What program should I begin after finishing the bridge 1.0?

[glassback]

I’m just finishing the first 8 week bridge program and am trying to decide what next. I was thinking about the time crunch plan, as I’m just starting a new job and am trying to figure a schedule out. Also, I need to cut 100lbs within the next two years to qualify for military.

[leGDE]

bridge 2.0

[moorejl57]

Another option is HLM

Snip from HLM template:
"If you're an intermediate just coming off the Bridge V1.0 or 2.0, but who isn't quite ready for the 12 Week Strength Template then I would recommend doing HLM."

[dboeding]

I started the GPP Hypertrophy template to cut some weight ~5-10lbs. Another candidate for weight loss would be the GPP Endurance template.

[teddyd]

I am planning on GPP Endurance or GPP Hypertrophy. As much I don't want to I will probably do the form to loose some bodyfat quickly. Then may do The Bridge 1 again or The Bridge 2.

[FredM]

Another option is HLM

Snip from HLM template:
"If you're an intermediate just coming off the Bridge V1.0 or 2.0, but who isn't quite ready for the 12 Week Strength Template then I would recommend doing HLM."

Snip from the OP:
"Also, I need to cut 100lbs within the next two years to qualify for military."

Many on these forums seem to have recovery problems while GAINING weight on HLM. While I haven't run it myself, looking at the intensity requirements, I feel very confident in saying it's a terrible idea while in calorie deficit.

To the OP: If you need to cut 100 lbs in 2 years and you're serious about that as a hard requirement, you need to start yesterday. There are only 105 weeks left. I'd probably run GPP Endurance followed by GPP Hypertrophy and cut very aggressively right away. After that I'd cycle a strength template while maintaining weight or being in only a slight deficit with whichever GPP template you liked more/responded better to while cutting aggressively.

[moorejl57]

My personal experience from losing about 60 lbs over 11 months while lifting was that at a 20% deficit, you lose more quickly in the beginning (8-10 lbs / mo) and it gradually tapers off until you are losing about 2 lb / mo. I honestly think he can run any of the templates since they are based on RPE. If you are feeling dusted from dieting, then your RPE 8 will just be at a lower weight than if you were bulking and feeling good. Dieting is just another source of overall stress to manage into the program.

[Hugh Jass]

moorejl, you are absolutely right that rpe helps to manage stress with the caloric deficit. the question is (respectfully moorejl) whether hlm is the right template for op, not whether it is the right template for you.

op - your best path is to try other templates and see what gets you the best results on your cut. given that you have a hard stop to qualify for the military, and whether or not you are adapted to the stress of hlm on a cut is an open question, it would be wise to start conservatively with some kind of gpp/hypertrophy template, make sure you have your macros dialed in, and go from there. 2 years is plenty of time to experiment !

[FredM]

You can't do strength phases indefinitely. This is a well established observation by "the experts." There's a reason the GPP templates exist. RTS calls them "pivot cycles." At some point the OP has to do a GPP phase (or another "pivot cycle"). Why wouldn't you do it when you're set to lose the most weight? Objectively the recovery requirements are lower on the GPP templates AND, if you're losing the most weight, the recovery resources available are lower. When his recovery resources are higher because he's losing weight slower, he can go back to a strength template. Losing a couple lbs a month is by definition, a mild calorie deficit, and therefore far better conditions to recover from the higher intensities seen on HLM or other strength templates.

[Dave_E]

I am planning on GPP Endurance or GPP Hypertrophy. As much I don't want to I will probably do the form to loose some bodyfat quickly. Then may do The Bridge 1 again or The Bridge 2.

I'm three weeks into that now (hyper), pretty much does what it says on the box. Trading my morning blueberry / oats / milk / whey shake (around 800 cal) for a 80 cal apple is about the only dietary change I've made. Running it specifically due to an upcoming trip to Japan so I can lug baggage and children around without gassing out.
I plan to re gain the weight by way of beer, soba noodles and much Yakitori by journeys end.