programming curls & dips with HLM

[Will Still]

Good Morning Coach Wolf,

I am underway with my transition to HLM this week and readapting to sets of 5 after running out LP. I was wondering if I could program curls and weighted dips at this stage of training in the hopes that these assistance exercises will help my press and bench, and possibly put a little size on my arms? I am also currently doing weighted chins 1x a week, as well as bw chins 1x a week.

My stats are:

age 49
height 5'8"
weight 188lbs

Thank you for your time.

Will

[Michael Wolf]

When changing programs/adjusting programming, I like to give some transition time to see how the basic changes are working before throwing in extra new stuff. Give it 4-6 weeks to see how you respond to the program change before adding new stuff in. You'll have a better idea at that point if you can handle more work in the current program with your current planned pace of increases, and if so, how much and when/where to put it.

[Will Still]

Thank you Coach. That makes sense, Ill hold off and see how I'm adapting to HLM proper once it is ramped up, and go from there. As always, thank you for the sound advice.

Will

[Mark Le Comte]

There are multiple versions of HLM that you could do. One example uses three different pressing exercises for HLM days i.e. you could use bench for heavy days, press for light days and dips for medium days.

[Michael Wolf]

Dips, being an accessory or assistance lift and not a main or even supplemental lift, shouldn't be chosen to be the headline press exercise on any of the days of the week, under normal circumstances in an HLM program.