Special considerations for masters or others training less than three times a week?

[RhodeRash]

Hi Robert,

Greetings from the barbell backwater of Rhode Island, a land of lobsters and mobsters but barren of SS gyms, affiliate gyms, and coaches.

I know in Barbell Prescription it discusses using modified training schedules to take advantage of extended recovery time, which could take the form of either a one-day-on/two-off schedule or a two-day-a-week schedule (e.g. Monday/Thursday). How does this impact nutritional requirements? For instance, I'd imagine that the daily protein requirements would remain the same, but what about calories per day?

Also, would these requirements be different for a masters lifter who is using such a modified schedule for recovery purposes versus a younger lifter who is adopting such a schedule because they are time poor. I am in the former category but I figured I would see if I could get a further clarification for the sake of others reading this post.

Thanks!

[Robert Santana]

I don't think it would to a meaningful extent. I'm not a fan of significant calorie cycling and you shouldn't be sitting on your ass doing nothing on those off days to begin with. Requirements, in general, would be different for the older guy. You are more metabolically efficient than the young guy so you can do more on a lot less.

A shame there are no gyms. How is the commercial real estate situation up there? Has Janet Mills managed to fuck that up as well?

[RhodeRash]

I don't think it would to a meaningful extent. I'm not a fan of significant calorie cycling and you shouldn't be sitting on your ass doing nothing on those off days to begin with.

I figured doing less would be helping recovery. I am pushing 50, so I am not dead yet, but I wasn't sure how much other activities would impair recovery (at least during NLP).

You are more metabolically efficient than the young guy so you can do more on a lot less.

Is there a general rule or equation to this?

A shame there are no gyms.

There are gyms ... just nothing directly related to Starting Strength. I am sure I could learn how to bench press on a Bosu ball with local personal trainers.

The closest SS gym is in Boston, which is 2 hours north of me. The closest SS affiliate gym is Annino Strength and Conditioning in Moodus, CT, which is 1hr 45 minutes to the west of me (those are also the closest SS coaches). Being the smallest state, Rhode Islanders hate to drive more than 45 minutes without having a hotel room for an overnight stay (barely kidding) ... which is why neither of these options would appeal to the SS followers here in the Biggest Little. Yes, it's a stupid, but a very real cultural idiosyncrasy. I might be able to see if I could take a hybrid approach of getting a couple form checks in-person from one of these places (bite the bullet on the drive) and then move to using an online coach. However, I am not sure if this approach is frowned upon.

How is the commercial real estate situation up there? Has Janet Mills managed to fuck that up as well?

There is a supply shortage of commercial real estate. Not enough new construction. We see a lot of old brick factories repurposed.

Janet Mills is the governor of Maine. We have Dan McKee as governor to fuck things up here in Rhode Island.

[Robert Santana]

I figured doing less would be helping recovery. I am pushing 50, so I am not dead yet, but I wasn't sure how much other activities would impair recovery (at least during NLP).

Less training is fine but you don't need to calorie cycle is what I meant.

Is there a general rule or equation to this?

No, this is a natural side effect of having a decades old body.

There are gyms ... just nothing directly related to Starting Strength. I am sure I could learn how to bench press on a Bosu ball with local personal trainers.

The closest SS gym is in Boston, which is 2 hours north of me. The closest SS affiliate gym is Annino Strength and Conditioning in Moodus, CT, which is 1hr 45 minutes to the west of me (those are also the closest SS coaches). Being the smallest state, Rhode Islanders hate to drive more than 45 minutes without having a hotel room for an overnight stay (barely kidding) ... which is why neither of these options would appeal to the SS followers here in the Biggest Little. Yes, it's a stupid, but a very real cultural idiosyncrasy. I might be able to see if I could take a hybrid approach of getting a couple form checks in-person from one of these places (bite the bullet on the drive) and then move to using an online coach. However, I am not sure if this approach is frowned upon.

Not frowned upon here. That would be the best option in your situation. Just make the cross country road trip when you need to and pair it with online coaching from the same coach. Makes logical sense to me.


There is a supply shortage of commercial real estate. Not enough new construction. We see a lot of old brick factories repurposed.

Janet Mills is the governor of Maine. We have Dan McKee as governor to fuck things up here in Rhode Island.

Ah yes. I saw the word lobster and it reminded me of how she fucked that industry and glossed over the Big Little preceding that comment. Same difference. Are any of these people good at do anything but fucking things up?