How necesary is this? and what kind of volume modifications would i make for an unloading week if i did a 2:1 ratio?
3 load, 1 week unload @ 66-75% volume.
3:1; drop volume quite a lot (even down to 50% if you feel for it) and keep intensity 90-95%
For recovery weeks you use 1/2 volume and 2/3 intensity.
you use around 95% intensity and anywhere from 50-75% volume.
what do you mean by 2/3 intensity? could you give it as a percentage of max? it might be easier for everyone to understand it -or at least for me…
thanks!
ok, if your following the cfts then you use 66-75% of the volume (can even go down to 50%) and the intensity stays between 95%-100% of the previous week.
so for example, on the 3rd week of a 3-1-3 cycle, lets say you do 4 sets x 3 reps at 100 lbs., the following recovery week you would do 3 sets x 3 or 2 reps at 95-100lbs.
not sure if this is just an example of yours, because weights can still go pretty high, as other elements are reduced (e.g., track work); they don’t have to go 3-1-3 altogether
and about the intensity, i would try and stay away from the 100% -even if this is achieved momentarily- since the 95% makes a difference and it is this that allows you to a great degree to “unload”
the unload week in both the max strength phase and the maintanence period is centered around volume NOT intensity. you lower the volume and maintain intensity.
my comments about intensity were referring to the track work
but since you mentioned weights’ intensity, i would still prefer 90% and the further away you go from MxS phase and closer to your peak, this might fall even further to perhaps 85% increasing reps accordingly
*these percentages are based on PBs achieved during your MxS Phase