Program guide
Bullmastiff guide: base building, AMRAP feedback, and calculated session execution
Bullmastiff has a strong appeal for lifters who want a serious base-building block. The page should respect Alexander Bromley's source material while helping the lifter run the training cleanly.
Important boundary
This guide explains concepts and helps you calculate inputs. For the official program, read or buy the original source.
Best for
Intermediate lifters comfortable with harder strength blocks
Days/week
Often 4 in public app/source summaries
Main lifts
Squat, bench, deadlift, press patterns
Progression style
Block structure with AMRAP-style feedback
Complexity
Moderate to high
Spreadsheet reliance
Common
Protocol fit
Manual setup and calculator-assisted planning fit
Manual setup
Use the original source for the rules, then build the routine and run the sessions in Protocol.
Build this block in ProtocolProgram structure
What has to be set up before week one
Use the source material for the program rules. Use this section to decide how the routine should live inside Protocol.
Support mode
Manual setup in Protocol
Session shape
Often 4 in public app/source summaries
Progression anchor
Block structure with AMRAP-style feedback
Spreadsheet friction
Common
Protocol setup path
Manual setup and calculator-assisted planning fit
How to build this in Protocol
Use Protocol as the execution layer, not the program source.
- Use the original source for the rules, then build the routine and run the sessions in Protocol.
Protocol can
- Save the routine as named days, exercises, sets, rest notes, and load anchors.
- Guide workouts exercise by exercise and set by set while logging completed, failed, and skipped work.
- Apply configured weighted progression, failure-threshold load reductions, and equipment-aware rounding when those rules exist in the routine.
Protocol cannot
- Protocol does not import spreadsheets or pass calculator values into the Training app automatically.
- Protocol is independent from named program owners; source material and coaching override this guide.
- No built-in preset is claimed for this page unless the page says so directly.
Manual setup
Calculate your inputs
Use the original source for the rules, then build the routine and run the sessions in Protocol.
1. Pick the first input: e1RM, target reps, and target RPE.
2. Use the calculator: start with RPE load calculator.
3. Run the block: build the routine in Protocol after checking the source rules.
How Bullmastiff works
Bullmastiff is associated with Alexander Bromley and the Base Strength / Empire Barbell ecosystem. Public summaries describe it as a base-building strength block that uses AMRAP-style feedback and planned waves before heavier strength expression.
The important execution idea is that the set result can influence the next step. That makes the log more important than a static table: reps achieved, effort, target, and next-week decision all need to stay connected.
This page does not copy PDF/book tables or phase layouts. Use Bromley's source material for the actual program.
This guide explains the concepts and helps you calculate your own inputs. For the official program, read or buy the original source.
Track the feedback, not just the load
AMRAP-style work only helps if the result is logged clearly. The useful record is not just the weight; it is the target, reps achieved, effort, and what the next week should do.
Do not treat the AMRAP as a reckless max test. The point is usable feedback inside the program's rules, not proving something every week.
Protocol does not include a built-in Bullmastiff preset. It can support a manually configured block, clear session execution, and calculator-assisted planning.
Example block workflow
Start with the source material, set conservative inputs, and decide how each phase should appear as sessions. Then run the training in a system that keeps targets and completed work together.
A practical session starts with the planned main work, records the rep result that matters, then moves to the supporting work without losing what should change next week.
Use RPE, volume load, plate loading, and deload calculators around the program when they help with planning. Do not treat them as official Bullmastiff rules.
How to build this in Protocol
Build the block manually from legitimate Bromley material or a trusted app source. Keep phase names, lift targets, AMRAP notes, and accessory choices visible.
Protocol can run the session as a sequence of planned sets, keep notes attached to the lift, and preserve completed, failed, or skipped work for the next decision.
The app is useful because it keeps the training block executable, while the official source still owns the program rules.
Execution traps
Common mistakes
- Using copied tables instead of Bromley's source material.
- Treating every AMRAP as a reckless max test.
- Not recording the rep result clearly enough to make the next decision.
- Assuming Protocol ships Bullmastiff as a built-in preset.
- Separating the AMRAP result from the next-week load decision.
Common questions
FAQ
Does Protocol include Bullmastiff?
No built-in Bullmastiff preset is currently claimed. Protocol can support a manually configured block.
Is this an official Bullmastiff guide?
No. Use Alexander Bromley and Empire Barbell source material for the official program.
Can I run Bullmastiff without a spreadsheet?
Yes, if you manually configure the block from legitimate source material and keep set outcomes, AMRAP results, and next-session decisions visible.
What calculators help with Bullmastiff?
RPE load, volume load, plate loading, and deload calculators can help around the program. They are planning helpers, not official Bullmastiff rules.