Master lifters doing 3's.

[Christopher Anderson]

Ripp,
Last night I was watching some of the videos on YouTube specifically the Ask Ripp #30 (I believe) and the podcast with Sully. In the Ask Ripp video you mentioned what you're training is currently like with doing sets of 3 because you have found you can recover better from those at your current age. And you also discussed the masters book that Sully and Andy have been writing in the podcast with Sully. I was wondering if it is a safe generalization to say most master lifters will benefit from doing working sets of 3 (like yourself) where recovery is an issue? Or perhaps more rest days would be prescribed while maintaining working sets of 5? Obviously this may just depend on the specific lifter, but again I am asking as a generalization for most master lifters.

[Brian Patton]

I'll chime in,

I'm only 41, but I've been making great linear progress with 3x3's, 3x weekly. I occassionally feel guilty for NDTFP and switch back over to 5's because of all the talk about how they work better for most people, but I always find my way back to 3's after having to add unscheduled recovery days.

I just like the way the heavier weight feels, right in my wheelhouse. Singles are murder, doubles a little better, but fives for me just get ugly toward the last few reps. Pretty much my sweet spot for the quick lifts as well, as is commonly done.

I've never intentionally done 4's. Only unintentionally.

Probably leaving a bit of hypertrophy on the table, but I can live with that so long as the numbers keep moving.

My $0.02, FWIW. (I suppose around $0.02).

[clarksvilleal]

I'm 69, and I started in June with the SS Novice program doing the prescribed 3 sets of 5 in the squat, bench and overhead press. I did find that the 3 sets of 5 squats every workout required by the SS program were somewhat taxing, and therefore I was doing only two workouts per week on average. After learning about the Powerlifting to Win PNP program I decided to switch to that last week. I've only done two workouts on PNP1 so far, but what I really like is that I can do anywhere from 3 - 6 reps for each of the main lifts - squat, bench and deadlift - without stalling according to the parameters of the PNP program. Also, the PNP phase 1 program only requires two sets of squats each workout. (However that will increase to 3 sets in PNP Phase 2.) The net result is that I was able to do three workouts last week with only one day of recovery between each (although the Monday workout was still on the SS program with the usual 3 sets of 5 squats). BTW, I'm logging all my workouts in the General Training Logs section.

We'll see as time goes on, but I'm really hopeful that the PNP program, and the correspondent PIP intermediate program, will actually be very Masters-friendly due both to the variable rep range and the "auto-regulation" that goes with the program in conjunction with the RPE concept.

One other wrinkle is that I am leaving one extra recovery day at the end of the week this week, partly due to some heavy outdoor work messing with my R&R recovery this weekend. So this week my first workout will be Tuesday rathe than Monday. I may or may not continue that practice in the future depending on how I feel at the end of each week, but during each workout week I'm going to try to stick with a 48-hour recovery period as long as possible.

[Meshuggah]

For Deadlifts and Squats, one top working set of 3 to 5 reps works for me.

[John Janecek]

This is what I do. Turned 51 today. I get to one heavy set of five then start with a new (heavier) weight the next week for three, next week try for four then the following week hopefully five. Then start with a heavier weight for three again..

[Brian Patton]

After listening to today's "Ask Rip" podcast, perhaps my affinity for 3's simply means I have the neuromuscular efficiency of a large woman. Testing my SVJ these days would probably seal it.

That does it, going back to fives again.

[SteveL]

After listening to today's "Ask Rip" podcast, perhaps my affinity for 3's simply means I have the neuromuscular efficiency of a large woman. Testing my SVJ these days would probably seal it.

That does it, going back to fives again.

That made my day!

[Bill Been]

After listening to today's "Ask Rip" podcast, perhaps my affinity for 3's simply means I have the neuromuscular efficiency of a large woman. Testing my SVJ these days would probably seal it.

That does it, going back to fives again.

At the risk of seeming to be a d!ckish Old Guy, you've started thinking of yourself as "older" - at 41 - waaaaay too early. You're an in-shape, healthy young guy with a sporting endurance background. Barring illness, you don't face the blunted hormonal responses to training actual older guys do, and you're not simultaneously fighting that and sarcopenia. You've not entered the program at age 50 as a completely de trained fat body with Metabolic Syndrome whose gut tries to prevent him reaching down to the bar - which is common here. You've posted your (substantial) progress elsewhere, I'd just like to help your realize you're not actually a fragile Old Guy, the program is supposed to be hard, it's supposed to scare you a little, the last couple reps are supposed to challenge your form, and you're supposed to Do The Program until you actually can't - not until you suspect* you can't.




* I'm liking italics quite a lot today.

[John Janecek]

At the risk of seeming to be a d!ckish Old Guy, you've started thinking of yourself as "older" - at 41 - waaaaay too early. You're an in-shape, healthy young guy with a sporting endurance background. Barring illness, you don't face the blunted hormonal responses to training actual older guys do, and you're not simultaneously fighting that and sarcopenia. You've not entered the program at age 50 as a completely de trained fat body with Metabolic Syndrome whose gut tries to prevent him reaching down to the bar - which is common here. You've posted your (substantial) progress elsewhere, I'd just like to help your realize you're not actually a fragile Old Guy, the program is supposed to be hard, it's supposed to scare you a little, the last couple reps are supposed to challenge your form, and you're supposed to Do The Program until you actually can't - not until you suspect* you can't.




* I'm liking italics quite a lot today.

This is great and I couldn't agree more!

My lifetime best (from above post) in C+J came at age 42. My best in the last three years or so on those lifts has been around 92/115 so while not as good as at 42 (102/141) I'm still hammering away and not looking at the # for age. If anything the olympic lifts seem to be losing a little steam (no fast twitch left?) but the strength gains are still challenging and I know its the last thing I have in the bank that can drive everything up!

[Meshuggah]

* I also really like Ladders, they are very effective for strength.