I have a somewhat dumb question for anyone who has been through (Stallion, Hanley etc) or currently doing (Evolv(?), undesired08)the Smolov Mesocycle.
What is typically the range (2 - 15 mins etc) of your resting duration between the working sets? Thanks!
For me, it varies. Before I perform a set, I wait till I catch my breath, watch the vid of the set prior to make sure I am hitting depth, then getting prepped again. On the lower rep days, I can squeeze all of that within 4 minutes for the earlier sets. Later sets will be closer to 7min. On higher rep days, the breaks can be up to 10min.
In my opinion, the key is to get enough rest to not feel rushed. It’s not a race. And after the 5th set on the 10 set days, the body starts to feel it all. But honestly, I don’t watch the clock, I just go by how I feel.
I go strictly by feel. The important thing is you hit your numbers. That’s the goal everytime you get under the bar. Take as much time as you need to prepare for the next set.
Thanks Invictica and undesired08.
Your suggestions are exactly what I had to do to complete my 4 X 9 when I started yesterday. just wanted to know I wasn’t slacking by resting for 10 mins.
IMO, anyone with the balls to squat 4 days a week and bust their butt doing it can rest as long as they want.
The point is to become strong. Have long rests. If it gets very tough, rest as long as you feel you need to. I never time the rest periods, I just wait till I feel ready. When it gets so tough that you hates every set, but still don’t give up, that’s when the real strength is created (the mental strength).
Scientifically there is a limit to how much of a pause that you really need. But do it by feel, that is my advice!
[quote]undesired08 wrote:
IMO, anyone with the balls to squat 4 days a week and bust their butt doing it can rest as long as they want.[/quote]
and have any women they want
I would say my average rest period is 3 - 6 minutes between sets. However, rest periods were considerably increased by the 3rd week. My body was getting exhausted at this point and the stress on my shoulder and calves caused pain, and I remember waiting up to 10 minutes between sets just so that these pains would dissipate.
Also, rest and eat well on the day prior to your 10x3, because doing that the day after doing 7x5 is hell.
[quote]OrangeBroccoli wrote:
I would say my average rest period is 3 - 6 minutes between sets. However, rest periods were considerably increased by the 3rd week. My body was getting exhausted at this point and the stress on my shoulder and calves caused pain, and I remember waiting up to 10 minutes between sets just so that these pains would dissipate.
Also, rest and eat well on the day prior to your 10x3, because doing that the day after doing 7x5 is hell.[/quote]
I’m the opposite. This week (week 3) has been the easiest and fastest recovery times between sets that I have experienced. And I have to have my wife restrain me from going to the gym first a.m. to get that 10x3 session in. But I rest a lot more earlier in the week, so I feel incredibly fresh (compared to the rest of the week, of course).
Yeah week 3 is great because your body is convinced you are at war with hippopotamus battle ninja mutants and gives you a nice big dose of kung-fu hormones. The program is also geared for this. It’s your big adaptation response, or at least the first one. make sure you eat as many hippo battle ninja’s as possible.
As for the breaks, set a minimum time. On lower rep days I go min 2 minutes to make sure i dont short shift. usually you get to min 3 after half the sets. For higher rep days I give it min 5 minutes. This allow for all your primary energy pathways to be ready. You need to make sure you get your ATP production on the longer sets so you dont miss a lift.
It is always better to rest longer and make the set. To this extent i sometimes force myself to go and have a small <10min conversation with a fellow lifter or some sexy fat girl doing 45’ reverse hypers.
this allows me to refocus and makes sure im proper rested. It works like a bastard too because I am not good at taking breaks. Great way to land a nice chubby too.
-chris
I started out with 2 minute rests and now, at the end of week 2, I’m up to 4 for the later sets of 7x5 and probably 10x3. I did this purposedly, so I’d have some wiggle room and conitioning in the later weeks, when the intensity starts building up.
I’m not as experienced or strong as these other posters though, which I’m sure makes a big difference. I suck at biofeedback. No knee wraps or belts to set up either.
So as not to create another thread…
Can one jump straight into the base mesocycle or must one do the introductory one first?
[quote]Gaius Octavius wrote:
So as not to create another thread…
Can one jump straight into the base mesocycle or must one do the introductory one first?[/quote]
Lots of people do JUST the base. The intro is for people like me, who have had a hiatus from squatting frequently. If you feel solid enough about your squat, start with the base.
Just do the rest periods by feel, the heavier the squats, the longer the rest periods.
[quote]undesired08 wrote:
Gaius Octavius wrote:
So as not to create another thread…
Can one jump straight into the base mesocycle or must one do the introductory one first?
Lots of people do JUST the base. The intro is for people like me, who have had a hiatus from squatting frequently. If you feel solid enough about your squat, start with the base.
[/quote]
Yeah if you usually squat 4+ days a week you can go for the base. Otherwise id go for the intro as well. You dont want to start only to have to quit because you cant take the volume.
speaking of volume, make sure you are used to doing the higher rep ranges as well if you go base first. they killed me because i only rocked sets <4 previous to the program.
-chris