It is advised that everybody should do the break-in, even if you are so buff you already won the Mr Cul de Sack
Now I am still curious, why is this?
I still did it, don't think it is a disaster to do 2 weeks of far too low volume, but it seems kind of strange to have advanced trainees on exactly the same program as a pure beginner.
And now on top of it it is advised to have a week off after it. So I am curious again; for what? after only 2 weeks, and starting a new program again also means getting used to new exercises and finding out what the optimum weights for it are. So Most of the time you won't go all out on a new program the first time anyway, or should you?
It is advised that everybody should do the break-in, even if you are so buff you already won the Mr Cul de Sack
Now I am still curious, why is this?
A lot of people think they are advanced. It's easier to just let them think that and tell them to do it.
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I still did it, don't think it is a disaster to do 2 weeks of far too low volume, but it seems kind of strange to have advanced trainees on exactly the same program as a pure beginner.
NROL isn't for truly advanced people. Truly advanced people will recognize that NROL isn't for them.
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And now on top of it it is advised to have a week off after it. So I am curious again; for what? after only 2 weeks, and starting a new program again also means getting used to new exercises and finding out what the optimum weights for it are. So Most of the time you won't go all out on a new program the first time anyway, or should you?
Maybe it's about motivation. Most people will be new to lifting, and you don't want to scare them off or wear them into the ground.
A recent trainee went two weeks with me and was so wiped that I gave him a week off. The feeling of soreness never went away in that two weeks, despite a routine which most people would feel a breeze. I think that week off made him come back for more.
Well, good thing the measures by which I declared myself "advanced" were totally ridiculous anyway
But will not have to be afraid than, that I would actually need those weeks off and could do any damage by not taking them.
Well, good thing the measures by which I declared myself "advanced" were totally ridiculous anyway
But will not have to be afraid than, that I would actually need those weeks off and could do any damage by not taking them.
I don't mean that you, specifically, are or aren't advanced. I didn't mean it that way, it was more generic. A lot of people at my gym, for instance, think they are advanced because they've been lifting for 10 or 15 years (just poorly). They aren't really all that strong and don't know how to lay out a program. If someone's really strong and been lifting well for years, they are probably advanced.
I was wrong to state "Truly advanced people will recognize that NROL isn't for them." An advanced trainee could have had a trainer for years and not know how to write their own program, for instance. They might be REALLY strong or really huge, yet still like the program, it just may not be specific enough for their needs.
If someone's truly been lifting well for years, and is plenty strong and muscular, then they might not be happy with the break in followed by a week off. Personally, I don't like to take weeks off, I'd rather take a backoff week or deload week and let my breaks happen when I'm on vacation, busy with work, or sick.
The key with the book is to remember who the target audience is. It was written to a specific group, which is new and relatively new lifters, and to people who now realize that they might have been "doing it wrong."
In that sense you find yourself in the peculiar position of being an advanced lifter when it comes to strength, but a novice in making your own programs.. I think you can learn a lot by doing at least a few of the programs in the book , before starting on a program on your own.
As for breaks.. I'm not liking longer breaks either and have gone 8 months without missing a workout, except that I routinely skip one workout every month or rather cycle.. not so much because I feel weak, but as a precaution since reading that women tend to get more accidents because of weaker ligaments in the days when Aunt Flo is around. After that skipped workout I often start a new program with a lighter first week. Generally, I'm not doing very well on programs that last longer than 6 weeks at the time..
I'm fairly certain the combination of those (skipping singular workouts, frequent deloads) has allowed me to lift w/o a real break for so long.
This is not how NROL works though... so I assume you are going to need those weeks off?
LOL @ last 2 replies
but I did not mean to discuss the question if I would qualify for advanced. Maybe I am not totally devoid of good genes after all, and managed to have some of them transcripted & translated as well. But there is still a huge world of difference between me, and the real strong and muscular girls, some of those not even having trained for longer then me. So I assume I was one of those "doing it wrong". Because I know I did really try hard.
Anyway, I won't need a break between break-in and Hypertrophy I. But maybe I could still consider it between the more serious programs.
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Originally Posted by Espi
I'm fairly certain the combination of those (skipping singular workouts, frequent deloads) has allowed me to lift w/o a real break for so long.
This is not how NROL works though... so I assume you are going to need those weeks off?
euh, I have lifted for long without a break as well, little skipping, no deloads...ok and no progress either but I mean just the fact that someone manages to keep lifting guarantees nothing
But I also did not change my programs on a regular basis or by planning at all. "Gym rat periodisation" all the way like cited by NROL. And I reasoned if you handle those programs like I understand they are recommended, starting with weights heavy enough to feel you are training but not really heavy and trying to add weight every workout, you build up the intensity over the program so starting the next one is in a way a deload in itself.
Maybe I misinterpreted this and should you go all-out from the start, but this will make it almost impossible to add weight, which I am pretty sure is recommended.
When you work with pre-determined reps and not pre-determined weights.. things can backfire when you start out with a too heavy weight.
That's one of the major reasons why in my own programs I've never focused on x or y reps but had predetermined weights .. and then let the reps 'happen' the way form dictates, which tends to follow the 'hoped for' reps. Or not..
All fine but now I still don't know if the weeks off between programs are scheduled for better compliance from people who are not really into training, or that they serve a real purpose
The weeks off do serve some other purposes. I think one of the main ones is to allow connective tissue to fully heal and repair in order to prevent injury. Muscles rebuild and recover fairly quickly, but tendons and ligaments take a lot longer. Assuming that you worked your tail off on the program and got stronger, your connective tissue need some time to catch up.
The mental break is also important for a lot of people, and helps maintain motivation and prevent burnout. It sounds like it doesn't matter for you, though.
I don't like to stop exercising completely, but I do stop most heavy lifting during the week off. During that week off I do other things like more running and mobility work, which I enjoy.
Why? Break in/ weeks off
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