I'm into an extended HST cycle doing the madcow 5x5 routine. Due to circumstances beyond my control I missed w/o 1 & 2 of week 6. I was going to repeat w/o 3 of week 5 and then go into week 6, but changed my mind and did w/o 3 of week 6 even though I missed the 1st 2 w/o's. To my surprise I felt very strong and met all my goals on the squat and RDL's (I'm not doing any upper body moves except light rotator cuff exercises at the moment). Not only did I meet my goals I felt stronger then ever and could have done more than I did. I thought I would be weaker. So here are the big questions - do strength gains come in spurts as opposed to gradual increases or did missing the 2 workouts allow me to recuperate and gain stength? Any thoughts on this?
Strength increases
- Thread starter EL_VIEJO
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TunnelRat
Active Member
There's nothing like taking a few days off to increase your strength on squats and deads.
Both Korte and Coan recommend that as the final part of their peaking programs. You work your tail off for months, then the week before your scheduled meet you just sort of sit around on your butt, taking it easy. I dunno, maybe the brief recuperation period lets your muscles regroup and repair, but your strength levels can go through the roof.
Both Korte and Coan recommend that as the final part of their peaking programs. You work your tail off for months, then the week before your scheduled meet you just sort of sit around on your butt, taking it easy. I dunno, maybe the brief recuperation period lets your muscles regroup and repair, but your strength levels can go through the roof.
scientific muscle
New Member
My strength increases always come gradually. I am a big believer in micro-loading for this reason.
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(TunnelRat @ Mar. 10 2008,18:04)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">There's nothing like taking a few days off to increase your strength on squats and deads.
Both Korte and Coan recommend that as the final part of their peaking programs. You work your tail off for months, then the week before your scheduled meet you just sort of sit around on your butt, taking it easy. I dunno, maybe the brief recuperation period lets your muscles regroup and repair, but your strength levels can go through the roof.</div>
That must be the reason. I haven't felt this strong in squats since I started deep squatting (at least deeper than I squatted in the past) about 3 months ago. I'm still relatively weak in the squat. By that that I mean that I've been able to bench more than I can squat. Since I'm currently unable to bench and with the sudden increase in squat strength I'm finally able to squat more than I can bench. I think that last workout got me past a psychological barrier and I think (or hope) that I'll make some real progress in my squats now. I'd post the weights, but they are embarrassingly low.
However, I have seen a couple of people much bigger than me struggle with the same weight doing half-assed imaginary parallel squats.
(TunnelRat @ Mar. 10 2008,18:04)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">There's nothing like taking a few days off to increase your strength on squats and deads.
Both Korte and Coan recommend that as the final part of their peaking programs. You work your tail off for months, then the week before your scheduled meet you just sort of sit around on your butt, taking it easy. I dunno, maybe the brief recuperation period lets your muscles regroup and repair, but your strength levels can go through the roof.</div>
That must be the reason. I haven't felt this strong in squats since I started deep squatting (at least deeper than I squatted in the past) about 3 months ago. I'm still relatively weak in the squat. By that that I mean that I've been able to bench more than I can squat. Since I'm currently unable to bench and with the sudden increase in squat strength I'm finally able to squat more than I can bench. I think that last workout got me past a psychological barrier and I think (or hope) that I'll make some real progress in my squats now. I'd post the weights, but they are embarrassingly low.
I
imported_fearfactory
Guest
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(scientific muscle @ Mar. 10 2008,17:17)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">My strength increases always come gradually. I am a big believer in micro-loading for this reason.</div>
I'm going to agree and add that I wish it weren't such a glacial process.
...that said, if the hard work has been put in, a break can really showcase the benefits.
(scientific muscle @ Mar. 10 2008,17:17)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">My strength increases always come gradually. I am a big believer in micro-loading for this reason.</div>
I'm going to agree and add that I wish it weren't such a glacial process.
...that said, if the hard work has been put in, a break can really showcase the benefits.
My strength gains have always come in spurts. The only time it has come gradually is when I have lost strength and getting back to my previous best, but even then it can come in spurts.
Most of the time my strength is almost constant for a long while and then suddenly, *boom*, and it goes up on a lift considerably for a month or two.
I usually also notice visual hypertrophy after big strength gains has occured, not during the strength progression.
Most of the time my strength is almost constant for a long while and then suddenly, *boom*, and it goes up on a lift considerably for a month or two.
I usually also notice visual hypertrophy after big strength gains has occured, not during the strength progression.
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(TunnelRat @ Mar. 10 2008,23:04)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I dunno, maybe the brief recuperation period lets your muscles regroup and repair, but your strength levels can go through the roof.</div>
One effect of lifting hard and heavy regularly is that your CNS takes a big hit. Taking some extra time off (or deloading) to allow your CNS a bit more recovery time can really help in attaining new maxes.
(TunnelRat @ Mar. 10 2008,23:04)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I dunno, maybe the brief recuperation period lets your muscles regroup and repair, but your strength levels can go through the roof.</div>
One effect of lifting hard and heavy regularly is that your CNS takes a big hit. Taking some extra time off (or deloading) to allow your CNS a bit more recovery time can really help in attaining new maxes.