The Goals! - Slow and Steady

Squat Session #39: Smolov Mesocycle Day 11/12
–Some stretching/mobility work

A) Back Squat
warm-up
lots of leg exercise machines to get loose
BW Squats
1 X 5 X 135
1 X 5 X 185
1 X 3 X 225
1 X 3 X 245
Main (56 mins for main sets)
7 X 5 X 265

some foam rolling

B) Bench
1 X 20 X 45
1 X 10 X 115
1 X 5 X 135
1 X 5 X 160
8 X 5 X 185 (19 mins)

I’ll give anything to get out of the funk I am in right now. And that’s about as negative as I am going to get today.

Exactly 13 weeks ago, I posted my first workout here. My 1RM squat was 265, and that felt like a ton. As recently as 6 weeks ago, I was aiming to wrap up my 5 X 5 with a 1 X 5 X 265 but that didn’t happen.

Today I somehow managed to do a 7 X 5 X 265 with good depth on most. I also noticed I averaged exactly 3 squat sessions for 13 weeks straight.

That sure is good progress, and exactly the mind set I need heading into the final day of Smolov Base tomorrow.

Plus pillaging my fridge to aid recovery, starting right about now.

That is nothing short of amazing progress and can be credited to your determination to complete this program.

Liquid, protein-filled calories are best at this point.

Squat Session #40: Smolov Mesocycle Day 12/12

–Some stretching/mobility work

A) Back Squat
warm-up
BW Squats
2 X 5 X 135
1 X 5 X 185
1 X 3 X 205
1 X 3 X 225
1 X 3 X 255
Main (79 mins for main sets)
10 X 3 X 280

some foam rolling

I completed the Smolov Base earlier today. Will be taking a week off from squatting and testing my new max after.

Hard work does pay off. Great work FF.

Hard work does pay off. Great work FF.

[quote]ecogenx wrote:
Hard work does pay off. Great work FF.[/quote]

Thanks Eco. Definitely hoping so for next week.

I think you’ll be squatting what I do, only better.

[quote]skidmark wrote:
I think you’ll be squatting what I do, only better.[/quote]

Don’t know about squatting your #s.

Watched video of some of my sets today. Found out I may be better at chicken-winging it than you…

I think Meat’s analysis may be on the money concerning that - strong lower back relative to squat poundage (easily(?) seen from max deadlift versus max squat)

dang that is allot of squats.
allot.

you are working hard.
kmc

I think you’re going to be amazed at your one rep max after you recover.

A) Bench
1 X 20 X 45
1 X 10 X 115
1 X 5 X 145
1 X 5 X 165
5 X 5 X 190 (15 mins)

B) Deadlift (Modified C-P Deadlift routine/Week 3)
1 X 10 X 135
1 X 5 X 225
1 x 2 X 295
1 X 1 X 365
1 x 2 x 415
6 X 3 X 340 (90-120s rest btw sets)

C) Hyperextensions: 3 X 10 X BW

–Some stretching/foam rolling

I went in early AM with a laundry list of what I wanted to get done. Realized as soon as I started with the bench that there was no way I would be able to get all cylinders firing today.

So I concentrated on the only thing that needed to be done - deads - did some hyperX, stretched and foam rolled, then called it a day.

415 X 2 on the deads wasn’t really a grind but was tough, given that I am expected to do 440 X 2 next week. I have high hopes though as I am barely recovered from all the squatting.

Great looking deadlift numbers.

I’ve done workouts like this with bench and squat. A real time saver (if you’re intrested) is to alternated the exercises like this: A1. bench A2. deadlift. You get plenty of rest between sets but move very quickly through the workout. Alwyn Cosgrove uses this method. But I lift at home and there’s never a line for the bench.

[quote]formfunction wrote:
A) Bench
1 X 20 X 45
1 X 10 X 115
1 X 5 X 145
1 X 5 X 165
5 X 5 X 190 (15 mins)

B) Deadlift (Modified C-P Deadlift routine/Week 3)
1 X 10 X 135
1 X 5 X 225
1 x 2 X 295
1 X 1 X 365
1 x 2 x 415
6 X 3 X 340 (90-120s rest btw sets)

C) Hyperextensions: 3 X 10 X BW

–Some stretching/foam rolling

I went in early AM with a laundry list of what I wanted to get done. Realized as soon as I started with the bench that there was no way I would be able to get all cylinders firing today.

So I concentrated on the only thing that needed to be done - deads - did some hyperX, stretched and foam rolled, then called it a day.

415 X 2 on the deads wasn’t really a grind but was tough, given that I am expected to do 440 X 2 next week. I have high hopes though as I am barely recovered from all the squatting.[/quote]

You don’t go after the easy programs, do you?

Where’d you get the C/P program? Some sites that post it have an error for the set/rep count on one of the weeks.

[quote]ecogenx wrote:
Great looking deadlift numbers.

I’ve done workouts like this with bench and squat. A real time saver (if you’re intrested) is to alternated the exercises like this: A1. bench A2. deadlift. You get plenty of rest between sets but move very quickly through the workout. Alwyn Cosgrove uses this method. But I lift at home and there’s never a line for the bench.[/quote]

Thanks Eco.

I do the circuit-like thing from time to time as well.

[quote]

You don’t go after the easy programs, do you?

Where’d you get the C/P program? Some sites that post it have an error for the set/rep count on one of the weeks.[/quote]

Right tools for the right job - my goals are not easy.

Got the program online. I checked with “Modi” who had contacted Mark Philippi a while back. I now have the correct set/rep for Week 5.

I love antagonistic training.I seem to put up better numbers when I do that then when I
train the lifts or body parts separately.

cool stuff.

kmc

So I went out to joeskopec.com and punched my training squat max into the smolov calculator.

I’d have to be off my nut to try what I saw there. It ain’t the poundages per se, but how many times you have to move them up and down…

[quote]skidmark wrote:
So I went out to joeskopec.com and punched my training squat max into the smolov calculator.

I’d have to be off my nut to try what I saw there. It ain’t the poundages per se, but how many times you have to move them up and down…[/quote]

While the program is tough, I feel it looks more difficult on paper.

Get the Smolov spreadsheet from stronglifts if you’re interested. You’ll find it more useful than the calculator on joeskopec.

Did this earlier today.

Bench
1 X 20 X 45
1 X 10 X 115
1 X 5 X 145
1 X 5 X 170
5 X 5 X 195 (14 mins)

Also did some shoulder, arms, abs but it would take more effort writing them in details than the effort it took to do them.

I still feel tired (more like lazy) plus the soreness in my lower body doesn’t feel like it would be completely gone by Monday, when I should be testing my new squat 1RM.

So no training related activities this weekend(except for foam rolling/stretching) and I may push the 1RM test to Tuesday, if I don’t feel fully recovered yet by Monday.

Wishing all a great weekend!

Bench
1 X 20 X 45
1 X 10 X 115
1 X 5 X 145
1 X 5 X 185
5 X 5 X 205 (18 mins)

So I started warming up for my Squat 1RM after the bench.

Mobility/stretching stuff. Checked.

BW squats were causing some discomfort especially in the right leg but I ignored this. By the time I moved to 135lbs I knew something wasn’t right. Just painful.

Tight abductor on the right leg seemed to be the source of the pain but it somehow caused discomfort in both legs . Racked the bar and warmed up some more with BW stuffs. Then gradually increased the poundage but the pain increased as well.

Went up to 245 X 1 but decided to call it off after that. It was tough given how much I looked forward to today but the chances of injuring something seemed high on a max attempt.

Really disappointed but that’s life. Will try again in the next week.