miniSD after 10's

[colby2152]

I finished 10's about 10 days ago, and I haven't lifted since because I got sick and took a trip to canada. It looks like I can't lift today, and I am starting 5's tomorrow. Is there anything wrong with that week and a half gap between my 10's and 5's? If so, should I do anything at the gym tomorrow differently for my first day of 5's or do 10's again?

Stupid question from an HST-newbie, sorry!

-Colby

 

[colby2152]

bump

 

[Totentanz]

Just go ahead and start your 5s. Keep eating big and you'll gain big. You may want to extend the 5s slightly, or the post-5s depending on what you are doing for post-5s.

 

[jvroig]

10 Days you say? that's not just a miniSD, that's already a regular SD, considering that 9 is generally the most common length (since regular MWF training means you stop on a friday and start monday after the followign week).

Hmmm... I remember that after proper SD, I suddenly find even the middle of the 10's challenging. I would suggest that you just restart the cycle in case you can't lift the 5's. But don't start with the 15's, you'd just waste the deconditioning you already got (after all, your joints were hardly strained last time, I assume, since you never got to the really heavy weights). Start with the 10's again, that's just like starting another cycle without the 15's in order to take advantage of your 10-day SD.

However, just like what Totentanz said, if you can lift the 5's and you think you won't have a problem with that, go ahead and just start the 5's. But so as not to waste the deconditioning you already got, you really have to extend the cycle a little longer.

Another thing you can do would be to do the 5's, but start with a lower weight instead of the weight you scheduled for the first 5's workout. The idea would be to still do 5 reps per set, but you extend the 5's workout by one week, thie first week being the "extension", where you use a load similar perhaps to the last week of 10's (or something else; the point is just to use lower weights than the first week of 5's, and make the progression continuous and gradual). This is to make sure you don't go too heavy immediately in case you can't make it because of your accidental SD, all the while still gaining possibly more significant hypertrophy than had you started the cycle with a much lower weight.

Just choose which one you think is more suited for you, maintain a proper diet, get enough rest, and you'll get good gains for this cycle.

Regards, hope that helps.
-JV

 

[colby2152]

JV, I like the idea of extending the 5's in the beginning of the stage to lower weights. Toten, I always like the idea of extending the post 5's - maybe raise the max in the last week and cluster the sets.

Thanks for the input.. I'll just do three weeks of 5's starting off lower than the original starting weight as well as doing three weeks of 5RM with some extra reps and clustering in the end.

-Colby

 

[jvroig]

No prob, tell me how your workout goes.

And remember, the number of sets and reps aren't really laws. We limit them only as a mechanism to control/manage our fatigue better. Feel free to do a bit more if you think you can manage without compromising your ability to train frequently. (Just don't do too much on your first workout after SD, that's generally really asking for pain with little gain! )

Regards,
-JV

 

[colby2152]

Well this was my first workout in almost two weeks

and instead of doing a week of "pre-5's" as suggested, I went right into my first day of 5's and did two sets on each exercise. I got a decent burn, did all my sets+reps, and felt exhausted (for the lack of a better word - has too much connotation of HIT) afterwards.

I think I may extend my post 5's. However, as I do not have a partner it was advised I continue on doign 5RM for that time. Wouldn't three weeks (9 days) on 5RM be too much workout without progression lead to RBE? Mind you, this is the end of my first cycle (a long one indeed), so I have never been on the post 5's or negs. If I feel I can add more weight (or volume?) at the end of the 1st or 2nd week of post 5's - should I do so?

Thanks for the input,
Colby

 

[Totentanz]

What's your routine? You can manage negatives without a partnet on some lifts if you try. But it depends on what lifts you have in your routine. Negatives would be very much preferrable when you can do them.

 

[jvroig]

Quote[/b] ]I think I may extend my post 5's. However, as I do not have a partner it was advised I continue on doign 5RM for that time. Wouldn't three weeks (9 days) on 5RM be too much workout without progression lead to RBE? Mind you, this is the end of my first cycle (a long one indeed), so I have never been on the post 5's or negs. If I feel I can add more weight (or volume?) at the end of the 1st or 2nd week of post 5's - should I do so?

Continuing your 5RM means doing your absolute 5RM load (that is, the loads you used on the 6th (last) workout of the 5's) for one or two more weeks. This is just fine because it takes 7-14 days before muscles totally adapt to a given weight, so you can still squeeze out some hypertrophy from it before RBE totally screws you over.

Totentanz advised:

Quote[/b] ]You can manage negatives without a partner on some lifts if you try. But it depends on what lifts you have in your routine. Negatives would be very much preferrable when you can do them.

And I say, do just what he said. Even without a partner, you can do negatives for some exercises, like curls with dumbbells. Just lift it with two hands, then lower it with one. That's the idea. Just be careful ok? We wouldn't want to hear about you getting yourself injured because of the negatives you did without a partner.

Quote[/b] ] If I feel I can add more weight (or volume?) at the end of the 1st or 2nd week of post 5's - should I do so?

Sure, not a problem there. Also try to do metablollic sets, that might be just what you are looking for.

Hope that helps. Happy lifting
-JV