Programming for 2 days per week

[S.Davis]

With school and football starting I was thinking of cutting back my son and his friends workouts to two days per week. Should there be any changes made to the SS program if they reduce the number of lifting days per week or just continue with alternating the A and B workout?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Assuming they actually need to cut back, just alternate the A and B workout.

[Colin]

It might seem tempting to cut back, especially if they are doing two a days right now.
I remember I made some of my best gains during the season, and I was lifting four days a week. They should have all saturday and sunday to recover for the sunday game, and
if you switch their training days to lift sunday night, after the game, so they'll be doing sunday, tuesday, thursday, they'll be more than well rested for the game. They're at that stage where their recovery is nothing short of miraculous.

I don't know if they are on the novice program or not, so the linear progression probably is going to be key to maintain if they are. They might feel like the workload is alot for the first two weeks, but like everything else your body adapts to the workload and after a few days of feeling wore out, they'll be able to hum right along. If they are not on the novice program, and just continuing to get after it, a small deload might help that process, because with heavy practices in the heat they may feel like they are losing a rep or two on the lifts, and this can be very discouraging. When I was in high school and trying to lift I remember getting frustrated very easily, but I kept lifting and I kept up with the sport I was playing, and once my legs adapted to the extra running and other activity, in about two weeks or so, I could run or practice in the morning and not have it affect my heavy lifting, even for squats. At that time I was doing a much more involved program the football team had, with plenty and plenty of wasted exercises. Starting strength is about as recovery friendly as it gets, and thats why folks grow so well on it. Heavy stress, get out of the gym and rest and grow.

Bottom line I'd at least try and have them push through, but if they are on the novice program then just realize it may affect their gains, but its better to stay up with the lifting than throw in the towel and only do each workout once a week, just trying to maintain usually sends you backwards, ever so slowly.

Ice milk boosts recovery after practice, and tastes good too. I don't know what the schedule is looking like, as in coming right home from practice and hitting the weights, but a quick snack before training can help. Especially milk, since it packs its sugars and proteins into the muscles faster than recovery drinks, giving him almost instant fuel, as fast as he can digest it.

I'm just sharing what worked for me, hope it helps!

[S.Davis]

Thanks Rip...waiting to see what homework and social load is going to be like. As 8th graders they want to attend the High School games and some Frosh, JV games to see some freinds and siblings play.