Smolov Experience Thread For All

Training Powerlifting
121

[quote]bt_impaler wrote:
Modi,

What’s craziest about the amount you gained was how strong you were to begin with. That’s incredible.

I feel like each time you get under the bar with the ever-increasing weights, you have to elevate yourself to a different level of consciousness. The weights I’m using are nothing compared to some of you guys, but I know that if I don’t get in there with the right frame of mind, I’ll fold. In fact, just today, my 7th set set of 5 reps I failed and only got 2 - I lost focus.

So instead of quitting and saying I’m done, I took a minute to breathe then I envisioned myself as a viking berserker charging into battle. So I got under the bar and 5 reps were in the bag.[/quote]

Thanks. I just approached each session knowing that I wasn’t leaving my gym until I got all my reps. Sometimes I took 3 minutes between sets, and sometimes upwards of 10 minutes. I only missed a set once, and I think it was in the final week, I just wasn’t focused, and already thinking about the following workout. Don’t look ahead just take it one set at a time.

122

[quote]stallion wrote:
Very good gains Modi!

I see you gained the most in the Smolov Base Meso Cycle. I have a question: Your 1RM before the program, was this your all time 1RM, or have your previously done a bigger weight?

Your gains in the Base were tremendous! I usually never gain more than 10kg/20lbs in that part of the program. Then I saw your gains in the intense phase were 35lbs/15kg, and I usually gain 20kg/40lbs.

So your total gains were 85lbs/38kg, and that is very good, 26% better than I’ve ever done, and that is well deserved. I also envy you your 1 week rest in that all inclusive resort, must have felt great! Perhaps this were an attributing factor to the good progress in the base meso cycle?

If you had kept the level of progress you had in the Base Cycle, throughout the Intense Cycle, I would probably have accused you of being an alien. :wink:

Now it will be very interesting to see how you will respond to Smolov the next time around. There is no wonder you have gotten good results, you are one insane man, and not afraid of challenges!

– stallion[/quote]

535 was a true all time PR. I had just set that the week before starting Smolov at a USAPL meet. My progress had been pretty slow and steady prior to that…

Dec '07 - 502lbs
May '08 - 480lbs (just missed 510lbs)
Dec '08 - 525lbs
Feb '09 - 535lbs

I’m sure the week off after the Base helped a lot with my recovery. I only lifted once, and played 2-3 hours of pool volleyball each day. We had amazing food, all you could eat, and got a great massage towards the end. I was about as recovered as I could possibly be. Going into the testing after the Intense, I was pretty busy leading up to it, and I had to test a couple days early because I was going away for a long weekend, and doing a lot of manual labor, so I didn’t want to test it with a lot of back fatigue. I might have been good for more than the 620 if I was as fresh as I was for the Base test.

I will probably do the Base or run the Jr. in the fall/winter.

I bought some extra 45lb plates just in case. :slight_smile:

123

I am so tempted to run the base cycle after my meet in a month before going back into the 5/3/1.

124

[quote]Donut62 wrote:
I am so tempted to run the base cycle after my meet in a month before going back into the 5/3/1.[/quote]

Why wouldn’t you?

125

[quote]Donut62 wrote:
I am so tempted to run the base cycle after my meet in a month before going back into the 5/3/1.[/quote]

Why wouldn’t you?

126

I was planning on a vacation in August, and was hoping to lean out a bit, but I think being squishy and squatting a lot more than I could a month ago would make me feel better at the beach than abs. Not sure that the wife feels the same way, but that’s her problem.

I think I’m going to copy you and keep it as far away from my next meet as possible to prevent injury problems from rearing their heads in a training cycle.

127

[quote]Donut62 wrote:
I was planning on a vacation in August, and was hoping to lean out a bit, but I think being squishy and squatting a lot more than I could a month ago would make me feel better at the beach than abs. Not sure that the wife feels the same way, but that’s her problem.

I think I’m going to copy you and keep it as far away from my next meet as possible to prevent injury problems from rearing their heads in a training cycle.[/quote]

Sounds good.

Maybe you could set it up to finish the Intense just before vacation, if you do the whole thing. Then go away and relax for a week and test your new max when you are truly fresh?

Otherwise, just do the Base now, and you still have a month or so to get skinny (err, lean out, whatever.)

128

[quote]Donut62 wrote:
I was planning on a vacation in August, and was hoping to lean out a bit, but I think being squishy and squatting a lot more than I could a month ago would make me feel better at the beach than abs. Not sure that the wife feels the same way, but that’s her problem.
[/quote]

Haha, I’m in the same predicament. You know that expression, food doesn’t taste as good as thin feels. Well, visible abs aren’t as absolutely awesome as being squishy and squatting a lot feels - not quite as catchy, but damnit it’s true. My lady has been giving me hell over my increased weight - not so much because I’m a bit fatter but more because I like to rub it in her face. She doesn’t understand how great it is.

To hell with the beach body. No room for that with the Smolov.

129

Well, I guess I am just lucky then! My girl actually encourage me to become bigger and fatter, she says she doesn’t mind at all.

And it’s exactly what I am doing, getting bigger, stronger and fatter. :slight_smile:

If I could choose the ripped six pack or a 10kg bigger squat, I will have the latest. :slight_smile:

130

I just finished up the second week of Smolov Jr for the squat. I have one week left, and I’m contemplating stretching it one more week, but it’s pretty brutal. Then again, I think I recover quicker because I had a lower squat max to begin with (275). My training partner is also doing Smolov Jr with me, and his starting max was 345, and I can clearly see the program’s harder for him than it is for me.

Quick question: on the Smolov Jr template, it says you can stretch out the program and some have for anywhere between 4-6 weeks. How does the progression work on that? I know the jump in weights from week 1 to week 2 is the biggest (10-20 pounds) and the jump from week 2 to week 3 is smaller (5-10). So for future weeks, do I keep progressing by adding 5 pounds or can I hazard another big jump?

131

I’d take that 10kg every time.

As far as extending the smolov jr. out, if you feel good, why the hell not. With my last go with the smolov base, on week 2 to week 3 I did a 20 lb jumps instead of the prescribed 10 lb because I felt so good. Eat everything in sight, and I see no reason you can’t get at least 1 more week with a 10 lb jump.

132

[quote]Running Gag wrote:
I just finished up the second week of Smolov Jr for the squat. I have one week left, and I’m contemplating stretching it one more week, but it’s pretty brutal. Then again, I think I recover quicker because I had a lower squat max to begin with (275). My training partner is also doing Smolov Jr with me, and his starting max was 345, and I can clearly see the program’s harder for him than it is for me.

Quick question: on the Smolov Jr template, it says you can stretch out the program and some have for anywhere between 4-6 weeks. How does the progression work on that? I know the jump in weights from week 1 to week 2 is the biggest (10-20 pounds) and the jump from week 2 to week 3 is smaller (5-10). So for future weeks, do I keep progressing by adding 5 pounds or can I hazard another big jump?[/quote]

Extending the program may not give you better gains. I’ve done this, and I do not think the results justified it. Imho, stick to the program as is.

If you feel fresh however, you could extend it for maybe a week. But it is a reason it is designed the way it is. Extending too much could lead to overtraining.

133

[quote]stallion wrote:

3)Gain - Intense 340 to 390 = 50 pounds, 87 pounds overall!

Congratulations! Very good![/quote]

Thanks Stallion, means a lot coming from you!

134

[quote]Modi wrote:
I just realized that I never updated my results here. I have posted this elsewhere, so this is not an attempt to brag, just an update from my first post here.

  1. I completed both the Base and Intense Meso Cycles

  2. Full Smolov Complete

  3. Results:
    Base: 535->585 Gain: +50lbs Smolov Squat Base Test Day - YouTube
    Intense: 585->620 Gain: +35lbs Smolov Intense Test Day - YouTube
    Total Gain: +85lbs

  4. Synopsis: I was very happy with the gains from this program. Honestly, I would have been happy with 50lbs from the entire program, and I thought that would be a stretch. I found recovery to be the key component. I spent a great deal of time working on shoulder mobility (due to low bar position), icing, contrast showers, foam rolling, walking, eating, etc. I increased my calories around 500 on off days and 800-1000 on training days. I started Smolov at a BW of 271.5lbs. After the Base I went on vacation for a week to an all inclusive resort and ate everything that wasn’t nailed down and hit a high of only 274ish. A few days later I was back down to 272, and finished the program at 272.4. So I ate a lot more, but didn’t go up in weight much at all. Every day had it’s own challenge, but each day set you up perfectly for the next. There was always a feeling of “I did x lbs for y reps 2 days ago, now I just have to add 10lbs and do 2 less reps” (or whatever). It was always a challenge, but your confidence definitely builds throughout the program.

If I could give just one piece of advice, it would be to dedicate yourself to the Squat during this program. Just try to maintain everything else, and don’t overdo it. Your only goal is to complete your Squat reps. Everything else borders on being icing on the cake or the straw that broke the camels back.[/quote]

Awesome work Modi…man, visiting this thread is getting me so pumped for August when I start Smolov for the second time.

135

I did it twice. Once for my ATG front squat and once for my PL back squat. After a front squat cycle, the back squat one felt easy.

I gained 60 lbs on my fs and 55 on my back squat.

136

hi everyone awesome website! thoght id better join in. finished smolov a couple of months ago
stats before smolov- 32yrs old, 190cm,93kg, 1rm= wobbly 140kg
after completing all cycles- 95kg , 1rm= strong 160kg

was pretty hard especially the last weeks of intense phase.I had been stuck on 140 for a while so was a good kick in the arse to get past it.I think my biggest mistake was i definitely didnt eat enough but am trying to fix that.I started the GOMAD diet 2 weeks ago while doing a beginner strongman type routine and am up to 98kg. I will definitely give smolov another go ,probably next winter - good eating weather!

137
  1. Cycle: Base Meso
  2. Status: Completed
  3. Gain: 7.5kg (242.5kg to 250kg)

Pre-1RM: 242.5kg raw squat (PR) at approx 115kg bw - YouTube
Post-1RM: Attempting 243kg 1RM RAW beltless squat @ 116kg/255lbs bw - YouTube

  1. Synopsis(optional): Not much to say really. I just decided to do it, and then did it. Words cannot describe this cycle. People don’t get it unless they go through it themselves. You must live and breath the squat, and the only thing you do is to squat, eat and sleep, then repeat. For me, week two was the hardest, but also week three was hard. Did not miss a single set. All reps were done with a complete pause at the bottom, and of course no belt was used in any workouts. It was very hard, and unless you want a stronger squat very badly, and is willing to sacrifice other joys in life, like going to clubs, hanging out late with friends etc, then this is not for you. Be prepared to feel so tired that you don’t even want to get out of bed.

Here is the log: Forums - T Nation - The World's Trusted Community for Elite Fitness

[/quote]

138

Currently at the end of my first week of the introductory microcycle. I was planning on running the full 12 week cycle but it seems like all of you run single cycles. What do you guys think? i was going to go intro micro, base meso, switching, intense meso, done. Im at the end of my first week and all the DOMS is gone already. its cool how quickly your body adapts. the worse pain i have is from the constant knee wraps.

139

[quote]bjjwannabe152 wrote:
Currently at the end of my first week of the introductory microcycle. I was planning on running the full 12 week cycle but it seems like all of you run single cycles. What do you guys think? i was going to go intro micro, base meso, switching, intense meso, done. Im at the end of my first week and all the DOMS is gone already. its cool how quickly your body adapts. the worse pain i have is from the constant knee wraps.[/quote]

I ran all 12 weeks in a row, and I think many of the people here have done the whole routine.

140

[quote]Modi wrote:
bjjwannabe152 wrote:
Currently at the end of my first week of the introductory microcycle. I was planning on running the full 12 week cycle but it seems like all of you run single cycles. What do you guys think? i was going to go intro micro, base meso, switching, intense meso, done. Im at the end of my first week and all the DOMS is gone already. its cool how quickly your body adapts. the worse pain i have is from the constant knee wraps.

I ran all 12 weeks in a row, and I think many of the people here have done the whole routine.[/quote]

x2, they compliment each other very well I think.

I am getting ready to run the full Smolov for the second time in about 1 week.