Other/Mixed Recovery

[Reuben]

I have a question regarding this topic. I have spent alot of time trying to figure out what works best in the long run but i am a bit confused.
Let me give you a example. Lets say i do a moderate clean&press with 3 set and 3 reps for eatch set for 20 kg and my body handle it kinda well and i have additional exercises left to do.I can do the same exercise with 24 kg. But when i get home i feel tired and sluggish for several hours and right before bed its like i get a second wind of energy. If i lower the wheight to 16 kg and do the same exercises that follows i feel like i am full of energy and feel in the moment and i do not get that second wind of energy but go to sleep . So in the long run what is best to do?is it to lower the wheight and get energized for evry workout instead of tired and sluggish? Should i do the same for evryting i do to get that sensation of more energy?Is it positive or negative?

 

[Spartan Agoge]

It is ok to feel tired after workout. Just make sure you have recover until next session. In the long run, you should raise progressively the volume and/or the intensity.

If today you do 3x3 with 24kg, in one year you should be able to do(for example) either 3x6 with 24kg, or 3x3 with 30kg.

Progressive overload is essential for improvement.

 

[IMayAgainKnowChris]

I have a question regarding this topic. I have spent alot of time trying to figure out what works best in the long run but i am a bit confused.
Let me give you a example. Lets say i do a moderate clean&press with 3 set and 3 reps for eatch set for 20 kg and my body handle it kinda well and i have additional exercises left to do.I can do the same exercise with 24 kg. But when i get home i feel tired and sluggish for several hours and right before bed its like i get a second wind of energy. If i lower the wheight to 16 kg and do the same exercises that follows i feel like i am full of energy and feel in the moment and i do not get that second wind of energy but go to sleep . So in the long run what is best to do?is it to lower the wheight and get energized for evry workout instead of tired and sluggish? Should i do the same for evryting i do to get that sensation of more energy?Is it positive or negative?

You can always try the exercises with much longer rests between sets. Might help.

 

[watchnerd]

I have a question regarding this topic. I have spent alot of time trying to figure out what works best in the long run but i am a bit confused.
Let me give you a example. Lets say i do a moderate clean&press with 3 set and 3 reps for eatch set for 20 kg and my body handle it kinda well and i have additional exercises left to do.I can do the same exercise with 24 kg. But when i get home i feel tired and sluggish for several hours and right before bed its like i get a second wind of energy. If i lower the wheight to 16 kg and do the same exercises that follows i feel like i am full of energy and feel in the moment and i do not get that second wind of energy but go to sleep . So in the long run what is best to do?is it to lower the wheight and get energized for evry workout instead of tired and sluggish? Should i do the same for evryting i do to get that sensation of more energy?Is it positive or negative?

So in your example you use 3 different weights:

16, 20, 24

You also mentioned that you can do 3x3@24.

Using a 1 RM calculator, this gives us:

Repetition Percentages of 1RM

Repetitions	Lift Weight	Percentage of 1RM
1	25.4 kg	100%
2	24.7 kg	97%
3	24 kg	94%
4	23.3 kg	92%
5	22.6 kg	89%
6	21.9 kg	86%
7	21.2 kg	83%
8	20.5 kg	81%
9	19.8 kg	78%
10	19.1 kg	75%
11	18.6 kg	73%
12	18.2 kg	71%
13	17.7 kg	70%
14	17.3 kg	68%
15	16.9 kg	67%
16	16.6 kg	65%
17	16.2 kg	64%
18	15.9 kg	63%
19	15.6 kg	61%
20	15.2 kg	60%

Generally speaking:

• The most sustainable volume of training, that still provides enough adaptive stimulus without too much recovery debt, is in the 60-80% 1RM range
• Efforts in the >85% range will require many minutes of rest between sets and can take several days to recovery from, post-workout
• Efforts below <60% start to turn into endurance training, rather than strength, but their easy nature may leave you feeling energized
• Training at a range of weights and rep ranges probably provides the largest net stimulative effective

The meta-analysis on hypertrophy rep ranges by Greg Nuckols came up with the following recommendation for training mix:

So circling back to recovery....

• 15-20% should be heavier, with an expected heavy recovery burden; you may need >48 hours to do the same effort again, fresh
• 15-20% should be light, with no real recovery impact; you could do it again the next day
• 60-70% should be in between -- a "workout"; you could do it again in 48 hours

This is assuming hypertrophy and strength are your goals.

If you want to just have minimal impact on recovery, you could go light all the time.

 

[LukeV]

For me the weekly frequency of my program determines how intense each workout will be. If I'm going to the gym once per week then you can bet that it will be an all out effort and I'll spend 20 minutes at the end, lying on the floor, praying for death. Two workouts per week and I'll spend 10 minutes at the end, sitting in a chair. All the way up to seven workouts weekly where I'll wave goodbye to the staff and jog for the door. I don't do stuff like light, medium, heavy days etc - every session I workout to the level that my recovery for the next session permits. That's just what works for me

 

[Steve Freides]

@Reuben, there are a lot of variables in your question, including whether certain kinds of lifting before bed might make it difficult to fall asleep.

The brilliance of PlanStrong is that all the math has been done for you, and the right kind of weights, sets, reps, and schedule have all been chosen - all you do is execute.

@watchnerd's post, #4 in this thread, has very good stuff in it, but the math is complicated by life. You might, e.g., try to find one or two days a week when you could go heavier, go lighter when you know you're going to be tired, and think along those lines.

There is no single "best" - the right mix will allow you sufficient recovery and facilitate your progress.

-S-

 

[coachnathanwhite]

@Reuben

Using @watchnerd calculations and @Steve Freides suggestions based on experience, you could set up your week like this:

Clean & Press

Monday (Medium Day) 20kg / 4 sets of 3 reps

Tuesday - Active rest day (long brisk walk, mobility work, skill practice with bodyweight only)

Wednesday (Light Day) 16kg / 5 sets of 3 reps

Thursday - Active Rest day (long brisk walk, mobility work, skill practice with bodyweight only)

Friday (Heavy Day) 24kg / 3 sets of 3 reps

Saturday / Sunday - Off (Easy movements, walking, stretching, nap)

 

[watchnerd]

@Reuben, there are a lot of variables in your question, including whether certain kinds of lifting before bed might make it difficult to fall asleep.

The brilliance of PlanStrong is that all the math has been done for you, and the right kind of weights, sets, reps, and schedule have all been chosen - all you do is execute.

@watchnerd's post, #4 in this thread, has very good stuff in it, but the math is complicated by life. You might, e.g., try to find one or two days a week when you could go heavier, go lighter when you know you're going to be tired, and think along those lines.

There is no single "best" - the right mix will allow you sufficient recovery and facilitate your progress.

-S-

@Reuben

Using @watchnerd calculations and @Steve Freides suggestions based on experience, you could set up your week like this:

Clean & Press

Monday (Medium Day) 20kg / 4 sets of 3 reps

Tuesday - Active rest day (long brisk walk, mobility work, skill practice with bodyweight only)

Wednesday (Light Day) 16kg / 5 sets of 3 reps

Thursday - Active Rest day (long brisk walk, mobility work, skill practice with bodyweight only)

Friday (Heavy Day) 24kg / 3 sets of 3 reps

Saturday / Sunday - Off (Easy movements, walking, stretching, nap)

Because one can't micro-load kettlebells, this is pretty close to what I do (albeit with different weights and rep / set mixes) across a Heavy, Light, and Medium day schedule.

I use it for progression for my KB C&P.

On those same days, I also do other barbell work, and a few bodyweight exercises (push ups / dips alternate days, chinups / rows alternate days).

Active recovery days are walking and Pilates.

Genuine rest days are outdoor chores, stretching, yoga.

 

[watchnerd]

@Reuben

Using @watchnerd calculations and @Steve Freides suggestions based on experience, you could set up your week like this:

Clean & Press

Monday (Medium Day) 20kg / 4 sets of 3 reps

Tuesday - Active rest day (long brisk walk, mobility work, skill practice with bodyweight only)

Wednesday (Light Day) 16kg / 5 sets of 3 reps

Thursday - Active Rest day (long brisk walk, mobility work, skill practice with bodyweight only)

Friday (Heavy Day) 24kg / 3 sets of 3 reps

Saturday / Sunday - Off (Easy movements, walking, stretching, nap)

One other benefit of this type of approach is that it's basically doing a lazy and simple version of Daily Undulation Periodization (DUP).