Smolov Box Squat Cycle: Eccentric Squatting During Switching Cycle Hurting Box Squat During Intense Cycle?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

I’m just beginning the Intense Cycle of Smolov off a low box (same as Base Mesocycle). I did 3 intense eccentric workouts during the 2 week switching and played basketball around 3-4 times without really jumping high or driving fast, no max effort moves (mostly just from the soreness). I also did eccentric natural glute-ham raises for the first time ever (got EXTREMELY sore from these) Yesterday my leg were feeling pretty much recovered from all of the negatives and it was nice and the park was full for the first time since fall so I played 4 hours of intense basketball for the first time in a while.

I was surprised how low I was jumping. I’m 6’2’’ and have been able to dunk for about 4-5 months now but I was just barely placing it up there, couldn’t even get the bottom of my hand on the rim. I slept for like 12 hours and ate a bunch and this morning I felt good except for some tightness/soreness in my glute lingering from those glute hams and made worse cause I tend to jump off that leg but my quads felt fresh so I started the first workout of the Intense phase using my new 1RM that I tested before switching and after the first light sets I could barely lift the weight and failed after 2 reps. I am definitely weaker box squating. My quads didn’t feel nearly as tired as my glutes which is opposite from what I feel when squatting.

I know if my glute(s) were 100% it would have helped a lot but my legs just felt really slow, like they did when I was jumping. Did the eccentric stuff fuck up my “wiring” so to speak and I just need to get back into the groove or do I need to take a little time off and fully recover from everything?

Background info: I’ve only been training my legs for about a year (about 1/2 of this wasn’t very productive as I was still learning for the first time) and I only started playing basketball about 2-3 years ago. I’m 21.

Thanks for the help!

2

Sounds like you didn’t allow enough recovery. The switching phase is designed to help the body recover. The emphasis is on plyometric activity and moving relatively light weight as fast as possible. Probably wasn’t a good idea to introduce negative GH raises during this phase. Instead of giving your body a break, you gave it 3 intense eccentric squat workouts and added a new difficult exercise. I’d suggest waiting another week and doing no heavy lifting whatsoever, just a couple of short, light workouts where you focus on speed of movement and do some jumping.

3

just stick to the squat workout, forget the jumping and the other assistance work.

take a ice bath after squating, and go for a walk everyday, along with some foam rolling and stretching.

should help with recovery allot.