Hello again. I’d like to share what happened to a friend of mine recently. He loves Smolov for the squat, but he stagnated a bit. On his last cycle, he only had a 30 lb increase in the squat. Then he decided to experiment.
He already squats a solid 475 lbs raw. He wanted to squat 600. He used partials before with great success. This was when he decided to use partials for Smolov with a ROM progression.
Basically, using the Smolov Jr template, he would load the bar with 605 and set the rack pins high, then he quarter squatted 6x6 at that weight. On his 7x5 day, he set the pins a little lower and squatted lower. The same goes for 8x4 ad 10x3. On week 2, he was squatting 6x6 at the level of last week’s 7x5, and he did the same for next. By 10x3 of week 3, he was squatting almost parallel.
Lo and behold, after a 5 days of rest, he squatted 605 ATG. I couldn’t believe it myself. The guy couldn’t squat 500 3 weeks ago, and he did this. I was amazed.
A 130 lb PR??? Heck, I’m a newb, and my PR is just 20%. His is above 25%, and he’s a veteran. I say those kinds of gains are impossible within a 3 week period. That’s even more than the entire 13 week Smolov cycle. If that stuff really works, every elite lifter should be doing it. You better not be yanking our chains.
I couldn’t believe it myself, but he did it. I was actually laughing when he started doing it because I thought he was insane. I don’t blame all of you if you call me insane.
[quote]2274 wrote:
Hanley wrote:
This can’t be real???
How high was the starting partial?
I couldn’t believe it myself, but he did it. I was actually laughing when he started doing it because I thought he was insane. I don’t blame all of you if you call me insane.
He started with quarter squats.[/quote]
if your not trolling the attempt was a lot higher then you thought or he was fucking with you and could have done A LOT more before he started out.
Shizen, it is my understanding he kept the weight the exact same for the 3 weeks and just lowered the pins to “add” resistance. The fact that it was done this way is what has me curious.
It COULD be plausible. But to make that much of an increase would be pretty unparalled.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Shizen, it is my understanding he kept the weight the exact same for the 3 weeks and just lowered the pins to “add” resistance. The fact that it was done this way is what has me curious.
It COULD be plausible. But to make that much of an increase would be pretty unparalled.[/quote]
It could be he was not used to 600 pounds on his back, but had the strength to do it. So after getting his body used to the 600lb he was able to control the weight therefore use his power to squat it. On the other hand if he had no problem handling that weight and was really not strong enough with his first attempts, then i call BS.
It could be he was not used to 600 pounds on his back, but had the strength to do it. So after getting his body used to the 600lb he was able to control the weight therefore use his power to squat it. [/quote]
It could be he was not used to 600 pounds on his back, but had the strength to do it. So after getting his body used to the 600lb he was able to control the weight therefore use his power to squat it.
What?[/quote]
Foremost i am no way trying to say this is real, i actually believe this is some bullshit but playing the devils advocate here.
Ive seen guys attempt a new max and not do the weight on the fact that it felt too heavy and they couldn’t keep their form. One of the big guys at our gym tried a 590lb squat, as soon as he unracked the weight, he lost his form and did some of the weirdest squatting ive seen therefore missed the lift. I saw him working on unracking 650 for a week, the next week he squat 605 rather easy way below parallel.
The reason i don’t believe this comes from the fact that better form wouldn’t give anyone 130 pounds in 3 weeks.
Foremost i am no way trying to say this is real, i actually believe this is some bullshit but playing the devils advocate here.
Ive seen guys attempt a new max and not do the weight on the fact that it felt too heavy and they couldn’t keep their form. One of the big guys at our gym tried a 590lb squat, as soon as he unracked the weight, he lost his form and did some of the weirdest squatting ive seen therefore missed the lift. I saw him working on unracking 650 for a week, the next week he squat 605 rather easy way below parallel.
The reason i don’t believe this comes from the fact that better form wouldn’t give anyone 130 pounds in 3 weeks.
Maybe he got briefs and knee wraps???
Did it look anything like the picture above?
[/quote]
Your story is totally believable. You were only talking about 15lb. 2274’s talking about 8x that much tho. It’s a bit of a stretch to do that in 3 weeks like…
[quote]shizen wrote:
2274 wrote:
Hanley wrote:
This can’t be real???
How high was the starting partial?
I couldn’t believe it myself, but he did it. I was actually laughing when he started doing it because I thought he was insane. I don’t blame all of you if you call me insane.
He started with quarter squats.
if your not trolling the attempt was a lot higher then you thought or he was fucking with you and could have done A LOT more before he started out. [/quote]
Good point, although I saw him start the cycle. He tested his max at 475 then squatted 605 3 weeks later. I dunno. If he was fooling me, he must’ve took it easy on the 475.
[quote]Hanley wrote:
Shizen, it is my understanding he kept the weight the exact same for the 3 weeks and just lowered the pins to “add” resistance. The fact that it was done this way is what has me curious.
It COULD be plausible. But to make that much of an increase would be pretty unparalled.[/quote]
If it helps, he denies the use of steroids, although I saw some expensive supplements in his car trunk. I never saw him supplement before. Maybe there were steroids mixed in there as well.
[quote]2274 wrote:
Hanley wrote:
Shizen, it is my understanding he kept the weight the exact same for the 3 weeks and just lowered the pins to “add” resistance. The fact that it was done this way is what has me curious.
It COULD be plausible. But to make that much of an increase would be pretty unparalled.
If it helps, he denies the use of steroids, although I saw some expensive supplements in his car trunk. I never saw him supplement before. Maybe there were steroids mixed in there as well.[/quote]
If that’s the case, then it sounds more believable. Even so, I think he just peaked or something. If he could squat 605 this week, maybe he’ll go down to something like 545 next week.
[quote]undeadlift wrote:
2274 wrote:
Hanley wrote:
Shizen, it is my understanding he kept the weight the exact same for the 3 weeks and just lowered the pins to “add” resistance. The fact that it was done this way is what has me curious.
It COULD be plausible. But to make that much of an increase would be pretty unparalled.
If it helps, he denies the use of steroids, although I saw some expensive supplements in his car trunk. I never saw him supplement before. Maybe there were steroids mixed in there as well.
If that’s the case, then it sounds more believable. Even so, I think he just peaked or something. If he could squat 605 this week, maybe he’ll go down to something like 545 next week.[/quote]
Good point. I’ll ask him to squat 605 again next week. If he wusses out or fails miserably, I think we’ll have the answer.
