John Meadows was an American professional bodybuilder who made the Mountain Dog Training system, which athletes use worldwide to train for bodybuilding. John Meadows went on stage as a bodybuilder with the confidence of a champion, even though he had been through many health problems and losses in his personal life.
Along the way, he inspired a lot of people. John Meadows is no longer with us, but his legacy shows how strong he was and how much he cared about bodybuilding.
This post doesn’t have John Meadows’ exact workout schedule, but it does explain what we think he did to prepare for a competition based on interviews, comments, and feedback from others in the industry.
What We Know Now
- Height: 5 ft 6 inches
- Weight: 215-225 pounds
- Age: 49 years at the time of his death (2021)
- Birthdate: April 11, 1972
- Awards: Certified Sports Nutritionist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, 4th place at the 2004 IFBB North American Bodybuilding Championships, 1st place at the 2015 NPC Universe, 9th place at the 2012 Arnold Classic, and many other awards.
Workout Principles
John Meadows had a successful career as a bodybuilder, so he had a lot of knowledge and experience to share with his clients. John’s Mountain Dog Training business helped athletes get stronger, eat better, and be healthier.
John Meadows often used a 4-day push-pull-legs split in the gym. This split works different parts of the body on three separate training days. This means that you work each muscle group every 4–6 days. He also used high-intensity workouts to build endurance and get in better shape, especially when training to get bigger.
John Meadow’s Workout Routine
John Meadows was one of the best bodybuilders ever. Whether helping his clients gain muscle mass and strength or training for his competitions, he always stressed having and keeping perfect form. John knew that the gains would come once the paper was perfected.
It’s not easy to get as big of muscles as John Meadows. It takes a lot of work to build muscle; every day is a training day.
Here is the workout plan that John Meadows used to get to the next level:
Monday: Legs
This leg workout will make your lower body shake and work hard. Only John Meadows would work out his legs to start the week.
- Curl one leg while standing (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Machine for adding up (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Barbell squat (5 sets, 10 reps)
- Leg extension (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Smith machine lunge in place (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Stiff-leg deadlift (4 sets, 12 reps)
Tuesday – Back
John Meadows did a back workout that helped him build muscle and worked on his upper body. Before doing these exercises, you should do a few warm-up sets to ensure your form is perfect. You should also warm up your upper body first.
- Hammer row (4 sets, 8 reps)
- One arm barbell row (4 sets, 8 reps)
- Pullover (4 sets, 8 reps)
- Facing away lat pulldown (4 sets, 10 reps)
- Rack yank (3 sets, 6 reps)
Wednesday – Arms
John Meadows’ workout routine was built around high-intensity training. It helped him develop the most effective ways to build muscle for his body.
- Pushdown on the triceps (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Grab a dumbbell and pull it up (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Dumbbell curl (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Standing barbell drag curl (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Bilateral dumbbell preacher curl (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Two-rope cable pulldown while standing (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Cable pulldown while standing (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Kettlebell lying extension (3 sets, 12 reps)
Thursday – Take a break
- From what John Meadows has learned, the mind-muscle connection is an excellent way to tell when recovery is needed. If he thought his body required an extra day off, he wouldn’t think twice about giving it to it.
Friday: Shoulders and chest
This high-intensity chest and shoulder workout will leave you sore for days. These moves work both the lower and upper chest at the same time.
- Machine fly backward (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Press with dumbbells from above (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Hammer strength flat press (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Pullover machine (3 sets, 15 reps)
- The high cable row (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Isolateral cable rear delt fly with seat (3 sets, 15 reps)
- Standing dumbbell lateral raise (3 sets, 15 reps)
- EZ-bar front raise (3 sets, 10 reps)
Saturday – Legs
That’s right; it’s another leg workout.
- Lie down leg curl (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Bulgarian split squat (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Spider bar squat (3 sets, 10 reps)
- Back-to-front band hack squat (3 sets, 12 reps)
- Machine leg extension (1 set, 20 reps)
- Glute ham raise (3 sets to failure)
Sunday – Take a break
- John Meadows cared more about his wife and two young sons than anything else. John spent Sundays with his family after a busy week coaching clients and going to the gym.
John Meadows’s Diet
When John Meadows was getting ready for a bodybuilding competition, he ate six meals daily. John’s training plan calls for him to eat well, take in a lot of calories, and eat healthy fats like beef and salmon that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. He took several vitamins and supplements to help his health in general.
This is what John Meadows eats:
Meal 1
- 6 complete eggs
- oats, 1/2 cup
- One teaspoon of coconut oil
Meal 2
- 2 scoops of protein made from whey
- 1/2 cup of blueberries, strawberries, or other fruit
Meal 3
- Shrimp weighing 6 ounces
- Stir-fried vegetables
- Brown rice, 1/2 cup
Meal 4
- 2 scoops of protein made from whey
- Peanut butter
- The wheat germ
Meal 5
- Breast of chicken
- Walnuts by the handful
- Balsamic vinegar on a salad of vegetables
Meal 6
- Grass-fed cattle
- spears of asparagus
- A new pineapple
Summary
John Meadows was a great person, athlete, and coach. His Mountain Dog Training program changed so many people’s lives. People in the bodybuilding world still miss him.
John’s training methods were one of a kind, and everyone who knew him and helped him in his career will never forget his spirit, demeanor, and desire to teach if your goal is to build as much muscle as “Mountain Dog” John Meadows, this workout routine and diet plan will get you there.
