Smolov Jr. with a twist???

ELCABRA

Okay so I just completed my 2nd cycle of 5x5 and want to try a lil something different with high volume reps of squats, deads, and bench. I am planning to try it with Smolov Jr for the 3 week cycle but I will drop my 1 rep max by 10 to 15 lbs. considering I will be doing deads and squats 4 days per week. When I did 5x5 the second round I added deads nearly every workout towards the end and recovered daily when I cut all the accessory lifts. So is this a do able plan or am I asking for trouble??? Just wondering what you all think.

sjohnny

Maybe I'm a pansy but that seems like a lot of lifting. I did a 3 week round of Smolov Jr. for squats earlier this year and did Wendler 5/3/1 for my other lifts and did no other accessory lifts and that was plenty for me. I then did a 3 week round of Smolov Jr. for OHP and that one wasn't too bad with some other stuff. I'm now doing it for bench press and it's making everything else pretty tough to do.

Again, you may be a lot more bad *kitten* than me or I just may be a bigger pansy than most but I would think doing that kind of volume for all three lifts would be kind of ....... death or something.

I think it's probably excessive volume for deadlifts even by themselves.

rdzilla

Everyone's central nervous system reacts differently to training. Now that I'm not 25 years old anymore I know I couldn't withstand that much weight / volume in a week of working out. Try it out, let us know how you're feeling and the results you're getting. If anything, it'll be useful to yourself and others.

chrisdavey

LLL sent me over this way

IMO WAY too much volume! At your experience level, it is way overkill and most likely detrimental.

If you want to do something more high frequency I'd just do the smolov base cycle for squats and do something like 5/3/1 for Bench 2x per week. Just do DL technique work, nothing heavy. The squats will take care of the strength increases.

IMO you shouldn't do smolov until you can squat 150kg or 330lbs for a 1rm as the increases are just too big to cope. (10kg then 5kg for all lifts) You could do it like the smolov jnr and do 5kg and 2.5kg respectively.

I've done smolov base cycle for squats twice and you are going to need to eat at at least maintenance but preferably a good surplus to cope. I average around 4000 cals (at 80kg BW) when I did it and maintained weight.

I would also recommend doing a few or 2 lead up to it where you increase the frequency of squatting but don't up the intensity levels too much ie. go 4x a week with 2 heavier days and 2 lighter days.

hope that helps
Chris

ELCABRA

Gotcha!!! Thank fellas I am thinking I will cut myself a break and avoid the mental beating of failure too soon by using Smolov for one discipline at a time ie, smolov jr for squats for 3 weeks and 5/3/1 or 5x5 (lowered) for the others. And change the smolov excercise each 3 week cycle. I'll keep yall informed!!! thanks again

chrisdavey

I'd only do it for squats and bench. It will always be too much volume for deads for any non cyborg!

ELCABRA

LMAO!!! Cool thanks bro!!!