3s For Guys Of A Certain Age

[blues]

Rip, in a recent thread posted by another gent in his 60s (with some shoulder problems) you mentioned and recommended that 3s (in lieu of 5s) are often better for folks in our age group. I'm about three years your senior. You also mentioned that you use them for virtually all your lifts but the partial presses.

So far, in the couple of sessions I've employed them, 3s have been working out just great for me. (I'm still doing LP but not sure how much longer it will go. It's been four or five months at this juncture.)

My specific question is in regard to the deadlift using threes.

If I'm adding weight to the bar each time out, (though more often 2.5 lbs instead of 5 these days)...using 300lbs as the top set...let's say I warm up with 155 x 3, 205 x 2, 255 x 1, 275 x 1 and finish with 300 x 3. Do I wrap it up with the single set of 300 x 3 or is a back-off set required at about 20 or 30 lighter?

I wasn't sure whether one top set of 3 reps alone would be considered sufficient as long as progress continues to be made. (Male, age 65, 5'10", 175 lbs.)

Thanks, Coach.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Warmups for that deadlift should be 135 x 5 x 2, 185 x 3, 225 x 2, 265 x 1, work set. As long as you're making progress with no backoffs, don't do them.

[blues]

Warmups for that deadlift should be 135 x 5 x 2, 185 x 3, 225 x 2, 265 x 1, work set. As long as you're making progress with no backoffs, don't do them.

Thank you, sir.

[Elephant]

Warmups for that deadlift should be 135 x 5 x 2, 185 x 3, 225 x 2, 265 x 1, work set. As long as you're making progress with no backoffs, don't do them.

I wonder how many times you've written "as long as you're making progress with ___, keep doing ___" and "if you're not making progress with ____, change something".

[Mark Rippetoe]

Yeah.