Not In The Range
I appreciate the math break down. However, that is not what I am talking about.
300 lb 1Repetition Max Bench Press Example
300 lbs X 80% = 240 lbs
So, what I am talking about is after you all out max to the limit week, dropping the Restart Cycle back 20% or more.
Recovery
The purpose of the Restart of a new cycle in dropping the load it to allow for recover. Recovery is where compensation occurs.
Milage May Vary
To paraphrase the tire commercial, "Training Restart Percentage may vary".
Chip McCain
McCain pulled a 799 lb deadlift at 198 lbs back in 1979 for a World Record.
In discussing McCain's deadlift training program with him, I was crunching numbers on his training percentages.
Back then I believed the road to success was based on math, training percentages.
Heavy Deadlift Weeks
McCain's deadlift program alternated heavy and light weeks.
McCain would jump his heavy training deadlift session 50 lb every other week.
While jumping 50 lbs every other week wasn't a rhythmic training percentage but it was a firm number.
Light Deadlift Weeks
As a math guy, here's where McCain gave me a headache. I also learned something about great athletes.
In going over McCain's Light Deadlift Weeks, his training precentages and weight was all over the road.
McCain's Training Philospohy
McCain used training percentage as a guide. However, the overiding factor in determining his Light Training Days was more introspective.
Make Your Light Days Light
McCain choice for his Light Deadlift Day Training Session was on how it felt. No matter what the weight on the bar was, it needed to feel light.
Once it began to feel heavy, McCain stopped deadlifting for the day.
McCain's training weight on his Light Days was around 560 lbs. That approximately 70% of a 800 lb 1 Repetition Deadlift Max.
So, McCain's dropped his Training Percenage to about 30% of his 1 Repetition Max for 2-5 Repetitions.
The Purpose of Light Days
As per McCain, the purpose of the Light Deadlift Day was to pump blood into the area and allow recovery to take place. That insured his Heavy Deadlift Week was a good one.
Introspective Training
In McCain's final Heavy Deadlift Training Week, his plan was to pull 750 lbs for 2 Repetition.
Instead, McCain pulled 775 lbs X 2 Repetitions.
I was puzzled as to why he decided to even try 775 lbs for 2 Repetitions.
It's More Than Just Math
McCain replied, "Because I knew I could".
As a math guy, that made NO sense to me. However, it was a learning experience for me.
One thing great athlete's instinctively do is know when they know they can do something.
Gut Reaction
One of the things we all have some degree of is a "Gut Reaction" to things. The more we learn to listen to the "Gut Reaction", the better we become with it.
Take Home Message
1) Recovery. Resets need to be a light and easy to allow for recovery. Training Percentage need to be dropped down 20% or more, for the most part to allow recovery to take place.
2) Make You Light Days, Light. The purpose of a fairly light day is to pump blood into the muscles.
The Circulatory System is a Transport System. It delivers nutrients to the msucles and hauls off "the trash". Thus, light days enhance recovery.
Active vs Passive Recovery
Research has demonstrated that after a hard training session that Active Recovery (mild to moderate training) enhances recovery moreso than Passive Recovery (sitting around doing nothing).
What Active Recovery does is increase blood flow. Increased blood flow to the muscles enhances recovery.
Kenny Croxdale