I wasn't laughing at you, bro
. I was laughing at the general idea of what would be a good run. So much of everyone's idea of this stuff comes from guys doing on the internet who didn't realize that the wall they hit after after 7 to 9 weeks was just a signal that changes needed to be made, not that they had overreached and certainly not overtrained. Just hitting a stall, that one thing, is not a signal of over-reaching and needing a de-load.
You do get guys saying everyone needs to take a week off every two months regardless, for instance. But it depends on your trainging. Nothing wrong with a week off or a taper or whatever, but you don't need to cut short something where there is still progress to be made.
Not me I can't go 20 weeks straight with hardly any change on just the TM alone. I've done 5x5's where where progressive sets became sets across, this became that, and so on, and THEN I was able to make tremendously long runs. I milked each phase for everything it was worth before going on to the next change. For instance starting with something more like a Starr beginner program I hit a stall then backed off and got things going again, then took out a few reps in the lead up sets and got it going again for a couple weeks then switched to straight sets...all the while making apporpriate changes (for me) for the week.
But my joints were shot for sure after shit like that! No doubt. Yet I've seen guys do similar things with no complaints so I don't use myself as a gauge. Me and a 20 year old are very different. But for sure let me say that regardless, after a long run at heavy lifting, take a deload at least, try to peak and if needed take an entire week if not more!
Some can progress for very long periods of time. 20 weeks is an extreme example but a possible one. Anuj went 16 weeks and only stopped because he was leaving the country. He wasn't finished and still had many cards to play. But I'm just trying to illustrate my central point and that is to make small changes as you go along in order to keep progression going.
Also, a build up in the first 4 weeks before you reach your max on Mon, can make all the difference in the world. That can really be a "deload" from the previous period but it gets the body slowly into the swing of what is to come.
In fullbody 5x5's in general I have run them anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks but it's really up the individual and in the end I don't care if it's 8 weeks or what so long as someone lives up to their potential.
But I understand what you are saying, Jeff and I'm not saying you didn't do a good job for you. But what happens for me and you and what is possible is two different things. So while some people will progress longer than others, I don't want to give them the mindset that enables them to give up too soon!