Front Squats. Image credit: dehwang

You are a madman for attempting a Smolov Front Squat cycle.

Front Squat Smolov? *shudders*

That’s balls.

RIP…

I received those comments on Sherdog when I started Smolov for Front Squats last fall. I had never done Smolov, but I had read other people’s experience. I also thought I was a madman for doing Smolov for Front Squats.

My goal was to Front Squat 140kg by the end of the year. But my max was only 112,5kg. I thought Smolov would be a fast way to add kgs to my Front Squat. So I gave it a try. Here’s my experience on Smolov for Front Squats.

The Problem with Front Squats. Doing Front Squats instead of Squats makes Smolov more challenging. Especially when doing sets of 7 & 9 reps.

• Breathing. The bar presses against your throat. This makes breathing difficult when doing more than 5 reps per set.
• Technique. Form deteriorates as reps go by. It gets hard to keep your elbows & chest up. You lose the bar if you lean forward.

Introductory Microcycle. I hit a 112,5kg PR on the Front Squat a few months earlier. I wasn’t happy with my technique on that rep and I just had 3 weeks rest (holiday). So I started Smolov putting 110kg as 1RM.

First week was hard: problems breathing & weight felt heavy. This is because I didn’t do any Front Squat for 3 weeks. But the 2nd week was much easier.

Base Mesocycle. On paper it looked impossible. My 5×5 max on the Front Squat was 90kg. In week 3 I’d have to Front Squat 102,5kg for 7×5. But by the end of the 1st week I was already stronger: I did an easy 10×3 with 92,5kg.

In week 2 I missed 3 reps on the 4×9 and 1 rep on the 7×5. Forward leaning, lost bar. Got lower back pain too by the end of the week. In the last week I missed reps daily. Always caused by forward leaning.

I also took more rest days in between to give my lower back rest. Cycle ended on Monday the week after instead of Saturday. I hit a 120kg & 122,5kg Front Squat PR on Sunday. I think I could have done 125kg had I started with that.

Switching. I did Power Cleans, Overhead Presses & Negatives. On the Front Squat Negatives I went up to 130kg. The 1st week I could hardly control the bar on the way down, but by the end of the 2nd week the 130kg were easy.

Intense Mesocyle. I felt like I lost strength during Switching. First day I had to do 3×4 with 102,5kg, then finish with 102,5kg for 5 reps. I had to double check the Smolov program to make sure this wasn’t an error.

I missed reps almost daily during the Intense Mesocycle. I also got wrist, hip & lower back pain. Missed reps & injuries demotivated me. Last day of Smolov I tested my 1RM again, and went for 130kg. Note the forward lean in the video.

I tried a second time with 130kg after 5 mins rest, but it was too heavy. Then I Front Squatted 125kg. I think I could have done 127,5kg if I hadn’t done the 130kg first. Here’s a video of the 125kg Front Squat.

Things You Should Know.

• The 4×9 on Monday are the hardest in the Base Mesocycle. But it gets easier as the days go by & reps decrease. From my training log: “I was thinking while having breakfast: I did 7×5 87,5kg Tuesday, today I have to do 4×9 87,5kg. It’s only 4 reps more but 3 sets less.”
• The Base Mesocycle is easier than the Intense Mesocycle. Persistence gets you through the Base Mesocycle. Strength gets you through the Intense Mesocycle. Choosing your 1RM correctly matters most.
• My legs & lower back were sore the 1st week of the Base Mesocycle. Soreness was gone the 2nd week.
• I had my best sleep in months on Smolov. Often lying asleep at 10pm on days I worked out, waking up fully recovered.
• I lost fat although I ate tons of food – which wasn’t always clean. In the mirror my abs showed more than before.
• Having someone yell at you to finish your reps helps a lot. My brother helped me a few times.

Mistakes I Made.

• Incorrect 1RM. I entered 110kg as 1RM, but couldn’t lift that coming back from holiday. I got away with it during the Base Mesocycle, but not in the Intense Mesocycle. Next time I’ll do at least 2 weeks of 5×5, then test my 1RM the week before starting Smolov.
• Injuries. Should have done more hip mobility & glute activation work. I shouldn’t have done Barbell Rows, Power Cleans & Overhead Presses. I had 2-3 times intense lower back pain. Spinal decompressions helped.

I’ll do another Smolov this year. But maybe only the Base Mesocycle. My 5×5 went up from 90 to 102,5kg in 3 weeks. I might use the Base Mesocycle to bring my 5×5 up. Then deload & go back to StrongLifts 5×5. We’ll see.

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