9-day instead of 7-day period

[matclone]

Age 54. I've been having some problems with recovery, especially after squats so I've been trying two days off after each work out, instead of one and it seems to help. So, Workout Day 1-rest-rest, Day 2-rest-rest, Day 3--rest-rest.

Anyone tried this or have any thoughts? Any downside other than the irregularity of lifting on different days each week?

[MikeC1]

I've never tried that, but it sounds like a good idea, if you don't mind the odd lifting days. Eventually though, the weights will get heavy enough that you won't feel like two days off is enough. You can keep increasing the amount of time between workout days but at some point it won't be able to work anymore since you'll detrain too much by the time you're recovered enough to lift again. A light squat day is one of the best tools available for recovery, so keep that in the back of your head for when you need it.

[Les Hahn]

I wonder if you could also split up the workload a little to help for recovery. PPST2 mentions that it is best to do everything in one day (squat/bench/accessory), but it does show templates for splits as well. I too have a hard time doing everything in one day, especially with only a 1 day break. You could also work out every other day with an upper/lower split. This way you would work out 4 times every 8 days. You would also only squat twice, which might allow you to stick with linear progression a little longer.

I am just throwing ideas out that are in line with the ideas presented in PPST2. What you propose is good too I think, the extra rest can be nice. Either way, good luck in your training!

[hatmanii]

My SS days were done 1 on/2 off. Worked quite well. The only issue that comes up is when deadlifting frequency has to change to more than once every other. You'll figure it out, I'm sure. Good luck!

[matclone]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I had not considered training 4 in 8 but will keep that idea in mind. Yeah, deadlifting once every 9 days (on the Texas method), and whether I could still progress, was my other concern.

I'm coming off a layoff, and I figured maybe my conditioning would come back through adaptation, but I've been back at it almost six weeks now, and the squat 3 x 5s (and to a lesser extent DLs) are still wiping me out.

[peacerenity]

I think the squats wiping you out comes with the territory for everybody. Rippetoe says in SS that your workout is never going to get easy because you're increasing weights every workout. I would imagine being older doesn't help things either though.

You didn't mention your diet and sleep habits. Have you been eating a good bit and putting on weight every week? Are you getting 7+ hours of sleep per night? One trend I've seen with older posters on this forum is they don't really want to get any bigger, so they don't eat enough to progress optimally, and then blame their lack of progress on age or inadequate recovery time. Not saying this is the case with you, but it could be.

[matclone]

I think the squats wiping you out comes with the territory for everybody. Rippetoe says in SS that your workout is never going to get easy because you're increasing weights every workout. I would imagine being older doesn't help things either though.

You didn't mention your diet and sleep habits. Have you been eating a good bit and putting on weight every week? Are you getting 7+ hours of sleep per night? One trend I've seen with older posters on this forum is they don't really want to get any bigger, so they don't eat enough to progress optimally, and then blame their lack of progress on age or inadequate recovery time. Not saying this is the case with you, but it could be.

Yeah, I should have addressed this since it is a common reason for poor recovery. I am getting plenty of sleep, and think I'm eating well although it's possible I need to eat more. Just reached the 180 mark (at 5-8) for the first time in my life. Until I started lifting weights in my late-30s, I had never weighed more than 130.

[ColoWayno]

matclone !

I did a 9 day week when I was deployed, only I was trying to get in a few more workouts since I needed something to do for about 2 hours every day. So I did Work/Rest/Work/Rest/Work/Rest/Work/Rest/Rest.

Your plan will work. Middle aged fun... I'm learning all about it.

[bob g]

... One trend I've seen with older posters on this forum is they don't really want to get any bigger, so they don't eat enough to progress optimally, and then blame their lack of progress on age or inadequate recovery time. Not saying this is the case with you, but it could be.

Now listen here, Sonny...(I always wanted to say that, ha.)

I'm 54 also and can really tell that when food intake isn't optimal squats turn into a grind. I honestly don't care about scale weight and totally understand that getting bigger comes with getting stronger. But, there is getting bigger and there is getting bigger; I keep an eye on the quality of the food I eat and have slowly leaned down while putting on about 5-8 lbs in the last year. Blaming lack of progress on age is a cop out IF recovery is properly addressed. And, when you think about it, if you're not recovering it doesn't matter how old you are.

OP, your 3 in 9 or 4 in 8 ideas are sound. Let us know how it goes.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

I wonder if you could also split up the workload a little to help for recovery. PPST2 mentions that it is best to do everything in one day (squat/bench/accessory), but it does show templates for splits as well.

I was on TM, but then time constraints forced me to rethink the heavy/light/intense setup. I decided to split the voluem day and the intensity day in two, thus ending up with more sessions, but shorter. I do as follows:

mon: squat 5 reps, Press/Bench 5 reps, chins
Tue: snatch (to warm up back), deadlift 5 reps, dips
wed: rest
Thu: squat 5x5, Bench/Press 5x5
Fri: Power Cleans, Front Squat (because I like it), dips (not always).
Sat,Sun: rest.

This way, I get two days off between the volume workouts and the intensity ones, and this replaces the 'light' workout of the TM template.

Just an idea, of course.

IPB