Hi Mehdi,

First of all I must say that I LOVE your site. It is of great inspiration for me and I'm reading all of your posts. Congratulations with what you have achieved here, really impressive!

I am a 34 year old Norwegian who has been doing your StrongLifts 5x5 program for about 4 months. I'm 179cm tall and my bodyweight is now 79kg. Currently I'm doing 5x5 of 80kg in squats, 1x5 140kg of deadlift and just yesterday manage 5x5 85kg in bench. I have reduced my bodyweight from 85kg and my man boobs are gone and close to all my belly fat. I've gain so much confidence from this as I've started to get compliments at work for my "new" body shape. I love this side effect of your program.

I am also quite happy with my progress in the gym but I have issues with my squats as I can't seem to get any progress any more. I've been doing 80 kg for months now and when I put on more weight my technique starts to fail and I can't hold good form. I started out doing ass-to-grass style squats but I've now changed to parallel and hope that this will help my progress. I seem to need work on my new form as I still can't get pass the 80kg plateau.

Any comments to my squat issue is appreciated. I am still doing good progress in deadlift but I can't put on 2,5 kg every week on the bench anymore. Do you think it is time for me to move on to a new program? I've been doing weight training on and off for years so I feel that my form is good in most exercises (except squats that I've only started with 4 months ago).

Thanks and best regards

Espen

Thanks for the words of encouragement. And amazing job finally losing your man boobs and belly fat. I too started feeling much more confident after finally eliminating my moobs and pot belly more than a decade ago.

Your question - Technique issues you solve by doing that exercise more, not by substituting it. I'm going to assume your logic was that you can Squat more low bar and thus break your plateau by switching to parallel Squats. But, as you've come to realize, parallel Squats have a different bar position, different torso alignment and thus a different technique than "Ass-To-Grass" Squats. That's why if you don't know how to use your muscles correctly when Squatting low bar, the same weight isn't necessarily going to feel easier.

It would have made more sense to suck up the ego and lower the weight by 20% so you can master technique, instead of continuing the same weight. But, again, you shouldn't have switched to low bar Squats in the first place because form issues are always solved by Squatting more, NOT substituting the lift.

Stick with whatever Squat version you're doing now (my guess is low bar) and start taping yourself so you understand what it is you're doing wrong. Practice perfect technique on your warm-up sets, maybe do extra warm-up sets until it feels right. Once on your work sets, keep your technique perfect even if that means you'll miss reps. Focus, squeeze everything and lift fast.

Don't switch to Madcow 5x5 yet - your Bench is stronger than your Squat, you need to fix that before moving on. And since this is a technique issue, Squatting 3x/week is the best way to master technique. You don't even need to switch to 3x5 yet (in fact, almost all StrongLifts Members switch when they can Squat at least 200lb, usually around 225lb, and many only switch at the 300lb mark).

Deadlift switch from 1x5 to 1x3 and start Deadlifting once per week (1x/week Barbell Rows, 1x/week Pull-ups). Bench Press switch to 3x5 (then 1x5) and use smaller increments. This should keep the progress while you fix your Squats.

But remember, it's only been 4 months since you started Squatting. It's perfectly normal to struggle a bit. The key is to keep plugging at it. Don't be a quitter.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Hello.. Mehdi

My name is Andy and I've been doing "stronglifts5x5" since 23 Jan 11... and I love it. I'll be "50" in April and I'm getting back into the shape that I was when I was in the Army. I retired back in 1995 and I let myself go... not good. I gained weight... when I retired I weighed about 174 lbs at 5' 8" and I got up to 302 lbs. Very sad... I was told I had diabetes and I also have sleep apnia.

Well, YOUR program is changing my life. I feel great and people are asking ME what I've been doing to lose weight and how was I getting "thicker" is what one guy quoted to me. Man...comments like those is what make one want to go back too the gym. I look forward to the next day that I can lift... don't get me wrong here... there are times that I'm very sore from my last lifts... but NO EXCUSES. I even went home sick one day from work... but I still did my workout. It even made me feel better...weird.

I have a couple questions for you.

1. I'm getting "thicker" but I still have a lot of belly fat and chest fat... how can I get it off?
2. Should I doing any cardio AFTER lifting or BEFORE lifting?
3. My legs are very sore... next day not too bad... but 2nd day it's freak-in hard to even walk... how can I "ease" the pain?

I've been passin on the STRONGLIFTS 5X5 to all of my co-workers at work... they have seen what is done for me in 9 weeks and now they want to try it. I told them... if you don't go every time your suppose to go... it's not going to work... you need to be committed.

I'm down to 274 lbs...want to be at 200 by April of 2012...

I hope you get this message from me...I know your very busy. I want to tell you THANKS!! You are the MAN!

Andy....
US ARMY
Retired... "NEVER QUIT"

Thanks for spreading the word and great job training even though you felt sick. Nobody ever wants to lift on those days, but everybody feels better afterwards. And how often have I hit PRs on days where I felt like crap? Most guys stay at home when they have a simple cold, and never discover what you've learned.

Your first question - to eliminate your belly fat and man boobs you simply have to lower your body fat. You're 274lb at 5'8" so it's obvious that you carry a lot of excess fat. Recent research suggests that spot reduction is possible, but not for guys with +15% body fat which is the overwhelming majority. So the good old fashioned fat loss strategies apply: eat less calories than your body burns. Cleaning up your diet by eating more whole foods and less junk is the start.

Second question - cardio AFTER lifting. Doing cardio first would get your legs tired for Squats and limit the amount of weight you can use. Strength training is more important than cardio for fat loss because it prevents muscle loss when dieting which is vital in order not to turn skinny-fat. So do cardio after if you want to, but remember to clean up your diet - cardio + junk diet = useless.

Third question - foam roll your legs daily to get rid of the soreness faster. Don't ever skip workouts, this only makes things worse - the best way to eliminate soreness is to train your legs again since this flushes blood into your muscles. The soreness will almost always go away after your warm-up sets.

To be honest, the soreness could last a few months until your legs are used to all the work. My trainingpartner has been lifting with me for 6 months and he says his legs are sore all the time while mine rarely are. Now since his Squat has skyrocketed to 297lb and his Deadlift to 374lb during this time, there's no overtraining B.S. going on here, he has and continue to make progress.

Drop the cardio for now so your legs have less work to do, consider switching from 5x5 to 3x5/1x5 earlier since you're in your 50s now, and foam roll your legs daily (or better, get a masseuse). Most important: remember eating too little hurts recovery, so eat plenty of whole foods and drink a gallon of water a day for hydration. But always keep Squatting, the soreness will go away.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Hi Mehdi,

Congratulations on updating your 5x5 report. It's truly excellent!

I have a question for you. I am 39 years old and squats, although not painful, cause discomfort to my knees without knee supports. I learned from you that proper form in squats is excellent for the knees, but is it worth doing them with assistance of knee supports?

I realize you are immensely busy, but, I hope you can answer my question. Thank you for all that you are doing for this world.

Regards,

Paul Y. Ahn
Seoul, Korea

You should definitely continue to Squat wearing neoprene knee supports if they eliminate discomfort and boost your confidence under the bar. Unlike tight knee wraps, neoprene knee supports don't add more than 5lb to your max, so you're still Squatting raw. Also, Squatting with knee supports will NOT keep your knees weak, your knee joints and their surrounding muscles will strengthen. Especially since you will now be able to Squat pain-free and thus lift heavier weighs.

Frankly, I've never used knee supports even though I've been Squatting weekly for 12 years and Squat 400lb. But I know of several StrongLifts Members who eliminated knee discomfort on Squats using knee supports. Example: StrongLifts Member Michael (31y, New Zealand) wore neoprene knee supports during his first months of StrongLifts 5x5 because he suffered from knee arthritis.

The reason knee supports work to eliminate knee discomfort, is because they increase the temperature of your knee joint more than warming up with the bar does. This makes Squatting a lot easier on your knees. Neoprene sleeves also add support, but far less than tight knee wraps obviously.

Stongman Competitors Derek Poundstone and Zydrunas Savickas both Squatting/Deadlifting wearing the original Rebhand Knee Supports.

You've probably noticed many strongman wear blue knee sleeves. Those are the original Rehband knee supports (7mm, neoprene) which are considered the best. Not cheap, but everybody knows quality has a price, and you only buy this once so it's an investment. As far as I know, jackalsgym.com is the only store that offers blue Rehband knee supports so check them out (disclaimer: I'm NOT affiliated with them and I'm NOT getting a commission on each sale). Otherwise, the Tommy Kono knee supports also seem to get positive reviews.

Just put the sleeves on before you start Squatting, and keep them on for the whole duration of your warm-up sets plus work sets. So don't remove them in between, you want the knee supports to keep you warm. And do remember to always Squat parallel, with your knees and feet pointing out and into the same direction. Knee supports will never solve bad Squat technique.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Hardest thing for this 50 year old is keeping my knees out on my squat. I work hard to have good form. My goal is to squat 500 at 220 lbs. Raw. My 5x5 is 305 at the present time. If you have something you can see that I'm doing wrong let me know.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Start by moving your feet 6" inwards and you'll see that you will have a much easier time Squatting the same weight and keeping your knees out. The exact stance depends on the length of your limbs & co, but shoulder-width is a good place to start (I Squat a bit wider because I have long limbs/short torso).

The next thing is to point your feet out. Your left foot is clearly pointing straight ahead, and this will prevent you to push your knees out when Squatting with a shoulder-width stance. So point your feet and knees into the same direction. How much your feet should be out depends on your stance, but as a rule of thumb the wider your stance, the more they should be out (in my case 45°).

After all these tweaks, keeping your knees out when Squatting will be a matter of practice. Make sure you force your knees out as much as you can during your warm-up sets, don't wait until your work sets to focus on this.

It looks like your belt is under your belly by the way. Wear it higher so you can push your abs against the belt. And make sure you copy the Squat technique of guys who Squat raw like you do, not from geared powerlifters.

If you want me to review your technique, post a video of yourself Squatting, Deadlifting, Benching or Pressing on the StrongLifts Fan Page. I’ll select a video every now and then, and review it in a technique clinic like this one.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

I know you don't usually reply to emails but I really need some help. I have been getting your emails for quite a while but I am unfortunately not a StrongLifts Member.

I have been lifting for about 5 years and always done squats but never progressed. I can bench 250lb and deadlift 370lb but I just have never been able to squat. I am doing StrongLifts 5x5 but when I get up to around 150lb, I hurt my back.

I have been doing mobility work so that i can squat deeper and with a wider stance but i hurt my back again tonight so I just don't know what to do now. I am 6'1" so squatting is awkward for me.

I have uploaded a video of tonight's squatting to youtube so could you please look at it and give me your thoughts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I always hear to sit back into the squat so that is what I do but I have to lean far forward to make up for sitting back. My form looks pretty good to me but I am obviously doing something wrong.

Sorry for the long message but I just wanted you to see how frustrated I am with this. I know guys who have been lifting for a month that can squat more than I can after 5 years

First, being 6'1" is irrelevant. Many StrongLifts Members are actually around 6'1" - Jake (18y, Canada) Squats 600lb at 6'1", Norman (44y, USA) Squats 600lb at 6'4", Simon (31y, UK) Squats 500lb at 6'3", James (42y, USA) Squats 435lb at 6'2", Kostas (38y, Greece) Squats 230kg at 6'3", the list goes on and on. This proves that it doesn't matter how tall you are, anybody can Squat.

Looking at your video, it seems that your lower back pain on Squats is purely a technique issue. Here are the 3 big Squat mistakes that I see you doing:

• The bar is too high on your back. Combine this with trying to sit back, and you'll get lower back pain because the bar is too far away from your body's center of gravity. Put the bar lower as I've explained here.
• Your stance is too narrow. One, this prevents glute activation on the way up which is crucial for keeping stress off your lower back. Two, it causes your lower back to round at the bottom of several reps. Widen your stance, stop at parallel, and push your knees out on the way up.
• You're not using your abs. Arching your lower back is as bad as rounding it, you're supposed to keep your lower spine neutral. In your case your lower back is arching too much at the bottom. Push your abs out more (breathe into your stomach), this is where wearing a belt is useful.

You should also keep your head down to protect your neck (same principle, hyperextending your neck isn't really healthy). I frankly tend to look up when going for PRs and I know that lot of StrongLifts Members will do the same, but with submaximal weights it's safer for your neck to keep your head inline with the rest of your spine (do start NOT looking at your feet or your back will bend).

Finally make sure you stand tall at the top - with locked hips, locked knees and squeezed glutes. It looks as if your knees and hips aren't locked at the top of several reps, and this will stress your legs and lower back. Lock everything and wait a second before going for the next rep. Squatting out of the hole must be fast, but you should wait a bit at the top so you can focus on your next rep.

There's more, but fix the big things before worrying about the little ones.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

###

My name is Alan. I'm 54 years old. I'm from Serpentine in Western Australia. Worked for Telecom Australia 22 years. Was made redundant a few years after the accident. Now on a pension.

I did some lifting in high school for sport. After leaving school discovering motorbikes, beer, girls etc my body lost its lean muscular look for a pudgier less healthier look that I was becoming displeased with.

Then I had a motorcycle accident. My arm was amputated at the road side and the leg a week later in hospital. It was very badly mangled and developed an infection which was quickly killing me.

After the accident my sedentary lifestyle increased. I guess I did the depression bit early on but that gets you no where. We all have limitations whether they be physical or mental, it is up to us how we let them limit our lives. I refused to let the loss of a couple of limbs doom me to a fat weak existence. My father was my inspiration here, at 83 he renewed his gym membership for another year and was running rings around me in strength. He had been lifting for 30 years.

I have built up a home gym, making some of the gear myself including casting concrete blocks for weights. I also now have access to a small gym at my local Police & Community Youth Centre. I weight train 3-4 days a week and do cardio and ab work other days. I squat using a bar with a fixed pivot that stabilizes me as I move. I have very little feeling and movement in my right stump but I'm using a resistance band to work it as much as possible from different angles. The one armed bench press is the same pivoted bar with weight on one end.

Alan Low Benching and Doing Band Work

To the guys who don't Squat I say, “what are you in this for”? If you're just playing around then you probably won't be still training this time next year. If you're serious then your needs to learn the lifts, simple as that. If your back hurts you're doing something wrong and need to look at your form.

Alan Low Squatting and Deadlifting.

Two and a half years later I still get a twinge of excitement on training days so that keeps me motivated. I just enjoy it and the changes to my body so damn much. I guess none of us know how we'll react in a given situation until faced with it. I just hope no one else has to see how well they would cope, it isn't very pleasant but the human spirit is amazingly resilient. If I can inspire anyone else to better themselves I will be happy.

-Alan Low, 54y, Serpentine Australia.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

I thought your recommended squat technique was always to go below parallel? That it’s better for you knees? Thanks.

When I write "hitting parallel", I do mean that your hip joint should be at least lower than your knee joint in the bottom Squat position when looking from the side. This is indeed safer for your knees (and lower back) than partial Squats.

But this does not imply that you HAVE to Squat "ass-to-grass". I've already explained that most guys don't have the hip/ankle flexibility for this and that they'll suffer back pain as a result. That's why I advise you to stop at parallel.

Look at the difference in Squat depth in the picture below. Left - Ivan Chakarov, Olympic goldmedalist, doing an ass-to-grass Squat with 270kg at 91kg body-weight. Right - Ron Fedkiw, Squatting 775lb/352kg at 198lb BW.

Chakarov Squatting 270kg "Ass-To-Grass" and Ron Fedkiw Squatting 352kg Parallel.

Notice Chakarov's stance is closer, the barbell rests higher on his back, and his torso is more upright. Ron's stance is wider, the bar is lower on his back, and his torso is more incline. Ivan Squats ass-to-grass, Ron Squats parallel. Keep in mind Chakarov was a competitive weightlifter, Fedkiw a competitive powerlifter.

You want to Squat ATG - fine. Just remember that your torso needs to be more upright for that, and that you should therefore use the high bar position to keep balance. Remember also that high bar is less leverage and thus less maximum weight. That's why if strength is your goal (which it should be for maximum muscle gains/fat loss), low bar parallel Squats are the exercise you should do.

Before someone misinterprets, I have nothing against high bar Squats. My first 5 years Squatting were high bar because I didn't know about low bar Squats. And even though I've been Squatting mostly low bar during the past 7 years, I still do high bar Squats from time to time. All exercises have their use.

But like with everything it always makes more sense that you master the basics before adding a bunch of stuff. With StrongLifts 5x5 that means Squatting low bar, stopping right below parallel, and doing this over and over again until you have mastered the Squat technique and built a solid foundation of strength.

Watch this free Squat video - I'm explaining proper Squat depth here:

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

I still disagree with you about towels/pads. Some skinny guys (like me) just don't have the muscle/fat on their backs to make the bar comfortable at 200+ pounds. Please stop calling people sissys.

When I started Squatting 11 years ago weighing 132lb, I also used the sissy pad because that's what the few Squatters in my gym did and I didn't know better. But since the gym managers became too cheap to get new foam pads everytime they broke, I eventually got used to Squatting without bar pad.

Was I a sissy for Squatting (in the smith..) with a foam pad? I'd call it ignorant and uninformed. After all Squatting with a bar pad is a mistake for 3 reasons:

1. You can't position the bar correctly. This is even more true if you wrap a towel around the bar: the bar will end up higher on your back, and the higher the bar the worse your leverage. Granted, not that big of a deal with light weights, but it will be once you Squat heavier weights.
2. You can't "feel" the bar - it's like Squatting in running shoes: you have to Squat barefoot/with Chuck's to feel the difference. The only way you'll feel the bar using a pad is if the weight is heavy enough, but then...
3. ... the bar pad will be useless when you get stronger (which you will with StrongLifts 5x5). Here's why: the weight will compress the pad and then you'll lose the cushion ability. So any short-term benefit, you will lose.

Squatting with that sissy pad because you don't have much upper-back muscles yet, is like wearing gloves because you still need to grow callus. The solution is always the same: stick with it for 2-3 weeks and your body will adapt. Your upper-back will get tough if you keep Squatting without a pad.

The guys who start SL5x5 without ever using a sissy pad rarely get discomfort because their upper-back adapts as the weight increases. This is why the longer you wait to switch to Squatting without pad, the harder you're making it on yourself. Drop the pad now instead of waiting until your back gets thicker and remember to position the barbell correctly on your back (not on your spine).

Which is what Darin did as he reported a few hours later on Facebook...

I squatted 5x5 215 lbs today w/o a pad. I hope you're all happy!!!!

I am. While we're at it, do not use that silly bar pad to protect your shins on Deadlifts (that's something new I read this week) - as Gabriel G. explained on the StrongLifts Fan page: "Using a bar pad would move the bar away from the mid-foot by making it thicker, effectively changing the leverage and mechanics of the movement." The closer the bar to your body during Deadlifts, the better the leverage. So if your shins keep taking a beating, do not use a pad - read this.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

• One, you will boost your hip mobility (stretches hamstrings & adductors) so you can Squat deeper. This can eliminate nagging knee/back pain.
• Two, you'll increase your thoracic mobility (upper-back/chest). This helps achieving the low bar Squat position while improving your posture.

Watch the video of the Squat to Stand with Overhead Reach below. The guy in this video is Tony Gentilcore CSCS who Deadlifts over 550lbs.

Click here to view the embedded video.

3 Squat to Stands Technique Tips. Do 2 sets of 8 reps as part of your warm-up. I also do reps between my Squat sets afterwards. You can never do too much mobility work, you will only gain flexibility and perform better on your Squat.

• Force Your Knees Out. Your stance should be wider than shoulder-width. Grab your toes and Squat down while pushing your knees out. Push your elbows gently against your knees to increase the stretch.
• Keep Your Chest Up. Same technique as for Squats: you do NOT let your chest sack in. Instead, you keep your chest up and your head inline with your spine (not looking at your feet or at the ceiling).
• Hold At The Top. Tony isn't doing this in the video, but when you reach overhead you should hold the position for 1 second before coming back down. Don't force the stretch, but don't rush it either.

You can find more exercises to boost your flexibility and eliminate nagging Squat pains once and for all inside Eric Cressey's new Show & Go system. Eric is a bestselling author with a 650lb Deadlift and a Master's Degree in Kinesiology so he knows what he's talking about. Click here for more info.

STRONGLIFTS BVBA © 2011 All Rights Reserved.

Smolov: How to Boost Your Squat by Up to 100lb In Only 13 Weeks.

Smolov is a Russian Squat routine that will boost your Squat by up to 100lb in only 13 weeks, even if you're a drug-free lifter like me. Smolov was designed by the Russian Master of Sports Sergey Smolov, but it is Pavel Tsatsouline who popularized this Squat routine by publishing it first in Powerlifting USA (2001) and later in his book "Power to the People Professional" (page 63).

WARNING: Smolov is NOT a routine for the faint hearted. I must say that from all the training programs that I've done since I started lifting weights in 1999, none have been more challenging than Smolov. You will NOT enjoy the Squatting, you will not EVEN look forward to it, and you WILL want to skip workouts.

That's why Smolov is not for guys who have been training for less than a year. It's also NOT for guys who can't Squat at least 300lb. And it's definitely NOT for guys who haven't mastered proper Squat technique yet. Build a foundation with StrongLifts 5x5 and Madcow 5x5 before you give Smolov a try.

Smolov is for the guys who know there's no something for nothing, and who are ready to do what it takes to gain up to 100lb on their Squat in only 13 weeks.

Expected Gains with Smolov. How much strength you'll gain on your Squat depends on your body-weight. As a rule of thumb, a bigger guy weighing 250lb will increase his Squat more than a smaller guy weighing 165lb like me.

• Big guys: 55 to 110lb Squat gains after 13 weeks of Smolov.
• Small guys: 44 to 61lb Squat gains after 13 weeks of Smolov.

Less than what you'd gain with StrongLifts 5x5 but your past "beginner gains" at this stage. If you compare Smolov with intermediate programs, it's clear you can increase your Squat by more than the 10lb/month with Madcow 5x5 or the 25lb in 9 weeks of SL5x5 Advanced. The downside is that you'll have to train much, much, much harder on Smolov to accomplish these kind of Squat gains.

Expect also to lose fat while gaining muscle with Smolov. Most guys doing this program end up eating tons of foods, not always the cleanest ones, yet their ab muscles start showing more. This is because of the high frequency of heavy Squatting that you'll be doing on Smolov. Note that your Squat technique will most likely further improve as a result of all the Squatting you'll do.

How Smolov Works. The Russian Smolov Squat routine is split into 3 phases for a total of 13 weeks. As always, start with a weight you're 100% sure you can Squat instead of starting too heavy and hitting plateaus. The 4 Smolov cycles...

• Weeks 1-2 - introduction cycle to prepare your legs. Week 1 you Squat 3 day in a row working up towards heavy singles, rest of the week is stretching to speed up leg recovery. Week 2 you Squat every other day.
• Week 3-6 - the base cycle where you'll Squat 4x/week for 3 weeks. 4 sets of 9 reps Monday, 5x7 Wednesday, 7x5 Friday, and 10x3 reps Saturday. The weight increases each workout, each week. Week 4 is a rest week where you'll only Squat once and attempt to break your PR.
• Week 7-8 - the switching cycle is a 2 week deload to give you a well deserved physical and mental break before the next cycle.
• Week 9-13 - the intensity cycle where you'll only Squat 3x/week, but 44% of the time it will be using weights between 81 and 90% of your maximum... and for 4 weeks on. Most guys agree this is the hardest part of Smolov. Week 5 you attempt to break your previous Squat PR.

Do NOT Deadlift with Smolov. One, it would mess with your Squats. Two, Squats work similar muscles as Deadlifts, so it will almost always increase anyway. Just do some Bench Press, Pull-ups, band pull-aparts and lots of stretching - done. Frankly, many guys call it a day after they've finished their Squats on Smolov.

Smolov Spreadsheet. Download the Smolov excel file, enter your best Squat you lifted during the past month, and the spreadsheet will tell you exactly how much you should Squat each workout during the next 13 weeks of Smolov.

• Click here to download Smolov Spreadsheet

Go to the Introductory Microcycle tab, choose pounds or kilograms, and enter your 1RM for the Squat. Best is to start with 10% less than your true max, so you begin Smolov with a weight you're certain you can Squat on any given day.

Smolov Success Stories. Dr. David Bracken, winner of the IPF Masters Worlds, used the Smolov routine to Squat 606lb at 165lb body-weight. He first thought only guys on steroids could manage so much heavy Squatting week after week. Yet he gave Smolov a try and to his surprise, it does work for drug-free lifters. Since then, David has completed multiple Smolov cycles to skyrocket his Squat.

Examples from StrongLifts Members I have - SL Member Will (23y, USA) boosted his Squat from 440lb to 475lb with the base cycle of Smolov. This means a 35lb gain in only 21 days. Will weighs 200lb and has since then Squatted 500lb. His Deadlift also increased from 460lb to 485lb even though he only Squatted.

StrongLifts Member Sam M. (21y, UK) increased his Squat from 140kg to 160kg with the Smolov base cycle. That's a 44lb strength gain in only 21 days. Sam's body-weight went from 170lb to 178lb during that time, and according to him all of it was packed in his legs, upper-back and arms.

I did Smolov for Front Squats in 2007 and increased my Front Squat by 27lb during the 21 day base cycle (weighed 155lb at 5'8", I'm 170lb today). I actually did the full 13 weeks of Smolov, but gained nothing from the 2nd cycle because I made a mistake that I'll explain below. Looking back I should have done Smolov for Squats, doing it for Front Squats is quite frankly pure torture.

Tips for Maximum Results on Smolov. During the intensity cycle (week 9 to 13), you must take 2 days after the 2nd workout of each week because it is the most challenging one. This means you can NOT do that cycle on Mo/We/Fr like I ignorantly did otherwise you'll start missing reps all over the place on Friday's workout. Do the last phase of Smolov on Mo/We/SA. Few more tips...

• Eat - lack of food kills recovery so eat at least 4000kcal/day. Most guys end up doing the "see food" diet on Smolov, eating everything they see yet still dropping body fat from all the Squatting.
• Sleep - sleep is vital for optimal recovery from your workouts, and lack of sleep kills motivation. Although you should be getting some of your best sleep ever on Smolov, doublecheck you sleep at least 8h/night.
• Stretch - one, stretching between workouts will speed up your recovery by flushing blood into your muscles. Two, stretching prevents injuries (think lower back). Three, it boosts strength. Stretch your hips daily.
• Foam roll - same reasons as for the stretching: foam rolling will speed up recovery and prevent injuries. Get a foam roller and work your quads, hamstrings, groin, glutes, and calves daily during your time on Smolov.
• Get a Training Partner - having someone behind your back when you're Squatting, yelling at you to get your reps on each set, especially when you've having a hard time, is an invaluable tool on Smolov. Find one.

The first week of the Smolov base cycle is the hardest. Especially the 7x5 day is rough. Expect your legs and lower back to be sore. By week 2 your body will be used to all the Squatting and then it's really a matter of mental fortitude.

I recommend you to plan the 13 weeks of Smolov ahead of time so you're fully focussed on this program. If you don't have 13 weeks, do the Smolov base cycle only and then go back to Madcow 5x5 or StrongLifts 5x5 Advanced.

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