3 sets of squats. They got EASIER with each set !?!

[sundry]

I did 3 sets of squats after many months...
I just did an entry level weight like 70% of my body weight.

The first set sucked.....
Felt stiff and brittle, knees were hurting.
Stopped at 6

Did another set.
This time, I went to 8.
8 felt like what 6 felt like.

Last set was the best.
Got to 10.
10 felt like what 8 felt like.

What's going on here?
2 days later, I am nice and DOMS, so that's all I needed!

[kconnell]

Don't understand whats going on. But if you're sore, it works.

[FNG37]

And what did you do for warm ups?

If you're gauging effectiveness of your workout by soreness, we need another thread. And of course you're sore, it's been "many months."

EDIT: Or maybe your CNS really started to switch on after a good set

[IamVana]

The first set sucked.....
Felt stiff and brittle, knees were hurting.
Stopped at 6

What's going on here?

If you didn't warm up properly, that will likely be why you were sore in the first set. Sore knees aren't really a sign of DOMS, it is more a sign of bad form and can become bad news in time if not corrected. Try warming up lighter next time, get a stretch and pump the blood a bit before adding more weight, then try and do 3 work sets with the heavier weight ensuring your form is good and knees don't overextend.

[bob1776]

I often feel best on my 2nd & 3rd set. For the same reason my 3rd rep often is much cleaner than rep 1 and 2. I think it is more a factor of coordination and getting the muscles working together under load.

[gbnpc]

The more and more you work those legs, the better it will get---notice I didn't say easier"---legs aren't an easy muscle group to train by any means, BUT, the more you train them, the better you will get at doing them. Great work!

[4Biz]

As each set progressed your muscles were warming up

3rd was easier then the first

If you are planning on bigger & stronger legs plan to do more then 3 sets

[Richie71]

Leg work does seem to involve better between sets recovery. Most upper body stuff, if working hard I'll lose strength between sets. Leg work though, doesn't, and often the 2nd and 3rd sets feel better than the first, regardless of how good a warmup I did.

[shawnbellon]

Likely as stated you just didn't warm up enough. Mobility issues?

Next time maybe do some light cardio, foam rolling and stretching before squats. Also do light weights for a set of 10, 6 and 4 reps before starting your 3 work sets.

[PersonaNonGrata]

Squats are funny like that. Even if i do them later in my session (say after 20-30 minutes of other leg work, stretching, rolling) i often find the first couple of sets a grind, and sets 3 and 4 i can get more reps.

I have no explanation for this, and i dont experience it on any other exercise. I've had various hypotheses over the years, none of which have any scientific basis really, but i know i have fairly crappy blood flow to my legs so it may be related to that.

[defleaner]

dunno then, first reps/sets feel really good, last ones my back is in danger lol

what does this mean misc

[Donkeyno9]

Is it possible you weren't squatting as deep on the last 2 sets?

[JOHN GARGANI]

for many people, 70 percent of bodyweight for the first set, might not be a proper warmup...too much....this is all relative....are there other leg sets leading up to the squats? this would make a 70 percent start more comfortable....but starting cold, might not be the ticket and explain why you feel so awful on that first set....

[IIISpartacusIII]

It takes a while for your nervous system to warm up too but it seems to me that you didn't do a general warm up, i.e. 5 minutes on an elliptical which would have raised your body temperature first so that you could begin squatting more effectively. I would recommend getting physically warmed up and then slowly adding weight to your squat; start with the empty bar and then add weight from there. Big jumps in weight, especially when you don't squat much will make the weight feel much heavier at first.

[bigtallox]

I did 3 sets of squats after many months...
I just did an entry level weight like 70% of my body weight.

The first set sucked.....
Felt stiff and brittle, knees were hurting.
Stopped at 6

Did another set.
This time, I went to 8.
8 felt like what 6 felt like.

Last set was the best.
Got to 10.
10 felt like what 8 felt like.

What's going on here?

Insufficient warm up.

2 days later, I am nice and DOMS, so that's all I needed!

This is why, no other reason....

squats after many months...

[Mr. Someday]

I warm up with tiny weights. lol If I am feeling stiff, I'll toss my ego aside and put little 25's on the bar and start warming up. Maybe 15-20 reps to get some blood flow in there. With squats, I usually have a good 4 sets in before I even contemplate going for working sets. Once past that, after doing my heaviest set, I may drop back to say like 6 plates and bang out more reps than I did when I was working my way up. it's weird how that can happen, but the weight feels lighter the second time around.

[GZeolla]

I warm up with sets of 20, 10, 6, 3 reps and maybe a final single depending on how heavy my first work set is. The first set is with the bar; the final set is with 10% less than my first work set. The other sets are spaced evenly between these. I’ve never felt a second set is easier than the first. My guess would be as with others: either you’re not fully warmed up, or you’re not sinking the later sets as much as the first.

[JOHN GARGANI]

I warm up with sets of 20, 10, 6, 3 reps and maybe a final single depending on how heavy my first work set is. The first set is with the bar;

I warm up with tiny weights. lol If I am feeling stiff, I'll toss my ego aside and put little 25's on the bar and start warming up.

OP: listen to both of these guys, they are reiterating what I said: 70 percent of your bodyweight is a LOT to start with....unless you are extraordinarily skinny......

70 percent of my current bodyweight would be almost 160 pounds: in my BEST SALAD DAYS OF YOUTH, I would NEVER under any circumstances start out with that weight to warm up your knees with squats....

[Brackneyc]

EDIT: Or maybe your CNS really started to switch on after a good set

Did not know it could be switched off. Good to know.

[KindaBigGuns]

Like others have said insufficient warm up. I go body weight, bar, 95, 135, 185, ect. I don't like big jumps in weight. Even with that warmup however, I do often find the later sets go better. The CNS warming up too I guess...

[Phattso]

I did 3 sets of squats after many months...
I just did an entry level weight like 70% of my body weight.

The first set sucked.....
Felt stiff and brittle, knees were hurting.
Stopped at 6

Did another set.
This time, I went to 8.
8 felt like what 6 felt like.

Last set was the best.
Got to 10.
10 felt like what 8 felt like.

What's going on here?
2 days later, I am nice and DOMS, so that's all I needed!

sundry, you used to say that squats were useless and you railed on anyone that squats. Aside from that, you're a pussy.

[GuyJin]

sundry, you used to say that squats were useless and you railed on anyone that squats. Aside from that, you're a pussy.

---

Now, now, don't be that way. He did 70% of his bodyweight. That's seventy pounds.

We all have to start somewhere.



And to be honest, if you're starting your workout with seventy percent of your bodyweight, that's a bit much. Using thirty to fifty percent is good for a warmup for at least two sets, and then going into the 70% thing is okay. But I wouldn't start at that weight. My old joints hurt too much...I need a warmup.

[Phattso]

---

Now, now, don't be that way. He did 70% of his bodyweight. That's seventy pounds.

We all have to start somewhere.



And to be honest, if you're starting your workout with seventy percent of your bodyweight, that's a bit much. Using thirty to fifty percent is good for a warmup for at least two sets, and then going into the 70% thing is okay. But I wouldn't start at that weight. My old joints hurt too much...I need a warmup.

lol. Clarification: He's a pussy for being a troll.

[GuyJin]

lol. Clarification: He's a pussy for being a troll.

---

Gotcha.

[sundry]

This time, I did some walking lunges first.
Then I also did some box jumps.
Knees felt much better when I then did my 3 sets of squats.

[BentArrow]

Probably just waking up the muscles to get them to stretch on the first set. I experience something similar with leg exercises.

[sundry]

Did 3 warmup sets and 2 sets.

Set #1 25% of body weight
Set #2 25% of body weight
Set #3 55% of body weight
Set #4 65% of body weight
Set #5 75% of body weight

Knees were great the entire time,
and the 2 real sets felt like work without pushing too hard for spinal and knee injury so common with squats.

[dopaminozero]

most of my workouts get easier after a couple sets --> failure iirc