Taking a week off question

[Thantis]

I've been training 5x straight for about 2 years now and I train for about 2 hours a day high volume heavy weight with 30m of 10~15% incline cardio EoD
I'm currently 9 weeks into a 16wk cycle of 600 Test 300 Tren, 20mg GW-501516 and 3 weeks into 75mg Var and I'm noticing that ive been increasingly lethargic when I get to the gym even dropping a double scoop of pre I just feel like I have no energy, would taking an entire week off for recovery be beneficial or what other options would be something to look into

Training Schedule

M-chest/tri/cardio
T-legs
W-back/bi/cardio
Th-chest/shoulders
Fri-back/bi/light legs/cardio
S-rest
Sun-rest

I know this is sort of hard to answer but id like a little bit of insight if anyone has done anything similar.
Other notes I get 8-10 hours of sleep every night not having any issues with insomnia only tren issue ive had is random night sweats and some indigestion. Currently eating 3200 cals 220g~240g protein and current weight is 211.2 started cycle at 195

 

[MrKleen73]

Although not optimal mid-cycle, it won't hurt. You could be getting run down. If you choose to, then I would eat a surplus during the deload to allow some supercompensation while at rest. Then you could actually end up having a more productive second half of your cycle. The week away should reinvigorate you for training to where you are itching to get back in there and crush some weights.

 

[MrKleen73]

For what it is worth 3 working sets per body part a week would be enough to maintain any mass while likely not pushing so far you are not recovering.

Also how well are you sleeping on that dose of tren? Poor sleep could definitely be a factor.

 

[Thantis]

For what it is worth 3 working sets per body part a week would be enough to maintain any mass while likely not pushing so far you are not recovering.

Also how well are you sleeping on that dose of tren? Poor sleep could definitely be a factor.

I sleep great 8-10 hours every day only tren sides I have are random sweats at night maybe 3 times a week and indigestion a few days out of the week - this is also my first time running tren glad to not have any crazy sides ive read about

- Yeah I might be going over the top on the exercises but its just how i've always trained i'll give a brief summary of my workout today and this amount is basically the same for every day just different body parts ofc.

Flat bench - 135 x 25 (warm up) 225 pause x10 245 x 6 275 x 3 315 x 2 225x 5 pause failure 135x 19 failure
Smith Machine low incline - 135x 15 225 pause x10 245 x 6 225 x pause 5(failure)
DB flat bench 95 x 10 100 x 6 105 x 4
low cable cross 30x8 40x6 50x5(failure)
medium cable cross 30x8 40x6 50x4(failure)
high cable cross 30x8 40x6 50x3(failure)
OHP 135x 6 185x 4 225 x 4
Pec dec - 145x 8 165 x 6 190x 4(failure)
Trcep pull down 135x 12 135x 10 135x 8(failure)
single arm cable tricep 30x6 20x5(failure) 20x 4(failure)
reverse pec dec 85x 6 100x6 115x 5 (failure)
cable lateral raise 20x 6 25x 6 30x4(failure)
weighted dips x15(bodyweight) x10 45lb plate x7 45lb plate failure
seated tricep machine 270x 8 270x 7 270 x 5 (failure)
behind head tricep extension(rope) 50x12 60x8 75x5(failure)
seated shoulder press machine 80x8 90x7(failure) 95x 5(failure)
seated lateral raise machine 60x8 75x 6 80x3(failure)

 

[MrKleen73]

Yep, that is a ton of work. You might benefit from a deload for sure. Especially if numbers have been going up a lot more lately which I would assume they are with that dose of tren.

 

[MrKleen73]

You might want to look into a good program for a bit after. Most any of John Meadows stuff would be very good. You very well may be training with too much volume.

 

[Thantis]

You might want to look into a good program for a bit after. Most any of John Meadows stuff would be very good. You very well may be training with too much volume.

Thanks, yeah i'll take a look ive just been kinda winging it on my own for a while now, my goals always been strength focused being big is a plus(im not big at all ) but thats just the secondary goal

 

[Dustin07]

how old are you?
when I was 30 I could do 2 a days 6 days a week.
when I was 35 ish it dropped to 1 a day 6 days a week.
I'm 40 now and I'm most effective doing 2 days on, 1 day rest. so I tend to start a cycle going

mon/tues lift
weds rest
thurs/fri lift
sat rest
sunday/monday lift
tuesday rest

etc.

to be honest, this may have been a great way for me to go when I was 30 as well, but I had the energy to lift daily so I did. coincidentally with more rest worked into my week I'm stronger now than I've ever been in my life. I average 500 calories a day less than you, which is 500-1000 more than it used to be as I've worked to up my metabolism too.

long story short, I don't really think 5 days in a row is optimal for anyone or highly sustainable if you're giving it 100% every day. I always found thursday to be the hardest day in that scenario. it was brickwall day but I forced through it anyways
back in my xfit days there was a study that came out and said they found optimal performance to be like 3 on, 1 off 2 on 1 off, 3 on 1 off, etc or something like that.

 

[Thantis]

how old are you?
when I was 30 I could do 2 a days 6 days a week.
when I was 35 ish it dropped to 1 a day 6 days a week.
I'm 40 now and I'm most effective doing 2 days on, 1 day rest. so I tend to start a cycle going

mon/tues lift
weds rest
thurs/fri lift
sat rest
sunday/monday lift
tuesday rest

etc.

to be honest, this may have been a great way for me to go when I was 30 as well, but I had the energy to lift daily so I did. coincidentally with more rest worked into my week I'm stronger now than I've ever been in my life. I average 500 calories a day less than you, which is 500-1000 more than it used to be as I've worked to up my metabolism too.

long story short, I don't really think 5 days in a row is optimal for anyone or highly sustainable if you're giving it 100% every day. I always found thursday to be the hardest day in that scenario. it was brickwall day but I forced through it anyways
back in my xfit days there was a study that came out and said they found optimal performance to be like 3 on, 1 off 2 on 1 off, 3 on 1 off, etc or something like that.

I'm 34, the main reason I do 5 straight is because I cant lift on the weekends I can only workout M-F. Youre right about Thursday being the worst day, especially for how I kill my legs on Tuesday's by the time Thursday hits my legs are feeling the full brunt of the Tuesday workout

 

[Dustin07]

Yeah I might be going over the top on the exercises but its just how i've always trained i'll give a brief summary of my workout today and this amount is basically the same for every day just different body parts ofc.

Flat bench - 135 x 25 (warm up) 225 pause x10 245 x 6 275 x 3 315 x 2 225x 5 pause failure 135x 19 failure
Smith Machine low incline - 135x 15 225 pause x10 245 x 6 225 x pause 5(failure)
DB flat bench 95 x 10 100 x 6 105 x 4
low cable cross 30x8 40x6 50x5(failure)
medium cable cross 30x8 40x6 50x4(failure)
high cable cross 30x8 40x6 50x3(failure)
OHP 135x 6 185x 4 225 x 4
Pec dec - 145x 8 165 x 6 190x 4(failure)
Trcep pull down 135x 12 135x 10 135x 8(failure)
single arm cable tricep 30x6 20x5(failure) 20x 4(failure)
reverse pec dec 85x 6 100x6 115x 5 (failure)
cable lateral raise 20x 6 25x 6 30x4(failure)
weighted dips x15(bodyweight) x10 45lb plate x7 45lb plate failure
seated tricep machine 270x 8 270x 7 270 x 5 (failure)
behind head tricep extension(rope) 50x12 60x8 75x5(failure)
seated shoulder press machine 80x8 90x7(failure) 95x 5(failure)
seated lateral raise machine 60x8 75x 6 80x3(failure)

I just realized that was a single days workout lol. that is a ton of volume.
But weight is up 16+lbs? how lean is the weight gain? It does sound like you've been making progress. you might just need a few days rest to get the brain fired up for it again. burnout happens and needs to be regulated some.

totally understand how hard it is to lift on the weekends. I have to drive the next town over, it's like 25-30 minutes + a toll bridge... PITA but... it is what it is.

 

[xR1pp3Rx]

its my belief that your doses are simply too high. taking a week off might feel good but as soon as you saturate again with such dosing, you will likely get asleepyness.

 

[xR1pp3Rx]

i am in no way telling you that you should lower doses, but rather high doses commonly cause lethargy. some hormones make it worse than others.

 

[Thantis]

I just realized that was a single days workout lol. that is a ton of volume.
But weight is up 16+lbs? how lean is the weight gain? It does sound like you've been making progress. you might just need a few days rest to get the brain fired up for it again. burnout happens and needs to be regulated some.

totally understand how hard it is to lift on the weekends. I have to drive the next town over, it's like 25-30 minutes + a toll bridge... PITA but... it is what it is.

its not super lean not a dirty bulk by any means but theres some water for sure and some fat heres the progress from this cycle
208 is no pump but the other 2 are w/ pump

 

[Thantis]

its my belief that your doses are simply too high. taking a week off might feel good but as soon as you saturate again with such dosing, you will likely get asleepyness.

Maybe the tren dose? When I ran 600 test/400 mast/50mg var last cycle I didnt have any of the lethargy like I have now and its more recent like the past week or so than it was for the other 7 weeks

 

[xR1pp3Rx]

personally I think anything over 150 tren is nutso.
I literally have months of dementia after taking 75 mgs per week for a full cycle.

that sh17 is nefarious~

 

[Dustin07]

its not super lean not a dirty bulk by any means but theres some water for sure and some fat heres the progress from this cycle
208 is no pump but the other 2 are w/ pump

looking yoked dude. you're going to need a concealed permit soon for those guns.

 

[Thantis]

haha thanks not as big as id like yet but one day

 

[Dustin07]

haha thanks not as big as id like yet but one day

the struggle is real

 

[BBiceps]

totally understand how hard it is to lift on the weekends. I have to drive the next town over, it's like 25-30 minutes + a toll bridge... PITA but... it is what it is.

Haha, 25-30 min away??! That’s it? Is that far for you?

If traffic is shifty it can take me 1,5hr to go to one of my gyms…

 

[BBiceps]

OP, if strength is your goal I would concentrate more on what you actually want to get stronger on/in and do less (unnecessary) overall volume.

Example, if Deadlifts is what you want to get stronger in do your normal DL sets and then assistance exercises to get stronger in just the DL and work on your weak points.

Also, a deload week (where you go light) can be refreshing and sometimes better than taking a whole week off.

 

[Dustin07]

Haha, 25-30 min away??! That’s it? Is that far for you?

If traffic is shifty it can take me 1,5hr to go to one of my gyms…

That's my closer one. I used to just go to my buddies PL gym which I loved, but it was 90 minutes after work and getting over run by pre-teen classes. so I'd arrive exhausted around 6pm after a long day at work + commute and it wasn't leading to a great workout or home routine. home around 7:30 up at 4:30am the next morning. so now I've joined a local chain and have one location 5 minutes from my office and the other is 25 minutes from my house for weekend sessions, it's a much better setup!