Template Suggestions

Programming Discussion
1

Hey BBM fam,

I would like your feedback regarding my next template, and perhaps one I can run fairly consistently throughout the year. I am a 39 year-old male, 6’1" and just clocked in on the scale this morning at 210. I don’t know my body fat percentage, but my waist is probably around 36-38 inches. I’ve run BBM programs in the past with good success; however, in the past year I got sidelined due to persistent right hip pain, which resembles ‘snapping hip’ syndrome. This really limited my ability to squat, deadlift, and even bench with proper form. I’ve had hip flexibility issues (both hips), which has been exacerbated as I’ve gone back to training BJJ. I am still dealing with hip pain issue, which I have done PT for, and still work on to decrease pain and increase flexibility. Additionally, I have some issues with shoulder pain from BJJ that I am working on as well, but doesn’t affect my ability to lift to my potential.

I’d like to start training again to ultimately gain strength, and shed fat. I want to be cognizant of time spent in the gym, nothing beyond 1.5 hours if possible, as well as not spending too many days a week in the gym so I can get to BJJ at least twice per week. My spouse also trains in our home gym, and she gets priority as she will be competing.

I own the following templates:

  • 7 Week Hypertrophy 4 day
  • Bridge 3
  • Hypertrophy 1
  • Powerbuilding 1
  • Strength 1

I am happy to go with any of the existing templates that I own or perhaps purchase a new one that will meet my needs better for my body goals as well as taking into account my time, and working on my hip and shoulder issues.

Thanks!

2

If you can stretch to the Low IFS templates, a slightly modified version of the low ISF three day is what I’ll be running shortly to squeeze more BJJ in.
Even in standard form, you can manage fatigue and time by dropping the % on the back off sets.

3

Depends on your goal. I like more powerlifting stuff so my goal is hypertrophy or bodybuilding in the base phase where I do the most accessories and variations. I pare those down into a powerbuilding template next then move on to strength where accessories and variations will be pared down more.

Alan Thrall has an old video on the pyramid. Base phase is about building mass. The middle of the pyramid gets more specific to the lifts you want to test and at the top it is just the lifts you are testing. With this in mind 6 or 7 weeks hypertrophy is your base phase 10 weeks of power building is the mixed phase where you get more specific and strength 13 weeks is the peak phase where you get super specific. It takes about 29 or 30 weeks to run them back to back or about 7 months. This fits nicely with the idea of testing your 1 rep max no less than 6 months apart. So two runs lasts a little over a year at 58 or 59 weeks. This means testing 1 rep max about twice a year if you don’t take breaks.