Smolov Experience Thread For All

Training Powerlifting
61

[quote]stallion wrote:
Avocado wrote:
I mentioned this the other day in conversation [smolov in general] and met a dude who did the program but with FRONT SQUATS!

Yeah I heard that and i said “No shit, how were the high rep days?” then he explained how he used this convenient device:

http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/accessories.php

[The front squat harness, not the reaction balls]

to make sure his rhombs didnt fail after 4 on the high rep days. It looks like an ok setup. He showed me where in his lower quad area, directly above the knee, It literally ballooned on him. For keeping knees healthy that looks like some nice shit.

He pushed in FrSq total from 205lbs to 250. I dont think a stronger guy would get those kind of gains but it surely worked.

-chris

You can do high reps with front squats without any equipment. I did Smolov for front squats a few times. First time I gained 66lbs on the fsq on entire Smolov. Just suck it up and do it. No belt and no fancy gear! :slight_smile:

Here’s a video of one of my best front squat workouts ever:

[/quote]

Oh yeah I dont doubt and I would do smolov with front squats. On the higher rep days I reckon you’d be at risk of the mighty rhomb cramp [which the pain cannot be described. Like full quad cramps from dehydration but worse]. And I was thinking front squat in the clean catch rack style. I see that you use the cross arms style and I suppose you wouldn’t likely have any issues at all with the variation.

I personally have only done with back squats. Now im tempted to do it with front squats. too bad I have my o-lifting program to follow. Maybe in july.

thing is by that time i could be squatting my old numbers which were way bigger and man that would SUCK! way more than the baby front squat max [137kg] I got now.

-chris

62

Doing Smolov JR. for close grip bench, 10 lbs up in the second week, will try 5 in the third week. and 5 in the 4th.

I’ll be going to 4 weeks.

63

Just finised my last day of the switching cycle.

All my workouts were, were Negatives, jump squats and speed squats, now into the intense mesocycle…

64

Just a word of warning, I once did three mini-smolovs (9weeks) back to back for floorpresses, It didn’t help my strength much, actually the strength seemed to stall. It is better to do it as prescribed for three weeks, and the deload for a while or do another program before going back to it again.

Invictica: Good luck on the intense phase, it is very brutal.

65

Just finished testing my new max.

Old max was 315lbs.

After extensive warmups, I first did 315, got real deep and exploded out - easy. Then I tried 335. Again, pretty easy, so I figured I’d go for 355. I got deep, exploded out of the hole, then as I got to about 2" above parallel, I slowed to a crawl and then just lost concentration and quit on it. I was pissed. Had I stayed focused, I think I would have gotten it. I think maybe I went a little too fast with it.

Nevertheless, I’m satisfied with my results so far. It’s not the monster gains some people got, but a 20lb increase in a month ain’t too bad. And I definitely had more in me.

Now to start the switching cycle.

66

  1. Cycle: Base Meso

  2. Status: Completed

  3. Gain: 325 to 385 lb BSQ, +60 lb delta

  4. Synopsis:

Starting Bodyweight: 182.3 lbs
Ending Bodyweight: 192.2 lbs
Increase in Bodyweight: ~10 lbs

(Height: 5’9")

Average Number of Meals: 3.37 meals per day
Average Hours of Sleep: 8.5 hrs per night

My increase was quite drastic – at the very top end of Pavel’s Smolov article’s projected increase. I based the work off a 325 lb squat because, for the month prior, my best squats were doubles at 315. However, in mid-September, I hit a 145 kg / 319 lb front squat, so it’s likely that at that time my back squat was closer to 350 lb, even though it was seemingly lower by the time I started the base mesocycle. I did not perform the introductory cycle.

I experienced virtually no DOMs through the base mesocycle, which isn’t so surprising considering the frequency of the squatting. What was surprising is that this includes the first week. Only after the very first session did I encounter some nearly unnoticeable soreness and, from then on, none.

I counted meals instead of calories and tried to take enough food each time that I was sure that I had hit 1000 for a meal. So, consider that 3.37 meals to be a total in the mid-3000’s calorie-wise.

Video:

That old FSQ – Front Squat 145 kg - YouTube
The post-Smolov BSQ – Back Squat 385 lb - YouTube

Immediately up is the switching phase and then it’s onto the intense one. I’m hoping to come out of the program with a squat in the 400’s, so I can be finally satisfied with where it’s at. (Well, at least, for a day or two and more like “not embarrassed” than “satisfied.”)

67

Cicanerous - awesome gain. And you blew through 385. I can’t see you not getting 405 after the intense.

68

[quote]chicanerous wrote:

  1. Cycle: Base Meso

  2. Status: Completed

  3. Gain: 325 to 385 lb BSQ, +60 lb delta

  4. Synopsis:

Starting Bodyweight: 182.3 lbs
Ending Bodyweight: 192.2 lbs
Increase in Bodyweight: ~10 lbs

(Height: 5’9")

Average Number of Meals: 3.37 meals per day
Average Hours of Sleep: 8.5 hrs per night

My increase was quite drastic – at the very top end of Pavel’s Smolov article’s projected increase. I based the work off a 325 lb squat because, for the month prior, my best squats were doubles at 315.

However, in mid-September, I hit a 145 kg / 319 lb front squat, so it’s likely that at that time my back squat was closer to 350 lb, even though it was seemingly lower by the time I started the base mesocycle. I did not perform the introductory cycle.

I experienced virtually no DOMs through the base mesocycle, which isn’t so surprising considering the frequency of the squatting. What was surprising is that this includes the first week. Only after the very first session did I encounter some nearly unnoticeable soreness and, from then on, none.

I counted meals instead of calories and tried to take enough food each time that I was sure that I had hit 1000 for a meal. So, consider that 3.37 meals to be a total in the mid-3000’s calorie-wise.

Video:

That old FSQ – Front Squat 145 kg - YouTube
The post-Smolov BSQ – Back Squat 385 lb - YouTube

Immediately up is the switching phase and then it’s onto the intense one. I’m hoping to come out of the program with a squat in the 400’s, so I can be finally satisfied with where it’s at. (Well, at least, for a day or two and more like “not embarrassed” than “satisfied.”)[/quote]

That was a nice lift, especially with no belt!

69

Awesome thread, I put it in my favs.

70

[quote]bt_impaler wrote:
Cicanerous - awesome gain. And you blew through 385. I can’t see you not getting 405 after the intense.[/quote]

No shit. Cicanerous = mongolian mountain mule disguised as a neo-beach boy.

From the FANTASTIC CAMERA ANGLE [gotta prop it when it’s good if I diss it when its bad. you should run a seminar on camera positioning in the beginners forum. that above angle is the key] I would say that that squat could be around 5-10lbs more.

the 395 would take intense concentration but I’ve seen way slower squats get made. Thing is the upper back and abs are rigid through the whole thing and they would be the first muscle groups to engage in cowardice. If he can keep half that torso stability for the 390 the legs will just eventually push it.

You will come out of the intense with >400 for sure. I reckon getting that extra meal in to clear 4000cals would really make that difference.

-chris

71

Great job chicanerous. Seemed like you could have repped the 385 at least 2x.

Good luck with the Switching and Intense phases.

72
  1. Cycle: Base Meso
  2. Status: Did two weeks, had to stop
  3. Gain: 350 lb to 435 lb
  4. Synopsis:

Never had focused on squatting like that before. Usually only half assed it once a week. The 435 I used some knee sleeves, so that could have helped a little, but the increase came in just one month.

I didn’t finish the cycle exactly because I hurt my arm so bad that I couldn’t do anything for a week, and higher rep squats really hurt.

All I want to say is if you were never really a squatter this program will make you one.

Here is a vid of the 435 taken today at 194 lbs.

73

[quote]westnile wrote:

  1. Cycle: Base Meso
  2. Status: Did two weeks, had to stop
  3. Gain: 350 lb to 435 lb
  4. Synopsis:

Never had focused on squatting like that before. Usually only half assed it once a week. The 435 I used some knee sleeves, so that could have helped a little, but the increase came in just one month.

I didn’t finish the cycle exactly because I hurt my arm so bad that I couldn’t do anything for a week, and higher rep squats really hurt.

All I want to say is if you were never really a squatter this program will make you one.

Here is a vid of the 435 taken today at 194 lbs.

[/quote]

You gained 85 lbs on your squat in 2 weeks?

Other subject;
Just began the intense mesocycle. Note to others, keep at least 1 day of rest between workouts as the program suggests. I had some free time and decided to throw in a Smolov workout two days in a row. The 2nd day was killer and I nearly missed some reps, definitely sacrificed form a little which I try really hard not to do. I will not be doing any back-to-back days anymore, that’s for sure.

74

I’m in my second week of Smolov Jr. and my calves are sore to the point of hurting right after doing a set of squats. Is this normal?

75

[quote]hammer_man wrote:
I’m in my second week of Smolov Jr. and my calves are sore to the point of hurting right after doing a set of squats. Is this normal?[/quote]

are you going on your toes while squatting?

76

[quote]zephead4747 wrote:
hammer_man wrote:
I’m in my second week of Smolov Jr. and my calves are sore to the point of hurting right after doing a set of squats. Is this normal?

are you going on your toes while squatting?[/quote]

I’m not sure, I squat atg, I might be squatting on my toes a bit. I try to squat on my heels. It might also be because I haven’t done this many sets of squats or trained calves in god knows how long. I’ve never had this happen before so I have no clue how to correct it.

77

[quote]hammer_man wrote:
zephead4747 wrote:
hammer_man wrote:
I’m in my second week of Smolov Jr. and my calves are sore to the point of hurting right after doing a set of squats. Is this normal?

are you going on your toes while squatting?

I’m not sure, I squat atg, I might be squatting on my toes a bit. I try to squat on my heels. It might also be because I haven’t done this many sets of squats or trained calves in god knows how long. I’ve never had this happen before so I have no clue how to correct it.[/quote]

Do you stretch your calves? My calves didn’t get sore, just tight. So, I added stretching and if I was feeling well enough, I would do a few sets of heavy standing calf raises prior to squatting. Both did wonders to alleviate the pressure.

78

Maybe sore isn’t the right word. Its more like there is lots of pressure. I will add in calf stretching and calf work before squatting.

79

[quote]hammer_man wrote:
zephead4747 wrote:
hammer_man wrote:
I’m in my second week of Smolov Jr. and my calves are sore to the point of hurting right after doing a set of squats. Is this normal?

are you going on your toes while squatting?

I’m not sure, I squat atg, I might be squatting on my toes a bit. I try to squat on my heels. It might also be because I haven’t done this many sets of squats or trained calves in god knows how long. I’ve never had this happen before so I have no clue how to correct it.[/quote]

Your squat form needs work. You’re rocking forward in the hole and calf raising the very first bit of the squat.

The solution? Focus on keeping the weight back, Stay very very tight at the bottom and drive with your heels. It’s not a huge problem but if you don’t fix it soon, it’ll come back and bite you in the ass.

80

Alright, I’m going to focus more on pushing through my heels and will do supplemental calf work after along with stretches. Thanks.