Powerlifting programming for older lifters

[Lawrie Abbott]

I'm 54 male, 86kg aiming to compete at 83kg. Comp lifts (last Saturday) 180/110/195.

Started LP in 2014, switched to TM and went up to 94kg and lifted 180/105/210 in March 2016.

Aiming to compete in the 83's as there are some national records and possible international competition invites I'd like to shoot for, therefore the answer is not to eat more!

I joined a proper PL gym a year ago and decided to keep a blend of TM but add in some extra work, and lost 6kg. BY the end of the year I was injured and exhausted.

In Feb I gave up my ideas and had my coach write a program to peak last Saturday. There were some issues along the way.......as i was ramping up my DL in April, they just wouldn't move at weights I had been lifting for doubles and triples in Feb. It got the point where I could barely DL anything reasonable , so it just didn't get the work needed in the last few weeks. My Squat didn't improve at all......My max had been 180 for 2 years, though I have done 185's a week before and was planning on 190. Bench has gone up 5kg, but I went from training it twice a week on TM to 4 x week with this program.....not much return or all that bloody effort.

Somewhere Rip said an older lifter needs to train more regularly near their max as they don't have the ability to "peak" like a younger lifter.

Not really keen to go back to TM as it isn't enough work for me on Bench and DL, but i really want to incorporate the effect if Intensity day more regularly...not just the physical effect of a top set but the confidence it brings.

I have 10 weeks to Nationals.....any suggestions for when I sit down with coach to plan my program?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Rip is correct. What doesn't work too well for older lifters is to spend a length training block accumulating very high amounts of volume and then pulling the volume way back and expecting to get that "supercompensation" effect. Extended periods of high volume training just tend to beat you down and too much time away from weights at or above 90% cause a detraining effect. At least that has been my observation experience.

I'm really a fan of doing things in 3-week waves when possible. It just seems to work very well for lots of lifters even though the exact nature of the programming can change.

Week 1: Mon - 1RM Squat / Deadlift; Thurs Squat 5 x 5 @ 70%
Week 2: Mon - Squat x 3-5 / Deadlift x 3-5 @ 85%; Thurs Squat 5 x 5 @ 75%
Week 3: Mon - Squat / Deadlift x 2-3 @ 90%; Thurs Squat 5 x 4 @ 80%
Week 4: Mon - Squat / Deadlift x 1-2 @ 95%; Thurs Squat 5 x 3 @ 85%
Week 5: Repeat Week 2, add 5 lbs
Week 6: Repeat Week 3, add 5 lbs
Week 7: Rpeat Week 4, add 5 lbs
Week 8: Repeat Week 5, add 5 lbs
Week 9: Repeat Week 6, add 5 lbs
Week 10: Monday Squat 3 x 3 @ 85%, No Deads; Sat - Meet

I just threw that together in like 2 minutes. Maybe the numbers aren't perfect but you get the gist.

[Lawrie Abbott]

Cheers mate, thanks for that. So no Back-offs or accessories? Just the big stuff?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Not necessarily. I was just giving you a big picture overview of what cycling looks like.