I’m going to start off with a rant—don’t be a “usta!” I can’t stand the phrase, “I usta bench this…do squats…run this…do pull-ups…”
Yes, there are going to be some things we just can’t do like we did in the past. There are going to be “some” (I almost said “many” but that isn’t going to happen) people who are stronger and faster than us. That has always been the case our entire lives. There will always be somebody somewhere who is better but that shouldn’t keep you from trying to be the very best you can be. Eventually you will be the best. Maybe just for one day or for 15 minutes or on a PR. Maybe only for that training session with your crew or maybe for a world record. Just don’t quit! It’s OK to talk about the past, but we’re in the “good ole days” now. We just don’t know it yet.
I’m of the opinion that, as aging adults, our muscles are mature and quality training with more rest is much more beneficial and safe. I’m not advocating that you should become a cream puff, afraid of heavy or intense training. I’m saying that more isn’t better—better is better.
Below is a general overview of what I do as a 49 year old in pursuit of a pull-up and bench press PR. I’ve combined stuff from DeFranco, Underground Strength, and several other authors/trainers to come up with what works for me. I adjust as needed. I’ve found that overtraining at my age can be catastrophic and can take weeks or months to recover from. So far my raw strength and athleticism have been increasing at an acceptable rate.
Day 1
Max effort bench press: I use all the variations—floor press, boards, manpon, bands, chains, close grip, and fat bar. I stick with one exercise for two rotations. The first rotation is for triples and the second is for doubles. These are done every seven to ten days.
Assistance exercises include “triceps death,” dips, light shoulder dumbbell raises (front, side, and rear), face pulls, shrugs, body weight pull-ups, light rows, and blast strap push-ups.
Day 2
Back squats: Occasionally, I do max effort every seven to ten days (maybe six times a year), but I usually do max effort followed by dynamic followed by repetition on a seven- to ten-day rotation.
Assistance exercises include walking lunges, deadlifts off of pins, split squats, good mornings, Romanian deadlifts, hyper extensions, leg curls, jumps, and pull-thrus.
Day 3
Weighted pull-ups and heavy barbell/dumbbell rows. Some barbell/dumbbell curls, grip work, and neck work.
Day 4
This day is used for metabolic type conditioning, extra work as needed, prehabilitation work, and experimentation with new exercises. “Cosgrove’s Evil 8” and blast strap push-ups are two of my favorites. I might also pick four assistance exercises and perform a circuit either for time or a target number of reps. I repeat that three or four times. Depending on how my shoulders feel, I do repetition or dynamic bench presses or overhead presses. I may also squat for time (e.g. 30 seconds on, 60 seconds rest) with light weights (at or below 315 lbs). I’m currently experimenting with plyo push-ups and dead benches (courtesy of Mr. Josh Bryant) and trying to figure out where to put them in my rotation.
I fit my conditioning in wherever I can two to three times a week. I jump rope, push my jeep, do 40- to 200-yard runs, ride my bike, and walk. I’ve just ordered myProwler and will be using that as well.
I deload as needed. Occasionally throughout the year, I take a full deload week, but usually I do partial deloads. I keep working the stuff that feels good while minimizing work with the areas that need rest. Having a longer rotation keeps the need for a full deload down to a minimum.
