The high rep squat thread

[maverick]

High rep, heavy squats are arguably the absolute best way to gain lean mass. If you have the willpower, they are tremendous. I think "Super Squats" may be my next book purchase.

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by Dan C

I had an minor issue last year, but I think that was a matter of getting used to my lifting shoes. All good this time around.

I think this is what I was experiancing lastnight, I just am not used to another style, I just did some bodyweight squats and feel good about it, the decent is alittle faster and I'm not going as LOW, it'll be a looonng set, enough worrying, I'm just gonna get to it, if I train sat. I'll call you.

[Motivated]

Originally Posted by maverick

High rep, heavy squats are arguably the absolute best way to gain lean mass. If you have the willpower, they are tremendous. I think "Super Squats" may be my next book purchase.

Oh, I have willpower.

Its your journal that made me realize I could get in better shape.

So they do really help gain lean mass everywhere? Have there been studies?

Its true, though, since I really started squatting, I noticed faster gains... I dunno if its all in my head.

When you have time Mav, check out my journal - I'd like your input, itd be greatly appreciated.

[Cort]

Did a set today ATG with 150, although I feel I could've gone heavier. Definitely harder than I expected, though.

[luke.w]

I did mine sat. (Danny came over) it's now tuesday and my legs are finally getting some relief, and they are still pretty sore.

All I gotta say is, great work for anyone who is doing these, this was my first offical high repper ever I believe, I was in past using my ego to excuse not doing these, I always wanted 250x20 I didn't want to use a lighter 185-200lb. This was the most mentally and physically demanding thing I've done, you can flip a tire or drag a sled, but you take your breaths without the resistance on you, you can't exscape that load on your shoulders.

heres how it went, I used a pre-exaust system, that I liked alot.

super-yoke 5-10'walk
350
440
480
550
640
730


780 5-10' smallest slowest steps, went right to 185lb squats x25


(before I hit the squats, my breathing was heavy, my abs and legs were already burning from the yoke)
the 185 felt so light though after haveing 780 on my shoulders, but by 15 reps I was in agony, it was a fight to get 20, then I thought to myself 5more and I'm racking it, and thats what happened, I thought afterwards maybe I coulda/shoulda got 5more, but I'm okay with that, this is a bench mark, I hadn't a clue what was going to happen, I oringally thought 20 would be my destiny.

my knees feel fine also!!! my legs were sore an hour later, all I did was eat afterwards and all weekend.

[Dan C]

Luke's workout was definitely impressive. I did not expect him to go right from a 780lb yoke walk to a set of 20+ rep squats without any rest.

I did another 225 for 40 last night. Very tough... tougher than the last time, I don't know why. Maybe it's because I was in the basement with no rack and nobody around. Just me and the bar in the middle of the floor.

Honestly, I had 50 reps on my mind going into it, actually thought I might do it too but at 30 I knew I only had so much left in me. The 40th rep was agonizingly slow, and I wanted to do at least one more BAD, but my back hurt too much to stand there any longer. The set took 5 min 33 sec from the time I started the timer, unracked, did the set, reracked and stopped the timer.

My entire body was pumped when I was done. Back, shoulders, arms and of course my legs. I actually dropped to the floor this time. This was all I did for the day, my one and only exercise, and it took 15 minutes for me to stop sweating and for my breathing to return to normal.

Good workout.

[tim_mcf]

4/10/07:

165x25 (I chose 75% of my bw for my first attempt at this. Probably could have busted out 5 more but lacked the mental toughness)

[tim_mcf]

BTW, I'm very impressed by the yoke walk, then high rep squats too. Dan's 225x40 isn't too shabby either.

[maverick]

Dan, the 225x40 is unreal, I've got some catching up to do. I did chip away at it today though. Got up to 225x25 (for my previous best of 225x20).

I got through the teens easier than last time, but getting to them seemed harder, go figure. The reps didn't start going REALLY slow til about 17 or 18. The real limiting factor for me was the dizziness being generated by my labored and interrupted breathing. Whenever I go to the bottom of the squat when my hips, abs, and the tops of my thighs are all basically touching, I can't breathe. The lack of breath screws up my mental toughness as tim put it, and makes me stop at the top even though I have a bit more in my legs (which we all know sucks).

It was an awful friggin grind and I do not look forward to trying to top it. If I do, I suspect it would be by only a rep or so. I hit the floor immediately after racking the weight and was heaving for breath like a madman. Not like normal where you are just breathing really fast. I was actually forcefully pushing air in and out of my body. I probably sounded like some kind of idiot, but I didn't really have a choice. Plus the 6 guys waiting to get on the pec deck cant really say **** to me at that point.

The pain was brought and all I want now is a steak and a nap.

[Dan C]

I know what you mean, last night after my workout I ate like a horse and went to bed early.

Something that might help your breathing Maverick is to hold your breath for a brief second. Inhale on the descent, hold at the bottom and exhale on the way up. Breathe normally in between reps.

[LINDA]

(Gremlins in the system)

I thought I posted a big kudos to both Dan and Luke for your efforts. It didn't seem to register as a real post so I am offering it now.

Very impressive, gentlemen !

[IronMan]

Luke, I'm like boggled that you would do the yolk walk then do a high rep set! That is simply amazing.

Good set Dan. I can appreciate the mental toughness it took to finish that set.

Tim, don't second guess yourself on the extra 5 reps. What you did wasn't shabby by anyone's yardstick. When its right to go 30, you will know it -- then will do it.

maverick - glad I wasn't one of the guys at the pec deck, lol. Don't ever recall seeing anyone doing high rep squats at my old gym. Way to tough it out.

Did 20 reps with 230 today. My plan for the next few weeks is to add 5 pounds each week to see how high I can go. The set was tough but not excruciatingly tough. But I had the most difficult time starting it. Man, my mind simply did not want to begin this time around. Guess I was remembering last week only too well, lol. Finished off my workout with a few sets of high pulls (chin high) with 105 pound dumbbells, some high rep bodyweight dips and some chins (wish they were high rep too, but one can't have everything). Added two sets of wrist curls too, just for good measure.

[Firehawk]

Would doing tire flips till I dropped be something that I could apply here? I'd like to do squats but I think it'll be detrimental to my hernia rehab, and I want to get in on this. And, my cardio has been on the rise, recovery time is vastly improved, so I'd like to try to see how many I can do with the tire at the gym before i tap out.

[Dan C]

Are you getting into strongman Firehawk? Let's hear about your session...

A repetition tire flip is very demanding, just like any full body movement. The only difference is that you are not constantly under the load. There are brief movements of "freedom" which is why I jokingly (but seriously) commented to Ironman about resting his deadlifts while standing with the bar in his hand. I mean, anybody that's working hard with high rep sets of full body exercise I'm going to commend them, doesn't matter if it's squats, deadlifts, tire flips or clean & presses, but to truly relate to what's going on with "20-rep squats" you need to be under the load throughout the duration of the set.

Also though, the tire flip, like most strongman events/training, does not involve an eccentric portion of the lift. Great exercise, crazy hard when done to exhaustion, just a tad bit different than high rep squatting.

[Firehawk]

Yep the weight isn't always on me, would agree there. I would likely try to be continuous with the flipping though, no resting, just keep trying to flip allt he way over the parking lot.

There's a push behind getting some strongman type stuff at the gym and I am one of the guys pushing for it. It can only help. I have been doing some tire flipping now for the past 2 weeks or so, since we found the tire in the lot. It's alot of fun and different. I'm having a good time with it. Also pulling the sled more now, working on getting more GPP and it's been helping in my attempt to lean out and keep strength.

Other things we will likely get is a yoke, farmers walk, we have sledge hammers in the gym now, a fwe things for grip, uh...tryin to think. I think tha'ts about it right now. I suggested getting a sandbag and a keg in there too to toss around. We also have a prowler (like the thing you use in football practice, the coach stands on and you drive it?) The difference is, you can hold onto it but you have to get low to the ground to make it move. It's plate loadable too, makes it very tough. The plates are loaded on the front of it, and you push it from the back so if you don't get low and get fast, it digs right into the ground and goes nowhere. Great cardio.

I just want some change of pace is all, and some of these things are excellent and alot of fun to do.