Soon, Another Break

As most of you know, I took a 2-month deconditioning break from March to May this year – after a horrid plateau. After only 3 weeks back, I added 0.22” EL. I was ecstatic, and I hoped that it signified a new “growth phase.”

Well, 57 days later, I haven’t gained another mm. That 3 weeks was it – that was the “growth phase.” As I’ve discussed with rushmore & others, that may be par for the course, regarding my gains.

But 2 months with zero gains is just too damned familiar to me – and I’m not going through that shit again (repeatedly banging my head against a wall for months at a time). I’m thinking I may need another 2-month break, then hit it hard again. Even if I only gain for 2-4 weeks, I’m not going to stop right there – or I’d probably lose it all. I’m thinking about 4-6 weeks after my last gain should fairly cement things.

So, that might be my personal strategy: 2 months off / 2 months on. I could obviously fit 3 such cycles into each calendar year. The key would be in my tweaking these cycles for optimal returns. Is 2 months off long enough? Should it be 3 months off – or maybe 1 month? And how long should I hit PE before taking another break?

To be continued….

In my entire PE career, almost all my gains have been in the first month or two at the beginning and after extended breaks. My total gains are 1.5” length and .25” girth prior to restarting 2 weeks ago(8x5.5 mid-shaft). I just measured yesterday and am up another .25” length and girth, equalling my best measurments ever. I’m hoping to actually break 8.25” BPEL for the first time ever in the next few weeks.

Wads, take the break. Prove to yourself that an on/off method works by coming back in a few weeks, working like hell, and gaining. Then, your recent gains can’t be discounted as a freak occurrence.

As long as you are convinced that you have done all you can to cement these gains Wad, why not?

I am currently working a similar routine - only, I have clipped the time frames even more: Essentially 3-4 weeks on 3-4 weeks off (intense hanging/light weight). I just got back at hanging this Monday after a 3 week break, My short time on produced a nice solid 1/4” that after 3 weeks rest was still there - this with no PE whatsoever. In fact, the gains looked even more impressive after the 3 weeks rest - cemented to my way of thinking.

This approach beats the hell out of constantly working it. Not only is intense PE more bearable using an on/off routine, it is something I look forward to when I get back to it.
I look forward to more gains like I can’t tell you.

During your break why not try an ADS for the hell of it.

Two or three pounds of pull for several hours/day during a two month period may actually do something.

Besides, it is virtually effortless.

Hey Wad, what kind of PE do you do? I looked at your progress pdf, but didn’t see routine information. The reason I ask is to make the possible suggestion of switching up your attack. What I’m thinking is that your plateau is not a result of time on and off, but more of tolerance to the type/location of stress you are applying. If you have been manual stretching only, maybe the constant, repeated pull of hanging might make a difference. It’s worth a try at least (if you haven’t already). My gains took off when I switched to hanging.

The only drawback I can see to this approach is making sure that the new gains are cemented. You don’t want to take two steps forward and two steps back. Maybe 3 on/2 off or even 4 on/2 off - just to make sure.

Did you lose any during you break?

I’m leaning toward something like 6-8 weeks on, 4-6 off. My progress tapers off quickly after a break. The first few weeks are most productive. However, it’s hard to stick to rigid time tables for the “on” time. My gains often come in spurts. Nothing, then bam, practically overnight I’m up some. After my first break I didn’t measure a gain until my 5th week back. I presume it then needed some time to cement.

How long does it take to cement a gain? For me, I’d estimate a couple weeks after I’ve reached the new length consistently for several days. Not sure if girth is different.

We need more experimentation to get a better idea of how much time off is ideal.