One Lift a Day?

[SteveL]

I'm 59 and I've been following the PP3rd page 233 plan since exiting LP. It's going well but one thing I've been wondering; what about coupling that with one lift a day. I now have a bit more time during the week and rather than stack up my workouts two days a week I was wondering about four days a week. Have many here had much success with one lift a day? What affect has only one squat day a week had? Thanks!

[gotlander]

I'm also 59 and have done various OLAD schemes for a few years now. I find that if I don't squat at least twice a week, I lose the ability to go heavy.

[SteveL]

I'm also 59 and have done various OLAD schemes for a few years now. I find that if I don't squat at least twice a week, I lose the ability to go heavy.

I was wondering about that. Thanks.

[SeanThornton]

I'm doing OLAD, but six workouts a week. So I still squat twice a week, so haven't seen what you're talking about. But, then, I haven't progressed to "heavy" yet (still on LP).

[slowmotion]

I'm 59 too, and of the programs I have tried after LP the four day heavy-light program was the easiest to live with.
There is several versions of heavy-light in the books, and Andy Baker also have a version.

[SteveL]

I'm 59 too, and of the programs I have tried after LP the four day heavy-light program was the easiest to live with.
There is several versions of heavy-light in the books, and Andy Baker also have a version.

I'll look into understanding that one. Thanks.

[Richard Seaman]

I bought Andy Bakers "semi-custom strength/mass plan" last September, which was before BBRx came out. I modified it a bit for my purposes but it is basically a 4 day heavy light split with rep cycling (5's one week, 3s the next, singles the next). It incorporates several concepts that are also flushed out in the BBRx intermediate chapters. I did that from Sept thru March and made some progress that way. At times it felt like a little too much and I cut back on some of the assistance exercises when I felt that way. Basically:

Monday Heavy Bench, Light Press, plus assistance
Tuesday Heavy Squat plus assistance
Thursday Heavy Press, slightly lighter bench plus assistance
Friday light squat, heavy Deadlift, plus assistance.
Deload every few cycles.

It would be unfair to Andy to give all the specifics since he sells the program. And, I did make some mods to it. It was pretty stressful for me, but I'll be 67 in a few days, and it would have been less stress to eliminate the assistance (some of which I dropped anyway). For the summer I'm now cutting back to 2x per week using a Wendler 5/3/1 type template, though I still squat 2x per week, heavy then light. For me, I made some progress, not huge with the 4 day split, and I still seem to be making progress on the 2x 5/3/1 even though its MUCH less total volume. I think if you kept the total volume closer to what you would do on a 2x schedule it would a lot less stressful, and possibly you'd still make as much progress (at least at my age with my limited recovery capacity). I might try a 4 day split again next winter when I struggle to find ways to exercise when I don't lift. Don't have that problem in summer.

[SeanThornton]

My main reason for going to OLAD is that I had a hard time freeing up 1.5-2 hour blocks for a workout. With OLAD, I can get it all wrapped up in 30-35 minutes, which is way easier to fit into my schedule, and also opens up being able to use the work gym for the days I know there'll never be enough time at night once I get home.

[I_iz_a_fatass]

I'm kind-of-sort-of on LP, doing one lift a day (with additional bi/tri sets on press days). Still making pretty steady progress up to previous PRs and finally got through a low stall on deadlifts.

I take rest days twice a week, but what day it comes on varies based on recovery and sleep.

[Marlin]

I'm also 59 and have done various OLAD schemes for a few years now. I find that if I don't squat at least twice a week, I lose the ability to go heavy.

I'm with you on the need to squat twice per week. I do one main lift a day with the appropriate accessory work and if life does not get in the way I'm in the gym three to four nights a week.