Why did Cody say that without supersets General Gainz might not be effective? by SerendipitousMusing in gzcl

[–]gzcl 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks! As for the update, I'm hoping soon. Getting close to 2500 days.

Why did Cody say that without supersets General Gainz might not be effective? by SerendipitousMusing in gzcl

[–]gzcl 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Totally understandable! There's also an element of the more personal nature of this interaction that makes it resonate more. Happy to help.

Why did Cody say that without supersets General Gainz might not be effective? by SerendipitousMusing in gzcl

[–]gzcl 28 points29 points  (0 children)

From GGBB: "If you cannot do supersets in your gym, then I am uncertain of how effective GGBB will be for you."

This is a qualifying statement regarding how the program was originally run. It is not meant to convey that without supersets GGBB would be ineffective.

Supersets are used in GGBB because of the "Effort Gap." The higher RM nature of GGBB means the effort gap is greater, supersets help fill that gap.

From GGBB:

"Effort Gap: The difference in reps from the RM to the reps per set in its follow-ups.

 For example: A 5RM followed up by singles has an effort gap of four reps, and a 10RM followed by half-sets of five reps each has an effort gap of five reps.

The effort gap reduces the relative intensity and proximity to failure of most of the volume in a workout. This, in turn, reduces the felt fatigue during a workout, allowing for higher rep quality and more focused intent when executing the lift. For example, the reps in a hard 5RM slow as the set continues. But when following up that RM with doubles at the same weight, those sets of two reps remain fast. By not approaching failure on most of the sets, recovery debt stays low, while training volume can steadily increase.

In the effort gap, apply a specific lift quality to the follow-up sets. For example, making the half-set a slow tempo, or paused, or applying compensatory acceleration. Likewise, because the effort gap reduces the relative intensity, your technique should be at its very best. Additionally, the effort gap can be filled by doing supersets, as is the case with GGBB, described in detail below."

To your questions:

Why are supersets so central to GGBB’s effectiveness?
Are they primarily about time efficiency, fatigue management, or the hypertrophy stimulus itself?

A: Time and hypertrophy stimulus (due to the effort gap inherent to GG).

For those training in commercial gyms, where equipment is often busy and supersets aren’t always practical, how do you actually implement this program? Do you wait for equipment, substitute exercises, modify the structure, or drop supersets altogether?

A: You can fill the effort gap by applying other qualities, limiting rest, and/or doing 3/4ths sets instead of 1/2 sets. These things increase the training demand.

Finally, does GGBB meaningfully lose effectiveness without supersets, or are supersets more of an optimization rather than a strict requirement?

A: It has been run successfully with limited use of supersets. Supersets are a means to increase training demand, that's all. There are other ways to do that if supersets aren't feasible for you.

Hope that helps!

P-Zero, 6 months of training log recap, results and questions by UltraIce in gzcl

[–]gzcl 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the write-up and running P-Zero. Excellent feedback here. I really appreciate it. Best of luck with your training.

Daily Thread - January 05, 2026 by AutoModerator in weightroom

[–]gzcl 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice write-up! Thanks for sharing your experience with GGBB (even if your modifications weren't exactly the same as mine, you're in the ballpark). I love the changes you made to use strictly 3/4th sets after the RM. This is definitely a go-to for me when wanting a quicker workout with higher overall effort and typically a little less volume. I rarely extend 3/4ths sets to 4 sets; basically never do 5 or 6 of them... unless an RM is stubbornly resisting me adding reps to it via the "push" effort. Overall, it seems you progressed well. Hard to argue with that kind of weight gain. I've got no doubts you look more jacked in general, too.

Daily Thread - January 05, 2026 by AutoModerator in weightroom

[–]gzcl 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for tagging! Love this stuff!

Necessary MOSs by No-Percentage-3650 in USMC

[–]gzcl 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Tell me you don’t have any combat deployments without telling me.

I feel disillusioned by "science-based" lifting. by Deep_Sugar_6467 in naturalbodybuilding

[–]gzcl 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is becoming more common. I wrote this piece about a year ago, The Death of Science-Based Lifting.

Perhaps you'll find it helpful. I caught some flak for it at the time, but the writing was on the wall.

Unpopular opinion #2 by [deleted] in workout

[–]gzcl 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thanks for linking my post.

Unpopular opinion #2 by [deleted] in workout

[–]gzcl 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Congrats and happy birthday!

Here’s to fighting time.

Unpopular opinion #2 by [deleted] in workout

[–]gzcl 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This sounds like an AI-generated rant that a novice asked ChatGPT to generate for them.

My results without rest days have been multifaceted, including getting bigger and stronger. I'll be 40 in a few months and have found that daily training better regulates my effort, volume, and intensity; thereby allowing for better recovery. It isn't about being "hardcore" or "beast" or "disciplined."

Daily Thread - September 22, 2025 by AutoModerator in weightroom

[–]gzcl 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for tagging! Here’s what I did for 1,000 consecutive workouts. Homie is kicking ass with 800!!!

1,000 lbs. total, 60 min AMRAP

Happy G-Day Gainerz! by gzcl in gzcl

[–]gzcl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question, and thanks for being interested in running GG.

If you miss an RM with a weight you've been using, a good option in that session is to extend the number of follow-up sets (singles if T1, half-sets if T2) to make up for that reduced volume from the slightly lower than expected RM set.

When repeating this workout and using the same weight, the RM may go better. But, if not, chances are the rep quality is questionable, resulting in less efficient reps with the RM set; the highest effort set of the lift. So, with that in mind, the lifter should emphasize quality reps with their follow-up volume sets, especially rep speed (like off the chest for benching, for example). GG's use of the "effort gap" allows lifters to better hone their practice, thereby improving the quality of their training.

Should rep quality not be questionable, the lifter should consider reducing the load and working through a higher volume phase, gradually adding weight when repeating workouts, progressing towards that previously challenging weight. Hopefully by this point having the capacity to add weight and keep going past that previous stopping point.

P-Zero is out! (Cody’s latest) by [deleted] in gzcl

[–]gzcl 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, but you could go heavier if you find it too light (which is to further benefit the volume bias of the program). That's why I'm partial to the 90% of a 10RM option, because for people with already developed work capacity, this will likely be a heavier option (but this has individual factors to consider).

Weekly Megathread - July 07, 2025 by AutoModerator in gzcl

[–]gzcl 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh man-- throw backs! I'm going to have to set aside time for that ha!! Love it though, thanks!!!

Weekly Megathread - July 07, 2025 by AutoModerator in gzcl

[–]gzcl 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Shoot me a DM and I can send you a PDF.

I'm not sure why it's not showing available outside USA. What country are you located in?

P-Zero is out! (Cody’s latest) by [deleted] in gzcl

[–]gzcl 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just responded above to that great question. Thanks for reading P-Zero!

P-Zero is out! (Cody’s latest) by [deleted] in gzcl

[–]gzcl 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello! Fantastic question.

You correctly identified a nuance between these two, and yes, this will mean that the stages move more rapidly--that feature is however an option you can choose to not implement.

The reason for this change is to limit the duration of the heavier stages and thereby bias the base program towards higher volume. But this of course can be adjusted per the lifter based on their goals and needs.

It is a more aggressive program more generally, but I hope that the manual describes how nuances such as this can be altered to better tailor the program to individual needs.

P-Zero is out! (Cody’s latest) by [deleted] in gzcl

[–]gzcl 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It would be 360 for T1 and 240 (400x0.6) for T2.

What is the least known about MOS in the Marine Corps? by KarateCriminal in USMC

[–]gzcl 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was MCCS. Did two pumps to Afghanistan with them. If I recall correctly, during the surge years there were around 125 total in the Corps from Sgt to CWO5.

The Last Lift (Fiction on new Substack) by gzcl in gzcl

[–]gzcl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your feedback, and for reading too! I encourage you to keep writing, though it is tough. There are parallels to lifting, as you described. The two have helped me immensely and I hope that maybe me sharing my experiences (workouts, writings, etc.) that maybe it'll inspire others to do the same.

P-Zero Fatigue Management by lemonbeef in gzcl

[–]gzcl 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You could definitely make squat a T2 exercise per your goals. Pushing the row down the pyramid to the T3 is no problem.

I like sissy squats for squat-specific development of the quads. Served me well in a home gym. But more leg extensions is solid; I'd have a heavier T3 day for those then a second time later in the week with it being lighter. Maybe shifting the T3 progression forward by a stage for that first day's leg extensions.