I really find it difficult to schedule a low volume week or time off. It just doesn’t feel right. However, I travel overseas on business a lot and the locations and work schedule make it very difficult to find a decent gym.
My diet usually suffers too. I just got back from a week in Spain. My luggage was lost for four days. So, I didn’t have my Jump-stretch bands, supplements, or protein powder. I was really pissed and bummed.
The work schedule had me bouncing from jet to taxi to hotel each day. It was exhausting. Not to mention that you can’t find an open restaurant except from 2-4 for lunch and after 9 for dinner. Thank God, that when they do eat there is a plethora of meat and fish.
Anyway, I was beat and couldn’t even make myself do any body-weight exercises. So, basically had a week off. I was bummed out. However, I got up early this morning (jet-lag, couldn’t sleep anyway) and hit a very intense max effort bench day.
I blew away my previous (the week before) 3-board max by over 25 pounds. Followed that with 115% of 1RM lockouts and eccentrics and some five-board presses. Got one helluva burn in my lats and rear delts. What a great workout! I felt really fresh and jacked the whole workout. Plan to do some speed squats later today just because I feel so good.
When I think about it, this is pretty typical when I get back from an overseas trip. Maybe some occasional time off isn’t so bad.