OK, I had hoped my post might spur some discussion, but apparently not. :-)
So here's the tl;dr version:
What's your favorite accessory exercise for the HLM template that helps out the deadlift?
58 y.o., 5'10", 218 lbs. Been lifting for about 4 1/2 years now. Due to a painful back tweak two years ago while deadlifting 465, followed by a torn adductor five months later and a more recent shoulder tweak, my training hasn't been very consistent and progress has been slow. For the last month or so I've been able to be pretty consistent though, running LP with two days' rest between workouts. I feel I've reached the end of LP, as I'm having some recovery issues and feeling beat up in general, with squat at 340x5x3, DL at 425x5, bench at 195x5x3 and press at 145x5x3. I recently had a session with Coach Santana at his new gym, so form is decent right now.
I've previously followed a variation of the HLM Basic Cycling Routine, Example 24-16 in BBRx, with good results, doing chins instead of the power snatch and LTEs instead of the power clean. I thought I would go back to something similar but following the Low Frequency Pulling Variant, Example 24-14, to get the deadlift off the heavy squat day and on to the light day. So it would be something like:
Heavy
Squat 3 sets of 5
Bench 3x5
Chins, 3 sets AMRAP (just did 10, 8, 6)
Light
Squat 1x5 (90% of heavy)
Press 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
Medium
Squat 2x5 (95% of heavy)
Bench 2x5 (95% of heavy)
Other: Chins, rows, LTE, dips?
The next week would be similar but heavier with sets of 3, followed the next week with heavier singles, then repeat the cycle. I also have been doing some Prowler work once or twice a week.
Before my back injury, I had a 500 lb deadlift in sight, having done 480 for a single. I would dearly love to hit that milestone (four plate squat would be kind of fun, too) but I am of course worried about overdoing it and re-injuring myself, which I know is a risk when getting to these weights, regardless of past injury history. Would this plan be a step in the right direction? Suggestions for the best accessory/ancillary exercise for the medium day? Other variations (not a fan of volume)?
Thanks.
OK, I had hoped my post might spur some discussion, but apparently not. :-)
So here's the tl;dr version:
What's your favorite accessory exercise for the HLM template that helps out the deadlift?
What % of 1 RM is the heavy day? Is this schedule intended for M/W/F?
Thanks for asking, Jeff.
I really don't know my 1 RM. I'm starting the first week heavy day with the weight at which I finished my recent LP. To give myself a bit of a break, I'm following the advice in BBRx ("Setting up the HLM Program") to not start right in with a 3x5 heavy day but do the first week 1x5, second week 2x5 and then the full 3x5 in the third week. I've found my recovery works best with two days off between workouts and my daily schedule means that sometimes there are three days between workouts, although I've been pretty consistent recently.
The plan you laid out should be fine. As you know from the books, % are directional and are there to be tweaked. The 2 day off cycle should be the way to go. As for DL assistance you may want to pick one that works a weakness; halting or deficit for breaking the bar, rack pulls for lock out issues. If you are fairly solid at DL I'd cycle snatch grip, deficits, haltings and rack pulls to keep things interesting. You may want to overload warmups on your medium or light squat to get a bit more intensity into the mix.
Following up on my own posts. As I noted I'm taking two days off between each workout. The typical HLM workout schedule has a MWF layout, so there are always two days between the M and H days. Since I'm already always taking two days off any two workouts, should I think about taking three days off between my M and H days to sort of follow the general recovery schedule? I've only be following this particular program for about three weeks now so not enough time to see any recovery-related effects, so just wondering what the general thought is.
Thanks.