I am done with the entire 13 weeks of smolov, other than testing my new max. Any suggestions on what to do going forward to keep making progress?
When I did the base phase, I rested 1 week from my last workout and then tested my max. When I say rested, I mean I did mobility work for 4 of the 7 days leading up to it and that was it.
For a while after smolov, I did lose some strength in that I wasn’t be able to hit my new max for a few months after testing it the first time…it makes sense for that to happen because you aren’t squatting 3-4x a week anymore! But overall my base strength, what I could do on my absolute worst day, increased dramatically. I’ve done 8 cycles of 5/3/1 since I did smolov. I feel like that program is a good way to get back into benching and deadlifting because it sets your training numbers so low during the first few weeks so you don’t go trying to do what you were before going through smolov and get frustrated.
Hey I did smolov as well…The very next week I started the super squat program. (20 rep squat) I highly recommend it. Its my 3rd week doing it and I love it to death.
I add 5 lbs each time I do it on every 4th day.
Last night was my easiest yet. I did 230x20…and it took 1 min 55 sec…The last week it took 2 min 18 sec for 225…go figure. I do 2 different leg workouts after the squats…on one day I do deadlifts and leg curls. the next squat day I do step ups and kettlebell swings.
My goal is 300x20 for my bday in april.
good luck
UNC and stevie…your poor knees lol those are both rough,good work
round 2?
After testing i’m a fan of keeping the frequency up if your primary goal is strength. You’ve built a big base of volume and then intensity, i like to keep that in place and build off of it. 3 days a week, one heavy low volume, one speed low volume, and one rep day. Or you could do something like Sheiko.
I look at it this way–why lose the work capacity you have just brutalized yourself for 12 weeks to gain? Why not use it?
Of course, if your main goal is size rather thsn strength, the 20 rep squats is a helluva idea.
Maybe a basic westside template or this…
Watch out for a bout of post-smolov depression, especially if you start feeling like you can’t make progress fast enough on less strenuous programs. I got this a bit and I have seen others report it as well. Mentally you have to realize you can’t make Smolov-like gains all the time without breaking down, so pick a solid program and make sure you work hard but manage your expectations.
I’m not doing a 20 rep program. I’m in this for strength. Though I would like to drop a little fat before summer since I have went from 185 to 227 in about 14 months.
I don’t really get discouraged that much. I know if I’m in the gym working hard the results are going to come sooner or later.
if smolov thought that one could continue with something similar he would have advocated it…a body usually goes through phases…too much intensity will eventually stop the body working as well…Thats is why the 20 rep is good…AND it shocks the muscles…I will not lose strength…Eventually I will be squatting 20 times what I did once! and it will take about 2 months to do. You think when I do the new weight 20 times (300) that I will only be able to squat 300 once? no…way more…
Then after this go back to smolov like work again.
The 20 reps just killed me at first.
[quote]Aragorn wrote:
Or you could do something like Sheiko.
[/quote]
Is there a spread sheet for this?
I honestly don’t even know what the Sheiko program is.
[quote]BigRedMachine87 wrote:
[quote]Aragorn wrote:
Or you could do something like Sheiko.
[/quote]
Is there a spread sheet for this?
I honestly don’t even know what the Sheiko program is.[/quote]
I have sheiko 2 spreadsheets, pm me your email if you want them.
or you could probably find some by using the google.
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
Watch out for a bout of post-smolov depression, especially if you start feeling like you can’t make progress fast enough on less strenuous programs. I got this a bit and I have seen others report it as well. Mentally you have to realize you can’t make Smolov-like gains all the time without breaking down, so pick a solid program and make sure you work hard but manage your expectations. [/quote]
I second this. The faster you make gains, the harder you’re going to fall once you hit a rut again. Do something “easy” for a while like 5/3/1.
[quote]BigRedMachine87 wrote:
[quote]Aragorn wrote:
Or you could do something like Sheiko.
[/quote]
Is there a spread sheet for this?
I honestly don’t even know what the Sheiko program is.[/quote]
Here is a spreadsheet you can download, has a bunch of Sheiko and other programs.
[quote]MrZsasz wrote:
[quote]BigRedMachine87 wrote:
[quote]Aragorn wrote:
Or you could do something like Sheiko.
[/quote]
Is there a spread sheet for this?
I honestly don’t even know what the Sheiko program is.[/quote]
Here is a spreadsheet you can download, has a bunch of Sheiko and other programs.
great resource!
Yeah I got a spread sheet.
I tried starting 29 today, but I can’t handle it. I’m going to start it Monday. My body is wore out from 13 weeks of smolov
I’ll start 29 and go from there.
I would do like I think Aragon is saying and do a 3x/wk squatting. could be FS or other variations, adjust intensity as needed. Big joints while using good form can handle that frequency easily