One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

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One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#1

Post by unruhschuh » Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:58 am

I fucking hate those click-baity titles, don't you? Sorry.

1. Setup

The idea is to set up a three day split. We start by putting each of the main lifts on one day in the following order

MondayWednesdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadlift

So Monday is your heavy squat day, Wednesday is heavy Bench day and Friday is heavy Deadlift day. For the light and medium days, we keep the same order, but shift it one to the right, i.e. for the light variants, we start with Deadlifts, instead of Squats like so:

MondayWednesdayFriday
LDeadliftSquatBench

The medium variants are again shifted one to the right and therefore start with Bench

MondayWednesdayFriday
MBenchDeadliftSquat

Putting it all together we have

MondayWednesdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadlift
LDeadliftSquatBench
MBenchDeadliftSquat

Put another way:

MondayWednesdayFriday
SquatHLM
BenchMHL
DeadliftLMH

2. Programming

As you can see, you'd Squat, Bench and Deadlift thrice a week and the workload is spread out over the whole week quite nicely. You can use this scheme in one of many ways, e.g.
  • linearly, i.e. use sets of 4-6 and add weight each week. This is what I'd recommend if you are an early intermediate coming off of a linear progression like SSLP.
  • using weekly waves of 5/3/1, 8/5/2 or what have you, adding weight every three weeks. This is useful if you stall on the above.
  • using linear periodization, i.e. start with sets of 8-10, increase the weight each week, while reducing the number of reps until you hit a new 1RM. Rinse and repeat. If you did 8/5/2 before, you can simply stretch it out and do 10/8/6/4/2/1 or 8/8/8/5/5/2/1 etc.
  • Block periodization.
  • Block periodization with DUP. Heavy could be sets of 1-2, Light sets of 8-10 and medium 4-6.
If you stall on any of this, assess your weekly volume:
  • is it pretty low (whatever that means), lower the weights a bit and increase the volume and see if you can surpass your previous stall point. Don't just reset and do the same again and stupidly run into a wall repeatedly. Always increase something.
  • is it already pretty high, switch to something more advanced, like from linear to 8/5/2, or from 8/5/2 to a linear or block periodization.
  • not sure? Ask someone, this is a forum.
If you don't think you need that much frequency on all the lifts, you can leave out light variants entirely and do this instead:

MondayWednesdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadlift
MBenchDeadliftSquat

Or maybe high frequency on bench is appropriate for you, while squatting and deadlifting thrice a week is too much, do this

MondayWednesdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadlift
LDeadliftSquatBench
MBench

3. Variations

The heavy lifts are usually the competition lifts. You could just do the competition lifts with less weight as light (80% of H) and medium (90% of H) variants. This is boring, so here are some exercises you can do as light and medium variants of the main lifts:

LM
SquatFront Squat
Lunges
Paused Squat
Pin Squat
BenchBarbell Press
Dumbbell Press
Close Grip Bench Press
Pin Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
DeadliftBarbell Rows
Romanian Deadlift
Pull/Chin Up
Paused Deadlift
Stiff Legged Deadlift

Try to progress on those and once you stall, change the reps per set or swap them out for something else. They are meant to add some volume at low stress, so don't stress it (lame pun).

5. Assistance

Add assistance exercises at the end of each workout as you like. I like to do chin ups on off days, because I can do them at home. Be creative.

6. Key Points and Summary
  • Your program doesn't have to have a name / brand / price.
  • Evolve your programming instead of making huge changes (aka program hopping). Start somewhere reasonable and adjust as you go. Write everything down and learn from experience.
  • Always increase something. Can't add more weight? Add volume! Can't add more volume? Stretch it out!
  • Be consistent.
  • Don't give money to greedy people who fuck you over.
  • Don't grind indefinitely.
  • Don't eat through the sticking points, you're smarter than that.
7. Disclaimer

I probably read this somewhere and don't claim to have invented any of it, I just thought I'd write it down in a concise way. I'm convinced that, if you come off of a linear progression like SSLP and start doing the above and be consistent, this is a million times better than choosing a very complicated plan and execute it poorly. You can certainly save those 300$/month for questionable online coaching.

8. References

8.1 Articles

Two Simple "Hacks" for Heavy-Light-Medium Programming
Andy Baker - Simplifying the heavy light medium system Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Andy Baker - Heavy Light Medium
Andy Baker - Rotating Rep Ranges
Andy Baker - 6 reasons why your training is stuck Part 1 Part 2
Izzy (Israel Thomas Narvaez) - One Weird Programming Trick To Increase Your Strength!

8.2 Videos

Andy Baker - Heavy/Light/Medium Programming
Andy Baker - 4-Day Heavy/Light Split
Andy Baker - Episode 2: Texas Method vs Heavy-Light-Medium
Andy Baker - SETS
Last edited by unruhschuh on Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:40 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#2

Post by cwd » Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:15 am

This is gold.

I'll add an idea: a lot of people can run the upper-body stuff as HMM. It just recovers faster.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#3

Post by michael » Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:42 am

Personal trainers hate him!

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#4

Post by Mattjd » Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:27 am

You don't swap bench and press weekly on HLM right?

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#5

Post by unruhschuh » Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:12 am

Mattjd wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:27 am You don't swap bench and press weekly on HLM right?
I guess you could. You can do the press as light variant. Or you can declare the Press the fourth main lift and do a four day split like so:

MondayTuesdayThursdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadliftPress
LPressSquatBenchDeadlift
MDeadliftPressSquatBench

That is basically what I do right now.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#6

Post by KarlM » Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:40 am

cwd wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:15 am This is gold.

I'll add an idea: a lot of people can run the upper-body stuff as HMM. It just recovers faster.
I agree with cwd - light presses probably won't do much for people who aren't already bat shit strong.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#7

Post by AaronM » Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:33 am

Where's the "like" button on this forum? @unruhschuh at least deserves some kind of badge for the above^ effort.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#8

Post by KarlM » Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:41 am

AaronM wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:33 am Where's the "like" button on this forum? @unruhschuh at least deserves some kind of badge for the above^ effort.
I agree. Dude does a lot for the forum.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#9

Post by Mattjd » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:17 pm

unruhschuh wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:12 am
Mattjd wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:27 am You don't swap bench and press weekly on HLM right?
I guess you could. You can do the press as light variant. Or you can declare the Press the fourth main lift and do a four day split like so:

MondayTuesdayThursdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadliftPress
LPressSquatBenchDeadlift
MDeadliftPressSquatBench

That is basically what I do right now.
I think im gonna try this

and you're the man with all this, for real, can't believe you took the time to make the tables and stuff

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#10

Post by KyleSchuant » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:31 pm

This is a good, well-researched and thought-out post, which should be presented as an article, if this site were to have articles and not just be a forum. It presents the information concisely; one of my disappointments with so many lifting books is that each edition is longer than before, rather than shorter.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#11

Post by RdC » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:47 pm

This is very impressive. I can only thank you for all the time and effort you put into this and then to present it in such a way that it's easily understood. I "own" a lot of lifing related programs, ebooks, books (and most just sit collecting dust) but I will say, IMO none compare to your HLM outline. I second Kyle's comments. To often there appears to be to much chaf in most lifting papers. I don't like a lot of verbiage up front. I like what you did. Tell and show me and then if I want more I can be referred--just like you did! Bravo--job well done!

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#12

Post by perman » Tue Jan 09, 2018 2:29 pm

Some research from Mike Zourdos (DUP research guru) about optimal ordering of a HPS (hypertrophy, power, strength, which is technically also HLM) scheme might be relevant here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26332783

Last line of abstract: "Our findings suggest that an HPS configuration of DUP has enhanced performance benefits compared with HSP".

So my practical take-away is that it might not be insignificant which lifts are ordered which way in an HLM, not that I think it ranks highly among the design decisions of an HLM if volume and fatigue are otherwise managed well.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#13

Post by Hanley » Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:05 pm

perman wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 2:29 pm Some research from Mike Zourdos (DUP research guru) about optimal ordering of a HPS (hypertrophy, power, strength, which is technically also HLM) scheme might be relevant here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26332783

Last line of abstract: "Our findings suggest that an HPS configuration of DUP has enhanced performance benefits compared with HSP".

So my practical take-away is that it might not be insignificant which lifts are ordered which way in an HLM, not that I think it ranks highly among the design decisions of an HLM if volume and fatigue are otherwise managed well.
In practice HLM and DUP setups usually end up looking quite different (depends on what "HLM" means...is it "relative intensity" or "Stress dose")?

I don't love the idea of defaulting to light and medium variations on light and medium days. It's happening a lot now in HLM setups. Why not use light, medium and heavy intensities for hypertrophy, power, and strenth respectively? (in practice deads DO work better with light variants 'cause lumbar fatigue).

Take bench, for example. I've just starting running a very DUP-y/HLM-y template. But I'm benching 3X week, CGB 1X
Mon: Hypertrophy
"Comp" Bench, then
CGBP

This is a fuckton of reps around 70-75%

Wed: "Comp" Bench Power

work up to doubles and singles around 80-85%

Fri: "Comp" Bench Strength

3s,4s, 5s around 80%
Then lots of pullovers

I feel like I'd be missing out on tremendous skill work (bench is tricky) if I threw inherently light variations on the light and medium days (same holds for squats).

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#14

Post by unruhschuh » Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:44 pm

Thanks guys, I'm flattered.
perman wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 2:29 pm Some research from Mike Zourdos (DUP research guru) about optimal ordering of a HPS (hypertrophy, power, strength, which is technically also HLM) scheme might be relevant here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26332783

Last line of abstract: "Our findings suggest that an HPS configuration of DUP has enhanced performance benefits compared with HSP".

So my practical take-away is that it might not be insignificant which lifts are ordered which way in an HLM, not that I think it ranks highly among the design decisions of an HLM if volume and fatigue are otherwise managed well.
You can change the weekly order from HLM to HML simply by shifting to the left instead of to the right. So instead of

MondayWednesdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadlift
LDeadliftSquatBench
MBenchDeadliftSquat

you'd do

MondayWednesdayFriday
HSquatBenchDeadlift
LBenchDeadliftSquat
MDeadliftSquatBench

Now replace HLM/HML with HSP/HPS and you're done.

Also note how the daily order is either upper / lower / upper or lower / upper / lower. This way you always have some rest between two of the same.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#15

Post by unruhschuh » Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:50 pm

KarlM wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:40 am
cwd wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:15 am This is gold.

I'll add an idea: a lot of people can run the upper-body stuff as HMM. It just recovers faster.
I agree with cwd - light presses probably won't do much for people who aren't already bat shit strong.
If you do Bench (H), Press (L), CGBP (M), the presses are not meant to be light in the sense of low RPE, but rather you do them heavy, but a heavy press is much less heavy than a heavy bench and therefore constitutes a light variation of the bench. At least that is how Andy Baker uses the Press in HLM. The same goes for the front squat.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#16

Post by PatrickDB » Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:06 pm

unruhschuh wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:44 pm You can change the weekly order from HLM to HML simply by shifting to the left instead of to the right. [...]

Now replace HLM/HML with HSP/HPS and you're done.
The way I understand this, power day is the analogue of the light day (a double at 80% is like RPE 6 or less). So what the study says (waving hands and extrapolating) is that HLM beats HML. So this shift would be inadvisable.

Also, I think it's an interesting question whether putting all the H movements in one day, the M ones in another, and keeping an all-light day in the middle is superior to shifting it so there's one H each day, as you did. I believe someone speculated the first way is better but I forget who.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#17

Post by unruhschuh » Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:13 pm

PatrickDB wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:06 pm
unruhschuh wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:44 pm You can change the weekly order from HLM to HML simply by shifting to the left instead of to the right. [...]

Now replace HLM/HML with HSP/HPS and you're done.
The way I understand this, power day is the analogue of the light day (a double at 80% is like RPE 6 or less). So what the study says (waving hands and extrapolating) is that HLM beats HML. So this shift would be inadvisable.
Yeah, about that: Are power sets like speed work? I haven't looked much into DUP to be honest, and if I did, it was convoluted and wordy and I gave up.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#18

Post by unruhschuh » Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:17 pm

PatrickDB wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:06 pm Also, I think it's an interesting question whether putting all the H movements in one day, the M ones in another, and keeping an all-light day in the middle is superior to shifting it so there's one H each day, as you did. I believe someone speculated the first way is better but I forget who.
I don't like that at all. The heavy day would be aweful and I wouldn't know which lift to do first and I don't like to go in and do nothing heavy at all.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#19

Post by PatrickDB » Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:24 pm

unruhschuh wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:13 pm Yeah, about that: Are power sets like speed work? I haven't looked much into DUP to be honest, and if I did, it was convoluted and wordy and I gave up.
I don't know. I think it functions similarly to a light day in that it provides technique practice and stimulates muscle protein synthesis. Here I'm just regurgitating something Hanley said. You should ask him if you want a better answer.
I don't like that at all. The heavy day would be aweful and I wouldn't know which lift to do first and I don't like to go in and do nothing heavy at all.
It's worth noting that Zourdos does this for the HPS stuff and doesn't stagger them like you suggest. So I suspect there's something to do the idea.

The setup I've seen is something like H/L/M for squats and pressing and M/L/H for pulls. This way you're fresh for heavy deadlifts on Friday and aren't doing them after heavy squats. Heavy benching and squatting on the same day seems reasonable. Preserving an "all light" day could be important. Not sure.

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Re: One weird trick to set up an HLM scheme THEY don't want you to know

#20

Post by Hanley » Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:32 pm

PatrickDB wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:06 pmand keeping an all-light day in the middle is superior to shifting it so there's one H each day, as you did. I believe someone speculated the first way is better but I forget who.
I don't know know if it's superior, but I much prefer keeping my upper/lower focus the same in a given session. The week sorta has a nice pattern of feels (early in the week you're swollen and a bit beat-up), by Saturday you're pretty much recovered and you feel fucking awesome. Plus, as you advance, the weekly kernal-template sorta logically grows into a block setup (I don't know that this is superior for any reason, but you at least get an intuition for "blocks" early in your lifting life). In a sense, block periodization is just a big-ass LMH setup.

unruhschuh wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:13 pm
Yeah, about that: Are power sets like speed work? I haven't looked much into DUP to be honest, and if I did, it was convoluted and wordy and I gave up.
I don't like the word "power." I think Day 2 should be called "technique day" or something.

So, you're doing doubles and singles around 85%. What does that mean?

It means super clean reps. And -- at these loads, you're almost certainly at full recruitment of high-threshold MUs. Full/simultaneous recruitment with perfect form is really, really awesome.

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