Help W/ Ed Coan Routine

Hey everyone could someone PLEASE explain how to do ed coan’s squat routine…I’m doing his deadlift routine and I like it a lot, and for my 2nd lower body day I’m going to be doing his squat routine…here’s the website link http://www.powerpage.net/coansquat.html

That’s the program…I’ll only be doing the Off-season part…I just dont know what they mean when they say…“…start backwards going down from Week 10 by 20lbs to get the weight you can use for each week.”
That means I’ll drop 20 pounds each week…cause if thats true…thats a REALLY REALLY low number for the final week. and it’d be my warmup weight lol…So anyone could please help me I’d appreciate it a lot, I start it tomrorow! Thanks!

I haven’t done this routine myself but I’m pretty sure they mean start with your goal and subtract 20lbs each week to find the target weights for the previous weeks for example:
week 10:500
week 9:480
week 8:460
week 7:440
week 6:420
week 5:400
week 4:380
week 3:360
week 2:340
week 1:320

So you will be going UP 20 lbs each time. That’s how I read it anyway.

I have never done this routine, but this is what I make of it from the link you provided.

[quote]dl- wrote:

That’s the program…I’ll only be doing the Off-season part…I just dont know what they mean when they say…“…start backwards going down from Week 10 by 20lbs to get the weight you can use for each week.”
That means I’ll drop 20 pounds each week…cause if thats true…thats a REALLY REALLY low number for the final week. and it’d be my warmup weight lol…So anyone could please help me I’d appreciate it a lot, I start it tomrorow! Thanks!
[/quote]

In other words, you’re supposed subtract 200 lbs from your single to get the weight for the week 1. You’ll be doing that weight for 2x8. For a 500 lbs 1RM, that would mean you would start at 60% for 2x8, which is not that low when you take into account that:

a) you’re actually meant to start lighter, possibly coming from a lay-off, or a meet
b) you have another squatting day, which, in contrast, doesn’t start that low, but also doesn’t increase that much
c) PLers are more neurally efficent, so that 60-65% would probably be close to 9-10RM

Weight increases linearly by 20 lbs each time, but you stay on a certain rep scheme for 2-3 weeks. So, in effect, this program is not purely linear. And you do have another squatting day in there.

My impression, however, is that if your top squat is less than 400 lbs, then 200 lbs decrease is too much. It also seems to me that off-season program is just one phase which is meant to be followed by meet preparation phase. It is in the second phase where you eventually reach your PRs on the platform.

Okay thanks…I did it today, and basically just did what I guessed my 8RM was…and did it for 2 sets. Felt good. I might up the weight 20 pounds the next squat day though, so I’m goin all out on it.

[quote]dl- wrote:
Okay thanks…I did it today, and basically just did what I guessed my 8RM was…and did it for 2 sets. Felt good. I might up the weight 20 pounds the next squat day though, so I’m goin all out on it.[/quote]

your suppose to go much lighter than your 8rm. this is a progressive overload routine. you need to start light or you burn out too fast

the Routine works, It pulled my Deadlift from 200lbs to high 300lbs. But i could have done more if i did the Good mornings like i was supposed to. Stick with the routine, it will work

EAT!! AND REST!! AND TRAIN HARD!

[quote]WolBarret wrote:
the Routine works, It pulled my Deadlift from 200lbs to high 300lbs. But i could have done more if i did the Good mornings like i was supposed to. Stick with the routine, it will work

EAT!! AND REST!! AND TRAIN HARD![/quote]

I think this is a very telling response. If your deadlift is 200 lbs, Ed Coan’s approach will certainly work and is probably your best bet. If your deadlift is over 500 lbs though, the routine might not be what you’re looking for. Linear periodization models tend not to be as effective once you’ve got some experience under your belt and are moving heavier weights. But it obviously works for Ed, so who knows.

But as noted above, you shouldn’t be lifting max weights early in the cycle. The weights get heavier as the cycle progresses, not lighter.

It’s a 10 week cycle though. IT goes
2x8
2x8
2x5
2x5
2x5
2x3
2x3
2x2
1x2
1x1
You’re supposed to go HEAVY all out on each week. I talked to Kirk Karwoski at the NERB meet in Massechusettes…And he even said…you go all out, you see what you’re made of when you go REAL haevy and hard on 8 rep squats. And this is coming from CAPTAIN KIRK.

[quote]dl- wrote:
It’s a 10 week cycle though. IT goes
2x8
2x8
2x5
2x5
2x5
2x3
2x3
2x2
1x2
1x1
You’re supposed to go HEAVY all out on each week. I talked to Kirk Karwoski at the NERB meet in Massechusettes…And he even said…you go all out, you see what you’re made of when you go REAL haevy and hard on 8 rep squats. And this is coming from CAPTAIN KIRK. [/quote]

ill be very impressed if you go all out every week and dont burn out in the 10 week cycle

Is this the main reason people don’t make gains. I think lots of people take it way too easy in the gym, and once you start breathing real hard, sweating a lot, are getting tired…you decide to give in a little. IT’S GOTTA BE HARD.

I could do 8 reps with 300 for 2 sets and that would be a great squat workout. I could also do it with 275, and that’s takin it easier. You just gotta push yourself, and do it constantly.

I’ll tell you how the cycle goes, and how i feel at different points during it. If eating is right, sleep is good, then I think everything should fall into place quite nicely.

[quote]dl- wrote:
Is this the main reason people don’t make gains. I think lots of people take it way too easy in the gym, and once you start breathing real hard, sweating a lot, are getting tired…you decide to give in a little. IT’S GOTTA BE HARD.

I could do 8 reps with 300 for 2 sets and that would be a great squat workout. I could also do it with 275, and that’s takin it easier. You just gotta push yourself, and do it constantly.[/quote]

im partial to 3 weeks hard 1 week easy myself. and i know for a fact i couldnt push hard for 10 weeks or i would probly get really sick and my numbers would dip. im sure people can. im pretty sure this routine is suppose to start easy though

[quote]dl- wrote:
I’ll tell you how the cycle goes, and how i feel at different points during it. If eating is right, sleep is good, then I think everything should fall into place quite nicely. [/quote]

I would be interested in reading that :slight_smile: Good luck with the program.

Just one last comment, though. It is still my impression that some weeks will actually be lighter, and that it is so by design. For instance, weeks 3-5 are 2x5. Now, if the workout in week 3 is all out, there is no way you could add 20lbs in week 4 and then again 20lbs in week 5, and do all 5 reps with these weights.

More realistic scenario, IMO, would be that week 3 weight is actually well under 5 RM. Then in week 4 you take the weight equal or a bit less then your 5RM for 2x5. Finally, in week 5, you add 20lbs, and try doing 2x5 in any way possible: pausing between reps for as long as needed, 5-6 mins rest between sets and possible spotter assistance.

Now, when week 6 comes, you’ll be using yet 20 lbs more, but the reps drop, and this should actually less hard then previous week.

Anyway, once again, good luck.

I’ll be addin 10 pounds a week. 20 pounds seems a bit excessive. I’ll try it out, see how it goes, and report back!