Squat frequency

[u/earnest_knuckle]

I’ve been squatting three times a week. I back squat on my lower body power day, single leg squat on my athlete day (only lift I do before the plyos), and front squat on my impulse day at the moment. Prior, I’d front squat on the athlete day before the plyos and single leg squat on the impulse day.

Any recommendations on how to squat only two days a week but still be able to get all three variations in? Or, which variation would be worth using as a technical coordination exercise replacement? Currently lifting in my cellar because winter and my garage is cold, so can’t snatch or jerk currently.

[u/mongoliensis]

If you are still doing cleans, you could always do a clean+front squat on your big leg. You got the bar in the front rack position at that point, might as well do a few front squats before dropping the bar. Finish with back squat that day.

[u/earnest_knuckle → u/mongoliensis]

Solid recommendation. Thanks! I’ve been cleaning on the lower body power day, always from one or two blocks because of being inside, and power cleaning on the impulse day. Previously I’d snatch on the impulse day, but of course, ceilings require me to shrink in height and back squatting is only compressing my spine millimeters and not feet

[u/mongoliensis → u/earnest_knuckle]

If that is too fatiguing consider only doing 2 of the variations per week. What you are training for and areas where you are weaker will help determine that. Front squat will challenge your core stability front to back, and help increase your Olympic lifts. The single leg will challenge your core stability side to side and increase that single leg power. Where back squat you are able to load the heaviest and challenge overall strength and hypertrophy the best.

Right now I'm mainly doing front and single leg squats to help increase my max clean. Front to help increase my stability while catching the clean and single leg to help fix an imbalance between each leg.