The hardest thing I've ever done: Squat 230x21 RAW (video)

[md3sign]

No it's not contradictory. It might actually be slightly below your 10 RM, but the idea is NOT to pump out 20 reps non stop. It's to do 20 in how much ever time it takes you. You'd be surprised at the kind of punishment your legs can take. And that's why it's the hardest thing I've done .. because I've never done 20 with weight I couldn't do much more than 10 with before.


I didn't say I do 20 rep squats for most of my legs. I actually only do that once a month. If you do a true widowmaker set though with enough weight, you'll only be able to do 1 set and you'll be dead for the rest of the workout.

The squats I did when I shot that video were:

45 x 5
140 x 5
190 x 3
230 x 2

^ all warmup sets

230 x 21

that was it

 

[Throttle]

yes im am also curious of benefits of 20 reps?

BTW i thought squatting past 90 degrees was bad for your knees:

an old wives' tale that ignores the mechanics involved. the greatest torque that endangers your knees is right at 90 degrees, and if you try to stop at 90, that makes it worse. you can't do nearly as much weight if you go below 90, so you're actually putting less strain on your knees all the way through the motion. i'd be much more worried about stressing the knees on some of these really big leg presses some guys attempt.

the 20 reps are simply to wear out muscles that are able to take a lot of abuse. if you tried 20 reps at your true 10rm on small muscle groups, you'd tear them apart, and I don't mean in a good way.

 

[Drum&Bass]

and if you try to stop at 90, that makes it worse.

WRONG

After spending time with my own squat technique theres nothing wrong with 90 degrees thats what a squat is, theres nothing wrong with going below parallel.. everyones body is different, I can go below parallel with 315 but i'm not strong enough for 405 and beyond...

if you go 90 degrees you ARE doing a FULL squat. if you go below 90 you are doing a full squat but you will enjoy even more gains in your legs, hopefully your an expereinced lifter and you know what your doing..but anyone with common sense will know if there doing something wrong by how their knees feel when there done i hope your all smart enough to experiment and find what works for you.

note* all my squats are done in a sumo stance

 

[Throttle]

[edit: duplicate]

 

[Throttle]

no, not wrong, simply the mechanics of the knee. the greatest stress is precisely at 90 degrees, and using your knees as a brake is asking for trouble. as is bouncing at the bottom, no matter how low you go (or don't go). but hell, it's your knees, i won't be there for the surgeries later in life...

someone write in to mythbusters

 

[md3sign]

congrats, bro...very inspiring...i respect you for working hard to get those reps...that takes a lot of ballz to do that...pausing between reps is abolsutely hellish, but it'll add width to the quads.

form looks super...except the last rep, of course...I believe you rounded your back on #21-- understandable--but be careful...lower back injuries will take you out of the game for awhile...

i, too, recommend a spotter...or the smith machine for extremely heave weight or 20-rep squats......but keep pushing yourself...

what are your current stats, btw? (height, weight)

Thanks man, I'm 5'10" just below 200lbs .. probably around 18-20% bf.

 

[The__Substitute]

Congrats on your accomplishment.....Good Job

 

[GodsGiftToFatBirds]

Good effort!

Out of interest though, why only once a month for widowmakers?

Reason I ask is that I use them on every legs session at the mo (approx once every 5 days) and I'm curious as to whether there's some benefit in only doing them occassionally and doing other rep ranges the rest of the time.

 

[md3sign]

No real reason other than they tire me out a LOT even for the next few days. There's a specific program that consists primarily of widowmakers (the old school "squats and milk" or "supersquats" routine), but it's just not part of my routine. During my other squat sessions I focus on setting PRs in the 3-8 rep range. Sometime next year I'll probably try the supersquats 6 week cycle though.

 

[reyalp]

amazes me that he wore no kneewraps...

platz was a beast, man
http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/3640/tomplatz24qo.png

 

[md3sign]

And I thought I had problems with my balls always chafing my thighs ...

 

[Ice Cold]

an old wives' tale that ignores the mechanics involved. the greatest torque that endangers your knees is right at 90 degrees, and if you try to stop at 90, that makes it worse. you can't do nearly as much weight if you go below 90, so you're actually putting less strain on your knees all the way through the motion. i'd be much more worried about stressing the knees on some of these really big leg presses some guys attempt.

the 20 reps are simply to wear out muscles that are able to take a lot of abuse. if you tried 20 reps at your true 10rm on small muscle groups, you'd tear them apart, and I don't mean in a good way.

It's not a physics 101 course. Your tendon overstretches and still has to support the weight - it's just slides in a different part of the knee.

md3sign
At this point I would start worrying about my joints. What happens when you grow muscle very fast is that the tendons can't keep up as fast. In the end they might rip when you do max.

It may or may not be the case with you, but personally I would stay away from trying to find out your "personal best" just in case.

 

[Cruise]

You're a beast man... great display of will too. I saw after the 12 reps, it's that look... the "oh ****, I'm putting the weights up" rep. But you pressed past that and beyond, good.

With a name like Mikhail, I'm not surprised though, you fuggin bastard.

 

[md3sign]

LOL cruise, thanks.

Ice - I rarely ever max. I've only maxed once in my life, and that was unintentional. I take glucosamine/chondroitin/msm for my joints. They don't hurt - ever - so there's nothing to worry about. I realize what you're saying but I'm at a point now where I'm making much slower (but much more worthwhile) gains.

 

[Ice Cold]

I tried it today.

It ain't easy. I managed two sets with 20 minute rest in between lol. :rockon: Then finishing with 14 reps and then I died.

 

[md3sign]

You didn't use enough weight then. I was shot for the rest of the workout after my 21.

 

[Ice Cold]

You didn't use enough weight then. I was shot for the rest of the workout after my 21.

I did use 230 pounds. I normally squatted 12 reps three sets with it.

Just tried your method and went a step further to 20

Maybe next time

 

[md3sign]

And you did that for 2 sets and then 14 more reps? You could have done more weight ..