I just finished the HLM template and thought I’d document my experience. As I did the seminar in the middle there are some comments on that too.
Data (kgs)
| ### | ### 1RM PB (pre-HLM) | ### Program Start | ### Program End |
|---|---|---|---|
| ### Squat | ### 119 (Low) | ### 101.4 | ### 112.25 (High) |
| ### Bench | ### 80.25 (T&G) | ### 72 | ### 85.3 (2 sec pause) |
| ### Press | ### 57.25 | ### 52.5 | ### 57.25 |
| ### Deadlift | ### 142 | ### 125.5 | ### 137.75 |
The pre-HLM PBs were from the tail end of a misguided run at Texas method about 12 months ago. After TM I stopped training for 4-6 weeks all together, as I changed jobs and detrained quite a lot.
From Mid 2018 until December I ran a couple of the hypertrophy BBM templates. In December I was focused on preparing for a long-distance hike so my strength work was very general with a wider variety of movements and novel exercises rather than the competition lifts (even less specific than the hypertrophy templates). After the hike I did an LP for a few weeks then started the HLM template. I was nervous about the HLM template as I wasn’t sure I’d make the time and that a strength focused template wasn’t for me. The usual worries of am I too old, will it be too hard etc.
I attended a BBM seminar a couple of weeks in and had to train Wednesday and Thursday back to back. On the Thursday before flying out I was deadlifting and tweaked my back. Last time this happened Austin, on an IG live, suggested Alan Thrall’s video. I watched that in the gym, kept on DL with a weight I could manage (about a 50% deload) and then I still did bench and squats with a weight I could manage. During my flight the next day I went and did air squats every half an hour and was fine for the seminar (hit a bench PR and managed to do most of my lifts pretty close to the prior week). The tweak was very likely volume/load related as I had done a lot of work the previous day, probably a volume PR for me on Squats, and then more on the Thursday. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just wasn’t used to it.
I repeated that week of HLM and by the following Friday I had little discomfort! I would never have been so bold in my training post “tweak” without BBM’s guidance.
Squats (+11kg):
During the seminar Joe had me try high bar squat and told me that my high bar form was very much better than my attempts at low bar. I’ve had a few sessions from a non-BBM SSC and from Jordan over the years on my squat but I think it’s something I need more regular feedback on if I’m going to low bar well. I’d never received advice to move to high-bar previously, but times are changing! I have decided to stick with high bar for now, though I’ve noticed I’m not getting depth, something new to work on.
I purchased a safety squat bar in the last month. Over the course of HLM I’ve done lots of different variations High, Low, Pause, SSB, Pause SSB which probably decreased the efficacy of the program in terms of specificity for squats. I’m still closing in on a PB and that’s with high bar versus low.
Bench (+15kg):
The bench (and upper body in general) volume on HLM has worked really well for me. I got some great coaching from Jordan at the seminar as well.
Press (+5kg):
For both bench and press the coaches recommended a monkey grip. It felt great for my press but when I got home and tried it, that part of my hand felt bruised. I’ve tried to use it occasionally in warm ups but I’ve had to revert to full hands around for working sets. My press has responded nicely to HLM as well as my bench.
Deadlift (+12.5kg):
Got a good cue from Tom on knees back from the seminar and aside from the initial back tweak deadlifts have gone well and I’m closing in on a PB.
GPP
I kept the GPP quite similar to the end of the hypertrophy templates which is more conditioning and GPP work than prescribed.
Structure
The template has a high volume and lower volume phase. The second half of the low volume phase had a week where I regressed across all my lifts. This could have been due to external impacts but I suspect that higher volume works better for me. The high volume, many sets, near the end of the volume phase were daunting but achievable.
Workouts
It wasn’t really obvious to me which days were high, low or medium; not that it matters! One day took about 90 minutes and the other two took about 2 hours. I’d start with the first exercise of the day EMOM for 5-8 minutes and then warm up with the rep range for that exercise (or if it was a single I’d warm up with descending reps). I’d generally keep rests at or below 3 minutes for my workings sets. The back off sets were always much harder than the % / RPE would suggest.
I never missed a single session (though moved a few sessions by a day or two a few times) which is the first time through a program where I’ve managed that. I think that really contributed to the effectiveness of the program (big surprise that doing the program makes it work!). I even caught Austin’s cold which lingered for nearly 2 weeks but didn’t impact my training.
Nutrition
I added 3kg of body weight over the 9 weeks. This was more than intended ugh. I aspired to put on 1kg. I don’t think the weight gain contributed in any meaningful way to my numbers. I lost a lot of weight on the hypertrophy templates and still had good results. I always get 2g/lb of protein daily, split over at least 4 meals/snacks.
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