After 40 club

[Train_Hard_Live_Easy]

This is pretty far afield from TB principles, but Ross raises some very interesting ideas here and I think they are relevant to more seasoned trainees like ourselves:

http://rosstraining.com/blog/2015/06/24 ... is-a-goal/

I actually do my base-building phase in a something like this unstructured style.

Agreed. Ross was one of my go to sources - never gymless through to his conditioning book.....all bought and ingested.

The only thing missing was the LSS/aerobic work. On intensity and variety, he was great.

Unless you have a specific goal, then GPP (in ALL of its guises) is sufficient for general population...... The only caveat I would add is that more hypertrophy work and Aerobic work would be a focus for those advancing well in their years. (2x week strength training is an ideal foundation - fighter in TB)

Great article, sir.....many thanks.

[Barkadion]

This is pretty far afield from TB principles, but Ross raises some very interesting ideas here and I think they are relevant to more seasoned trainees like ourselves:

http://rosstraining.com/blog/2015/06/24 ... is-a-goal/

I actually do my base-building phase in a something like this unstructured style.

McCallum's series "The Fountain of Youth" is very interesting:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Keys-Pr ... o+progress

He advocates a lot of LSS running, and what looks like a high tempo-circuit style of training for an older trainee.

Thanks, J-Madd. Ross is a must. Agree. I find myself getting back to his books and advises on the regular basis throughout my life.

Here is another good one:

"Gray Hair and Black Iron: Secrets of Successful Strength Training for Older Lifters" by Brooks Kubik. The book focuses on strength training for the older lifter-over 50.

https://www.amazon.com/Gray-Hair-Black- ... B003334Y26

Some key points

- Recovery and recuperation

- Compound exercises with low reps-no more than 5 reps

- Train most of the time in the 70% to 80% bracket

- No more than two or three compound exercises per workout

- Some of his favorite exercises -power clean-overhead press-trap bar and front squats

- List over 50 workouts

[J-Madd]

I have been tempted by Grey Hair Black Iron for a while, but the $80 price deters me!

I've heard that Kubik likes higher intensity circuit workouts for older athletes. Is that right? Interestingly, that's what MacCallum recommends for older guys, and that's how DeFranco structures the accessory work in "Built to Last":

https://www.defrancostraining.com/built ... s-arrived/

I actually run at least one cycle of B2L/year (since the fall of 2014), and I get great results, especially as a first continuation cycle after my big summertime endurance beatdown. In fact, I'm doing it right now. He only loads your back once/week (which I think is a very good idea for a 40-something, washed up meathead like myself), there is a lot of emphasis on unilateral movements (Bulgarian split squats play a big roll) that help with imbalances, and he ramps up the barbell weight very slowly over the course of the ten weeks (you start at 70% in week 1, and end with a 1RM attempt in week 10), which is great for me after after being away from barbells for three months. The "strength capacity circuits" are killers. They give you a little hypertrophy and the are very "anaerobic" -- I'm usually huffing and puffing and completely pumped. In short, I think B2L is a fabulous program for us Elder Statesmen. It's a bit pricy (I think I paid $50 bak in 2014), but I also think it's worth it. I'll do a cycle or two to muscle back up and get used to moving some heavy weights, and then transition to Operator for the rest of the winter/spring.

[Barkadion]

I have been tempted by Grey Hair Black Iron for a while, but the $80 price deters me!

I've heard that Kubik likes higher intensity circuit workouts for older athletes. Is that right? Interestingly, that's what MacCallum recommends for older guys, and that's how DeFranco structures the accessory work in "Built to Last":

https://www.defrancostraining.com/built ... s-arrived/

I actually run at least one cycle of B2L/year (since the fall of 2014), and I get great results, especially as a first continuation cycle after my big summertime endurance beatdown. In fact, I'm doing it right now. He only loads your back once/week (which I think is a very good idea for a 40-something, washed up meathead like myself), there is a lot of emphasis on unilateral movements (Bulgarian split squats play a big roll) that help with imbalances, and he ramps up the barbell weight very slowly over the course of the ten weeks (you start at 70% in week 1, and end with a 1RM attempt in week 10), which is great for me after after being away from barbells for three months. The "strength capacity circuits" are killers. They give you a little hypertrophy and the are very "anaerobic" -- I'm usually huffing and puffing and completely pumped. In short, I think B2L is a fabulous program for us Elder Statesmen. It's a bit pricy (I think I paid $50 bak in 2014), but I also think it's worth it. I'll do a cycle or two to muscle back up and get used to moving some heavy weights, and then transition to Operator for the rest of the winter/spring.

Hi J-Madd, yes I think so. Overall, the book is well written and contains valuable information. But .. probably nothing new for the life-long lifter. There is some redundancy, too. Not sure myself that it worth the high price. But still very good book that can help.

I've done program similar to B2L with Eric Cressey's "High Performance Handbook". It does incorporate prehab movements and mobility drills into the lifting program. It has compounds as a foundation and uses unilateral movements on super-set circuits. Goblet KB Bulgarians left me humble as a baby and a lot of anti-rotation core drills was a pleasant surprise. It also has a optional conditioning sets, KB movements and self-evaluation protocol. Still not the cheapest on the market.

http://highperformancehandbook.com/?hop=ecressey

The general rules for getting older under iron are quite simple as far as I know. The trick is to make it personal and to make it work for you at the right time

- More attention to warm-up
- Mobility, stretching
- Going easy on your back
- Different variations for Big3 such as Block pulls/RDLs, Swiss bar pressing, Landmine pressing, Front Squat.
- Incorporating more unilateral work
- More cardio and conditioning

And just keep consistently pushing

[K.B.]

One thing that seems to work well for older TB-ers are shorter work periods. Meaning work hard for 3 week blocks, then take a transition/rest week. By hard I mean consistent. Smaller work/rest cycles. Your training is frequent - and as you get older the space you give yourself for recovery should be too. We all know we mend and become stronger during rest, but most of us have personalities that tend to neglect this aspect of training and give it lip service. Think about how you'd approach each session if you knew you only had to push for 3 weeks before getting time off. Not to mention it's a great way to stay ahead of the curve with injury and burn-out.

[Barkadion]

One thing that seems to work well for older TB-ers are shorter work periods. Meaning work hard for 3 week blocks, then take a transition/rest week. By hard I mean consistent. Smaller work/rest cycles. Your training is frequent - and as you get older the space you give yourself for recovery should be too. We all know we mend and become stronger during rest, but most of us have personalities that tend to neglect this aspect of training and give it lip service. Think about how you'd approach each session if you knew you only had to push for 3 weeks before getting time off. Not to mention it's a great way to stay ahead of the curve with injury and burn-out.

Can you please elaborate a little with example? How would it work for existent templates and the precenages?

So, you are running Operator weeks 1-3 with its presentages for instance. Then taking week off following by weeks 4-6 with corresponding presentages.

Basically, you keep the templates and spacing it out by frequent weeks off.is that correct?

Thanks.

[K.B.]

One thing that seems to work well for older TB-ers are shorter work periods. Meaning work hard for 3 week blocks, then take a transition/rest week. By hard I mean consistent. Smaller work/rest cycles. Your training is frequent - and as you get older the space you give yourself for recovery should be too. We all know we mend and become stronger during rest, but most of us have personalities that tend to neglect this aspect of training and give it lip service. Think about how you'd approach each session if you knew you only had to push for 3 weeks before getting time off. Not to mention it's a great way to stay ahead of the curve with injury and burn-out.

Can you please elaborate a little with example? How would it work for existent templates and the precenages?

So, you are running Operator weeks 1-3 with its presentages for instance. Then taking week off following by weeks 4-6 with corresponding presentages.

Basically, you keep the templates and spacing it out by frequent weeks off.is that correct?

Thanks.

Yeah keep it simple. 3 weeks of your template then take a week off. Depending on your goals you can stay with 70/80/90 forever (50+ athletes training for general health and fitness for example), or alternate with 75/85/95 or whatever the latter weeks are of your particular 6 week template. This also works well if you really want to hammer your lifts using the upper set range of Op I/A regardless of age.

It could look like this: 3 weeks on/1 week off/3 weeks on with higher percentages/1 week off/force progression and start again.

[Barkadion]

One thing that seems to work well for older TB-ers are shorter work periods. Meaning work hard for 3 week blocks, then take a transition/rest week. By hard I mean consistent. Smaller work/rest cycles. Your training is frequent - and as you get older the space you give yourself for recovery should be too. We all know we mend and become stronger during rest, but most of us have personalities that tend to neglect this aspect of training and give it lip service. Think about how you'd approach each session if you knew you only had to push for 3 weeks before getting time off. Not to mention it's a great way to stay ahead of the curve with injury and burn-out.

Can you please elaborate a little with example? How would it work for existent templates and the precenages?

So, you are running Operator weeks 1-3 with its presentages for instance. Then taking week off following by weeks 4-6 with corresponding presentages.

Basically, you keep the templates and spacing it out by frequent weeks off.is that correct?

Thanks.

Yeah keep it simple. 3 weeks of your template then take a week off. Depending on your goals you can stay with 70/80/90 forever (50+ athletes training for general health and fitness for example), or alternate with 75/85/95 or whatever the latter weeks are of your particular 6 week template. This also works well if you really want to hammer your lifts using the upper set range of Op I/A regardless of age.

It could look like this: 3 weeks on/1 week off/3 weeks on with higher percentages/1 week off/force progression and start again.

Interesting! Thank you.

I was thinking more like OP I/A approach meaning keeping extra day off in between strength/conditioning pair. Something like:

- OP
- HIC
- Off

Continue

Running 3 weeks blocks is something different..

[J-Madd]

I like to play around with some other stuff at the margins (e.g., when I'm transitioning from endurance to strength emphases, and/or I want to put a little more attention to a smidge of bodybuilding), but overall I think the way to go is Ye Ole OP I/A with a keen eye to auto regulation. If I feel great and want to push, by the latitude is there. If I don't feel so great, then likewise for just taking a day off and picking up where I left off in 24-48 hours. That's the template I'll spend most of my year in.

[AndyGog]

Did day 1 of week 4 in my first block of Operator yesterday. Knees were feeling a bit sore after week 3, but they're feeling OK today. So, fingers crossed, they're going to hold up to squatting 3 days a week. Going to complete 9 weeks before I'm away for a week, then retest.

I like the 3 weeks on, one week off idea above. But as a novice I'm going to keep that until I really need it.