tjhowse

What should I do once I hit my arbitrary "intermediate"-level #weightlifting goal?

There's arguments in favour of continuing to progressively overload so it's easier to recover from health-based setbacks in the future, but I'm unsure. I also love #running, and turbo-thighs don't help that much.

Context: 40 y/o cis male. I've been doing 5x5 Stronglifts for 3.5 years. I like how I look. "Intermediate" as estimated by strengthlevel.com

#fitness #health

Keep increasing
12.5%
Plateau at target
62.5%
Third-option wisdom below
25%
Poll ended at .
May 27 at 5:16amWeb
Show threadAlyssa Coghlan5d ago

@tj You could always keep the same weight and increase reps instead.

(The weightlifting stats site is interesting and a good reminder that testosterone is a heck of a drug!)

Show threadtjhowse5d ago
@ancoghlan I was thinking about switching to a 5/3/1 system with more reps at lower weights, followed by fewer reps near to the target. At the moment I'm doing 3 sessions a week and each one takes about 90-120 minutes 😭 I'd like to get it down to an hour, if possible.
Show threadtjhowse5d ago
@ancoghlan And yes, it seems T is a cheatcode for weightlifting. My wife is also doing 5x5 stronglifts too and progressing steadily, but slowly.
Show threadMosen5d ago
@tj I’m doing tons of cardio and very little weight but I also have 4 days of reset sometimes because I’m literally so old that the muscle soreness never subsides. Anyways goal setting is hard because you might start for aesthetic reasons but then see the mortality rate of (person with your traits) and strength will not be the key measure anymore. But anyways what do you really actually want? Hard for people to answer that.
Show threadtjhowse5d ago
@mosen My routine for the last few years has been weightlifting three days a week, gym cardio two days, and a run in the park on two days. After the cancer bad-times I dropped back to one park run per week so I have a rest day. I think it's made a big difference. I'll see how long I can maintain this cadence.
Show threadATXRambler5d ago
@tj depends on how much you enjoy the lifting for itself, I suspect. Beyond a certain point strength training makes its own set of demands on your body and time...
Show threadtjhowse5d ago
@rambler_atx I don't mind it, but I prefer most other types of exercise. It's mostly solitary podcast-listening time.
Show threadMatthew Badger4d ago

@tj I presume given SL5x5 you've been doing powerlifting (weightlifting generally refers to Oly weighlifting: snatch and clean & jerk).

For a start, there is a lot of room to progress in “Intermediate", and you could start by varying your reps as you've said (1.5–2 hrs is wild!).

Other options are different specialities; powerlifting is very movement specific and you can be surprisingly weak in things you don't train. Oly weightlifting and strongman/sandbag work are a couple of other options.

Show threadMatthew Badger4d ago

@tj I have a 50 kg sandbag that I've started training with a bit, and just picks and carries are so hard, even though my first deadlift warm-up weight is 70 kg.

Unilateral leg work is another great one: walking lunges are very humbling even if you have the core stability for heavy squatting.

Even though powerlifting places much more demand on supporting musculature than machine isolation work, there is still a whole world of possible exercises that are vastly more ‘useful’.

Show threadtjhowse4d ago

@matthewbadger I'm much more interested in being "healthy" strong, not just "huge" strong. One of the appeals of Wendler's 5/3/1 stuff (based on my very limited reading so far) is the focus on "accessory" work, which I understand to be assorted general exercises to reinforce groups of minor muscles rather than blasting the main ones constantly.

I also do running, riding, swimming, stretches and planks. I don't want to get too specialised.

Show threadMatthew Badger4d ago

@tj you certainly can do; Wendler created it for college sports in the U.S., but it's primarily a powerlifting program and he's not super prescriptive on accessories.

I ran 5/3/1 for about 18 months as an intermediate program; it's really good. There are a boatload of accessory program variations others have created (Boring But Big, nSuns). But you could apply it to absolutely any weight/reps movement you wanted to.