Thoughts on this simple long-term program?
Hi everyone,
I’ve been simplifying my training quite a bit lately and would really appreciate some feedback
A little background:
I’m 43 years old, have two kids (one with cerebral palsy who requires a lot of physical assistance), work full-time, and generally have a fairly unpredictable schedule. Because of that, I don’t want a complicated program or a weekly split that falls apart if life gets busy.
My goal isn’t to compete in strongman. I simply want to become very good at lifting and carrying heavy objects while staying athletic enough to run (I currently run a sub-20 minute 5K).
One thing I’ve learned is that I progress much better when I repeat the same movements over and over rather than constantly rotating exercises.
The only variation I’m considering is a simple “same but different” approach.
Workout A
- A1: Sandbag Box Squat
- A2: Pull-ups – 5 sets
- B1: Double KB Push Press – 5×5
- B2: Ab Wheel – 5×10
- C1: Sandbag Pick to Shoulder – 5 sets
- C2: Dips – 5 sets
- D: Farmer Walk – 3–5 heavy sets
Workout B
- A1: Sandbag Box Squat
- A2: Chin-ups – 5 sets
- B1: Double KB Push Press – 5×5
- B2: Ab Wheel – 5×10
- C1: Deadlift – 3×5 /5x5
- C2: Dips – 5 sets
- D: Sandbag Bear Hug Carry – 3–5 sets
My thinking is to keep the movement patterns identical while rotating only:
- Pull-ups / Chin-ups
- Sandbag Pick / Deadlift
- Farmer Walk / Bear Hug Carry
Everything else stays the same.
Does this seem like a reasonable long-term for someone who isn’t competing but wants to become generally stronger with awkward objects and carries?
Would you change anything while keeping the program simple or do you have anything else to recommend?
Thanks!