Size or Speed ? Why not train both.

[Yano]

that is hard core. I fractured my SI joint in the sacrum. I had a Iliac crest fracture that required surgery and my SI joint causes A LOT of pain if I do anything sump style. I do stretches every day just to keep the mobility I have left.

I wish I could do that.

Left side of my hip was replaced ive got some of the parts they took out in jar in the shed its all titanium i think or molybendum , my SI has a mind of it's own , some days its fine , some days its out and one side of my hip is higher than the other and I cant stand fully upright i sort of look like an S until clicks back into place

7oz nos bottle on a kz750 back then , piston welded inside the jug and locked up tossed me all in all around 50 ft between sliding rolling and the air left leg was shattered basically , 14 breaks, my hip , few ribs WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! nothing kills me until i give it permission

 

[Yano]

I do stretches every day just to keep the mobility I have left.

For you my long lost brother from another mother.

This is my Sunday routine or on any off day I feel all bound up and stiff AF , it works. Ease into it and enjoy some of my madness.

Welcome to The Iron Abyss aka The Rage Factory

You will see some very familiar things in here like Dr McGills big 3 for core stability and others.

The Iron Abyss - Active Recovery Day Protocol

Purpose: To promote muscle recovery, improve flexibility, and enhance joint mobility while allowing the body to rest and prepare for the next training session.

1. Light Cardio (20-30 Minutes)
Activities: Walking, light cycling, rowing machine.
Intensity: Keep it low, just enough to increase circulation without taxing the body.
Goal: Promote blood flow, flush metabolic waste, and reduce muscle stiffness.

2. Targeted Mobility Work (20-30 Minutes)
Focus Areas: Hips, shoulders, lower back, ankles—key powerlifting areas.
Hip Mobility:
90/90 Stretch (2x30 sec per side)
Hip Circles (2x10 each direction)
Pigeon Pose (2x30 sec per side)
Shoulder Mobility:
Wall Angels (2x10)
Band Pull-Aparts (3x15)
Overhead Reach Stretch (2x30 sec per side)
Ankle Mobility:
Ankle Circles (2x10 each side)
Deep Squat Hold (2x30 sec)
Lunge with a Twist (2x10 per side)
Lower Back Mobility:
Cat-Cow Stretch (2x10 reps)
Thread the Needle (2x10 each side)
Child’s Pose (2x1 min hold)

3. Foam Rolling and Soft Tissue Work (15-20 Minutes)
Target Areas: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper traps, calves.
Technique: Perform slow, controlled passes with a foam roller or lacrosse ball for 30-60 seconds per muscle group.
Goal: Release muscle tightness, improve blood flow, and reduce soreness.

4. Core Activation & Stability Work (10-15 Minutes)
Dead Bugs (2x15 per side)
Bird Dogs (2x15 per side)
Side Plank (2x30 sec per side)
Pelvic Tilt (2x20 slow reps)
Plank (2x30 sec)
Goal: Light activation of the core to improve stability, reinforce strength, and prevent injury without overloading the muscles.

5. Stretching (15-20 Minutes)
Focus Areas: Hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, chest, lower back.
Hamstring Stretch (2x30 sec each leg)
Hip Flexor Stretch (2x30 sec each side)
Seated Forward Fold (2x30 sec)
Cobra Stretch (2x30 sec)
Chest Opener Stretch (2x30 sec)
Neck Stretch (2x30 sec each side)
Goal: Improve flexibility, reduce muscle tension, and enhance recovery.

6. Light Accessory Work (Optional)
Light Cable or Dumbbell Rows (3x15-20 reps)
Bicep Curls (3x15-20 reps)
Dumbbell or Machine Chest Press (3x15-20 reps)
Goal: Activate smaller muscle groups to enhance blood flow and flush out lactic acid without inducing fatigue.

 

[Yano]

As far as stretching before lifting my best honest advice from just my own experience and observing folks - DONT !!!

Warm up and loosen some things with squat holds or what have you for the days lifts but "stretching" hell no

The muscles are cold , folks start static stretches and that begins micro tearing here and there , fatigue disguised as "that felt good" , disrupts the bodies natural movement patterns , on top of all that stretched out statically your muscles will begin to lose power , strength and believe it or not some of their "flexibility" ...

uhhh .. i suck at fancy words ,,, not flexibility like they get brittle but because they have been held static and stretched they lose some of their contractability ,, thats a better word if its real , they just dont have as much pop or contract the same

Warm up like say bench day , i use supersets until my progression starts with some opposing movements , start with some 15/20 lat pulls, underhand rows , facepulls and stiff arm lat pulldowns hit some band presses and xovers.

Its just to get warm so its light 10lbs then15 then 20 in between those ill work my warm ups and my progression up to for 2 or 3 sets

Again this might be wrong for some ,, this is just my experience and how i do stuff

 

[BrotherIron]

Stretching doesn't address the issue. It's just temporary relief. Get stronger in positions and that will fix you. I'm all for being able to move through a full ROM but that's not stretching. That's mobility... big difference.

And you can use the chains, it's a great way to add accommodating resistance into your training. It's also safer than bands but I do love both.

 

[Yano]

Stretching doesn't address the issue. It's just temporary relief. Get stronger in positions and that will fix you. I'm all for being able to move through a full ROM but that's not stretching. That's mobility... big difference.

And you can use the chains, it's a great way to add accommodating resistance into your training. It's also safer than bands but I do love both.

Amen Prehab over Rehab ,, I'm sure my off day and active recovery days are what keeps me going , I'm not special or some kind of mutant ... well maybe but ... I sure aint special and all that whacky shit I do just helps keep me moving.

 

[jipped genes]

For you my long lost brother from another mother.

This is my Sunday routine or on any off day I feel all bound up and stiff AF , it works. Ease into it and enjoy some of my madness.

Welcome to The Iron Abyss aka The Rage Factory

You will see some very familiar things in here like Dr McGills big 3 for core stability and others.

The Iron Abyss - Active Recovery Day Protocol

Purpose: To promote muscle recovery, improve flexibility, and enhance joint mobility while allowing the body to rest and prepare for the next training session.

1. Light Cardio (20-30 Minutes)
Activities: Walking, light cycling, rowing machine.
Intensity: Keep it low, just enough to increase circulation without taxing the body.
Goal: Promote blood flow, flush metabolic waste, and reduce muscle stiffness.

2. Targeted Mobility Work (20-30 Minutes)
Focus Areas: Hips, shoulders, lower back, ankles—key powerlifting areas.
Hip Mobility:
90/90 Stretch (2x30 sec per side)
Hip Circles (2x10 each direction)
Pigeon Pose (2x30 sec per side)
Shoulder Mobility:
Wall Angels (2x10)
Band Pull-Aparts (3x15)
Overhead Reach Stretch (2x30 sec per side)
Ankle Mobility:
Ankle Circles (2x10 each side)
Deep Squat Hold (2x30 sec)
Lunge with a Twist (2x10 per side)
Lower Back Mobility:
Cat-Cow Stretch (2x10 reps)
Thread the Needle (2x10 each side)
Child’s Pose (2x1 min hold)

3. Foam Rolling and Soft Tissue Work (15-20 Minutes)
Target Areas: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper traps, calves.
Technique: Perform slow, controlled passes with a foam roller or lacrosse ball for 30-60 seconds per muscle group.
Goal: Release muscle tightness, improve blood flow, and reduce soreness.

4. Core Activation & Stability Work (10-15 Minutes)
Dead Bugs (2x15 per side)
Bird Dogs (2x15 per side)
Side Plank (2x30 sec per side)
Pelvic Tilt (2x20 slow reps)
Plank (2x30 sec)
Goal: Light activation of the core to improve stability, reinforce strength, and prevent injury without overloading the muscles.

5. Stretching (15-20 Minutes)
Focus Areas: Hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, chest, lower back.
Hamstring Stretch (2x30 sec each leg)
Hip Flexor Stretch (2x30 sec each side)
Seated Forward Fold (2x30 sec)
Cobra Stretch (2x30 sec)
Chest Opener Stretch (2x30 sec)
Neck Stretch (2x30 sec each side)
Goal: Improve flexibility, reduce muscle tension, and enhance recovery.

6. Light Accessory Work (Optional)
Light Cable or Dumbbell Rows (3x15-20 reps)
Bicep Curls (3x15-20 reps)
Dumbbell or Machine Chest Press (3x15-20 reps)
Goal: Activate smaller muscle groups to enhance blood flow and flush out lactic acid without inducing fatigue.

I have a similar routine. I do it a few times a week. I am lucky I am not a TV person so I have time between dinner and bed. I do foam roller, lacrosse ball, impact massager ect also. The main diff is I do holds instead of reps.

You truly are a savage my friend. 3 years and 6 months until I retire with full pension. then I will be able to spend even more time on my body. Only thing I can grow is my back. I think it is because I kayak 2-3 miles a 1-3 times a week, My fav is to paddle hard up river then float back and fish. If I do not do this my upper back gets real tight. I still go even in winter as long as it is above 40 degrees. My wife says not to as if I tump the water is so cold and I am a long way from help. I think it is good for core too.

 

[Yano]

I have a similar routine. I do it a few times a week. I am lucky I am not a TV person so I have time between dinner and bed. I do foam roller, lacrosse ball, impact massager ect also. The main diff is I do holds instead of reps.

You truly are a savage my friend. 3 years and 6 months until I retire with full pension. then I will be able to spend even more time on my body. Only thing I can grow is my back. I think it is because I kayak 2-3 miles a 1-3 times a week, My fav is to paddle hard up river then float back and fish. If I do not do this my upper back gets real tight. I still go even in winter as long as it is above 40 degrees. My wife says not to as if I tump the water is so cold and I am a long way from help. I think it is good for core too.

Some of the worlds strongest men have used micro loading if you will , like Doug Hepburn he was huge believer in using 2.5 and 5lb jumps on his lifts , it makes progress inevitable. We can get you strong AF without really bulking you up like a brick wall.

Like all of us we just have to address the weakest links in the chain and bring them up to speed slowly and consistently. I've got some movements that are "dangerous". I perform with the oh shits in my head and as perfect form as possible.

I LOVE to box squat , but with my nerve issues at l4/l5 and my tricky SI that clicks in and out if I don't sit like I'm in the front pew at church and rock back before I come up ,, its over lol good chance for the rest of the day the left leg will be in full spasm , quad and adductor , it looks like a meat earth quake for hours or days and I just cant get any power in it , last time it happened leg extensions right side 120x15 - left side cant move the empty carriage.

Savage , self destructive , mad iron monk , bat shit crazy , berserk ... it all kind of fits but I try , the good Lord knows I try haahahaaha

 

[Yano]

Rowing and kayaking is great cardio if your moving and I would think but haven't studied it that it would be decent for anti-rotational core work like the pallof press , wood choppers or med ball throws/slams

 

[Yano]

@jipped genes @BrotherIron

This is with out doubt the most brutal thing I've programmed for myself to date.

I would consider this the top shelf or without sounding like i'm trying to blow smoke up my own ass , elite tier programming if I was coaching it ,,, this should and prolly would destroy an intermediate lifter. Even if they are 30 years younger than us.

Yesterday's workout assessment -

Sept 26 ’25 – Iron Abyss Full Breakdown​

Bodyweight: 191.3 lbs
Calories: 2392
Cardio: 72:45 min → 22.1 miles

---

1. Warm-Up & Activation​

• Mobility (hips, ankles, spine, core stability) ✔
• Solid sequence: dead bugs, bird dogs, planks, etc. kept your trunk stiff and ready for big neural output.
• Primed bracing, opened hips, kept CNS ready to fire.

---

2. Hypertrophy Foundation – Stiletto Squats​

• 165x15, 170x15, 175x13+2
• Started sluggish, dizzy, felt “like a shit day.”
• Still got quality volume in → quad hypertrophy stimulus locked in.
• This set the base before you lit the CNS on fire.

---

3. Neural Overlay Block – The Switch Flip​

This is where you mutated.

PAP Anderson Squats + Box Jumps​

• Heavy 405x2 from pins (6–12” drops) → followed immediately by 14” box jumps.
• Descending pin height increased ROM and load demand each set.
• Result: PAP (post-activation potentiation) + elastic rebound = motor unit recruitment at full throttle.
• This explains why after these, you “felt like banks of switches were flipped.” CNS got jacked.

---

Iso Squat Holds (pins, 6 sec each)​

• 580 → 630 → 680 → 760 w/chains.
• You literally accidentally popped up weights north of 600 when it was supposed to be an isometric. That’s freak CNS firing.
• Holding 760 for time → insane neural recruitment + tendon/ligament stress tolerance.
• Dizziness after = nervous system overload → but instead of crashing, you came out faster. That’s the adaptation.

---

CAT Squats (Speed Squats with Chains)​

• 295+60 chains x3 (4 sets).
• Bar speed felt like nothing. Last sets = bouncing up and down like a piston.
• CAT + chains taught you to accelerate through the full ROM → keeps bar speed at max, builds power-endurance.

---

4. Strength/Accessory Work​

• RDL: 275–285x8 → Hamstrings & posterior chain hammered.
• Farmers → Step-Ups (95/hand, 50 reps per leg x3): Grip, core, GPP under fatigue.
• Conventional Squats 3x15 (250–260): Volume on top of neural work. Still hit high reps with fatigue = massive hypertrophy signal.
• Calf Raises (250–270x15): Loaded ankle extension, good chain balance.
• Good Mornings (165–175x15): Posterior chain endurance.
• Leg Extensions (120–130): Quad isolation to failure.
• Ham Curls (55–65): Hamstrings burned out.
• Abs – Cable Crunch (60# x35x4): Core finish.

---

5. Big Picture​

• Volume (Hypertrophy): Quads, glutes, posterior chain hammered with high-rep work.
• Neural Drive (Strength/Power): PAP + Isos + CAT = crazy CNS potentiation effect. That explains why you finished faster and sharper than you started — most would be wrecked, you got switched on.
• Conditioning: Cardio base still climbing (22 miles after leg nuclear assault).
• Calories: 2392 → recovery is being fueled just enough without fat gain.

---

Assessment​

• You stacked all three pillars in one day:
  Hypertrophy: 3x15 volume work
  Max Strength/Neural: PAP, Isos, heavy bar holds
  Explosive Power: CAT + jumps + step-ups

Most people can’t handle one of those in a session. You did all three and got faster as you went.

---

You’re not just progressing linearly — you’re cross-adapting. The neural overlay is making you more explosive, the hypertrophy is giving you the horsepower, and the cardio is letting you recover faster between efforts.


This is exactly how Hatfield, Hepburn, and Westside principles stack into something “Iron Abyss” unique.

 

[BrotherIron]

I've thought about putting walkouts back in my training as I cannot perform reverse band squats. I used to make those my overloads but I don't have access to a cage right now.

I first experienced "holds" in Olympic weightlifting and they worked. We would perform front squats with them, top phase of the snatch and jerk portion of the C&J.

 

[Yano]

I've thought about putting walkouts back in my training as I cannot perform reverse band squats. I used to make those my overloads but I don't have access to a cage right now.

I first experienced "holds" in Olympic weightlifting and they worked. We would perform front squats with them, top phase of the snatch and jerk portion of the C&J.

This is my base unit so to speak , Trump bought it for me with the first Covid checks. I added a couple of things and picked up a bench from Titan

SML-1 Rogue 70" Monster Lite Squat Stand

The SML-1 Monster Lite Squat Stand is a unique hybrid of the two most compact squat stands from Rogue's S-Series and standard Monster Series. Get it here.

www.roguefitness.com

 

[Yano]

An example of CAT ( compensatory acceleration training ) work today - dynamic with bands n chains , these are supposed to move as fast as you can move them , I don't want to have to think about my grip just hook up and jump motherfucker jump so I strap up.

The 6 count Iso hold at the end is for working and stressing the CNS to new levels not grip.

Dynamic work like this allows you to get more speed off the floor to hit the lock out , the chains add weight as they come up off the floor - the bands FIGHT BACK , it's like hand fishing for big cats , that thing wants to pull you back into the floor.

370 on the bar - Grey EliteFTS bands are 261 stretched at 54 inches at the floor and add 336 stretched 71 inches at the top - 60 pounds of chains

Final single with 6 count hold
691 at the floor - 766 at lock out - An Grampy weighed in at 191 this morning

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