Topic: Master's training

[John Wheeler]

I would be interested in knowing your opinion(s) on a training related question.  At 52, I have resumed training, now for six months after a 18 year hiatus from competitive lifting.  Am enjoying it and seeing improvement, albeit slower than during my youth, needless to say.  Will be competing for the second time in late April, at our state meet and have 10 weeks to prepare.  My question is:

Would you recommend a percentage system roughly beginning with 70% and increasing 5% each week until the contest, going from 5's-3's to doubles and singles as I hit the 85%+ range?  At my age I really don't recover from heavy singles as fast and have found that this last cycle was about 6 weeks and witnessed some improvements?

I train every other day and on my off days do cardio on stationary bike.

Thanks to all and Chris, thank you as this a great site.

Be well,

John

[Paul LaDuke]

John,

Welcome to the site!  I will be 42 in a month and train 4 times per week or more.  I would say that only 1 or 2 of those sessions are heavy with Friday being really the only planned heavy day of the week.  You can read my training log in the forum here.  My program is squat heavy by following the Russian Squat Program. I have modified it to just 2 sessions per week instead of 3.  This program takes 9 weeks this way which would put you in good shape for your contest in 10 weeks.  I also do just enough of the classic lifts to keep in form, flexible and in shape.  I currently do 1 session of snatch per week and 1 session of clean and jerk per week.  I have been toying with doing both lifts in a workout so I can practice the lifts 2x per week but doing roughly the same volume in 1 session.  So instead of doing 10-12 singles in a workout for the snatch, I would do 3-5 and then do the same for the clean and jerk. 

Good luck.

[John Wheeler]

Thanks Paul.  Years ago when I competed, I did the Russian Squat Program, however I adapted it and went Bs Fs Bs at 3 x per week.  Are you doing Back Squats in both sessions on the program?  One of the challenges for lifters my age is flexibility and so I work alot on that, training looks like this:

Week 1

Day 1:

Snatch
Snatch Pull
Front Squat
Press
Good mornings
Abs x 100 crunches

Day 2:

Jerk or Behind the Neck Jerks
Overhead Squat
Light Power/Hang Snatch
Abs x 100

Day 3:

Clean and Jerk
Clean Pulls
Back Squat
Light Presses
Abs x 100


Off days include 40 minutes cycling, stretching with bands, ab work, light leg curls and extensions and some tricep extensions and dumbbell hammer curls for tendon strength.

Week 2

Day 1:

Power Snatch or Hang Snatch
Snatch Pull
Front Squat
Presses
Good Mornings
Abs x 100

Day 2:

Jerk technique work
Overhead Squat
Hang cleans

Day 3:

Power Clean
Clean Pulls
Clean Deadlifts
Back Squats

Thanks for the input Paul!

John 

[Paul LaDuke]

RE: Russian Squat Program

My first time through the program I strictly did back squats.  This started in September.  I hadn't been able to back squat all spring and summer do to a sprain in my SI joint that would be aggravated every time I did squats or cleans.  I finally got over that injury, but my squats were very weak.  I decided to concentrate on my back squat.  The second time through now, I have been focusing pretty much on the front squat.  I am currently on session 15 of 18 and I think I have substituted the back squat 3 times in the previous 14 sessions.  I will probably back squat tomorrow.

My initial thoughts on your training are it seems like you are doing too much in one session, but if you are able to do that much work then go for it.  I have found if I keep it pretty simple and only do 1 or 2 things in a session, I get more out of it.  I also wonder why you choose to do cardio on your off days.  If you find that boring you may want to try some body weight circuits.  IMHO, circuit training will be much more beneficial to your training and you will get more long term health benefits out of a circuit than cardio.  Again, this is my opinion, but it is based on my years of experience and I do have a master's degree in sports medicine.

Keep training smart!