almost 8 weeks back to lifting and looking for input. 44 yrs old,just finished 4 weeks of muscletech creakic creatine,2 weeks into valhalla labs finatech with 2 to go,also take their resurrection at night. have been training chest/tris,back/bis,and legs/shoulders on seperate days with a day off when time or energy level is dictates.any suggestions ,advice etc. will be very welcome
I am 43 and here is what I do...Hope it helps a little bit anyway...
Squatting the way most think of it three times a week will kill you. That's if you are working to or near failure with your sets. With 5x5 and similar programs, you start out rather light (relatively) for the first 4 weeks. Your old 5RM is set at week 4. You only squat "heavy" once a week. Like this...
Monday
Squat - Heavy
Bench - Heavy
Row - Heavy
Wednesday
Squat - light (60% of Monday's weight)
Bench - light
Dead - heavy (increase your weight every week)
Friday
Squat - medium (80% of Monday's weight)
Bench - medium
Chin - Heavy (add weight every week)
We "tweak" it here and there and add or take away exercises here and there...Overhead press can be added to either Wed or Mon. I prefer thrusters (front squat that becomes a standing overhead press). .V. likes the clean and jerk. Some would prefer the seated overhead press with a machine or with dumbells...it's up to you.
I also like to do calf raises on Monday, curls/crushers on Wednesday, abs on Friday. These are not mandatory though. Remember, you are unlikely to do skull crushers with your bench weight or even your overhead press weight and even less likely to curl what you row or do chin ups with.
5x5 is brutal. But it will add serious strength and mass to your body. It's certainly not the only way. But simple, brutal, and effective??? Yeah, that's what it is...
Also add Fish Oil to your supplements for the "old" joints...I, myself, am up to 10g/day...you can take up to 15g/day as well...Glucosamine works in conjunction with the Fish Oil too...