Hey just stay with it, I have only been PL style training for about a year and 1/2 now and its worked out great. My first recorded 500x3 squat was only 4 months ago. Its wonderful once you find a program that fits your needs and body style.
Just stay healthy, eat, and get your sleep. I will admit some days forcing yourself to eat the right things and enough is rough. Today I knew I needed good energy so my first meal was 8 eggs, some wheat bread, 3 glasses of whole milk, and a thing of greek yogurt. Eating the eggs was rough I just was not in the mood
While on Smolov or off? It really just depends on the program. Smolov base is 4 days a week so for me it was tuesday thursday saturday and sunday. The heaviest days are back to back but prepare you the most I feel.
I do not really take any off days or deload weeks. Instead of deloading I just dont go under 5rm. I dont take many off days, always like to get a little something in, i have good recovery so not really needed. Just listen to your body, try to realize when you really need a break versus when you are being lazy and just want a break.
Started Coan bench today, went ahead and low balled the number for percentages since It has high rep days and I do not want to kill my shoulders. Hoping to get to around a 450 by the end of the 11 week program.
I do not start the Intensive Phase of Smolov until the 28th. I will also be doing a DL program simultaneously, only 2 work sets followed by speed pulls to keep my DL up during the 5 weeks. I really need to get my big 3 up by October.
Circuit:
Romanian DL 135, 225, 315
Bent Over Row: 135, 135, 225
Suppinated Lat Pulldown
Good Mornings: 135, 225, 315
3 sets 8 reps a piece, 2-3 min in between each set.
Concentrated Hammer Curls:
40x10
50x10
60x10
Running the Coan DL routine but with a low balled 1rm so that it does not impede the intensive phase of Smolov. I need to be pulling during smolov and since the Coan plan only has 1 work set with several speed pull sets I think it will be fine. The program wont have me going past 525x2 while I am still on Smolov so should not interfere yet will keep my pulling memory there.
[quote]Achilles of war wrote:
Running the Coan DL routine but with a low balled 1rm so that it does not impede the intensive phase of Smolov. I need to be pulling during smolov and since the Coan plan only has 1 work set with several speed pull sets I think it will be fine. The program wont have me going past 525x2 while I am still on Smolov so should not interfere yet will keep my pulling memory there.[/quote]
Really interested to see how this goes, I found just pulling a few singles at about 80% of my max each week helped maintain deadlift form a lot, but speed sets plus one set sounds pretty reasonable regardless of squatting volume.
“Through me you go to the grief wracked city; Through me you go to everlasting pain; Through me you go a pass among lost souls.”
-Dante
Squats:
45x10
135x10
225x5
315x5
Work Sets:
405x4
465x4
3x4@525
525x5
leg ext:
4x10-12
Calves
This was a rough day. My lower back hates me. Definitely popped some blood vessels today.
The intensive phase is a perfect name for the hell that is this phase of Smolov. Was rough going back into intense squats. 16 total sets of 525 was rough. I feel this whole week will suck squatting wise. And although next week is heavier I think it will be easier jut like in the Base-meso since my body will have adapted again.
So whats your DL and squat split look like over the week? What days you squatting and what days you DLing? Interested in this because i was thinking of doing smolov front squat and conan DL. I already do more intense (volume wise) DL days and much more volume squat days and i dont die and progress now. Plust smolov front squat (for me) wouldl be very light compared to the DL Very interested to see some one do this with big boy weights
Hey Ryan, My split was suppose to be squats on Monday - Weds - Sat but instead will be Tuesday - Thursday - Sunday.
I will be DLing most likely on Fridays since Sunday is the lighter day of the week. Definitely not going crazy on the pulls though, just keeping memory up. The program is low balled and I chose it mainly for the focus on speed pulls and certain accessory.
Missed 1 rep of the 525. Today felt much better than Tuesdays session though. Next weeks 585x3 is going to be rough I think, It also has a 4x5@555 which should be exciting.
My knees dont ever give me problems anymore really, I just like to wrap them loosely so they feel secure sometimes. Like today I wrapped for the 560x3 and 1 of the 525x5 sets. I want to get rehbands
Its my hip flexors and lower back that take a beating
Re.po: I ended up stopping at the end of week two. Sp4r must have jinxed me because my right knee finally started acting up. I loved It and plan to re run the whole cycle around January.
My second to last work out on the 2nd week had me doing 585x3, which I hit successfully, hence turning my max from the beginning of the cycle into a 3+ set. I definitely recommend the program to anyone.
However, after running it I think it may be best to just cycle on and off of the base-meso, by the 2nd week of intensive I was pretty hammered in, moral was dropping, strength was upping but body felt like crap.
I am now running a Sheiko cycle, which is similar in volume and I recommend it to anyone who likes Smolov.
Overall Smolov added 35lbs (tested) to my squat, turned my previous 1rm into a 3+ and I even was able to hit a double at 600 which was pretty nice. The Smolov JR was pretty successful as well.
