Training three consecutive days

[krazyduck]

Any ideas how I can pull that off?

I will only be able to train Fri, Saturday and Sunday this summer. I know I can do a two day schedule on Friday and Sunday, but I haven't had good results last time I tried that.

My thoughts are to just have a Squat day, bench day, and deadlift day. Sure, the deadlift day will be less than optimal, I'll focus on low weights and lots of volume to get the work in, and then I have all week to recover.

Any thoughts?

[Adam Skillin]

Any ideas how I can pull that off?

I will only be able to train Fri, Saturday and Sunday this summer. I know I can do a two day schedule on Friday and Sunday, but I haven't had good results last time I tried that.

My thoughts are to just have a Squat day, bench day, and deadlift day. Sure, the deadlift day will be less than optimal, I'll focus on low weights and lots of volume to get the work in, and then I have all week to recover.

Any thoughts?

Sounds like you've got a handle on all the shortcomings of that schedule and like your plan is the best available option.

[Walter Palmer]

Many people DL on the same day they SQ so short rest should not be that bad depending on where you are at from an intensity perspective.

I'm not a huge fan of volume DL's, in general. It is not clear what adaptation one is looking for in doing high reps with low weights. If you do decide to do high reps, make sure you don't get sloppy with form. That is most common when folks go sub-maximal and high reps.

[krazyduck]

Many people DL on the same day they SQ so short rest should not be that bad depending on where you are at from an intensity perspective.

I'm not a huge fan of volume DL's, in general. It is not clear what adaptation one is looking for in doing high reps with low weights. If you do decide to do high reps, make sure you don't get sloppy with form. That is most common when folks go sub-maximal and high reps.

When I said volume, I was referring to lots of sets, not reps.

I think I'm just going to go for it. If deadlift day sucks in terms of not being able to work up to a high number relative to my 1rm, I'm just going to add on more backoff sets. I'll play it by feel, Its only for two months anyway. . .

Now that I wont have an OHP day, should I be doing some form of pressing (dumbell?) on bench day? Or just drop it all together?

[FrankSanders]

Now that I wont have an OHP day, should I be doing some form of pressing (dumbell?) on bench day? Or just drop it all together?

Why cant you press and bench on the same day? Volume bench/intensity press one week and intensity bench/volume press the next.

[krazyduck]

Why cant you press and bench on the same day? Volume bench/intensity press one week and intensity bench/volume press the next.

I like to work up to a top set and then do some back-off sets. Then some accessory work. My most recent bench day was:

Bench, top set of 4
Bench, backoff set of 4
Pause Bench 4x3
Chest supported rows
Rolling db extentions
DB curls

I guess I can put db press in the slot after the main accessory.

[kel]

Personally I would do:

Squat+ some lower body assistance
Bench+press+limited upper body assistance
Deadlift+medium squat OR more deadlifts+assistance

[kel]

Personally I would do:

Squat+ some lower body assistance
Bench+press+limited upper body assistance
Deadlift+medium squat OR more deadlifts+assistance

On the last day you can do a lot more stuff since you have off after that.

[steven-miller]

I would try to incorporate higher frequency and volume for upperbody and also for the squat. If you only have this very suboptimal way to train for a time and you still want to make progress I would do three things:

1. Set a goal PR weight that you want to reach at the end of those two months. How heavy depends on your advancement.

2. Train as hard as you can on those three days. The four days afterwards are plenty to recover.

3. Be conscious of your technique. Low frequency can cause some people to get "out of the groove".

Example for an intermediate lifter:

Fri

Squat 5x5
Bench press 5x5

Sat

Press 5x5
Deadlift 1x5

Sun

Squat 5x2 (technique work)
Incline bench 3x8
Chin ups AMRAP x 3

You can use Sunday work-outs to tweak your response for the coming week. Depending on how recovered you are by Friday you can do more, the same or less volume. You can also use a different upperbody exercise than the incline bench depending on your weaknesses. Friday and Saturday you would obviously try to hit new 5x5 PRs and a PR set of 5 for the deadlift.

[krazyduck]

Why cant you press and bench on the same day? Volume bench/intensity press one week and intensity bench/volume press the next.

Rethought this, I like it. Going to do it like this:

Bench top set and back offs
Press ramping 5s or 8s or 3s
Funstuff

The next week I will switch the order.