Many people I encounter on social media have asked questions that suggest they wonder what progression through years and years of lifting would look like according to the general way I do things. So for my last post of 2024, I’ll run through a Basic Lifting Career Progression Template, that shows an example of how a lifter could progress through different stages of training, with both the chosen exercises as well as the rate of progression (PRs), changing based on the lifter’s progressing level of advancement and adaptation.
Some preliminary notes: Aside from #1 (the novice phase), don’t read this as, “Everyone should do it exactly like this,” as much as, “this is a good general guideline template to start from, and adjust for personal circumstances as/if/when needed.” Supplemental and accessory lifts listed are common examples, not an exact or exhaustive list.
That all said, let’s take a look at the example progression.
1. Novice: progressively heavier sets of 5 reps on basic barbell lifts (low bar squat, bench press, deadlift, press, maybe power cleans) + chins/pulldowns and maybe rows. That’s it. PRs multiple times per week/almost every time you do the lift.
2. Early intermediate 1: Three day HLM program to continue progressing the above lifts, but also introducing the 1-3 rep range on heavier days for each lift. PRs about once a week per lift.
3. Early Intermediate 2: Three day HLM, introducing a few supplemental variants (pause squat, close grip bench, etc), still primarily working with 5 reps for volume work, 1-3 reps for intensity work, on the main lifts. Sets of 8-10 reps on accessories where applicable (chins/pulldowns, rows). Aim for a PR every ~2 weeks per main lift.
4. Mid-Intermediate 1 : Move to 4 day upper/lower split. Introduce sets of 8 reps on some of the basic barbell lifts. Introduce more supplemental variations where needed (high bar squat, strict press, paused bench, deficit or snatch grip deadlift). Introduce a little more accessory work, especially at the end of upper days. Extend accessories to 12 reps where appropriate. Aim for a PR every 2-4 weeks per main lift.
5. Mid-Intermediate 2: Same as above, experiment with different supplemental lifts if needed (safety bar squat, Larsen bench, dumbbell bench and press, block pulls, sumo deadlift). Introduce more lower accessory work too (RDLs, leg press, maybe some isolation work at this point too like ham curls, leg extensions, etc). PRs are less predictable and may involve things like 3 steps back and 4 steps forward, but should still be aiming to progress past at least recent numbers every month or two, under normal circumstances.
6. Advanced: This is when specialization really becomes necessary and useful. Complex programming tailored to the specific, individualized needs of the lifter. A bodybuilding approach will have different specific and individualized needs than a powerlifting approach, which will both be different than a program to maximize general strength, which will be different than a general health and fitness approach.
I often like to use a powerbuilding approach if time and schedule allow. But even for advanced lifters, a 3-day HLM style program, put on a longer timeline, can still work to accrue gains over time.
Everyone always wants to know how long each phase will last. I’ve purposely left that out because there’s too much variation between people to give good guidelines, especially once you’re past the third phase here. In the past I’ve said getting through the first 3 phases usually takes about 9-15 months from the time you start your LP. That’s already just an estimate and not exact, and is also already a pretty big spread, and it only gets bigger after that.
Also, most people, even those who train pretty seriously for years, will never get to the Advanced level. Unless you’re a competitive lifter, you’ll probably not dedicate enough time to truly pushing your boundaries to need truly advanced programming, and you’ll also likely miss workouts and time due to life, that will prevent you from getting to that point. This isn’t an a-priori truth about non-competitive lifters, but tends to be the case in the vast majority of cases, in my experience.
I know you want concrete and specific answers, to follow guidance exactly from a checklist rather than have to apply concepts that sometimes have vague boundaries. But if you’re ever going to progress past the early intermediate stage, you really need to learn how to do this, to some extent even if you have a coach. There’s too many variables to have every last one spelled out for you completely, every single workout. Think of it as an opportunity for growth, rather than a frustrating barrier.
Where does Age fit in? I’m nearly 50. Maxes: squat 450, dead 474, press 205, bench 325. I want to continue progressing.
For mid-intermediate 1, how would you program those variations (high bar squat, strict press, paused bench, deficit or snatch grip deadlift)? Do them on volume day with the primary lift on intensity day? Or as backoffs? Something else?