What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

MxS/SE/HIC/E
Caleddin
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 3:47 pm

What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Caleddin »

I'm feeling good on my max strength days, and I want to add a bit to them. Not too much, since I know you're supposed to feel good after, not beaten down, but a little.

Obviously during a max strength day/session, the main compound lifts are the most important. But I'm curious what (and why) people add after them. Accessory lifts seem very popular - is that just for hypertrophy/aesthetics? Are there any downsides?

I know some folks do HIC also - are certain routines more suited for after MS, when you're more tired? I guess it's just a see-as-you-go situation.

Then there's E - in the book KB mentions that you should be able to run after a MS session, so maybe doing just that is the best way to get a little extra in safely. Core work also seems to fit in here.

Tym87
Posts: 367
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 2:10 am

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Tym87 »

Caleddin wrote:I'm feeling good on my max strength days, and I want to add a bit to them. Not too much, since I know you're supposed to feel good after, not beaten down, but a little.

Obviously during a max strength day/session, the main compound lifts are the most important. But I'm curious what (and why) people add after them. Accessory lifts seem very popular - is that just for hypertrophy/aesthetics? Are there any downsides?

I know some folks do HIC also - are certain routines more suited for after MS, when you're more tired? I guess it's just a see-as-you-go situation.

Then there's E - in the book KB mentions that you should be able to run after a MS session, so maybe doing just that is the best way to get a little extra in safely. Core work also seems to fit in here.
A lot of guys do heavy kettlebell swings

User avatar
Barkadion
Posts: 4500
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:09 am
Location: Massachusetts, USA

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Barkadion »

I've been using KB swings, TGUs, shoulder prehabs and core finishers. Also, it seems that all of it can be covered by HIC and GC.
I still keep shoulder prehabs around as a finisher due my personal paranoia with preventing injuries.. And I am addicted to ab wheel roll-outs :lol:

I am still relatively new to TB but I think that the beauty of TB programming is that you don't really need finishers. Unless it fits your personal goal..
"Man is what he reads." - Joseph Brodsky

DocOctagon
Posts: 309
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2016 2:46 am

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by DocOctagon »

KB swings or snatches. Sometimes a Tabata (run or AD or heavy bag)...it's only 4 minutes after all.

Im6-7
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2016 1:52 am

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Im6-7 »

Most of the time nothing. MS seems like a finicky beast that does best when it 's left alone...unlike conditioning and SE.

User avatar
J-Madd
Posts: 651
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 4:26 pm

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by J-Madd »

Caleddin wrote:I'm feeling good on my max strength days, and I want to add a bit to them. Not too much, since I know you're supposed to feel good after, not beaten down, but a little.

Obviously during a max strength day/session, the main compound lifts are the most important. But I'm curious what (and why) people add after them. Accessory lifts seem very popular - is that just for hypertrophy/aesthetics? Are there any downsides?

I know some folks do HIC also - are certain routines more suited for after MS, when you're more tired? I guess it's just a see-as-you-go situation.

Then there's E - in the book KB mentions that you should be able to run after a MS session, so maybe doing just that is the best way to get a little extra in safely. Core work also seems to fit in here.
Don't add anything to your MS days, unless those additions contribute to some goal. Don't add something, unless you know what work it is doing for you. Anything you add on MS day that doesn't move you toward your goals just drains resources and energy from other useful things. Always use the minimal effective dose. I do dumbbell farmer carries, plank and shank, and heavy swings (though I do only one in a particular workout), because I don't DL very frequently. Those accessories therefore fill some holes in my normal MS cluster.

If you want to condition after MS, Zulu is probably the most friendly template (because it typically has shorter MS sessions). You can do this with Operator, but your sessions will get a longer.

Aelian
Posts: 210
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2016 2:32 am

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Aelian »

J-Madd wrote: Don't add anything to your MS days, unless those additions contribute to some goal. Don't add something, unless you know what work it is doing for you. Anything you add on MS day that doesn't move you toward your goals just drains resources and energy from other useful things.
BOOM! This is wisdom right here folks. Thanks for the reminder JMadd.

For me it's usually core. Roll-outs/hanging leg raises/Plank & Shank.

Ten8
Posts: 63
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2016 2:20 am

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Ten8 »

There are times I run a cluster with just the big 3 (BP/SQ/DL) or FSQ/OHP/DL. When I do this I add in a few sets of chins or pull-ups as a finisher. That and some core work.

Adski
Posts: 1926
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 9:06 pm

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Adski »

Well for myself one of my accessories is technically a main goal, (improving Rollouts then getting one arm Rollouts back) this doesn't always fall on strength days as I'll typically perform them on one day then after 2 or 3 days I'll work with them again.
One accessory I have reintroduced is sandbag carries on my 2nd MS session of the week (operator), partly because I enjoy it, partly because it's a great core exercise, and also because there is a good variety of challenges with them simply by adjusting the Carry. I've been doing a lot of cradle/zercher carries with one bag for a walk up and down my street then alternate with a heavier bag performing a bear hug Carry, the cradle is great for frying the arms (and I cant prove that it's from the carries but since doing the cradle carries my WPU has been feeling a lot more solid) and the bear hug is great for everything else.
I also include grip work, to look after the hands, keep them strong for lifting and as an additional challenge. I perform heavy ish Pinch work at least once per week, this may or may not be on an MS day, and I also perform crush, wrist and support grip work during the week also (crush and wrist usually as a mini workout or during an E session, support at the moment has been fat Grip work on warm up sets prior to working sets for deadlifts).

User avatar
Blackmetalbunny
Posts: 175
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2016 3:00 am

Re: What do you add after your MS cluster, and why?

Post by Blackmetalbunny »

Most of the time, nothing. However if I've got time and am feeling generally good, some basic stuff like dead / weighted hangs and dragon flags. Even then just 1 or 2 as practice.

As the others have mentioned, getting too beat up isn't ideal.

Post Reply