Hi BBM, I’m a big fan! Looking to improve my upper body and core routine.
I’m primarily a runner and my running coach provides me 2 running-related strength workouts a week. I’m looking for an upper body strength program to supplement the lower body workouts.
My goals are to improve strength and gain / not lose muscle (I’m a 43 yo female). I have a lot going on with work and running so I’m not looking for an optimal strength plan, but something interesting and progressive that I can enjoy and keep my training consistency.
I’ve been working upper body for about 8 years, mostly with dumbbells and YouTube videos. For example, Caroline Girvan Iron program.
I started the BBM PPL program last week, with the idea of just doing push and pull.
Week 1 seemed very minimal, and took only 30-40 minutes.
My questions are:
Is PPL without the L a good idea for someone like me? Or would you recommend something else?
Is only week one of PPL this quick (only a few exercises) or is it designed to be a quick workout program?
Thanks for the post and for joining the forum. Love to see more endurance athletes here
I would agree that doing some upper body strength training is a good idea for both health and performance. As you allude to however, the big concerns with any additional exercise outside of your running are adherence and recovery. We want you to do something you enjoy and gets you results without overdoing it.
I think the Push-Pull-Legs Hypertrophy program is reasonable for your current goals, fitness level, and training resources. As the program goes along, more volume is added to each exercise. I suspect the longest session would be ~ 60 minutes tops if performed as prescribed. However, I have some concern that the added volume may be too much for you to handle. I’d favor doing week 2 and repeating it for ~ another 6 weeks before reassessing.
If time per session is the major concern, another option would be one of the programs included in the time crunch download . There’s a PPL option in there in addition to many others that have different schedules.
I’m curious why you recommended the hypertrophy PPL template. Originally I thought powerbuilding was more appropriate, because I’m not looking to gain muscle volume.
Anyhow, because I started PPL powerbuilding last week, I continued to week 2. Week 2 already had more sets compared to week 1 and felt like a more substantial workout! 60 minutes is a good duration that I can fit into my daily routine and doesn’t take too much energy!
Repeating week 2 for 6 weeks is a great tip and I definitely wold not have done that without your guidance.
Regarding “I have some concern that the added volume may be too much for you to handle.” What is your concern? I’d love to know if I should be looking out for any signs to back off training. Normally, I follow a plan like a robot (which is why I like having plans, I don’t have to think too much). See below my weekly routine that I’ve been doing for ~5 years, in case it helps see what I’m used to doing.
Thanks so much for your guidance!
PS my ideal weekly routine, I often miss one strength or prehab session per week because of work/family:
Mon - rest, 20 min bike commute, usually sauna, usually mobility
Tue - morning run, prehab
Wed - morning run, usually a run-workout, upper body, usually sauna
Thu - morning run, lower body
Fri - 20 min bike commute, upper body, usually sauna
I don’t like all the focus (and training resources) on single-rep efforts from the powerbuilding program. So, I think the hypertrophy version is likely a better option for this application. Muscle hypertrophy response will mostly be driven by diet between these two programs, as both are designed to increase muscle mass and strength (though the PB template is more specific for 1RMs).
My concern is that you are doing a lot of other training and activity, making the “full-dose” of the program a bit too much. Declarative signs and symptoms are usually a bit late to show up, e.g. injury, but you might be able to pick up on being continuously sore, tired, low motivation, etc.
I’d probably move your lower body resistance training on a day you either didn’t run or had a shorter run, whereas I’d feel better about an upper body session after a long run if that’s how you have to schedule it.
Thanks so much Jordan! Good to know about the focuses of each program and that I don’t need to be scared of hypertrophy I’ll switch to the other PPL program.
My running coach schedules lower body before a running rest day, so that strength doesn’t take away from running. That leaves Thu and Sun as the best option.
Yea, I don’t think I agree with your coach about scheduling the lower body training that way. If the goal is to improve running performance via lifting weights, I think that’s best done by separating your long run (or any running at all) and lower body RT sessions on separate days. I don’t know that it should be separated into two days for any particular reason with this level of running, though training frequency is mostly a tool to match scheduling constraints and preferences.
I’m not trying to be too contrarian and ultimately, individual preferences are more important than what I think.
I’ll switch to the other PPL program.