Hey everyone.
I’ve decided to run Smolov while I recover from a shoulder injury.
At the moment I’ve tested a conservative 5RM(335 lbs).
However this is a hams to calves/unbelted/no wraps squat.
I just wanted some input and/or advice on the efficacy of using Smolov for the atg squat.
If you’ve done Smolov with atg form your input would be doubly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Supinator
bump
To my knowledge almost all the smolov participants on this site have squatted ATG, if you use the search engine you’ll gain plenty of knowledge…
[quote]arnoud verschoor wrote:
To my knowledge almost all the smolov participants on this site have squatted ATG, if you use the search engine you’ll gain plenty of knowledge…[/quote]
I don’t want to be an ass…but I haven’t seen any FULL depth squatting video for Smolov on this site.
I’ve seen plenty of deep squatting(in terms of breaking parallel) but not “oly-style” atg squats.
Please link it for me(not being sarcastic or trying to be rude) because I would greatly appreciate “plenty of knowledge”.
Thanks arnoud(being sincere).
Supinator
P.S. I did use the search engine(maybe unsuccessfully though).
I squat raw hams to calves.
I’m doing the intense mesocycle now.
It’s good for increasing your squat.
However, assuming you are an olympic lifter, since you squat olympic style, your time and energy is better spent practicing your CJ and Snatches.
[quote]Invictica wrote:
I squat raw hams to calves.
I’m doing the intense mesocycle now.
It’s good for increasing your squat.
However, assuming you are an olympic lifter, since you squat olympic style, your time and energy is better spent practicing your CJ and Snatches.[/quote]
I’m not an Olympic lifter. I train for body composition purposes. This includes staple movements like C&J and Snatching variations as well as pressing, squatting, etc…
However, I currently have a shoulder injury after a bad spot/mishap on the bench press…
original thread
http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding/help_with_shoulder_injury_1
I can’t safely press/pull for several more weeks(TBD).
My ROM is ok to squat, though.
In the meanwhile and as I rehab/recover, i’m starting Smolov(Base cycle day 1 today).
What I was(still trying here) to determine was the efficacy of using Smolov for the full squat(rock bottom…oly-style…atg).
I see that Modi, undesired08, and a bunch of others are doing/have done smolov but not with full squats(I don’t see anything wrong with that, just a personal preference).
I guess what I’m trying to find out is…
Can Smolov be used successfully with full squats WITHOUT sacrificing ROM and the intended gains of the macrocycle?
Alternately…is the intensity of smolov(3-4x a week squatting) compatible with the already high difficulty(stress) of full squatting?
Could you please post/link video of your Smolov experience as a concrete example to help me answer the above questions for myself?
I will post a video of day 2 base cycle on wednesday night to try to clear up any confusion about how i’m squatting.
Thanks much invictica.
Supinator
15kg post Base cycle, test day
Its definetly hard, but you can do it with full squats.
Search for stallion’s thread on here, he squats ATG and he has done Smolov several times, without a belt, etc. He has vids in a couple of threads.
I just finished Smolov going ATG on all reps. Througout the program, I paused all warmup reps and lifted as explosively as possible. The only problem I ran into was some hip flexor pain in the first couple of weeks, no knee or back pain at all.
Final result: Starting max. 335 lbs., new max. 425 lbs.(90 lb. increase). I went for 455, but I lost my groove.
For what it’s worth, I Squat as high as possible while still Squatting deep enough for the USAPL. Anything deeper is wasted strength in my opinion. But for a physique oriented goal, I get it. I would definitely seek out Stallion as he is a Smolov veteran and an ATG nazi. His youtube name is kraftsportNO. Do a search and take a look at some of his videos, he has chronicled them well.
One of my biggest issues with Smolov was the amount of stress it placed on my shoulders and elbows. I tend to Squat low bar, so this is a big part of it, but if you are coming off a shoulder injury just keep this in mind. Having a heavy bar on your back 4 days a week will take it’s toll.
With that said, I can’t see why it wouldn’t be effective for an ATG Squatter. You ask if the intensity of Smolov is compatible with the difficulty of ATG Squatting, but what you have to remember is that you are probably Squatting with less weight that you would if you did PL (parallel) Squat rather than an Oly (ATG) Squat, so in my mind it all evens out.
Regardless, don’t base anything off a conservative 5rm. That’s the easy way out. Work up to a true 1rm and work off that. Then you’ll know that you have a set. If you are working off some theoretical conservative max, you may be disappointed with your results, or at the very least wonder how much more you could have gotten out of it.
Search youtube for
smolov base meso stallion
I’ve gained some experience with this style of training, and what I can say:
If you start getting really run down, smolov can be counter productive for strength gains (for instance if you base it of an estimated max that is too high, better shave off 5-10kg on your max before starting if it is your first time). That being said, you must expect to be pretty tired most of the time in week two and three of the base meso cycle. But now I am a heavy lifter, perhaps a lighter lifter will recover faster.
As long as you feel “good”, and don’t start miss sets and reps, then you should be all good.
“Friends don’t let friends squat high”
– stallion
[quote]Modi wrote:
he is a Smolov veteran and an ATG nazi.[/quote]
I am honoured and flattered. 
[quote]Modi wrote:
One of my biggest issues with Smolov was the amount of stress it placed on my shoulders and elbows. I tend to Squat low bar, so this is a big part of it, but if you are coming off a shoulder injury just keep this in mind. Having a heavy bar on your back 4 days a week will take it’s toll.
[/quote]
Have a wide grip, and a high bar position, and it will not stress the shoulders much. When I did a low bar position on smolov a few years back, the shoulders and elbows hurt more than my legs…