Andy Baker HLM 16 FAQs

[pavstar619]

Hi, I read the 16 faqs article that Andy Baker posted recently and the 9th one made me interested. So it's setup like this:

1x5, 3x5 back off
1x3, 4x5 same weight
1x1, 5x5 same weight

My question is what if I fail to get the back off sets for any of the weeks? Do i reduce the weight by 5% and get the volume in or should I repeat the same weight next week but lose volume?

I also had an idea(from the volume cycling article) of autoregulating it. So if its 4x5 week and 20 reps total I could do either 4x5, 3x6, 5x4 etc. What are your thoughts on it? :P

[Satch12879]

Your back-off sets are there to provide additional volume to your primary rep-range work. If you're missing reps, it means your back-off percentage is off and needs adjusting. Ideally, you shouldn't be missing back-off sets.

[pavstar619]

Your back-off sets are there to provide additional volume to your primary rep-range work. If you're missing reps, it means your back-off percentage is off and needs adjusting. Ideally, you shouldn't be missing back-off sets.

So I basically adjust them as I progress. Sounds good. Thanks.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Hi, I read the 16 faqs article that Andy Baker posted recently and the 9th one made me interested. So it's setup like this:

1x5, 3x5 back off
1x3, 4x5 same weight
1x1, 5x5 same weight

My question is what if I fail to get the back off sets for any of the weeks? Do i reduce the weight by 5% and get the volume in or should I repeat the same weight next week but lose volume?

I also had an idea(from the volume cycling article) of autoregulating it. So if its 4x5 week and 20 reps total I could do either 4x5, 3x6, 5x4 etc. What are your thoughts on it? :P

I tell my clients often to stay in the "spirit" of the program if they have to make adjustments on the fly. The point of back off work is always VOLUME. So let's say in week 2 you totally smoke yourself on that triple then you may need to back the weight down a bit to get in your 4x5 back off. If the original plan was 365x5x4 but that ain't happening, then do 345x5x4 or whatever. But not 365x3x4.

[pavstar619]

I tell my clients often to stay in the "spirit" of the program if they have to make adjustments on the fly. The point of back off work is always VOLUME. So let's say in week 2 you totally smoke yourself on that triple then you may need to back the weight down a bit to get in your 4x5 back off. If the original plan was 365x5x4 but that ain't happening, then do 345x5x4 or whatever. But not 365x3x4.

So I'm supposed to get the volume done even if I have to lower intensity. Thanks for the reply coach.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Correct

[slydeflex]

So in practice you could keep the back off weights static for a couple of 3 week cycles but increase on the top sets?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

In theory yes, but the back off sets are there to help drive up those top sets so at some point they have to move too

[Cdodd07]

In theory yes, but the back off sets are there to help drive up those top sets so at some point they have to move too

Andy I'm trying to wrap my head around two of your back off methods and trying to understand "why" and the benefits of each.

For example:
a)heavy set +3x3/4/5 @75% every week and repeating (HLM article )
b)high volume low int back offs----> low volume high int back offs 5x75/4x80/3x85 (GGW,etc)

One starts low with volume and ends up high volume/moderate INT, one starts high volume and ends up low volume/ high INT. But if you were to look on paper at option A starting from week 3, it's going from high stress, to light stress, to medium stress. I guess the same could be said for option B as well in terms of stress.
EX:
1x95/5x5 (week 3) 3x85/3x5 (week 1), 2x90/4x5


Is option A kind of a happy middle of the road back off method for intermediates? Thank you for your time sir.

[Neal]

Hi, I read the 16 faqs article that Andy Baker posted recently and the 9th one made me interested. So it's setup like this:

1x5, 3x5 back off
1x3, 4x5 same weight
1x1, 5x5 same weight

My question is what if I fail to get the back off sets for any of the weeks? Do i reduce the weight by 5% and get the volume in or should I repeat the same weight next week but lose volume?

I also had an idea(from the volume cycling article) of autoregulating it. So if its 4x5 week and 20 reps total I could do either 4x5, 3x6, 5x4 etc. What are your thoughts on it? :P

I ran this exactly for a while as three-week waves. It was okay for me. From my experience the top set was always much more challenging than the back-off sets as long as I was healthy.

Possibly important questions:
1) What off-set will you use for the back-offs.
2) What will you do for the Light and Medium Days? (movement, set/rep scheme, etc.)
3) Will the total volume of both of the above be the right dose to drive the top sets? Too little? Too much?
4) What is your plan if any of the above go pear-shaped?