20 Rep Squat Program
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Well this morning's workout has me doubting my 300 lbs goal. 260 was rough, but then again, the whole morning seemed weaker as a whole. I was only able to get one good set of OHP at 145 and as I just kept dropping reps, I dropped the weight down to 135 for the last two. DL was...ok. I got 375x5 up, but it didn't feel nearly as smooth as 370 last week and I don't know how much of that had to do with the squat feeling heavy at the beginning of the workout. I felt like I ate plenty over the weekend, got plenty of sleep, so I guess this morning was just one of those days
https://youtu.be/_P93-zlWxVI
nice job with 200x20 @mreichard. Glad the 5 count is making it easier for you.0 -
Did 20x200 today, and I have to say the notion that you guys mentioned to think of them in groups of 5 really helped. Today was the first time that I was starting to wonder at about 8 reps if I was good for all 20 (didn't help that I was short on sleep and didn't eat well the 24 hours before). Focusing on 5 at a time made it feel like doing 4x5, except that I was standing under the bar between sets and the breaks were really short. Definitely easier than thinking of it as 20.
HA- 1 x 20 reps at 200 pounds.
I totally read that as 20 sets for 200 reps.2 -
I don't know why I'm so addicted to this thread
no way on earth am I doing this programme - well until I do of coures
but I love the updates2 -
I don't know why I'm so addicted to this thread
no way on earth am I doing this programme - well until I do of coures
but I love the updates
Glad you're enjoying it! I enjoy sharing my triumphs/struggles. Hopefully it can inspire others to test their limits and keep pushing for more!0 -
Got 1x20 @205 today, and felt like I probably had another one or maybe two, but I was pretty wiped out afterward.
I missed the last rep of my last set of bench. Instead of 5x5 @205 I did 5/5/5/5/4 + crawl out from under the bar on the safety pins. Even though I knew it wasn't happening, I had to try it anyway.
Bent over barbell row and pullups were fine (got 4x5 @BW+25 for the first time ever), but bench (which I did right after squats) was hard from the first set and I pretty much knew the last set of 5 wasn't happening. I have noticed on B days that that OHP right after the squats has been tough too --- I made 5x5@115 my last workout, but it was tough.
I know that missing a bench rep shouldn't bother me, but it really bugs me to not make 5x5 at a weight I've successfully lifted for 5 sets before. I am assuming that squats are just really taking it out of me and trying not to obsess, but still.0 -
in to keep reading. thanks for sharing all this, i learned a LOT!0
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I'm really starting to doubt my own sanity! I think I'm quickly approaching the point where what my body can handle and my mental fortitude will allow are converging. These last 2-3 weeks are really going to suck. And I think it's starting to affect my other lifts. I was originally trying to up them all at the same time, but if I truly want to reach 300x20, I might have to give up on trying to progress bench and DL
. That, or I may need to drop to doing it twice a week. Maybe Monday and Friday with a lighter 20 rep session on Wednesday?
squat 265x20
pin press 210x5,5,4,3,0 135x10(paused)
row 195 5x5
https://youtu.be/kS8bjUqiz3E 0 -
...pullups were fine (got 4x5 @BW+25 for the first time ever)...
It's amazing how quickly pullups become incredibly difficult just by adding very small amounts of weight. I haven't included pullups in my back program for months (I should consider adding them back in again), but last summer I was able to snap out multiple sets of 15 or a single set of 20 with just BW. The moment I add a measly 10# though my rep counts drop all the way down to 6-8. So knocking out multiple sets of five with a bonus quarter is awesome!
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Unsurprising- that *kitten* is hard as hell. I'm impressed with how much you've managed to keep up as it is!!!I'm really starting to doubt my own sanity! I think I'm quickly approaching the point where what my body can handle and my mental fortitude will allow are converging. These last 2-3 weeks are really going to suck. And I think it's starting to affect my other lifts. I was originally trying to up them all at the same time, but if I truly want to reach 300x20, I might have to give up on trying to progress bench and DL. That, or I may need to drop to doing it twice a week. Maybe Monday and Friday with a lighter 20 rep session on Wednesday?
You got this- you'll be able to make it happen one way or the other.1 -
Unsurprising- that *kitten* is hard as hell. I'm impressed with how much you've managed to keep up as it is!!!I'm really starting to doubt my own sanity! I think I'm quickly approaching the point where what my body can handle and my mental fortitude will allow are converging. These last 2-3 weeks are really going to suck. And I think it's starting to affect my other lifts. I was originally trying to up them all at the same time, but if I truly want to reach 300x20, I might have to give up on trying to progress bench and DL. That, or I may need to drop to doing it twice a week. Maybe Monday and Friday with a lighter 20 rep session on Wednesday?
You got this- you'll be able to make it happen one way or the other.
Thanks...I was just hoping to be able to reach that 400x5 on the DL as well...and 225x5 for bench It's bad enough that I can't work on running goals while I lift, but now I can't work on lifting goals when I lift LOL
And then I want to cut after the new year too...so there goes my strength and any hope for gains. I'm actually considering doing 2 weeks cut alternating with 1 week maintenance. I don't know if I want to go through the mental anguish of cutting for 2-3 months straight
Also want to schedule a bodpod at the first part of the year and compare with where I was last March...and then do it again after my cut in March/April of this year.0 -
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.0
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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.0 -
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 1 -
@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.1 -
@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.0 -
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 @SpecialSundae3 -
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!0 -
This sounds interesting, I'm curious how it will go!0
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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.0 -
canadianlbs 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)1
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