SO much good discussion in here lately, finally got caught up. Sadly I’m short on time at the moment, but I absolutely could not let this post:
slip by without acknowledgment. I’m excited to see what you can do with it when you’re ready! It’ll be transformative, to say the least.
Keep up the good work, brother!
24/04/25 - 196.5 (no idea, stress, delayed water retention, added some electrolytes, don’t care it’s noise).
Beep test - 8.8 as is the standard, no sweat (like, literally didn’t perspire).
This afternoon, with no desire to do so:
Deadlifts:
60, 100, 120, 140, 160kg x 2, 140kg x 12
A1) Log clean (1) and strict press: 50, 60, 60, 60, 70kg x 2,
A2) Wide grip pull-ups: 2 x 5 sets
Log clean and overhead: 50kg x 10
Short on time, just getting something in, hopefully a little more time to train tomorrow.
140kg deads:
Log 50kg x 10
Thanks for stopping by, I know how hard it is to keep up with things when you’re busy!
Absolutely, I’d say I’m looking forward to it, but that would definitely be a mischaracterisation, apprehensive with neverous excitement might be better.
25/04/25 - 196
Sandbagging:
All fine up to the very last bag then that mess happened, nevermind, quick sweep up resolved the mess.
Messed around with the bags for a little while at the start of the session, but I’m still a feeling the deadlifts and log cleans from yesterday, so didn’t go full send.
75 & 90kg:
110kg:
Bench: 60, 80, 90, 100kg x 5
Slingshot on: 110, 120kg x 3
A1) chin ups: 6 x 7 sets
A2) dips: 10 x 7 sets
A3) Sandbag over shoulder: 75kg x 3 x 2 sets, 75 X 3f, 50kg x 3 x 4 sets
Done as a giant set E90S on the 90S, lost all strength on the sandbag, just absolutely sapped by that point, so dropped weight, switched bags without stopping the clock but it had me nigh on zero rest that mid round, and the fatigue really kicked up by that point, so split the dips and chins, into 3/5 and did them alternating, still hitting the reps inside the 90 seconds. Blowing real hard by the end.
Still training based on whatever the heck I want to do, not sure it’s sensible or balanced, but it’s something, I’m sweating and my muscles are working and that’ll do until the cruise, then the real work begins!
@T3hPwnisher (and anyone else who’s got/had experience with both) you’ve got both an SSB and a buffalo bar, and I think I’ve observed you use the buffalo more than the SSB. Curious on your thoughts a out owning both? (I’m clearly lacking gym equipment and need an excuse to buy more). Is the difference significant? SSB and regular back squats are quite a different movement for me, I’d have thought the buffalo bar is probably somewhere in the middle of the two?
I noticed that super squats has an allowance for doing the program with a buffalo bar if necessary (doesn’t say anything about the SSB, but presumably that’s because it was written pre SSB becoming ubiquitous?) not looking to do it with the buffalo bar, want to keep to the exact instructions but always good to have things in the back pocket.
I use the buffalo bar because it makes me work harder than a barbell squat. With a traditional barbell, I can carry the bar STUPIDLY low on my back and really make the squat a hinge. The buffalo bar will roll off if I try to keep it that low, so it forces me to hold it a little higher in a low bar squat. That, combined with the gentle camber in it, gives some relief to the shoulders.
The SSB is a different beast entirely. You can fall forward in a squat, good morning it back into place, and complete the movement. In turn, I find the SSB is great at developing just plain general strength but can really regress my squat if I focus on that vs a straight (ish) bar squat. Once again: I’ll play to my strengths and use a hinge to squat vs a squat.
You got the right idea with Super Squats: I wouldn’t do it with a SSB. I feel like the primary driver for growth with SS isn’t the squatting itself, but the HOLDING of the weight on the back/spine. Squatting develops the legs, but having the load on your spine tells the body to start building muscle EVERYWHERE. Since the SSB displaces the load compared to a barbell at a single point, I find this reduces the effectiveness.
Along with that, Super Squats is BREATHING squats, and the SSB is constantly forcing you forward and effectively crushing your lungs. Trying to get in those 3 deep breaths between each rep eventually becomes impossible with all the time under the bar. Or, if not impossible: less effective.
All this said: the real reason to use a buffalo bar is to spare the shoulders. It’s good for that, and a SSN can do that too. For the sake of Super Squats, it CAN be nice, because having a bar on your back for that long can really wreck a lot of folks shoulders, but it’s also not at all required. I’d definitely opt for a straight bar with the program vs a SSB.
Hope that helps!
Definitely helpful thanks for that, a very thorough write up, just to clarify I wasn’t thinking to have SSB as a back up, but getting a buffalo bar and having that as a back up, but you covered all of the points and difference.
My traditional squat set up for squat, which I’ll be using for the BtM and SS, is low bar, wider stance, it’s very much squat not hinge, so not sure if a buffalo bar would hinder that style.
I’ll probably end up getting one anyone I’ve found a good price (and I have a gym gear addiction) but was curious on the differences.
I really like this about the SSB it feels a bit like a “dumb” strength movement, not particularly technical doesn’t need a huge amount of coaching because even if you do it wrong it usually works.
Using SSB at times has helped my squat a lot in the past year. I feel just it’s just like you said: stupid and effective. It’s really hard to fuck up technically and I can smoke my legs with lighter weights while not gassing (or injuring) myself as easily than with reqular squats.
I don’t foresee you having this issue. You’re constructed pretty much the opposite of me: a long upper torso an shorter/proportional limbs, whereas I’m built to deadlift with a stupidly short torso and long limbs. My squat style is the Layne Norton/Steve Goggins lean forward/fold in half style. Buffalo bar will most likely just reduce fatigue on your shoulders.
Your observation on the SSB mirrors my own, to the point that I’ve made it pretty much a given that, if someone just wants to train and doesn’t care about powerlifting, I have them use a SSB. Along with the “dumb strength” thing, it also TOTALLY solves the whole “high bar vs low bar” drama.
Interesting the difference between you and Pwn here. I’ve seen your journal and you’re a strong dude, don’t think I’ve seen any videos, what would you describe your squat style as?
Funny enough my most recent injury was SSB but I would say it was probably just one of those things not really that related to the movement itself.
That’s what I thought, but haven’t got any reference for it, thanks for the thoughts.
Yup, definitely the right tool for that job!
26/04/25 - 195
Woke at 530 - baby, who went back to sleep, whilst I did not, so breakfast coffee and a surf.
The surf was 4-6ft+, as previously mentioned I am not good at surfing, 2-3 is more my level, but I am however stubborn, prone to poor decision making and confident in harsh water… the sea repaid my hubris, repeatedly.
I never really got past the break, spent an hour getting treated like a sock in a washing machine and even got a split on the inside of my lip thanks to the board hitting me in the face, hard.
Still caught a couple of waves and felt like I’ve made a tiny bit of progress. It’s interesting watching all of the good guys, they paddle so effortlessly out back, I’m assuming shoulder/paddling stamina plays a big part in this, something that really doesn’t get built in the gym, just frequent surfing.
Good hour of hard activity. My elbow joints hurt afterwards, I can only assume because they spent the hour acting as shock absorbers.
No plans to train today my whole body feels pretty fatigued, between deadlifts, logs and sandbags I’m spent, deficit probably not aiding that feeling, but today is definitely a rest day.
I guess that’s a prime example of individual differences. Pwnisher seems to lean more forward, like he said.
My squat style is more like HB/LB hybrid these days. I’m pretty tall and lanky guy, so when I stay more upright, the knees travel pretty far forward. This asks pretty strong quads, and that’s why I think the forced upright position in the SSB helps me. I feel the SSB is like middle ground between a HB squat and a front squat.
I was too lazy to upload my video here, but here’s a picture of me being in the bottom position.
Ever since squatting with a Buffalo Bar to keep me more upright because of an injury, I almost don’t want to go back to a regular straight bar. It keeps me completely vertical, takes it all off the back and feels so good on the shoulders. I’d suggest you try it (at a gym that has one first) and see if you like it enough to buy one. I wouldn’t be surprised if you fall in love with it. For me I feel like I need to adopt a narrower stance and can’t go as wide, it turns much more into an Olympic Squat. This is fine because I’m already a quad dominant lifter, short torso, somewhat shorter femurs, stay pretty vertical, and this is a strong position for me, I’m a bit biased because of the mechanics of it, might be different to you. I could see it helping your leg drive for the deads.
Imo this feels more like a “pure” squat.
SSB I’m with you on it not helping personally. I’ve maybe touched it 10 times in the last 5 years. Every time I did it I thought “this is stupid” and went back to regular squatting. This is NOT to discount from people who do it and swear by it. My personal experience is that it doesn’t respond well for me.
I feel you guys are slightly more experienced in this lifting game than me, so this is not a direct analogy.
But this reminds me how JTS did short videos where they asked top level PLs what’s their favorite squat/bench/DL variation and the answers we’re pretty incostintent. A no brainer of course, but still a great anecdote about individual differences.
Yup, it’s funny when you see very prescriptive/dogmatic things in lifting, when everyone is so different that what works for some of them must won’t work for all.
Yea I’m pretty lanky as well, I probably take a wider more low bar style than you, but have similar experiences with the SSB.
I don’t think there’d be one nearby, but I might see if there is, I’ll probably end up getting one anyway just because I’m a gear whore. If I did hate it for squatting there’s always benching with it!
Always a bonus!
I like how Mike T did put it: It’s usually good to start with some generalized recommendations, but don’t be afraid of exploring and learning. Let the experience be your guide.
New bags look great. You made that 110kg bag look easy, my 114kg bag feels like it is glued to the floor. Nice work
And that’s the beauty of it all. Strength Sports like Powerlifting are so variable between individuals that its almost impossible to give someone end all be all advice. We all follow General Principles but I feel like its a crapshoot on what happens beyond that.
Jo Shmo could use the calf raise to get his squat up but Schmo Jo uses A Hip Thrust to get his squat up (extreme example I know 
)but you get the point
For the sake of topic starting, I feel like Social Media (cough… Tiktok… cough) is partially to blame for this.
There’s too much information from too many people. It all starts blending together into TV Static…Paralysis by analysis
The old guys had the exact opposite problem yet still got just as strong and huge.
And you need to get ”klicks” or ”likes” to profit. So more strongly of bluntly your represent the ”facts”, the better.
If you can start some adversaries or confrontations it’s a goldmine. You’ll see a ton of influencers doing this, and it goes beyond training to nutrition and health advice etc. This causes to everybody yelling their “facts” simultaneously and possibly making younger lifters utterly confused about what to do and how to eat.
There is some quality content of course too, but like you said, it takes some experience and knowledge to approach the given information right way. The boring reality of some general principles with individual/contextual variation doesn’t sell.
Sorry for hijacking the log, but I have a lot to rant about several social media platforms and their (negative) effects.
29/04/25
Been a busy few days, and will be a full on month, will log and catch up where I can.
Woke up at 530am (apparently if I think about waking up at a time before bed I just wake at that time, even if tired), yesterday and today, went surfing because the surf was great, in the gym this morning but keeping it shorter and hopefully squeezing in another surf before I start work.
Fasted for times sake, coffee pre and electrolytes during.
Seated OHP: 40, 50, 60, 70kg x 5
A1) squat: 60, 80, 100kg x 5, 120, 140kg x 3
A2) NG chin ups: 5 x 5 sets
B1) NG chins: 3 x 4, 2 x 3, 1 x 3
B2) dips: 5 x 4, 4 x 3, 3 x 3
That last superset was done as reps X sets but the sets were literally back to back until no more good reps, then about 1 min rest and go again for another cluster, 41 dips and 21 chins in about the time it would take to normally run 3 straight sets, smoked me as well.
Top set squats, just reacclimating to back squats with my old form “paused” the first rep.
Squats looked nice, good speed after the pause.
