Cut out lower body speed day

[Logan]

I was just wondering if would hurt my training much. I train raw so my joints get beat up, I know I should just stop being a baby.

[JJ33]

It s not being a baby if you don t have the drive for it.I would suggest to do box squats on your speed day it will help you recover faster and you ll probably even like it.

[SELK]

Its not as if its mandatory to do speed work to get a big squat. If you can progress consistently without it I don't see the reason to have a speed day. Plenty of good lifters don't use speed days.

[MarcusWild]

Are you mostly using bands or chains? Raw lifters should use less band/chain weight. Chains also seem to be a bit easier on the joints for raw lifters.

[Logan]

Are you mostly using bands or chains? Raw lifters should use less band/chain weight. Chains also seem to be a bit easier on the joints for raw lifters.

Straight weight mostly with some chains, no band.

[Sean S]

Here's something to think about that my training partner and I have used with some success. You have one SQ/DL day and one SQ/DL assistance day. On the SQ/DL day you would work up to a heavy SQ and then do speed pulls (6-10 singles at 60-70%). Then the next week you do speed squats (8-10 sets of 2) and work up to a heavy DL or DL variation. Then you just alternate weeks by working up on the SQ one week and on the DL the next. That way you essentially get speed work in for each lift every other lift.
On the SQ/DL assistance day work the muscles involved in the main lifts, but nothing super-heavy and nothing that beats up the joints.

[MarcusWild]

It shouldn't be beating you up that much more than normal squatting would then. Do you ever deload?

[Logan]

It shouldn't be beating you up that much more than normal squatting would then. Do you ever deload?

every 8th week I do deload.

[NickAus]

Its not as if its mandatory to do speed work to get a big squat. If you can progress consistently without it I don't see the reason to have a speed day. Plenty of good lifters don't use speed days.

I agree with Selk.

[SEOINAGE]

Don't a lot of people do RE repetition effort work in place of speed days now? Kind of curious about this myself. Saw a vid with louie saying something about it for squats and deadlifts.

[mastermonster]

I agree with Selk.

I do not do speed days ever. None of the guys that have trained with me the last few years do speed day and all have made extremely good gains. I have occasonally done and had lifters do 1-2 sets of speed sets at the end of the heavy work. Especially if they don't have a background in exposive sport movements (ex. football, etc). I don't think the over-training effect of 'speed days' is worth the payoff (if any). Most of our guys are former football players and have a good fast twitch fiber base. I'd say if you don't see a need to do them in your self. Don't worry about not having a speed day just because other lifters do them. Train your needs; not someone elses. Good luck.