Heavy Density Lifting Method - Exercises & Rest

Christian,

Using the HDL method, I take it you would choose one lift a session to focus on using this method (i.e. Monday - bench, Tues - squat). I guess it probably lends itself more to the big lifts? Also, how many days’ rest would you recommend between sessions where this technique was used (ex. lifting Monday and Tuesday, rest Wednesday, lift Thursday and Friday)?

Yes it is best used for one lift in a workout (but you can add assistance work).

Yes it is best used with big strength lifts (or Olympic lifts).

As long as you have only 3 or 4 intense sessions per week it doesn’t matter that much how you spread the days. Although personally this is what I’m currently doing:

DAY 1 - INTENSE UPPER BODY SESSION
DAY 2 - LOADED CARRIES (farmer’s walk and/or overhead carries)
DAY 3 - INTENSE LOWER BODY SESSION
DAY 4 - LOADED CARRIES (sled work)
DAY 5 - INTENSE UPPER BODY SESSION 2
DAY 6 - LOADED CARRIES (farmer’s walk and/or overhead carries)
DAY 7 - INTENSE LOWER BODY SESSION 2
DAY 8 - LOADED CARRIES (sled work)

Sometimes I take off days sometimes I don’t. BUT THE IMPORTANT THING is how I do the loaded carries work. I see it more as an active recovery/muscle building than as an all-out conditioning session. My goal is not to tire myself out. I see it much like a neural charge session, but a bit longer.

Hi coach, can you tell us more about how you are using the loaded carry days? Since adding the loaded carries to my workouts ive noticed the biggest physique changes in my life and would love to know more about how to incorporate them as an active recovery day. Thanks alot.

It’s nothing out of the ordinary really.

I normally do two loaded carry exercises per day. On one day I do farmer’s walk variations (can be with farmer’s walk handles, a deadsquat/trap bar, or doing the unilateral version) and one overhead walk variation (can be with a barbell, Dumbbells, KBs, a strongmang log, 1 arm at a time, etc).

And on the other day I do one sled dragging variation and one zercher walk variation.

I normally do 4 to 6 sets per carry and at the moment I’m using both shorter/heavier days (30-60m) and longer ones (60-100m). I’m not going longer than that

Awesome, Christian. Thank you!