So you're saying it's about genetics and miscle memory
Why Do You Need To Take Days Off?
- Thread starter Mowgli
- Start date
Actually, I don't know. Those are two weird stories that I read. I don't think it has to do with genetics but more to do with a program that ended up working for that person.
I work out about 3 to 4 times a week.
What's your bench what's your squat what's your deadlift and how many wide grip pulls ups can you do
Snoopy Loops
All Star
3x/week is very very different from no days off
Well, I've had shoulder surgery recently, so my bench press, deadlift and pull-ups are mad max/beyond thunderdome status.
My best bench press was 275 lbs. and I weighed around 170 lbs. at the time. That was like 7 years ago. My best squat was 365 and I weighed around 165 lbs. at the time that was 20 years ago. More recently, like last year, my best one rep max was 335 lbs. My best deadlift was 355 lbs and I was around 185 lbs. and that was last year. My best wide grip pulls up was 26 reps. This was during a fitness test for a government agency, that was over 7 years ago.
These are respectable figures.
Thanks.
I'm not a trainer or anything. I just learned from books, magazines and other dudes at the gym.
So I read about this dude who trained half a year and the dude who trained once a month but never followed their programs, I just read it.
Couple mistakes I made I wish I knew or did earlier:
1. Mix up your heavy and light days. I went heavy or medium heavy all the time. Didn't make gains. Didn't know why. My one-rep max peaked and just tried to get over that hump doing the same thing.
2. Sleep more. I was dumb and slept like 6 to 7 hours. Staying up late to watch TV and then getting up early for work. Even after I read this article on this NFL dude who got in 8 hours of sleep, I didn't do it.
3. Eat better. I would eat good for 5 days out of the week. I ate junk food and dessert on the weekend, for whatever reason.
JP_614
Superstar
Thanks.
I'm not a trainer or anything. I just learned from books, magazines and other dudes at the gym.
So I read about this dude who trained half a year and the dude who trained once a month but never followed their programs, I just read it.
Couple mistakes I made I wish I knew or did earlier:
1. Mix up your heavy and light days. I went heavy or medium heavy all the time. Didn't make gains. Didn't know why. My one-rep max peaked and just tried to get over that hump doing the same thing.
2. Sleep more. I was dumb and slept like 6 to 7 hours. Staying up late to watch TV and then getting up early for work. Even after I read this article on this NFL dude who got in 8 hours of sleep, I didn't do it.
3. Eat better. I would eat good for 5 days out of the week. I ate junk food and dessert on the weekend, for whatever reason.
I THINK THATS WHAT IM EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IM STUCK AT 210 AND IM TRYING TO GET UP TO 220 FOR THE WINTER HOW OFTEN DID YOU MIX UP YOUR LIGHT DAYS A WEEK??
Yea but Im lifting 6x a week
Right now, around once or twice a month.
How much lighter is a light day?Thanks.
I'm not a trainer or anything. I just learned from books, magazines and other dudes at the gym.
So I read about this dude who trained half a year and the dude who trained once a month but never followed their programs, I just read it.
Couple mistakes I made I wish I knew or did earlier:
1. Mix up your heavy and light days. I went heavy or medium heavy all the time. Didn't make gains. Didn't know why. My one-rep max peaked and just tried to get over that hump doing the same thing.
2. Sleep more. I was dumb and slept like 6 to 7 hours. Staying up late to watch TV and then getting up early for work. Even after I read this article on this NFL dude who got in 8 hours of sleep, I didn't do it.
3. Eat better. I would eat good for 5 days out of the week. I ate junk food and dessert on the weekend, for whatever reason.
let's say I usually z-squat 225 for 4 sets of 7-10 reps.Depends on the exercise. I don't have percentages or pounds in my head. But usually, I consider heavy to be where I can only get in 1 to 3 reps in a set, medium heavy is where I can do 3 to 5 reps in a set. Medium is 5 to 10 reps in a set and light is 20 to 40 reps in a set.How much lighter is a light day?
To answer your second question, maybe try 135 lbs. for 20 reps for 6 to 8 sets as a light day. To note, the intensity is not light, the weight you are lifting is light. If that's too easy. I would say try 155 lbs for 20 reps.
Another thing to do on light days is to do are super sets where you drop weight every couple of reps. This is easier to do with an exercise like dumbbell curls or where you are on a machine with adjustable weight plates.
But for squats, you can try this. Put on ten 10 lbs weights. Do ten reps. Take off two plates. Do ten reps. Take off two plates. Do another ten reps. The time where you stop, remove collars, remove plates, put collars back on and get under the bar is probably less than a minute, not long enough for a lot of lactic acid to drain away.
AJW
Pro
Training every day is fine as long as you're eating/sleeping sufficiently. I would also change the intensity/volume/content of your workouts appropriately too. I'm doing a lot of strength based training mixed with some GVT hypertophy training which is feeling great - probably the most effective training system I've ever tried. Some days are more strength based with heavier weight and some days are lighter - all depends how my body feels on the day. Listening to your body is key too.