Heavy/Light/Upper/Lower Intermediate

[StrengthEngineer]

Hey Andy. I'm looking ahead a bit and starting to plan an intermediate program for when I finish my LP. My goals over the next year are probably best described with the "power building" tag, as I would like to keep my strength gains going, but build some muscle as well. From past experience I've noticed my upper body also tends to respond well to some higher volume/higher rep work. So I kind of took influence in this from both HLM and the 4 day Texas Method split (specifically mixing upper body pulls on lower day). Let me know if you feel this would be effective, or if there is any room for improvement. Thank you so much for your time, I've learned a ton by reading your blog and this forum!

Heavy/Light 4 Day General Template

Monday:
Heavy Squat
Light Pull
Accessory

Tuesday:
Heavy Bench
Light Press
Accessory

Thursday:

Light Squat
Accessory
Deadlift (Heavy Pull)

Friday:
Heavy Press
Light Bench
Accessory

Customized Implementation:

Monday
Squat 3x5 - 5x3 - 5x1 progression cycles
Power Clean 10x1 EMOM
Weighted Chins 3x8
Abs

Tuesday:
Bench 3x5 - 5x3 - 5x1 progression cycles
Press 3x8 @ ~70% last Friday weight
Lying Tricep Extensions 3x10

Thursday
Squat 3x5 @ 90% Monday
Barbell Row 3x8
Deadlift 1x5 - 2x3 - 5x1 progression cycle
Abs

Friday
Press 3x5 - 5x3 - 5x1 progression cycles
Bench - 3x8 - @ ~70% Tuesday
Curls - 3x10

Add 5lb to squat and deadlift, 2.5 lb (or less where appropriate) increments on everything else.

“Heavy” slots should be done using progressively lower reps. The idea being to try to preemptively swap down rep range instead of fail. Once you run out 5x1 and don’t feel you can complete another increase, reduce weight to last successful 3x5 and restart the cycle.

“Light” slots without a percentage designation should stay at the rep range and increase weekly. When it gets tough reduce micro-loading to 1lb at a time. On failure, or when confidence is low of another successful increase, deload 10% and build back up.

1 day LISS and 1 day HIIT is permissible, though try not to do so on the day before a lower body Heavy day.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Looks fine. Should work well. On Thursday do your deadlifts before you do your rows

[RussB]

I'm planning something similar for when my current run of TM (modified to spread out the volume) is over.

Andy, I was thinking about using your volume cycling approach on the light day. In that article you recommend using 75, 80, and 85 percent. Do you think that would be a good approach to the light day on this type of heavy/light approach or should the percentages be lower out of the gate?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

For a volume day 75-85% is considered "heavy" Light Days closer to 6-70% for sets of 5.

[RussB]

Ahh yes, I always conceptualize a TM type split, but I see that in the heavy-light split setup, light day is really a light day. No need to overthink it, then.

Thanks, Andy.

Sorry for the hijack, StrengthEngineer.