complexes the same as HIIT as far as recovery??

[ichbinba]

hey everyone, I have a question about complexes. I've been doing CBs TT programs and they all have intervals after the lifting. I've also been working in intervals on 1-2 other days of the week, making about 4-5 days/week which I've seen on here isn't going to lead to overtraining.

My thing is, I've been working in Alwyn's barbell complezes from the holiday survival workout in MF and I, lately anyway, have been putting them after my workout, in place of HIIT twice per week. It is killer and depending whether the lifitn was mostly upper body or lower body sometimes it's almost impossible to even finish them...

my question is, can I do the intervals and lifting 3 days per week as perscribed and put the complexes on two of the non-lifting days like I have been intervals? the weight is relatively light, but I didn't know if that would be similar to lifing five days since complexes are still technically lifting weights...didn't know if that would be too much..

thanks in advance

[Iceztiq]

i'm doing an almost similar thing. I workout 4x/week, & do bodyweight circuits on non-workout days. I don't do any intervals, though, since i really hate running w/ smokes from cars around me.

[Lost Dog]

My 2 cents.

I think it would depend on the weight used. If you're doing it at the level of Alwyn's program, then it's more of weight lifting stimulus. If you did it with lighter weights (and hence, more reps and/or sets), then it would have an effect more like HIIT or intervals.

There is probably no "fine line" here, but more of an overlapping of each effect that shifts on way or the other, depending on weight, reps, sets, intensity, etc.

I do complexes instead of intervals on my off days. I think it has a positive effect on recovery, as well, as it works more muscles that sitting on a bike.

[Adam H.]

I do complexes on off days, using pretty light weight. I feel like it aids recovery and increases my work capacity. They are a hell of a lot more fun than cardio machines.

Add them in to your routine slowly and see how it affects your other training.

Adam