Strength Program

[Poser]

Starting Strength Novice Linear Progression until stalled out. Even if you are an intermediate+, if you've never done a Linear Progression, you will see significant gains in a relatively short period of time. After that, you can move on to a intermediate program such as Wendler 531 etc.

The oly downside is you'll need to acquire some more plates because you'll blow past 200# on at least 3 of your lifts within a few weeks.

 

[mtwarden]

Strength 3 days a week is PLENTY, likely even too much when doing lots of hiking etc. Remember, that the proper dose is best. And it's much less than the dose you can TOLERATE OR SURVIVE, most likely.

Agreed, although I'm sure it varies with the individual (and age—I'm old!), but I found that lifting twice a week worked best for me—I am hiking 6-7 days a week (~35-45 miles/week).

I bastardized Wendler's 5/3/1 (please don't tell him he'll kick my ass! ) where I've combined squats w/ bench and deadlifts w/ overhead press. I throw in a few accessory lifts and recently added an additional set to the primary lifts (from three sets to four). It's his "first set last"—the lowest weight set (between 65-75% of 1RM) for amrap. Gives me a little more volume and seems to help on the progression too.

If you haven't tried Wendler, I definitely think it's worth giving it a shot—most (all?) of his programs are published online.

 

[Hardly_Hangin]

Starting Strength. If you actually want to get strong.

This is the way

I came here to write this.

Me three (or four).,,

How did you change programming once you were no longer a novice?

Im in week 32 of starting strength after an NLP, then condensed texas method, then ran out a a four day split variation

 

[AZ_Hunter]

If you are passed the novice phase, you should have an idea of what works for you as an individual and understand the fundamentals enough to build your own program.

If you are in your 40’s, make sure adequate rest is built into your program. Remember that muscles aren’t built in the gym, they are built during recovery.

 

[Mike Islander]

You have far more than anyone needs for strength training! Pick your routines and do the work.

 

[Hardly_Hangin]

If you are passed the novice phase, you should have an idea of what works for you as an individual and understand the fundamentals enough to build your own program.

I do - simply a polling others.

If you are in your 40’s, make sure adequate rest is built into your program.

29

Remember that muscles aren’t built in the gym, they are built during recovery.

agreed

Thanks for the feedback

 

[Speaks]

I used to have a pretty complicated lifting program, managing it was kind of a pain and really had to be a bit more like a hobby, it was also real easy to get off of it with work travel etc.

This fall I simplified it drastically and have been happy with the results.

Warm up first with air squats, push ups, step ups etc. Finish the warm up with 3 sets of pullups. Rest is with heavy kettle bells, goal is heavy not volume.

Thrusters - This is a goblet squat but finishes with raising the bell up over your head
Snatches
Clean and Press
Swings

3 Sets each shooting for 3-8 reps and failure or close to failure at the end for all but the swings (swings I do as one set with whatever weight I am using for the others and try to do 1 swings for each lift I did that day, so for example if the others were all 6x3 I do 54 swings).

Is this the optimal set up? Maybe not, but its stupidly easy to follow can be taken with me, and really has not been any worse in results than much more involved programs.

 

[Poser]

How did you change programming once you were no longer a novice?

Im in week 32 of starting strength after an NLP, then condensed texas method, then ran out a a four day split variation

I dod Texas Method for awhile but it was too much stress for my lifestyle and conditioning demands. I did hit some new big PRs, but I also ran myself into the ground.
I then switched to a more scaled back HLM (Heavy Light Medium) template for a couple of years. That worked well for me after some experimenting. I then switched to a Heavy-Light (2x per week) template that I’ve been on for the last ~5 years and that balanced better with my lifestyle and conditioning demands. Recently, I’ve rotated deadlifts to every 2 weeks and that seems to be working sufficiently well.

I do often revert back to 3x a week, strength focused blocks for about 3 weeks during shoulder seasons, but, overall, managing the stress of strength training with lifestyle demands while maintaining good conditioning year around has led me down the path of slowly reducing volume through my 40s and slowing strength progression way down -spending more time in maintenance mode than progression. That being said, I did put my foundation work in for several years with more of an exclusive focus on strength and short bursts of NLO still prove useful for comebacks from injury or extended hunting trips.

 

[AZ_Hunter]

I do - simply a polling others.

29

agreed

Thanks for the feedback

29! You’re young man! Just get on some gear and blast and cruise with 7 day bro splits!

I’m kidding. Haha.

 

[Eleven]

I did all sorts of variations of programs after my initial NLP. Texas, 3x7, some weird shit that i found on the internet, etc. i ended up realizing that I didn’t want to be a power lifter and came up with my own programming that met my needs of family, work, recovery and more hiking/cardio than a SS NLP had. I found my balance.

 

[Hardly_Hangin]

This fall I simplified it drastically and have been happy with the results.

That was my favorite thing about starting strength, it was so easy to program and it worked.

I dod Texas Method for awhile but it was too much stress for my lifestyle and conditioning demands. I did hit some new big PRs, but I also ran myself into the ground.
I then switched to a more scaled back HLM (Heavy Light Medium) template for a couple of years. That worked well for me after some experimenting. I then switched to a Heavy-Light (2x per week) template that I’ve been on for the last ~5 years and that balanced better with my lifestyle and conditioning demands. Recently, I’ve rotated deadlifts to every 2 weeks and that seems to be working sufficiently well.

Texas method is brutal. Heavy deadlifts every week are difficult to recover from regardless.

i hit a wall a month or so ago on DL at 385, then replaced with rack pulls on my heavy day and plugged in halting DL on my light pull day. Did that for a few weeks and pulled 415 last week.

I've been focused on the strength aspect and could probably stand to work in some conditioning or rucking. Just no running...lol

 

[Hardly_Hangin]

I did all sorts of variations of programs after my initial NLP. Texas, 3x7, some weird shit that i found on the internet, etc. i ended up realizing that I didn’t want to be a power lifter and came up with my own programming that met my needs of family, work, recovery and more hiking/cardio than a SS NLP had. I found my balance.

I never thought I would want to be either , but I actually did a meet just for fun in July to get a benchmark for my progress and really enjoyed it. Planning to do another one next summer. Gives me something to work towards. My training got way better once I ponied up the money for the meet.

 

[LCguy]

How did you change programming once you were no longer a novice?

Im in week 32 of starting strength after an NLP, then condensed texas method, then ran out a a four day split variation

I started to ratchet up the intensity by experimenting with things like pause-rest sets and myoreps. Also started training much, much closer to failure, programmed in deloads and started to wade a little more into the minutiae. Just trying to squeeze more gains out after beginner gains run out.