-I took an extra day of rest after Day 3 and Day 4, instead of doing them consecutively. I didn’t want my joints to get too beat up.
-For me, the days got easier as the week progressed. 4x9 days were tough as hell. I missed 1 rep on the 4x9 day during the 2nd week (9/9/9/8), and I missed 2 reps on the 4x9 day during the 3rd week (9/9/8/8). I thought that missing 2 reps was unacceptable, so I actually lowered the weight from 215lbs to 211lbs and tried again, and that time I finally got 4x9. So I actually did 2 4x9 days that 3rd week.
-I started with an estimated 1RM of 270lbs. I added 13.5lbs the first week, and then 8.5lbs the second week. It was impossible for me to add 20lbs and then 10lbs, as I am a lighter lifter, although I think if you’re still new you can do it even as a lighter lifter (newb gains).
-You’re going to get injured on this program if you don’t keep up recovery techniques, such as massage and stretching. I did a lot of massage or else I think I would have strained something.
I weigh 150-152lbs now, at 5’7". My max bsq is an easy 305. It seems like everybody here is a little heavier(most over 170, I think). Is it plausible to get a 50lb gain from this, being a smaller guy?
P.S.
I want a 3x body weight squat in high-school(I’m confident).
[quote]wendell wrote:
I weigh 150-152lbs now, at 5’7". My max bsq is an easy 305. It seems like everybody here is a little heavier(most over 170, I think). Is it plausible to get a 50lb gain from this, being a smaller guy?
P.S.
I want a 3x body weight squat in high-school(I’m confident).[/quote]
I tried to do both the base and intense cycles. However, I ended up injuring my hip (Femoral Anterior Glide, I think) just a couple weeks into the base cycle. It ended up being a major setback.
My advice to anyone is to make sure you have the proper hip mobility, core strength, glute activation, and especially recovery potential before you even think about attempting to squat four days a week.
[quote]Benway wrote:
I tried to do both the base and intense cycles. However, I ended up injuring my hip (Femoral Anterior Glide, I think) just a couple weeks into the base cycle. It ended up being a major setback.
My advice to anyone is to make sure you have the proper hip mobility, core strength, glute activation, and especially recovery potential before you even think about attempting to squat four days a week.[/quote]
You are not the only one this has happened to, and it is something everyone should be aware of that is attempting to do smolov. That said however, it is possible to do this program. For first timers it could be adviced to lower the pre-1RM and perhaps to stretch the base cycle out a little… That way it would be easier to do. Going directly on it with all force with your actual max, could lead to problems like stated above.
I’m just starting on the second week of the base mesocycle and I was hoping to get some advice. The program so far has been tough, but I’m not finding it as tough as others have made out. I’m coming off a 12 week O-lifting cycle, so I was squatting 3X week before, and I’m working off the squat max from that cycle 165kg, which is pretty accurate for my 1RM.
My question is: Am I missing something? I don’t think I’ve cocked up the weights, I used a couple of the Smolov calculators to check the % and averaged it out, so my weights to date are
I’m just starting on the second week of the base mesocycle and I was hoping to get some advice. The program so far has been tough, but I’m not finding it as tough as others have made out. I’m coming off a 12 week O-lifting cycle, so I was squatting 3X week before, and I’m working off the squat max from that cycle 165kg, which is pretty accurate for my 1RM.
My question is: Am I missing something? I don’t think I’ve cocked up the weights, I used a couple of the Smolov calculators to check the % and averaged it out, so my weights to date are
70% 115kg
75% 123.5kg
80% 132.5kg
85% 141kg
And then add 10kg Wk2 and 5kg Wk3
Can anyone pick any glaring mistakes?
Cheers,
Jon[/quote]
That’s it. Since you are already a frequent squatter, you should have an easier go at it than most. The Base was torture for me, but once I started the Intense I was chugging right along.
Cycle: I just finished the Base…well sort of, I haven’t tested yet. Final workout was 340 10x3
Status: See above
Gain: Previous max was 390 after last Smolov cycle completed early April 2009. My bodyweight was 200. I cut since then (although I stopped cutting when I started Smolov for obvious reasons) and I weighed in at 184 this morning. I am hoping to hit right around 400.
Synopsis: This cycle was tougher for 2 reasons; 1) I had cut prior to starting it and 2) the weights are way higher than the first time since my max was starting way higher (FYI, I didn’t calulate the Base cycle off of 390, because I think I had lost some strength) The 4x9 and 5x7 days sucked, made me want to vomit, I don’t enjoy high reps, I’d much rather grind out a super heavy 3 rep set than suck wind on a 9 repper!
I wasn’t able to complete smolov jr for bench, my 1RM was too high. I used 265 a PR I got while doing some westside stuff, but it dropped off dramatically… the next cycle of flat bench I was at 245lbs… My bench strength isn’t sticking at all…
Cycle: base meso cycle
Status: starting next week
Synopsis: after coming back from my annual and fuckin annoying man-flu bout last week (which always fucks me up), i feel the need to increase my back squat from 135kg to 150+kg before the new year. after joining a proper gym in january and getting my 1rm from 100kg bad form to 135kg decent form with 5x5, i know im ready for this.
i was going t use the calculator on joe skopec’s site, but it doesnt seem to work at the mo. i will start 4x9 at 95kgs and carry on till i hit 150kgs for 5rm apart from squats, i will alternate clean+presses 5x3 and dips, pullups (still aiming for ten clean in a row)and DB rows. on off days i will do various KB and bodyweight stuff for recovery and to keep my metabolism up.
Im about to finish my 4th cycle of 5/3/1 i really like it, but i wanted to give smolov a try. I was just wondering what you guys use as your max? Do you use your est 1rm and base it off of that or do most of you scale that back to 75-85% of max?
The high reps are mostly a matter of willpower imo.