Program while fasting

[rashid29]

In about six weeks, I will be fasting for religious reasons for a month. No food or water at all for about 16 hours a day. During this process I am attempting to drop some body fat while retaining as much strength and muscle as possible.

I have the option to do some of the workouts before eating at the gym I go to or I can do all the lifts but bench at my home gym at night. Are there any basic programming modifications you would make to a basic texas method weightlifting template in this situation? Less volume, ramping sets, etc? Or under these circumstances, do you think a different program would be better?

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Don't do the Texas Method as it's written while fasting. You need to maintain intensity as much as possible, but excessive volume is just gonna bury you. I'd probably do something like this:

Monday - Bench - work up to heavy single, back off 90% x 2 x 2-3
Tuesday - Squat - work up to heavy single, back off 90% x 2 x 2-3, Deadlift - work up to single, 90% x 2-3

Thursday - Bench - 85% x 3-5, 80% x 5-8
Friday - Squat - 85% x 3-5, 80% x 5-8, Deadlift 80% x 5-8

Your "max" single at the beginning of the week will basically set the stage for the rest of the week. Your performance will likely fluctuate a little from week to week, so just take one week at a time.

[rashid29]

Okay, this sounds good. But what about the olympic lifts? I have minimized them over the past 6 months and I need to get back to doing full lifts again for competition. I will also try to time the workout so I finish close to the time I am breaking my fast.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Throw them in on any day or on Weds and/or Sat/Sun

[rashid29]

Alright, I will probably do 4-5 singles on the lifts then. Thank you so much for your help Andy, I will let you know how it goes.