Volume and the Masters Lifter

[stef]

by Jonathon Sullivan and Andy Baker

With the younger, stronger, gifted athlete, we can use higher volume, observe, and if necessary, titrate volume down. With the older, more delicate, more complex Masters Athlete, we use moderate or low volume, observe, and titrate volume up.

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[Cranky Professor]

This is a helpful article - and makes sense to me with my SSC's recent programming. I've been working with Dan Flannick, SSC, for about a year and as an SSOC since that began. I'm just sorry I live too far to get to his gym more than occasionally! Danny's really pleased that I have a more open schedule this semester, and has taken me back to three days a week, but that extra day is definitely a light squat - titrating the volume up.

[KarlK]

Have read The Barbell Presciption -- very thorough as we have come to expect from Rip and his disciples.

I'm 65 and have been working with Dave Abdemoluaire, first in his garage, and now at his gym Chicago Strength and Conditioning. As both Jonathan and Andy point out, Masters like me can have bizaree schedules -- I have business commitments that have me traveling nationally and internationally.

I was deadlifting with Dave 340 for 5 last summer, and then got pneumonia, with screwed up everything including my lifting. But since early this year, got back into it, and Dave has me on a set of progression work outs -- warmups with the bar, and the sets of 5 in progressively heavier loads. My last workout in KG, was


A) Squat
5x 55, 65, 75, 85, 95-- final in pounds 209

B) Press
5x 36, 42, 48, 54, 59 -- 130 lbs

C) Deadlift
5x 95, 120, 142.5 --314 lbs

Volume sensitive and intensity dependent!! I'll get back to 340 DL soon...

[carson]

I'm only 70 but I realize as Sully and Andy have indicated I do better with intensity than I do with volume. Sully is an excellent coach. I've been working with him for over 4 years. A group of will be attending the Fall event in Chicago. I'm hoping to DL over 350 come and cheer me on. I hope to not embarrass myself on the Press.

[agingbones]

I am 72 years old. My experience is that the observations about older lifters--volume sensitivity and intensity dependence--apply to me. My guess is that, if you are an older lifter, the observations also apply to you. My suggestion, if you are a motivated older lifter who has stalled or regressed, is to not waste time--start now to consider the observations in structuring your program.
I wasted time because I didn't have the guidance this article provides and my only opportunity to get together with a Starting Strength coach is when I go to Cleveland Clinic (in Ohio) for medical appointments. Last year's appointments didn't coincide with openings in my coach's schedule.
In any case, months of trial and error brought me to the conclusions and benefits you can gain right now by reading and heeding this article.
Best wishes,
Aging Bones

[Bill P.]

I began the SS NLP in mid-2015 at 49, having not lifted with college (and never with proper barbells) and weighing an unsatisfyingly-distributed 185 lbs. Just turned 55: 5'9" & 210 lbs. Didn't discover The Barbell Prescription until late 2018 when I was well into intermediate programming. I'm grateful to Sully, Andy and Rip for all the material they've made available in the books, on their sites, and via podcasts concerning Masters training.

After a COVID-enforced, 8-month layoff last year, I began lifting again in late October. My understanding of judiciously titrating volume, MED, and keeping a fairly high level of intensity on light days (I do a 4-day split now that I'm out of LP and into an intermediate regimen again) finally coalesced during the 2020 hiatus. I'm putting these to productive use in the gym these days. Am lifting better and smarter than ever, and understand my volume sensitivity as never before. Have got my DL back up to 440 for 5; squat triples at 380; and press triples at 175. Not quite back to where I was last February (475/415/195, respectively) but am getting there.

Thanks again for all you do for us.

[carson]

I do like the four stars pictured in the article. It really does matter how one ends one's days. I find that I try never to miss my training days. I can't imagine what I would be like now at 75 if I had not started even at the late date of 66. I enjoy the lifting.