A Plan For Annual Periodization - Focus on Press?

[grand666]

Andy,

I've been reading your blog post about planning your training annually in blocks and think I'm going to give it a shot. I'll be hitting some 1RM PRs on the Squat, Bench and Deadlift on December 29th to close off my year with hopefully reaching my goals. I'll be using those PR numbers to base the percentages off for the HLM program starting in January.

I plan on going to Wichita Falls in October of 2018(the second USSF meet) to get some experience doing a meet. I just want to put up some decent numbers, probably surpass my PRs I'm going to set next week on the 29th, but overall just plan on getting the experience and getting green lights on all my attempts. It's of course focused on the press so I was wondering if anything would change drastically on the program you laid out on the blog post if you swap the bench and press days and any bench assistance movements with press assistance movements. If it's as straightforward as swapping them, do you have any preference based on your experience on which press assistance movements to do?

Lastly, is there a specific reason for the SLDL's or is it fine to rotate let's say Paused DL's and RDLs or Deficit Dls weekly?

Thanks for your time.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Are you talking about the HLM program?

In that case, yes, just Press Heavy on Monday, Bench and Close Grip heavy on Wednesday, and do some Medium Presses on Friday. Best assistance for the Press in my opinion is the Bench, Dips, and heavy tricep extension work. And more Pressing

[grand666]

Just a few more short clarification questions:

1. Since loading is less than my peaking program now, would this 12 block be a good start for some fat loss slowly? Sitting at 250lbs at 6'4 up from 225lbs during LP.

2. I get gassed quickly while snowboarding/snowshoeiing, any harm in getting some "cardio" in to adapt a little to the "cardio" related activities I do? Hiking in the summer was also a nightmare.

3. Rows work the biceps a bit, any harm in adding some AMRAP for "arms" for 7 - 10min on Wednesdays?


The Program:

Block 1 (4 Week)

Monday: Heavy Squat 4 x 6, Heavy Press 4 x 6, Medium Deadlift 3 x 6

Wednesday: Light Squat 2 x 6, Heavy Bench 4 x 6, Barbell Rows 4 x 8, Curls for the girls AMRAP 7min

Friday: Medium Squat 3 x 6, Medium Press 3 x 6, Heavy Deadlift 2 x 6


Block 2 (4 Weeks)

Monday: Heavy Squat 5 x 5, Heavy Press 5 x 5, Pause Deadlift 4 x 6 (rotate weekly with Deficit DLs)

Wednesday: Light Squat 3 x 5, Heavy Bench 5 x 5, Barbell Rows 5 x 8, Curls for the girls AMRAP 7min

Friday: Medium Squat 4 x 5, Medium Press 4 x 6, Heavy Deadlift 3 x 5



Block 3 (3-4 Weeks)

Monday: Heavy Squat 6 x 4, Heavy Press 6 x 4, Pause Deadlift 5 x 4 (rotate weekly with Deficit DLs)

Wednesday: Light Squat 4 x 4, Heavy Bench 6 x 4, Barbell Rows 6 x 6, Curls for the girls AMRAP 7min

Friday: Medium Squat 5 x 4, Medium Press 5 x 4, Heavy Deadlifts 4 x 4

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I don't know enough about you (i.e. I know nothing) to be able to tell you if this loading scheme is perfectly optimal for you. The article I printed was strictly a sample template to illustrate the concept of using an HLM program as a "base-building" template for the first few months of the year to slowly ramp up your training volume. This works well prior to a short run on the TM where the overall volume is reduced and intensity is increased and the lifter builds towards a peak.

Cardio is fine, the devil is in the details. Going on a weekend hike is fine, doing some HIIT stuff for 10-20 minutes post workout is always fine, and doing some moderate intensity/duration stuff on off days is fine.

A few sets of curls is always fine.

[grand666]

Thanks for your answers Andy. I'll give that program a shot, I"m not sure how to gauge whether a program is "right for me" or not. Trial and error probably is the way to find out.