So sweet. There’s nothing like finishing the last set.
Interesting to read about the changes you’ve made. I look up when I squat. Probably too much. But it does keep my back from rounding outta the hole on heavy attempts.
Super nice work, as always.
You should change your name to ‘Squat King’. Impressive work.
Nice.
great work Brett
Thats freaking impressive squatting.
C_K - You flatterer you.
KP - I’d always read that you should stare not up or down but straight ahead, but looking up certainly helped me.
ECO - Mmm Squat King?. I like the sound of that! Thanks Buddy.
Bulldog & MJ - Thanks guys I appreciate the comments.
Joe - Thanks, but I think you are too easily impressed.
21/01/2011
Power Snatch @ 132 lbs x 5 sets of 2 reps
RSR WK 4 W/O 2
Back Squat @ 345 lbs x 6 sets of 2 reps
Push Press @ 220 lbs x 3 - 2.75 - 2
RDLs @ 352 lbs x 5 - 4 - 5
Back felt a bit twitchy and vulnerable today, no pain, nothing specific, just odd. I think the GMs are responsible. I can normally squat and deadlift 'til the cows come home without bothering my lower back but military presses (I always push press now, less time under load) and now good mornings it doesn’t seem to like.
Filmed the RDLs because I’ve never checked my form before.
Push Press 220 x 3
RDLs 352 x 5
Form looks great.
24/01/2011
Power Snatch @ 110 lbs x 5 sets of 2 reps
RSR WEEK 4 W/O 3
Back Squat @ 387 lbs x 4 sets of 4 reps
GHR @ bw 5 - 5 - 5
Dips @ bw 10 - 10 - 9 (supersetted with) DB Curls 47 lb’ers 5 - 5 - 5
Reduced the snatch poundage to give me more energy for the squats.
Took the dips easy because I haven’t done them for a while and I wanted to see how my elbow would feel.
I’ve been determined to complete this Russian Squat Routine exactly as written since I started it, mainly because whenever I read about it on the web everyone says that it can’t be done unless you’re taking shit loads of steroids or if you are over 40 etc, etc. I saw that as a challenge.
So far I’ve been managing to get all my sets and reps O.K but tonight I came really close to blowing it.
The first 3 sets went O.K, but on the final set I decided to take off my knee sleeves just to prove to myself that they don’t make a difference. But it seems that they do! I’m not sure if my disasterous final set was due to the fact I was fatigued, (it was the 4th set of 4 at 90% after all), whether they were providing a rebound effect at the bottom, whether the fact that there wasn’t a bunch of material scrunched up behind my knee increased my ROM and thereby affected my form (I definitely felt I dropped an inch or so lower without them) or a combination of all three.
Anyway despite throwing my form right off I managed to grind them all out and stay on track. I could have missed them all. You can actually see the fear in my face after the 2nd rep when I think that I’m about to blow it. LOL.
I learnt an important lesson today. Don’t f~~k about with things during your workout!
4 sets of 4 reps at 387 lbs
I believe of all the vids you’ve posted that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you fight for a rep. VERY cool work!
That is some crazy double-pump action at the bottom! No way I’m getting out of that hole.
Very nice squats.
So unusual to double bounce at the bottom and actually make it outta the hole. Way impressive. That was pretty gripping. I had to watch it more than once. Takes serious mental fortitude to fight through a set like that.
Supposedly sleeves don’t give any gain in terms of poundage. You always hear how they keep the knees warm is all. But I don’t know.
I didn’t find an increase in my weight with sleeves but I did find I felt more confident about my knees not getting injuried. I should add I have boney ass knees.
Great training Brett. Getting stronger every time I read your thread.
C_K & Git - That set was a complete bitch, every rep was a nightmare. On the plus side I suppose you could call it character building.
KP & Joe - Having slept on it I think blaming removing my knee sleeves for my bad last set was a kneejerk reaction (excuse the pun). If I’d taken them off on my 2nd set and done poorly and then put them back on and done well on the 3rd I would have to concede that they were making a difference, but it was the last set of a very tough w/o and the result may have been exactly the same if I’d left them on. (my best double to date was with 396 and I’d just done 3 sets of 4 with 387). So I’m going to put it down as coincidence.
I do agree with Joe though, sleeves definitely make my knees feel better especially during the cold weather and I think a warm knee is more supple than a cold one and thereby more resilient to injury.
Eco - Thanks for the encouragement. My goal for this year is a 500lb raw squat at under 210 bw. I’m hoping this routine will get me to 475, but I’d be pretty happy with 460, a 20lb gain.
25/01/2011
Hill Sprints 35 yds x 10
Nice lifting! Very strong squat. I like the Hill running keep it up. I had a nice hill in the last town I lived havent found one yet in the new town. Maybe I should have said I haven’t looked for one yet! lol
That was some great squatting brett. even with the trouble coming out of the hole, your position didn’t deteriorate much at all. I have to admit, I don’t think I would have gone for reps 2-4, I would have likely called it a day.
I use the EFS heavy duty knee sleeves, and I definitely get pounds out of them.