Anyone else do 20 rep squats

Jitterbug

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MetalFortress with his 20 rep squats has been "cutting" from 197lbs to 226lbs.

I don't think you know what 20 rep breathing squat means. Do a Google search and educate yourself.
 

MetalFortress

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Haha thanks Jitter.

Actually, I've decided that all good things must come to an end. Number one, my cardio is suffering and it needs to improve.

Number two, I'm growing less and less confident in my form, namely not rounding my back, and a post from a guy on tnation who pushed too hard, used his back too much, blew it out and couldn't squat for 6 months, scared me.

Number three, I'm growing out of my blues and my ABUs (Air Force fatigues) very quickly. Right now would be a bad time to spend hundreds of dollars on bigger uniforms, but I do not want to rip the ass out of my blues pants or pop a button on the chest of any of the shirts. And my waist has grown somewhat too, some being muscle but some fat. So I need to knock off some inches and put off the purchase of new uniforms (which, next time I do this routine, will be mandatory due to further muscle gain) as long as possible.

My new lifting routine will be chest, triceps, and shoulders and leg days, alternating with upper/middle back and biceps days. Reps between 15 and 20, sets 3 or so per part, centered on compound lifts. Leg days will all include 20 rep squats, but with dropped weight so I can work on my form.

First workout was today, chest tris shoulders and legs. All I remember the specifics of for today is the squat; 200 x 20, far far easier than when I did them earlier this month. Already ran today before this (run test). Meals will center around lean meat and vegetables. Dressing cut in half on salads, bread cut out. Let's make this $#1+ quick so I can go back to twenty reppers!
 

Jitterbug

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Working on #2 is good. You don't wanna get sloppy on the form, it'll injure you when you're struggling with fatigue.

#1: have you been doing much cardio? I thought your running result was improving? I've been doing 2 cardio sessions a week, Tabata-style. It's only about 16 minutes of workout per sessions, but my cardio performance has been going steadily up.

Anyway, most of the 20 reppers programs I've seen say that you only do it for 6 weeks max in a row then switch to something else, and revisit it later on, in a few months time.

Come back to fight the beast later! :D
 

RMM

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I was wondering how long you'd be able to keep this up, since I read that same thing Jitterbug pointed out (6-8 weeks then swap to something else).

Personally, I was thinking of GVT after I do the 20 reps for 6-8 weeks, after I come back from holidays. I'll probably start a journal once I come back and see if I can get some feedback on how to plan my training from now on. I've been doing the same-ish thing since September and it's about time I give it a shake.

I'll be interested in knowing how your post-20-squatting works for you, keep up the good work and keep posting! Hows your diet these days by the way (other than eating like a lion)? Whatcha planning to do now to cut back?
 

MetalFortress

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Jitter: I do a 1.5 mile run on tuesdays (as fast as possible, military run test) and a half hour jog on thursdays (also required pt). My tuesday run went from 11:40 in December to 11:21 two weeks ago, and was 11:21 again today, but I felt like I had to work much harder for it. I even threw up in my mouth a little bit about 8 minutes in. No es bueno.

RMM: I cut out bread, cut down the skim milk, cut out non-diet soda, cut out all fried foods or fatty meats or saucy creamy foods, with the exception of the rare controlled-cheat day. Meals will be centered around lean meat and vegetables now, with the exception of breakfast which will be a protein bar (all I have time for). Meals will still be big, just not quite AS big. Good idea with the gvt. I don't think I have the patience to do the 10 x 10, that is a tough routine :p how did you do on your twenty reppers?
 

RMM

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Haven't started them yet, holidays first! :D

Actually, I've had a different routine for a while that I want to break out of. What I've been doing is 3x10, but with supersets to mix in. So for Squats I'd do 1x10, immediately follow with 1x20 dumbbell lunges, rest, squat again 1x10, and so on. Benchpress used to be with dumbbells too, and after 10 switch to lighter ones and do... Whatever you call when you keep your arms straight and bring the dumbbells up in front of you while lying on the bench, rest, repeat. I swapped to the barbell when I started using the 25 kg dumbbells, took a while to get adjusted to it but working well.

It's good in the sense that it's worked to get my stamina up significantly, and drop a good chunk of the fat (I started to get abs definition after the last cutdown, but I'm up a bit again after the Christmas break, broke the workout for almost two weeks and it's been kinda all over the place since then). I've had some decent gains, but I was focusing more on getting a good foundation and dropping the excess first, rather than going all out and getting huge. That's gonna change after the hols, definitely going for the 20 reppers then!
 

synergy1

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appreciate the thumbs up from last page.

Decided to go to 205 today, and still felt fairly strong finishing. It seems my grip/arms might give out before my legs. Will be trying 225 next time ( 4 plates total). That should be a pretty big step up from 205, but I really want to push through those last 5 reps.
 

synergy1

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I am really interested in this program but have a few questions. I have been doing this for two weeks, with week #3 taking place now, and am up to 225 lbs going parallel.

First, here is the average diet that they recommend

Breakfast
4 eggs
2 slices of toast
1 glass of milk

Snack
Bran Muffin
1 glass of milk

Lunch
Sandwich (i.e. meat, cheese, tuna fish, etc.)
piece of fruit
1 glass of milk

Snack
Granola bar
Slice of cheese
1 glass of milk

Supper
Meat (i.e. chicken, beef, pork, etc.)
Pasta, Rice, or Potatoes
Cup of veggies
1 glass of milk

Snack
2 slices of toast
1 glass of milk
1- Eggs cheeze and milk gotta go. I am lactose intolerant and only can have a little milk. Are there any ways to substitute this? Should I just stuck with some protien supp in water in place of milk.

2- 3 days per week seems like to little at the gym. Does throwing in other workouts hurt your gains? will cardio require more ingestion of calories?

I am 177 lbs now, and would like to ultimately be 190 but below my current bf ( I think I am between 12-15% but not sure). As I have said earlier, the goal is overall athletic performance and don't want to exceed 190 due to the fact it will slow me down.

Thanks in advance!
 

synergy1

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three posts in a row, I apologize for the spam like posting on my part but...

...got 225 for 20 reps today. The notion of wanting to quit at around # 13 entered my mind, and by 18 it was really a battle but I got through. The step ups will be a little more gradual now. Also want to look at form as my lower back felt a little uncomfortable.

tomorrow is a much needed rest day!
 

Drum&Bass

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your lower back should feel uncomfortable during high rep squats, it is in constant isometric contraction the entire time the bar is on your back.

Plus you have to tilt forward at the bottom of the squat creating even more tension on the lower back.
 

JDiddy

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synergy1 said:
I am really interested in this program but have a few questions. I have been doing this for two weeks, with week #3 taking place now, and am up to 225 lbs going parallel.

1- Eggs cheeze and milk gotta go. I am lactose intolerant and only can have a little milk. Are there any ways to substitute this? Should I just stuck with some protien supp in water in place of milk.

2- 3 days per week seems like to little at the gym. Does throwing in other workouts hurt your gains? will cardio require more ingestion of calories?

I am 177 lbs now, and would like to ultimately be 190 but below my current bf ( I think I am between 12-15% but not sure). As I have said earlier, the goal is overall athletic performance and don't want to exceed 190 due to the fact it will slow me down.

Thanks in advance!
The original 20 rep breathing squat program is 3 workouts a week, where you start of with your 10-12 rep max and add 2.5kg/5lb every workout for 6 weeks.
You need to also drink up to 4lts/gallon of full cream milk a day, mainly because its an easy extra 2500+ calories on top of your eating, its a complete food with protein, carbs, fat and also your body will think it's on steroids due to the amount of hormones/igf-1 thats in milk plus the squats naturally release growth hormone.
This is one of the most toughest brutal workout routines physically and mentally, so only do it for 6 weeks, if you survive that long, then have a break and go back to something else.

If you ask me, from what you have posted above, this routine is not for you.
 

ATP

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camdry90 said:
seriously bud whats your deal, if you want to squat more weight thats the way to do it... 20+ reps sounds like its for someone cutting...
Try it before you knock it m8. The thing with squats is that you can "rest" when you are at the top. Imagine taking that weight you can do 10 reps with and then pushing out 20 by resting at the top. Squat 3 times a week doing one set and you'll come back here and say "omfg, insane increases!".

Big grats to both metafortress and synergy. 235x20 and of course two plates for the first time. :up:
 

synergy1

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JDiddy said:
If you ask me, from what you have posted above, this routine is not for you.
With a diet consisting of pure milk daily, that aspect isn't for me. From the workout side of it, I plan on finishing the third week anyway. Its tough/brutal, but thats nothing new in my routines. There is always energy in the tank.
 

Jitterbug

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Drum&Bass said:
your lower back should feel uncomfortable during high rep squats, it is in constant isometric contraction the entire time the bar is on your back.

Plus you have to tilt forward at the bottom of the squat creating even more tension on the lower back.
Ah, I thought it wasn't normal for me to feel like that, but if it's supposed to be so, no worries then, thanks!
 

Jitterbug

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90kg x20 today!!!

Hammies were very sore from deadlifts & goodmornings on Sat, plus dancing too much over the weekends & Monday. Didn't think I could make it, and my legs were shaking a fair bit at the end, but it was easier than I thought. Didn't take long to recover.

I also tried 120kg (which was my 1RM at the start of Jan) and hit x5 with relative ease. Was tempted to try heavier but I'll save that for after I get to 100kg x20 - two more weeks!
 

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synergy1

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230 for 20. wanted to quit at 12 but just pushed through. Thank god for quick active recovery training from crossfit...
 

Fuglydude

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You guys are all a bunch of sick phucks! ... Keep it up gentlemen, those 20-rep squat numbers are insane! Definitely motivates me to get my numbers up!
 

Jitterbug

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95kg x20! Nailed that motherfvcker! :D

This was actually the easiest one I've done. Not much leg shaking, I was stuffed at the end but it was the first time I didn't have to literally lie down. Just had to sit down & rest for 2-3 mins then onto the powerclean.

Next to me was this big dude quarter-squatting 90kg with b!tch-pad. :p
 

EFFORT

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Congrats on all the records
 

synergy1

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Jitterbug said:
95kg x20! Nailed that motherfvcker! :D

This was actually the easiest one I've done. Not much leg shaking, I was stuffed at the end but it was the first time I didn't have to literally lie down. Just had to sit down & rest for 2-3 mins then onto the powerclean.

Next to me was this big dude quarter-squatting 90kg with b!tch-pad. :p
nice work guy. you an athlete? what sports did you play? just curious.
 
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