T Nation

Maintenance For Smolov?

Powerlifting
#1

Hello again. I’m still doing Smolov Jr but I’m benching now (M-W-F-S). I’m also gonna test my squat max this Saturday so I wont’t do any maintenance this week. I’m gonna start maintenance next week. Here’s what I had in mind.

Thursday
A. Squat OR Deadlift, 5x5 @ 80%
B. Pullups, 5x5 @ 80%

Once I start deadlifting Smolov Jr or return to squatting, it would look like this.

Thursday
A. Bench, 5x5 @ 80%
B. Pullups, 5x5 @ 80%

If I do pullups for Smolov Jr, I was thinking this.

Thursday
A. Squat OR Deadlift, 5x5 @ 80%
B. Bench, 5x5 @ 80%

I plan to use a set progression. Every week, I add one set until I reach 10x5. Once I reach 10x5, I add 10 lbs and go back to 5x5 and repeat the progression.

What do you think?

#2

Hi mate
I use the same progression, on lifts with higher poundages like deads and squats, i add 10lbs, and for smaller ones like military press and what have you, i add 5 lbs.

5x5 up to 10x5 has worked well for me personally.

#3

You rarely see set progression these days. After rest-pause, it’s probably the single most successful progression I have ever used when it comes to strength (but I find my double progression training more productive). It’s a great way to increase volume without going near failure.

10x5 @ 80% with Smolov isn’t a bad idea, but what I’d do after that is test my new max then base my next 5x5 on 80% of my new max.

#4

[quote]2274 wrote:
10x5 @ 80% with Smolov isn’t a bad idea, but what I’d do after that is test my new max then base my next 5x5 on 80% of my new max.[/quote]

I don’t want to max out unless I’m doing it for Smolov Jr. This is more for maintenance so I don’t think there’s a need to max.

#5

How did the Smolov Jr. work for your bench press? I can’t imagine benching 4 times a week myself.

#6

Anyone else? I am looking for a new bench routine…

#7

I’m on my fourth round of mini-smolov for floorpress. It has also had good carryover for benchpress. I do floorpresses because benchpress causes shoulderproblems for me.

Progress on these rounds have so far been:

5kg-7.5kg-2.5kg and currently running it for the fourth time. I do some exercises for back, but nothing extra for shoulders, and not anything else for pressing. I started at a 1RM of 130kg in the floorpress this summer, then it went 130-135-142.5-145 with mini-smolov.

When I increased 7.5kg I ate a lot and developed a big stomach as well. I am trying to reduce stomach size, and therefore progress was less in the third round, but still 2.5kg extra pressing strength from 3 weeks of training is worth it.

To add to this I have been training for almost nine years, and benchpressing has always been a problem for me due to shoulder problems, but now when I started doing mini-smolov for floorpresses, the strength was coming along well.

I also set the 1RM 10kg less than my actual 1RM. I find this suits me well. Then I am able to complete the sessions also on days when I am not feeling strong. I also do one all out set every session as the last set, because it is fun, and because I use it to check where I am according to my personal expected progress.

I am not a professional, but this is what has worked for me. I’d like to add that I have a lot of previous Smolov experience, and just search for smolov and stallion on T-Nation, and you will find information.

#8

Guys, I remember reading a post about a confusion on the right amount of pounds to add, is this the correct program for the Jr. version?

#9

Guys, I remember reading a post about a confusion on the right amount of pounds to add, is this the correct program for the Jr. version?