im planning my next cycle after the 3 day Hypertrophy template which I’ll be finishing in early Jan. I only have 4 training days available (including for GPP - I’ve been adding it to the end of my training days atm) and a max of 2hrs in the gym as I don’t have any equipment at home, and running kills my feet.
I have a 300 wilks and want to get as strong as possible and reduce my waist circumference. So I’m unsure what my best option is moving forward? Would Bridge/HLM be good with one day dedicated GPP and some GPP added after other training days? Or is modifying the 12wk strength to 3 days better? Or maybe doing the 12wk strength with NO GPP?
Dunno about expert, but I can do some opinions. If you’re really keen to drop your waist, I wouldn’t skip the GPP (but I also wouldn’t stress too hard about it; you lose weight in the kitchen). I can also say from personal experience that running HLM while on a calorie deficit sucks hard. If you want to get stronger, the 12-week strength is designed for that purpose but you’ll probably get the best results by sticking to the four-day format.
If I was you, I’d do the 12WS as a four-day program, and obtain a bike if you can’t get the GPP done in the gym. After you finish that, run the Hypertrophy program (3 or 4) to mix things up, then re-evaluate your short term goals. There’s your next 20 weeks sorted out
My biggest issue with doing cardio not in the gym that it’s the middle of summer here in Australia. It’s 30 degrees celcius in the morning and 40 degrees in the afternoon and I’m just not prepared to prepared to put myself through that torture. Once it cools down, that’s a great idea but it’s just not practical at the moment.
what about the additional back/arm/ab work on the 12wk strength? Is it not that important?
I’m no expert, but I’ve run BBM’s Bridge 1.0, 12 Week Strength template, and Hypertrophy Bias template. I’ve also read through the HLM (it’s more of a hypertrophy/strength blend). Currently, I’m running a modified Bridge 2.0/12 Week Strength (3 day), which allows for flexibility, with some 4 and even 5 day training weeks thrown in, depending on my schedule (primarily for added bench volume and extra bench variations). I prefer the 12 Week Strength Template to the Bridge 2.0 because of the added exercise variations - specifically, overload bench. The Bridge 2.0 does not program overload bench (and I should note that I’ve not yet run the updated 12 Week Strength, so I’m only talking about the OG). If you’re prepping for a meet, the 12 Week Strength is the clear way to go, but if you prefer the HLM or Bridge, you can always attach one of the peaking templates at the end, 3 weeks before your meet. Whether you train 3 days a week or 4, based on what I’ve learned from BBM, training squat and deadlift 2-3 times per week and bench 4-5 is probably going to be your best bet. But I reserve the right to be corrected by more experienced and educated posters.
What sort of running shoes do you wear? I have an older style of the Saucony Freedom Isos. Love them.
