Recovery and routines

[Brutorious]

For the past 2 years or so, I have done nothing but low rep/heavy weight schemes. Bill Starr's/Madcow's 5x5, Some olympic based programs etc. I have ran the 20 rep squat program twice, and that's the only thing outside of the heavy lifting I have done with high reps...but that program is just brutal.

I was thinking a few month's ago every so often I tend to get extra fatigued, even though I deload after every program, I have experimented with 1 week off, 2 weeks off, 1 week off then 1 week light lifting. And I do alright, I was wondering if it was still all adding up and I still wasn't giving my CNS enough time to recover adequately. At times I still feel like im fatigued.

Do any of you ever do a light weight/high rep routine every so often, maybe once or twice a year to really give your body a break from the heavy lifting? or substitute some of the compound taxing lifts for lesser ones?

I guess im just curious how others handle their deloading and recovery through out the year.

Any input would be appreciated.

[BendtheBar]

Welcome to the forum.

I train hard as I can for 2 weeks, pushing myself into what we refer to as overreaching, and then I deload for about a week. My 2 weeks of training is low reps, mostly 85% work, and higher frequency.

What type of fatigue are you feeling? Does the weight feel heavy, or do you just feel tired and sluggish in general? I also have to ask about nutrition...do you feel you are eating enough each day?

[Jen]

I was curious about this, too.

[Chillen]

Originally Posted by Brutorious

For the past 2 years or so, I have done nothing but low rep/heavy weight schemes. Bill Starr's/Madcow's 5x5, Some olympic based programs etc. I have ran the 20 rep squat program twice, and that's the only thing outside of the heavy lifting I have done with high reps...but that program is just brutal.

I was thinking a few month's ago every so often I tend to get extra fatigued, even though I deload after every program, I have experimented with 1 week off, 2 weeks off, 1 week off then 1 week light lifting. And I do alright, I was wondering if it was still all adding up and I still wasn't giving my CNS enough time to recover adequately. At times I still feel like im fatigued.

Do any of you ever do a light weight/high rep routine every so often, maybe once or twice a year to really give your body a break from the heavy lifting? or substitute some of the compound taxing lifts for lesser ones?

I guess im just curious how others handle their deloading and recovery through out the year.

Any input would be appreciated.

I don't deload, in the basic definition of the word. However, I let my body and how I am feeling, numeric values (days of rest, routine performance and volume, frequency, etc, and diet), play into decisions on whether I take an extra day or days of recovery from one workout to the next. And, every 6 to 8 weeks, I take a complete week off from training completely.

I do lighter training in the 12 to 15 rep ranges, when diet is arranged for depletion.


Best wishes to you and your family,


Chillen

[IronManlet]

ChAoS & PAIN: *... And On The Seventh Day, He Rested


To wit:

"The idea that one should take an off week once per five weeks is one that arose as part of the Eastern European training methodology. The Eastern Europeans based their training on a centralized method, whereby they would take their athletes from their home for a month at a time, forcing them to train around the clock in state-run gyms, often fueled by sub-standard food and under stressful, prison-like conditions. As a result, the athletes required a full week of rest thereafter, when they would travel home, visit with their families, refuel and recharge, and then return to their around-the-clock training. Westerners never train under such ludicrous conditions, nor do they subject themselves to the volume of training that do Eastern Europeans."


Beyond that, I have no set training program and therefore I never plan light days. I go by how I feel every time I'm in the gym. I always push myself to to train hard and lift heavy.