When it comes to training in your 40s, it can be tempting to overcomplicate things. But former Army Ranger and strength coach Judd Lienhard says you don’t need an elaborate programme to build the physical qualities that matter most as you get older.
Instead, he recommends starting with what he calls the 6-3 Method: train the six fundamental movement patterns three times a week.
‘Start with the 6-3 rule,’ says Lienhard. ‘If you’re starting from nowhere and you just do that, you’re 95%.’
What Is the 6-3 Method?
The idea is to build your training around six fundamental movement patterns:
- Squat: Front squats, back squats, goblet squats, etc.
- Hinge: Conventional deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, etc.
- Push: Push-ups, bench press, dumbbell press, etc.
- Pull: Pull-ups, lat pulldowns, bent-over rows, etc.
- Lunge: Walking lunges, reverse lunges, split squats, etc.
- Carry: Farmer’s carries, suitcase carries, sandbag carries, etc.
Lienhard recommends making these six movements the foundation of your programme and training them three times a week, rather than constantly adding increasingly complicated exercises or programming.
From there, the goal is simple: gradually improve your strength and capacity in each movement.
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‘Really, when we get older, what we really need is power,’ he argues.
Power – your ability to produce force quickly – naturally declines with age, making explosive movements an increasingly valuable addition to your training. That doesn’t mean every session needs to become a max-effort workout, but exercises such as jumps, throws or lighter, faster resistance work can complement your strength training.
Lienhard also argues that getting older shouldn’t mean chasing aesthetics above everything else.
‘Notice this isn’t get super lean and muscular. This is get strong as fuck and conditioned as hell.’
Instead, he recommends working backwards from the physical qualities you want to keep.
‘Think of the adaptations you need, the stimulus you need to get there, and the dosage you’re going to employ to get it,’ says Lienhard. ‘That’s it. Let’s keep it simple.’
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