Switching templates mid-cycle.

[ectional]

How would you go about it? I'm currently on week 3 of operator but my body is giving all the signs of not being able to do 3 full body workouts in a week while adding weight to the bar. Probably should switch to zulu as grinding out current cycle seems foolish.
Just abandon operator and start zulu or go to week 3 of zulu where I continue using 90% of 1RM max or start zulu from beginning.

[Barkadion]

Are you saying you have problems with recovery? There are few things to consider..

- Make sure you sleep well. There is no shame in taking sleeping aids.
- Increase your calories intake.
- Apply 3-1-3 principle. (3 weeks on ->1 week off)
- Take extra days off. Something similar to OP I/A: Lift/Conditioning/Rest.
- Go easier on conditioning for a rest of the block.

Personally, I find that my body gets adjusted along the way. Usually, I apply some or all of the points listed above. Consistency wins big time. I wouldn't switch template mid-cycle, IMHO. However, you might be in need of some sort of break or deload.. It is personal decision..

Also, it might make sense to lower your TM.

BTW, you might fling this article helpful..

http://www.tacticalbarbell.com/destroy- ... -strategy/

[ectional]

Muscular recovery seems to be fine but it's the joints and ligaments that are hurting. I thought that form might be the issue but from video it looks completely fine. And feels fine during the lift. I also tend to get 7-8 hours of sleep on the regular, last night being the exception where I only got two hours.

I had a very light activity week a few weeks back where I only tested maxes. I've had similar issues before where over time full body three times a week just became too much.

[Aelian]

do 3 full body workouts in a week while adding weight to the bar.

Can you clarify this? How often are you adding weight to the bar?

Operator isn't really a novice program, you should be able to sustain it for years with the correct progression. Some questions:

1. What are your current lift#s?
2. How have you been progressing the load--- forced or retest?
3. How long have you been using Op?

[ectional]

do 3 full body workouts in a week while adding weight to the bar.

Can you clarify this? How often are you adding weight to the bar?

Operator isn't really a novice program, you should be able to sustain it for years with the correct progression. Some questions:

1. What are your current lift#s?
2. How have you been progressing the load--- forced or retest?
3. How long have you been using Op?

Yeah I understand it's not a novice program which is why it's a bit weird.
1. S: 330lbs/150kg DL: 363lbs/165kg BP: 192lbs/87.5kg - All that around 240lbs which would put me in the novice category, but the inability to add weight on a linear progression would say otherwise
2. Retesting after every 6 weeks
3. About half a year, used fighter before that.

Maybe it was just a bad day or something. Going in tomorrow to see how it goes but my body feels quite beat up.

[WallBilly]

I think we can throw out the labels, for example, "novice", when it comes to weight on the bar. No need to feel inadequate, you're working hard.

Scaling by bodyweight certainly makes sense, but still, a 330 pound squat is nothing to sneeze at, and is a crap-load of weight for > 98% of the male population. You've only been lifting for 6 months and most of that was Fighter. I think your body is still trying to adjust to the workload. You'll get there.

Certainly use a Training Max. I enjoyed Zulu several times in the last 3 or so years when I used it, it may be worth a shot to see if you can adjust to the weights and get your joints happy that way, or switch to Operator I/A, as has been suggested. Again, ignore the label; you can do Operator "Intermediate/Advanced" perfectly well even if your bodyweight-adjusted lifts fall into a label that someone says is "novice." There is more recovery and the percentages are even lower than standard Op, if I remember correctly. You can add volume, which may help your joints (at lower loads).

[WallBilly]

Also, keep this in mind: when doing Operator, I find that the hardest weeks are 2 and 5.

[Barkadion]

Also, keep this in mind: when doing Operator, I find that the hardest weeks are 2 and 5.

Week #2 is a killer for sure!

[K.B.]

2. Retesting after every 6 weeks

This is probably going to be the issue. The problem with Retesting is that you can jump too far ahead of your foundation. You're getting that much stronger - but your working weights become too heavy to sustain because you haven't had the time to grow into them. In future publications I'm going to restrict the Retest method to the first 1-2 blocks/lay-offs/switching protocols/switching clusters.

I'd recommend -
Take 3-5 days off everything. Strip 10-20lbs off all your TMs. Run another 6 week block and start using Forced Progression from here on out instead of Retest. You really don't want to give up on Operator too soon.

This isn't specifically directed at you and I've said this before - you're not guaranteed progress every block. PRs don't come in neatly wrapped little 6 week packages.
There have been many (many) times I've stayed with the same weight for multiple blocks. The body takes as long as it takes to get used to unnaturally high loads. There are no hacks or shortcuts. Your progress will slow the heavier you start lifting. Keep being the workman - keep hammering away and give your body the time it needs to grow into a particular weight. Don't be afraid to repeat blocks with the same numbers. If you have the smarts to do this - in the long run - you'll be way ahead of those trying to bump up every single block for that instant gratification.

[K.B.]

I think we can throw out the labels, for example, "novice", when it comes to weight on the bar. No need to feel inadequate, you're working hard.

Scaling by bodyweight certainly makes sense, but still, a 330 pound squat is nothing to sneeze at, and is a crap-load of weight for > 98% of the male population. You've only been lifting for 6 months and most of that was Fighter. I think your body is still trying to adjust to the workload. You'll get there.

Certainly use a Training Max. I enjoyed Zulu several times in the last 3 or so years when I used it, it may be worth a shot to see if you can adjust to the weights and get your joints happy that way, or switch to Operator I/A, as has been suggested. Again, ignore the label; you can do Operator "Intermediate/Advanced" perfectly well even if your bodyweight-adjusted lifts fall into a label that someone says is "novice." There is more recovery and the percentages are even lower than standard Op, if I remember correctly. You can add volume, which may help your joints (at lower loads).

x2 on this. @Ectional you might not be too far off from Op I/A.

Like Wallbilly says - labels like 'novice' or 'I/A' aren't black and white when it comes to TB because conditioning protocols etc and how you prioritize attributes can change the meaning of that definition.