More squats?

[J_Byrd]

Originally Posted by Hunterace

I'd say about 1/3 of the time I do leg extensions on 5/3/1 Squat day. I don't write it in because that way I feel like I did extra work when I do them, and I don't feel like I skipped them when I don't

I would vary my stance on my accessory squat movements, I found that helped me a ton.

[Hunterace]

I can do that, I'll do them wide stance. I'll also just stay at the 10 reps range at 50% for awhile. I'm sure doing a different stance will take some time to get used too and 50% will probably feel heavier.

[J_Byrd]

Originally Posted by Hunterace

I can do that, I'll do them wide stance. I'll also just stay at the 10 reps range at 50% for awhile. I'm sure doing a different stance will take some time to get used too and 50% will probably feel heavier.

I would do one week wider, the next narrow. I would only move my feet about 2 inches on each side. Nothing crazy! If you get too wide with a narrow stance you will put some strain on your abductors (I found out hard way)

[Hunterace]

Ok, makes sense, slightly wider every other light squat workout on deads day . Should be fun. Hopefully I'll be doing this workout tomorrow!

[Fazc]

Originally Posted by Hunterace

Does anyone think doing the 3 sets of Squats at 50% on deadlift day will have a negative effect on improving my Squats?

Not necessarily negative, frequent squats can be very educational. Now I haven't read all the responses but what I'm going to recommend might not jive with the 5/3/1 line. But it's my opinion and I'm going to give it to you anyway!

If you can't squat 3 times a week without crippling soreness/injury/crying then you're a prime candidate for some remedial work. It's highly likely that you have some squat issues to work through.

People are very fond of saying Squats are a natural movement. But far, far less fond of actually promoting squats in any frequency which may seem 'natural'. As in daily, or at least 3 times per week. One of the main reasons is that over the 'net we only give secondary consideration to exercise form. Primary consideration is given to programming and to progression. Now that's not necessarily a bad thing to work on progression, but the over-riding factor in whether you succeed in your endeavours or not is certainly not your routine. As long as you're hitting the basics then stuff generally works. The over-riding factor is whether you can do the lift in a safe manner and correctly. After that pretty much anything goes, but the reason people don't make the progress they should do is because they skimp out on actually learning what proper form is and conditioning themselves to lift heavy and often.

Take what I did over the weekend, I hit 420 or whatever it was on Saturday and despite that being a pretty maximal lift for where I am now, I went back and hit 425 on Sunday. Now I wouldn't recommend doing that every week but it does at least show that I've put in enough work on that exercise that it is natural to me. That is what you need to be aiming for. Steve can do that if he wishes, he know's Squats and has squatted daily before. His form is also so smooth that he can actually get very strong now.

So back to the over riding point. Yes, I would encourage you to squat again in the week, I would even encourage you to squat three days per week at your level. Just don't kill yourself each time you do it. Keep the reps crisp and keep fatigue low. If the squats cripple you in all the wrong places then you know you have some work to do to make it natural. But when you do finally get that form right, watch your numbers and physique sky rocket.

If there ever was a secret, it's that.

[J_Byrd]

Originally Posted by Fazc

If you can't squat 3 times a week without crippling soreness/injury/crying then you're a prime candidate for some remedial work. It's highly likely that you have some squat issues to work through.

I cant squat 1 time a week without being crippling sore. What in the world is your guys secret?

[elijah]

Originally Posted by J_Byrd

I cant squat more than 1 time a week without being crippling sore. What in the world is your guys secret?

This is the boat I'm in. I have no idea how you can squat more than once a week. Unless it's like a 50% type thing, but that just seems to be a waste of time to me. It may not be a waste, just appears to me that it would be...

[miked96]

I agree with Facz and have squatted multiple times a week in the past (up to 6 times a week) both front and back, with good results. The back squats were all in the 500-550 range and the fronts were in the low 400s so it can be done. I squat high bar and close stance so that may have something to do with it. Jay Nera squats three times a week in the 600-700 range. Ed Coan and Kirk Karwoski squatted once a week, so theres plenty of ways to do it, I think it comes down to personal preference.

I will throw this out there. Everyday except your squat and dl days, work up to 60% of your max for a triple. Once that gets easy, move it to 70%. Your body will acclimate. Its an easy way to see a bump in your squat numbers without changing the core programming.

[austin.j.taylor]

Originally Posted by J_Byrd

I cant squat 1 time a week without being crippling sore. What in the world is your guys secret?

my secret is to not squat a grand.


Op-A lot of people squat 2 times a week on 5/3/1. I liked to squat on my deadlift days with a ramping 5X5 scheme working up to about 60%. Squatting 2 days a week is way more awesome than only squatting one.

[Hunterace]

Did this today, deads, power shrugs then squats. For the squats I did 50% of my calculated Wendlers 1RM, with a wider stance 3 sets x 10 reps. Went really well and hit muscles I normally don't feel with regular squats. Was a good way to finish off the workout