Mehdi what to do when you miss workouts

Any break shorter than a week, resume lifting where you left off. More than a week, deload. How much depends on the length of your break as I'll explain. First this question...

### QUESTION ###
"Hi Mehdi, I've been doing SL5x5 for the past months, seeing all kinds of gains: like squatting 1x body weight and strength improvement at work (construction). Should we do something specific if we miss a week? Or keep going and follow the app?

*** MY COMMENTS ***
One week off should have little negative impact on your strength.

But it depends on what you did during that week off.

I take a week or two off several times a year when travelling.

Because I don't want to bother with finding a gym when I'm abroad.

Several winters I've been to France for a weekly ski-trip.

No weight lifting but eating good foods and going to be dearly.

When I'm back, I almost always feel STRONGER than before I left (the muscles had extra rest).

Different story several summers ago when I went to Italy for a week with friends.

Partying every night on vodka until 5am...

... let's just say I had to take a BIG deload when I was back :)

So it depends on what you did during your week off.

If you partied like a pig or you were sick like a dog and barely ate...

... that will hurt you MORE than not lifting for a week.

But if you eat right, get enough sleep and just let your body recover...

... then you should be able to almost resume where you left off.

Now if you had a break longer than a week, then it's best to deload.

If you don't, you're pretty much guaranteed to get sore legs for a week.

That's why the StrongLifts 5x5 app detects any break you take.

And then suggest deloads in proportion to its length.

Download them and they'll guide you along...

https://stronglifts.com/apps/

Keep it simple.

-Mehdi

P.S. You don't want to deload too much after a break otherwise nothing is ever going to increase. But you don't want to deload too little either. Remember you regain strength FASTER than you built it the first time anyway. And the weights increase every workout. So better to deload too much than too little and then get sore legs and plateau.

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