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Thread: Programming a 9 day rather than 7 day cycle?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Posts
    2

    Default Programming a 9 day rather than 7 day cycle?

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    Hello all,

    I am a firefighter and have been doing SS for about 4 months now and still working on initial linear progression. I am 29 y/o, 6'2 and 190lbs.

    Currently Squat: 3x5 @ 275, DL: 1x5 @ 360, Bench: 3x5 @ 200. Shoulder 3x5 @ 130. Currently I squat and DL at every workout.

    As a firefighter a have essentially a 9 day rotating work cycle and would like to match my lifting program to my 9 day cycle rather than the normal 7 day.

    My question is... How would you suggest I program my lift vs rest days?

    Should I do the normal lifting every other day and then take 4 days rest rather than two or...

    Should I lift 4 times per cycle every other day On, Rest, On, Rest, On, Rest, On, Rest, Rest maybe not do both SQ and DL every lift day... or

    Should I do some other modification such as On, Rest, On, Rest, Rest, On, Rest, Rest, Rest?

    I hope this make sense, thanks for the help in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Bishop, California
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Greetings:

    You are a young firefighter who is probably in great shape. Your work capacity and ability to recover should be good. I would do a four workout week and squat and deadlift every workout:
    Workout - Rest - Workout - Rest - Workout - Rest - Workout - Rest - Rest
    If you find your deadlift starting to stall, you could do light deadlift volume accessories on workout two and four.

    Otherwise you could try doing a version of the old man NLP:
    Workout - Rest - Rest - Workout - Rest - Rest - Workout - Rest - Rest

    Tony

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    83

    Default

    Here’s an old trick – take the standard 4-day split and spread it out over Mon.-Wed.-Fri. (or Tues.-Thurs.-Sat., or whatever works with your work schedule), so you get something like this:

    Monday: Squats, DLs
    Wednesday: Presses
    Friday: Squats, DLs
    Monday: Presses

    And so on. That’s a 9-day training “week.” The second time through, starting on Wednesday, will also be 9 days. But the third time through, starting on a Friday, will give you a 10-day “week” becuase it’ll involve two weekends. If that messes up your plan to stay in sync with your work schedule, you could start the next cycle on Sunday instead of Monday and do Sun.-Tues.-Thurs.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Indianapolis, IN
    Posts
    2,266

    Default

    "On, Rest, On, Rest, On, Rest, On, Rest, Rest"
    Do that.

    There's no reason to complicate it further.
    Starting Strength Indianapolis is up and running. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching session.
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