Ok, after thinking about it I take back what I said about never doing it again. Although it’s going to take a lot of time for me to work up to another one. I enjoy training other parts of my body too much.
stallion–
work capacity is really the key thing. I mean, you’re going to be overtraining regardless, but if you don’t have a body used to frequent squatting in the first place (3x week or so), then you’re screwed. If you do, and you have the mental fortitude to finish the whole program, then it’s great.
Aragorn. You hit the nail on the head with that comment.
Overtraining you will do, especially when doing it with ordinary squats, I have just done it with front-squats, and it wasn’t so hard as compared to the first two times with h ordinary squats. That was hell.
Of course you will be overtraining.
But supercompensation on the end leads to a ca 30kg increase in 1RM. It is worth it. But madness it is for sure.
I love training my legs, and i love squatting, and i’m tough as nails when it comes to pressing my limits. So for me Smolov is great.
[quote]eisenaffe wrote:
I concur with deadlifter except for the part with the belt. I personally never felt the need to use a belt on the Smolov or any other squat routine. But that’s a personal choice.
If you’re not crying and cringing full of pain after the 10x3 on the last squatting day of the week, you’re not doing it right.
There won’t be any thought of deadlifting in you in this cycle if you do it right. The only things you could do, as deadlifter mentioned it, is light bench and maybe some pullups.
Smolov was developed for olympic weightlifters who were weak on the squat and needed to gain bodyweight and legstrenght. It’s a single movement routine, it only brings up the strenght in one movement at the time.
If you want to train the three lifts at once Smolovstyle you have two choices:
- Die in agony.
- Use the Smolov Junior template.
Ha-ha on the “die in agony” part, as Nelson Munz would say. But you actually got a shot trying the 3 lift Smolov Jr. routine.[/quote]
How about some moderate to low volume upper body work in addition to Smolov (More like maintence training such as 2x5, 3x4, etc… on lifts like DB Overhead Press/Dips/Chins)
[quote]BigKDawg wrote:
eisenaffe wrote:
I concur with deadlifter except for the part with the belt. I personally never felt the need to use a belt on the Smolov or any other squat routine. But that’s a personal choice.
If you’re not crying and cringing full of pain after the 10x3 on the last squatting day of the week, you’re not doing it right.
There won’t be any thought of deadlifting in you in this cycle if you do it right. The only things you could do, as deadlifter mentioned it, is light bench and maybe some pullups.
Smolov was developed for olympic weightlifters who were weak on the squat and needed to gain bodyweight and legstrenght. It’s a single movement routine, it only brings up the strenght in one movement at the time.
If you want to train the three lifts at once Smolovstyle you have two choices:
- Die in agony.
- Use the Smolov Junior template.
Ha-ha on the “die in agony” part, as Nelson Munz would say. But you actually got a shot trying the 3 lift Smolov Jr. routine.
How about some moderate to low volume upper body work in addition to Smolov (More like maintence training such as 2x5, 3x4, etc… on lifts like DB Overhead Press/Dips/Chins)[/quote]
That could work if done before squatting because you’re so fucked up afterwards, especially in the summer, that you won’t even have a tear left in your body when done. And that 4 times a week.
Yeah, that’ll work. I just did some low volume rack jerks at the start of each session to keep things ticking over. Seemed to help get the old CNS fired up a bit too.
Today I’m going for the new 1RM estimation after the base mesocycle.
I did the squats first and after that tried some benching, rowing, pullups. First week it was surprisingly easy, second - pretty hard, and the third I gave up on the other exercises.
My advice is don’t force it. You can throw some basic stuff the first and maybe second week, but if you’re going for the real Smolov (preparation, base mesocycle, new max, intense mesocycle, new max), make yourself a favour and cut the other exercises to “maintaining my current lifts”
Wow… this is almost a year old now!!
You should give it another go some time now you’ve got the 5000 rep sets thing in your system. Those 9s will be a piece of piss.
[quote]ninearms wrote:
You should give it another go some time now you’ve got the 5000 rep sets thing in your system. Those 9s will be a piece of piss.[/quote]
Lol… I was considering it alright. I’ll also be coming off the back of a cut so it might be the prime time to try it, should see some nice growth all over.
Hanely, if you do intend on doing the routine, you better explain how you’re adapting to it again as well as the benefit of the high rep work you’ve been doing lately!
Finished the first two workoouts… anyone else currently doing this?
[quote]Tstud_9 wrote:
Finished the first two workoouts… anyone else currently doing this?[/quote]
Im still working it… on the last week of the first phase.
It is one of the best things Ive done for myself on a physical and even mental level to help facilitate the proper mindset for results. Unfortunately, I will have to cut the program short ( I do intend to do the full program within the next 1 to 2 years) but the pain, sweat and tears from just doing the first phase has been all worth. Heres some helpful advice, make sure you get plenty of sleep and food to really maximize your results from doing this form of insanity 
[quote]Tstud_9 wrote:
Finished the first two workoouts… anyone else currently doing this?[/quote]
Yeah I’m doing it for front squat I’m in week two of base, its ridiculously hard for the high reps for front squats. I literally nearly pass out on the long rep days. My younger sister is doing it for back squat, surprisingly gained immense strength within a few weeks-from barley doing 100lbs for 3 reps struggling to 9 reps for 4 sets easily-. Both are going to do the whole thing, base, switching intense. Already did intro, and half way through base. Its very important to pick your actual raw atg squat and don’t cut your depth or your cheating yourself-unless you have too-
I’ve found taking naps before hand helps a lot as well as Spike drinks for the high rep days. Its been hell in a good way, but I’m looking forward to intense meso a lot more then base.
I don’t do much outdoor stuff anymore like basketball since I’ve been too tired and sore, and eating a lot but it should be worth it. I already feel much stronger and only half way through it.
If anyone has the entire spread sheet for this program, I would really appreciate it being forwarded to my email address I messaged Stallion but apparently he’s been busy and hasn’t answered me back yet. I would LOVE to try this program out…I just need the proper template.
Thanks in advance
[quote]Big_Church wrote:
If anyone has the entire spread sheet for this program, I would really appreciate it being forwarded to my email address I messaged Stallion but apparently he’s been busy and hasn’t answered me back yet. I would LOVE to try this program out…I just need the proper template.
Thanks in advance[/quote]
stronglifts.com/how-to-add-100-pounds-to-your-squat-smolov/
This is a good template, has intro, meso, switching, and intense. Though sicne its excell it messed up in meso for the increase in weight for the following weeks. You supposed to add 10kg to each lift after the first week of base meso, yet it only does 10lbs when should be 20lbs for good roundoff. Same thing for in third week supposed to add 15kg from the first week yet it only does 15 lbs but should be 30.
Everything else is correct though, good luck its not a program you will ‘love’ when doing it but results are great wouldn’t do it that often though.
If I can’t do the coan deadlift cycle due to my messed up shoulder, I might give this a try.
I may start this in the next two weeks and keep a log. If others are currently doing it on the board, it is good for moral and gets a good bit of banter going.
Just about done with the 1st phase (gonna have to stop after that due to well getting a job offer and moving outta my current situation to a new town…) Still got a couple brutal workouts left. 5 sets of 7 with 245-250, 7 sets of 5 with 260, and 10 sets of 3 with 275-280. Sounds like fun 
Hi Guys,
I’m thinking of giving the mighty Smolov squat routine a go and after reading all the threads on it here I still have a few questions and if any of you can help that would be great:
- I’m currently doing the 5/3/1 which means in volume terms I’m only doing 1 top set and then moving on.
I guess I would need to do the two week Introductory microcycle to build up the volume, but I’m not sure how to set it up. Are you supposed to do three days in a row the first week and then every other day in week 2? How do they line up?
- Would you also base the max off a training max rather than an “allout” max. E.g. if my 1rm was 190kg raw should I base it on 172kg (90%) or should I base it on the full 190kg?
Any other info and advice would be very much appreciated!
Thanks