Will be very interested to hear where your cals/macros are ending up.
Do you think smolov would work with trap bar deadlift using it as a squat replacement? I have some lower back issues from high school and trap bar with my hips low, basically durning it into a squat keep my lower back from blowing out.
Sorry for derail.
Anways this plan looks great very interested to see where this takes your squat and your bench
great lifting going on up in here? how are you joints from on that heavvvvvvvvvy squatting and benching?
If you can get proper deadlift work in whilst running intense then awesome, I found literally working up to a 400~lb single after my 3rd day of squatting (when my DL pr was 485) allowed me to remember form and hit a deadlift PR after not pulling properly in 3~ months whereas I missed 440 after base phase because I had done literally no deadlifting and “forgot” how. So pulling is better then not as long as they aren’t too challenging, imo.
@Jake: I will definitely be pulling during the intensive phase. I will schedule It to adapt with the program and so on. I have a friend who is squatting in the 700’s and has an 800 pull, he runs smolov off and on for legs and a continuous form of the coan philipi for DL. He said that the first time he ran Smolov he did not DL for the entire program and had a 15-20 lb PR his first day back to pulls.
@Golden: I have always had great recovery, I attribute this to my wrestling career in middle and highschool (constant working to the max). I also am in love with my current Post workout shake. I take fish oil for my joints and even run Animal Flex for my joints here and there. I think proper stretching is a big factor as well, I am planning to buy a foam roller seeing as many people are in love with them.
@Ryan: I honestly am not sure, I am not a big fan of trap bar DLs and have not even used one since my senior year of HS. I think there are better programs for DL instead of running Smolov, IMO my DL raises quicker with speed pulls and ME work versus the volume Smolov provides.
I thought I had great recovery cus I pretty much squat, bench and deadlift 4-5 weekly on top of my training split but the weight and volume is a lot less than yours. I Must say I’m really jealous of your squat numbers but inspired too keep it up.
Yeah the volume of Smolov made me re-evaluate how i perceived weight training and my current status. I hope to hit a 650 squat during summer, but the big number im chasing is a 700 raw. That will come with time though.
[quote]Achilles of war wrote:
I hope to hit a 650 squat during summer[/quote]
Then I shall try for the same
Smolov Week 3 Day 3
Bench:
barx10
135x10
225x5
8x4@340
Squat:
barx10
135x10
225x5
315x1
405x1
7x5@500lbs
Squats a little slow, tired from finals, had to wrap last two sets, video is of last set. Tomorrow is last day of base mesocycle before transition to intensive.
Smolov Week 4 Day 4
Bench:
barx10
135x10
225x5
10x3@360
Squat:
barx10
135x10
225x5
315x1
405x1
10x3@525
This marks the end of the base mesocycle for me. I have a schedule ME day next week and then go into the intensive phase. Great program so far.
Awesome that you didn’t miss any reps the whole of the base with those weights. Just goes to show how much harder guys of just about any level can push if they are willing to prioritise one lift for awhile (at least that’s the lesson I learned). Disregard my boi post, 1 week to test max and another before starting intense is bang on I reckon.
Thanks jake, I will say though that the worst ones were week 1 5x7 week 2 7x5 and week 2 10x3
The closest i ever got to missing a rep was last weeks 10x3 from exhaustion. and on 7x5@00 I accidently went to 7 reps and thought i was going to pass out first time -.-
CHEST
Bench:
45x10
135x10
225x10
315x6
365x3
405x2
415x1
225x10
Decline:
225x10
315x6
365x5
225x10
DB Press:
100x10
100x10
Cable Flys:
4 sets of 10
Dips:
bwx10
bwx10
bw+50x10
Notes: first time doing a regular lift since smolov. Nice little break until intensive phase. Didnt feel like doing a max day but worked up to a heavy single so kinda work load peak. I wont really worry about maxing on bench until closer to Oct when I plan on doing a comp and need to know my numbers more clearly.
Looking forward to working up to a heavy single on squats tomorrow.
Squats Squats Squats.
All I had time today was for back squats, rushed into the lift because I had to hurry and be able to make it to my little brothers graduation from 8th grade.
Hit a PR, but I know I am good for more… Explained in the post notes.
Squats:
45x10
135x10
225x5
315x3
405x1
500x3
550x2
600x1
610x1
610x1
Alles Ende.
Notes: I did two 610 sets because I wanted to throw up a vid to show a little progress but forgot to tape the first one. The moron spotter on the left tapped it but I feel it was up regardless. I feel I am good for more but did this heavy single day 4 days earlier than my protocol called for and was a bit rushed.
I noticed the bar seemed much heavier on the left side, I feel like I was too concerned with the weight and not focused enough on proper set up ect.
I hope to hit another heavy single next week.
Smolov is wonderful, I have a 2 week transition period and then the 5 week intensive phase, hopefully 650 will be ready before i do a comp. Squatting is fun, I just want to keep my bench in the low 400’s and DL in low 600’s as well.
I will say all the volume from smolov base-meso has really made squatting more pleasant, less annoying on the hip flexor, lower back, ect.
Good day over all. Technically a PR but I am not huge into that crap.
You squat really wide(to me at least). Care to elaborate on why you chose the wider stance?
Just a preference. For back squats I like a wide stance because I feel more stable and my knees are not as irritated when going heavier. I wrestled middle/HS and play rugby now in college so my knees take a beating.
For front squats a i use a much more traditional bb form of close stance toes perfectly forward.
Noticing my wide stance has made me think about giving sumo pulls a try. Wide stance squatting has really built my hip flexor strength up.
Cool. Sumo’s a good idea for you due to your strong squat.
Squats so awesome
I might be wrong, but in the video it looks like your spotter on the right side has his hands on the bar.
Thanks matt and jake
nova, false, the spotter on the right was my brother, he knows what hes doing he didnt touch if you look closely you can notice.
The spotter on the left however was an old friend who i feel did touch at one point.
Regardless it was the second 610 lift im happy with it, i dont compete until october so plenty of time to add more weight.
Very impressive squat young man!