Current minimalist OLAD program

Training
1

Hey fellow T-nationers !
I would like some feedback on my current program, been following it for a few months now, and for now I really diggin it…
Love OLAD since it quick in quick out and full focus on that one lift of the day!
My way of training are mainly strength and performance based.

Here it is (copied from my notes):

• Train as frequent as seen fit, and take days off
when needed.
• Focus on max strength & power, but do lighter
power work as well.
• Keep sessions short and precise.

Session 1]

  • Barbell Squats - Sets of 1-3 reps.
    finisher: one set 25 bodyweight Squats.

Session 2]

  • Dumbbell Clean&Press* - Sets of 1-3 reps.
    finisher: one set 8-12 strict Clean&Press.

    *Dual Hang PowerClean Push Press/Jerk

Session 3]

  • Weighted Pullups - Sets of 1-3 reps.
    finisher: one set bodyweight Pullups.

Session 4]

  • Weighted Dips - Sets of 1-3 reps.
    finisher: one set bodyweight Dips.

I try to workout almost everyday, some weeks its everyday, followed by 1-3 days rest. Most weeks i get 5 sessions.
By sets of 1-3 reps I mean that I dont follow a specific scheme, I just go with the wind and train as hard as I want to and feel like that day.
As long as I progress over time i should be alright?

I also have 15min of 24kg kettlebell Swings 3-4 times a week as cardio/conditioning, as well as some substitute to the fact that I dont train deadlifts atm…

Overall I feel very rigid and strong now and I definately enjoy this program more then others I have followed, but I would like feedback from this forum.
Thanks:)

2

I like minimalist training, but finishers accomplish nothing but adding fatigue. And what are you trying to accomplish?

1 Like
3

You gave yourself all the feedback you needed.

Run it until something starts breaking down.

Then fix it based on your needs/goals.

I would suspect @marine77 is right on the money and finishers (personally) would be the first thing to go if I was feeling cumulative fatigue.

Maybe do 2-3 mini-sessions a week that incorporates swings and bodyweight exercises.

But treat it as a short finishing session. Don’t go balls out for 30 minutes. Maybe 15 minutes tops if you are pushing the movements back to back.

Even the above is a compromise. Just do some steady state stuff in the background if your true focus is on each daily lift improving over time.

4

At least they give a little pump if nothing else.

Well I just want to get stronger in those lifts.
Which is happening at a steady pace.
I would assume from a BB perspective its missing alot of exercises, but I dont plan to bodybuild. I feel like its overall pretty balanced ?

5

Thanks, I have been thinking about it actually to do what you wrote there about a seperate day.
But I like the feeling of just doing ond high rep set at the end, maybe change it later.
Thanks for input:)

6

I docaution you. As the novelty (biologically) of this program starts to plateau (it will), you may be stuck with a conundrum.

I really like your set up and that’s why the precaution. I’ve done similar training modes over decades!

Like I said, ride it in whatever way feels best but experiment. And evolve from that.

8

So if I lets say if do a seperate session of
Bodyweight Pullups,Dips and some LuRaises (say 3 sets of each) once or twice a week it would be much better then the finishers?

9

I never asked: why the finishers in the first place?

Personally, as long as you are aware of why you are doing them and they aren’t detrimental…

I’ve watched too many people do so-called finishers that are flaying partial rep nightmares for any goal.

If the finishers are for hypertrophy, treat them as such.

If you have no clue why, drop them.

10

Im very aware on why Im doing them, its for pure extra added volume/hypertrophy.
They arnt do or die for me either, some workouts i skip them all together…

1 Like
11

Pump is irrelevant for growth though. Otherwise, I dig the minimal training… keep PO and you’ll see results

12

Thanks !

Im also a believer in that heavy training builds solid mass. If the finishers gives anything for certain is some muscular endurance, which is a good thing.
The only thing I slightly worry a tiny bit about, is that squats are not a very good exercise for the hammis, thats why I decided to throw in the swings… other then that i feel very good about the exercise selection and program overall :slight_smile:

13

If I understand you correctly, you are saying that, if I took 2 trainees, had one that did nothing but finishers, and had one that did no training whatsoever, after 1 year of this protocol, the trainees would have identical outcomes?

14

Strength > Endurance. A stronger muscle will give you better endurance. Ditch the finishers, pump stuff

15

Um… how do you do “nothing but finishers”? Of course you’ll have an outcome it’s simply sub-optimal. He’s already doing minimalist strength training… why add “finishers” if they’ll only accumulate more fatigue / damage ?

16

Just as it sounds.

Ah, this is quite different than what you said initially. There’s a fair bit of nuance between the two, haha. I appreciate you clarifying!

But you just said that’s NOT the only thing they do. The very sentence before this said they would have an outcome: simply a sub-optimal one.

You must forgive me, as I am now more confused with your edit. When I read the word “only”, that, to me, means it’s the sole thing they do. The sole outcome of a finisher is more fatigue/damage. If that is the case, then a finisher will never achieve muscular growth or strength, so in my hypothetical, the two trainees would remain in an untrained state.

However, if we posit that finishers CAN have a beneficial impact to hypertrophy/strength, simply a sub-optimal one, then they don’t only accumulate more fatigue/damage: they ADDITIONALLY do that.

17

This is just not true. There are specific adaptations that happen when you train for muscular endurance. This is like saying someone who just sprints or does heavy sled pushes will be able to run a marathon better than someone who specifically trains for it.

1 Like
18

My point was more…pick one. Trying to combine is sub-optimal. And the stronger I got on weight lifts the corresponding “endurance” adaptations came with them.

I didn’t do pull-ups for 6 months once. Lots of heavy KB swings… my pull-ups actually increased. Same with push-ups via weighted dips and presses.

19

Sub optimal for what???

Everything you write is based on what Paul Carter says, and he strictly talks about hypertrophy training.

There are many systems like Tactical Barbell that combine multiple training modalities.

What if someone wants to develop power, speed, endurance muscle/cardio, and put on muscle? 6 weekly sets per muscle in the 3-6 rep range is not going to get you there.

How many can you do per set?

How many pistol squats can you do?

1 Like
20

Carter isn’t the only person I follow or reference. He does however publish current research on fatigue mechanisms.

Pull-ups around 30. Push-ups… 80 or so. Don’t care to train either for high reps.

I don’t pistol squat.

How many belly to back suplexes can you do? Or 5-point throws ?

21

30 pullups are not bad,

I can do 20, on a good day, after my weighted session. I actually think its easier to do bw after weighted Pullups, they are basically flying up the first 10…
My weighted Pullups RM is +70kg at 100kg BW, I personally take some pride in that, feel like thats my strongest lift…
My weighted Dips are not as good, with rm at +80kg…