Competing at 64 with the TSFOSB

[Boss281]

Has anyone in their 60s here have experience using the TFSOSB 12 week competition program on page 274 of The Barbell Prescription?

I'll be 64 in November and weigh 158-159. Gained about 12 pounds since I started two years ago. I've always been lean and "fit" but never this strong: 300 DL, 190 BE, 110 PR, 235 SQ.

A few of the other folks in the gym compete, some with state and national titles. I was surprised to learn there's a strong Master's group. They range in age from 40-67 and have suggested I give a competition a try now that competitions are moving again post COVID. Under USAPL Raw records my SQ and BE already exceed the state record for Masters 3B/weight class.

Because I'm very aware of volume and intensity, I'm curious about using routine this to prep for the meet. I realize everyone is different and this template is meant to be adjusted per individual. Just don't know if there are some post 60 training templates that might be better starting points. I'd be starting this in mid-November assuming a 12 week training regimen.

Thanks in advance.

[jbackos]

Has anyone in their 60s here have experience using the TFSOSB 12 week competition program on page 274 of The Barbell Prescription?

I'll be 64 in November and weigh 158-159. Gained about 12 pounds since I started two years ago. I've always been lean and "fit" but never this strong: 300 DL, 190 BE, 110 PR, 235 SQ.

A few of the other folks in the gym compete, some with state and national titles. I was surprised to learn there's a strong Master's group. They range in age from 40-67 and have suggested I give a competition a try now that competitions are moving again post COVID. Under USAPL Raw records my SQ and BE already exceed the state record for Masters 3B/weight class.

Because I'm very aware of volume and intensity, I'm curious about using routine this to prep for the meet. I realize everyone is different and this template is meant to be adjusted per individual. Just don't know if there are some post 60 training templates that might be better starting points. I'd be starting this in mid-November assuming a 12 week training regimen.

Thanks in advance.

For your first meet continue training how you are now and simply skip a day or two prior to the meet day. You don't yet have the knowledge and empirical experience to program your self or modify a template. In order to set this up you need to know your volume tolerance over time and when and if you need to deload, how much volume can you tolerate in each of the lifts. Go back and read the introduction to the chapter "the advanced master" in the barbell prescription.

For example, I competed from 1990 to 2007 then took a long time off and returned as a master (60). I require a total of 13,000 pounds of workload per week (bench, press, and major accessories) to make bench press progress. Squat and deadlift combined i can only tolerate 7,000 pounds per week. I squat once a week ( one set of 3-5, one single, and maybe one backoff with a pause). I also alternate DE deadlifts and block pulls on alternate weeks. And there is too much personalization for me to go any further.

Follow the process in both the barbell prescription and practical programming. good luck

[Boss281]

For your first meet continue training how you are now and simply skip a day or two prior to the meet day. You don't yet have the knowledge and empirical experience to program your self or modify a template. In order to set this up you need to know your volume tolerance over time and when and if you need to deload, how much volume can you tolerate in each of the lifts. Go back and read the introduction to the chapter "the advanced master" in the barbell prescription.

For example, I competed from 1990 to 2007 then took a long time off and returned as a master (60). I require a total of 13,000 pounds of workload per week (bench, press, and major accessories) to make bench press progress. Squat and deadlift combined i can only tolerate 7,000 pounds per week. I squat once a week ( one set of 3-5, one single, and maybe one backoff with a pause). I also alternate DE deadlifts and block pulls on alternate weeks. And there is too much personalization for me to go any further.

Follow the process in both the barbell prescription and practical programming. good luck

Thanks for the feedback. I'm using HLM at this point and progress is glacial but I DO make progress.

[Jr_Geezer]

I'm in a somewhat similar situation, but slightly younger at 60 (and 5' 10", 216lbs), been training since 2014. I've competed a few times at the meets put on by Coach Santana at his Phoenix gym. Before the last meet, I basically did an HLM variation found in The Barbell Rx, which worked very well for me, up to a month before the meet. That last month I reduced the volume significantly, never doing more than triples, and gradually upped the intensity. At the meet, I ended up with an almost 30lb PR on the squat at 418 and a 20lb PR on the DL at 519.

Right now I have my sights set on the USAPL AZ State Championships to be held next March. Like you, the Raw squat and deadlift records in my weight and age class (Masters 3A, -105) are literally my warmups (well, not this instant as I did a deload to work on form and fix a sore back), so it should be an interesting meet, assuming I don't hurt myself between now and then. Once my deload is finished, I'm going to try the TSFOSB template in The Barbell Rx, see how that works. Luckily for me, I work out at Santana's gym on a regular basis so I'll have his expert guidance as I go through the process. I'll let you know how it goes.

Good luck with your training and I highly recommend entering a competition. It's really helpful to have a goal in mind and it focusses your training.