The Fat Loss TroubleshootThis is your place to troubleshoot your fat loss problems from nutrition to training. This section is led by Leigh Peele, author of "The Fat Loss Troubleshoot," the ultimate fat loss manual. If your results have slowed or stalled this is the place to come for advice for all your fat loss needs.
I have tried for the last month to keep to that schedule, but it's not really working for me. I've been hodge-podging it and I really want to have a fixed schedule to work with. I live 45 minutes from my gym (and work only 5 minutes from it), so I prefer not to drive there and back on the weekends. I can get my lifting done during the work week (Mon-Fri for me) much easier.
I'm trying to figure out how to fit the four lifting sessions into a five day period. For the "B" workouts, the set-up is the same. I would instead like to work on a M/W/F lifting schedule. Does anyone (Leigh or other FLTS folks) have ideas on how to make the A1/A2 and B1/B2 workouts fit into a 3x/week instead of 4x/week set up?
I play softball on Wednesday nights in the position of catcher (essentially doing BW squats on and off for 1.5 hours), so lifting 4x/week (on Mon/Tues and Thurs/Fri) wouldn't really be optimal, as I wouldn't be able to take Wednesday off to completely rest.
I hope that question made sense. If not, feel free to ask for clarification. And thanks SO much in advance for taking a stab at my question!
no, you're not going to be able to fit 4 distinct workouts that shouldn't be done on the same day and make them fit into three days. Can you do a workout at home? Since she's made it so that it can rather easily be done with minimal equipment (dbs, ball, something to step on) that'd prolly be your best choice if you can't do MTThF.
I'm not really set up at home to do the workouts, and I like doing it at the gym. I guess that means I'll have to suck it up and do MT/ThF, even if I'm doing softball on Wednesday nights.
So my schedule shifted around would look like this:
What will be more important is how you end up doing. If you find you're too tired you'll have to dump something. If you find that you're doing just fine, getting in enough NEAT the rest of the day, and can manage… then good. So, really pay attention to how you end up reacting to this schedule, and it will tell you whether it's good or not.
But, there's nothing about it that screams "OMG NO!"
If you do have to change… i'd prolly start with counting softball as a cardio and making yourself only have recovery Sat. and basically a weekend full of rest.
I'm trying to figure out how to fit the four lifting sessions into a five day period. For the "B" workouts, the set-up is the same. I would instead like to work on a M/W/F lifting schedule. Does anyone (Leigh or other FLTS folks) have ideas on how to make the A1/A2 and B1/B2 workouts fit into a 3x/week instead of 4x/week set up?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phoenix
Thanks so much for the swift reply!
I'm not really set up at home to do the workouts, and I like doing it at the gym. I guess that means I'll have to suck it up and do MT/ThF, even if I'm doing softball on Wednesday nights.
So my schedule shifted around would look like this:
I still have the same number of lifting, cardio, and recovery, just shifted around slightly. How does that look to you?
Thanks again for all your help!
There's no way to do the 4 weight workouts in 3 days. Your second schedule looks good although fairly busy and not a lot of recovery time. I couldn't lift 4 out of 5 days without getting hurt or over trained although it may be fine for you. With the softball you've also making this 8 activity/exercise sessions not 7 all together. I'd drop the cardio on Wednesday and just play softball. Also with OPT Leigh recommended that you should split up the cardio and weight training on the double up day ie weights am/ cardio pm etc. Can you do that M-Fri?
Another option would be to drop one of the lifting days and limit the lifting to 3 times weekly. Perhaps something like this...
M A1
W A2
Fr B1
M B2
W A1
Fr A2 And so forth
Your cardio could be done on Tu, Thu, and Sat and the recovery whenever. That may work better in the long run for you. With the softball you're actually still getting a total of 7 activity/exercise sessions in a week also. I followed this schedule when I was doing OPT training and couldn't fit it a double workout day. It worked really well for me.
After sitting down and figuring out my schedule vs. the OPT program, I decided to go with something similar to what you suggested, Dianas.
The original OPT is written so that you alternate A1 and A2 4x/week for 3 weeks, then rest for a week. You do the same thing with B1 and B2 (4x/week for 3 weeks, then a rest week). C1 and C2 are only to be done 2-3 times a week for 3 weeks, and that's the end of the program. -- A total of 33 lifting workouts for the program.
I'm going to work out 3x/week (Mon/Wed/Fri), still alternating A1, A2, A1, A2, etc. However, I'm going to tack on a 4th week onto the A and B workout periods before the rest weeks. That way, I'm still getting the same total of 33 lifting workouts in the program. It's extending the program by 2 extra weeks, but I think that will ultimately work better for my lifestyle.
I've always lacked consistency when it comes to workout programs. I knew that 4x/week involving Saturdays wouldn't work, and I'm sure after several weeks, lifting 4 times in 5 days would begin to wear on me.
I'm sure that altering the program in this way isn't the OPTimal way to do it, but for me I think it is the way that will keep me the most sane and consistent. I can work with my life schedule AND still get all my workouts done. My goal is to FINISH A PROGRAM for the first time ever. It should put me VERY close to my ultimate goal weight, too.
Thanks again for tossing out ideas/opinions for me--I appreciate it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by dianas
There's no way to do the 4 weight workouts in 3 days. Your second schedule looks good although fairly busy and not a lot of recovery time. I couldn't lift 4 out of 5 days without getting hurt or over trained although it may be fine for you. With the softball you've also making this 8 activity/exercise sessions not 7 all together. I'd drop the cardio on Wednesday and just play softball. Also with OPT Leigh recommended that you should split up the cardio and weight training on the double up day ie weights am/ cardio pm etc. Can you do that M-Fri?
Another option would be to drop one of the lifting days and limit the lifting to 3 times weekly. Perhaps something like this...
M A1
W A2
Fr B1
M B2
W A1
Fr A2 And so forth
Your cardio could be done on Tu, Thu, and Sat and the recovery whenever. That may work better in the long run for you. With the softball you're actually still getting a total of 7 activity/exercise sessions in a week also. I followed this schedule when I was doing OPT training and couldn't fit it a double workout day. It worked really well for me.
After sitting down and figuring out my schedule vs. the OPT program, I decided to go with something similar to what you suggested, Dianas.
The original OPT is written -- A total of 33 lifting workouts for the program.
I'm going to work out 3x/week (Mon/Wed/Fri), still alternating A1, A2, A1, A2, etc. However, I'm going to tack on a 4th week onto the A and B workout periods before the rest weeks. That way, I'm still getting the same total of 33 lifting workouts in the program. It's extending the program by 2 extra weeks, but I think that will ultimately work better for my lifestyle.
I've always lacked consistency when it comes to workout programs. I knew that 4x/week involving Saturdays wouldn't work, and I'm sure after several weeks, lifting 4 times in 5 days would begin to wear on me.
I'm sure that altering the program in this way isn't the OPTimal way to do it, but for me I think it is the way that will keep me the most sane and consistent. I can work with my life schedule AND still get all my workouts done. My goal is to FINISH A PROGRAM for the first time ever. It should put me VERY close to my ultimate goal weight, too.
Phoenix,
What week are you in now? I am doing OPT for Fatloss (first time through) and have just begun week 7. I also have found that the 4x/week resistance seems like too much stress on my body and too much for my schedule as well. Last week I did 3 resistance days and dropped some scale weight and measurements, and I'm wondering if it's partially because I lowered the stress level of the exercise on my body. (I also lowered my cal, but not enough to create a much bigger deficit, only about 900less cal total over the week.
Congrats to both of us, in advance, for finishing the program... I tend to fizzle out at the end, discouraged and confused. But I am going to finish stronger and lighter and more knowledgeable this time!!!
I'm starting from Week 1. I've been doing the OPT lifting program (A1 and A1) inconsistently for the last few months. I've decided to finally adjust the program so that I can do it CONSISTENTLY, and get all the way through for once! I've dropped a total of about 10 pounds in the last few months, but my diet and workout regimen has been all over the place.
I started on Monday with Week 1, and I'm going to make it all the way through come hell or high water!
I couldn't tell you if going from the 4x weekly to 3x weekly is what helped you out with scale weight and measurements last week (it could be from having less swelling & thereby having less water retention, even). All I know is, 3x a week is workable for me, and 4x a week wasn't working--it doesn't matter if I squeeze it all in if I'm only doing it properly 1/3 of the time. So, I'm extending the program by a couple weeks AND keeping my sanity at the same time.
So far so good, but these are early days. I'm pretty optimistic, though. By September 7th, I'm going to look incredible.
Congrats to you for making it through the program (in advance)! We'll both make it, and have something to feel proud of. I think that Leigh is all in favor of listening to your body--if your body handles 3x/week better for lifting, and you feel dead after 4x a week and have trouble getting a consistent 4x/week lifting in, I'd stick with what your body tells you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Etana
Phoenix,
What week are you in now? I am doing OPT for Fatloss (first time through) and have just begun week 7. I also have found that the 4x/week resistance seems like too much stress on my body and too much for my schedule as well. Last week I did 3 resistance days and dropped some scale weight and measurements, and I'm wondering if it's partially because I lowered the stress level of the exercise on my body. (I also lowered my cal, but not enough to create a much bigger deficit, only about 900less cal total over the week.
Congrats to both of us, in advance, for finishing the program... I tend to fizzle out at the end, discouraged and confused. But I am going to finish stronger and lighter and more knowledgeable this time!!!
After sitting down and figuring out my schedule vs. the OPT program, I decided to go with something similar to what you suggested, Dianas.
The original OPT is written so that you alternate A1 and A2 4x/week for 3 weeks, then rest for a week. You do the same thing with B1 and B2 (4x/week for 3 weeks, then a rest week). C1 and C2 are only to be done 2-3 times a week for 3 weeks, and that's the end of the program. -- A total of 33 lifting workouts for the program.
I'm going to work out 3x/week (Mon/Wed/Fri), still alternating A1, A2, A1, A2, etc. However, I'm going to tack on a 4th week onto the A and B workout periods before the rest weeks. That way, I'm still getting the same total of 33 lifting workouts in the program. It's extending the program by 2 extra weeks, but I think that will ultimately work better for my lifestyle.
I've always lacked consistency when it comes to workout programs. I knew that 4x/week involving Saturdays wouldn't work, and I'm sure after several weeks, lifting 4 times in 5 days would begin to wear on me.
I'm sure that altering the program in this way isn't the OPTimal way to do it, but for me I think it is the way that will keep me the most sane and consistent. I can work with my life schedule AND still get all my workouts done. My goal is to FINISH A PROGRAM for the first time ever. It should put me VERY close to my ultimate goal weight, too.
Thanks again for tossing out ideas/opinions for me--I appreciate it!
Phoenix,
Thanks for bringing up this question. I got through 4 weeks of OPT and then stopped for the very same reasons you outlined in your original post. Extending OPT for another 2 weeks to accommodate 3x/week of lifting would help me with my consistency as well. Good luck to you.
FLTS OPT Question - Training Schedule
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