Wrapped up the first week of the Juggernaut PB A.I. program and started in on week 2 today.
The first week was interesting. I feel like the biggest reason I enjoyed it is due to the fact that this is vastly different than any programming I have followed in the past. I am very familiar with training based on percentages of my maxes as well as several years following an RPE style plan. I have also tackled several “in-between type” programs, such as those from Pen & Paper Strength.
I feel as if most of the week was spent testing out 10RM on a variety of lifts, such as push press, press, DB bench, BB upright row, DB floor press RDL, and several others. In all of the programming, I have followed over the past 5 years, I can’t recall where I have tested a 10RM on any lift. That alone made the initial week very fun. On top of that, there are reps/sets on new movements. In some ways, I feel as if I am starting all over from scratch and in others, I love how much stronger I feel.
I have watched a few videos on how to manipulate the data in the spreadsheet. As I track what I am doing, the spreadsheet will make automatic adjustments. I am taking the lifts and what is calculated for me and working that information in between block 1 and the athlete dashboard. I feel like I have been able to get all of the prescribed movements in during the time that I am normally at the gym. That has been a big plus. I did not want a program that required me to spend half a day in the gym and then leave me feeling destroyed at the end of the day. I have had to superset a few movements here and there to get it all in, but overall, good stuff. I missed one of the days of the program due to Christmas week and starting this one day later than I should. Week 2 should be a more accurate picture of what is happening since I should be able to get all 5 training days in.
Feedback
So far, the hardest part of all of this has been regulating the workouts. There are a lot of areas where I want to push way harder than what is called for but that would be against the intent of the programming. The A.I. depends on honest feedback from me and some of the instructional videos encouraged me erring on the conservative side so that when the program peaks, I’ll be ready with it and not burned out beforehand. At the end of each week, I have a check-in where I input parameters for each of the areas the program addresses.
Overall, I love the mix of the programming and being able to work on some new things. Hoping this continues as the A.I. gets my feedback.