but a rack, bar, and platform. Looking at NFL players and the strongest powerlifters in the world, the common denominator in their strength regime is the simplistic use of this basic equipment. Below is my list of the most important items needed for a well-equipped gym. Even if you stopped reading after #4, you would still have all you need to become a world class strength athlete. 45 GORILLA WARFARE

1. Barbell: The pinnacle of all things strength 2. Weights: Because all barbells need friends 3. Rack: Something that can accommodate squats and bench presses with adjustable safety pins 4. Platform: For deadlifts and Olympic movements and a general place to drop stuff 5. Bench: Adjustable is ideal to do incline and an d overhead presses 6. Specialty bar: Safety, cambered, Swiss, and other specialty bars are great for very specific purposes such as working around injuries 7. Blocks: Variable heights for deadlifts 8. Bands/chains: Accommodating resistance is still great, folks 9. Dumbbells: A wide range of weights good for light rehab/prehab and heavy work 10.Reverse 10.Reverse Hyper/GHR: Not as good as good mornings, but still a great tool, especially for rehab

46 GORILLA WARFARE

THINGS I WISH I KNEW WHEN I STARTED Before you read this section make up your mind that you are going to listen. If not, just skip it. There are many articles in

the

strength

and

conditioning world about this topic and all elite athletes seem to sing the same tune. We have all been through similar experiences and wish we could tell our younger selves what to do differently. The problem is that our younger selves probably wouldn’t listen and that is still the issue when trying to help novice athletes. So I command

you to

listen! These lessons are not ground

breaking. Most people know roughly the right things to be doing – – but actually doing them and being consistent about them is what is lacking. Outlined below are the things I would have absolutely hammered home to myself when first starting out strength training. 1. Emphasize Technique Over Weight: This is a perfect example of something that pretty much everybody knows, and knows to be sound advice, but is so infrequently followed. There is never a good reason to add more weight on 47 GORILLA WARFARE

the bar if form and technique are sloppy. It is a hard thing to do, especially for younger athletes in high school or anyone lifting in a highly competitive environment. It’s a natural instinct to sacrifice form in order to lift more weight. But if an athlete is truly focused on the big picture, then honing technique and proper form are far more important than the weight being lifted. If the strongest person in a group has terrible form, chances are they will get injured and suffer major setbacks. But if a weaker athlete practices perfect form and stays with weights they can handle without sacrificing form, this athlete will eventually become the strongest lifter merely by persistence and making gradual, consistent gains while staying healthy.

2. Be Patient: To reach the top in any sport, particularly powerlifting and strength sports, it is truly a marathon and not a sprint. There are no shortcuts to the top and it takes time and consistent effort over many years. Powerlifting is a unique sport in that the top lifters in the world make themselves easily accessible to beginners. Often times the beginners focus on what the top lifters are doing right now trying to emulate that. It is almost certain that the top lifters in the world did something different to get where they are at, than what they are currently doing. d oing. Often the current success is the only thing being observed and not the years of struggle, injury, and learning that went into getting to the top. This would be like taking someone who is just learning how to play basketball, and teaching them fancy through the leg dribbles and trick passing without teaching them the basics of a jump shot first. One of the most frustrating things I see with novice and

48 GORILLA WARFARE

intermediate lifters is blaming lack of progress on a ‘plateau’ when not knowing what it truly is. Because the human body is exceptionally efficient at responding to stress and especially resistance training, gains come very easy to beginners. The longer an athlete has been training, the harder it is to continue making both hypertrophy and strength gains. Often what is called a plateau is not really a plateau. So many times a lifter thinks they have hit a plateau and needs to switch programs or ‘confuse the muscle’. It’s tough love but sometimes it really just takes time and persistence to get what you want. There is a problem in in today’s world with the need for instant gratification. If an athlete didn’t put 15 pounds on their bench press this month like they did last month, they think they have hit a plateau and something is wrong. There have been phases in my training where I have been healthy, getting rest and nutrition, and ecstatic to put 10 pounds on my bench press in a year. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you wouldn’t create an impressive wood carving with a few swings of a chisel and hammer – it – it takes countless hours of fine tuning to make a finished product with a very small tool. Sometimes you are healthy, getting plenty of sleep, eating great, training with great technique, have your programming on point, and the ONLY thing that will get you stronger is months and years of consistency and grinding.

3. Listen: Much of the best lifting advice I have received has been from people weaker than me. There are a lot of exceptionally smart people out there who may not be as strong as you, but have been through a situation in their lifting career that is similar to what you are struggling with. It could be a technique

49 GORILLA WARFARE

issue, programming issue, or gear issue. Don’t automatically discredit another lifter’ lifter’s advice simply because they are not as strong as you. Listen to everything that everyone has to say, filter through the nonsense, and pick out the things you think can be useful and try them out. Even a beginner b eginner may have figured something out or looked at something from a different perspective than you ever thought to.

4. Save the Ego: There is a huge selection of exercises

out

there

that provide very little return

in

getting

stronger but stroke the ego immensely. Being

a

novice

intermediate

or

lifter

makes you especially susceptible

to

because exercises

this these

generally

allow you to move more weight than you can

do

in

your

competition movements. The risk 50 GORILLA WARFARE

of injury is tremendously high and the reward of improving competition lifts is abysmally low. A good rule of thumb is that if you are moving more weight in an accessory lift than you do in your competition lift because you can cheat the form more, don’t do it. Some of the main lifts that come to mind are: performing cheat shrugs with more than you deadlift, performing hip thrusters with more than you deadlift, and deadlifting with straps if your grip is a weak point.

5. Find a Role Model: If you want to have a healthy, successful strength career it is important to find people to look up to and make sure those people exemplify traits that you can follow to make yourself better. Find a role model who trains smart, consistently, and has shown improvement from year to year. Find somebody who understands training, technique, rest, recovery, and how to overcome setbacks and keep getting after it. Hopefully you can reach out to this person and pick their brain, get their advice, and learn from them. Brad Gillingham has been my primary role model as a competitor because he has been competing as long as I have been alive and, even as a masters lifter, is able to compete at IPF Open Worlds. Brad is also a taller lifter so I’m able to watch, learn, and emulate some of his techniques. He has deadlifted 800 pounds or more over 100 times in competition which is one of the most impressive accomplishments accomplishments I have ever heard of. Another great lifter who is still in the younger generation to look up to, learn from, and follow would be Mike Tuchscherer. Many lifters starting out choose role models based on notoriety and tend to gravitate towards the internet heroes. These lifters are usually just a flash in the pan. Typically they are 51 GORILLA WARFARE

genetic freaks who put up some huge numbers with sloppy technique and have not studied and practiced the iron game for years. Throwing up some impressive YouTube lifts that wouldn’t pass in competition seems to get the followers and fans, but to truly be a great lifter, follow the athletes with track records of success in international competitions.

INJURIES Play around in this iron game long enough and I promise your body will get mashed up. Between college athletics and powerlifting, I have had a number of significant injuries: 

Left and right knee menisci torn



Left

and

right

hip

Winning the gold at the 2012 IPF Raw World Championships. I tore my first hip labrum on my 2nd squat attempt at this meet

labrums torn 

Left and right shoulder labrums torn



Partially torn patella tendon



Numerous herniated/ruptured discs

I have been fortunate that I have not suffered a serious muscle tear, so I do not have advice on how to work around that. As can be seen from my injury history I have a tendency to tear the cartilage in my body. I’m not sure if this is genetic or

52 GORILLA WARFARE

just from years of pushing my body through college football and heavy powerlifting. The most serious injuries I have suffered have been my ruptured L5-S1 disc and torn right hip labrum. I still fight both to this day and I’m sure I will as long as I lift. I am a firm believer that the #1 opponent of an experienced lifter is injuries. If you can stay healthy so that you are able to train consistently, you can continue to get stronger. The biggest obstacle in continuous improvement as a lifer is having injuries set your training back weeks, even months. I will lay out some guidelines that I follow now to work around injuries. I have had a serious injury in every major joint and going through the school of hard knocks is the best way to learn how to get healthy and, if possible, train around the injury. 

Do What You Can: Isolate the Range of Motion (ROM) that hurts, and work every inch around it. A small fraction of injuries are so debilitating that you have pain through 100% of the (ROM) or a similar ROM. Practically every injury leaves parts of the ROM pain free. Be creative and find these ranges and continue to train them hard. Using the safety pins in the power cage, you can set up any movement to isolate a very specific ROM. If the middle 1/3 of the squat hurts your hip due to a torn labrum, perform high pin squats hitting the top 1/3 of the lift then perform bottoms up squats stopping just short of the pain zone. I believe over 75% of strength can be retained doing this during the recovery from a serious injury.



Don’t Push It: Few things are worse than seeing the light at the end of a tunnel coming back from an injury and pushing things too soon and sending yourself backwards. backwards. It’s hard not to get overzealous and excited when you feel the strength coming back. But until you are 100% healthy through a full

53 GORILLA WARFARE

ROM, you should not even come close to pushing a maximal effort lift. Get full ROM back, become pain free, and return to appreciable strength. 

Get

Full

ROM

Back: Before you can return to full strength,

you

have to get your full ROM back and be pain free in that ROM. This doesn’t mean to force it through

Coming back from injuries and squatting 904 lbs. in knee sleeves at the 2015 IPF Raw World Championships in Salo, Finland with 2 torn hip labrums, 2 torn knee menisci, and 2 herniated discs

pain. But it will take a different kind of effort to stay on top of rehab and stretching to gain the full ROM back. 

Know The Difference: There is a difference between being hurt and being injured. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and work though something that hurts but is not a serious injury. Lifting heavy stuff will take a toll and sometimes it just takes digging deep and putting the pain out of your mind to push through. But there are also injuries where pushing through the pain will only make things worse. Learn to be able to tell the difference between something that is hurt and something that is injured and consult a doctor if needed.

54 GORILLA WARFARE

55 GORILLA WARFARE

THE PROGRAMS In order to understand the programs and principles, some basic terminology needs to be understood. You can read more in depth for hours online or in books about these topics, but in order to follow the programs the following understanding of the terms is all that is needed. General Movement: For the purpose of this application, the General Movement

pattern is simply Squat, Bench, and Deadlift. This does not mean a specific movement pattern, just overall a ‘squat’, ‘bench’, or ‘deadlift’ type movement. Specific Movement: This is where the specific exercise is described. If the General

Movement is a Squat, the specific movement may be a ‘Competition Raw Squat’ or ‘3 Second Pause High Bar Squat’. Priority: For the application of these programs, there are three priorities. Priority

#1, Priority #2, and Priority #3. The lower the priority (the higher the number), the lesser the degree of specificity. Generally, a Priority #2 Specific Movement will have one degree of variance from the Competition Specific Movement and a Priority #3 will have two or more degrees of variance. For example, if a Raw Bench Press is the Competition Specific Movement, a Priority #2 Specific Movement may be Close Grip Bench Press and Priority #3 Specific Movement may be Close Grip Incline Bench. Wildcard: What some describe as ‘assistance’ or ‘accessory’ work I call Wildcard

movements. These are exercises that have a high degree of variance to the competition movement like pulldowns, direct tricep or bicep work, abs, etc. I call

56 GORILLA WARFARE

them Wildcard because they are generally selected during the training session, require less specific programming, and occur at the end of a session. Volume: Traditionally, volume is calculated as the Weight X Reps for each set. The

more reps and the more sets you perform at a given weight leads to more volume. Volume is one major measure of the character of a program. I believe in starting off a training cycle with high volume and tapering as a competition approaches. Intensity: This refers to how close the difficulty is to failure. Nearing failure is a high

intensity rep, an easy rep is low intensity. Intensity can also be measured as a percentage of a one rep max. Higher percentage = higher intensity. Generally speaking, 90% or above is high intensity for powerlifting. 80% - 90% is moderate intensity. Below 80% is low intensity. I believe in starting off a training cycle at the lower end of moderate intensity and nearing competition at a h igher intensity. Tank Reps: This is how many more reps you could have performed before you reach

failure. If you performed 3 reps, and could have done 2 and only 2 more, there were 2 tank reps. If you are uncertain if you could have maybe done 2 more, maybe 3 more, it is appropriate to use 2.5, or half rep denominations. This is a critical component to the programs and you must be realistic in determining tank reps. Percentage: There is a very direct relationship between Reps, Tank Reps, and

Intensity (%). For the ease of understanding programming in this book, both Tank Reps and % are given for each exercise – exercise – however however they mean the exact same thing. According to the Rep/% chart, a given number of reps directly correlate to an exact percentage of the one rep max (1RM). To get the equivalent of these reps according to the program loading, Prescribed Reps + Tank Reps = Chart Reps. If the program calls for X 3 + 2, this means you perform 3 reps with 2 left in the tank (5 total reps). 57 GORILLA WARFARE

If you are not comfortable with using tank reps, r eps, you can simply use the equivalent percentage of the 5 reps = 85.6% for simplicity. Reps)’. So if the Protocol: Protocols are defined as ‘Weight @ Sets X (Reps + Tank Reps)’. lifter performed 225 pounds for 3 sets and 5 reps with 2 reps left in the tank, it is shown as: 225 @ 3 X (5 + 2). Mesocycle: This describes the annual training plan. The mesocycle is often the most

overlooked part of training. People generally don’t think much ahead of their current training cycle. But understanding the big picture is crucial for long term health and consistent improvement. There will be several phases or Macrocycles in the Mesocycle; often an Off-Season phase, In-Season phase, Competition phase, and possibly more. Macrocycle: This is the specific training program at hand. For these purposes it is

the 12 week training program currently being performed. There could be numerous 12 week programs in one Mesocycle. The Macrocycle consist of multiple Microcycles. Microcycle: This is an extremely specific timeframe. It can be as specific as a certain

training session but more often a 3-4 week block that accomplishes a certain objective. It usually takes 3-4 weeks to achieve a certain training effect so there could

be

a

3-4

week

hypertrophy

block,

3-4

week

accommodation/adjustment/transition accommodation/adjustment/transition block, and a 3-4 week peaking block. Exercise Selection: Understanding the General Movement vs. Specific Movements

and Priorities #1 - #3 is crucial to optimizing your results from this program. Below is a table summarizing exercise options. These are not listed in any specific order nor is the list fully comprehensive. Furthermore, the optimal exercise selection for 58 GORILLA WARFARE

me will not be the same as the next person, or the person after them. It is up to you to analyze your training and weak points and be creative in selecting the best exercises that suit your needs.

The beauty of how these definitions are laid out and how they are simply manipulated in a training program to fit my protocols and variations is that they are equally transferrable to you. They allow you to create a highly customized training template for yourself carrying over my same training principles.

Most of these training programs have a higher frequency and volume than the Western strength athlete is used to. It is crucial to put the ego aside and not miss lifts. Training PR’s may not come on a weekly basis but it needs to be understood the PR’s that matter occur on the platform – and – and that is the goal of these templates. Training hard and properly resting before competition is the key to success.

59 GORILLA WARFARE

REP – INTENSITY INTENSITY LOADING TABLE REP X INTENSITY LOADING TABLE REPS

PERCENT

10 9.5

74.4% 75.5%

9

76.5%

8.5

77.6%

8 7.5 7 6.5 6 5.5 5 4.5

78.6% 79.7% 80.7% 81.9% 83.1% 84.4% 85.6% 86.9%

4 3.5

88.1% 89.4%

3 2.5

90.6% 92.5%

2 1.5

94.3% 97.2%

1

100.0%

60 GORILLA WARFARE

EXERCISE SELECTION TABLES SQUAT Priority #1

Priority #2

Priority #3

Wildcard

C ompetition Squat

Ra w Equipped

Olympic Squat Goo d Mo rning

Abs GHR

Stance Width

Stance/Bar

Reverse Hyper

Bar Positio n

Pins/Bar

Lunges

Spec ialty Bar Pins Box +/- Bands Chains Raised/Flat Heel Pause Lengths Pause Points

Box/Bands Bo x/C hains Pause/Bands Pause/C hains

Face Pulls Latt Pulldowns Zercher Squat

Sumner Squat Wraps Suit BENCH Priority #1

Priority #2

Priority #3

Wildcard

Co mpetitio n Bench

Ra w Equipped

Width/Bands Width/C hains

Any Tricep Any Bicep

Grip Width

Width/Pause

Any Sho ulders

Spec ialty Bar

Width/Pins

Latt Pulldowns

Pins Bo ards Towel +/- Bands C hains Pause Lengths Pause Points Spoto Bench

Boards/Bands Bo ards/C hains DB Presses Width/I ncline Width/Dec line

T- Bar Ro ws

Soft Equipment Incline Decline DEADLIFT Priority #1

Priority #2

Priority #3

Wildcard

Co mpetition Deadlif t

Ra w Equipped

Stance/Blo cks Stance/Deficit

Abs GHR

Sumo

Stance/Snatch Grip

Reverse Hyper

Co nventio nal

Stance/Bands

Face Pulls

Elevated Def icit +/- Bands Chains Pause Lengths Pause Points Straps Snatch Grip

Barbell Rows

Latt Pulldowns Shrugs Zercher Deadlif t

61 GORILLA WARFARE

THE VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM This is the program that has been my bread and butter for years. It can be used for raw, equipped, or a combination of both. However, this program is my absolute goto for preparing for a raw meet. It is simple, easy to understand, and extremely challenging while. You will be rewarded with immense strength improvement and technical efficiency. This is always the first program I use with new clients and training partners. It is my tried and true raw strength machine. When I first began trialing programs on myself in 2004, there seemed to be a multitude of philosophies. I quickly learned that I loved linear progression which is what most of the original great American strength athletes used. As my strength career progressed, I realized the value in training with a higher frequency, especially for a powerlifter whose goal it is to become very good at three lifts. Lifting with a higher frequency (and proper form) develops muscle memory and an efficient neural firing adaptation. What came of trying to combine a linear progression program with a European higher frequency philosophy was the birth of my Vanilla Gorilla program. Bulleted summary of the Vanilla Gorilla Program: -

12 Weeks

-

4X/Week training

-

3X Squat, 4X Bench, 3X Deadlift each week

-

Priority #1 is all 3 sets X 1 rep

-

Priority #2 is linear progression with 5 Sets progressing from 5 r eps to 2 reps

-

Priority #3 is linear progression with 3 Sets progressing from 10 reps to 3 reps

-

Small deload every 4 th week 62 GORILLA WARFARE

-

Macrocycle: Competition Phase

-

Mesocycle: Competition Competition in 12 Weeks

-

Microcycles: o

4 Weeks of Hypertrophy and Volume Acclimation

o

4 Weeks of a small Volume Volume Taper and Intensity Intensity Transition

o

4 Weeks of a large Volume Taper, Intensity Ramp, and Competition Taper

-

As a powerlifter it is CRUCIAL to practice the competition specific movements with heavy weight, exactly as you would in competition. Because of this, the first three sessions of every week begin with three singles in a competition specific movement.

-

Never go to failure. Even though singles are being performed, the heaviest weight handled in training is 3 X 1 + 1 which is equivalent to a second attempt in a meet.

-

If you recall from the ‘Picking Attempts’ section earlier in the book, an opener is something you can do for 3 reps (90%-ish), a second attempt is something you can do for 2 reps (95%-ish), and a third attempt is a max effort lift of 100%. So 1 X 1 + 2 should be the equivalent of an opener – something – something you just did for one rep but b ut could have done 2 more times. 1 X 1 + 1 should be equivalent to a second attempt – something – something you did for one rep and could have done one more.

-

Openers are to be hit approximately one week out from the competition.

-

Last warm ups are to be hit early during the week of the competition.

63 GORILLA WARFARE

-

The combination of the volume taper in the final 3 weeks and the rest during Week 12 give an incredible supercompensation response after a challenging training cycle that will make you feel like the great primate on the platform!

64 GORILLA WARFARE

THE VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM PROGRAM - GENERAL MOVEME NTS (WEEK 1 - 4) INF O T A U Q S

H C N E B

1 Y A D T IFL D A E D D R A C DL I W

H C N E B TF IL D A E D

2 Y A D T A U QS D R A C LDI W

TF LI D A E D T A U QS

3 Y A D H C N E B D R A C DL I W

H C N E B

4 H

A E

C

Y N

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

B

Week

1

2

3

4

Movement Sets Reps Tank Reps Recommended %

SQUAT #1 3 1 4 86 %

SQUA T #1 3 1 3.5 87%

SQUAT #1 3 1 3 88%

SQUAT #1 3 1 4 86 %


BENCH #2 5 5 3 79 %

B EN C H # 2 5 5 3 79%

BENCH #2 5 5 3 79%

B EN C H # 2 5 5 3 79 %


DEADLIFT #3 3 10 3 68 %

DEA DLIFT #3 3 10 2 70%

DEADLIFT #3 3 8 3 72%

DEADLIFT #3 3 8 2 74 %


2X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %

2X WILDCA RD 5 15 2 60%

2X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60%

2X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %

Movement Sets Reps T an an k Re s Recommended %

BENCH #1 3 1 4 86 %

B EN C H # 1 3 1 3.5 87%

BENCH #1 3 1 3 88%

B EN C H # 1 3 1 4 86 %


DEADLIFT #2 5 5 3 79 %

DEA DLIFT #2 5 5 3 79%

DEADLIFT #2 5 5 3 79%

DEADLIFT #2 5 5 3 79 %


SQUAT #3 3 10 3 68 %

SQUA T #3 3 10 2 70%

SQUAT #3 3 8 3 72%

SQUAT #3 3 8 2 74 %


2X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %

2X WILDCA RD 5 15 2 60%


2X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %

Movement Sets Re s Tank Reps Recommended %

DEADLIFT #1 3 1 4 86 %

DEA DLIFT #1 3 1 3.5 87%

DEADLIFT #1 3 1 3 88%

DEADLIFT #1 3 1 4 86 %


SQUAT #2 5 5 3 79 %

SQUA T #2 5 5 3 79%

SQUAT #2 5 5 3 79%

SQUAT #2 5 5 3 79 %


BENCH #3 3 10 3 68 %

B EN C H # 3 3 10 2 70%

BENCH #3 3 8 3 72%

B EN C H # 3 3 8 2 74 %


2X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %

2X WILDCA RD 5 15 2 60%


2X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %


BENCH #2 5 5 3 79 %

B EN C H # 2 5 5 3 79%

BENCH #2 5 5 3 79%

B EN C H # 2 5 5 3 79 %


BENCH #3 3 10 3 68 %

B EN C H # 3 3 10 2 70%

BENCH #3 3 8 3 72%

B EN C H # 3 3 8 2 74 %


3X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %

3X WILDCA RD 5 15 2 60%


3X WILDCARD 5 15 2 60 %

65 GORILLA WARFARE

THE VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM PROGRAM - GENERAL MOVEMENTS (WEEK 5 - 8) INF O T A U Q S

H C N E B


H C N E B T FI L D A E D


T IFL D A E D T A U Q S


H C N E B

4 H

A E

C

Y N

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

B

Week

5

6

7

8


SQUA T #1 3 1 3 88%

SQUAT #1 3 1 2.5 89 %

SQUAT #1 3 1 2 91 %

SQUA T #1 3 1 3 88%


BENCH #2 5 3 2 86%

BENCH #2 5 3 2 86 %

B EN C H # 2 5 3 2 86 %

B EN C H # 2 5 3 2 86%


DEADLIFT #3 3 6 3 77%

DEADLIFT #3 3 6 2 79 %

DEADLIFT #3 3 5 3 79 %

DEA DLIFT #3 3 5 2 81%


2X WILDCA RD 5 12 2 66%

2X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %

2X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %



BENCH #1 3 1 3 88%

BENCH #1 3 1 2.5 89 %

B EN C H # 1 3 1 2 91 %

B EN C H # 1 3 1 3 88%


DEADLIFT #2 5 3 2 86%

DEADLIFT #2 5 3 2 86 %

DEADLIFT #2 5 3 2 86 %

DEA DLIFT #2 5 3 2 86%


SQUA T #3 3 6 3 77%

SQUAT #3 3 6 2 79 %

SQUAT #3 3 5 3 79 %

SQUA T #3 3 5 2 81%


2X WILDCA RD 5 12 2 66%

2X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %

2X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %



DEADLIFT #1 3 1 3 88%

DEADLIFT #1 3 1 2.5 89 %

DEADLIFT #1 3 1 2 91 %

DEA DLIFT #1 3 1 3 88%


SQUA T #2 5 3 2 86%

SQUAT #2 5 3 2 86 %

SQUAT #2 5 3 2 86 %

SQUA T #2 5 3 2 86%


BENCH #3 3 6 3 77%

BENCH #3 3 6 2 79 %

B EN C H # 3 3 5 3 79 %

B EN C H # 3 3 5 2 81%


2X WILDCA RD 5 12 2 66%

2X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %

2X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %



BENCH #2 5 3 2 86%

BENCH #2 5 3 2 86 %

B EN C H # 2 5 3 2 86 %

B EN C H # 2 5 3 2 86%


BENCH #3 3 6 3 77%

BENCH #3 3 6 2 79 %

B EN C H # 3 3 5 3 79 %

B EN C H # 3 3 5 2 81%


3X WILDCA RD 5 12 2 66%

3X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %

3X WILDCARD 5 12 2 66 %


66 GORILLA WARFARE

THE VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM - GENERAL MOVEMENTS (WEEK 9 - 12) INF O T A U Q S

H C N E B



2 Y A D T A U Q S D R A C LDI W

T FI L D A E D T A U QS


H C N E B

4 H

A E

C

Y N

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

B

Week

9

10

11

12


SQUA T #1 3 1 2 91%

SQUAT #1 2 1 1.5 92 %

SQUAT #1 1 1 1 94 %

WARM-UPS SQUAT B EN C H DEA DLIFT


BENCH #2 5 2 1 91%

BENCH #2 4 2 1 91 %

B EN C H # 2 3 2 1 91 %


DEADLIFT #3 3 4 3 81%

DEADLIFT #3 2 4 2 83 %

DEADLIFT #3 1 3 1 88 %


2X WILDCA RD 5 10 2 70%

2X WILDCARD 4 10 2 70 %

2X WILDCARD 3 10 2 70 %


BENCH #1 3 1 2 91%

BENCH #1 2 1 1.5 92 %

B EN C H # 1 1 1 1 94 %


DEADLIFT #2 5 2 1 91%

DEADLIFT #2 4 2 1 91 %

DEADLIFT #2 3 2 1 91 %


SQUA T #3 3 4 3 81%

SQUAT #3 2 4 2 83 %

SQUAT #3 1 3 1 88 %


2X WILDCA RD 5 10 2 70%

2X WILDCARD 4 10 2 70 %

2X WILDCARD 3 10 2 70 %


DEADLIFT #1 3 1 2 91%

DEADLIFT #1 2 1 1.5 92 %

DEADLIFT #1 1 1 1 94 %


SQUA T #2 5 2 1 91%

SQUAT #2 4 2 1 91 %

SQUAT #2 3 2 1 91 %


BENCH #3 3 4 3 81%

BENCH #3 2 4 2 83 %

B EN C H # 3 1 3 1 88 %


2X WILDCA RD 5 10 2 70%

2X WILDCARD 4 10 2 70 %

2X WILDCARD 3 10 2 70 %


BENCH #2 5 2 1 91%

BENCH #2 4 2 1 91 %

O P ENERS SQUA T BENCH DEADLIFT


BENCH #3 3 4 3 81%

BENCH #3 2 4 2 83 %


3X WILDCA RD 5 10 2 70%

3X WILDCARD 4 10 2 70 %

67 GORILLA WARFARE

M E E T D AY ! SQUA T B EN C H DEA DLIFT

THE VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM - SPECIFIC MOVEMENTS (WEEK 1 - 4) INF O T A U Q S

H C N E B






H C N E B

4 H

A E

C

Y N

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

B

Week

1

2

3

4


Ra w SQ 3 1 4 86 %

Raw SQ 3 1 3.5 87%

Raw SQ 3 1 3 88%

Ra w SQ 3 1 4 86 %


1/4 ROM Pin BP 5 5 3 79 %

2/4 ROM Pin BP 5 5 3 79%

3/4 ROM Pin BP 5 5 3 79%

4/4 ROM Pin BP 5 5 3 79 %


+6" SDL 3 10 3 68 %

+4" SDL 3 10 2 70%

+2" SDL 3 8 3 72%

-2" SDL 3 8 2 74 %


Ab s/Back 5 15 2 60 %

A b s/Back 5 15 2 60%

Ab s/ Ba ck 5 15 2 60%

A bs/Back 5 15 2 60 %


Ra w BP 3 1 4 86 %

Raw BP 3 1 3.5 87%

R a w BP 3 1 3 88%

Ra w BP 3 1 4 86 %


+2" Sn a tch Grip DL 5 5 3 79 %

Sn a tch Grip DL 5 5 3 79%

+2" Sn atch Grip DL 5 5 3 79%

Sn atch Grip DL 5 5 3 79 %


GM's 3 10 3 68 %

SSB GM's 3 10 2 70%

GM's 3 8 3 72%

SSB GM's 3 8 2 74 %


Ab s/Back 5 15 2 60 %

A b s/Back 5 15 2 60%

Ab s/ Ba ck 5 15 2 60%

A bs/Back 5 15 2 60 %


Raw DL 3 1 4 86 %

Ra w DL 3 1 3.5 87%

Raw DL 3 1 3 88%

Raw DL 3 1 4 86 %


Su mner SQ 5 5 3 79 %

3 Sec Pau se SQ 5 5 3 79%

Su mn er SQ 5 5 3 79%


Clo se Grip In clin e 3 10 3 68 %

2 Bo ard + Ban d s 3 10 2 70%

Clo se Grip In clin e 3 8 3 72%

2 Bo a rd + Ban d s 3 8 2 74 %


Ab s/ Po sterio r 5 15 2 60 %

A bs/Po sterio r 5 15 2 60%

Ab s/Po sterio r 5 15 2 60%



So ft Equ ip men t 5 5 3 79 %

So ft Eq u ip men t 5 5 3 79%

Soft Eq u ip men t 5 5 3 79%

So ft Eq u ip men t 5 5 3 79 %


DB In cline 3 10 3 68 %

CG Pin Press 3 10 2 70%

DB In clin e 3 8 3 72%

CG Pin Press 3 8 2 74 %


Bi/ Tri/ Sho u ld er 5 15 2 60 %

Bi/Tri/Sh o u ld er 5 15 2 60%

Bi/T ri/Sh o u ld er 5 15 2 60%

Bi/Tri/Sh o uld er 5 15 2 60 %

68 GORILLA WARFARE

3 Sec Pa u se SQ 5 5 3 79 %


H C N E B






H C N E B

4 H

A E

C

Y N

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

B

Week

5

6

7

8


Ra w SQ 3 1 3 88 %

Raw SQ 3 1 2.5 89%

Raw SQ 3 1 2 91%

Ra w SQ 3 1 3 88 %


1/4 ROM Pin BP 5 3 2 86 %

2/4 ROM Pin BP 5 3 2 86%

3/4 ROM Pin BP 5 3 2 86%

4/4 ROM Pin BP 5 3 2 86 %


+6" SDL 3 6 3 77 %

+4" SDL 3 6 2 79%

+2" SDL 3 5 3 79%

-2" SDL 3 5 2 81 %


Ab s/Back 5 12 2 66 %

A b s/Back 5 12 2 66%

Ab s/ Ba ck 5 12 2 66%

A bs/Back 5 12 2 66 %


Ra w BP 3 1 3 88 %

Raw BP 3 1 2.5 89%

R a w BP 3 1 2 91%

Ra w BP 3 1 3 88 %


+2" Sn a tch Grip DL 5 3 2 86 %





GM's 3 6 3 77 %

SSB GM's 3 6 2 79%

GM's 3 5 3 79%

SSB GM's 3 5 2 81 %


Ab s/Back 5 12 2 66 %

A b s/Back 5 12 2 66%

Ab s/ Ba ck 5 12 2 66%

A bs/Back 5 12 2 66 %


Raw DL 3 1 3 88 %

Ra w DL 3 1 2.5 89%

Raw DL 3 1 2 91%

Raw DL 3 1 3 88 %


Su mner SQ 5 3 2 86 %


Su mn er SQ 5 3 2 86%



2 Bo ard + Ban d s 3 6 2 79%


2 Bo a rd + Ban d s 3 5 2 81 %









Soft Eq u ip men t 5 3 2 86%

So ft Eq u ip men t 5 3 2 86 %


DB In cline 3 6 3 77 %


DB In clin e 3 5 3 79%

CG Pin Press 3 5 2 81 %




Bi/T ri/Sh o u ld er 5 12 2 66%

Bi/Tri/Sh o uld er 5 12 2 66 %

69 GORILLA WARFARE

3 Sec Pa u se SQ 5 3 2 86 %


H C N E B






H C N E B

4 H

A E

C

Y N

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

B

Week

9

10

11


Ra w SQ 3 1 2 91 %

Raw SQ 2 1 1.5 92%

Raw SQ 1 1 1 94%


1/4 ROM Pin BP 5 2 1 91 %

2/4 ROM Pin BP 4 2 1 91%

3/4 ROM Pin BP 3 2 1 91%


+6" SDL 3 4 3 81 %

+4" SDL 2 4 2 83%

+2" SDL 1 3 1 88%


Ab s/Back 5 10 2 70 %

A b s/Back 4 10 2 70%

Ab s/ Ba ck 3 10 2 70%


Ra w BP 3 1 2 91 %

Raw BP 2 1 1.5 92%

R a w BP 1 1 1 94%


+2" Sn a tch Grip DL 5 2 1 91 %




GM's 3 4 3 81 %

SSB GM's 2 4 2 83%

GM's 1 3 1 88%


Ab s/Back 5 10 2 70 %

A b s/Back 4 10 2 70%

Ab s/ Ba ck 3 10 2 70%


Raw DL 3 1 2 91 %

Ra w DL 2 1 1.5 92%

Raw DL 1 1 1 94%


Su mner SQ 5 2 1 91 %




2 Bo ard + Ban d s 2 4 2 83%









O P ENERS SQUAT B EN C H DEADLIFT


DB In cline 3 4 3 81 %





70 GORILLA WARFARE

12

WARM-UPS SQUA T B EN C H DEADLIFT

Su mn er SQ 3 2 1 91%

MEE T D AY! SQUA T B EN C H DEADLIFT

LOADING PARAMETERS THE VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM GENERAL MOVEMENT & PRIORITY VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM DAY 1

Squat

#1

Bench

#2

Deadlift

#3

Wildcard WC

DAY 2

Bench

#1

Deadlift

#2

Squat

#3

Wildcard WC

DAY 3

Deadlift

#1

Squat

#2

Bench

#3

Wildcard WC

DAY 4

Bench

#2

Bench

#3

Wildcard WC

LOADING TABLE VANILLA GORILLA PROGRAM WEEK

Priority #1 Sets

Reps Tank

Priority #2 %

Sets

Reps Tank

Priority #3 %

Sets

Reps Tank

Wildcard %

Sets

Reps Tank

1

3

1

4

86%

5

5

2

81%

3

10

2

70%

5

15

2

2

3

1

3. 5

87%

5

5

2

81%

3

10

2

70%

5

15

2

3

3

1

3

88%

5

5

2

81%

3

8

2

74%

5

15

2

4

3

1

4

86%

5

5

2

81%

3

8

2

74%

5

15

2

5

3 3 3 3 3 2 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

3 2. 5 2 3 2 1. 5 1 3

88% 89% 91% 88% 91% 92% 94% 88%

5 5 5 5 5 4 3 0

3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

86% 86% 86% 86% 88% 88% 88% 91%

3 3 3 3 3 2 1 0

6 6 5 5 4 4 3 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

79% 79% 81% 81% 83% 83% 86% 91%

5 5 5 5 5 4 3 0

12 12 12 12 10 10 10 10

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

71 GORILLA WARFARE

LOADING PARAMETER TABULAR VIEW EXPLAINED On the page above is a different view of Movements, Priorities, Loading Protocol, and graphical view of Volume and Intensity against Weeks. Understanding what is happening on this page is undoubtedly the most ‘meat and potatoes’ part of this book. This data is at the very root of the strength training program. Any possible variable associated with training and programming is captured here. Combining a thorough understanding of the Loading Parameters and the Exercise Selection Table will allow anybody to create an ultra-customized, easily adjustable, and highly scientific training program. It is also of great value to understand the graphical portion and the microcycles and loading patterns. As was discussed earlier, it is important to begin with a high volume load and taper that load as the meet approaches. Intensity should do the opposite and increase as the competition nears. A visual representation of these patterns and cycles is the best way to understand them and observe the magnitude and timing.

72 GORILLA WARFARE

THE GREAT APE PROGRAM The root of this program is specificity, specificity, specificity! This program will have you practicing the competition movements more than you ever have. The beauty of this variation on the Vanilla Gorilla program is the simplicity. Training is 4 times per week and every day is Squat, Bench, Deadlift or very close variations to the competition movements. There are only Priority #1 and Priority #2 movements to make the specificity even higher. There are still elements of linear progression and heavy singles. The singles protocol is the same as the Vanilla Gorilla program but the major variance comes in the Priority #2 movements. Due to the heavier loading and higher specificity, the volume drops slightly. Instead of 5 working sets, there are 3 working sets and reps begin at 5s, then 3s, then 2s. There are no programmed Wildcard movements but it is always encouraged to do abs a few times a week. Extra work is possible if the athlete feels like it but this program is extremely challenging. A major advantage of of this program is the simplicity of the gym it requires. All that is needed is a bar, plates, and a rack. The most confident I have ever felt going into a meet was after a 12 week cycle of the Great Ape. I practiced the lifts so frequently and was so incredibly in touch with where my strength was that my motor patterns could have been performed in my sleep. On the specific program page, I like to use the 4 th day as a ‘speed’ day using Priority #1 lifts against bands. These are meant to be relatively light and you should never come close to grinding a lift here. Bulleted summary of the Great Ape Program:

73 GORILLA WARFARE

-

12 Weeks

-

4X/Week training

-


-


-

Priority #2 is linear progression with 3 sets progressing from 5 reps to 2 reps

-

Small deload every 4 th week

-

Macrocycle: Competition or Off-Season Phase

-

Mesocycle: Competition Competition in 12 Weeks or building work capacity

-

Microcycles: o

4 Weeks of Strength-Power phase (lots of 5s)

o


o

4 Weeks of another small Volume Taper, Intensity Ramp, and Competition Taper

-

As a powerlifter it is CRUCIAL to practice the competition specific movements with heavy weight, exactly as you would in competition. Because of this, the first three sessions of every week begin with three singles in a competition specific movement. The fourth day is also another competition practice with Priority #1 lifts across the board.

-

As with all of the Gorilla programs, never go to failure.

-


-


-

You will likely hit more competition movements during this cycle than you ever have. Therefore you should enter the meet with the utmost confidence.

-

Recommended specific movements are in the table but as with all of the training templates, these can be tailored to the lifter using the loading tables. 74 GORILLA WARFARE

THE GREAT APE PROGRAM - SPECIFIC MOVEMENTS (WEEK 1 - 4) INFO T A U Q S

1 H

A E

C

Y N

D B T FI L D A E D

H C N E B T FI

2 L

Y D

A A

D E D T A U Q S

T IFL D A E D

3 T

A QS

A

Y U

D H C N E B

T A U Q S

4 H

A

N

C

Y E

D

D

E

A

D

L

FI

T

B

Week

1

2

3

4


Raw SQ 3 1 4 86%

Ra w SQ 3 1 3 .5 87%

Ra w SQ 3 1 3 88%

Raw SQ 3 1 4 86%


3/4 ROM Pin BP 3 5 3 79%

3/4 ROM Pin BP 3 5 3 79%

3/4 ROM Pin BP 3 5 3 79%

3/4 ROM Pin BP 3 5 3 79%


+6" Snatch DL 3 5 3 79%

+6" Snatch DL 3 5 3 79%

+6" Snatch DL 3 5 3 79%

+6" Snatch DL 3 5 3 79%


Raw BP 3 1 4 86%

Ra w BP 3 1 3 .5 87%

Ra w BP 3 1 3 88%

Raw BP 3 1 4 86%


Alt. Stance DL 3 5 3 79%





Front Squat 3 5 3 79%





Raw DL 3 5 3 79%

Raw DL 3 5 3 79%

Raw DL 3 5 3 79%

Raw DL 3 5 3 79%


Sumner SQ 3 5 3 79%

Sumner SQ 3 5 3 79%

Sumner SQ 3 5 3 79%


Close Grip BP 3 5 3 79%





Raw SQ + Band 5 3 12 64%

Raw SQ + Band 5 3 11 66%

Raw SQ + Band 5 3 10 68%

Raw SQ + Band 5 3 9 70%


Raw BP + Band 5 3 12 64%

Raw BP + Band 5 3 11 66%

Raw BP + Band 5 3 10 68%

Raw BP + Band 5 3 9 70%


Raw DL + Band 5 3 12 64%

Raw DL + Band 5 3 11 66%

Raw DL + Band 5 3 10 68%

Raw DL + Band 5 3 9 70%

75 GORILLA WARFARE

Sumner SQ 3 5 3 79%


1 H

A E

C

Y N

D B T FI L D A E D

H C N E B T FI

2 L

Y D

A A

D E D T A U Q S

T IFL D A E D

3 T

A QS

A

Y U

D H C N E B

T A U Q S

4 H

A

N

C

Y E

D

D

E

A

D

L

FI

T

B

Week

5

6

7

8


Raw SQ 3 1 3 88%

Ra w SQ 3 1 2 .5 89%

Ra w SQ 3 1 2 91%

Raw SQ 3 1 3 88%


2/4 ROM Pin BP 3 3 2 86%

2/4 ROM Pin BP 3 3 2 86%

2/4 ROM Pin BP 3 3 2 86%

2/4 ROM Pin BP 3 3 2 86%


+4" Snatch DL 3 3 2 86%

+4" Snatch DL 3 3 2 86%

+4" Snatch DL 3 3 2 86%

+4" Snatch DL 3 3 2 86%


Raw BP 3 1 3 88%

Ra w BP 3 1 2 .5 89%

Ra w BP 3 1 2 91%

Raw BP 3 1 3 88%







Olympic Squat 3 3 2 86%





Raw DL 3 3 2 86%

Raw DL 3 3 2 86%

Raw DL 3 3 2 86%

Raw DL 3 3 2 86%


3 Sec Pause SQ 3 3 2 86%




Spoto BP 3 3 2 86%

Spoto BP 3 3 2 86%

Spoto BP 3 3 2 86%

Spoto BP 3 3 2 86%


Raw SQ + Band 5 2 11 68%

Raw SQ + Band 5 2 10 70%

Raw SQ + Band 5 2 9 72%

Raw SQ + Band 5 2 8 74%


Raw BP + Band 5 2 11 68%

Raw BP + Band 5 2 10 70%

Raw BP + Band 5 2 9 72%

Raw BP + Band 5 2 8 74%


Raw DL + Band 5 2 11 68%

Raw DL + Band 5 2 10 70%

Raw DL + Band 5 2 9 72%

Raw DL + Band 5 2 8 74%

76 GORILLA WARFARE



1 H

A E

C

Y N

D B T FI L D A E D

H C N E B T FI

2 L

Y D

A A

D E D T A U Q S

T IFL D A E D

3 T

A QS

A

Y U

D H C N E B

T A U Q S

4 H

A

N

C

Y E

D

D

E

A

D

L

FI

T

B

Week

9

10

11


Raw SQ 3 1 2 91%

Ra w SQ 2 1 1 .5 92%

Raw SQ 1 1 1 94%


4/4 ROM Pin BP 3 2 1 91%

4/4 ROM Pin BP 2 2 1 91%

4/4 ROM Pin BP 1 2 1 91%


+2" Snatch DL 3 2 1 91%

+2" Snatch DL 2 2 1 91%

+2" Snatch DL 1 2 1 91%


Raw BP 3 1 2 91%

Ra w BP 2 1 1 .5 92%

Ra w BP 1 1 1 94%










Raw DL 3 2 1 91%

Raw DL 2 2 1 91%

Raw DL 1 2 1 91%


Sumner SQ 3 2 1 91%

Sumner SQ 2 2 1 91%






Raw SQ + Band 5 1 10 72%

Raw SQ + Band 5 1 9 74%

OPENERS SQUAT BENCH DEADLIFT


Raw BP + Band 5 1 10 72%

Raw BP + Band 5 1 9 74%


Raw DL + Band 5 1 10 72%

Raw DL + Band 5 1 9 74%

77 GORILLA WARFARE

12

WARM-UPS SQUAT BENCH DEADLIFT

Sumner SQ 1 2 1 91%

MEET DAY! SQUAT BENCH DEADLIFT

LOADING PARAMETERS THE GREAT APE PROGRAM GENERAL MOVEMENT & PRIORITY GREAT APE PROGRAM P ROGRAM DAY 1

Squat

#1

Bench

#2

Deadlift

#2

DAY 2 DAY 3

Bench Deadlift

#1 #1

Deadlift Squat

#2 #2

Squat Bench

#2 #2

DAY 4

Squat

#1

Bench

#1

Deadlift

#1

LOADING TABLE GREAT APE PROGRAM WEEK

Priority #1 S ets

Reps Tank

Priority #2 %

S ets

Reps Tank

Priority #3 %

Sets

Reps Tank

Wildc ard %

S ets

Reps Tank

2

3 3

1 1

4 3. 5

86% 87 87%

3 3

5 5

2 2

81% 81%

0 0

0 0

0 0

0% 0%

0 0

0 0

0 0

3

3

1

3

88%

3

5

2

81%

0

0

0

0%

0

0

0

4

3

1

4

86%

3

5

2

81%

0

0

0

0%

0

0

0

5

3 3 3

1 1 1

3 2. 5 2

88% 89 89% 91%

3 3 3

3 3 3

2 2 2

86% 86% 86%

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

0% 0% 0%

0 0 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

3 3 2 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

3 2 1. 5 1 3

88% 91% 92 92% 94% 88%

3 3 2 1 0

3 2 2 2 1

2 2 2 2 2

86% 88% 88% 88% 91%

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

1

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

78 GORILLA WARFARE

THE GEARED GORILLA PROGRAM Even though any of the programs can easily be manipulated for the geared or equipped lifter by using Priority #1 as the equipped movement, this program has more traditional ingredients of an equipped powerlifter’s program. Though the frequency may be slightly higher than an equipped powerlifter is used to, there are still only 2 movements per week of each of the competition lifts. The most important aspect for an equipped lifter is absolutely mastering the skill at using the gear and for this reason, the weekly singles in each lift are still performed throughout the program as with other Gorilla programs. This time around they are slightly heavier to adapt the body to heavier weight sooner. There is also less volume from other lifts so more emphasis can be put on the main lifts each week. There are two main movements followed by a Wildcard on Days 1-3, and Day 4 is purely Wildcard. There are also no Priority #3 movements. The goal of this program is to help the lifter get used to heavy weight and practicing with the equipment while building confidence and staying rested to hit strong singles each week. Bulleted summary of the Geared Gorilla Program: -

12 Weeks

-

4X/Week training

-


-


-

Priority #2 is linear progression with 3 Sets progressing from 5 r eps to 2 reps 79 GORILLA WARFARE

-

Large deload every 4 th week

-

Macrocycle: Competition Phase

-

Mesocycle: Equipped Competition in 12 Weeks

-

Microcycles: o

4 Weeks of Strength-Power phase and accruing high intensity

o


o

4 Weeks of another small Volume Taper, Intensity Ramp, and Competition Taper

-

There are only 6 heavy movements each week. o

3 Equipped Competition movements (building strength + equipment practice)

o

3 Raw Competition movements (building strength)

-


-


-


-

Recommended specific movements are in the table but as with all of the training templates, these can be tailored to the lifter using the loading tables.

80 GORILLA WARFARE

THE GEARED GORILLA PROGRAM - SPECIFIC MOVEMENTS (WEEK 1 - 4) INFO T A U Q S

1 H

A E

C

Y N

D B D R A C DL I W

H C N E B T FI

2 L

Y D

A A

D E D D R A C DL I W

T IFL D A E D

3 T

A QS

A

Y U

D D R A C DL I W

D R A C DL I W D R

4 A

Y C

A DL

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

W

I

Week

1

2

3


Equipped SQ 3 1 3 88%


E q u i p pe d S Q 3 1 3 88%


Raw Bench 5 5 3 79%

Raw Bench 5 5 3 79%

Raw Bench 5 5 3 79%

Raw Bench 5 5 5 74%


Abs/Posterior 5 15 2 60%





Equipped BP 3 1 3 88%





Raw Deadlift 5 5 3 79%





Abs/Back 5 15 2 60%

Abs/Back 5 15 2 60%

Abs/Back 5 15 2 60%

Abs/Back 5 15 2 60%


Equipped DL 3 1 3 88%





Raw SQ 5 5 3 79%

Ra w SQ 5 5 3 79%

Ra w SQ 5 5 3 79%

Raw SQ 5 5 5 74%







Biceps/Triceps 5 15 2 60%





Hi Row/Low Row 5 15 2 60%





Shoulders X 2 5 15 2 60%




81 GORILLA WARFARE

4 Equipped SQ 3 1 5 83%


1 H

A E

C

Y N

D B D R A C DL I W

H C N E B T FI

2 L

Y D

A A


T IFL D A E D

3 T

A QS

A

Y U

D D R A C DL I W

D R A C DL I W D R

4 A

Y C

A DL

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

W

I

Week

5

6

7




E q u i p pe d S Q 3 1 2 91%


Raw Bench 5 3 2 86%

Raw Bench 5 3 2 86%

Raw Bench 5 3 2 86%

Raw Bench 5 3 5 79%

















Abs/Back 5 12 2 66%

Abs/Back 5 12 2 66%

Abs/Back 5 12 2 66%

Abs/Back 5 12 2 66%







Raw SQ 5 3 2 86%

Ra w SQ 5 3 2 86%

Ra w SQ 5 3 2 86%

Raw SQ 5 3 5 79%





















82 GORILLA WARFARE

8 Equipped SQ 3 1 5 83%


1 H

A E

C

Y N

D B D R A C DL I W

H C N E B T FI

2 L

Y D

A A


T IFL D A E D

3 T

A QS

A

Y U

D D R A C DL I W

D R A C DL I W D R

4 A

Y C

A D

DL

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

W

I

Week

9

10



Equipped SQ 2 1 1 .5 92%


Raw Bench 5 2 1 91%

Raw Bench 4 2 1 91%

Raw Bench 3 2 1 91%







Equipped BP 2 1 1 .5 92%







Abs/Back 5 10 2 70%

Abs/Back 4 10 2 70%

Abs/Back 3 10 2 70%



Equipped DL 2 1 1 .5 92%



Raw SQ 5 2 1 91%

Ra w SQ 4 2 1 91%

Raw SQ 3 2 1 91%








OPENERS 3 10 2




3 10 2




3 10 2

83 GORILLA WARFARE

11

12


WARM-UPS SQUAT BENCH DEADLIFT

MEET DAY! SQUAT BENCH DEADLIFT

LOADING PARAMETERS THE GEARED GORILLA PROGRAM GENERAL MOVEMENT & PRIORITY GEARED GORILLA P ROGRAM DAY 1

Squat

#1

Bench

#2

Wildcard WC

DAY 2

Bench

#1

Deadlift

#2

Wildcard WC

DAY 3

Deadlift

#1

Squat

#2

Wildcard WC

DAY 4

Wildcard WC Wildcard WC Wildcard WC LOADING TABLE GEARED GORILLA PROGRAM

WEEK

Priority #1 Sets

Reps Tank

Priority #2 %

S ets

Reps Tank

Priority #3 %

S ets

Reps Tank

Wildcard %

Sets

Reps Tank

1

3

1

3

88%

5

5

3

7 9%

0

0

0

0%

5

15

2

2

3

1

3

88%

5

5

3

7 9%

0

0

0

0%

5

15

2

3

3

1

3

88%

5

5

3

7 9%

0

0

0

0%

5

15

2

4

3

1

5

83%

5

5

5

7 4%

0

0

0

0%

5

15

2

5

3 3 3 3 3 2 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 5 2 1.5 5 3

91% 91% 91% 83% 91% 92 9 2% 83% 88%

5 5 5 5 5 4 3 0

3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1

2 2 2 5 1 1 1 1

8 6% 8 6% 8 6% 7 9% 9 1% 9 1% 9 1% 9 4%

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

5 5 5 5 5 4 3 0

12 12 12 12 10 10 10 10

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

84 GORILLA WARFARE

THE CLASSIC CHIMP PROGRAM This program is my take on the classic Western style of training and true linear periodization. I spent nearly all of my high school and college years doing this program or a close variation of it. I put the most strength and size on my body from this program. Not only is this program excellent for strength, it is also incredible when it comes to adding mass and preparing an athlete for sports. It is all around a superb strength program. The frequency is performing the lifts just once per week and doing three heavy movements each day that relate to the most specific movement. This program is great for those looking to focus on one movement each day so they can really focus and get excited about ‘SQUAT DAY’, ‘BENCH DAY’, and ‘DEADLIFT DAY’. The first movement is Priority #1, the second movement is Priority #2, and the third movement is Priority #3 followed by some Wildcard movements. Though there are three days of heavy, serious training, the 4 th day can be used as a ‘fluff’ or fun day to build up the arms and shoulders or hit any other body part you want. When it comes to a program looking to tackle size, strength, and performance, this is the “go-to” go-to” choice. Bulleted summary of the Geared Gorilla Program: -

12 Weeks

-

4X/Week training

-

1X Squat, 1X Bench, 1X Deadlift each week 85 GORILLA WARFARE

-

All Priority lifts follow the same linear progression from 8 reps to 2 reps

-

Higher emphasis on volume with Priority #1 movements

-

Medium deload every 4th week

-

Macrocycle: Off-Season phase

-

Mesocycle: Muscle building and power development

-

Microcycles: o

4 Weeks of very high volume and hypertrophy building

o

4 Weeks of a small volume volume taper and high high power phase

o

4 Weeks of another small volume taper, intensity ramp, and strength realization

-


-

Recommended specific movements are in the table but as with all of the training templates, these can be tailored to the lifter using the loading tables.

86 GORILLA WARFARE

THE CLASSIC CHIMP PROGRAM - SPECIFIC MOVEMENTS (WEEK 1 - 4) INF O T A U QS

T A U SQ

1 Y A D T A U SQ D R A C DL I W

H C N E B

H C N E B

2 Y A D H C N E B D R A C LDI W

T FI L D A E D T IFL D A E D


D R A C DL I W D R

4 A

Y C

A DL

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

W

I

Week

1

2

3

4


Raw SQ 5 8 4 70%

Ra w SQ 5 7 3 74%

Ra w SQ 5 6 2 79 %

Raw SQ 5 5 5 74 %


Pin SQ 3 8 4 70%

Pin SQ 3 7 3 74%

Pin SQ 3 6 2 79 %

Pin SQ 3 5 5 74 %


Go o d Mo rn in g 3 8 4 70%


Go o d Morn in g 3 6 2 79 %

Go o d Mo rn in g 3 5 5 74 %


A b s/Back 5 15 2 60%

A bs/Back 5 15 2 60%

Ab s/Back 5 15 2 60 %

Ab s/ Back 5 15 2 60 %


Raw BP 5 8 4 70%

Ra w BP 5 7 3 74%

Ra w BP 5 6 2 79 %

Raw BP 5 5 5 74 %


3/4 Pin BP 3 8 4 70%

3/ 4 Pin BP 3 7 3 74%

3/ 4 Pin BP 3 6 2 79 %

3/4 Pin BP 3 5 5 74 %


CG In clin e BP 3 8 4 70%


CG Inclin e BP 3 6 2 79 %



T ris/ Sh o u ld ers 5 15 2 60%


Tris/Sh o u ld ers 5 15 2 60 %

Tris/Sh o u lders 5 15 2 60 %


Raw DL 5 8 4 70%

Raw DL 5 7 3 74%

Raw DL 5 6 2 79 %

Raw DL 5 5 5 74 %


+4" DL 3 8 4 70%

+4" DL 3 7 3 74%

+4" DL 3 6 2 79 %

+4" DL 3 5 5 74 %


Sn atch Grip DL 3 8 4 70%





A b s/Back 5 15 2 60%

A bs/Back 5 15 2 60%

Ab s/Back 5 15 2 60 %

Ab s/ Back 5 15 2 60 %


Bi/Tri 5 15 2 60%

Bi/ Tri 5 15 2 60%

Bi/T ri 5 15 2 60 %

Bi/T ri 5 15 2 60 %


Bi/Tri 5 15 2 60%

Bi/ Tri 5 15 2 60%

Bi/T ri 5 15 2 60 %

Bi/T ri 5 15 2 60 %


Sho u ld ers 5 15 2 60%

Sh o u ld ers 5 15 2 60%

Sh o u ld ers 5 15 2 60 %

Sh o u ld ers 5 15 2 60 %

87 GORILLA WARFARE


T A U SQ


H C N E B

H C N E B




D R A C DL I W D R

4 A

Y C

A DL

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

W

I

Week

5

6

7

8


Raw SQ 5 5 3 79%

Ra w SQ 5 5 2 81%

Ra w SQ 5 3 1 88 %

Raw SQ 5 3 5 79 %


Pa u se SQ 3 5 2 81%

Pau se SQ 3 5 3 79%

Pau se SQ 3 3 4 81 %

Pau se SQ 3 3 5 79 %


Fro n t Sq ua t 3 5 2 81%

Fro n t Sq u a t 3 5 3 79%

Fro n t Sq u a t 3 3 4 81 %

Fro n t Sq u at 3 3 5 79 %


A b s/Back 5 12 2 66%

A bs/Back 5 12 2 66%

Ab s/Back 5 12 2 66 %

Ab s/ Back 5 12 2 66 %


Raw BP 5 5 3 79%

Ra w BP 5 5 2 81%

Ra w BP 5 3 1 88 %

Raw BP 5 3 5 79 %


2/4 Pin BP 3 5 2 81%

2/ 4 Pin BP 3 5 3 79%

2/ 4 Pin BP 3 3 4 81 %

2/4 Pin BP 3 3 5 79 %


Sp o to BP 3 5 2 81%

Spo to BP 3 5 3 79%

Sp o to BP 3 3 4 81 %

Sp o to BP 3 3 5 79 %







Raw DL 5 5 3 79%

Raw DL 5 5 2 81%

Raw DL 5 3 1 88 %

Raw DL 5 3 5 79 %


Alt. Sta n ce DL 3 5 2 81%

A lt. Sta nce DL 3 5 3 79%

A lt. Stan ce DL 3 3 4 81 %

Alt. Stan ce DL 3 3 5 79 %


Ba rb ell Row 3 5 2 81%

Barb ell Ro w 3 5 3 79%

Barb ell Ro w 3 3 4 81 %

Barb ell Ro w 3 3 5 79 %


A b s/Back 5 12 2 66%

A bs/Back 5 12 2 66%

Ab s/Back 5 12 2 66 %

Ab s/ Back 5 12 2 66 %


Bi/Tri 5 12 2 66%

Bi/ Tri 5 12 2 66%

Bi/T ri 5 12 2 66 %

Bi/T ri 5 12 2 66 %


Bi/Tri 5 12 2 66%

Bi/ Tri 5 12 2 66%

Bi/T ri 5 12 2 66 %

Bi/T ri 5 12 2 66 %


Sho u ld ers 5 12 2 66%

Sh o u ld ers 5 12 2 66%

Sh o u ld ers 5 12 2 66 %

Sh o u ld ers 5 12 2 66 %

88 GORILLA WARFARE


T A U SQ


H C N E B

H C N E B




D R A C DL I W D R

4 A

Y C

A DL

D

W

I

DL

C

A

R

D

W

I

Week

9

10

11

12


Raw SQ 5 3 3 83%

Ra w SQ 5 2 2 88%

Ra w SQ 5 2 1 91 %

Raw SQ 5 1 5 83 %


Pin SQ 3 3 3 83%

Pin SQ 3 2 2 88%

Pin SQ 3 2 1 91 %

Pin SQ 3 1 5 83 %




Go o d Morn in g 3 2 1 91 %

Go o d Mo rn in g 3 1 5 83 %


A b s/Back 5 10 2 70%

A bs/Back 4 10 2 70%

Ab s/Back 3 10 2 70 %

Ab s/ Back 3 10 2 70 %


Raw BP 5 3 3 83%

Ra w BP 5 2 2 88%

Ra w BP 5 2 1 91 %

Raw BP 5 1 5 83 %


4/4 Pin BP 3 3 3 83%

4/ 4 Pin BP 3 2 2 88%

4/ 4 Pin BP 3 2 1 91 %

4/4 Pin BP 3 1 5 83 %












Raw DL 5 3 3 83%

Raw DL 5 2 2 88%

Raw DL 5 2 1 91 %

Raw DL 5 1 5 83 %


-2" DL 3 3 3 83%

-2" DL 3 2 2 88%

-2" DL 3 2 1 91 %

-2" DL 3 1 5 83 %







A b s/Back 5 10 2 70%

A bs/Back 4 10 2 70%

Ab s/Back 3 10 2 70 %

Ab s/ Back 3 10 2 70 %


Bi/Tri 5 10 2 70%

Bi/ Tri 4 10 2 70%

Bi/T ri 4 10 2 70 %

Bi/T ri 4 10 2 70 %


Bi/Tri 5 10 2 70%

Bi/ Tri 4 10 2 70%

Bi/T ri 4 10 2 70 %

Bi/T ri 4 10 2 70 %


Sho u ld ers 5 10 2 70%

Sh o u ld ers 4 10 2 70%

Sh o u ld ers 4 10 2 70 %

Sh o u ld ers 4 10 2 70 %

89 GORILLA WARFARE

LOADING PARAMETERS THE CLASSIC CHIMP PROGRAM GENERAL MOVEMENT & PRIORITY CLASSIC CHIMP PROGRAM DAY 1

Squat

#1

Squat

#2

Squat

#3

Wildcard WC

DAY 2

Bench

#1

Bench

#2

Bench

#3

Wildcard WC

DAY 3

Deadlift

#1

Deadlift

#2

Deadlift

#3

Wildcard WC

DAY 4

Wildcard WC Wildcard WC Wildcard WC LOADING TABLE CLASSIC CHIMP PROGRAM PROGRAM

WEEK

P rio rity #1 Sets

Rep s Tank

Prio rity #2 %

Sets

Reps Tan k

Prio rity #3 %

S ets

Reps Tan k

Wild card %

S ets

Rep s Tan k

1

5

8

4

70%

3

8

4

7 0%

3

8

4

70%

5

15

2

2

5

7

3

74%

3

7

3

7 4%

3

7

3

74%

5

15

2

3

5

6

2

79%

3

6

2

7 9%

3

6

2

79%

5

15

2

4

5

5

5

74%

3

5

5

7 4%

3

5

5

74%

5

15

2

5

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

5 5 3 3 3 2 2 1

3 2 1 5 3 2 1 5

79% 81% 88% 79% 83% 88% 91% 83%

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

5 5 3 3 3 2 2 1

3 2 1 5 3 2 1 5

7 9% 8 1% 8 8% 7 9% 8 3% 8 8% 9 1% 8 3%

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

5 5 3 3 3 2 2 1

3 2 1 5 3 2 1 5

79% 81% 88% 79% 83% 88% 91% 83%

5 5 5 5 5 4 3 0

12 12 12 12 10 10 10 10

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

90 GORILLA WARFARE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first and foremost like to thank my parents for raising me with good values, giving me every opportunity to succeed growing up, and editing this book.

Dan & Jen Gaudreau for getting me involved in powerlifting and teaching me good habits early.

Mike Tuchscherer for opening my eyes to scientifically approaching training.

Chad Wesley Smith for inviting me to be part of the Juggernaut Family and helping me grow in this industry.

Dan Onishuk and the Promera Sports Family for the support for so many years.

Pete Alaniz & Isiah Tijerina and the Titan Family for being brothers in this sport and keeping my body healthy.

The best training partners I’ve had, starting with my Dad. Marc Schiechl and Zac Newnam from Colorado. Bill Collins and Derek Lang from Wyoming. Brandon Stevens, Matt Taylor, and Chris Thompson from Oklahoma.

91 GORILLA WARFARE

Blaine Sumner - Gorilla Warfare

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