Smolov Intro Microcycle

I have been stalled with my squat for a while now, at around 300-315 with knee wraps going exactly parallel. I weigh around 195. I had been doing westside, but I started smolov three days ago. I want to improve on my overall deep squat raw. I believe my squat to be around 260 going very deep, but I used that number and the weights feel kind of easy these first three days.

Is the microcycle supposed to be pretty easy, or should I adjust my number and go from there? I know the following weeks will be tougher, but I’m not sure whether to change the weight right now or not.

I guess I’ll include a video of my recent squat today in smolov. It was the 235x1.

side view of 2 rep

Yes the micocyle is easy compared to the real deal. You should not do smolov on what you THINK your raw atg squat is, you have to test it.

So test your raw maximum atg squat then do the program. Make sure you have the time to dedicate to it-the extra sleep/food ext-, I am just about done with the WHOLE thing-3 sessions left of intense woot-. Only reason I was able to do it was since I’m in summer, and I’m a student. During school with work would be very hard to do this program; probably impossible-since you can’t miss days-

If your using the stronglifts template, there was a typo in the base meso portion-it only added 10lbs to the second week, and 15 lbs to the third week instead of 20 and 25.-

Let me know if you have any questions about it or how horrible yet rewarding it is

Yes I had the spreadsheet from the stronglifts template. This(below) was the first day of each of the 3 weeks from the base mesocycle before the 4th week max. It must be wrong then. So the second week should be 205 and the 3rd should be 210 then?

25-Aug-2008
4x9 185

1-Sep-2008
4x9 195

8-Sep-2008
4x9 200

Okay thanks. I am fairly certain that is my max for the deep squat because I had tested only a few weeks back. There’s no reason to believe that I got stronger in that short amount of time. I just haven’t got into the hard part yet. How much have you gone up from it? and what are you lifting?

[quote]thejuice152003 wrote:
Yes I had the spreadsheet from the stronglifts template. This(below) was the first day of each of the 3 weeks from the base mesocycle before the 4th week max. It must be wrong then. So the second week should be 205 and the 3rd should be 210 then?

25-Aug-2008
4x9 185

1-Sep-2008
4x9 195

8-Sep-2008
4x9 200

Okay thanks. I am fairly certain that is my max for the deep squat because I had tested only a few weeks back. There’s no reason to believe that I got stronger in that short amount of time. I just haven’t got into the hard part yet. How much have you gone up from it? and what are you lifting?

[/quote]

I’m doing it for the front squat, I gained about 40lbs in base meso and not sure yet what I’ll get out of intense I’m suspecting similar results-fucked around in switching phase though since it was a joke and I had lots of energy so did other things-. Average for the whole program is 50-60lbs-I was hoping for 70 in total-, its rare to get 80-100lb increase.

And yeah thats right about the increase, its always a good idea to test to maximum though you might have been off that day or didn’t push it fully-about 260 is really subjective and that 235 looked very easy for you which is 90% of your maximum, I’m guessing your real maximum to be 300 or close to that-. You wont get the most out of it if you use light weight, so remember that also. Just make sure you hit proper depth on every rep throughout the whole program.

ontariostrongman.ca/Resources/training/smolovsquatcycle.htm

Those are the exact % ext so always good to double check but that error in base meso was the only big one I remember.

so the error is on that page too?

  1. 70%x9x4
  2. (70%+10kg)x9x4
  3. (70%+15kg)x9x4

or that is not an error because they are in kg’s? and for lbs, you use about double? ok i get it. I edited my spreadsheet to get the right numbers. Thanks for the help. I’ll ask again if something comes up during the ordeal.

[quote]thejuice152003 wrote:
so the error is on that page too?

  1. 70%x9x4
  2. (70%+10kg)x9x4
  3. (70%+15kg)x9x4

or that is not an error because they are in kg’s? and for lbs, you use about double? ok i get it. I edited my spreadsheet to get the right numbers. Thanks for the help. I’ll ask again if something comes up during the ordeal.

[/quote]

Yeah thats right I would adjust the #'s a bit higher though-maybe adjust the max as 270 or 280 since I’m guessing your real maximum is higher then you think-, as your 235-which is 90% of your maximum- looked like you could have done that 5x5-Heh funny since that is exactly what you do in intense meso ;p-.

If by the second week of base meso you don’t feel like your in hell, or that what your doing is madness your #'s were definitely too low.

Oh sorry one more thing…what weight should be used on the lunges? just whatever you feel comfortable doing to get a good stretch? or is there a percentage or something?

[quote]thejuice152003 wrote:
Oh sorry one more thing…what weight should be used on the lunges? just whatever you feel comfortable doing to get a good stretch? or is there a percentage or something?[/quote]

Yeah something that will not make you sore, but will give you a good stretch I just did the bar really I was pretty stiff after 3 days in a row of squatting so anything would have worked. You don’t want to get sore from it pretty much, you want to be pretty much 100% by the time base meso comes around.

alright man thanks! you helped me alot

[quote]thejuice152003 wrote:
alright man thanks! you helped me alot[/quote]

Heh woops yeah if its 15kg then should be 30lb increase-just checked my template and yeah I added 30lb- good luck. If it feels easy after first week, re work your #'s.

hey i just read about the smolov jr for bench. is it recommended to do that WHILE you are doing the squat workout? And what are the expected gains on that?

[quote]thejuice152003 wrote:
hey i just read about the smolov jr for bench. is it recommended to do that WHILE you are doing the squat workout? And what are the expected gains on that?[/quote]

I started it during my off week for max in base meso and continued during switching phase, I gained about 30lbs on it. I don’t recommend it on top of the actual program.

I’ve done the mini-smolov for floorpresses twice this summer, and gained in total 12.5kg on the floorpress. This is great gains for me, as I have always been a slow gainer in upper body strength.