Light Squats to aid recovery?

[KnightTemplar]

I'm currently running a Full Body version of 5/3/1, and making good progress. At the moment I Squat once a week with the Olympic Bar and twice a week with the SS Bar.

I'm really enjoying the extra volume, but recovery is starting to be an issue. Especially on a Friday morning, when I'm still trying to recover from a heavy Martial Arts session on the Thursday evening.

I was thinking of changing the heavy SS Bar Squats on the Friday to lighter weights. At the moment, my SS Bar Squats are almost linear progression. I do three sets of 5 and usually increase the weight on my last set by 2kg. I was thinking of keeping this progression on the Sunday, but doing three sets of 5 at 50/60/70% on Friday to allow more time to recover.

Are light Squats worth doing, or would it be better to simply drop to two sessions of heavy Squatting per week?

Thanks.

 

[Hagelslag2]

When training 3 times a week we tend to use a scheme, with two heavy lifting days (f.e. Monday and Friday) and one lighter day (Wednesday). So yes, it's okay.

 

[Deleted member 382931]

I lift twice a week and squat both times, once heavy (5/3/1) and once with deload percentages for 3x5-10 reps. Can recommend.

Might switch that second time to front squats, tho.

 

[sub_thug]

I don't know if this will fit into your program or not, but I find a light run helps me out a great deal. I'm on a hybrid program (look up Alex Viada if you're unfamiliar with it), so I don't speak to your programming. However, yes, active recovery has a lot of scientific backing to it. Also, if recovery is a problem, eating and/or sleeping more may be enormously beneficial to your training.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Thanks for replying, guys.

 

[Denoginizer]

When I ran MadCow and TM, I felt the light squats on Wednesday were pretty helpful for recovery. Just getting some blood in the sore muscles was nice. Around 60-75% of 1RM I think.

 

[KnightTemplar]

When I ran MadCow and TM, I felt the light squats on Wednesday were pretty helpful for recovery. Just getting some blood in the sore muscles was nice. Around 60-75% of 1RM I think.

Yeah, I seem to remember Bill Starr using a Heavy/Medium/Light sequence in his, The Strongest Will Survive book.

 

[eyelevel4]

When I ran MadCow and TM, I felt the light squats on Wednesday were pretty helpful for recovery. Just getting some blood in the sore muscles was nice. Around 60-75% of 1RM I think.

Agreed. I'm running MC now and the squat days look about like this:

Monday is a ramped up 5x5, with the 5th set being a 5-rep max.

Wednesday is 2x5 with 80% of the 5th set from Monday.

Friday is a warm-up 3x5, then a set of 3 reps with 5 pounds more than your 5-rep max from Monday (a new 3RM, ideally), then a back-off set of 8 reps with about 70%.

 

[golvmopp]

Light squats are the shit. Sets of ten reps @ 50% of max are great to facilitate form and get the jooce flowing.

 

[selfcritical]

I'm currently running a Full Body version of 5/3/1, and making good progress. At the moment I Squat once a week with the Olympic Bar and twice a week with the SS Bar.

I'm really enjoying the extra volume, but recovery is starting to be an issue. Especially on a Friday morning, when I'm still trying to recover from a heavy Martial Arts session on the Thursday evening.

I was thinking of changing the heavy SS Bar Squats on the Friday to lighter weights. At the moment, my SS Bar Squats are almost linear progression. I do three sets of 5 and usually increase the weight on my last set by 2kg. I was thinking of keeping this progression on the Sunday, but doing three sets of 5 at 50/60/70% on Friday to allow more time to recover.

Are light Squats worth doing, or would it be better to simply drop to two sessions of heavy Squatting per week?

Thanks.

Why not simply use lighter 5/3/1 percentages on the SS bar squats? I'm pretty sure his actual full body templates work that way in the book

 

[selfcritical]

During the 10s and 8s waves of Juggernaut, i squat multiple times a week at lower percentage, and had no recovery issues while also doing rehab and going to kettlebell sport practice.

 

[eastNYgoon138]

When I ran MadCow and TM, I felt the light squats on Wednesday were pretty helpful for recovery. Just getting some blood in the sore muscles was nice. Around 60-75% of 1RM I think.

Recovery day is very helpful. Form practice, a good stretch and working out DOMS all in one shot. 80% of whatever you were using on volume day.