One Main Lift a Day Question from Barbell Prescription

In Barbell Prescription on pages 266-267 you write about a One Lift a Day Split:

Monday-Bench
Tuesday-Squat
Thursday-Press
Friday-Deadlift


In Practical Programming on pages 156-157 you give an example of assistance work.
Do you still recommend this type assistance work for older lifters (60+ years)

I think the best assistance work for most older guys following a template like this is probably just to do the light version of the sister lift after the heavy lift. So Bench / Light Press, Squat / Light Deads, Press / Light Bench, Deadlift / Light Squat. You can do the main lift light or you can do a variation such as a close grip bench, box squat, etc if you want some variety. I'm working with some guys right now that need to squat 2x/week but also have incredible difficulty with shoulder ROM and so we LBBS heavy 1x/week and then use the safety squat bar on second session. As far as additional assistance goes....for the lower body I'd be very careful about adding any type of isolation type work, as inflammation gets to be tricky to mange in knees, hips, and low backs. Prowler / Sled work is useful here and possibly 45 degree back extensions. Rip doesn't like them, I've had mixed result with them for older guys. As Rip would say "wiggling your spine around" can create issues, and I agree depending on the situation, however, I have some guys who end every lower body session with a couple of sets and their lower backs don't feel right without them. I have a feeling that forcing a bunch of blood into that area can be helpful. I'm neither for or against, but it's generally the only minor assistance type movement I think most older early intermediate lifters might need on a lower body day in this context. For the upper body you have more options - chins are good. If you can't chin due to body weight, pulldowns are fine. Rows are fine. Those can also be performed on an upper or lower body day after deadlifts OR in place of a light deadlift as the pulling exercise for that day. Guys in their 60s are a mixed bag so it's situation dependent. I like isolated tricep work for it's effect on the press/bench but if you have cranky old elbows it might do more harm than good. Same with Dips, curls, etc. If you want to do them and they don't cause joint issues, go for it, otherwise don't force the issue. That's about it...if you are doing the heavy-light barbell exercises I don't see much reason at all for the dumbbell work, machine work, etc.

Andy, what are your thoughts on this approach:

5'9", 180#, 55 yo

I moved to 1 lift a day last year (on one of my many iterations of NLP, which always succumbed to soreness, life, a broken bone, and the usual BS) because once the squat and DL got heavy (relatively speaking, obviously) doing both in the same day left me too tired. At any rate, when I picked it back up in Feb. '19, I continued with 1 lift a day, and adding chins in there as well:

1 - Squat
2 - Bench
3 - DL
4 - chins
5 - OHP

That lasted until about 2 weeks ago (which, at 3.5 months, was my longest run of NLP without a break), when I decided to work in more assistance exercises. So now it's:

1 - Squat/pullups
2 - Bench/LTEs
3 - DL or PC (alternates)/chins
4 - OHP/dips

My current plan is to stick with this until I'm ready for intermediate programming, which should be a little ways away, as I just recently did my first 10% reset in all four lifts (spread over a few weeks), and if I remember right, you do that twice before calling NLP done.

Good idea? Bad idea?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Andy Baker (KSC)

I think the best assistance work for most older guys following a template like this is probably just to do the light version of the sister lift after the heavy lift. So Bench / Light Press, Squat / Light Deads, Press / Light Bench, Deadlift / Light Squat. You can do the main lift light or you can do a variation such as a close grip bench, box squat, etc if you want some variety. I'm working with some guys right now that need to squat 2x/week but also have incredible difficulty with shoulder ROM and so we LBBS heavy 1x/week and then use the safety squat bar on second session. As far as additional assistance goes....for the lower body I'd be very careful about adding any type of isolation type work, as inflammation gets to be tricky to mange in knees, hips, and low backs. Prowler / Sled work is useful here and possibly 45 degree back extensions. Rip doesn't like them, I've had mixed result with them for older guys. As Rip would say "wiggling your spine around" can create issues, and I agree depending on the situation, however, I have some guys who end every lower body session with a couple of sets and their lower backs don't feel right without them. I have a feeling that forcing a bunch of blood into that area can be helpful. I'm neither for or against, but it's generally the only minor assistance type movement I think most older early intermediate lifters might need on a lower body day in this context. For the upper body you have more options - chins are good. If you can't chin due to body weight, pulldowns are fine. Rows are fine. Those can also be performed on an upper or lower body day after deadlifts OR in place of a light deadlift as the pulling exercise for that day. Guys in their 60s are a mixed bag so it's situation dependent. I like isolated tricep work for it's effect on the press/bench but if you have cranky old elbows it might do more harm than good. Same with Dips, curls, etc. If you want to do them and they don't cause joint issues, go for it, otherwise don't force the issue. That's about it...if you are doing the heavy-light barbell exercises I don't see much reason at all for the dumbbell work, machine work, etc.

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Thanks Andy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SeanThornton

Andy, what are your thoughts on this approach:

5'9", 180#, 55 yo

I moved to 1 lift a day last year (on one of my many iterations of NLP, which always succumbed to soreness, life, a broken bone, and the usual BS) because once the squat and DL got heavy (relatively speaking, obviously) doing both in the same day left me too tired. At any rate, when I picked it back up in Feb. '19, I continued with 1 lift a day, and adding chins in there as well:

1 - Squat
2 - Bench
3 - DL
4 - chins
5 - OHP

That lasted until about 2 weeks ago (which, at 3.5 months, was my longest run of NLP without a break), when I decided to work in more assistance exercises. So now it's:

1 - Squat/pullups
2 - Bench/LTEs
3 - DL or PC (alternates)/chins
4 - OHP/dips

My current plan is to stick with this until I'm ready for intermediate programming, which should be a little ways away, as I just recently did my first 10% reset in all four lifts (spread over a few weeks), and if I remember right, you do that twice before calling NLP done.

Good idea? Bad idea?

---

Well...training and progressing each lift 1x/week is basically intermediate training already, it just has a lower frequency and overall volume than something like a full body HLM program.

Just a guess without more info, but you will probably need more frequency and overall volume than this on the main lifts to keep progressing. If you want to keep this schedule pretty much intact I think you likely need something like this.

Mon - Heavy Bench / Light Press
Tues - Heavy Squat / Light Deads or PCs
Thurs - Heavy Press / Light Bench
Fri - Light Squat / Heavy Deads

You can add pull ups and chins to Tues/Fri, dips on Mon, and LTE on Thurs if you want.

Just an fyi Ive been doing this for several months now and setting PRs all over the place while more or less maintain my bodyweight

I’m doing sort of a greyskull style though with several plug ins like bodyweight work and conditioning

I run the 4 workouts over a 3 day week though usually and you are going to want to do the light day lifts to avoid detraining at like 70ish75 percent for 5s like Andy just said

You can check out my log and follow along if you want

Andy,

Thanks for the input, I will certainly consider it. Also, to remove confusion, my "1 lift a day" plan is 7 days a week. I just keep rotating through the list. So far, it hasn't been an issue for recovery, and I like doing SOMETHING every day, it keeps me in the groove, and removes the desire to do cardio ;) Would knowing this (no planned off days) change your recommendation?

Andy,

What do you normally suggest as far as the rep range and weight reduction on the sisiter lifts for someone in their 60s on a program like the one below? Do you ever recommend dumbbell rows as an option to chins or pull-ups if the person can only do lat pulldowns?

Mon - Heavy Bench / Light Press
Tues - Heavy Squat / Light Deads
Thurs - Heavy Press / Light Bench
Fri - Light Squat / Heavy Deads

You can add pull ups and chins to Tues/Fri, dips on Mon, and LTE on Thurs if you want.

Thanks

Here is what I do at 60:

Mon - Heavy Bench 5x5 (last 2 set 6-8 reps at 75%) / Light Press 3x3 at 75%
Tues - Heavy Squat 5x5 (last 2 set 6-8 reps at 75%) / RDLs 3x5
Thurs - Heavy Press 5x5 (last 2 set 6-8 reps at 75%) / Light Bench 3x3 at 75%
Fri - Light Squat 3x3 at 75% / Heavy Deads 3x5 (last 2 sets SLDL 6-8 reps )

I add accessory and assistance based on how I feel .