Adjusting SL 5x5: Am I being silly?

**War Wizard** · Posted On: 9/22/2010 9:42pm

On a related note, my work schedule is changing and now I can't do the SF 5x5 and cardio back to back 3x a week. I was planning on moving the cardio to off days and just having Sunday as a no training day. I vaguely remember a thing where Mehdi said it was a bad idea but I can't find it anymore. Am I totally f'ing my recovery by doing that or is it all good and I just need to monitor my progress closely for interference?

Edit: Just noticed this was my 1001st post. Nifty...

***battlefields*** · Posted On: 9/23/2010 12:12am

I was under the impression that the bodyweight exercises weren't even required. In fact, I remember reading to just do the squats if you can't do anything else.

I have a mate who told me for years to give up my body building regime and just do squats, for years I told him ill informed excuses. He reckons he would only do 27 squats, 19 in one set and 8 in the second, and would do them with about 95kg, three times a week. He reckoned that was all he did and he was more ripped than when he did any other exercises at any other time in his life, even if he ate **** food. He still tells me I'm "probably doing too much" at the gym with just the other exercises in the program (bench, row, press, deadlift) sans supplementary.

I'm conflicted now about the supplementary exercises, should I do them? I like my progression with the weights so I feel like **** it, I'm hitting the pool, I'm soon to be back at judo, should I be going to failure and possibly burning myself out?

**Emevas** · Posted On: 9/23/2010 10:20am

Yes, if you can ONLY do 1 of the exercises, do the squats. If you are able to do more of them, do more of them.

Mehdi amazingly just changed the program to cater to the folks that don't want to do the supplemental exercises, again a testament to how accidental the routine came together.

Hitman: Monitor progress and evaluate. It's always the best strategy.