Switching away from 4/week schedule?

How do you decide if the standard 4 day/week schedule isn't right for you?

I'm starting to wonder if the 3 day schedule might be better for me. I'm having a heck of a time increasing volume in some of the exercises and, during hinge rows and pushups yesterday, I was still sore from Monday's workout. I've also been feeling generally tired and worn out the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure how much of it is from the workouts or not but I'm looking forward to the next backoff week.

At the start of the new year I went from the 4day split to the 3day split and I have started to progress like crazy. 

I have made other small changes as well so I can't give the 3day split all the credit but I'm sure it has some part in it.

You'll never know until you try it and find out.

Give it a try. Stick with it for a few mini-cycles and keep a good log of how you feel throughout the week. 

I am so paranoid with the schedules. I keep thinking that if I reduce the frequency of my workouts I won't be able to progress through F1 and build enough volume for the high rep/hold exercises. I've been doing 5 a week and only now did I start switching to 4 a week. From what I've read so far 3 and 4 days a week seem to be the most popular schedules.

you will be able to make progress with as little as twice per week.  depends on your individual recovery ability and your other stressors/exercises in the week.  I do foundation 2 x per week, handstand 2 x per week, and loads of running/skiing in between and in addition.  I see overtraining if i do more than that.  Listen to your body and try different things for a month and see which you do better with.

For those that do F7 twice a week, how long does that workout take?

I'm not presently doing that because it slowed down my progress, but when i was it took about 80 mins.  It really depends what elements you're on.  If you're on a bunch of 5x5 elements it could be around an hour, and if you're on early elements where there's a lot of 60 rep or 60 second holds it could take an hour and a half.

Somewhere between an hour to an hour and half

I think I'll give the three day program a try starting tomorrow. Looking back, I've never tolerated high volume well. I've tried the fighter pullup program and the hundred pushups program and only lasted a couple of weeks before burning out. Even a moderate program like Pavel's Enter the Kettlebell only lasted about six weeks because my muscles were tired and sore all the time.

gohei_ said:

At the start of the new year I went from the 4day split to the 3day split and I have started to progress like crazy. 

I have made other small changes as well so I can't give the 3day split all the credit but I'm sure it has some part in it.

 

You'll never know until you try it and find out.

What are the other changes you have made? I'm thinking about changing to 3x a week. 

I'm not sore any more but have troubles making the last couple of reps. (read the other threads about that subject)

Wondering what helped you progress like crazy 

Maarten said:

What are the other changes you have made? I'm thinking about changing to 3x a week.

I'm not sore any more but have troubles making the last couple of reps. (read the other threads about that subject)

Wondering what helped you progress like crazy

Well I started taking caffeine before every workout (it's hard to say how much this is helping though)and I also took to myself what Coach said about the mind giving up before the body (this alone could be the Very reason Why my reps are going up but I feel myself looking forward to my workouts a lot more now compared to the 4 day split).

So that's it, I can't pinpoint which is giving the Most benefits but I am moving forward a lot faster now

How does 3 days a week work? Like this:

WK 1

Mon: Fa

Wed: Fb

Fri: Fa

WK 2

Mon: Fb

Wed: Fa

Fri: Fb

Etc

Yes that's correct Murray.

How would H1 fit into that? Doing them on Fb as per 4/week schedule?

BeanLion said:

How would H1 fit into that? Doing them on Fb as per 4/week schedule?

You can do them in between F days or on top of F workouts. There's more information on the course homepage. The scheduler app takes care of all the thinking for me though, I just do what I'm told

Thanks Cole.

I've been doing H1 on recovery days. I save my Fb days for serious stretching - I've seen great results doing this.

Anyone on the forum who does the 3 day HS integrated schedule?( 6 days on 1 day off and Foundation and Handstand get 3x week).

I've been feeling like I want to increase my frequency to get more practice. I have been on a 5day F1 schedule with H1 2x week and that has worked out great... but I feel like more practice will make me better and after 9 months on 5day I have built up my work capacity.

I would like to get feedback from other people who are doing more volume like the 3 day HS integrated schedule.

Alhumbraer said:

Anyone on the forum who does the 3 day HS integrated schedule?( 6 days on 1 day off and Foundation and Handstand get 3x week).

 

I've been feeling like I want to increase my frequency to get more practice. I have been on a 5day F1 schedule with H1 2x week and that has worked out great... but I feel like more practice will make me better and after 9 months on 5day I have built up my work capacity.

 

I would like to get feedback from other people who are doing more volume like the 3 day HS integrated schedule.

I'm also think in these two workout schedule so it would be great to hear some experience about that!