SF 5x5 - Week off?

[Isolate-X]

Well, I decided to take this week off because of a few things: exams, papers, elbow pain from doing skulls on Friday, and I think I just needed it. I've been doing SF 5x5 for 13 weeks now, and I have made some considerable gains (+130lbs. on squat, +150lbs. on dead, +50lbs. on bench, and +40lbs. on row).

Now for my question, how much should I decrease my poundages for next week? I know I shouldn't jump back into the same weights I was doing prior to the week off. I was thinking -20lbs. on squat/dead, -5lbs. on bench/row/military. Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[anotherbutters]

I feel so bad giving advice when I'm screwing up the exact same situation for myself.

I found thinking in terms of weeks useful. So instead of -20lb for squats, I'd go back to the weights I was using 'n' weeks ago. I'm very, very tentatively, ever so hesitantly going to vaguely suggest perhaps going back to the weights you were using 2-4 weeks ago

 

[Madcow2]

"Considerable Gains" is an understatement. I guess you are very new to lifting? If not please list your before and after lifts as those are huge increases. Regardless though, great work.

To be honest, after that run, I'd drop down a tad more on the squat and dead (kind of depends on your max lifts though - 20lbs may be good for someone doing 180 but not for someone handling 500. Regardless though, 5lbs isn't enough on the bench and row. Maybe you have microplates or something but 5lbs is just too tiny to incriment back up from. I'd start again and allow yourself 3-4 weeks to reach your current maxes - I imagine you'd stall sooner rather than later with those increases so why not just assume you did and reset giving yourself a nice run up. This is really an individual thing so it's tough with limited info.

 

[Isolate-X]

Well, I am speaking in terms of weeks as well. Squat/dead are 10lbs. a week, and bench/row/ohp are 2.5lbs. a week. So basically I was thinking of going back 2 weeks in terms of poundages.

Edit: Yes, I'm a beginner, and yes I have/use microplates (well microchains you could say).

 

[Madcow2]

Well - kudos for starting off right and getting solid results. Never seen a beginner with microplates. Hell I just got an PM the other day from a total beginner who asked if he could substitute overhead press for bench since he had spent all his money on squat stands and a bar/weight and didn't have the cash for a bench yet. He figured he could squat, pull, row and overhead press and would only miss out on the bench (that's a major change for most weight trainers). You guys both rule.

Two firsts and I have to say it really makes me feel good because usually you wind up catching people on the rebound here and have to force them to "unlearn" garbage so to speak. Sometimes I think training here might look so different from what Flex or Men's Fitness has that people assume it's way out there rather than just basic tried and true stuff. Then again, you see "PR" a lot here, some big increases, and nobody has trouble gaining muscle if they want so if they really look the results are pretty easy.

Anyway, I think you have it right. Just back off a few weeks and go forward. If it was starting to feel very hard you might opt for more rather than less. If you've been breezing through, get back up there shorter rather than longer. So depending on where you fall 2-4 weeks.

 

[Isolate-X]

Hrm, yea, the squats were getting kind of heavy, so I think I'll go back 4 weeks. Thanks for the help guys.

Oh btw, here's a link to what I use for my microweights: http://davedraper.com/forum/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/126913/Main/126754/ It's 5/16" chain not 5/8"; you can find my discussion/correction with the author at the bottom of the thread. It cost about $13 total for 6 chains (weighing 0.625lbs. each) and they fit almost perfectly around the olympic bar, they don't even move. Very cheap and convenient.

 

[RipStone]

Isolate-X- damn those are some impressive results. great work!

do you mind posting your starting/current RMs for the respective lifts in the program?

thanks and again, awsome job