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Thread: Next step in squat progression

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    998

    Default Next step in squat progression

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    I just finished a pretty brutal squat session at 164kg for 3x5. Resting 10-12 min between sets. Last rep toast set was a grinder. My low back is pretty tired as I squatted 162kg for 3x5 and pulled a PR of 204kgs for 5 on monday.

    I think I can get 166kg on Friday if I recover really well between now and then, but then I have to turn around and hit 168 on Monday.

    Do I just make Friday a medium or light day, then resume and hit 166 next monday and 168 the following friday, or do I just sack up and go for it?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    7,856

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    Hard to say without seeing it and seeing if it's a sudden one-time drop off or if things have been trending harder and harder and slower and grindier, but I suspect that at the very least next week, you'll be ready for a permanent light day on Weds, where you squat 70-80% of Monday's new PR for 2x5, instead of adding 2 more kg for 3x5.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Richmond, Texas
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    Default

    Yes, we need some more background on how your lifts have been trending as well as your food intake and sleep. As Wolf mentioned, a light day on Wednesday is probably a good idea next week regardless. Give us some more information and we can elaborate.

  4. #4
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    Feb 2010
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    998

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    Only Squats have been slower and grinder lately. My deadlift hit a grindy zone a few weeks ago then broke through and all of a sudden everything feels bulletproof and I want to headbutt stuff. Same goes for bench and press after dropping just presses down to 5x3 4 weeks ago.

    Bodyweight as leveled off over the last couple of weeks at 235. I'm 6'4, waistline like 40". Robert advised me to just maintain at this BW for a while.

    Nutrition has been fairly consistent, except Wednesday was a pretty shitty, low calorie stressful work day... now that you mention it I slept like shit too. I felt pretty sore and beat up this morning. Haven't felt like that in a while. I came home from work and immediately zonked out for 3 hrs.

    Definitely was planning on switching to a light day next Wednesday for sure.

    I think I might have just answered my own question on the squats unless you guys think otherwise... eat a shit ton tonight and fucking SEND IT tomorrow.

  5. #5
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    Feb 2010
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    FUCK. YES. I got it. I thought the last rep of the last set was going to staple me to the floor but I got it. I had to rest like 12min or so between sets, back pump like crazy, slow rebound, felt out of the groove, but I fucking got it.

    Then of course i looked at the video however the bar speed looked fine and much easier than it actually felt. I need to do that verification thing so I can post a video.

    SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SEND IT WOLF

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    7,856

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    Ha! Love it man. Good reasons why a) you don't just assume you'll miss before you even try, because things have been crappy and b) you need to (learn to) evaluate your own lifts objectively and not go by how it felt as you did it, !!!ESPECIALLY!!! for someone who is still on LP and hasn't accumulated enough experience for the feels to be fairly closely aligned with the reals.

    Since you've been a member here for 8 years, I'm a little curious why you're just doing LP now, but better late than never.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    998

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    I've done the LP quite a few times over the years with lots of setbacks along the way - injuries, life crushing me for various reasons resulting in layoffs...

    I actually have switched to high bar permanently. About a year and a half ago, I got this weird Adductor tendinitis that wouldn't go away. took me like 6 months to get it healed. Then for whatever reason my squat was just stuck at like 130-140kg for low bar for months without progress. Every time I'd get into the 300's something would happen. I've had form checks from SS coaches several times - everybody has said technique is fine. An old running injury in my back just seems to really get pissed off from the back/hip angle of low bar. I don't know why, but I got tired of wasting months/years going up/down from injury to recovery and never making progress.

    So, most recently I just said fuck it. Switched back to high bar and got back on the gallon of milk a day. Zero back pain or elbow pain and I've gone from 220 to 235 bw. Squats have gone from 130 to 166kg for 3x5 in 7 weeks. Deadlift has gone from 192kg to 206kg for 5 and still rolling.

    I know low bar is the best way to squat, but I'd rather not fuck with what's working.

    STILL GONNA FUCKING SEND IT TONIGHT.

  8. #8
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    Apr 2010
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    That seems reasonable, considering the circumstances.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Ok, I barely got 168kg on Monday for 3x5. Basically 3 5-rep maxes.
    Wednesday i did 134kg for 3x5 and felt pretty beat. Today I missed my first set at 170. Almost killed myself on the third rep, managed to get 4, failed on rep 5. They were all grindy, no rebound, higher reps (still below parallel). Backed off 5% for my remaining sets at 160.

    Do I repeat 170kg again for 5s on monday? Did I go too heavy on my light day?

    Amazing the difference 2kgs makes.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    998

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    starting strength coach development program
    Just gonna follow my last post up with a note that I did *not* not my backoff sets. Hit 1 rep at 160kg and got in my own head. Felt heavy as shit. Racked it and moved on to bench.

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