Let's talk about squats!!!

[Mo Lung]

Good effort!

[fa_jing]

Well I just gained 55 lbs on my squat in about 5 weeks using the Smolov base phase with some logical adjustments. I tested it tonight. I got 315 Baby!!! Hi-bar ATG no belt. This is my most satisfying lift ever. That may change though...can't wait to check out the carryover to other lifts...

I had never even done a squat above 245 before in a set. I could do 3 shaky reps when I started the program. I used 260 as a calculated max after failing on my initial test with 265.
Some of my gain was in fact due to better form. Hitting all those tough sets and reps in the volume phase really taught me to use everything correctly. I gained about 7 pounds as I have been eating along with it. Alot of that weight gain took place last week as I didn't lift. I was at about 206 at the time of the lift this evening.

Also I lifted the 90's in the dumbell bench press for 6, 3, 4, 3. That's also a major PR. I'm really starting to learn how to harness the stretch reflex from the negative in my lifts. Even the first rep in the DB BP you engage the stretch reflex as you lay back into position for the lift. I guess unless someone hands you the DBs, but I start seated with the DBs on my thighs.

Anyway after this Deadlift comp on Sunday and two weeks of a switching phase I'm going to do the second half of the Smolov which is a high intensity peaking cycle. This will shoot my squat past 350 in a similar time frame.

I'm really paying for these squat gains, though. It's a controlled overtraining cycle, followed by things like tapers and recover periods. I was getting irritable at a certain point. You also temporarily lose certain types of flexibility. It will be nice to take a long break from heavy lifting and go outside and work out the kinks with kettlebells and stuff.

[Tsai li fu]

But any of you do any Human body weight squats? Alot of you use weights and dumbells which is nothing wrong with that.

[fa_jing]

I worked up to 400 hindu squats about two years ago. Then I got into kettlebells and now barbells. I still may do a few Hindus here or there but it's rare. I also like wall squats where you face the wall, point your toes out at about 45 degrees with the toes touching the wall, put your arms over your head and squat all the way down. I do just a few reps of those for stretching mostly, but they could be used in a workout.

I've also done lots of pistols and weighted pistols. Another cool bodyweight exercise is the airborne lunge.

[Mo Lung]

Another cool bodyweight exercise is the airborne lunge.

Airborne?

[fa_jing]

ok, a video would be worth a thousand words here. You start standing on two feet. Lift one foot back by bending it at the knee. Now stick your arms forward by sticking them out like superman. Lean forward simultaneously about 20 degrees by folding at the hip and let the knee of the raised foot seperate backwards from the plane of the other leg. Now bend the standing leg until the knee of the raised leg touches the ground behind you. If you were to let the toe of the back foot touch the ground at this point (you shouldn't) then you would be in the bottom position of the standard lunge. In fact, this can be a way for people to work up to performing the maneuver who lack the balance, strength or flexibility. You'll need to compress the abs to keep your balance. Now press yourself back up to standing without letting the toe of the back foot touch the ground. Cool exercise, right? Hope that helped.
Hey, I found these corny photos on the net: http://precisiondocs.com/~altaoism/AirborneLunges.htm

[Mighty Mungbean]

I noticed that most of you guys are working high weight and low reps. Power lifting style. How does that help in your martial arts? (Honest question, not sarcasm.) I supplement my income as a group Fitness Instructor at one of our local gyms. I've just recently trained in the BodyPump fitness class which is a barbell class set to club-kid style high energy feel good music. It works all the major muscle groups with high reps and relatively low weights. The current squat track we are working with contains over a hundred squats. Some of these are done at a slower count than others. I'm currently lifting around 42lbs (including the bar) for that track. What I've noticed is a dramatic increase in muscle endurance (I do BodyPump three days a week) which has really paid off in my Mantis classes. Oh yeah, I also gained two inches in my thighs after my first month of training. My wife really likes that

[FngSaiYuk]

I noticed that most of you guys are working high weight and low reps. Power lifting style. How does that help in your martial arts? (Honest question, not sarcasm.)

Power & speed.

Oh yeah, I also gained two inches in my thighs after my first month of training. My wife really likes that

Yep, chix dig thickness...

[Mo Lung]

ok, a video would be worth a thousand words here. You start standing on two feet. Lift one foot back by bending it at the knee. Now stick your arms forward by sticking them out like superman. Lean forward simultaneously about 20 degrees by folding at the hip and let the knee of the raised foot seperate backwards from the plane of the other leg. Now bend the standing leg until the knee of the raised leg touches the ground behind you. If you were to let the toe of the back foot touch the ground at this point (you shouldn't) then you would be in the bottom position of the standard lunge. In fact, this can be a way for people to work up to performing the maneuver who lack the balance, strength or flexibility. You'll need to compress the abs to keep your balance. Now press yourself back up to standing without letting the toe of the back foot touch the ground. Cool exercise, right? Hope that helped.
Hey, I found these corny photos on the net: http://precisiondocs.com/~altaoism/AirborneLunges.htm

Nice. Like an easier pistol in some ways. I'll have to play around with that.

[fa_jing]

Right. It is slightly easier than a pistol. Well, probably due to the reduced range of motion.


MightyMungbean: I think as long as you continue to make progress, the workout protocol is valid. For now the routine has given you increased mass and strength, but those types of gains will plateau quickly. This kind of work is good though, because it prepares and conditions the body for more direct intensive exercise.