Hey everyone, I've been squatting around the same amount for a while, around 325-335 pounds, 4 maybe 5 reps on a good day for more than a year. Was wondering if anyone has some advice to pick it up a notch and add a few more pounds? I'm 5'8, weigh about 170 last time I checked, thanks in advance
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Increasing Squats
- Thread starter AJP
- Start date
AJP said:Hey everyone, I've been squatting around the same amount for a while, around 325-335 pounds, 4 maybe 5 reps on a good day for more than a year. Was wondering if anyone has some advice to pick it up a notch and add a few more pounds? I'm 5'8, weigh about 170 last time I checked, thanks in advance
AJP- You have an excellent squat already, but you'll run into a wall doing the same weight for the same number of reps.
I would suggest using your 4-5 Rep Max (325-335) and do 3 Reps, rest 2-4 minutes, do 2 reps with 5-10 lbs more, rest 2-4 minutes, 5-10 pounds more for 1, rest 2-4 minutes, do a triple with the same weight you did 2 reps with, rest 2-4 minutes, double the previous 1, then rest 2-4 minutes add 5-10 and hit a 1 rep max. If you want some more size, drop the weight to around 70-75% of 1 RM and do 10-12 Reps. So it looks like this...
Back Squat- Wave Loaded
Sets-6-8
3/2/1/3/2/1/8-10/12-15
Rest- 2-4 Minutes
It works on the principle of Post-Titanic Potentiation, a neurological (re: Strength) phenomenon. It disinhibits your neurological system allowing you to lift heavier weights! But you must be wise and patient to allow time for the CNS to disinhibit (hence the long rests).
Hope that helps you out!
-Andrew
You could try bringing your feet closer together just a few inches.
I find it very very hard to hold heavy weight on my back, when I get to 200lbs it just really hurts, so I keep the weight low and put one foot two inches forward and one foot two inches back. You get a sort of mini lunge/squat. Works really well for me, but ive never heard of anyone doing it so it may not be that great.
I find it very very hard to hold heavy weight on my back, when I get to 200lbs it just really hurts, so I keep the weight low and put one foot two inches forward and one foot two inches back. You get a sort of mini lunge/squat. Works really well for me, but ive never heard of anyone doing it so it may not be that great.
One thing that would help is to have a goal in mind so you are always working toward it. Raising your numbers a little is kind of vague.
I really like Andrew's advice on this, and I highly advise you follow it. I may add a couple of secondary ideas to that. I remember trying to break 400 when I was early in my lifting career, and was only capable of 315 for reps. For me it was not just leg power, but psychological. I used to load the bar with over 500 lb and just unrack it and stand for 30 seconds, no squat at all. Then I would rack it and strip off a hundred or so pounds and unracked it. It felt so much lighter that eventually I developed a confidence under that heavy load and was able to say to myself, "I can take this down and make it back up".
I later found out that intuitively I was actually using a technique commonly practiced by Westside lifters. It has the added benefit of improving your trunk stability.
You could also try a few ideas like progressive loading (chains, if you have access to them), or pause squats where you lower the bar to the standards (using a safety cage) and pause for 3-5 seconds to "unload the spring", forcing you to generate a lot more force out of the basement to move the weight from your weakest position in the motion.
Good luck!
I really like Andrew's advice on this, and I highly advise you follow it. I may add a couple of secondary ideas to that. I remember trying to break 400 when I was early in my lifting career, and was only capable of 315 for reps. For me it was not just leg power, but psychological. I used to load the bar with over 500 lb and just unrack it and stand for 30 seconds, no squat at all. Then I would rack it and strip off a hundred or so pounds and unracked it. It felt so much lighter that eventually I developed a confidence under that heavy load and was able to say to myself, "I can take this down and make it back up".
I later found out that intuitively I was actually using a technique commonly practiced by Westside lifters. It has the added benefit of improving your trunk stability.
You could also try a few ideas like progressive loading (chains, if you have access to them), or pause squats where you lower the bar to the standards (using a safety cage) and pause for 3-5 seconds to "unload the spring", forcing you to generate a lot more force out of the basement to move the weight from your weakest position in the motion.
Good luck!
cannavaro said:Start doing one legged bodyweight squats. When you can do 10 on each leg, resume normal squat training
Why in the world would this be beneficial for increasing his squat percentage?