Keep squatting 100kg for 3 - 6 months

The first time I squatted 100 kg (220 lbs) was 2 years and 3 months ago, I know this because I checked the date on the videos on my phone. Back then I wasn't running (i.e. jogging) a lot.

When lockdown hit, I kept myself sane by running 10km four days a week (i.e. 40km per week), however I wasn't doing any weightlifting other than press-up's and chin-up's.

So then when lockdown ended at the end of July and I could do benchpress, deadlift and squat again, I reduced my running to 5km four times per week (i.e. 20km per week). These past two weeks I've reduced it to 15km per week.

Last weekend I really surprised myself when I squatted 100kg, and I wasn't even wearing a belt. Squatting 100kg takes a little bit of a toll on my body, I can really feel it in my back, my hips and my legs the next day (mostly in my back). You can also hear my scream from a block or two away.

Two years ago when I first squatted 100kg, I did my usual strategy of increasing the weight each week, so I think my heaviest squat PB is something like 102.5 kg.

Being able to squat 100kg right now is a big deal for me because I'm currently running 5km three times a week, I'm currently aerobically fit. And I want to keep it like this -- I want to be simultaneously able to run and to squat heavy.

Two Sunday's in a row now I have squatted 100kg. So I've decided to set myself a goal:
Every Sunday for the next 6 months, I will squat 100kg.

I won't increase the weight for the next six months, instead my aim is that it will become easier and easier each week for me to squat 100kg. Then after 6 months I might set new goals.

I haven't done a proper AAS cycle in about 3 or 4 years, other than short spurts of Clen and Var.

What AAS cycle would you run if you were me right now? I want to remain aerobically fit and able to run, but also I want to be able to squat heavy.

I've gotten good results in the past from running Tren A 150mg EOD. I'm not saying that I'll never run that again, but I would definitely closely monitor my cholesterol and liver values (and I'd come off everything right away if values were off by too much).

I was thinking it might be good to run something like Tren A 100mg EOD + Var 50mg + low dose of Winnie. I would save Clen for PCT to try get an anti-catabolic effect from it. PCT would be 4 weeks Clomid+Nova.

I always run T at a very minimal dose for all my cycles (e.g. 80 mg/wk), as well as two or three doses per week of hCG to try keep my balls alive.

I don't need Cabergoline until I increase my Tren A to 200mg EOD. I get by just fine when my dosage is 150mg EOD. I consider Tren A 100mg EOD to be a low dose for me.

I shouldn't need any estrogen control for the cycle I've suggested.

I suppose I want my body to get better at taking the strain of 100kg. It's not my leg muscles that are sore the next day, it's mostly my lower back and the top of my ass, also my shoulders a little bit.

So in keeping the weight at 100kg, I'm letting the rest of my body catch up with my quads.

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Originally Posted by Fluidic Kimbo

I suppose I want my body to get better at taking the strain of 100kg. It's not my leg muscles that are sore the next day, it's mostly my lower back and the top of my ass, also my shoulders a little bit.

So in keeping the weight at 100kg, I'm letting the rest of my body catch up with my quads.

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If your back hurts from squatting then your form is off.

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Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

If your back hurts from squatting then your form is off.

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Here's the video I took at the gym 8 days ago:

https://youtu.be/PIp0aAPFQYM

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Originally Posted by cylon357

Do you deadlift? If not, or even if so, you might try seated good mornings. I find them a great assistance exercise for squats and deads. Just keep the form tight and the weight light to start with.

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Yeah I do deadlifts on Wednesday which is Back Day. Squats are on Sunday which is Leg Day.
I haven't heard of 'seated good mornings' before but I'll look them up now.

Don't squat in squishy sneakers.

Dive bombing isn't bad (dropping super fast) if you can keep your core tight and form intact. You aren't able to.

Note that your toes come off the floor on your way back up. This means the weight is probably getting behind you.



I would recommend tempo squats to find where your form is breaking down.
Tempo squats mean timed as in counted seconds.
Say a 4-1-3 tempo is a four count down, one count pause, three count up.

I would recommend something like a 3-1-0 tempo for you.
3 count down. 1 count pause. Back up as fast as possible.

Slowly down the descent will show you where your form is off.
The pause will build your core.
No need to count on the way up because the tempo down and pause will slow your upmove significantly.

If your toes are still coming off the ground on the way up then you could try a 3-1-3 tempo.

Drop the weight. It will be more taxing.

Good luck.

Call it 'pride' or call it 'ego' or whatever, but having squatted 100kg two weeks in a row, I'm reluctant to drop the weight. I'd rather have poor form for another two or three weeks until 100kg gets easier to lift.

I started lifting at the age of 21, I only weighed about 52.5kg at the time (116 lb), and it took me 10 years to get my squat up to 100kg (200 lb). Right now I weigh 69kg (153 lb).

Also I like squatting right the way down -- I'm not very interested in going to parallel or a little below it.

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Originally Posted by cylon357

I've watched the squat a couple of times in slow mo. At the bottom, just as you start up, the weight is getting out in front of you. This appears to be causing an overcorrection using your low back to bring it back to center. My concern would be that this set of actions is going to lead to injury. Maybe incorporating seated good mornings would strengthen the low back enough that it would be less of a concern, but form corrections bring more benefit than trying to compensate for bad form by adding more exercises.

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When I first start standing up, when I get to about half the way up, the weight definitely feels like it's going to flatten my back (I think this is what you mean by "the weight is getting out in front of you").

I wasn't even wearing a belt in that video I took last week, so two days ago I did the same weight but with a very tight belt. From now I'll wear the belt every time I squat 100 kg.

I might be wise to drop it to 80 - 90 kg and do perfect squats, but I really wanna keep it constant up at 100kg for a few months. I'll video myself again next Sunday for a better angle. Actually I'll use two phones and record from two angles.

I like doing "ass to the grass" and I'm not really interested in the other kinds of squat.

Also I think I'll take my shoes off and squat in my socks (they're just normal socks, they're not super thick or anything).

You could try pause squats at different portions of the range of motion to strengthen different segments of the lift.

You could try throwing in some front squats as well to work on the forward lean. They do a great job of strengthening the spinal erectors and helping maintaining an erect posture - if you don't you'll dump the weight.

Here's my deadlift today, 146kg (323 lbs)

https://youtu.be/dA00mDQ6KhY

how do you put the youtube video directly into your post?

I click the icon that looks like a film of video, and then I can input an address from YouTube.

I won't film my benchpress -- it's nothing to write home at 80kg (176 lbs) -- but I'll continue to post squats on Sunday's on and deadlifts on Wednesday's.

I realise I'm not very strong -- even for my height -- but this is a hobby for me and I like improving. I've decided not to lower the weight for my squat, it took me 10 years to get up to 100kg and I really wanna get more comfortable squatting that weight.

One thing about being the size I am is that I'm much less likely to injure myself than if I were a foot taller. Doing 1 rep maxs is pretty safe for someone that's 5'3" and 152 lbs. If I was 6'3" and weighted 250 lbs, I'd have to be a lot more careful with my heaviest lifts. Just saying.

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Originally Posted by cylon357

You might consider adding some heavy walkouts into your squat routine. That will help you get accustomed to the feel of heavy weights without running significant risk of injury. Load the bar with say, 10 to 20 percent more than your squat (110 to 120 kg). Get under like you would if you were going to squat it, walk it out, feel the weight for a few seconds, then walk it back in and rerack it.

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This actually sounds pretty cool. I can ammend my squat routine as follows:

(1) Ten squats without any bar
(2) Ten squats with the empty bar (the bar is 20kg)
(3) Five squats with 60kg
(4) One squat with 80kg
(5) Heavy walkouts - three times with 110kg
(6) The Main Event - Squat 100kg (maybe two or three times)

For the third Sunday in a row, I have squatted 100kg. I did it twice today and you can see my two videos below.

The weight is definitely getting out in front of me and trying to flatten my back, but I'm too reluctant to drop the weight below 100 kg, so this will have to do for now.

I also did a few heavy walkouts with 110 kg (it felt like my spine was going to buckle but maybe that's a good thing to prepare me for the heavier lifts).

https://youtu.be/Yaj17eeEA4g

And also my 2nd squat from today


https://youtu.be/GFF2FHLSvkw

Today I squatted 100kg for the 5th weekend in a row.

Important note: I woke up late this morning and I needed to go to church right after the gym, and so I didn't have time for breakfast. So this morning I had not eaten in about 13 or 14 hours when I went to do these squats. As you can see they nearly got the better of me.

https://youtu.be/OqhJnCSGwUM

And here's the 2nd one this morning:

https://youtu.be/kUq13cf25O4

By the way could an administrator please change my video allowance so that I can post two videos in one post?

I'm with these guys on the reasoning that if you are simply maintaining there is no need whatsoever to do a cycle.

If you can already accomplish it then it will only get easier with time assuming proper rest protein intake etc.

In all of your videos, the weight goes down in a straight line, but then you bend your back and move the weight forward, before you start to raise it up. In the week 5 video, you do it the least, but it's still there.

Put less weight on the bar and train yourself to use good form (breaking bad habits is hard). It really doesn't matter how much weight you can lift, if you're sacrificing form in order to do it. Focus on keeping your chest up.

On week six, I went Airsofting for 5 hours and so I didn't do any squatting. Today is the 7th week and here are my three squat videos. It is definitely getting easier. For my very first one I almost went back down a second time.

First one:

https://youtu.be/LHpt_QUQHvU

Second:

https://youtu.be/Z16H1h4db_A

Third:

https://youtu.be/Rc29qoa1k1A

How much stretching are you doing prior to squatting?. About the last 2 or 3 inches at the bottom of your lift your knees go forward past your toes. I believe thats whats causing your to round your back and create the instability on the way back up. Could be that your back , hamstrings glutes, and calves are too tight durring your lift, or one of those muscles is weaker than it should be and your pushing yourself forward to use more quad power to get back up at the bottom of the lift.

If you're reluctant to drop the weight, what about trying a box squat? 12" box, sit all the way down let the box take the weight, then focus on not rounding your back when you stand up?

I lift 5 days a week. On 4 of the days I run 5km before lifting. Legs day is the day when I don't run.

On legs day I just go into the gym, do a few light squats, increase the weight and squat some more, do a few heavy walkouts (110kg), and then I squat 100kg. I don't stretch on Leg day.

I once had a really good routine of doing yoga 5 days a week but that all went to shit with lockdown. Yoga out, whiskey and cigarettes in. Slowly and gradually returning to pre-lockdown psychological disposition.

By the way I think my back is rounding for a very simple reason: It's because I'm only just barely able to lift that weight. If I reduce the weight then my back won't round. Not willing to reduce weight.

(blank)

Week 8, Lift 1 of 3:

https://youtu.be/9PVn-XL8Q3o

Week 8: Lift 2 of 3

https://youtu.be/T2t4pxb4OwA

Week 8: Lift 3 of 3

https://youtu.be/dcgTyCn-DMU

The gyms are finally back open and I can still squat 100kg. Here's my 1st one today:

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QlrDQOC3yg

And here's my 2nd one today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPzivk5JhjM

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Originally Posted by Fluidic Kimbo

And here's my 2nd one today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPzivk5JhjM

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Why don't you try to go heavier or for more reps?

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Originally Posted by Honkey_Kong

Why don't you try to go heavier or for more reps?

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I want to go a good 6 months of doing 100kg before I even consider going higher. Even if I get to a point where I can do 3 reps with 100kg, I still want to remain at 100kg for a while, as it's a whole new world of downard force for my entire frame.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fluidic Kimbo

I suppose I want my body to get better at taking the strain of 100kg. It's not my leg muscles that are sore the next day, it's mostly my lower back and the top of my ass, also my shoulders a little bit.

So in keeping the weight at 100kg, I'm letting the rest of my body catch up with my quads.

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This will improve from your workout structure. Sets of 20 is the gold standard. If you can do 100kg then what i would do (off cycle) is ...

Drop to 145 and work to get a set of 20 . You might start at 8 and add 2 reps each workout until you get a set of 20.
Now move to 3 sets of 20 for your workout M and Friday
Bump by 5 pounds weekly.
15 weeks and you will be doing 3x20x100kg
Use a belt

You need reps. This will get you there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chicagotarsier

This will improve from your workout structure. Sets of 20 is the gold standard. If you can do 100kg then what i would do (off cycle) is ...

Drop to 145 and work to get a set of 20 . You might start at 8 and add 2 reps each workout until you get a set of 20.
Now move to 3 sets of 20 for your workout M and Friday
Bump by 5 pounds weekly.
15 weeks and you will be doing 3x20x100kg
Use a belt

You need reps. This will get you there.

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Does anyone else agree that this is a good tactic to improve my squat?

Three days ago I loaded the bar to 50kg and I could do 9 reps. When I loaded it to 60kg, I could do 6 reps.

I alternated back and forth between 50kg and 60kg for about 6 or 7 sets. I felt a horrible kind of exhaustion in my leg muscles that I haven't felt in a couple of years. Legs are still a little sore today but I was able to do a 5km run

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Originally Posted by The Deadlifting Dog

If your back hurts from squatting then your form is off.

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Or you have an issue like compressed spine or spur (having the latter removed this year)

As far as you returning and it was easy as when before it was hard...those are signs of overtraining, inadequate diet, lack of reps. Lack of reps is the biggest issue with lifters today in my opinion. There is so much focus on the primary muscle and almost 0 focus on supporting muscles. When I focus on a muscle there is a 5 week pre event that I do. I lower the weight down and do 10 sets of 20 and work that for 5 weeks progressing the weight. When I do focus on the muscle the extra reps have me in a position where supporting muscles are developed and primary muscle can progress. Just something I do. Your running most likely progressed your supporting muscle which has you in good position to progress the primary musles of the squat.