Brennans Smolov Experience

[Brennan]

After having just completed 12 weeks of Stronglifts Beginner 5x5, I've decided to go on and attempt Mehdi's Smolov Spreadsheet. Currently my 1RM for a full squat is 150kg (330lb) and I would like a 2xBW 165kg by the end at the least but hopefully 170kg or more. I'm scheduled to finish on the 19th of September. My current weight is around about 82kg and height 180cm, I'd like my weight to stay about the same but im not afraid of putting on a kilo or two.

It's the school holidays here so ive got my friend in the gym, hes a bit of a bench monkey so I'm going to be doing Smolov jr for bench with him too, supplemented with pull ups or barbell row. Thats only for 3 weeks and then I think I'm going to alternate bench press and OHP for the remainder of smolov.


Todays workout (Monday):

Squat 4x9 105kg - Nine reps was really hard since I was used to 5x5 however it felt good. Really stretched the hamstrings before and after as my lower back used to round alot.

Bench Press 6x6 65kg - Felt kind of light but I have faith.

Chinups 3xF BW- Did 8 6 5

[Brennan]

Wednesday

Squat 5x7 112.5kg (250lb) - Only completed 3 sets and stopped during the 4th with a sore back. I think its a bit of a niggle left over from my bad deadlift form on last saturday. I'm going to see how it is on friday and hope I can keep going.

Benchpress 7x5 67.5kg (150lb) - Nice and hard on the last reps of the last sets. I can see myself upping the weight next week.

Chinups 3x5 - Did them from a full hang with pauses at the top and middle on the way down. I might sort out a backpack so that I can add some weight to these and pressups.

[Brennan]

Friday (Workout #3)

Squat 7x5 120kg (265lb) - Back felt good today did lots of stretching and focused on tensing my abs and back and exhaling at the top. This many reps is really taking its toll, I felt really fatigued in the last 2 sets. Felt happy once I did them all though

Benchpress 8x4 72.5kg (160lb) - This is going pretty good.

Felt knackered from the squats so just stumbled home.

It's saturday afternoon here as I write this so I'm about to head off to the gym again for 10 sets of wonderful squats! My legs are sore.

[thesidewinda]

I've never done smolov... but I think you shouldn't do a lot of other exercises along with it...

Squatting 4 times a week with that kind of volume should be brutal..

How's you diet looking??

[Brennan]

yeah me neither lol
Diet is looking pretty good, made some of those homemade protein bars last night, and have been getting 9 hours sleep a night.
It seems a bit silly only squatting. When the school holidays finish I'm going to have to cut down on the benchpress, which is next week. Mehdi's article says to limit yourself to Bench Press, Seated Press, Pull-ups, Chin-ups & Dips. I suppose I could do each once a week.

Saturday (Workout #4)

Squat 10x3 127.5kg (280lb) - Felt heavy today, got the first 5 sets strongly. 6th set was getting hard, 7th and 8th harder still and 9th I felt completely weak and failed on the second rep. Going down to parallel my legs were like shaking in the 9th set which can't be a good sign. So now what do I do? Just try again next saturday with the same weight?

Bench Press 10x3 77.5kg (170lb) - Pretty heavy had to work hard to get most reps. Manageable however.

[Rugger]

Week Monday Wednesday Friday Saturday
1 70%x9x4 75%x7x5 80%x5x7 85%x3x10
2 (70%+10kg)x9x4 (75%+10kg)x7x5 (80%+10kg)x5x7 (85%+10kg)x3x10
3 (70%+15kg)x9x4 (75%+15kg)x7x5 (80%+15kg)x5x7 (85%+15kg)x3x10

This is what Brennan's first three weeks look like in case anyone is wondering.

You have guts man, Smolov is no fucking joke. You also get to be a guinea pig for me, as I'm almost exactly the same weight, height, and strength as you, and in about the same stage of progression. I will be watching this log closely.

[Brennan]

Monday Week 2 (workout #5)

Squat 4x9 (setsxreps) 115kg (255lb) - Felt awesome to complete these sets because I honestly thought I couldn't. This was probaly just as hard as last mondays squats but with 10kg more!

Benchpress 6x6 70kg - I thought I was meant to be doing 67.5kg so did that by accident. Was a bit easy again. Definately doesnt take it out of you like the squats.


Thanks rugger I hoped this would help some people out. Guts perhaps, or just naivity lol didn't know quite what i got myself into.

[Brennan]

Isn't it funny how the workouts you really don't feel like going to turn out to be the best ones. Anyone else experienced that?

Wednesday Week 2 (Workout #6)

Squat 5x7 122.5kg (270lb) - Too easy!! That was a sweet squat session! My weight shifted forward a onto my toes a few times and those reps were hard but other than that it was good. I even did 8 reps on the last set.

Bench 7x5 72.5kg (160lb) - This was fun. Did the first 5 reps at 72.5kg and the last 2 reps at 75kg.

Mucked around, did a few chinups then went home.

[Brennan]

This is so frustating I've had to postpone a few sessions because I was sick. I went today but the only squat rack was being used by a guy for decline benchpress while he supersetted it with like 5 things.

[Brennan]

Monday Week 3 (Workout #7)

Bench press 6x6 77.5kg (170lb) - Not too bad if I remember right.

Situps, Chinups, stretches


Wednesday Week 3 (Workout #8)

Squats 10x3 135kg (300lb) - Got back into the squats again. I tried low bar for the first time, felt a bit clumsy to begin with but I found my balance. On the last set of the last rep I got about 1/3 of the way back up but hit a brick wall. Felt like I was pushing forever but it went no where. 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2

Bench Press 7x5 80kg (175lb) - Felt suprisingly hard, the squats had taken it out of me. I missed the last rep of each of the last two sets. 5 5 5 5 5 4 4

[Brennan]

Friday Week 3 (Workout #9)

Squats 4x9 120kg (265lb) - This is actually the start of the 3rd week of the base mesocyle because I fell behind a bit. Next saturday I will go for my 1RM then do 2 weeks of the switching cycle; with powercleans, box squats and squat negatives.
Every rep was hard but the last 3 of each set were torture.

Bench Press 8x4 82.5kg (180lb) - Really hard, I think I am bordering on over-training although the squats first didn't help. Luckily only 1 more session of benchpress to go tomorrow.

[Brennan]

Saturday Week 3 (Workout #10)

Terrible workout (so I didn't write about it straight away). Was still shattered from the day before. Didn't even complete a set of squats (Probaly because I've stuffed up the order from being sick and not getting a chance in the rack one day). Not so bad in Bench however.


Monday Week 4 (Workout #11)

Squats 7x5 140kg (310lb) - I feel so amped and high now I'm home. After dreading and procastinating going to gym I finally went before it closed and felt so strong for some reason! I was meant to only do 135kg but I upped it to 140kg and went lower past parallel than ever before. Part of it I think was being comfortable with low bar. 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Just went home now that I've finished bench smolov jr, legs aching.

[Brennan]

Unforunately missed the last workout. But went in today to complete my 1RM.

Squat 1x155kg 1x160kg 0x165kg - Managed 160kg (350lb) for a 10kg gain in 3 weeks. Pretty good I think but would've loved 165kg 2xBW.

Benchpress 1x95kg 1x100kg 0x105kg 1x105kg - Took 4 attempts but I knew I could get 105kg (230lb) after the first two didn't trouble me. 15kg gain in 3 weeks although my last bench 1RM was really low.

All at 81.2kg

Practised my powercleans as I have those coming up in this program.

[Rugger]

Managed 160kg (350lb) for a 10kg gain in 3 weeks.

Nice job.

[Brennan]

Thanks mate. That was one hard 3 weeks even though I did it pretty half assed and missed a few workouts (for the first time ever). Really need to work on my deadlift after this.