I employ a 4 day split based around the big 4 so bench day followed by squat then OHP then deadlift days
I do my main lift then build the rest of the session around that lift so eg bench, dips, flies then one or two tricep exercises 2 sets each and go past technical failure on those
I find running all 4 days in succession fine and then 3 days off normally Friday to Sunday to.recover is fine. Sometimes ill wait till Saturday to do deadlift day if im feeling beat up, its normally cause I didn’t sleep well during the week so Saturday morning ill sleep in then be ready for a hard DL session later on and have no issues recovering fir Mondays bench day
Depending on interest in training here ill document how i go with a planned change soon. Ill deload this week then start Bromley’s block training, ill post it here to save you punks having to buy it for $10
Similar routine here, with some differences…I’ll be 66 next month…
I lift every other day - M, W, F, Su, Tu, Th, Sa…
Bench and accessories
Deadlift and accessories
CG Bench and accessories (no OH presses due to 4 shoulder operations)
Squat and accessories
Rinse and repeat
On days I don’t lift I use an ergo rower for low impact cardio
I try to push it pretty hard - lifting is not particularly “fun”, but always feel better having completed the workouts. Rep ranges for the main lifts are 1 to 5 and accessories depending on the movement anywhere from 8 to 20.
Best lifts, all done within last 12 to 18 months at bodyweight 225:
I’m currently within 5% of the above lifts although I’m no longer pushing squats to their max. At some point, and its hard to tell if I’m there yet, there will be a day where I’ve peaked and can no longer gain strength. At that point it will be a fight to maintain strength as long as possible.
Lifting heavy at this age is threading the needle - very easy to push too hard and tweak something; conversely as we age we need more frequent exposure to high intensity to maintain/gain strength. I’m still recovering from a bike fall in April where I tweaked my left shoulder, and benches are only now back to the low 300 range.
Please post a running update or lifting journal here. Im really interested in following you. Im a couple of decades younger and want to be where you are now at your age im sure others too
Can I also ask how extensively you lifted in the past? Or when did start?
I think I posted about this previously, but it may have been on the old forum…no matter…
I was a gymnast in HS – a rings specialist. 3rd in state my Jr year and well on my way to state championship my senior year when I injured my shoulder at gymnastics camp and effectively ended my gymnastics career. And started a decades long journey of shoulder injures and surgeries. I set my still standing HS pullup record during presidents physical fitness test at 39 back in 1976.
In college I screwed around lifting and some arm wrestling, but nothing serious. I started lifting more seriously after graduating w/ best lifts of bench 345; deadlift 455 and squat 405 at 181 lbs in my late 20s Typical bro training – 90% upper body and occasional squats and deadlifts. Not very intelligent programming…
Then life happened…married…3 kids…work…and little to no physical activity for too many years. Started grappling back in early 90’s and really enjoyed the aggressive nature of the academy I trained at. But shoulder problems once more raised its ugly head 5 years later when in a match my opponent put me aggressively in an Americana and due to my already repaired shoulder w/ poor ROM, tore 2 tendons completely off the bone. My ortho said no more do overs after that one – said I was lucky he was able to piece things back together. By now I’m in my mid 40s and I pretty much gave up over the next 15 years or so. Starting having back pain and sciatica…and one day it hit me if I don’t do something, I’m just another deconditioned old fart w/ a bad back. I read an article from Dr Jonathan Sullivan that resonated with me – his contention was a strong back is a healthy back and the best way to strengthen your back is through barbell training focusing on squats and deadlifts.
I purchased his book “The Barbell Prescription; Strength Training for Life After 40”. It is the bible on getting stronger and healthier for masters lifters. I cannot overstate the impact of this book and following his (and co-author Andy Baker) recommended progression from novice to intermediate to advanced lifter.
I purchased a power rack, Ohio power bar and Olympic plates. I started lifting on July 15, 2017 at 58. My bodyweight was a soft 211 and my lifts that first session was squat 135x5; bench 175x5; deadlift 275x5. I keep an electronic training log. Today was my 1073rd training session. My back pain largely cleared up after about 2 weeks of training and completely after 4. I was a believer and hooked. Except for vacations and 1 month off for a 2-level laminectomy and facetectomy lumbar decompression surgery for severe spinal stenosis leading to neurogenic claudication, I haven’t missed a single training session. As an aside, my late father and 2 of my sisters have had the same surgery, so it appears there is some congenital factors going on unrelated to lifting. I had Covid twice (unvaccinated) and trained thru that. It has become a bit of an obsession…but I can think of worse obsessions to have.
Today was CG bench day. Top set was 255x5 followed by 2 back off sets at 242.5x5. Some tricep work and shoulder bandwork. My left shoulder is still not right from a bike fall in April, but the strength is finally coming back. I find the bandwork and careful attention to benching technique critical to being able to bench w/ my glass shoulders. I cant do OH presses, and I uses straps when squatting as a quasi safety squat bar as I simply cannot reach back that far. One of these days I’ll buy a Marrs bar (SS bar that allows low bar squatting).
Sorry for the long post…feel free to ask any questions. I obviously have a lot of passion about this!
Well here’s Bromley’s block outline video, theres a ebook if you want the set and rep protocal but ill post it here once ive read it and had a chance to try it myself
Finally back from bike fall in April. Tonight benched 265x5 for first time in over a year. Not as much as I’ve ever done, but shoulder feels good and felt good to exceed where I was when I took that fall. Injuries suck, and they take ever longer to recover from, but w/ careful programming and intelligent programming, its always a good feeling to get over the hump.
Im 41 training for the arnold pro end of this month/first weekend of march.
Monday-squat
Tuesday-heavy bench
Weds-deadlift
Thurs-supplemental bench day.
I like having 3 days off to rest.
Best lifts in contest
Squat 570 tho i was good for 630 on the day i just red lighted my first 2 attempts because technical errors.
Bench 428
Deadlift 678
Im just doing push pull this time hoping for a 450 bench and 700 deadlift.
Fix out of the blue we get some legit beasts in here
Very timely arrival too
I’m moving from a 4 day split based around the big 4 plus accessories for the particular main to wanting to up frequency by doing the same 4 day but getting a second day of each of the big 4 either by getting the second day in via doing it for higher reps as a second movement example squat after the main bench movement but for say 10-12 reps instead of 3-5 on the main squat day
I hope that makes sense and if so any tips on programming would be met with fellatio on demand
M
I like having a supplemental bench day to really focus on technique. But i dont think i could recover having a 2nd squat or deadlift day. I just think it takes to much out of me, especially my back. This next3 weeks i may even skip my thursday bench and just do my accessories to let my elbows/shoulders/chest recover too. Im not sure yet, ill see how i feel and talk to my coach.
If you wanna suffer but improve your bench or squat. Look up the smallov jr program. Its horrible lol. But i did 2 3 week programs back to back and came back and hit a lifetime gym pr of 445. Im not sure id wanna try it for deadlift, it would just take to much out of me.
In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I’ll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion.
