Comeback Program Critique

Training
1

CT I am a 39 year old who has started training again (former sprinter), after on/off training for around 4-5 years. I have just completed a hypertrophy phase (around 4 weeks) and got back into squatting and pressing heavy 2-3 times a week. The areas I want to work on are, Squat Strength, Push Press, with some heavy deadlifting. I have some scapula winging so working on the prone row.

Do you think the below would be a good program to come back on? My goal after this is to start an Oly lifting cycle (when my joints are ready) hence the approach. I have lifted before and want to build the Squat and my poor push press prior to a formal Oly cycle

Day 1
Front Squats WK1 8x1, WK2 9x1, WK3 10x1, WK4 6x1 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)
Push Press WK1 5x4, WK2, 4x4, WK3, 3x4, WK4, 2x4 (working on a 5-6RM)
Prone Row 3 x 15
Day 2
Back Squats â?? WK1 4x2, WK2, 5x2, WK3, 6x2, WK4 Taper 4x2 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)
Bench Press WK1 3x6, WK2 4x4, WK3 5x3, WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Chin ups WK1 3x6, WK2 4x4, WK3 5x3, WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Day 3
Front Squats â?? WK1 4x2, WK2 5x2, WK3 6x2, WK4 4x2 (wave between 80-85% 1RM on all weeks)
Push Press WK1 5x3, WK2, 4x3, WK3, 3x3, WK4, 2x3 (working on a 4-5RM)
Prone Row 3 x 15
Day 4
Back Squats â?? WK1 ,3x3 WK2, 4x3, WK3, 5x3, WK4 Taper 3x3 (wave between 80-85% 1RM on all weeks)
Mil Press WK1 3x6, WK2 4x4, WK3 5x3, WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Pullups WK1 3x6, WK2 4x4, WK3 5x3, WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Day 5
Front Squats WK1 8x1, WK2 9x1, WK3 10x1, WK4 6x1 (wave between 90-95% 1RM on all weeks)
Clean Grip Deads â?? WK1 3x3, WK2, 5x2, WK3, 3,2,1,3,2,1, WK4 Taper 4x2
Push Press WK1 6x2, WK2, 5x2, WK3, 4x2, WK4, 3x2 (working on a 3-4RM)
Day 6 & 7 OFF

Thanks for any help Chris

2

Hi Chris, I was thinking of changing the back squats for more front squats, do you think this would work better? Thanks Chris

3

[quote]robertsc wrote:
Hi Chris, I was thinking of changing the back squats for more front squats, do you think this would work better? Thanks Chris[/quote]

You could start by making the program more readable to me. Honestly I wont even read it. Way too much stuff for my eyes!

4

Sorry Chris,

Day 1
Front Squats
WK1 8x1,
WK2 9x1,
WK3 10x1,
WK4 6x1 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)
Push Press
WK1 5x4,
WK2, 4x4,
WK3, 3x4,
WK4, 2x4 (working on a 5-6RM)
Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 2
Back Squats
WK1 4x2,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 6x2,
WK4 Taper 4x2 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)
Bench Press
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Chin ups
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Day 3
Front Squats
WK1 4x2,
WK2 5x2,
WK3 6x2,
WK4 4x2 (wave between 80-85% 1RM on all weeks)
Push Press
WK1 5x3,
WK2, 4x3,
WK3, 3x3,
WK4, 2x3 (working on a 4-5RM)
Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 4
Back Squats
WK1 ,3x3
WK2, 4x3,
WK3, 5x3,
WK4 Taper 3x3 (wave between 80-85% 1RM on all weeks)
Mil Press
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Pullups

WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Day 5
Front Squats

WK1 8x1,
WK2 9x1,
WK3 10x1,
WK4 6x1 (wave between 90-95% 1RM on all weeks)

Clean Grip Deads

WK1 3x3,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 3,2,1,3,2,1,
WK4 Taper 4x2

Push Press
WK1 6x2,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 4x2,
WK4, 3x2 (working on a 3-4RM)

Day 6 & 7 OFF

Thanks for any help Chris

5

[quote]robertsc wrote:
Sorry Chris,

Day 1
Front Squats
WK1 8x1,
WK2 9x1,
WK3 10x1,
WK4 6x1 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)
Push Press
WK1 5x4,
WK2, 4x4,
WK3, 3x4,
WK4, 2x4 (working on a 5-6RM)
Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 2
Back Squats
WK1 4x2,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 6x2,
WK4 Taper 4x2 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)
Bench Press
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Chin ups
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Day 3
Front Squats
WK1 4x2,
WK2 5x2,
WK3 6x2,
WK4 4x2 (wave between 80-85% 1RM on all weeks)
Push Press
WK1 5x3,
WK2, 4x3,
WK3, 3x3,
WK4, 2x3 (working on a 4-5RM)
Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 4
Back Squats
WK1 ,3x3
WK2, 4x3,
WK3, 5x3,
WK4 Taper 3x3 (wave between 80-85% 1RM on all weeks)
Mil Press
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Pullups

WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Day 5
Front Squats

WK1 8x1,
WK2 9x1,
WK3 10x1,
WK4 6x1 (wave between 90-95% 1RM on all weeks)

Clean Grip Deads

WK1 3x3,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 3,2,1,3,2,1,
WK4 Taper 4x2

Push Press
WK1 6x2,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 4x2,
WK4, 3x2 (working on a 3-4RM)

Day 6 & 7 OFF

Thanks for any help Chris[/quote]

I like your choice of exercises. And while I am all for very high frequency training, if you are just getting back to training (comeback) daily squatting and pressing, especially with those loads (assuming that you go as heavy as you can for the rep number mentioned) might be a tad harsh on the body, especially at 39.

I’m only 35, but this year when i got back to serious training for olympic lifting I tried doing a squat variation everyday (heck, I used to squat twice a day, every day for years) I pulled both quads, then a hamstring and had TFL inflamation. I had to stop squatting. Then when I got back into it, not having learned my lesson, both knees started to ache.

I understood why there are so few world champs past 35! I am know squatting every other day and am getting great results (I normally do explosive pulls, either olympic lifts or high pulls, and deadlift variations on the alternate days).

6

Thanks Chris, I secretly knew it was too much for my age & capacity! I guess I was looking for someone to tell me that. What about this as an alternative, do you think this would be more achievable?

Day 1

Front Squats
WK1 8x1,
WK2 9x1,
WK3 10x1,
WK4 6x1 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)

Push Press
WK1 5x4,
WK2, 4x4,
WK3, 3x4,
WK4, 2x4 (working on a 5-6RM on all weeks)

Day 2

Snatch High Pulls
WK1 3x3,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 3,2,1,3,2,1,
WK4 Taper 4x2

Pullups
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 3

Back Squats
WK1 4x2,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 6x2,
WK4 Taper 4x2 (wave between 85-90% 1RM on all weeks)

Push Press
WK1 5x3,
WK2, 4x3,
WK3, 3x3,
WK4, 2x3 (working on a 4-5RM on all weeks)

Bench Press
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Day 4

Clean High Pulls
WK1 3x3,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 3,2,1,3,2,1,
WK4 Taper 4x2

Chin ups
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 5

Front Squats
WK1 6x1,
WK2 7x1,
WK3 8x1,
WK4 5x1 (wave between 90-95% 1RM on all weeks)

Push Press
WK1 6x2,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 4x2,
WK4, 3x2 (working on a 3-4RM on all weeks)

Day 6

Clean Grip Deads
WK1 3x3,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 3,2,1,3,2,1,
WK4 Taper 4x2

Bent Over Row
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 7 OFF

Thanks for any help Chris

7

Hi Chris,

I was just thinking before I try this, if I am doing loads of pulls and deads can I drop the retraction work and have a strength day, say:

Strength focus

Squats variation
Press variation

And a Posterior chain movement and Power focus, say:

Pull variation
Push press

And using the same volumes as my last post?

Thanks again

Chris

8

CT, if you could give me a quick view on this I would be really grateful! I want to build my base Strength and Power as I plan to do Masters Weightlifting and the 40-44 Crossfit next year. Thanks CT

9

Hi Chris, sorry for the continual questions, I’ve decided to start back slower based on my break and do the below, do you think this would work better at this stage and be enough volume based on the frequency?

Day 1

Front Squat - 4-6 Doubles waving between 85-90%
Push Press
WK1 5x4,
WK2, 4x4,
WK3, 3x4,
WK4, 2x4 (working on a 5-6RM on all weeks)
Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 2
Back Squat - 3-5 Triples waving between 80-85%
Bench Press
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)
Chinups
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Day 3 OFF

Day 4
Front Squat - 6-8 Singles waving between 90-95%
Push Press
WK1 6x2,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 4x2,
WK4, 3x2 (working on a 3-4RM on all weeks)
Prone Row 3 x 15

Day 5

Back Squat - 4-6 Doubles waving between 85-90%
Clean Grip Deadlifts
WK1 4x3,
WK2, 5x2,
WK3, 8x1
WK4 Taper 5x1
Mil Press
WK1 3x6,
WK2 4x4,
WK3 5x3,
WK4 3x3 (working on a weight that allows 1-2 more reps than designated rep range)

Thanks for your time

Chris

10

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