Why Squat 3 Days Per Week during 5x5

[Mccaula718]

I've been doing on of Bill Starr's 5x5 program which you squat 3 times per week. Monday same weight, Wednesday 80% of Mon, and Fri increasing weight. I'm seeing results after 3 weeks but I've been sore the entire time.

I'm not questioning his expertise, I'm just curious how this helps? I've always been told you build muscle during rest.

[doctapeppa]

I've been doing on of Bill Starr's 5x5 program which you squat 3 times per week. Monday same weight, Wednesday 80% of Mon, and Fri increasing weight. I'm seeing results after 3 weeks but I've been sore the entire time.

I'm not questioning his expertise, I'm just curious how this helps? I've always been told you build muscle during rest.

This is from the Starting strength wiki:

Isn't squatting 3x per week going to be overtraining my legs?

No. As a newb, you won't have any problem with this because you are primarily limited by poor technique and lack of efficient motor function. This means that you will be using far less weight than you have the strength to handle.

Additionally, your conditioning is such that you won't be able to stress yourself enough in one session to preclude you actually recovering in time.

Oh, and how it helps is that you progress faster this way. more practice=improving faster. The majority of what you are doing is actually learning the technique and giving your muscles more of a mind/muscle connection. The real muscle growing happens when you lift more weight.

[Jerok88]

I've been doing on of Bill Starr's 5x5 program which you squat 3 times per week. Monday same weight, Wednesday 80% of Mon, and Fri increasing weight. I'm seeing results after 3 weeks but I've been sore the entire time.

I'm not questioning his expertise, I'm just curious how this helps? I've always been told you build muscle during rest.

Dave 76 said this:

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Because Rippetoe believes that the squat trains every muscle beneath the bar. Since the bar is high on the back, it's training virtually every muscle in the body.

Squatting three times per week is too much for an advanced trainee. For the novice, though, the weight is relatively light. You are only doing 9 total sets for the week at relatively light weights. When compared to the guys who have a "leg day" and get all rubber legged and can barely walk out of the gym, you really aren't doing much.

When the weight does start getting really heavy for you, you'll know it. The squats will really start beating you down. That will be the time to start using front squats or light back squats on Wednesdays. It's the first change that Rippetoe recommends.

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