When squats get heavy.

[RobCor]

To begin with, I've been off squatting for almost a month due to injury. Last work set was 240lbs (210lbs bw). Today I squatted 145 without pain, which is a good sign. I'm working my way back up.

In anticipation of getting back to work sets next week, I did some squat walkouts today to get used to the feeling of heavy weights on my back again. 225lbs felt pretty heavy, then I bumped it up to 275lbs.

275lbs on my back induced a very slight but palpable sense of panic. I think it was some instinctive part of my brain saying "omgf wut you doing!?" I guess this tolerance grows as your squat weight picks up? At the moment I can't even imagine putting 405lbs on my back and squatting it.

So, yeah, what're your experiences with squats "feeling heavy," and how does that change as you get stronger?

[LudwigVan]

As you might expect, weights that used to feel heavy don't feel as heavy as you get stronger. But how heavy something feels is relative to what I've done during the workout. Sometimes as I warm up, 275 might feel heavy, and then 315 will feel heavy and make me feel like 275 wasn't heavy, and so on, and then I'll do 390x5 and think, you know, that wasn't that bad. Then if I put 315 on my back after that it feels pretty light.

[Marotta]

Adaptation, etc.

[John2336]

I had to fight down panic when I first attempted 315. It was a huge milestone for me. Then I reminded myself that it was only 5 pounds more than the prior workout. I'm now going on 395 for 3x5 Friday and I'll just tell myself the same thing. A few months ago I didnt think I'd be able to hit 315, now I can't believe I'm hitting 405 soon. Your body just gets used to it. I can now go beltless on warm up reps that I would have struggled with as a belted workset a month or two ago. I'm also getting ready to switch programs soon, because SS is starting to whoop my butt, so I'm not saying its been easy. Just eat your food, get your sleep, and take some creatine and you'll be good man.

Edit: Or what Marotta said in more words.

[Marotta]

I had to fight down panic when I first attempted 315. It was a huge milestone for me. Then I reminded myself that it was only 5 pounds more than the prior workout. I'm now going on 395 for 3x5 Friday and I'll just tell myself the same thing. A few months ago I didnt think I'd be able to hit 315, now I can't believe I'm hitting 405 soon. Your body just gets used to it. I can now go beltless on warm up reps that I would have struggled with as a belted workset a month or two ago. I'm also getting ready to switch programs soon, because SS is starting to whoop my butt, so I'm not saying its been easy. Just eat your food, get your sleep, and take some creatine and you'll be good man.

Edit: Or what Marotta said in more words.

My first time squatting 4 plates, the highest I had done was 363, but as soon as I unracked it, I knew I had it.

[John2336]

I have yet to balls up and try a 1/2RM attempt. I'm so addicted to the routine of adding 5 pounds per workout that I have no clue where my 1rm stands at. this may be a problem at my first powerlifting meet in march...

[Marotta]

~3rm is an opener.

Just take a week when you're about 3 weeks off and use three days to find maxes.

[spiderman]

...going up in the weights is pretty daunting. You struggle to squeeze out the reps and complete them, part of you says, "yay!" and the other part says "fuck, next time I have to do more!"

As well, holding a weight on your back you've never felt before is also a bit daunting. "Will I just do an accordion squat, folding up with a scream?" One thing you can do to overcome this is walkouts. So okay, you're squatting 230, and next time should squat 235. Do your normal warmups, then load the bar to 275. Unrack it, walk it out, and stand there for ten slow deep breaths. Then rerack the bar, unload it back down to 235 and squat normally. That way when you get a weight on your back it's not the first time something that heavy's been on you.

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[forgeforth]

To be honest with you, the low bar squat takes a lot of the panic away from me in that it removes a lot of tension and makes me feel more comfortable. It's all about getting your elbows out. It creates a nice shelf and never feels as heavy as it used to resting it on the top of your shoulders. Make sure you get your elbows out and that the bar is snug in position. I find it quite comfortable. That alleviates me of what you seem to be going through. But for me they feel heavy when I concentrate on my lower back on the way down. I feel best at the top.

[Vamshi]

For me, the hardest part is getting the first set done. Once the initial set is done, I know i can do the rest of the sets.