Train three days a week. Let's say your training days are Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Train HARD on Monday and again HARD on Friday. On Wednesdays you ease up considerably, working at only 60-70% of your full capacity.
Here is a sample Power and Bulk routine. There are many exercise variations you can select to avoid becoming stale. Just make sure all the variations are big movements and not isolation-style exercises.
Press Behind Neck - 1x6, 1x4, 2x2-3.
Squat - 1x8-10, 1x5, 2x2-3.
Bench Press - 1x10, 1x5, 2x2-3.
Bentover Row - 4x8
Deadlift - 1x8, 1x4, 2x3.
Poundages should be regulated by how you feel on your training days.
Power and bulk programs can be stripped down to the bare essentials at times. Not to say you will be training any less strenuously; you will simply be using fewer exercises and working them for more sets.
Use lift variations to avoid staleness. Pair a squatting movement with a pressing movement and do only those two lifts for a full session called Day One. On your next session, Day Two, pair a pulling movement with a different pressing movement, possibly overhead one day and horizontal-variety the other.
Keep rotating from Day One to Day Two. Build up an arsenal of lift variations you have mastered the performance of and keep going through your list to avoid staleness, maintain interest, and challenge yourself. Keep a record of your performance on each lift and attempt to beat it.
You may want to include a day of higher rep lifting using other exercises. Not preacher curls and wrist curls, but solid multi-joint movements, possibly using dumbbells. In this case, try doing Day One on Monday, the higher rep day on Wednesday, and Day Two on Friday, taking Saturday and Sunday away from lifting and returning to a Day One variation on Monday.
I am certain you will come to understand over time how many variations of power and bulk training there are.
Note: Older lifters can benefit from higher reps and faster "quality" workouts as well as heavy weights and longer rest period workouts, and everything in between. Here I am not referring to those in their 40's and 50's but to those who have passed the six-decade mark and beyond. At this point you simply can't go heavy as often as you'd like, if you're like that. Short "cycles" can be very useful to an older lifter who is attempting to coax and convince his body that it ain't over yet. Here is a simple 14-day repeating cycle as an example. Just a quick sample showing one form of a rough framework that can be adapted to individual aims and abilities. I am sure that with a little thought you can come up with hundreds of others.
Hypers/Abs/Reverse Hypers to warm up each day.
Day One: Chest/Back. Reps in the 10-15 area.
Bench Press superset with Pulldown
Low Inc DB Bench with BB Row
Flat Flye tri-set with Rear Lateral and Seated Cable Row
Day Two: Legs. Reps in the 12-20 area.
Squat superset with Leg Curl
SDL superset with Let Extension
Standing Calf superset with Seated Calf
Day Three: Shoulders/Arms. Reps in the 10-15 area.
Lateral Raise superset with Seated BB Press
Rear Lateral superset with See Saw Press
EZ Curl superset with Pressdown
Alt DB Curl superset with French Press
Wrist Curl superset with Reverse Wrist Curl
Day Four: Rest
Day Five: Chest/Back. Reps in the 5-7 area.
A.) Bench
B.) Pulldown
- do a set of A, rest, do a set of B. Repeat. Lots.
A.) Low Inc DB Press
B.) BB Row
Day Six: Legs. Reps in the 5-7 area.
A.) Squat
B.) Leg Curl or GHR
Calf Raise
Day Seven: Shoulders/Arms. Reps in the 5-7 area.
A.) Seated Press
B.) BB Curl
A.) DB Press
B.) Pushdown
Superset: Wrist Curl/Reverse EZ Curl to failure.
Day Eight: Rest.
Day Nine: Chest/Back. Triples, Doubles, Singles (depending).
Bench
Deadlift
Chin
Day Ten: Rest.
Day Eleven: Legs. Triples, Doubles, Singles (depending)
Squat.
Day Twelve: Rest.
Day Thirteen: Shoulders/Arms.
Standing Press. Triples, Doubles, Singles.
Curl. 3-5's.
Dip. 3-5's.
Day Fourteen: Rest.
You get the picture I'm sure. Go back to higher rep, quicker "quality" workouts again, and once again work your way down in reps and up in weights over a couple week period.
Another approach the older lifter can make hundreds of variations with is to combine the heavier lift with a lighter lift. Here is one sample framework, with rest days of course factored in according to the individual's ability to recover during any specific time period:
First Day:
Bench heavy, low reps.
Press variation light, higher reps.
Next Day:
Squat heavy.
Pull variation light.
Next Day:
Press heavy.
Bench variation light.
Next Day:
Pull heavy.
Squat variation light.
Enjoy Your Lifting!
I bookmarked this post because I knew I'd want to revisit the last bit about rotating rep ranges for 60 plus diehards who still think there's something in the tank. But, I didn't even notice(until today) that it began with the code word, "Note:". When I first read it, I was thinking how this doesn't sound like anything I've read from Steiner before. Valuable concept I'm going to implement to keep the shoulders and knees from saying, "Ahhhh....I don't think so". Thanks to you, Mr. giveitaname!
ReplyDeleteGood stuff! Glad you found something of use there. "Note" is the code word . . . I like that!
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