The Brutality of Mountain Dog Training A How-To Guide and Scientific Perspective Written by John Meadows with Scott Stevenson, PhD MOUNTAIN DOG TRAINING 1 Foreward We are very proud to share this book with you! If you follow any of the Mountain Dog training videos on the YouTube channel, Facebook page, Twitter (@MOUNTAIN DOG1), or on the Elite FTS channel, you have no doubt seen some of the outright crazy stuff we do. This article is where you learn the method behind the madness (written in John’s own words), and why the Mountain Dog Training system, rooted in decades of John’s real world ball busting experience, is also well-supported by solid exercise science (supplied by Scott). 2 Dedication I would like to dedicate this book to my incredible wife Mary. She has stuck with me through the worst of times, despite my shortcomings. She believed in me enough to back me when I told her I wanted to leave my comfortable VP job at a bank in the corporate world to pursue my passion in the Fitness industry, despite no guarantee of earnings and us having a new set of twins. I hope this work reflects her belief in me. 3 Chapter 1 Mountain Dog Workout Structure Time to put your thinking cap on. Knowledge is power, and our hope is that knowing even more of the Hows and Whys of Mountain Dog Training will propel your training vigor and passion to an even higher level. Above all, get ready to have some fun experiencing first hand that you can do what you didn’t think possible. Courtesy of Scott Stevenson, you will see there is scientific method to Mountain Dog Madness! Mountain Dog training revolutionized my training and breathed new life into my bodybuilding career. After 20 years of competitive bodybuilding I’ve tried countless training methods with varying degrees of success, but nothing returned sustained improvements with- out injuries compared to John’s. At 38 I’m training harder, longer and with more enthusiasm than I did in my 20’s. Brutal, intense, masochistically-fun, results-oriented workouts define my personal experience working with John Meadows. -Mark Dugdale, IFBB Professional Bodybuilder 4 CHAPTER ROADMAP A Mountain Dog Base workout for each muscle group has 4 Phases (Kinds of Sets). (Note that Calves, Arms and Abs are exceptions.) So what does a Mountain Dog workout look like? There are essentially two types of workouts: 1. Base workouts (covered below in this Chapter) 2. Pump/Optional workouts (covered in Chapter 3) Base workouts are always done and we are going to dive into what they are made up of now! Pump workouts are used to add frequency, and even more muscle fiber stimulation. We will get into those in the Last Chapter. Base workouts are actually a collection of mini-workouts, each exploit- ing a different hypertrophy concept. Let’s walk through each one of these phases that you will go through in a workout. PHASE 1 THE PRE-PUMP ACTIVATION EXERCISE A Base workout always begins with one lift that Again, the point of this is not pre-exhaustion. Rather, serves as an extension of your warm-up, but the way I want to prepare the muscles I’m going to train hard I apply it, it’s too demanding to be considered just a that day for the work ahead (and believe me, they will warm-up itself. It’s got to be an exercise that’s: get blowtorched). The smartest way to do this, as I see it – especially to help minimize risk of injury – is to hit 1. Easy on your joints, tendons and ligaments those muscles with an exercise that emphasizes the 2. Uncomplicated to perform, and muscles with relatively less stress on the joints, ten- dons, and ligaments. As a side note, I prefer to do what 3. Allows you to really feel the target muscle(s) people commonly view as pre-exhaust on a pumped working. muscle (such as the chest fly), later in the workout. The Pre-Pump Activation Exercise is not necessarily an More on that later. You will see why. isolation exercise or a traditional pre-exhaust exercise, a common misconception I have seen on the Internet Pre-Pump Injury Prevention over the when people discuss my methods. Long Haul Instead, it is more typically an exercise using dumb- Don’t gloss over this idea. I’m not in any way saying bells or machines. that big lifts like the bench press or squat are inher- ently dangerous. But the stronger you get and the lon- For example, a chest workout may begin with a flat ger you play the iron game, the more likely it is you’re bench dumbbell chest press, or a machine press. This going to get injured doing those classic, conventional, is certainly not a true pre-exhaust exercise such as barbell exercises with only a progressive overload a machine fly, nor are you putting yourself at risk of mentality, especially if you keep doing them as most a muscle tear as compared to a barbell bench press. 5 people do—first thing in the workout. It’s easy to con- extending the working joints completely ensures mus- tinue sliding plates on the bar as you work up to a top cular contraction throughout the set. set, getting lost in your own ego. But so often, before Another applicable technique is partial reps. For ex- you even realize it, you’ve popped something in your ample, at the end of my last set of leg curls, when my shoulder or your back or your knee, and it can dog you legs are too tired to do another full-range rep, I’ll bend for months, even years, after the fact. This is just re- my knees just a few inches, completing quarter-range ality, and if you have ever suffered a major injury, you reps to failure. Jam the blood in there! I also love using know there is no glory in it. It’s kind of hard to make this technique in Phase 3 which you will see below. gains when you are on the sideline. That’s just not worth it. Training for me, and I assume for you as well, Depending on the muscle group, exercise or stage of is about success over the long haul and being able to a training cycle, there are other times when I actually look and feel good and enjoy the process until you die. like to lock out the joints and hold for a two-second peak contraction. This might occur on a chest press as Most of the time, all it takes to avoid this problem is well. a more thorough warm up, pumping blood into the muscles and lubricating the joints so you’re ready to Pre-Pump your Peri-Workout better handle and focus on those heavier, harder lifts much more acutely. I believe that pumping up the target muscle area serves another critical function that potentiates train- ing gains — delivering nutrients to the muscles to Pre-Pump, NOT Pre-Fatigue enhance growth. The centerpiece of this strategy is an So apart from just using a more isolated exercise to easily digestible intra-workout shake that you start start things off, we’re going to make sure we maximize consuming shortly before you start training. With the its ability to get a pump going. High-rep sets would intra-workout nutrients entering your bloodstream, not be appropriate here because we still have heavy the more blood you can drive into your muscles, the training to come and don’t want to be too fatigued to greater the delivery of protein and carbs (see more on complete it, so I stick to moderate bodybuilding rang- this below). Here are my basic recommendations for es like 8–12 for the most part. peri-workout nutrition PRE-workout Meal: Pre-Pump Techniques Have a pre-workout meal that you finish 30-60 Sometimes, it may be appropriate to use constant minutes before training. tension on the pre-pump exercise—i.e., not going to either end of the range of motion. Not locking out or • I like a small to moderate amount of carbs to give Pre-Pump Activation Exercise Science • Increased blood flow can actually increase muscle strength in small muscle mass- es(1, 2), and enhance maximal aerobic power(3), where oxygen delivery to working muscle limits performance(4). • Excessively high repetitions are not needed to get the benefits of a warm-up, and too much could hamper the rest of the workout(5). • Although direct evidence lacks, many authorities (but not all) suggest warm-up for injury prevention(6). Experiments with isolated muscle suggest that increased elasticity at higher temperatures may prevent muscle and tendon tears(7, 8). • Believe it or not, exercise(9) and in particular resistance exercise(10) can alleviate osteoarthritic pain. 6 Science of Peri-Workout Recovery Supplementation: you easily useable energy to make it through the training • The essential amino acids, especially sessions. leucine and the brached chain amino acids are anabolic(16-20), and anti-cata- • I add in a little fat to keep your blood sugar from rising bolic(21, 22), rapidly spiking blood levels too fast, and then you going hypoglycemic from a mas- when consumed in free-form(23), which sive insulin dump right after(11). Fat will slow the entry of is best for rapidly turning on protein glucose into the bloodstream(12-14). synthesis(24-28). • Add in a moderate amount of easily digestible protein • Adding carbohydrate to protein will as well. synergistically increase insulin(29, 30), to refuel glycogen(30, 31) and inhib- Intra-workout Supplementation: it protein breakdown(32, 33). Exer- Resistance training turns on skeletal muscle protein turn- cise (muscular contraction) itself over, which is a combination of muscle protein breakdown also increases insulin sensitivity (via (MPB) and muscle protein synthesis (MPS) (two processes glucose transporter mobilization)(34) that correlated very strongly)(15). Training is both anabolic thus amplifying the actions of supple- and inherently catabolic. Of course, Mountain Dog Training is ment-driven insulin release. about trying to kill muscle fiber, figuratively speaking, but we • Hydrolyzed proteins elevate blood also don’t want runaway muscle breakdown. This is where amino acid(35) and insulin levels(36) peri-workout recovery supplementation comes in. We control more rapidly than intact protein, and optimize the balance of MPS and MPB, produce a favorable enhance glycogen synthesis, irrespective hormonal environment for making muscle gains, and ease of (elevated) insulin(37). In particular, di- the burden on our gastrointestinal tract by consuming very and tripeptides are so rapidly absorbed SPECIFIC types of carbohydrate and protein, especially essen- via a specific intestinal transporter(38), tial amino acids (EAAs) or di- and tripeptides from hydrolyzed which may explain why a whey hydro- protein sources, thus raising insulin and lowering cortisol. lysate more effectively drives post-ex- POST-workout Meal: ercise protein synthesis than a blend of that same whey’s constituent amino • Start eating anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes after acids(39). training. Remember you had a lot of good nutrition during training, so there’s no need to rush to get this meal. • Carbohydrate-protein supplements can reduce muscle soreness and • As an example, eat a balanced whole food meal such as damage(40, 41), the latter of which can steak and rice. adversely affect insulin sensitivity(42) and post-exercise glycogen replenish- A Mountain Dog Special: Pre-Pumping the ment(43, 44). A relatively large carbo- Hamstrings First hydrate-protein recovery supplement I’ve found over the years that training the hamstring before also reduces cortisol levels(45, 46), thus squats or compound thigh exercises seems to enhance per- improving long-term muscle gains(47- formance and reduce joint pain in the knees and hips. So, for 49). Specifically, peri-workout timing of thigh (quad and hamstring) training, the Pre-Pump exercise protein(50) or a protein-carbohydrate is almost always a hamstring-specific exercise. mixture(51) has proven important in enhancing gains in trained individuals, although peri-workout (protein) timing seems less critical in those who are initially untrained(52). 7 Science of Hitting the Hamstrings First • Although the jury is still out on how to best harness it(53-59), post-activation potentiation of muscle force, e.g., via phosphorylation of myosin light chain that increases muscle force output(60) might enhance hamstring contribution to squat performance(61), e.g., if you’ve done a hamstring Pre-Pump exercise first. • Pre-pumping the hamstrings (as a warm-up) might also improve muscle contrac- tion neurologically(62), such that hams are used and stimulated more so in “big” squatting and leg-pressing movements. • Reduced knee pain may be due to increased blood flow(63), increased joint temperature(6) and pressure related enhancements of joint lubrication(64, 65). • Theoretically (and from feedback of those who have experienced it), simply having pumped-up hamstrings may alter joint proprioception and muscle coordination if the hamstring and gastrocnemius provide posterior cushioning to the knee joint. Take Home Message of Phase I (Pre-Pump Exercise) This phase should give you a very good pump, and not wreak havoc on joints and connective tissue. This helps with longevity and it also enables you to start driving your intra-workout nutrition into the muscle. 8 A Mountain Dog Special: Occasional Use PHASE 2 of Bands and Chains THE “EXPLOSIVE” EXERCISE One particular aspect of the Explosive Exercise Phase Those who love to lift heavy can breathe a sigh of re- of a Mountain Dog workout that sets it apart from lief, because here’s where we get into the more con- other phases is the occasional use of bands and ventional bodybuilding exercises and higher intensity. chains for varying the stimulus. Those of you who Leg day Base workouts will feature squat variations have done my programs have probably noticed that I and chest days may call for the bench press (though will, at times, call upon these implements. They aren’t usually done on a slight incline or decline). The first an absolute requirement, but I strongly recommend thing you’ll notice, however, is how much better you them if you’re an intermediate or advanced lifter, as feel performing these exercises than when you put they force you to use maximum contractile tension them first in your workout. With pumped hamstrings through the entire rep. These are powerful tools for thanks to the leg curls, you’ll feel sturdier at the bot- busting plateaus and accelerating your progress. I do tom of your squats. Your hips will also feel better, like not like to use bands for more than 2 weeks at a time they’ve been grooved for smoother reps. If you just did as I feel they actually start to beat you up a little much machine presses, your shoulders will be warm and if overdone, due to the muscular overload. “awake” for heavy benching. Why We Use Bands and Chains Bye-Bye to the Big Weights? Here is a little more about why we use Bands and Let me address a common fear I suspect has already Chains with Mountaindog Training. crept into your mind: Won’t putting my main strength Primary Forms of Human Strength Curve exercise second force me to use lighter weights? Won’t I get weaker? The simplest answer is “No.” As with any kind of train- ing, there’s an adjustment window. The first two or three weeks you train like this, you may not feel up to using the same weight on squats and bench presses as you did if you used to put those lifts first. But that doesn’t mean you’re getting weaker. It just means your muscles are a bit fatigued when you perform the lifts second. There’s a difference. Once you get more con- ditioned to Mountain Dog Training, you’ll not only be back up to your old numbers in no time, you’ll exceed them, and your joints will feel better as well! “Explosive” as in Ballistic? The way we perform the “explosive” exercise is actual- Primary Forms of the Human Strength Curve and Imposed ly pretty standard for regular weight training. The sets Resistance(68). and reps are moderate, and I don’t generally apply in- First, let’s note that these tools provide accommo- tensity techniques (e.g., partials) in this workout Phase. dating resistance. As an example, Generally speaking, “explosive” simply means lower- ing the weight under control and driving the weight up “with authority.” Science of Explosive Exercises for Muscle Growth • Rate of force development, through performing • Training in an explosive manner may preferentially exercises in an explosive manner, is trainable(64). stimulate type II muscle fibers(66), which may have greater hypertrophic potential(67). 9 whatever load you can bench press from your chest, more links will rise off the floor and add weight to you’ve surely noticed that you could handle a lot more the exercise. But because they don’t have that elastic if you only had to lower the bar a few inches from component that bands do, chains don’t provide the lockout and then press it. Same thing holds for squats: same kind of tension, and as a result, don’t take the Maybe you can squat 405 deep but you can probably same toll on your body and nervous system. I rarely go quarter squat nearly 500. (See Figure Above.) more than 2 to 3 weeks using bands on exercises like the squat or bench press, but chains can be used for Every exercise or machine has its own resistance much longer. They don’t need to be cycled as carefully curve as well, which may or may not match your as bands. individual strength curve. (See Figure below.) Using bands and chains allows us to modify the imposed resistance, so you can make the hardest parts of an Science of Bands and Chain Use exercise easier and the easiest parts harder. • Using bands (like those for sale at EliteFTS. Hypothetical Impact of Adding Chains or Resistance com) to load to a bench press results in a longer Bands on Imposed Resistance period of bar acceleration compared to using an equivalent of amount of resistance coming from free weights alone(69). • Adding chains to the bench press increases maximal effort bar speed. This may be because chains permit a more rapid stretch shorten- ing cycle (reversal bar direction when eccentric become concentric contractions), thereby elic- iting postactivation potentiation that increases muscle contractile force(70). • Adding bands to the bench press and squat have demonstrated two to three times the gains in voluntary strength compared to tradi- tional (free weight alone) resistance training, even in athletes who already have ~4 years of resistance training experience(71). Training with Hypothetical Impact of adding Chains or Resistance Bands (downward pull) to Resistance Imposed by a Free Weight bands and chains has also resulted in practically Barbell. (albeit not statistically) significant greater gains In the powerlifting world, bands and chains are em- in power even in highly trained strength athletes ployed mainly to increase the resistance as a lift is like Division I (American) football players(72). locked out. Attach bands to a barbell and perform a • If using bands and chains means greater loading bench press and you’ll feel the bar get heavier as you and gains in strength (and thus muscle loading), press it up. To compensate for the increasing load (and this also results in a stronger (tensile) stimulus to keep the bar from, to put it bluntly, snapping back for inducing muscle growth(73, 74). down and putting the “smack down” on you), you have to learn to press explosively. This trains your nervous system to turn on more motor units (groups of mus- cle fibers controlled by a nerve), making you a more powerful lifter. Being able to explode a lift with more In the bodybuilding world, or in my world, where I help speed obviously helps you complete it, so it trans- people who mainly have physique goals, these acces- lates to greater strength. sories–particularly bands—have many more applica- Chains work much the same way. As you lift the bar, tions. These include: 10