Details on 30-min Express Program by Ray Gillenwater

[Schrodinger23]

I saw a YouTube video where Ray talks about the intermediate program his wife is on.

30-min Express Program with Ray Gillenwater - YouTube

Here is how he described the program:

Mon Squat 3x5 then go to 3x3 when needed.
Wed Deadlift 1x5 then go to 2x3 as necessary. Add 2.5 lbs each week.
Fri Squat 4 singles. Add 2.5 pounds each week.


My wife has ran through LP and is currently doing a heavy-light program on a cut (losing some bodyfat was her primary goal). She is 42 years old, 5 ft tall and 132 lbs and will likely be around 125 lbs at the end of her cut. Being almost finished with the cut she is looking for an express program like Ray is talking about in the video. Just like Ray's wife she wants something quick and flexible, but where she can still make some slow progress. I just want to know some specifics and a possibly an addition to this program.

1. Would a press on Monday (just Monday and no other days) be something that she could make progress on? If so, what set and reps would be best to start with and change as necessary?

2. The squats are on kind of Texas method without a light day. Would the Monday volume day be at around 91 or 92% of the heavy singles, since she is a female? Those are the percentage offsets that were in the examples with Texas method in Barbell Prescription and Practical Programming. Though in those examples more volume is being done than just 3x3, so I was thinking that she might be able to go even higher 93 to 95%. Not sure.

[Robert Santana]

1) If she is only pressing once per week, it is unlikely to move meaningfully.

2) Is she still adding weight to the bar on the singles with the current percentage offsets?

[Schrodinger23]

1) If she is only pressing once per week, it is unlikely to move meaningfully.

2) Is she still adding weight to the bar on the singles with the current percentage offsets?

To be clear she is currently cutting on this Heavy-Light program for a few more weeks, but is still making slow weekly progress:

Wed: Light Squat (87% of Sat), Bench 5x3 +1lb, Deadlift 2x3 +2.5lb

Sat: Squat 5x3 +2.5lb, Press 5x3 +1lb, Assisted Chins +3lb

We want to transition to a program like Ray suggests after she is done with the cut.

1. Would she be able to only maintain by pressing once per week? Or would she see slow detraining?

2. Just trying to get an idea of the offset on the volume and intensity days to start with? Do you think it would be somewhere between 90 and 95%?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Tell us about her diet.

[Robert Santana]

To be clear she is currently cutting on this Heavy-Light program for a few more weeks, but is still making slow weekly progress:

Wed: Light Squat (87% of Sat), Bench 5x3 +1lb, Deadlift 2x3 +2.5lb

Sat: Squat 5x3 +2.5lb, Press 5x3 +1lb, Assisted Chins +3lb

We want to transition to a program like Ray suggests after she is done with the cut.

1. Would she be able to only maintain by pressing once per week? Or would she see slow detraining?

2. Just trying to get an idea of the offset on the volume and intensity days to start with? Do you think it would be somewhere between 90 and 95%?

1) No. Presses need more frequency than squats and deadlifts. Once per week will not be enough.

2) 90-95% is probably right but not 7 days apart.

[Schrodinger23]

Tell us about her diet.

She is 42 and 5 foot tall. She went from 137 to 142 pounds during LP. She ate 100 grams of protein from 3 meals, with plenty of carbs (150 to 200 grams total) and plenty of fat with each meal. She snacked on peanuts in the mid-afternoon, which bumped up her calories and protein a bit too.

While cutting we began removing fat from her diet until we could get things moving, so that she can lose roughly 1% of body weight per week. Obviously we kept her protein up where it was during LP. After cutting fat to almost nothing, we started to cut carbs. Currently, she will eat half a bagel for breakfast, no carbs for lunch and a small potato or 1/2 cup of rice with dinner for carbs. When she switches to Ray’s program we will slowly begin to work in as many carbs as possible so that she can maintain her body weight.

1) No. Presses need more frequency than squats and deadlifts. Once per week will not be enough.

2) 90-95% is probably right but not 7 days apart.

1. What would you suggest for a minimalistic 2 day pressing routine? Could be one day bench and another day press, or both day presses, but we don’t want a high volume day with close to 25 reps, since it will take more time than she wants to spend on this.

2. Thanks, that helps to know that I am on the right track there.

[Robert Santana]

I would pick which lift you want to prioritize and do it twice. Press is probably more important because it works the entire shoulder girdle. You just won't be able to "do chest bruh."

[Matt James]

Supersetting squats and presses is a good time saver. I've been doing it for a long time.