Volume Sensitive, Intensity Dependent Section BBRx

[johnnys]

I'm trying to figure out the practical implications of the short section in BBRx about old folks being volume sensitive and intensity dependent with respect to measurable qualities. Basically, I'm wondering if a young guy with low T has the same characteristics (or if an older guy on TRT maybe behaves more like a young guy with respect to volume/intensity). Or if it's not (just?) testosterone, what labs would go along with the characteristic. Any experience or reading on this?

[Jonathon Sullivan]

Volume sensitivity is an individual, multifactorial phenomenon that doesn't track any one physiological variable or lab marker. It is more or less important in the individual Master, doesn't really become an issue until late novice or intermediate phase for most, and is just one factor to consider in the calibration of programming.

Volume and the Masters Lifter | Jonathon Sullivan and Andy Baker

[Charlie Davies]

[edit to add:] I see that Dr. Sullivan posted before I did. He's a coach, I'm just some guy. Take my experience with a grain of salt.

My take on this is:
* old people heal slowly, so an injury will impact training much longer than it will a young person
* old people detrain quickly, so a deload that lowers intensity sharply will cause them to lose much more strength than a younger person
* everyone is volume sensitive -- volume is what drives progress, but too much volume is much more risky for old people

Novice linear progression is pretty much the same for old vs. young -- same volume, just increase intensity as long as that keeps working. It will end much sooner for someone old though.

For a young intermediate lifter, you might pile on volume aggressively to see what happens. They might grow like crazy, and if you push them too hard, a short deload will restore progress quickly. The risk is reasonable.

For an old (i.e. 65 years old) lifter, you must still increase volume to drive progress, but have to be very cautious. Better to err on the side of too little than too much, as overdoing it might derail progress for 8 weeks or more.
Also, deloads should be a cut in volume, not intensity, to avoid rapid strength loss.

A lot of us here in "elderly" aren't actually that old. I.e. I'm 51.
I'm doing a very ordinary HLM program, and the volume isn't killing me. Did 4 sets of 8 squats last night for example. I'm sore, and I'll still be sore tomorrow for "light" day, but I'll be fine next time "heavy" day comes around.

Re: TRT, I think it's oversold. I started TRT several weeks ago. Helped my mood tremendously. But my rate of strength gains, and recovery seems about what it was before. My program is unchanged.

I might be gaining upper-body strength a little faster now, not sure. It's nothing like the results people get who are using illegal steroids. The dose is *much* smaller.

[johnnys]

Volume sensitivity is an individual, multifactorial phenomenon that doesn't track any one physiological variable or lab marker. It is more or less important in the individual Master, doesn't really become an issue until late novice or intermediate phase for most, and is just one factor to consider in the calibration of programming.

Volume and the Masters Lifter | Jonathon Sullivan and Andy Baker

Thanks - I think you’re telling me what I didn’t want to hear - that I can’t supplement/prescribe myself back to “easy” gains and programming.

I had a good SS LP (twice, thanks to a year long broken bones hiatus 6 months in), a good year+ run on PPST post-novice and success with cycles of Kingwood TM and 8/5/2 over a couple years. Lately everything seems hard, and I was hoping I could turn back the clock to make it simple again. Maybe I just need a Xmas break/deload.

[johnnys]

Re: TRT, I think it's oversold. I started TRT several weeks ago. Helped my mood tremendously. But my rate of strength gains, and recovery seems about what it was before. My program is unchanged.

I might be gaining upper-body strength a little faster now, not sure. It's nothing like the results people get who are using illegal steroids. The dose is *much* smaller.

Thanks - appreciate the insight - please keep us informed if your opinion/experience changes, or if you switch to Tren.

[Charlie Davies]

Thanks - appreciate the insight - please keep us informed if your opinion/experience changes, or if you switch to Tren.

Heh. My log is here: cwd's log.

Gaining about 5 lbs on my squat every 3 weeks lately, on a HLM variant. Trend seems the same before/after staring TRT.

My programming and progress improved a lot about a year ago when I read The Barbell Prescription.

[johnnys]

Heh. My log is here: cwd's log.

Holy cow, you do a LOT more volume than I ever have. Is that intended to drive hypertrophy or is it just what it takes for you to progress?

We’re close in age, and seem to have been at this for about the same amount of time. I’ve done an annual powerlifting meet for 3 (4 soon) years so maybe I’m more focused on very low reps? Just trying to figure out what’s next for me, and that kind of volume is scary.