Cluster Training is hard as a Mother Cluster!

Today’s Workout Log

Warm-up

30 minutes of dynamic stretching and soft-tissue work

Workout

Cluster (Do one “miniset” of 2 reps, rest 10 seconds, repeat for a total of 4 “minisets,” and that’s ONE cluster. Rest 3 minutes and begin next cluster.)

Front squats – 135 pounds – Sets: 5 Clusters (40 total reps)

Dumbbell Step-ups – 25-pound Dumbbells – Sets: 8/8/8 (2m rest)
Glue-Ham Raises – Bodyweight – Sets: 8/8/5 (90s rest)

SuperSet (Do one set of each exercise back-to-back, rest 90 seconds, repeat)

Barbell Rollouts – Bodyweight – Sets: 10/8/8
One-Leg Box Squats – Bodyweight – Sets: 4/2

Cool-down

Dead Hang (elongates spine) – 51 seconds

Workout Journal Notes

Hello, and welcome to Cluster Training!

I remembered glancing over it when I read through all of the phases of “Maximum Strength,” but it seemed a little confusing at first, so I decided to figure it out once I got to it.

Well, I’ve gotten to it!

Today was the first day of Phase 2, and the very first exercise is a cluster set of Front Squats.

Quick side note: Front squats were killing my collarbone area for the first few weeks, but just like it said in the book, the discomfort is almost completely gone now that my body has adjusted.

So, I read over clusters and how exactly to perform these front squats. It may sound a little confusing with it all typed out, but it’s really not that hard once you actually do it — not that hard to understand I mean, it’s definitely hard to actually do!

I loaded the bar up to 135, since that’s what I was repping for about 5-6 reps in the last phase.

You begin as normal, doing two reps. After the second rep, quickly re-rack the bar, rest 10 seconds, and go right into a second set of 2 reps, re-rack the bar, rest 10 seconds, do another 2 reps, re-rack the bar, rest 10 seconds, and do two final reps.

That’s one cluster. Then, you rest a few minutes, and do the same thing for the second cluster, and the third, and the fourth, and finally, the fifth!

It’s definitely intense, and I was sweating more than usual. The 5 clusters came out to 40 total reps, and that was just the first exercise of the day!

Thankfully, none of the other exercises involved clusters, so I was able to manage pretty well through those.

The One-Leg Box Squats (pistol squats) were the last exercise though, and my legs were obviously torched by then.

I only managed to squeeze out 4 shaky reps on the first set and another 2 weak ones on the second set.

I can usually do a few more of those, even though they are extremely hard regardless of where in the workout the come, but I’m sure my legs will adjust to getting them done under fatigue, making me even stronger on fresh pistols.

Phase 2 certainly started off with a bang, and I already see I’ll be treated to an upper body cluster first thing tomorrow!

Have you ever tried cluster training? If so, what do you think?