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SL5x5: If you can't make a scheduled training day?
jtcedinburgh
Posts: 117 Member
Hey folks,
I do SL5x5 M/W/F, with some general top-up on Saturday or Sunday (depending on what's on).
If something unavoidable comes along that forces me to miss one of the scheduled SL days, should I do the next available day, or wait until the next scheduled day? I'm thinking recovery, for if I missed Wed and went on Thursday, Friday might be too soon afterwards.
I'm sure this must have been covered before, but a quick consensus would be great. I'm currently erring toward going Thu and Fri, rather than skipping, but as a long-shot I *could* do Thu and Sat this week, but I may not be able to make it to the gym this Saturday for other reasons....
Thanks.
I do SL5x5 M/W/F, with some general top-up on Saturday or Sunday (depending on what's on).
If something unavoidable comes along that forces me to miss one of the scheduled SL days, should I do the next available day, or wait until the next scheduled day? I'm thinking recovery, for if I missed Wed and went on Thursday, Friday might be too soon afterwards.
I'm sure this must have been covered before, but a quick consensus would be great. I'm currently erring toward going Thu and Fri, rather than skipping, but as a long-shot I *could* do Thu and Sat this week, but I may not be able to make it to the gym this Saturday for other reasons....
Thanks.
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Replies
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Ideal would be to do Thur and Sat. But, if you can't do Sat next best is Thur, Sun and then following week would be Tue, Thur, Sat and the week after that you're back to Mon, Wed, Fri.
Having said that, it's not the end of the world to drop a session this week --> Mon, Wed then start again following week.2 -
it's tonight I can't make, but I assume Mon, Fri, Sun might be okay, with Tue, Thu and Sat the following week?0
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jtcedinburgh wrote: »it's tonight I can't make, but I assume Mon, Fri, Sun might be okay, with Tue, Thu and Sat the following week?
That works1 -
I have been running SL for a while now and I lift 3 days a week that are not consecutive - these aren't always the same days each week. If you can add in another session this week then that's great. Your body doesn't know the difference between Monday and Tuesday.
But as was also mentioned, if there's a week where you can only go twice, it's not the end of the world.1 -
if you miss one day it just moves your long rest so if you miss Wed do it Thursday and then sat... so
AxBxAxxB is now AxBxxAxB. not the end of the world for one week, and better than just skipping completely.0 -
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is it super frowned upon to only do 2 workouts per week? i'm starting today and i can get to a gym twice a week, but run and do body weight exercises at home 3 -4 other days.0
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jessiferrrb wrote: »is it super frowned upon to only do 2 workouts per week? i'm starting today and i can get to a gym twice a week, but run and do body weight exercises at home 3 -4 other days.
Not at all. That's fine.1 -
jessiferrrb wrote: »is it super frowned upon to only do 2 workouts per week? i'm starting today and i can get to a gym twice a week, but run and do body weight exercises at home 3 -4 other days.
Not at all. That's fine.
ok, phew! thanks so much for the reply.0 -
piperdown44 wrote: »
The first half of his reply was completely eyeroll-inducing.0 -
jessiferrrb wrote: »is it super frowned upon to only do 2 workouts per week? i'm starting today and i can get to a gym twice a week, but run and do body weight exercises at home 3 -4 other days.
no, it is not; however, the program is designed to be run three times a week ....0 -
This happened to me this week. My days are Sun/Tue/Thur and I missed yesterday so I'm going to my next scheduled day otherwise it throws things off. I figured today I'll get my cardio in and call it good. Have found a little longer "rest" allows me to add weight to the bar
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_dracarys_ wrote: »piperdown44 wrote: »
The first half of his reply was completely eyeroll-inducing.
most of what Mehdi writes is, I assume he has no real responsibilities.5 -
I'm doing Starting Strength which is also on a 3 day/week program. Shouldn't matter if you miss a day as long as to try to make it up and don't take too many days off; too many would be a week or more.
In fact, when you get to heavier weights, you might need more than just 1 day to recover, especially if you're older. In that case, taking 2 or even 3 days off bet workouts shouldn't matter, as long as you're continuing to lift heavier weight each session.
FWIW, I'm 66 and am only lifting 2 days a week because I need the additional recovery time but I am lifting at an "advanced" level (based on the Killustrated strength charts for men my age and weight) and am still progressing.
Can't make any progress w/o allowing yourself adequate time for rest and recovery. So, missing a session or 2 actually could be a beneficial. So, as long as you're making progress, don't worry about it.0 -
_dracarys_ wrote: »piperdown44 wrote: »
The first half of his reply was completely eyeroll-inducing.
most of what Mehdi writes is, I assume he has no real responsibilities.
It must be nice to have guaranteed access to free weights and a power cage or spotters everywhere you go
OP, I'm assuming you're past the weights where the lifts are more about getting the form and the groove down and not really about gaining strength. If that's the case, just take the next available day and bump your other workouts back as you're able.
If I'm wrong, I'd just go two consecutive days since you don't really need recovery time yet, but you do need practice. I'm starting over with Stronglifts after nearly a year break, and ended up doing this when travel interfered with my schedule. Can't do it anymore, now that the lifts have gotten to be a challenge again.0 -
jessiferrrb wrote: »is it super frowned upon to only do 2 workouts per week? i'm starting today and i can get to a gym twice a week, but run and do body weight exercises at home 3 -4 other days.
It depends on what you're after...I generally only lift twice per week during road season because my training emphasizes being on my bike...but I don't run a program that is designed to be run 3x per week either.0 -
I'm probably on the transition from 'form' to 'strength' - 40Kg squats, which I'm finding reasonably easy*, but then I opted to start from the empty bar. I could probably squat on two consecutive days at that weight, which is my current plan. Last night, I did manage to squeeze in a 5K run in the dark, so I did *something*, and tonight I will do last night's SL session and (if I feel up to it) do Friday's as per schedule.OP, I'm assuming you're past the weights where the lifts are more about getting the form and the groove down and not really about gaining strength. If that's the case, just take the next available day and bump your other workouts back as you're able.
* I haven't experimented to see what my maximum current squat capability is; it is a new exercise to me, but I have reasonably strong legs anyway. My normal 'other' limits are that I can easily put 5x5 @ 85Kg on the mid row/chest-supported machine, bench (machine) 5x5 @ 55Kg (not very good, but I will explain) and shoulder press (machine) 5x5 @ 40Kg. Four years ago I broke my arm in 7 places just above the elbow, so have limited flexion and extension in one arm, which means that I struggle a bit with presses (and lost a lot of strength and muscle during a ~2year recovery period). So, for that reason, I decided I would start from the lowest level on SL5x5, and it's working. My arm is coping well so far, though it might be that my progress is eventually curtailed by my limited motion.0 -
jtcedinburgh wrote: »
I'm probably on the transition from 'form' to 'strength' - 40Kg squats, which I'm finding reasonably easy*, but then I opted to start from the empty bar. I could probably squat on two consecutive days at that weight, which is my current plan. Last night, I did manage to squeeze in a 5K run in the dark, so I did *something*, and tonight I will do last night's SL session and (if I feel up to it) do Friday's as per schedule.OP, I'm assuming you're past the weights where the lifts are more about getting the form and the groove down and not really about gaining strength. If that's the case, just take the next available day and bump your other workouts back as you're able.
* I haven't experimented to see what my maximum current squat capability is; it is a new exercise to me, but I have reasonably strong legs anyway. My normal 'other' limits are that I can easily put 5x5 @ 85Kg on the mid row/chest-supported machine, bench (machine) 5x5 @ 55Kg (not very good, but I will explain) and shoulder press (machine) 5x5 @ 40Kg. Four years ago I broke my arm in 7 places just above the elbow, so have limited flexion and extension in one arm, which means that I struggle a bit with presses (and lost a lot of strength and muscle during a ~2year recovery period). So, for that reason, I decided I would start from the lowest level on SL5x5, and it's working. My arm is coping well so far, though it might be that my progress is eventually curtailed by my limited motion.
Interestingly lifting might help with your arm, Wolff's law and all!
With that being said the occasional rest and recovery day isn't a bad thing at all. I do a 3 day split myself on Friday/Sunday/Tuesday.
Life happens and it's pretty much unavoidable, but it really depends on how your frame it. I used to get worried when I missed a day, now not so much. I'd much rather put something in a positive light, and that's the way to keep motivation up in the long term (at least for me).0 -
OK, went last night, all is well, and my legs seem okay today so I'll go again tonight and get back on track.
On the subject of the arm, it's not mechanically able to straighten or flex fully, but I have most of the range of motion. I'll dig out the x-ray for a laugh:
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So, as you can see, it was a bit of a mess to say the least. All healed and metalwork removed, but the downside is that level of damage meant they couldn't get full motion (though I've ended up not too bad, all told).0
This discussion has been closed.
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