By Pete Arroyo

    This is part II in a series of articles that examines “Light Day” options for lifters that may use a Heavy-Medium-Light schedule (part 1 here).  In addition to drill selection I will offer guidelines on how to manage your “Light Day” so that it compliments the rest of your training. 

    Well, I will start off with an explanation or definition of what a “light day” should accomplish.  Again I poke fun at the “Go heavy or go home!” credo by retorting with “Go light or go to the hospital.”  With that said your “light day” may consist of several methods that are conducive to any or all of these abilities 1) recovery and restoration of connective tissues 2) motor pattern practice 3) specific muscular hypertrophy.  **And most importantly, you want to accomplish this by keeping the overall CNS and muscular stress low.  Two methods that come to mind are the classic Repetitive Effort Method (as originally defined by Zatsiorsky) and the Submaximal Effort Method (as presented by James Smith).  In Zatsiorsky’s method the lifter executes a drill with sub maximal loads (below 80%) to repetitive (or nearly to) failure during a set regardless of intentional acceleration.  In laymen’s terms…repeated sets of high to ultra high rep sets.  It is my opinion that this method lends itself well to recovery and regeneration utilizing “isolation” type or non-barbell movements.  For the mere assumption that with higher rep efforts to failure (or an absolute effort) may yield higher stresses; choosing a main barbell lift (that incorporates more joints and therefore more of your CNS) in this scenario may not work.  If you are to choose a main barbell lift then opting to use the Submaximal Effort Method may be a wiser choice.  Here a lifter executes a drill with sub maximal loads (possibly specified in the 60%-80% range) for moderately high reps 5-8 without intended acceleration.  Smith invokes a 24 rep rule here utilizing any combination of schemes that do not exceed 8 reps in a set.  He states that the body can still be stimulated on the same load with different rotations in actual reps.  IE- 24 reps at 65%= 3x8, 8x3, 6x4, or 4x6.  Since I am a fan of auto-regulatory training management I do not necessarily agree with limiting your sub maximal working reps to a specific number, but the concept of utilizing similar loads under varying periods of tension will shed light on how this can positive effect muscular hypertrophy.  I also feel that the lower rep sets and moderate loading range of the SE method lends itself well to motor skill enhancement (of the main lift) and improvements in structural hypertrophy.  The lower loads and moderate periods of muscular tension provide the lifter with an environment to perform a higher overall volume of quality reps (as Pavel defines as greasing the groove) that also stresses the muscular system with enough load and tension to induce hypertrophy.  This is certainly a good approach if you want a “heavier” feel to your “light day.”

    The next step in the equation is where to put our “Light days” in accordance with our training schedule.  In my experience there are two lines of thought that can help guide your decision.  First, we can use the RE and SE methods in sequence respective of specificity.  Here we must consider a spectrum of dynamic correspondence as it applies to power lifting; with GPP on one end and SPP on the other.  If this is the case then we would use our RE method in the early going with the employment of many “isolation” type exercises that are focused on supporting structural foundation, correcting strength imbalances (created by use of gear and using exclusive techniques), and improvements in work capacity.  Secondly, we can consider the layout of using a “block” approach with respect to volume and intensity.  Since we know that the highest volumes are used in the beginning and middle blocks we can essentially reverse our approach; using the SE in the initial training block and RE in the last block. In this case using the SE in earlier blocks allows us to use a variant of a specific lift that emphasizes our weak points.  Whereas using the RE in the last block helps us minimize specific volume and promote restoration.

Summary:

What: Submaximal Effort Method

How: loads in the 60%-80% range lifted for moderate rep range without intended acceleration.

Why: To utilize a more specific version of the competitive lift to promote gains in technical improvement and structural hypertrophy.

What: Repetitive Effort Method

How: loads below 80% lifted for maximal or near maximal reps without intended acceleration. (works well with isolation type drills).

Why:  to promote recovery, regeneration, work capacity, and localized hypertrophy for the musculo-tendonous system. 

What:  My version of “light day

How: utilize loads in the 65-80% range with utilizing a specific variant of the lift and a pause in the weak range.

Why: increase specific hypertrophy without taxing the CNS maximally.

How:  Use your full range lift (for equipped lifters go RAW).  Pick a load you can do for 4-6 reps with 2-4 reps in the tank.  Pause in the “weakest” part of your lift and focus of maintaining optimal posture for 2-4 seconds before completing the concentric part of lift.  You may use a percentage of your “live max” usually 65-75%.  Volume governed by RPE chart and drop off percents.

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