Improve in squats

**Fiskevatten** · 01-08-2015, 08:40 PM

Bro's and Bro'ettes!

Need some advice on squats. Been pendling between 100-130 kg deep squats every year clean on no supps.
Which for me and probably according to many else, is terrible...

I've tried bending the knees outward in a V shape as well as the regular knees to the front. Combined with leg press machines, step ups and walking lunges.
I've tried doing 12 rep 3x set , 8 rep 4x sets to 3 rep 3x set or going fail in everything. Tho i only exercise legs 1-2 times a week. Mostly to keep strength for deadlifts or the like.

Does anyone have any good program or tips to gain strength?

My mate is talking about some Russian program which basically means training legs every second day, lifting 5 reps in as MANY sets as your body can handle til fail
with different (according to chart) weights every week.
But this will shut down a lot of my other workouts.

**jolter604** · 01-08-2015, 09:15 PM

I like five sets of five two times a week, I tried three times but my job was too much. Tool bags and dead legs are no good.

**Fiskevatten** · 01-08-2015, 09:31 PM

Remember that^^ Worked in a moving company before, lifting a closet or a sofa 5 flights of stairs after legday was beyond painful

Might try that one, cheers mate!

**jolter604** · 01-08-2015, 09:35 PM

No doubt, I always do shoulders on Friday because i had to hang lids after shoulder day. Lids drywall on a ceiling...

**Khazima** · 01-09-2015, 12:36 AM

I like 5x5 as well, start with say 115-120kg if your 5rm is 130kg, then add 2.5kg per week, it adds up quickly. Or you could do 5x3 or 10x3, play around with it and find out what works for you.

You could try GVT (german volume training) and do 10 sets of 10 once a week.

Squatting EOD can be really taxing especially if you haven't built the work capacity for it, i know a guy who wrote the book 'massive iron' who squatted every training day, he'd start every workout by working up to a heavy single or two, starting at 85% 1rm and adding 5lb every few workouts or once a week. He preaches it and it interests me, yet to try it.

**Fiskevatten** · 01-09-2015, 01:59 AM

Originally Posted by Khazima

I like 5x5 as well, start with say 115-120kg if your 5rm is 130kg, then add 2.5kg per week, it adds up quickly. Or you could do 5x3 or 10x3, play around with it and find out what works for you.

You could try GVT (german volume training) and do 10 sets of 10 once a week.

Squatting EOD can be really taxing especially if you haven't built the work capacity for it, i know a guy who wrote the book 'massive iron' who squatted every training day, he'd start every workout by working up to a heavy single or two, starting at 85% 1rm and adding 5lb every few workouts or once a week. He preaches it and it interests me, yet to try it.

Thanks bro! That last part is something i've heard as well. Going 85% till a single almost every training day for a warm up / training routine. I did that for chest ones and i gained 10-15 kg because of that so it might be a good idea to try that on legs as well. But as i remember, it hurts! haha
Legs is something i need after the gym so it's a challenge indeed!

**Khazima** · 01-09-2015, 02:53 AM

Originally Posted by Fiskevatten

Thanks bro! That last part is something i've heard as well. Going 85% till a single almost every training day for a warm up / training routine. I did that for chest ones and i gained 10-15 kg because of that so it might be a good idea to try that on legs as well. But as i remember, it hurts! haha
Legs is something i need after the gym so it's a challenge indeed!

If you're only working up to 1 single then you probably won't get very sore. I plan on trying it after i try what i'm doing currently, squatting 3x in 9 days, doing legs(heavy)/bench(heavy)/rest, then the same thing with hypertrophy, then again for power/speed. Already seen some gains in my bench and my squat feels good but i haven't done it long enough to vouch for it yet.

**Buster Brown** · 01-09-2015, 10:58 AM

What type of gym do you train at? Have you ever had a PL who really knew his stuff analyse your form when you squat? Alot can be gained by really good form.

**Fiskevatten** · 01-09-2015, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Buster Brown

What type of gym do you train at? Have you ever had a PL who really knew his stuff analyse your form when you squat? Alot can be gained by really good form.

At the moment, Universal gym in Thailand. But my experience is from Sweden. Had a PT there that does excellent in squats, deads and bench natty.
He said that my technique was not the issue, according to him with my genetics i need to spend more days and more sets on legs. Been training with him for 5-6 years so i he should know me and
probably is right. But i hate giving legs more than 1-2 days when i love upper-body more.

I think i will increase sets. If it doesn't make me stronger it will still make me more tolerable to the 85% routine a guess. Or am i wrong?

**Buster Brown** · 01-09-2015, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Fiskevatten

At the moment, Universal gym in Thailand. But my experience is from Sweden. Had a PT there that does excellent in squats, deads and bench natty.
He said that my technique was not the issue, according to him with my genetics i need to spend more days and more sets on legs. Been training with him for 5-6 years so i he should know me and
probably is right. But i hate giving legs more than 1-2 days when i love upper-body more.

I think i will increase sets. If it doesn't make me stronger it will still make me more tolerable to the 85% routine a guess. Or am i wrong?

If he was that good and you trained with him for that long then I am suprised you didn't progress further. Are your goals to be more of a PL then a BB? Are you more of a leg squatter? (Feet close) or wide stance? What does your complete leg workout look like?

**Fiskevatten** · 01-09-2015, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Buster Brown

If he was that good and you trained with him for that long then I am suprised you didn't progress further. Are your goals to be more of a PL then a BB? Are you more of a leg squatter? (Feet close) or wide stance? What does your complete leg workout look like?

Yes you are correct. But with hard work, bad food and less time at the gym things ended up like this.
For me i just want a ripped body now when i have lots of time again, strength is only because i love lifting. I've progressed in exactly everything except legs, so that is my weak spot.
I've tried both but i'm stronger feet close than wide.
Will start working as a ..ehm.. mingler at ladies night (yes i'm a whore...) so the strength is only for me personally.

The wierd thing, which my PT friend is very surprised abt is that im exactly as strong in front squats as normal squats, not a weight different.
Also what's wierd is that with my 120 kg squats atm i can still manage a 210-220 kg deadlift with straps and correct form.
Haven't heard many that their strength distributed that way LOL

Normally atm i go: (In this order)
Squats 4 set, 6-8 rep 90-100kg
Legpress machine 3 set, 15rep, 120kg
Walking lunges dumbbell (35kg db) 3 set til i drop
thigh press machine wasting the rest of what i got

Tried going heavy but didn't help so going more reps. Might lover reps and go more sets instead.
Any idea?
Gotta stick to something or i'll just mess around in the end. Good for cardio/ explosive but not strength as it is :P

**Khazima** · 01-09-2015, 09:55 PM

href="http://youtu.be/ci63M6ZaPKs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://youtu.be/ci63M6ZaPKs this is the guy I was talking about, be aware he's a little strange lol.

If you want to continue with something like you're doing I'd suggest 5x5 and some more hamstring work since you're probably quad dominant if you front squat your back squat.

**Fiskevatten** · 01-10-2015, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by Khazima

http://youtu.be/ci63M6ZaPKs this is the guy I was talking about, be aware he's a little strange lol.

If you want to continue with something like you're doing I'd suggest 5x5 and some more hamstring work since you're probably quad dominant if you front squat your back squat.

**Khazima** · 01-10-2015, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by Fiskevatten

Cheers mate! Appreciate it, will do exactly that. I'll start today and keep you guys updated. I have no clue what is better or worse but this seems logical since i did the same in bench for a while and that
worked wonders. Need to follow something and with this program i don't have to put in a full leg day and can swap it up a little

In the video i posted he suggests throwing a day for legs out the door, so you'd probably be training 4x a week. Just make sure to start conservatively and give it time, we don't want to go in at say 95% 1rm and snap a limb 3 days into it lol.

**Venom** · 01-10-2015, 04:30 AM

Here is a five part series video from the EliteFTS crew with Matt Wenning an 1100lb squatter. He breaks down step by step the appropriate way to squat. It is a great series of videos that I suggest everyone watches.

http://youtu.be/2ME8gEN54Ao
http://youtu.be/LV8ZxGICsL0
http://youtu.be/MQIAzzMDhSI
http://youtu.be/pvv4uk9XbsY
http://youtu.be/MwKRhwjRZnM

**Khazima** · 01-10-2015, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by Venom

Here is a five part series video from the EliteFTS crew with Matt Wenning an 1100lb squatter. He breaks down step by step the appropriate way to squat. It is a great series of videos that I suggest everyone watches.

http://youtu.be/2ME8gEN54Ao
http://youtu.be/LV8ZxGICsL0
http://youtu.be/MQIAzzMDhSI
http://youtu.be/pvv4uk9XbsY
http://youtu.be/MwKRhwjRZnM

Thanks for the link, chris duffin has a really good series on the squat too.

**Fiskevatten** · 01-10-2015, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Venom

Here is a five part series video from the EliteFTS crew with Matt Wenning an 1100lb squatter. He breaks down step by step the appropriate way to squat. It is a great series of videos that I suggest everyone watches.

http://youtu.be/2ME8gEN54Ao
http://youtu.be/LV8ZxGICsL0
http://youtu.be/MQIAzzMDhSI
http://youtu.be/pvv4uk9XbsY
http://youtu.be/MwKRhwjRZnM

Cheers mate! Will look into it

**Fiskevatten** · 01-10-2015, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by Venom

Here is a five part series video from the EliteFTS crew with Matt Wenning an 1100lb squatter. He breaks down step by step the appropriate way to squat. It is a great series of videos that I suggest everyone watches.

http://youtu.be/2ME8gEN54Ao
http://youtu.be/LV8ZxGICsL0
http://youtu.be/MQIAzzMDhSI
http://youtu.be/pvv4uk9XbsY
http://youtu.be/MwKRhwjRZnM

Cheers mate! Will look into it

**Fiskevatten** · 01-12-2015, 02:02 AM

I thought i'd give you guys an update. I went for a 85% -> a single squat every gym pass atm. Tho instead of beg (bcus machines are always busy) i've done it in the end of my program.
When i started this thread i did a single 110 kg, 115 kg on a good day. Now today i managed a 125 kg. So progress indeed in such a short time!
In other words, the strength is there, i just haven't been able to bring it forth with my old routines apparently.
Thanks tones for the advice!

EDIT: The gear i use seems to be heavily underdosed so i don't know if i should give credit to that or not. But as long as i get stronger i'm happy!