20 Rep Squat Program

nossmf

For what it's worth, I've lost 5# in the past couple weeks while adding 10# to my bench, so don't automatically equate cut = loss of strength. Granted, my bench used to be much heavier pre-injury so I'm really just regaining what I lost, but still.

McCloud33

nossmf wrote: »

For what it's worth, I've lost 5# in the past couple weeks while adding 10# to my bench, so don't automatically equate cut = loss of strength. Granted, my bench used to be much heavier pre-injury so I'm really just regaining what I lost, but still.

Yeah I know it's not impossible, but for me personally, my bench is weak and every time that I've gone on a cut, I lose at least some strength.

McCloud33

Why the *kitten* am I doing this again!?!?!? I don't know if my mental fortitude is going to hold out here. I have 6 more squat sessions left to make it to 300x20. I really don't want to go down to twice a week, because then that pushes me out to 3 more weeks instead of two, but this is just getting so draining. And my lower back is becoming increasingly tender. Last time I ran this I did so with a belt, and that might have helped some with this. It's not painful like a muscle pull or anything, just really...tender (I can't think of a better word, sorry) Some of it is probably form. The heavier it gets and the further into the set I get, the more I can feel my form slipping just a tad. It's hard to concentrate on form, breathing, counting, and the total ongoing conversation in my head not to quit.

Sorry, enough whining on my part. Facts of the workout:
squat 270x20
OHP 115 5x5 (dropped bc, well, I needed to mentally)
DL 315x5 (I dropped this as well but only after trying to keep going with my increased 5lbs. I put it in the video, but it was just too much torque on my back after the squat. I was afraid that if I tried to muscle it up, I really would do some damage to my lower back)

Any advice/encouraging words would be nice as I just feel like *kitten* this morning after the workout.

https://youtu.be/alnU8US6lvE

mreichard

@McCloud33 I have no advice, but I will say that I'm really impressed with your 20@270. You are stronger than me, so it's not surprising that you lift more weight, but after 20@210 yesterday, I can't imagine 60 more pounds.

I think I know what you mean about lower back --- I did squat, OHP and dead yesterday, and my back felt really tired after the squat. Not injured or like form was bad, just tired from keeping it straight during a long set of squats (lots of breathing yesterday).

I think it's easy to get negative about the whole workout when doing these -- I was pretty pissed to miss reps on bench Tuesday, then yesterday I missed the last two on OHP on a weight I've done before. Deads were OK @315, but I kept having to sit down (before deads, after warmup sets, after 1x5). While I was sitting after my warmup sets of deads, I looked down at my calf and it was a little like those horror movies where some kind of alien is under the character's skin --- my calf muscle was randomly twitching and moving, even while I was just sitting there. I think the 20 reps of squat are harder than we realize, and when you have been doing it for a while it's easy to forget that and expect more from your body than is reasonable.

But damn, 20 reps at 270? That's pretty good.

McCloud33

mreichard wrote: »

@McCloud33 I have no advice, but I will say that I'm really impressed with your 20@270. You are stronger than me, so it's not surprising that you lift more weight, but after 20@210 yesterday, I can't imagine 60 more pounds.

I think I know what you mean about lower back --- I did squat, OHP and dead yesterday, and my back felt really tired after the squat. Not injured or like form was bad, just tired from keeping it straight during a long set of squats (lots of breathing yesterday).

I think it's easy to get negative about the whole workout when doing these -- I was pretty pissed to miss reps on bench Tuesday, then yesterday I missed the last two on OHP on a weight I've done before. Deads were OK @315, but I kept having to sit down (before deads, after warmup sets, after 1x5). While I was sitting after my warmup sets of deads, I looked down at my calf and it was a little like those horror movies where some kind of alien is under the character's skin --- my calf muscle was randomly twitching and moving, even while I was just sitting there. I think the 20 reps of squat are harder than we realize, and when you have been doing it for a while it's easy to forget that and expect more from your body than is reasonable.

But damn, 20 reps at 270? That's pretty good.

Thanks. I hit 275 for 20 back in June, so I'm hoping to add to that. You only have a couple days left to get to 220!

After giving it a little more thought, I'm going to do the 2x a week to finish it off since with the holidays, I was going to have to do 3x, 2x, 2x anyway.

JoRocka

McCloud33 wrote: »

Why the *kitten* am I doing this again!?!?!? I don't know if my mental fortitude is going to hold out here. I have 6 more squat sessions left to make it to 300x20. I really don't want to go down to twice a week, because then that pushes me out to 3 more weeks instead of two, but this is just getting so draining.

heh- and this is why... this is why this program sucks.

You got this son- step to the bar- suck the wind- and go- it's over in less than 2-3 minutes- if you fail you fail.

YOU HAVE THIS!!!

#teamallthesquats
#killeverything
#pinkNfluffy (my new battle cry per @SpecialSundae

McCloud33

JoRocka wrote: »

You got this son- step to the bar- suck the wind- and go- it's over in less than 2-3 minutes- if you fail you fail.

ha...I've totally been psyching myself up and saying in my head "It's just two minutes of pain. It will probably be the worst two minutes of the day, but nothing you do today will be worse than this."

And I'm really not worried about the legs not being able to push the 300x20...it's my back. I just don't want to frick it up!

allym979

This sounds interesting, I'm curious how it will go!

canadianlbs

McCloud33 wrote: »

ha...I've totally been psyching myself up and saying in my head "It's just two minutes of pain. It will probably be the worst two minutes of the day, but nothing you do today will be worse than this."

reminds me of this coffee mug my sister had that said 'eat a live toad every morning. then you know nothing worse will happen all day'.

but really, just creeping this thread and rooting for you whichever decisions you make. it's been a pleasure to watch your vids.

McCloud33

canadianlbs wrote: »

McCloud33 wrote: »

ha...I've totally been psyching myself up and saying in my head "It's just two minutes of pain. It will probably be the worst two minutes of the day, but nothing you do today will be worse than this."

reminds me of this coffee mug my sister had that said 'eat a live toad every morning. then you know nothing worse will happen all day'.

but really, just creeping this thread and rooting for you whichever decisions you make. it's been a pleasure to watch your vids.

Glad you're enjoying them. And I guess that you're creeping too?

You can't be the only one as this thread is approaching 5k views. It actually does mean a lot to me. Lifting alone, early in the morning, barely anyone in my real life knows I'm doing this and even if they do, most have no clue as to how difficult it is. So if you've been creeping, rooting for me, or enjoying my posts, post something letting me know you're out there. (And now I sound like Horton hears a who....rofl)

Sued0nim

Yeah suck it up and do it

And post da vids

*creeper*

canadianlbs

McCloud33 wrote: »

And I guess that you're creeping too?

yup, i confessed it i've somehow turned into this person who watches other people lifting for real enjoyment. and weird as it sounds watching you do yours has been good for my own form in some ways. when you see someone do 20 reps there's time to appreciate all the tiny things they do better than you, as well as having time to figure out exactly what/how they're doing it.

McCloud33

So I thought it might be interesting to post just how long it takes me to prepare/decide to start lol

https://youtu.be/Y8Pzox42FWE

McCloud33

Finally failed on my last frickin' rep! Overall strength just seemed down today and I dropped the weights for my other exercises too just to get some reps in. Planning on waiting until Thursday to lift again. If I fail on squats again, I'm probably calling it. I was really hoping to surpass what I did earlier this summer at 275x20, but this mental grind is getting to me. I'm not looking forward to heading to the gym in the morning, and that's not a place I want to be.

https://youtu.be/Ymh_zHiAQUA

JoRocka

McCloud33 wrote: »

JoRocka wrote: »

You got this son- step to the bar- suck the wind- and go- it's over in less than 2-3 minutes- if you fail you fail.

ha...I've totally been psyching myself up and saying in my head "It's just two minutes of pain. It will probably be the worst two minutes of the day, but nothing you do today will be worse than this."

And I'm really not worried about the legs not being able to push the 300x20...it's my back. I just don't want to frick it up!

I have that same exact conversation when I got about half way through. Exact. Same.

McCloud33

Well I've just lost all motivation on this program Not able to get my mind right for the full 20 reps...worried about screwing up my back...feeling like bad form...whatever it is, 20 reps just isn't happening. I did do 2x10 at 280 (or at least I though it was...I missed counting a rep on the second set). I think I'll keep adding weight on 2x10 for a few weeks, then maybe 3x5, 3x3 and try a max week or something. I'm also going to be throwing my belt back on because I do not want to chance injuring my back as the weight gets more. I guess I need to strengthen the back between now and the next time I run the 20 rep squats.

Squat 280 2x10
OHP 125 5x5
DL 315x5, 365x1, tried 425 for a 5lb PR, but it wasn't happening.

https://youtu.be/DZ-sF3--t5s

sgt1372

McCloud33 wrote: »

Well I've just lost all motivation on this program Not able to get my mind right for the full 20 reps...worried about screwing up my back...feeling like bad form...whatever it is, 20 reps just isn't happening.

Yeah, 1x20 was a bit much for me, even at a meager 60%x1RM. Gave it up pretty quick.

My 1RM program is still working for my DL @325 and BP @210 but I'm still experimenting w/things to break thru my plateaus w/SQT @245 and OHP @125.

I tried the standard 3x10 at 75%x1RM which was do-able but still a bit too exhausting and am now trying 10x3 at 85%x1RM, as proposed by Chad Waterbury in T-Nation.

See: https://www.t-nation.com/training/science-of-10-x-3

I'm liking 10x3 more because I can use heavier (but not too heavy weight) for a sufficient reps w/o too much risk of injury and w/o feeling entirely spent after it's done.

I never get sore but my glutes feel well "worked" and just short of becoming sore after my last 10x3 SQT session. So, it must be doing "something." Exactly, what I'm not sure.

Actually thinking about alternating 10x3 w/3x10 (or 4x6 as also suggested by Waterbury) and increasing weight progressively by just 2-3%/wk for 4-6 wks as a way to break thru and promote further growth. We'll see . . .

Just some additional ideas for you to consider while you're experimenting w/different routines.

Good luck!