By Rob Shaul, Founder
BLUF
Three remote veteran athlete lab rats age 45+ saw significant strength gains following a 5-week, 5-day/week multi-modal “base” fitness cycle with a slight strength emphasis. Specifically, the lab rats experienced a …
- 12.17% Average Increase in Back Squat 1RM
- 5.72% average increase in Push Press 1RM
- 23.13% average increase in Weigthed Pull Up 1RM
Background
1RM-Based (1 Reptition Maximum) strength programming is a key component of MTI programming and has been for years, but until recently, I avoided 1RM-based strength programming for older athletes, age 45+. There have been two reasons for this.
First, joint pain can significantly reduce range of motion for older athletes and/or simply make heavy, deep squats and other exercises very uncomfortable.
Second, most older athletes who follow MTI programming come to us after years of fitness training, including years of 1RM-based strength programming, and simply don’t enjoy super intense fitness training any longer – not only 1RM – based strength programming, but also super-intense work capacity training.
However, while it is possible to train max effort strength without going to 1RM, there is a clarity and certaintly to 1RM-based strength training which can’t be matched.
As well, loss of muscle mass and max effort strength is a significant issue for aging athletes. For these reasons I decided to program 1RM-Based strength programming for the December 2024 Daily 45+ programming stream. As part of this, I recuited remote lab rats to pre-run the cycle, to test it’s strength building effectness for older athletes, but also gage the older lab rats’ ability to complete and recover from the training, and their overall thoughts about it.
Study Design and Deployment
The duration of MTI’s Daily Stream programming is based on the number of weeks in the month. Most months have 4 Mondays, and thus the cycles are 4 weeks long. December 2024 has 5 Mondays, and the subsequent cycle is 5-weeks long.
The cycle had a significant strength emphasis, but also trained endurance, work capacity and chassis integrity.
Strength programming was 1RM Assessment-based, for these three exercises:
- 1RM Back Squat
- 1RM Push Press
- 1RM Weighted Pull Ups
The cycle include a beginning, middle and end 1RM assessment for these exercises, and percentage-based progression between assessments.
Training sessions were designed to last 45 minutes. Below was the weekly training schedule:
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
- Mon: Strength Assessment or Progression
- Tue: Work Capacity, Chassis Integrity
- Wed: Strength Progression
- Thur: Easy Pace Endurance
- Fri: Strength Progression
Results and Discussion
Five lab rats began the cycle. One withdrew due to injury, and another simply quit. Three lab rats completed the programming, and all three improved 1RM assessment scores except Sean, who’s 1RM Weighted Pull Up did not increase.
Certainly the low number of study subjects means these results won’t pass stastitical scruitiny, however, as important as the results was the athletes’ thoughts about the programming. Two of the lab rats noted that they did not enjoy 1RM-based strength training now as much as when they were younger, but recognized it’s clear, no-nonsense snapshot of strength and simple, effective strength improvement.
Next Step: Continuous Improvement
Based on these results and the athlete’s feedback, I’ll modify MTI’s 45+ training to include more frequent 1RM programming. There are a couple options: (1) A strong emphasis strength cycle like this one, with 3-4 strength exercises taken to 1RM and progressed accordingly, completed once or twice per years, or; (2) more freqent inlcusion of a singe exercise 1RM assessment and progression in any daily stream cycle. For example, in a cycle with an endurance emphasis, have the strength training focus on a 1RM Hinge Lift and percentage based progression.
Moving forward, I’ll likely proceed with second option. This way, 1RM assessments and progressions won’t come as a “shock” to 45+ stream subscribers, and I’ll be able to stragically deploy this most effective of strength progressions more freqently.
Questions/Feedback?
Please email rob@mtntactical.com