20 squat program

mreichard

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/irontamer5.htm

I'm doing the squat portion of this instead of StrongLifts squats to build endurance after 7 months of heavy, low rep squats. So far (2 weeks in) I'm finding that the sets of 20 squats have not gotten too hard yet, but My legs are surprisingly wiped out afterward and I'm sore the next day. I'm curious to hear from other folks who tried it when the sets got really hard, whether they were able to keep adding 5 lbs per week and general results.

Also - I had not planned to bulk since I'm probably already at 17% bf, but I am hungry as hell and my understanding is that many people use this program to add mass. Curious what people think about just giving in to the desire to eat more for a couple of weeks and see what happens to my body fat/muscle mass -- especially since I have not been gaining size much at all during 7 months of StrongLifts (and I've recently lost a couple of pounds without meaning to).

trigden1991

Assuming you are male, do not start a bulk at 17%. It's a shortcut to fat gain.

psuLemon

Cut and incorporate higher volume foods, higher protein or more fiber, take a break from dieting at maintenance and try to recomp.

mreichard

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure you are right.

I am curious about experiences of people who have done the 20 squat program with doing that program. Anyone?

trigden1991

mreichard wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure you are right.

I am curious about experiences of people who have done the 20 squat program with doing that program. Anyone?

Any programme from bodybuilding.com or T-Nation will not get much praise from experienced lifters.

McCloud33

I did the 20 rep program for the first time over the summer and used this thread as kind of my diary...

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10356879/20-rep-squat-program/p1

I don't know where you are weight wise, but for me it was the last two weeks of the 6wk program where it became a grind. I did a slight bulk especially at the end. 20 rep heavy squats are rough on the body and you need some calories to heal those muscle tissue. I wouldn't recommend doing it on less than maintenance. The other thing I learned is that for me, taking in some quick cals before the workout helped out tremendously. I usually work out first thing in the morning and so normally train "fasted". I'm about 3 weeks into it again and running 5x5 for all my other lifts. I just felt so much stronger on the 20 rep squat program.

mreichard

Thanks McCloud. That log is great!