5/3/1 - How would you handle this situation?

Chief_Rocka

Ok, so here's the deal: I currently do 5/3/1, running a 3x per week split. I'm currently on Mesocycle 1, with Mesocycle 3 scheduled to wrap up on Friday, May 10.

Here's the thing: I'm going on a week-long vacation starting Monday, May 27. I would have liked for Mesocylce 3 to end right before the vacation, so I could make my vacation my deload week, but it obviously didn't work out that way.

So, I have two weeks between the end of Mesocycle 3 and my vacation week, what should I do with those? I don"t want to make one of those a deload week, with the upcoming vacation. I was thinking of repeating the 1st and 3rd cycles that I just did, then progressing after the vacation.

Note: Although I workout 3x per week, I am willing to go to 4x per week for the 2 weeks in question, to make everything fit nicely and satisfy my OCD tendencies.

taso42

My random ideas

a) proceed as normal with the next cycle up until vacation time. Hit the pause button when you go on vacation and pick up right where you left off when you get back. Maybe skip the deload on that cycle.

b) let the vacation be your deload week and just swap deload with one of the other weeks for that cycle.

c) while you're out on vacation, just completely skip and ignore that week of the cycle. when you get back, continue as if you didn't miss the week.

FoxyMcDeadlift

I would start the next cycle, and just do heavy singles/doubles the week before vacation and then use it as a deload. Then I would repeat the cycle after I came back from vacation

Chief_Rocka

Thanks for the ideas so far.

One other thing I should have mentioned that my help in your advice: My past experience with taking a week off is that I'm about 1 or 2 reps weaker than I was before the break, and it takes me a week to get back to where I was before the break.

Sarauk2sf

When this has happened to me I have done week 1 twice, and tacked a second week 3 on the end.

Frank_Just_Frank

I would just repeat the cycle I had completed before going on vacation.

lacurandera1

#peoplewhocanaffordvacationsproblems

Couldn't resist. Sorry. No legitimate input here.

__RANDY__

When this has happened to me I have done week 1 twice, and tacked a second week 3 on the end.

This is what I would do.

Frank_Just_Frank

#peoplewhocanaffordvacationsproblems

Couldn't resist. Sorry. No legitimate input here.

Def one of the greatest problems lol!

JNick77

I like Taso's recommendations on this one.

If you really want to push yourself after May 10th you could skip the Deload week and switch to the 5/3/1 Two-Day workout template (page 77) but modify the timing to look something like,

05/13 = 3/3/3+ Day with Squat and Bench
05/14 = 3/3/3+ Day with DL and OHP
Wed = Off
05/16 OR 05/17 = 5/5/5+ Day with Squat and Bench
05/18 (depending on the above) = 5/5/5+ DL and OHP
05/21 = 5/3/1 Squat and Bench
05/23 = 5/3/1 DL and OHP
*05/24 or 05/25 = Optional Deload workout or do some weakpoint lifts (i.e DB Bench, Lat Raises, Cable Pushdowns, Hamstring curls, etc)

Doing the 3/3/3+ day before 5/5/5+ gives you a slight break on the 5/5/5+ days before hitting the 5/3/1 days so quickly.You can also minimize or eliminate accessory work during this time due to the volume of work in the main lifts. Then you're good and ready for a vacation and perhaps you won't be so "OFF" when you get back because you pushed so hard prior to leaving.

I did some very similar training once for about 6-weeks with the same basic above splits and it can be taxing but very doable, just stretch and eat well and you'll be fine.