I'm following the SS routine (or fairly close to), but struggling with the frequency of squats.
Starting Strength states an A/B alternate workout with squats on both days, but a lot of posts on here advise squats 1x per week or even less.
I'm doing the SS recommended frequency but my legs constantly feel shot to bits.
What does everyone think, and whats the general consensus on squats?
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Thread: Squats 3x per week?
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07-01-2011, 01:58 AM #1
Squats 3x per week?
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07-01-2011, 02:05 AM #2
You will adapt to the frequency of squats.
You should go hard and heavy on one day, the other two are done in a more of a voume concentring fashion, that is, you should not be killing yourself. A rule of thumb is, 20% less weight on the light day and 10% less on the medium day, if you want to squat 3x week that is.
You should always be progressing on your heavy day, if you are not, it means you are going too heavy on the other days.
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07-01-2011, 02:37 AM #3
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07-01-2011, 02:43 AM #4
That's the big mistake. Out of the 3 days, one is heavy, the other are done with lighter weights. Dont think that because you are lifting less weight on the other two days you are not doing enough. On the contrary, those two days allow for getting in a lot of volume while still recovering from the heavy day and simultaneously allowing for increased workload tolerance (i.e you are training like an athlete). After the third training day (day 3 of 3), you take two days off (e.g the weekend if training on a MWF basis) and supercompensation occurs (you get stronger!)
Let me know if you have any other questions. Squatting 3x a week is a great way to get strong and big but it needs careful modulating as opposed to going balls out every workout.
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07-01-2011, 04:39 AM #5
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Not really sure if I agree.
SS is 3 days 3 sets 5 reps each, it is prgressive so you start out light (40%) max and work up each week by 5 or 10 lbs. Doing one day heavy would kill the prgression in the weeks to come.
Each week is the same weight then add the 5 or 10lbs.
Needless to say form is critical so if you do not do full squats you will hurt ... a lot.
So not change the routine and expect it to work for you, these routines Starting Strength, Bill Starr's 5x5 (Mad Cow) or Jim Wendle's 5-3-1 all have been proven with years of testing and you changing it will not make it better. Yes you start out light weights we all do but Starting Strength is a "STRENGTH" routine and works on strength not muscle size (not to say you won't get some muscle size ... you will), but it is "designed" for strength.
Slow and steady progress is the way to go.Good Luck!
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Best Lifts - Gym | Meet (5/2010)
=============================
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Dead..........550 | 570
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810/610/570 (11/2011)
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07-01-2011, 04:53 AM #6
Skiboy is right. If you are doing SS, then you need to stick to the program. As you become a more advanced/stronger lifter, then you very well may need to adjust things. Right now, however, do SS as written to build up strength base. I wouldn't play with things until you are ready to move to a different program.
As for the general consensus on Squats: "King of Resistance Exercises" sums that up for most."The LORD is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation! This is my God, and I will praise Him, my Father's God and I will exalt Him!" - Exodus 15:2
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07-01-2011, 07:13 AM #7
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Do you know why you are doing Starting Strength?
If you have read the book and followed it's instructions then you'd know the answers to your questions.
Understand too that SS is designed to be done while eating a ton of food every day. If you are not eating enough you'll feel like crap all the time. Food and rest are the recovery plan for SS and forget about cardio.
If you don't have the book buy it. If you don't want to buy it at least use this
http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...rting_Strength
Sorry not trying to be a dick.Last edited by Nikonguy; 07-01-2011 at 07:20 AM.
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07-01-2011, 07:17 AM #8
That's not how it works at all. That is true if you're doing madcows 5x5. For SS, you're supposed to set PRs on squats 3x a week. Hence why you should keep a very high caloric intake - to allow that to happen. Make sure your rest is top notch too. OP, how much are you squatting? Squatting 3x a week heavy is somewhat manageable up to 3 plates, but past that it starts becoming too hard on your CNS. When you start approaching that kind of weight in squats, I'd suggest doing front squats on Wednesday.
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07-01-2011, 07:25 AM #9
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07-01-2011, 07:30 AM #10
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07-01-2011, 07:32 AM #11
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07-01-2011, 07:33 AM #12
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07-01-2011, 07:36 AM #13
if its a program such as SS, with tons of people who have been thru it, then the programming is built in and if it lists squats 3x per week then its fine.
as far as doing stuff 1x or 2x or 3x per week, you will find opinions varying. Ironically, all of those approaches work because there are other variables. The 1x per week guy is doing a LOT of exercises and sets and more intensity (going to failure etc) whereas the 3x guy isnt doing as many exercises or sets etc
squatting (or benching) 3x per week shouldnt be a problem as long as u r following a program that has everything factored in
on a program like SS just follow it as exactly as u can. There r many threads devoted to it where every imaginable question has been asked and answered.
there is another workout called "Sheiko" and the beginner setup looks like this:
M-squats-bench-
W-deads -bench
F-squats-bench
And its HIGH volume with lots of sets but the weight doesnt get that heavy as far as it being a high% of your max etc. I did that when I was about 38 and made great gains. So dont be afraid to do stuff more than 1x per week.
When doing a bodypart 1x per week i STAY sore. When doing 3x per week im rarely sore, lol"Humility comes before honor"
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07-01-2011, 07:46 AM #14
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LOL, I was a little brisk with the lad. I don't mind under-35 folks participating here as long as they give good advice, have a sense of humor and can take a little chit without getting butthurt. As far as I know Keltron is the only one who has managed it.
sorry for thread derail OP." ----------I`m your Huckleberry......'"
John Adams
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07-01-2011, 07:49 AM #15
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07-01-2011, 07:51 AM #16
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07-01-2011, 09:57 AM #17
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07-01-2011, 10:00 AM #18
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07-01-2011, 11:22 AM #19
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07-01-2011, 11:55 AM #20
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Olympic lifters, beginner and advanced, often squat 3x/week. Many of their routines involve a squatting, pulling, and pressing element every workout, cycled in terms of 1RM % emphases to prevent burnout.
I know OLY lifting is not bodybuilding, but they do aim specifically to increase their poundages, with often astounding success.
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07-01-2011, 12:05 PM #21
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Yeah, OK. You're right, I've read that many OLY lifters do squat with high frequency. But I believe there are even less oly lifters here than strongman competitors. In my post I was assuming the OP was average non competitive bodybuilder ( which is probably a good assumption especially since they're asking the question here ).
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07-01-2011, 12:28 PM #22
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07-01-2011, 04:03 PM #23
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07-01-2011, 04:07 PM #24
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07-01-2011, 04:09 PM #25
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07-01-2011, 04:13 PM #26
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07-01-2011, 04:17 PM #27
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You substituted hang cleans for rows, but rows aren't part of the normal program either. Starting Strength is Squat, Bench, Power Cleans, Deads, and Press. Somebody here on BB.com wrote to sub rows in but that's not the original program. Maybe it's in the book as an alternate, I dunno I never got too far through the book. Not knocking it, I sub'd rows too when I got up to 190x5 on Power Cleans because that stuff drained the hell out of me. Just sayin...
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07-01-2011, 04:43 PM #28
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07-01-2011, 04:50 PM #29
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Yeah I quoted yours because I was going to ask you a question, but by the time I finished the first reply I forgot what I was going to ask you. LOL... I think I was going to say that the Hang Cleans might be closer to the original program's Power Cleans than the Rows would be, but I've never done them so not really sure what/how they hit. Obviously they'd be lacking the leg explosiveness.
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07-01-2011, 05:00 PM #30
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