Greetings STEEMIT! Today I’ll be sharing my own variation on the tried and tested 20 rep back squat routine. For those of you that have been around the Bodybuilding, Powerlifting, Cross-fit, or Weightlifting communities, you will no doubt have heard of Super-Squats. This routine is also known as Squats and Milk. It has been promoted for decades as the best way to add size on to your legs, as well as to develop an insane work capacity in your lower body. For those of you that don’t know the original program here it is: 3X a Week, perform 1 set of 20 reps on the back squat, starting at 55% of your 1RM and adding 5lbs each workout. Your old 5 rep max, should be your new 20 Rep Max at the end of the program. No doubt that this routine is amazing, well tested, and miserable! Doing 20 reps of anything is tough, but performing a 20 rep max of anything requires good form and mental fortitude. Besides the SMOLOV squat program (Which I do NOT recommend unless taking anabolic recovery agents) this is one of the most challenging squat routines one can undertake. However, I began to wonder if it could be improved upon, there are infinite variations of the 5x5 program and 10x10 programs, but there are only a few variations on the Super Squats Program. I began tweaking and refining the program last year, this year I have finalized this program. There are many tweaks and changes, but I feel it is a great alternative to the standard Super Squats. My main goals were as follows: 1: Improve built in recovery. 2: Add in some light Deadlift work to maintain and balance the squat work. 3: Improve the upper-body portion of the routine. 4: Improve Core-stability. 5: Make the program slightly less monotonous. I accomplished goal number 1 and 4 by removing one back squat routine from the week. Instead you will do a light deadlift and front squat session. The front squats are still 20 rep efforts, but are at a much lighter weight than your back squats, providing similar volume, but less intensity for the middle of the week. In addition, front squats focus more on core stability and upper back development than do back squats. The deadlifts of course provide a break in the squat monotony as well as balance out the squatting motion with a hip hinge. Don’t worry though, no 20 rep deadlifts here! Upper-body work in the original Super-Squats is restricted to dumbbell pullovers. Which I personally do not like, they have been replaced with dumbbell bench-press and dumbbell row twice a week. Volume and intensity on the upper body is limited still however in order to maximize the recovery capacity on the lower-body. However, with the addition of deadlifts and front squats, the upper-body workouts focus on building the upper back for more support during squats. Below is the finalized Program:
Monday: Mobility Work; Back squats- 1 X 20 @ 60% of 1RM; DB Bench Press-3x15 @ 70%; Single Arm DB Rows- 3x15 @ 70%.
Wednesday: Front Squats 1x20 @ 60% of 1RM, Deadlifts- 3x5 @ 70%, 75%, 80% of 1RM (Adding one rep per set weak week) Lifters Choice Core Work.
Friday: Mobility Work; Back Squats 1x20 @ 60%+5-10lbs; DB Bench Press 3x8 @ 75%; Single Arm DB Rows- 3x8 @ 80%, Pull-Ups 2x Max Effort. Every Squat Workout add 5 to 10 lbs from your previous workout. I personally add 10 until I feel it is unsustainable. You should not miss a single rep in the program through week 4. IF you are missing reps, drop the weight back down 10lbs and continue. Continue for 4 weeks.
Example results are as follows: Lifter starts at a 185lb 20RM Back Squat. Lifter adds 10lbs a workout on through week 2, and 5lbs a workout during weeks 3 and 4. Resulting in a 245lb 20RM back squat. Lifter should also accumulate 15lbs on front squat 20rm. As well as going from a 3x5 on deadlift, to a 3x8 with the same weight.
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