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Barbell Heavy, Light, Medium

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JeffC

JeffC

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I have been doing a new Heavy, Light, Medium Barbell split. I am doing Medium, Light, Heavy. I have had great success on similar programming. I which fits better.

If I do the Heavy day on Monday then I am more tired and possiblely sore the rest of the week, but I could do an Event Day on Saturday.

Doing Medium on Monday I can put in a good effort on Monday and Tuesday, but my Heavy Friday is not as ideal because the lack of sleep and work has worn me down a bit by then. Up side is I have two days to recover after the Heavy day.

I had thought Heavy Saturday, Light Monday, and Medium Wednesday that way I can get a solid effort on Saturday and take it easier during the week.

Background/History:
- 35 yrs, 5'11", 250lb, could lose 30-40lb(non issue)
- manageable flexibility issues, no pain, limitations, or injuries
- experienced intermediate trainee
- lots of quality food, no drugs, little alcohol, (boring, I Know)
- not enough sleep, 4-5 hours if lucky, newborn twins
- tradesmen, physical job 40-60hrs/week
- strength endurance priority, strength second
- not much other activity with work, chores, and new babies, lots of walking
- hobby/stress lifter, like to play and tinker,

Thoughts/recommendations?
 
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Oh you're just asking about scheduling.

Geoff Chafe said:
I had thought Heavy Saturday, Light Monday, and Medium Wednesday that way I can get a solid effort on Saturday and take it easier during the week.
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Yeah exactly that. You want it to be H/L/M because Light helps recover and avoid detraining from the Heavy. Since doing H on Monday hits your week hard, just pushing it back two days as you said (S/M/W) makes perfect sense to me.
 
@Jared_G_85 Decent looking program. I am on a Medium, Light, Heavy now. I am not into Heavy Singles every Friday. I plan to do Singles every 4-6 weeks. I try to get a lot of volume in as opposed to constantly testing strength. With my current investment in recovery it would not be productive to go for peak strength. I like the program, just not for me right now.

I based my program off Bill Stars Holy Trinity.
http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_Starr_HolyTrinity.pdf
Bill Starr Original 5 x 5 Training Routine | Old School Trainer
 
Texas Method never does singles. You ramp up to a 5RM PR on Friday.

Which Bill Starr routine are you using out of curiosity? The most popular one (Madcow) is similar to the TM. You hit a 3RM PR instead and then do a back-off. But the rest is essentially the same idea.
 
@305pelusa It says ramp to one single, new 5RM. I interpret that as a heavy single to base you new 5RM on. Either way I don't do a lot of max Singles these days. They take too much.

I am loosely basing my lifting on the Holy Trinity program with self limiting exercises.
Heavy- Deadlift/rack Pull/Block pull, Bench, Pen Row
Medium- Zercher Squat/Lift, Incline Press, farmers carry
Light- unilateral squat(walking lunge), Overhead Press, back work, KB Swing

I cannot commit to a program. I am working off experience, feel, needs, wants, recovery, and avalible training time.
 
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@Geoff Chafe, you could be flexible with the schedule. At times, I've done those three days spread out over more than 7 days, so what day each falls on will vary.

There's some evidence to suggest that light or medium day before heavy day "potentiates" the heavy day - I'd be tempted to try something along the lines of Light Day, Day off, Heavy Day, Day Off, Day Off, Medium Day, Day Off. That could play out as Heavy on Saturday, Medium on Tuesday, and Light on Thursday. IMHO, recovery after Heavy Day can be the most important ingredient as to whether or not you make progress without burning out on a program like this.

Just some thoughts for you - have you considered Heavy Day on Sunday, when you'll be really well rested? You could do Light Day on Friday, and that leaves you the flexibility to put Medium Day on Tue or Wed.

-S-
 
Geoff Chafe said:
@305pelusa It says ramp to one single, new 5RM. I interpret that as a heavy single to base you new 5RM on. Either way I don't do a lot of max Singles these days. They take too much.
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Again, you don't do any singles on TM. You do a single set (instead of 5 sets, like Volume day) of 5 reps that should be a PR (a 5RM). A simple Google Images search shows you the template:
texas method - Google Search

I have his book Practical Programming. I know what I'm talking about.

Regardless, I wasn't saying you should do TM. I know you were just asking for scheduling. I just wanted to clarify that.
 
Heavy Saturday, Light Monday, and Medium Wednesday sounds very good to me. There's less training stress during the work week and you get two days of training rest and a day off work to make the most of your heavy day, and get to rest one day off work after it.
 
Since you're not working a specific program, maybe don't plan specific H/L/M days either. I recommend you try to do your heavy day based on how you feel.

You know how some days you go to lift and everything just feels perfect? That day when PRs are happening left and right and you leave the gym feeling strong than when you arrived? You usually know based on how eager you are to lift before you even start. Well, maybe make that your heavy day. This doesn't have to happen every week either. But sometimes it might even happen twice per week.

Then on your days where it feels "punch-the-clock", do a medium day (feeling good but not ready to take on the world). And when you're not really into it, or stressed out, tired, or whatever, make that your light day. You could have several or all of your training days in a week be light, by the way.

I feel that listening to your body is the key to longevity. I know that's not quite what you were looking for, but that's my two cents anyway.
 
Think your comma which shouldn't be there which is the issue @Geoff Chafe, as @305pelusa states typically a texas method of heavy/light/medium is

Heavy - single set of five rep max

Light - either light 5x5 or front squats

Medium - 80-90% of heavy session work for 5x5

The volume of medium pushes up 5rm and increased 5rm aids in strength to handle increased load in medium days.

Love the texas method and pretty much always progressed on it when powerlifting
 
MattM said:
I always train by feel (always have, always will). To me, listening to your body is the most important thing in weight training and far too often overlooked.

"Take advantage of the days you feel invincible."

Thibaudeau Talks Training | T Nation
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If I trained by feel I wouldn't get anything done. I am never 100%, or invincible.

I like to use the exercises to dictate my H/L/M days. I can give a full effort and let the load on the body dictate the effort.

I may do my Heavy Day on Saturday or Friday. I have not decided yet. Maybe I will wait until I finish my fourth week to make a change.
 
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