Quote:
Originally Posted by mmuhr2
your successes with smolov give me some reassurance as i will be starting it in the next couple of days myself
|
Good luck with it. It's rough but fun, and the results are definitely there. Here's some stuff I wrote about it for another person attempting it:
Thanks for taking the time to read my journal. If you do the Smolov, it's going to take a toll on everything else. You're squatting 4 times a week with a lot of volume and intensity. For the most part I just squatted. As you can see from my journal, I didn't do a whole lot else. Pretty much one other lift a day. Basically enough to maintain strength and not lose any. I didn't deadlift at all the whole time.
I actually hurt my bicep before starting the cycle and couldn't do any pulling movements. That also kept me from doing mma for the most part. I did some sessions toward the end, but my legs were thrashed, and they definitely weren't the most productive mma sessions ever. I didn't do any conditioning during that time either. Trust me when I say you won't be able to. Your legs will be shot, and although you adjust to the frequency and volume, it takes its toll on everything else.
Here are my tips for success if you decide to do it:
1. Deload for a week before starting. Start the cycle fresh.
2. Get a good belt to lift with. I don't normally use one, but with the frequency of this program, your lower back won't recover between workouts. I couldn't have finished without the belt.
3. Eat like a horse. I ate around 5k calories every day. You're stressing the hell out of your body. Help it recover.
5. Warm up well before each workout. Part of the key to success is not getting hurt.
6. Limit other lifts. Just try to maintain strength on them. You're doing this to improve your squat. Everything else is secondary.
7. Limit conditioning to some light gpp. If you do mma, boxing, or another sport, realize that Smolov is going to seriously affect those workouts. however, if you're doing just the base mesocycle it's only a month, so your conditioning will come back, and your new strength just might be worth it. You'll have to decide for yourself just what your goals are.
8. After you finish and set your new PR, follow the reccomendation of 2 weeks of speed work and than hit it hard again to keep your gains. I messed this up. I was burned out from squatting and didn't feel like seriously getting under the bar for a good long while after completing the program. My squat dropped accordingly. Now, I wish I had done more to maintain the gains I made from this.
