Confused on programs

Other Discussions Programming Discussion
1

Hello new forum member here. Here’s a quick run down. I’m 46 years old and a weekend warrior type. I’ve been lifting for 20+ years with no competing or plans to compete. I’m 6’3 220 and not obese or fat and in fairly decent shape but with no visible abs though. I’ve gotten bigger and stronger over the years even though I have program hopped . I’ve stuck primarily with abbreviated 3x5 Brooks Kubik and GSLP type basic type routines. I’m still weak though, peaked at 340 squat, currently 245lbs for 6 reps, a 300 lb trap bar deadlift from shin height, 200 lb 1RM bench and 135 lb Press…

My goals are too hit the weights no more than 3x per week , get in better shape so I can run a decent amount and hike as I like to go backpacking a few times a year. I want to get stronger on big lifts or variations of the main lifts and also put on some muscle along with the strength. I’d also like to achieve my first unassisted chin up and improve pushups as those are important goals of mine so I’d like to have the flexibility to work on eccentric chins and pushups in addition to whichever template I do.

Disclosure, I also work a manual labor mailman job not walking route but shoulders and arms get fatigued from 4-5 hours constant extension and movement and reaching etc… That combined with my age seems to have impacted recovery hence why my #’s are down since I was layed off couple years ago from my cushy corporate job and became a mailman…

I’m currently doing GSLP and love it but have been doing it on/off for a while and not sure if I’d be better off with a Barbell Medicine template? Which one?

thanks,

Kevin

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I’m a similar vintage to you, no plans to compete, and my numbers have also taken a hit over the past year due to a few non training related injuries and breakages. My suggestion would be the default, run The Bridge first and see how you go with it. Its pretty much the nuts and bolts of how BBM programming rolls, at least the ones I’ve ran. RPE is a great tool to help ensure you’re getting whats ‘optimal’ rather than crushing yourself trying to hit pre determined percentages. I’ve just finished the HLM template, then spent three weeks doing the free Peaking template, mainly for shits and giggles. To my delight, a deadlift PR ensued.

‘Dinosaur Training’ was also a staple of mine years ago. With the benefit of hindsight (and experience) its now clear that Kubik’s rep / volume phobic approach was wrong-headed and doomed to fail just like any form of straight LP. Ironically, after a bunch of injuries, Brooks then went on to publish a book on high volume bodyweight training…
Contrary to the stance taken in ‘other’ circles, being volume sensitive is actually to ones advantage when programmed correctly.

3

I would say do the bridge since its free. It does give you a good look at how they program their templates. If you have the time you can make it fit a 3 day a week program or you could skip the GPP days