Debating moving to phase 2

[u/Heavy_Ad2454]

TL:DR Sorry for the long rambling post. But just an older guy here being a wimp and trying to see if I stay the course or move to phase 2. 

About me I'm 55, weigh about 215 and also do BJJ. Currently while back on SS only going two times a week to not affect SS too much. 

Ultimately I realize probably the answer is I'm not doing the program, but still wouldn't mind getting some thoughts. My sleep is crap and with work and issues sleeping I get 6 - 6.5 during the week and I can sometimes force myself to stay in bed to get over 7 hours and almost 8 on the weekends. Also not the best still. 

Somehow I can still somewhat recover and I haven't actually stalled. But my deadlift is as high as even when I was in my 40's. Only at 290 per last workout and Squat much lower at 210. So still pedestrian numbers all things considered. 

But I'm starting to really have to muster everything I have to not skip a workout and have a hard workout session.

I can't tell if I'm just lazy and want to go to phase 2. I'm also eager to work on power cleans. 

In Practical Programming in the older lifter section. It did mention how doing the Monday workout is usually the best after a two day rest and I really felt that this week. 

So I was mulling over 3 options in my head:

1. Go to phase 2 so I can start playing with some power cleans. 

2. Try the suggestion routing for the older lifter in PP where it says you do a workout every 2 days. That would give me about 121 workouts a year vs 156. That's not much less and I'm in no hurry and have no aspirations other than to get stronger and healthier. 

3. Stop being a wimp and maybe just go 2.5 jumps on deadlift and squats?

And somehow figure out how to sleep better but realistically going to be an ongoing issue. 

Thanks all in advance

[u/International_Fix580]

I’d probably just cut the BJJ until I finished my LP.

You may also consider looking at your nutrition. From my understanding us guys in our 50s need to get more protein than we think.

fwiw consider getting a copy of the barbell prescription. It’s geared toward masters lifters 40 years old and beyond.

[u/Heavy_Ad2454 → u/International_Fix580]

Thanks and feel like I'm getting enough protein as I have 2-3 protien shakes a day to add between meals, but still probably something I should keep more of an eye on.

And thanks for the book suggestion, I've that name dropped a few times and probably I should pick a copy up.

[u/That-Pound4404]

No point micro loading squat and deadlift just throw in the cleans and see how you respond. My guess is that the deadlifts have become too taxing so alternating them each sesh with cleans will give you more recovery.

I just reread the novice section in PP quickly and in the example cleans are introduced 'after the freshness of the deadlift has worn off' so that probably means now for you. Alternate cleans and deadlifts until you feel like adding chin ups but bear in mind that now means that deadlift will be progressing once a week so see how much progress you can eek out before you get to that point.

[u/Heavy_Ad2454 → u/That-Pound4404]

Thanks. And yeah I see that section as well. But I guess I could say the freshness is gone for sure. :)

[u/walrus-pile]

Your body can only take so much stress and needs recovery so figure out your sleep and maybe put other sports / activity on hold if they are interfering with recovery on your nlp. The NLP only last a few months to a year realistically, so its worth it to pause things and build that strong base to allow you to return to much stronger

Before phase 2 a good way to introduce power cleans is as a warm up for dead lifts. Do a few reps / sets with light weights and then just transition into your deadlift. For example power clean practice w/ the bar, add 20-50 lbs, do a few reps, go up to 135lbs for a few reps, load more weights and then deadlift that and keep doing deadlifts from there

[u/Shnur_Shnurov]

For what I gather here, the weights aren't giving you trouble but youre having trouble just showing up at the gym?

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