20 Reps Squat Challenge

Training Powerlifting
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[quote]Hanley wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
dfreezy wrote:
matso1236 wrote:
FUCK ME… my depth sucked the balls on some reps

Not to sound mean but I don’t think you hit the depth the OP mentioned on any of them except for maybe the last 3 reps.

Its the reason Shizen posted, the weight was too light, and i was going to fast. My last 3 reps were semi decent because it started feeling heavy on my back and therefore i dropped lower. I dont think depth will be a problem once i start working closer to 70%.

Do your heels continue to come up and knees shoot forward as you work up in weight?

What’s your best squat so far? 400ish?[/quote]

The heels coming up was due to a sore back because i had deadlifts scheduled in my sheiko program. My back was super stiff and it just felt all kinds of weird squatting, this was basically a run trough to check difficulty, i will post another video, on my de-load week fully rested. I was also dropping very fast and not really getting the pop out the hole.

When i work up weight, i dont go down as fast therefore my form is better and all that. Usually the motion is sit back, push knees out and hit depth (wider stance as well). I thought it was going to be a lot harder then it was, i went for the quick drop and pray technique with an Olympic stance which i am not used to…lol.

My squat is 415 tested about 4 weeks ago, better depth then all of these.

NO MORE EXCUSES FROM ME UNTIL I HIT 315x20.

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I wasn’t going to do this, but I did it anyway.

225lbs for 20 reps. I don’t think I’ve ever gone over 9 reps…and I doubt I ever will again.

So here it is, my 1:00am squat session:

[video]840[/video]

I think my depth was ok on most (not stallion deep), high on some that I rushed.

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[quote]Ruggerlife wrote:
I wasn’t going to do this, but I did it anyway.

225lbs for 20 reps. I don’t think I’ve ever gone over 9 reps…and I doubt I ever will again.

I think my depth was ok on most (not stallion deep), high on some that I rushed.[/quote]

Well done on accepting the challenge! The feeling after such a set is unbeatable. :smiley:

Well done. You are the second person to post av video of 20-reps.

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[quote]stallion wrote:
Ruggerlife wrote:
I wasn’t going to do this, but I did it anyway.

225lbs for 20 reps. I don’t think I’ve ever gone over 9 reps…and I doubt I ever will again.

I think my depth was ok on most (not stallion deep), high on some that I rushed.

Well done on accepting the challenge! The feeling after such a set is unbeatable. :smiley:

Well done. You are the second person to post av video of 20-reps.[/quote]

Yeah. Good job. You just 20-rep squatted my max. I wanna 20-rep squat that much eventually.

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nice squating guys… keep it coming.

im going to attempt this painful challenge on my next legs day. i currently squat 120kg/265lbs for 5x5…

what should i attempt… im thinking 100kg/225lbs?

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[quote]thosebananas wrote:
nice squating guys… keep it coming.

im going to attempt this painful challenge on my next legs day. i currently squat 120kg/265lbs for 5x5…

what should i attempt… im thinking 100kg/225lbs?

[/quote]

Thanks, and yes 225lbs sounds about right.

I did a 275lbs 5x5 about 2 weeks ago.

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Stallion, did you read the book “super squats”? it is basically the same challenge but implemented as an actual hypertrophy program, check it out if you havent already-

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Hey all.
I’ve been reading a few of the threads about 20 reppers for the past few days and I tell ya, it’s given me the itch to hit them again. Early this year I was able to hit 315 for 20 reps no belt. I take a wide stance though and haven’t been able to go ATG due to knee problems from doing 225 for 37 reps ATG with an Olympic type stance sometime last year. I felt like an animal after doing that but the next day I was paying for it and haven’t been able to go deep since without pain.

I recently started running again to get in better shape. Just a change in life goals. I hate it, mainly because after reading these forums, I tried to hit 225 for 20. I got 25, but it was hard earned and the next day I was stiff like you can’t believe.
Once I get back into form, I’m going to video tape it for the thread and post. I luv this stuff!!!
Oh, and this is my first post ever. Go me.

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[quote]DickBag wrote:
i dont mean to be a bitch, but i woiuld prefer OP if you ditch the buckets and used plates instead.

im just a non trusting type of guy and for some reason i wont believe your vid until the buckets are gone.[/quote]

I’d love to ditch the buckets and use weight plates. Weight plates however costs money, money that I do not have at the moment. I am broke, and until I have money for plates there will be buckets, or sandbags which I plan on getting, as they are really really cheap.

I need at least 80kg extra of olympic weight plates, and that will cost about 400 dollars. I currently have 150kg of weight plates, but when I did these reps I had 110kg on the bar + buckets + 12.5kg weight = 162.5kg in total. The buckets are about 40kg in total, but unbalanced and therefore I add a 2.5kg plate on one side.

Getting the extra 12.5kg of weight to be able to remove the buckets completely will cost 62.5 dollars excluding shipment for the plates. I could show you an image of the buckets on a scale to prove their weight, but hey, then I could remove content from the buckets before my set right? I could also add some very light bumper plates. the possibility for faking is endless, but what would the point be?

From your video I can tell that you are on an early stage in your training career, the grunting from rep 1 and forward really is not necessary. I also did this the first years that I trained. I thought I was THE MAN… And was grunting to get the attention and show how cool I was. As you grow older, and you lift for a few more years, you realize that’s not what it is about. Keep quiet, and only make sounds when necessary. Grunting just for the sake of grunting is not cool. Your reps was not deep enough.

The camera angle could be the culprit, but it seems you do not hit sufficient depth. If you believe me or not, that’s really not the issue. I always tell the truth about the weight I am using. Check your ego by the door and work hard. The game is about beating yourself. There are people far stronger than me that would make my 20-rep set of 162.5kg look like an utter joke. The real issue in lifting is to beat yourself. You did a great effort on those 18 reps. I am sure you could have pushed out two more as well if you had been tougher.

So stop caring about what others lift or do not lift, get real and bust your ass! If it is jealousy that is your motive, you really have some issues to sort out. Good luck with the lifting.

Are you going to hit 20 reps soon ? Film from a side view, and show us some proper depth!

I’ve been squatting every day this week, and is working towards 165kg x 20. Yesterday I was really tired, but still managed to do 13 reps of 165kg:

Not so very long ago, in april I did a box squat of 230kg:

In february I did a 1RM of 185kg in the front squat.

The garage where I used to train was closed for repairment after I broke the floor from a missed squat, and I was not wanted there anymore, so I had to buy equipment to train at home. I did not have any money for that (I am a poor student), so after saying pretty please to my father, he bought it, but he wasn’t extremely happy about it, so I won’t ask him for more support for a while…

If you do not believe it is possible for someone with a 1RM of 220-230kg to do 20 reps with 162.5kg, then you are a very poor judge. I wish you all the best of luck in your future lifting, remember the depth, check your ego at the door, and be much tougher by the end of those grueling sets!

I bet you cannot do a 20 rep squat set filmed from a sideview to judge depth with 140kg. Prove me wrong!

Good luck!

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[quote]Flapjack399 wrote:
I’m going to video tape it for the thread and post. I luv this stuff!!!
Oh, and this is my first post ever. Go me.[/quote]

Excellent stuff!

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[quote]fattymcfatso wrote:
Stallion, did you read the book “super squats”? it is basically the same challenge but implemented as an actual hypertrophy program, check it out if you havent already-
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Squats-Pounds-Muscle-Weeks/dp/0926888005 [/quote]

I know about it, but thanks for telling anyway! :slight_smile:

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[quote]thosebananas wrote:
nice squating guys… keep it coming.

im going to attempt this painful challenge on my next legs day. i currently squat 120kg/265lbs for 5x5…

what should i attempt… im thinking 100kg/225lbs?

[/quote]

100kg first time, then increase if possible.

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cheers thats the plan… could possible be near the end of this week.

BUT, my gym i was training in has been locked. im in the middle of trying to get it reopened. its 50/50 as of now.

if that doesnt come off i only have access to a smith machine. and i wouldnt even post a video on T-Nation of someone using a smith machine.

i leg extended 110kg for 21 reps yesterday… so i think im good to go for the challenge! :stuck_out_tongue:

Scott

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I have sympathy for you about the gym possibly being unavailable. I was shut of from the place where I trained in the most busy period for my final exams, and did not have the possibility to train elsewhere and had to buy equipment to train at home. It usually sorts itself out.

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its the only gym in my town with olympic bars and free squating.

its in my old school… i was using it over the summer, but the headmaster has locked it saying im not covered by the insurance… ive offered to sign a disclaimer or whatever he wants to take all responsibility.

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Are you still in Ireland? Where abouts?

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yea im living in Armagh.

only gyms near me are… 4 council gyms that i work in and get for free

and an LA Fitness which is 35 quid a month (fuck that)

Scott

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Ah right, not to worry. If you had of been in Dublin I coulda offered some suggestions.

Anyway, back to the challenge!

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lol… im sure dublin would have lots to offer. but meh… im back in glasgow in 2 months to glasgow for the first ever meeting of a new strathclyde powerlifting club…

Scott

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BTW, here is a squat set of 20 reps with 150kg from 21st of June this year. This was a few days after coming back from my layoff. 150kg is the most that I have of weight plates, to get more weight I have to use the buckets. I hope that the doubters are now conviced this is for real…

The point is really to do 20 reps. It is not a competition about who can do the biggest weight. A honest 20 rep set of squats, to proper depth, without a belt, where you are struggling and pushing the limits, that’s what the challenge is about.

I could also provide video of a balancing olympic bar of 20kg on one side and a bucket of 20kg on the other side, and I can also provide a picture of the buckets on a scale.

It is just that I think the entire discussion about that is ridiculous. If I were to cheat, I’d only ultimately cheat myself. Who the fuck tells others that they lift more than they can? That must be people with low self esteem.

Every lifter that has reached a certain level knows what kind of determination and dedication that is behind the results. Therefore they have most respect for other lifters.

If some unknown dude had only 1 youtube video and it looked strange, I could be sceptical as well, but I have about 70 videos online, and most of them showing lifts with only weight plates. It is just that at the moment I do not have enough weight plates in my home gym, so I need to be creative.

Heck, I can’t lift 150kg forever (the most weight plates I have), then I would stagnate. In the future I will probably get more weight plates when I can afford, but as long as buckets and sandbags can do the job, what is the point to rush it?

The fact is that as long as you work up your weights progressively, you get stronger. If you do a set of 20 reps in the squat with 2.5kg more, you are stronger, no mater if that weight comes as sand in a plastic bag, og as small weight plates.

When I trained in commercial gyms before, it was nevner an issue to get enough weight plates on the bar, and I never tought about how much those plates costs. Now I have a setup in my basement with about 1150 dollars worth of equipment.

But that amount of money is just what it costs with a few years in a commercial gym membership.

In the autumn I will start attending the university again, and then I will also have access to the weight room there, with more weight.

Heck, Even Paul Andreson used buckets, so when he used buckets, it should be good enough for everyone.

You can see a video of him lifting here: