Training effect of 3 sets of 5 deadlifts

[Fiddler]

70 years old, 5' 7", 170 -75, intermediate. I'm doing a 4-day program that does a 5 - 3 - 1 weekly rep rotation for 3 sets across. I just got done doing 3 work sets of 5 deadlifts. Rattling, shaking, grinding, but I got them done, and with 5 lbs more than originally planned! The curious thing is that I'm not completely worn out. I've been doing this program for a few months, so do you think that doing them has built up some work capacity?

I keep thinking about cutting it back to 1 set of 5 (as generally recommended) at a slightly heavier weight, but if 3 x 5 is having a good effect, I'll keep on doing them. Nothing else seems quite as hard for a few days after, and I don't seem to be having any recovery problems I can identify.

[Ben Patterson]

Are you squatting and deadlifting in the same session?

[Fiddler]

Light squats. 5 sets of 3 at 85 - 90% of my 5 rep working weight, before deadlifting. Normally I do some RDLs and shrugs after DLs, but not on fives week. Just doesn't seem necessary somehow...

[Fiddler]

Ain't broke, don't fix.

Normally good advice. Just trying to anticipate the trade-offs before they bite me in the ass.

[Ben Patterson]

What are you basing the loading off of is it LO or a percentage of 1RM?

Doing multiple sets helps generate metabolic fatigue (to stimulate more hypertrophy) and can help with motor unit learning. The trade off is that more volume is harder to recover from. You might just ride the progress out until you can't recover anymore then reduce your volume.

[Ben Patterson]

Also, Rip has some info out there about training as an older lifter, you might want to check it out. Should be able to find it easily via Google.

[Agilic]

Well, how many lbs are you pulling

[Culican]

70 years old, 5' 7", 170 -75, intermediate. I'm doing a 4-day program that does a 5 - 3 - 1

I assume this is Andy's program for over 40 lifters. I am starting it tomorrow. Hopefully it will unstick my stuck lifts.

Do you use the straps on the deads as Andy prescribes?

[Fiddler]

Dujin - thanks for the info.

5s, 3s and 1s run more or less independently. I add a little (or not) to each, depending on how I do. Light day squats are just based on previous / current 3x5 weights.

I've read or seen just about everything Rip and Andy have put out about older lifters, but the rules seem to be changing as I get stronger. My presses, especially, seem to be responding to more volume rather than less, and my overall work capacity seems to be increasing, as does my ability to recover. Not what I expected at my age.

Riding out the progress until I can't recover anymore is probably what I will do, since I'm more or less blindly feeling my way along.

[Fiddler]

I assume this is Andy's program for over 40 lifters. I am starting it tomorrow. Hopefully it will unstick my stuck lifts.

Do you use the straps on the deads as Andy prescribes?

Yep. It unstuck mine, especially the presses. I think you'll like it. The assistance work seems to help a lot. I use straps for RDLs and shrugs, but not for DLs. Hook grip does OK, although that third set can get a little uncomfortable. Andy said it would be OK to do 1 set of 5 instead of 3, but I've been sticking with 3 since May.