can the smolov be used for benching?
If you’re an athlete, it doesn’t make much sense to do Smolov. Its an awesome program for improving your squats. But as an athlete you have other priorities. 12 weeks not practicing your sport at the cost of maybe 75-90lbs on your squat is not worth it in my opinion. The loads are so taxing that either your athletic endeavours will suffer or you won’t be able to complete this cycle if you try to pursue both at once.
I would not recommend the loadings for anything other than squats
Anyone who thinks it isnt possible is a softy. several non-juicers are logging their results on the smolov experience thread.
Anyone who thinks that they will have any ability to do anything else but some light bar work is overestimating themselves or underestimating the work load.
If you really want a higher squat and squat only, then load up and do it. have any other goals, don’t.
Doing it with power cleans would be retarded. people have done it with bench but i dont think it would be wise. there are better bench gainers.
-chris
I will have to run smolov some time soon because my squat sucks ass.
I did the smolov base cycle in December 2008, entered my max of 170kg(was an easy squat that I did in October 08) and then rounded the numbers, and took 7.5kg off each one. I squatted 190kg afterwards.
I’ve since squatted 202.5kg@85kg, and am starting the base cycle again tomorrow. I entered a max of 200kg, and took 15kg from each day. I will attempt to squat 210kg raw after the 3 weeks, feel pretty confident I’ll get it.
No doubt the program works, but the percentages are a bit high. If you enter a real 1rm, you probably won’t be able to complete the program. It still seems to work great if you lower the percentages so that you get realistic numbers.
iv done the cycle from skopecs site twice, as a beginner to get it up to 100kg 1rm in Jan and again to get it up to 140kg in Sept. im now doing wendlers 5/3/1 with 20rep squats as accesory on squat days. i cant wait to run smolov again once i reach 180kg 1rm. just for kicks.
anybody saying you have to be on the juice to finish this is shirking their responsibilities as a fucking man.
i have flirted with kortes 3x3, and i would say that was more challenging than smolov…
I just read this thread again, and must say that I just laugh about those who think it is impossible without drugs.
Several site members that are naturals have done it, modi and rugger are two bastards that have done it successfully, and then ofcourse myself, there’s even a thread here about smolov experience.
I guess the people that says you cannot do smolov unassisted are the same people that use steroids because “they have below average testosterone production”.
Just because those persons are too weak in the mind to do it, it does not mean anyone else can’t.
Provided you are dedicated, and you go for it 100%, and you have the work capasity (built up though years of squatting), it certainly is doable.
But, have a weak mind, or have a poor work capasity, and you will get buried. Hell, you can even get buried, even if you consider yourself a tough guy. My respect goes to everybody that completes Smolov naturally, because she is a real bitch, and if you’re not careful, she stabs you in the back and leaves you bleeding.
– stallion
[quote]WhiteLable412 wrote:
I tried it for about a week, but it was impossible to do that routine then have to get up the next morning for conditioning.[/quote]
I know this is an old post, but I can’t resist:
If you get up for “conditioning” when doing Smolov, you are not comitted, and you will fail.
Some walking is okay, but serious conditioning… if you inted to use the bicycle, swimming or running, then you will be left bleeding…
Seems to me that it would be a good idea to gain weight during Smolov.
I understand your squat max goes up, but does anyone have results from weight gain? how much you weight before, after?
So, would it be impossible to do any kind of cardio/conditioning while doing the smolov program? I ask this because I’d like to keep my endurance up and not suffer at my drills once a month (Marine Reserves). Even if I could only do cardio x1 a week I think I’ll be fine, but is it possible with this program? I don’t think I could do without cardio for up to 10 weeks, but my squat sucks and needs improvement.
Also, for those who did it, what did some of your entire workouts look like when doing shoulders, back, chest, etc. after the squats?
If it isn’t possible to do cardio at least once a week I think the Russian Squat Program may be a good idea for me. http://www.exrx.net/WeightTraining/Weightlifting/RussianSquatProgramGenerator.html
I could then do back after Mondays workout, chest after Wednesdays and shoulders after Fridays workout. I was also planning on doing CT’s “Traps of Steel.” (Strength Training, Bodybuilding & Online Supplement Store - T NATION) after my back and shoulder days.
Then do some type of conditioning on Saturday.
This program is absolutely not for beginners. I would think this would absolutely destroy a beginner or likely an intermediate lifter. This looks like a high volume heavy workout training program that would be part of an advanced lifter’s larger cycle, with this being the “heavy weeks”. Also, one thing I don’t like in the least is the inclusion of squat negatives in the program. There is no way in hell I’m putting 110% of my max on my back and doing negatives with it. It sounds like a recipe for a nice, expensive back injury.
[quote]wookieeassassin wrote:
This program is absolutely not for beginners. I would think this would absolutely destroy a beginner or likely an intermediate lifter. This looks like a high volume heavy workout training program that would be part of an advanced lifter’s larger cycle, with this being the “heavy weeks”. Also, one thing I don’t like in the least is the inclusion of squat negatives in the program. There is no way in hell I’m putting 110% of my max on my back and doing negatives with it. It sounds like a recipe for a nice, expensive back injury.[/quote]
I completed the entire program at age 40 after about a year of squatting. I went from a best ever 385 to a 445 squat–I cut 455 an inch high on test day. Its a fucker, alright, but it changed the way I looked at squatting and lifting in general. I felt like it took me right to the edge every day, but it never pushed me over. And the negatives were during the switching phase, which is basically a deload, and were like having a day off compared to the base and intense phase work. Also, now that I know what to expect, I feel like I will get even better results the next time I run Smolov. But it is not for the faint of heart. I would not advise running Smolov if you are not 100% committed to doing what it takes to complete the program successfully.
I haven’t done the program myself, but I still think the volume is a bit high. Obviously you aren’t really doing other lifts, so I suppose that could be part of the volume, but it still seems like a lot. I’m glad it worked well for you, but I still maintain that negatives are a poor idea. They are for advanced trainees, are more for hypertrophy as far as I’m aware and have a bigger potential for a muscle tear.
If you’ve been lifting routinely for a year and have made good strength gains you would probably be considered an intermediate lifter.
Good job on the lifts! Most people I know around “that age” just walk around the park for ‘exercise’.
Wookie, your profile says that you are 39. Have you checked out the over 35 forum? There are a lot of strong guys there with a lot of knowledge floating around in the various threads. You might want to check it out.
[quote]wookieeassassin wrote:
I haven’t done the program myself, but I still think the volume is a bit high. Obviously you aren’t really doing other lifts, so I suppose that could be part of the volume, but it still seems like a lot. I’m glad it worked well for you, but I still maintain that negatives are a poor idea. They are for advanced trainees, are more for hypertrophy as far as I’m aware and have a bigger potential for a muscle tear.
If you’ve been lifting routinely for a year and have made good strength gains you would probably be considered an intermediate lifter.
Good job on the lifts! Most people I know around “that age” just walk around the park for ‘exercise’. [/quote]
The volume may be high but it is for a reason. How the heck are you going to kick your max up that much without putting in a ton of work?
anybody tried it for bench? Have to do a lot of rowing to offset all the pushing though…
Smolov = ultimate routine for bringing up your squat, very brutal but I love the level of conditioning you get after the 3rd week of base
Right now I’m on my second run of Smolov (did the first run on fall of 2010)
It took me from a 315 to a 405 squat (belt only). Bodyweight from 196 to 206 lbs.
This run I’ve entered 365 as the starting max, hopefully it will take me around a 440 max.
Currently on the first week of the base mesocycle, I’m not sure if I’ll do the whole 13 weeks since the intense mesocycle is the one that brings the most injuries.
[quote]CyberDen wrote:
Right now I’m on my second run of Smolov (did the first run on fall of 2010)
It took me from a 315 to a 405 squat (belt only). Bodyweight from 196 to 206 lbs.
This run I’ve entered 365 as the starting max, hopefully it will take me around a 440 max.
Currently on the first week of the base mesocycle, I’m not sure if I’ll do the whole 13 weeks since the intense mesocycle is the one that brings the most injuries.
[/quote]
Hell yeah man. I’m on my second Smolov run as well right now. Wrapping up the base week 2.
I did my first run in 2009, took me from 275 to 350, that same year hit 375 using Sheiko.
I entered 345 as my max this round, but I am squatting with extremly better depth and a narrower stance now than I did a couple years ago.
I’m hoping to break 415, I think it is very realistic (bodyweight today was 173). I’ve noticed a lot of very cool things this time around, mainly how far I’ve progressed as a lifter, it is like night and day in how my body handles the training now, compared to 2009. Super stoked. Best of luck to you.