Russian Squat Routine vs Smolov Squat Cycle

which one is harder my coach told me that they modified the smolov squat cycle off the russian squat routine to make it easier

Smolov isn’t easy lol. And do you have a link to the Russian squat routine?

I’ve never done the Russian Squat Routine, but this is it:

Week 1
6 x 2 @ 80%
6 x 3 @ 80%
6 x 2 @ 80%
Week 2
6 x 4 @ 80%
6 x 2 @ 80%
6 x 5 @ 80%
Week 3
6 x 2 @ 80%
6 x 6 @ 80%
6 x 2 @ 80%
Week 4
5 x 5 @ 85%
6 x 2 @ 80%
4 x 4 @ 90%
Week 5
6 x 2 @ 80%Â
3 x 3 @ 95%
6 x 2 @ 80%
Week 6
2 x 2 @ 100%
6 x 2 @ 80%
Test new 1rm (105%)Ã?Â

The three lines under each week represent each of 3 workouts for the week.

Looking at the Russian routine, I’d say Smolov’s a fair bit harder.

Certainly on the basis of every day being extremely hard.

Many days of the Russian Squat Cycle are far easier than days of the Smolov cycle. E.g. on a day when Smolov would have you doing for example 8x4 at 80% 1RM, this cycle might have you do 6 sets of 2. No comparison.

But this cycle does have its moments, such as 6 sets of 6 at 80% in week 3. In week 3 Smolov, 6 sets of 6 is done at 70%, plus the increments added for weeks 2 and 3, but this wouldn’t push anything like all the way to 80% of original 1RM.

[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Certainly on the basis of every day being extremely hard.

Many days of the Russian Squat Cycle are far easier than days of the Smolov cycle. E.g. on a day when Smolov would have you doing for example 8x4 at 80% 1RM, this cycle might have you do 6 sets of 2. No comparison.

But this cycle does have its moments, such as 6 sets of 6 at 80% in week 3. In week 3 Smolov, 6 sets of 6 is done at 70%, plus the increments added for weeks 2 and 3, but this wouldn’t push anything like all the way to 80% of original 1RM.[/quote]

I’d disagree.

I’ve just come thru the Smolov base. I set my max @ 200kg, a bit below what it actually is, but I’d have used the same for either cycle.

In week 3 of the Russian cycle, I’d use 80% 6x6 - ie 160kg 6x6.

Whereas in week 3 Smolov it’s 75% 5x7 +10kg in week two, +5kg for week 3. So 165kg.

165 5x7’s deffo harder than 160 6x6 in my book!

Well, you are making a less direct comparison.

I’m comparing Smolov’s 6x6 day (and there is one) with the RSC’s 6x6 day. The RSC uses heavier weight for the same set/rep scheme in this particular direct-comparison instance. That is all that I was saying.

Where I think my statement could be fairly criticized is that while in the Smolov cycle the 6x6 is with a somewhat lighter weight than in the RSC, in the Smolov cycle it’s being done only two days after having done 10 sets of 3 with 85% 1RM, and three days after having done 8 sets of 4 with 80% (these two workouts having been back-to-back.)

Whereas with the RSC’s 6x6, the workout 2 days earlier was a stroll in the park by comparison. So the body will be fresher going into the workout, and thus simply being somewhat heavier for same sets and reps doesn’t have to mean that it will be harder to do.

Do both, tell us what you think.

I would say go for the Russian Squat routine, you’re still really young and should be able to handle it.

[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
Well, you are making a less direct comparison.

I’m comparing Smolov’s 6x6 day (and there is one) with the RSC’s 6x6 day. The RSC uses heavier weight for the same set/rep scheme in this particular direct-comparison instance. That is all that I was saying.

Where I think my statement could be fairly criticized is that while in the Smolov cycle the 6x6 is with a somewhat lighter weight than in the RSC, in the Smolov cycle it’s being done only two days after having done 10 sets of 3 with 85% 1RM, and three days after having done 8 sets of 4 with 80% (these two workouts having been back-to-back.)

Whereas with the RSC’s 6x6, the workout 2 days earlier was a stroll in the park by comparison. So the body will be fresher going into the workout, and thus simply being somewhat heavier for same sets and reps doesn’t have to mean that it will be harder to do.[/quote]

Where in Smolov do you find 6x6? I’ve looked through the base mesocycle and the intense (Feduleyev) mesocycle and I don’t see 6x6 anywhere?

I have never done the Russian squat cycle listed above, but I have done the Smolov base cycle–I’m in the switching phase right now and I may or may not do the intense cycle–and the Russian squat cycle looks like a vacation compared to Smolov. Here is the Smolov rep calculator I am using:

joeskopec.com/smolov.html

(I am not sure where Bill is getting his Smolov numbers, but they don’t seem to match the Joe Skopec calculator)

In the first week of Smolov base (I am skipping the introductory micro cycle), you squat an extra day–the hardest day–on no days rest. The first week, you have 36 reps at 70%, 35 reps at 75%, 35 reps at 80%, and (on no days rest) 30 reps at 85%, for a total of 136 reps.

In contrast, the Russian squat cycle has you doing a total of 42 reps at 80%, spread out over three days (about 14 per session). The whole first week of the Russian squat cycle is basically day 3 of Smolov.

The next week, Smolov adds 20 lbs. to each day and the reps stay the same. In contrast, the Russian squat cycle adds a couple of reps.

The next week, Smolov adds ten more lbs. to each day and the reps stay the same. In contrast, the Russian squat cycle keeps the weight and the total reps the same, but it does have one pretty hard day (but the other two are cake).

In the first 18 days, the Smolov base cycle has you squat on 12 days for 408 total reps, compared to the Russian squat cycle’s 9 days and 168 reps.

After three weeks of Smolov, you get a reprieve for a few weeks, but you have to retest your max, and base the new “intense phase” cycle off the new max. This will likely have you squatting many reps in excess of your previous 1RM–the max you had just 18 days ago which has now gone up 30-50 lbs. (mine went up 40 lbs.)

In my case, after testing, if I do the intense phase, it will have me doing a total of 137 reps at or above my previous, tested best 1RM over a 4-week period. There really is no comparison between this and the next three weeks of the Russian squat cycle.

In short, to answer the OP’s question, Smolov is different than the Russian squat cycle, but they are not even in the same ballpark as far as difficulty, IMO.

I was just asking about this question cause i asked my coach do you know about the Smolov squat cycle hes like yes its based off another cycle and its easier then the russian squat cycle so i wanted your opinion , he also did say the smolov is a bit easier , either way there both hard as hell im guessing

[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
I have never done the Russian squat cycle listed above, but I have done the Smolov base cycle–I’m in the switching phase right now and I may or may not do the intense cycle–and the Russian squat cycle looks like a vacation compared to Smolov. Here is the Smolov rep calculator I am using:

joeskopec.com/smolov.html

(I am not sure where Bill is getting his Smolov numbers, but they don’t seem to match the Joe Skopec calculator)[/quote]

I would have said, From 404 | Dragon Door

But you know what?

Even though I had thought that the full Smolov cycle as described here had the loadings, sets, and reps that I described, as I had thought I’d concluded that the 4 week base cycle was the same as Smolov Jr except with an extra week, on checking again now I see that I was wrong.

The squat base mesocycle does NOT have the same set and rep schemes as the Smolov Jr cycle, though the loadings are the same.

The values I gave are instead true of Smolov Jr. ( Smolov Squat Routine - FAQ - wkak.net )

As I have done only the bench this way – I ran into knee trouble before the scheduled start of doing Smolov for squats – at least I used the right sets and reps for what I was doing, but not right for this discussion.

My error, thanks for the correction.

On the OP’s original and now repeated interest on whether Smolov is supposedly either easier than the RSC or derived from it: I’m sorry but the person saying that is completely wrong.

[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:

[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
I have never done the Russian squat cycle listed above, but I have done the Smolov base cycle–I’m in the switching phase right now and I may or may not do the intense cycle–and the Russian squat cycle looks like a vacation compared to Smolov. Here is the Smolov rep calculator I am using:

joeskopec.com/smolov.html

(I am not sure where Bill is getting his Smolov numbers, but they don’t seem to match the Joe Skopec calculator)[/quote]

I would have said, From 404 | Dragon Door

But you know what?

Even though I had thought that the full Smolov cycle as described here had the loadings, sets, and reps that I described, as I had thought I’d concluded that the 4 week base cycle was the same as Smolov Jr except with an extra week, on checking again now I see that I was wrong.

The squat base mesocycle does NOT have the same set and rep schemes as the Smolov Jr cycle, though the loadings are the same.

The values I gave are instead true of Smolov Jr. ( Smolov Squat Routine - FAQ - wkak.net )

As I have done only the bench this way – I ran into knee trouble before the scheduled start of doing Smolov for squats – at least I used the right sets and reps for what I was doing, but not right for this discussion.

My error, thanks for the correction.[/quote]

I just stumbled across that Smolov FAQ five minutes ago and their spreadsheets and calculators seem nice. I hadn’t heard about Smolov Jr before but now I get what the confusion was about.

I was just about to ask Bill if he was thinking of Smolov Jr. I agree then that te Jr. is easier than the Russian Cycle, but I think full Smolov’s harder than both!!

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