Thoughts on 1 on, 2 off

[JStrong]

Hi,

So I'm out of my twenties and was never particularly easy on my body. I've been through 4 month of SS and then dicked around for a month, and finally had two weeks off due to an injury.

Just getting back into it (SS or something close), but I have been modifying the program by usually taking two days off between workouts.

So, in a two week cycle I'll go Monday, Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Friday etc. (this is 2 days per week, then 3, then 2).

Is there any reason this is a bad idea? I initially did it as a way to avoid burnout and to forestall modifying the actual workout itself, but I'm starting to wonder if I should keep the volume up and lower the intensity one day instead.

[toddmr]

If it's working for you and you're not in a rush to get stronger faster, there is no inherent need to change it up.

If you're wanting to workout more frequently or get stronger faster, going to single rest days might work.

Did you originally go to 2-day rests because you were failing to get the work sets done on one day of rest? Or was it a precaution?

Some discussion of where you started, what your lifts are currently and your goals would be helpful.

[JStrong]

I made the switch right around the time my squat went above bodyweight. I was feeling fried, but I never had a significant squat fail on my way to 285 x 5 x 3 (210 bw). Started at 115 x 5 x 3 in February. Squat is the only lift I ever feel a need to recover from, except maybe deads (135-->315, 5 x 1).

Basically it started to feel like I needed the recovery. Does the lower volume affect size but not really strength? That was my guess.

[toddmr]

It depends on what you mean by "volume". Training for hypertrophy, volume is often thought of as 8-12 reps per set, rather than 5, 3 or 1.

Volume can also mean total pounds lifted. So that 3 sets of 12 @ 250# = 9000# or 5x5@ 360# = 9000# total in a session. Same amount of pounds moved, but different stimulus, and different adaptation. For clarity, I prefer to call this tonnage.

If you wanted to add more work, you could try introducing extra sessions. There's a good chance that what you coulnd't recover from a while ago is now doable.

Maybe add in a day of light work between heavy days so that from 2-3-2 weeks, you go to 3-3-3 with two heavy days and one light day.

If it were me, I might see if I could do alternating bench and press days, and make my mid-week squats front squats which will necessarily be lighter. Or go light squats, like 50%, but concentrating on moving the bar quickly.

Are you currently using power cleans alternating with your deadlift?

If you find that you're recovering well from that you might then eventually move to 3 days per week without one being a light day.

Or add in a day of different type of work, like sled or prowler work, sprints, jumps, something along those lines, depending on your goals.

But as I stated earlier, there is nothing inherently wrong with taking extra recovery days if you need them. But it also may be worth testing to see if you need quite that much recovery still.

[hatmanii]

I actually do this because of my work schedule. Has been fine. The gains don't come as fast but I haven't seen any other negatives.

-Hat

[DanO_123]

I've was actually looking for some info on this as well. I recently went back to the starting strength program over the past month. I'm almost 31 and the extra day here and there really helps recovery. I'd say stick with it.

I did the Wendler 5/3/1 for about 6 months but I was getting stronger faster than the weights were increasing so I realized I probably ought to go back to linear progression until it is fully tapped out. It's a hell of a lot faster even with the occasional extra rest day.

35-40lbs a month on squats vs 10 is a big difference!

[Moffitt]

I've been trying this for a couple of months now, and love part of it, but have some concerns/questions as well.

I love it for the squat portion of the workout, as the extra day's rest really helps a lot. I don't see any negatives at all, other than it will just take a little longer to get the weight up. I'm pushing 40 now anyway and so am not as concerned there.

What I struggle w/ a little bit is alternating the bench/press part, b/c there is such a long (5 rest days) time lag in between workouts. For example, if you bench on Monday, you won't bench again until Sunday. I just wonder if this is too long a break, and that you'll have a hard time building up from Monday's gains w/ that long a break. I don't mind at all if it just takes longer to get the weight up, but I don't want to limit the ultimate amount of weight I can add.

Any thoughts?

I also think 1-on 2-off will be hard to do on an Intermediate program (and adding a light day) for the same reasons. Anyone use this w/ TM, for example?