{"id":190902,"date":"2025-09-29T16:45:59","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T21:45:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=190902"},"modified":"2025-09-29T16:45:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T21:45:59","slug":"brett-mckay-workout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/strength\/fitness\/brett-mckay-workout\/","title":{"rendered":"What My Workout Has Looked Like Lately"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

If you’ve been following AoM for a while, you know that strength training is a central part of my daily life \u2014 the thing, other than my faith and family, that brings me the most joy and satisfaction.<\/p>\n

Back in my 30s, I trained to hoist as much weight as possible. I did some amateur lifting competitions, so my goal was to maximize my one rep max on the main barbell lifts. My workout sessions would often last an hour and a half. I really enjoyed that season of my life, but the intensity of the training started to take its toll on me physically and psychologically as I entered my 40s.<\/p>\n

I’ll be turning 43 here in a few months. I’m not the man I was a decade back. Life’s busier, and I have a body that’s not quite as forgiving as it once was. Long sessions leave me rundown instead of built-up. Training at this stage of life requires a different approach.<\/p>\n

My longtime coach, Matt Reynolds<\/a>, has helped transition my training for midlife. Since I know many of you reading AoM have grown up with me and are entering your 40s too, I thought it would be helpful to share what my training has looked like lately. Maybe it will give you some inspiration for your own programming.<\/p>\n

The Program Framework<\/h2>\n

I do a strength-training workout 4X a week, using an upper\/lower split, with each workout capped at 60 minutes. And I do a cardio workout 2X a week. Sundays I rest, except for taking low-key walks.<\/p>\n

Here are the components of my routine:<\/p>\n

Strength workouts:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Heavy main lift.<\/strong> Every session starts with a big compound movement: squat, deadlift, bench press, or shoulder press. I go heavy \u2014 something in the 3-5 rep range. I’ll occasionally do a heavy single. It scratches the itch to keep strength as a central part of training without beating me up with endless sets.<\/li>\n
  2. Backoff volume. <\/strong>After the heavy top set, I do 1-2 backoff sets at a lighter weight. This allows me to accumulate volume while staying within a recoverable zone.<\/li>\n
  3. Supplemental Lift<\/strong>. I’ll then do a supplemental lift. If it’s squat day, I’ll do a hamstring-focused supplemental lift like Romanian deadlifts<\/a> or good mornings. If it’s bench day, I’ll do a shoulder-focused supplemental lift like dumbbell shoulder presses. Enough load to matter, not enough to wreck me.<\/li>\n
  4. Circuit.<\/strong> Each session finishes with a circuit \u2014 upper or lower, depending on the day. A mix of dips, chins, curls, rows, split squats, leg extensions, or whatever I have equipment for. The goal is simple: get the heart rate up, build some muscle, and walk out with a sweat.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Cardio<\/h3>\n

    As I\u2019ve gotten into midlife, I\u2019ve put more emphasis on heart health. Three mainstays: Zone 2 cardio<\/a> two times a week for long-term conditioning, rucks for a blend of endurance and load-bearing strength<\/a>, and one weekly HIIT session<\/a> to keep the higher gears sharp and to improve my V02 Max (I\u2019ve got an article about VO2 in the works).<\/p>\n

    Adding Weight and Reps for Progressive Overload<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    On the heavy lifts, I add about five pounds a week. When I stall out, Matt will lower the weight, and then I start working my way back up.<\/p>\n

    For the supplemental lifts and circuit work, my goal is to be able to do three sets of 10-12 reps. Once I reach that goal, I’ll add weight to the lift and then do as many reps as possible until I get three sets of 10-12 reps again, and then I add weight again, and the cycle repeats.<\/p>\n

    Here’s what programming looks like specifically right now for me:<\/p>\n

    Monday (Lower Day)<\/h3>\n

    Deadlift<\/strong><\/p>\n