This was the last day of the Smolov Squat Cycle. Everything felt good today, very minimal aches and pains. First 3 Squats at 555 felt solid, the 4th one on each set was about all I had, but I have no complaints since I got all my reps.
10 weeks of Squatting down. I have an easy back off lift probably on Sunday or Monday, and then I’ll test my new max on Thursday.
This has been a tough 10 weeks, and the program really does test your willpower and ability to fight/work through injuries. I have no regrets, and will likely do this (in some part) again in the future. It’s pretty amazing what the body will adapt to. There are probably a million articles and coaches that would tell you that the body could not adapt to these kinds of stresses, near maximal weights 3 or 4 times per week for this long. Sometimes experience speaks louder than what you read or are told by others.
Absolutely astonishing what you have accomplished in the last 10 weeks. Your dedication, determination, and will to win are incredibly aspiring. It sure was a pleasure to be along for the ride.
I’m kind of curious why you aren’t even giving yourself a full week of recovery before testing your max. Don’t tell me you feel recovered already!?
[quote]mrodock wrote:
Absolutely astonishing what you have accomplished in the last 10 weeks. Your dedication, determination, and will to win are incredibly aspiring. It sure was a pleasure to be along for the ride.
I’m kind of curious why you aren’t even giving yourself a full week of recovery before testing your max. Don’t tell me you feel recovered already!?[/quote]
Thanks for all your support along the way.
I figure next Thursday is close enough, 6 days, 7 days, what’s the difference?
Actually I will be going away from Friday thru Tuesday of the following week, and I will be doing a partial kitchen renovation. I figure my back may be tired from the remodel work, and I also tend not to eat enough when doing major projects. I just get in a “get it done” mode. So I think I will be worse off after the holiday weekend.
If I don’t feel recovered by next Thursday, then I will push it off until after I get back. However, today felt heavy, but not as taxing like a 5x5 day, if that makes sense. I feel like 6 days will be enough rest.
I figure next Thursday is close enough, 6 days, 7 days, what’s the difference?
Actually I will be going away from Friday thru Tuesday of the following week, and I will be doing a partial kitchen renovation. I figure my back may be tired from the remodel work, and I also tend not to eat enough when doing major projects. I just get in a “get it done” mode. So I think I will be worse off after the holiday weekend.
If I don’t feel recovered by next Thursday, then I will push it off until after I get back. However, today felt heavy, but not as taxing like a 5x5 day, if that makes sense. I feel like 6 days will be enough rest.[/quote]
my pleasure, a lot of fun
I figured you had a good reason, was just curious.
I’ve been following your log for awhile now. Before you started Smolov, my squat was pretty close to yours–but you’re way, way stronger than I am now lol. Seeing your gains inspired me to do Smolov with a SSB while I’m recovering from shoulder surgery. Keep up the great work.
LMAO. I am so glad that you ran Smolov, cause it shows that it can be done at heavier weight than I can currently handle. You have inspired many to give Smolov a shot, I am sure.
I am really interested in how you test after the back-off session. I skipped mine, so that my injuries could have a little more time to heal. But, when I got to Thursday (two days before my test), I felt like squatting and started feeling anxious about that Saturday. I think that last session is really good to keep the body fresh, but that is a rookie’s opinion.
Modi, can’t wait to see your test day, it’s gonna be something special (even though I sometimes hate you)!
[quote]rmexico wrote:
I’ve been following your log for awhile now. Before you started Smolov, my squat was pretty close to yours–but you’re way, way stronger than I am now lol. Seeing your gains inspired me to do Smolov with a SSB while I’m recovering from shoulder surgery. Keep up the great work.[/quote]
Smolov with a SSB is pretty badass. Are you doing the full Smolov?
If you run the whole cycle with the SSB, I can almost gaurantee you that your mid back will explode (in a good way) and your shirts will not fit the same when you are done.
[quote]undesired08 wrote:
Blah blah blah I’m so special blah blah blah![/quote]
Feel the love. LOL!
[quote]LMAO. I am so glad that you ran Smolov, cause it shows that it can be done at heavier weight than I can currently handle. You have inspired many to give Smolov a shot, I am sure.
I am really interested in how you test after the back-off session. I skipped mine, so that my injuries could have a little more time to heal. But, when I got to Thursday (two days before my test), I felt like squatting and started feeling anxious about that Saturday. I think that last session is really good to keep the body fresh, but that is a rookie’s opinion.
Modi, can’t wait to see your test day, it’s gonna be something special (even though I sometimes hate you)![/quote]
I am planning on doing the 495x4x4 on Sunday, but I will go completely by feel. I may just do one set of 4, or all 4. I will decide after the first set.
I am glad I did this and kept a log of it. I did a lot of research before starting Smolov, and couldn’t find much information on people with relatively high Squats. It made me wonder if the program worked better for more intermediate weights. Or if everyone with a 500+ Squat just kept the training to themselves, or what. This is proof that it can be done. Hopefully someone gets something useful out of my log.
[quote]Modi wrote:
Smolov with a SSB is pretty badass. Are you doing the full Smolov?
If you run the whole cycle with the SSB, I can almost gaurantee you that your mid back will explode (in a good way) and your shirts will not fit the same when you are done.[/quote]
Thanks. I’m doing the full Smolov. Tomorrow, I’ll be done with with the base mesocycle (if I can do 10x3 with my old 3RM lol). It was really hard on my upper back and hip flexors.
I plan on doing the intense mesocycle with the SSB too, unless my shoulder gets healthy enough to back squat in the next three weeks. I’m hoping that the gains I get from the SSB will carry over to the type of gains you’ve gotten on back squats. As another poster mentioned, it’s really helpful to see someone with a 500ish-lb squat make such great gains on Smolov.
[quote]rmexico wrote:
Modi wrote:
Smolov with a SSB is pretty badass. Are you doing the full Smolov?
If you run the whole cycle with the SSB, I can almost gaurantee you that your mid back will explode (in a good way) and your shirts will not fit the same when you are done.
Thanks. I’m doing the full Smolov. Tomorrow, I’ll be done with with the base mesocycle (if I can do 10x3 with my old 3RM lol). It was really hard on my upper back and hip flexors.
I plan on doing the intense mesocycle with the SSB too, unless my shoulder gets healthy enough to back squat in the next three weeks. I’m hoping that the gains I get from the SSB will carry over to the type of gains you’ve gotten on back squats. As another poster mentioned, it’s really helpful to see someone with a 500ish-lb squat make such great gains on Smolov.[/quote]
I almost ended up using the SSB when my elbow and shoulders started acting up. The thought of doing Smolov with the SSB was enough to make me fight through the pain with the regular bar!
Well, not a bad day. Warmups felt good and 545 felt pretty easy.
I loaded 600 and it came out of the racks easily. The weight felt decent and didn’t strain too much for a 15lb PR.
I loaded 620. This felt ok coming out of the rack, but not great. I had to take a few breaths after the walkout to get the weight settled. I squatted down and wasn’t in the best position coming back up. This turned into a grind, but I managed to finish it for a 35lb PR.
I really wanted 635 going into today. Nothing during the cycle told me that it was there, but it would have been a 100lb PR since my last meet, and I was determined to give it a shot. I loaded 635, approached the bar, but didn’t feel it. I walked away and came back a couple of minutes later. I attacked the bar, unracked it and walked it out. It felt heavy. I took a huge breath, bent my knees about 15 degrees and came back up with it. I knew it wasn’t there. Best case scenario I was going to get stapled to the rack, worst case, well injury did cross my mind.
I’m happy with the 35lb PR, and very happy with 85lbs in 10 weeks. I’m going to stick with 620 as my max and work on sinking everything a little deeper leading up to Nationals.
I would really have loved to get 635 today, but it just wasn’t there. There was no question. So in my old age I decided to live to fight another day.
Well, not a bad day. Warmups felt good and 545 felt pretty easy.
I loaded 600 and it came out of the racks easily. The weight felt decent and didn’t strain too much for a 15lb PR.
I loaded 620. This felt ok coming out of the rack, but not great. I had to take a few breaths after the walkout to get the weight settled. I squatted down and wasn’t in the best position coming back up. This turned into a grind, but I managed to finish it for a 35lb PR.
I really wanted 635 going into today. Nothing during the cycle told me that it was there, but it would have been a 100lb PR since my last meet, and I was determined to give it a shot. I loaded 635, approached the bar, but didn’t feel it. I walked away and came back a couple of minutes later. I attacked the bar, unracked it and walked it out. It felt heavy. I took a huge breath, bent my knees about 15 degrees and came back up with it. I knew it wasn’t there. Best case scenario I was going to get stapled to the rack, worst case, well injury did cross my mind.
I’m happy with the 35lb PR, and very happy with 85lbs in 10 weeks. I’m going to stick with 620 as my max and work on sinking everything a little deeper leading up to Nationals.
I would really have loved to get 635 today, but it just wasn’t there. There was no question. So in my old age I decided to live to fight another day.
Thats some damn fine squatting man. So what’s next?
Dude! 85lbs in 10 weeks is sick! You should be stoked over that! However, I do understand where you are coming from, 100lbs would have been even sweeter. At least you were smart enough to walk away from it. It’s just never enough, is it?
I would really have loved to get 635 today, but it just wasn’t there. There was no question. So in my old age I decided to live to fight another day.
It is still freaking massive. I’m sure if you had rested 2-4 more days it would have been there. You will be at your best once nationals rolls around. Big congratulations! I really think you will achieve a 700 pound raw squat in the next couple of years. At which point you’ll be obligated to throw on some cheater gear.
