I feel I should know this answer, but I’m not sure. When following a H-M-L schedule, instead of doing the same exercise all 3 days, can you use different exercise that limit the weight compared to the base exercise?
For example:
Squats (heavy) Front SQ (medium) Overhead SQ (light)
Bench (heavy) Incline or Dips (medium) Overhead Press (light)
I’m looking at it from the view that the lighter exercise would provide less CNS stress, but still stimulate the same musculature.
I think simmilar to you! Just remember that H-M-L is used with intermediate athletes and that they cannot hit PBs every training, but rather every week (on each lift). The need intra-week variations, and how are you going to program this variations (less weight or easier exercises is of less importance). I would rather pick easier exercises as you have pointed out and maybe use slightly more reps per set than in core exercises.
I tried to implement Rip’s and Kilgore’s principles into more athletic strength training in this three articles http://www.the-elite-edge.com/main.php?go=viewPost&pID=39
Thanks for the reply Duxx. I’m looking at this for my own training. I’ve been training for 20 years, but I still feel that I might not need advanced programming. I know Rippetoe and Kilgore pointed out that 75% of trainees will never advance past the intermediate stage. I’m starting to think this may be true for me.
I also might arrange this in a Joe Kenn style format (tier system) with a Push/Pull/SQ or DL in each workout.