Workout Regimen Only Every Other Week

Scary stuff - glad to hear that you didn’t suffer worse damaged.

I lived in Missouri as a kid. We had several scares during that time, including getting dragged down to the basement in the middle of the night to hide from an approaching twister. Fortunately, it did not touch down. On another occasion, the local paper published a picture of a funnel cloud high in the air (hadn’t descended to the ground yet), with our street in the foreground of the picture.

And one time, I rode with my Dad when he went to a grocery store which had been damaged by a tornado - he had to do an accounting of receipts and cash left in the store. We went by a subdivision that had been literally flattened by the storm. They were modest houses built on slab foundations, and all that was left was some of the plumbing from the bathrooms, which were at the center of the houses.

Those kind of storms are unbelievably powerful…

Two tornado experiences were fired up in me after the unfortunate and sad experience at your home. One passed thru killing over 40 people at night, one of whom was my wife’s college professor! The other I watched one afternoon for several minutes from my kitchen: before it crossed the lake onto my property, it knocked a giant Live Oak tree down into the lake and not into the neighbor’s house (!); then it “topped” the 5 oak trees on my property; then it went over to my neighborhood’s common area and dropped 5 small trees; then up into clouds, and back down to my neighborhood’s entrance and knocked down another oak that blocked entry to the my neighborhood; and, back into the sky and back down outside of my neighborhood where it knocked another big oak onto the roadway there. Sad and damn scary.

weird that this became a tornado thread.

I’ve got a 7 year old son, and he’s been coming to the gym with me since he was 2 (I got divorced that year). When he was really young, I just went to gyms that had childcare facilities. Now, I take him to a small gym where he can just chill on the couch up front and play on his tablet. Or he can hang out with me, the owner’s cool with it.

You need to figure out what works for you, and what’s in your area, but you’ll make it work if it’s important to you. When my son was very young, I joined a gym specifically because it worked for my childcare needs. Gotta do what it takes! And going to the gym every other week definitely does not qualify as what it takes, lol.

2 Likes

Wow I’m glad you and yours are ok.

I did a 4-month period where I trained 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off. During the 2 weeks on, I did and A-B-A, B-A-B set-up on Mon-Wed-Fri. If possible, I even did Mon-Tue-Thu-Fri.
It was set-up with planned progression in weight and added intensifiers each workout. The 2 “off” weeks included plenty of daily exercise like walking and stretching and bending (probably not too different from handling kids!). It worked great!!
Maybe try Mon-Tue-Thu-Sat with a new target muscle group each Workout Week? Build each day bigger than the last!

1 Like

Arthur Jones stated:

Quote:

“AND SO IT GOES: in some cases one set was better than either two or three sets, and when multiple sets did seem to be better the difference was so slight that it was meaningless. The American Academy of Sports Medicine has now accepted, as its recommended protocol, “one set to failure, not more than three times weekly;” which, frankly, I still believe is too much for most people, and is required by nobody. I get several calls a week from strangers who tell me about the great results they are producing by only one weekly workout, or even less exercise. In the field of exercise, at least, while it is true that “some exercise” is good, it does not follow that “more exercise” is better; in fact, more is usually worse. Remember: exercise does NOT “produce” results; instead, if properly performed, it “stimulates” results.”

End Quote

If 1 workout every 2 weeks produces measurable results, then who can argue otherwise. Keep accurate records and measure success by progress.

1 Like

On the week you can get to the gym, make those your heavy training days (more intensity, machines, barbells). Then in the off week, train at home, but with less intensity, using body weight and bands, maybe some dumbbell stuff. Just fit in what you can. Lots of training systems intentionally build in intensity fluctuations like that.

2 Likes

Hope you’re doing well @pettersson you’ll make it through this better and stronger than ever! The solutions are there. I’d suggest maybe a typical Fortitude training week on your week with no kids and your week with kids, just do muscle Rounds with your dumbbells! I believe John Meadows has some programs designed around bands you could do, if that’s all you have or even just Muscle Rounds with the bands! I believe in you brother.

2 Likes

Thank you all for serious and detailed suggestions!

This kind of support from you guys is extremely valuable in situations like these. My relationship is on a thread, but there is a window for truce meaning this may end up in a compromise, which is important when you have kids. I will get some adjustable dumbbells in any case (see separate post in off topic section).

T-nation has been a beacon of light in the pandemic darkness, and still proves to be during life’s obstacles.

3 Likes

I second what Dave has said. Really effective way to no lost gaind and actually stay on the road of progress.
But, above all, I hope you will sort this out in a way no just compromise for the sake of your kids, but yours as well.

1 Like

Mate you can probably find some weights and a standard barbell for 100 - 150 bucks, or bands for even cheaper. You won’t have the best workout, but it will be productive (overhead pressing, lunges, rows, pushups with resistance ect)

1 Like

Had a great chest and back workout just doing dumbbells chest presses and dumbell rows (both arms used at same time almost like a barbell). 3 good sets each, 10-15 reps.

1 Like

There have been plenty of HIT trainers who train only once a week. I recall Dr. Darden saying Tyler has trained once a week most of his life.

If you could train Monday and then again Sunday. Take the next seven days off, and then train again Monday and Sunday. It’s not perfect, but it’s very close to training once a week.

3 Likes

My sincere best advice - walk outside, in as much nature as possible, with your phone off, for 30 mins everyday. After your walk, then focus on solving challenges whatever they may be. You’ll come up with a solution for your training concerns and everything else that feels overwhelming. Do it everyday.

1 Like

And dude looked like he had never picked up a weight. Assuming that aligns with yours goals then I don’t see a problem :man_shrugging:

1 Like

As funny as it seems. Sometimes, participating in forums even for a few minutes here and there can help people stay sane. Everyone is different

If I may chip in here: there are many factors involved and many ways how to solve the problem. However, you need to state your goals first. I don’t train for strength (weightlifting and/or powerlifting), but for the physique aspect. As such, no training at all during tough period(s), when you can’t concentrate & contract muscles efficiently anyway, will not have a dramatic impact on your physique. I know what I am saying having a regular low energy periods due to gut / digestive issues during which I don’t train at all (losing 20-25% of my strength and all muscle gains from the preceding months), but I recover fast when I resume training. Options: (a) not train at all; (b) do some flexing of muscles / posing several times a day - it can be demanding on its own; (c) just do morning warming-up exercises (if you can / want to) with some squats, sissy squats, push ups and similar exercises in straight reps, clusters or zones - you can try to get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning, or do it before you go to bed; (d) if you have an adjustable dumbbells or Bowflex at home, then do some pumping everyday (again, 10-15 min is enough) or work in clusters, zones; (e) if you have an access to gym and okay to be distracted (I have tough times concentrating in public gyms), try do something light (i.e. not very demanding on CNS and even localized fatigue). The last thing you would like to have sore as hell calves when you are dealing with separation issues. No need to go full HIT or DC style of training; you need a lot of energy to go through your life. You need to have a good feeling of being trained and not strained (paraphrasing Vince Gironda), not be exhausted after an exercise, but invigorated. With natural trainees any layoff for 2-4 weeks doesn’t result in significant loss of strength / muscle, unless you have some medical conditions. For me, feeling myself physically in good (if not superb) shape has always been a pre-requisite for achieving anything else in life. I have 4 kids (teens and older) and it’s not always easy. I remember following Mentzer’s or standard HIT routines as prescribed and not being able to live normal life.

2 Likes

Thanks @borisv,

A very detailed, thoughtful and insightful response from you. Much appreciated. Really proves you know iron business vs life - which in my opinion is the hardest equation and balancing the two is even more important than training in itself - for health and longevity.

Please continue your contributions in this forum, which I believe need even more lateral thinkers. It’s unfortunate that Brian Johnson himself is uninterested in participating (compared to the old Darden forum).

My pleasure, @pettersson, and thank you. We are in the same boat, although the starting points and final destinations may/are/will be different. Hope you will solve your challenges without too much stress and losses. May the force be with you, as they used to say in a good old movie.
I miss the old forum with more information about personal journeys, challenges, progression and results. Turpin’s log, for instance…

1 Like

42 posts were split to a new topic: Missing the Old Darden Forum