I used the Super Squat program in my early 20's
I trained twice weekly. I started about 20 lbs under my max and added 5 lbs every session then every other session. I ate A LOT and drank about 2 pints of milk a day.
It was hard work but I got a little bigger and a lot stronger.
Anyone ever hear of "German Overload" or something like that? I remember doing 10 sets of varied reps and weights, either 2 or 3 times a week. It put massive amounts of muscle/strength in my quads and hams.
German Volume training? 10 sets of 10
i decided to try it after reading this thread....so ive got a question.....it seems that when im tired....(last 6 repes or so) my lower back hurts way more than my legs. am i doing something wrong or is this normal?
^^^ Be careful, brother. Your lower back is usually the first place that complains if your squat form is off. If you squat correctly, your lower back should not get hurt. If I were you, I'd make sure my form was as close to perfect as I could get it before taking on this routine. Maybe ask a trainer or coach to help you out? You can also try videotaping yourself squatting (from the side) and watching it - you may see something completely different than what you thought you were doing. Practice squatting with a light load. Concentrate on your form. Sit back. Keep your heels down. Chest up, ass out. Flat/arched back. Med-Wide stance. Toes pointed outward a little. Knees track over your toes - don't let them cave inward. Eyes and head forward and up.
Some things you can also consider... Maybe your hamstrings are too tight, and you can’t squat without tucking in your pelvis & hunching your lower back a little? Stretching helps. So does more hamstring work. Also, sometimes carrying the bar a little lower on your upper back instead of high on your traps might help taking a little strain off your lower back.
Thanks Damion, it's been a long time since I did that. That's right, 10 sets of 10.
Ironmind is a great site but the book "Super Squats" is a lot cheaper on Amazon (think around 11 bucks). I did the program a while back, drinking about half a gallon of milk a day and squatting 3 times a week. The program works in terms of strength but expect to gain a good amount of fat as well. I gained almost a pound a day for the first two weeks but a lot (if not most) of that was fat. Still, getting bigger/fatter still equated to more strength and I was up to 295x20 by the end of the program.
Couple of thoughts:
-The program is not for aesthetics and wasn't meant to be (expect to get a gut)
-The program won't work unless you: 1. drink a ton of milk or 2. take in a comparable amount of protein/fat from other sources
-Program will work best for people who can get their 8-10 hours of sleep + naps (ie students/unemployed).
-Expect to pass a lot of gas
there's no worse torture than 20 rep squats
Doesn't seem practical, yet seems very effective. If I ever decide to quit training martial arts for 2 months I will give this a shot. Other than that, I will stick to regular volume oly lifts and KBs. Badass if you can stick with it, that's for sure.
how on earth can u drink a friggin gallon of milk every day???!!!! a couple gallons a week yes but daily...i rmr bob whelan also recommended this as well but geezz.
The thing I always liked about the squats and milk program was it's simplicity. It covers the basics of weight training for strength and muscle gain.
basic compound exercises + progressive overload + a lot of calories + a lot of rest = bigger and stronger
If you're drinking whole milk, half a gallon should be plenty. It comes out to 8 cups; I just drank four cups at lunch and 4 at dinner (comes out to 64 grams of protein). If you're shooting for a gallon, you'll have to carry a cooler around with you. Think its better just to add a protein supplement.
I have serious reservations that a guy can do his 'tested' 10RM for 20reps even for pausing with big reps...
For me a max is a literal max where you nearly fail on the last rep of whatever rep your on.
Mate 78Kg did 80kg for 20reps after 70 and 75kg for 12reps each! He is not the most gifted or strongest guy. His 1RM back squat testd is 85kg or so.
5months ago I did 100kg for 20reps Oly ATG style. I was wrecked. I'm use to squating 3x a week and lifting 3-4x a week with 2 upperbody and or 2 sprint sessions. I hardly every do any reps over 4reps on squats currently. I use to do 80% x 6reps x 5sets 3x a week. This was my staple and I did this for 90% of my traaining. I can assure you I could not bust out double my xx RM if I took some breathing inbetween my sets!
Maybe this guys 10RM was done less intensively then says his 3 or 6rep max?
If you did this 3x a week you'd be destroyed! Good luck!
My coach has done his bodyweight on a bar for 50reps. I'll have to try but I'm not a repper.
Koing
It's not your true 10 rep max, more like a guesstimate. I think if you asked a group of people their 10 rep max you'd probably get their 15
Heang Koing: Regarding lifting your 10rm, I think this program is aimed more for novice-intermediate lifters, who do not readily recruit higher threshold MU's as readily as more seasoned lifters like yourself.
In addition, the perceived fatigue is very different in novice lifters compared to seasoned; at novice levels, your body can usually squeeze out more reps than your body is telling you. What a beginner perceives as his 10 rep max isn't really his max.
At advanced levels, when your body says you can't do another rep, you really can't.
A novice lifter will likely not be able to put forth the effort (mentally and physically) to reap the true benefits of this program. I know many competitive powerlifters who use this program every now and then as a 6 or 8 week shock program. They are the most advanced lifters I know.
As for doing 20 reps with your 10 rep max, I'll just say start the program with what you perceive to be a really light weight (avoid DOMS). Add weight each workout (can add larger amounts in the beginnning, but after that I'm talking 5 - 10 lbs.). You will be amazed at your gains. Don't be too shocked (if you have the mental toughness to bang through 20 reps when your mind tells you stop at 12 or 13), to find yourself doing much more than your 10rm after 8 weeks or so.
Don't underestimate the 3 long deep breaths between reps. It is almost "break" like (though your back will be telling you otherwise on about rep 15.)
As for the milk, most people these days use large glasses. Drink one or two of those large glasses at each full meal, one with your snack or two, and use milk for your shake or two and you may find yourself drinking MORE than a gallon.
I might try this.
ph-
haaah memories of the original DOcTOR SQUAT himself...i rmr miscle mags back in the 80s with platz religously advocating squats in his articles and routines. this was whe i was ..damn...8-12 years old at my babysitters place....her grandson who was prob....18 t the time had mags in the living room on sofas or coffee table n i would just grab n look at the pics lol..man it was like DAYUM lookit tis guys big ass muscles lol...and watching Hulk ( tv series) added to the excitement .
=)
SBB- good points n the post man ...sp the milk intake...on a 2nd note ...i was at my job and was talking with a jamaican guy....he had some dish with veggies n meat...i ask him is that neck bones...he said no it was goat meat...right there it made me think of goat milk...in his country they drink that ...i was wondering is that more beneficial to cow milk??
thx =)
ss
ph-
haaah memories of the original DOcTOR SQUAT himself...i rmr miscle mags back in the 80s with platz religously advocating squats in his articles and routines. this was whe i was ..damn...8-12 years old at my babysitters place....her grandson who was prob....18 t the time had mags in the living room on sofas or coffee table n i would just grab n look at the pics lol..man it was like DAYUM lookit tis guys big ass muscles lol...and watching Hulk ( tv series) added to the excitement .
=)
SBB- good points n the post man ...sp the milk intake...on a 2nd note ...i was at my job and was talking with a jamaican guy....he had some dish with veggies n meat...i ask him is that neck bones...he said no it was goat meat...right there it made me think of goat milk...in his country they drink that ...i was wondering is that more beneficial to cow milk??
thx =)
ss
"A novice lifter will likely not be able to put forth the effort (mentally and physically) to reap the true benefits of this program. I know many competitive powerlifters who use this program every now and then as a 6 or 8 week shock program. They are the most advanced lifters I know."
I should clarify- I did not mean to classify the 20 rep set protocol as novice only program, but rather the "SUPER SQUATS" program being aimed more at novice/intermediate lifters (judging by the wording content and nutrition program; it simplifies things greatly making it a simple and successful program for novices)
I think you will be very hard pressed to find any competitive strength athlete that can lift his true 10RM 20 times.