Anyone else do 20 rep squats

[TizZle]

I do a warm-up set. Then try for 2 sets of 5-6. Leg press for one set of 10-12. then calves and leg curls.

This works for me. Never have tried 20 rep squat. lol.

Did leg day yesterday 315lb for 5 then 4. I'm 6'1" 175lbs with legs being my strong point.

Yes i go at least parallel.

 

[Jitterbug]

More torture squat today, now at 115kg x20.

Took the whole morning to psyche myself up before I had enough courage to go to the gym.

I'm pretty close to, if not already at, my max for Torture Squat. 120kg will be the hardest challenge I've ever attempted, and I think I'll need to have some mates there doing the cheerleading.

 

[Cure]

Jitterbug thats awesome! I can imagine doing even 100kg, whats your break down like? is it mostly singles? do you start off with 5 straight reps, etc etc?

I got 70kgx20 today, a 10kg improvment in less than 3 weeks, pretty happy. Going to go for some heavy low reps stuff for a few workouts, then back on the 20 reppers and aiming for 80kg.

Cure.

 

[Jitterbug]

Thanks mate. +10kg in 3 weeks is fantastic!

I often do 5, pause, do 2 or 3, pause, get up to 10, do singles till 15, then listen to what the little voice in my head says.

Here is the video of my 115kg x20: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4bmBFMFixA

Note for those who don't know: the blue plate is 20kg, yellow is 15kg, green is 10kg, and the little black one is 2.5kg. The bar is 20kg (Olympic 7ft).

I'm taking a couple months break from this torture squat to concentrate on my low rep heavy squats. I got a serious headache (exertion & muscle tension headache) after that session which took over a week to recover. I'll get my 1RM to 170kg then try 120kg x20. I've gone from 80kg to 115kg x20 this year already and it's taken a lot out of me. Need to give myself a rest!

Have fun with your 20 reppers, guys!

 

[RMM]

Top stuff Jitter. Unfortunately, I can't listen to the little voice in my head, when I get to 15 it is usually screaming obscenities about me, my mother, and some dubious parentage, while begging for it to stop.

I've got some work to do with the squats myself, after reaching 107.5 x19 I went back to lower reps and faceplanted after 127.5 x3 on the 4th try (yay safety bars!), so we'll see

 

[Fuglydude]

Sick video jitter! Great stuff though. You've got good core strength to have solid fundamental squat form even after rep 15. How's the bodyweight right now?

I recently did 225 lbs x 20 at 172 lbs... that's 102.5 kg x 20 at 78 kg. Not bad considering I just came off cycle, my bodyweight dropped around 8 lbs (on purpose) and my 20 rep squat went up 35 lbs (190 x 20 was what I did before)... Better stay on your game, I'm catching upto you!

The 170 kg is a great goal to have... I'm gonna try and drop to around 75 kg bodyweight and maybe try and go for that goal with you. That would be over a 2.25x bodyweight squat, and I think I could get to 2.75x bodyweight deadlift if I can do a 206 kg deadlift (4 and a half plates) at 75 kg. I was 78 kg last time I did that weight, so it was around a 2.63x.

Great job man, keep it up.

 

[Jitterbug]

Cheers Fug

Heh, you should tell that to some of my ignorant friends who keep telling me that I should do pilates or some stupid swiss ball work for core strength, because lifting big weights apparently leaves me with a "core imbalance".

My BW is still hovering around 80kg (79~82), although I keep getting thicker in the back and shoulders, and slimmer around the waist. I want to get down to 75kg too. If I lose 5kg of fat now, I'll be a ripped 75kg! Makes it easier to have a 2.5xBW (187.5kg) Squat and 3xBW (225kg) deadlift too. I also intend to compete in the future and I think I'll be more comfortable in the 75kg division than the 82.5kg one. I'm finetuning my diet atm and adding some high intensity cardio at the end of every weight session.

You're on 2 plates, > 100kg now! That's very nice! Damn it, I can't be complacent!

Regarding the DL, 206kg is also around what I'm going for at the end of the next training cycle, starting tomorrow. Officially it's the 200kg program I'm on, but since I'm already at 185kg, I'll probably hit somewhere between 200 and 210.

 

[Fuglydude]

Those are great goals to have... 2.5x squat/3x DL are still a bit out of reach for me at the moment, but I hope I can get there one day. You're lucky to have had good training/coaching, and have the fundamentals drilled into you. As with anything in life, you'll always excel if you do you fundamentals well.

Pilates classes are good for flexibility and meeting hot and friendly fitness-minded girls that want your sausage in their holes...

The 225 x 20 I did caught me a bit off guard as I had no idea I was physically capable of doing it. It was my first work set and I had almost a week of no squatting so I was well rested. My resting heart rate right now is in the mid 50s, so I'm better conditioned than when I was on cycle. I think all these factors together contributed to being able to do it. It was a devastating set though, messed me up for the rest of the session!

I was 75 kg around 3 years ago, when I was dancing full time. I looked good. 6 pack all the time, vascularity in my lower abs. It felt like I could get any girl I wanted. Although I got a lot of attention because of my appearance, I didn't really think my strength was anything substantial. I think my deadlift was around 190 kg, and my 1 RM squat was probably around 130 kg. Obviously I was more intent on training for aesthetics at the time, but I'm a bit worried that I'll lose strength once I get down to 75 kg. I guess the key will be to train appropriately and keep protein and healthy fat in take nice and high. What kind of dietary approach are you taking?

Good luck getting down to 75 kg. Being leaner/lighter feels so much better than being heavy. There might be a small (2-3%) difference in top line strength but it feels so much better.

 

[Jitterbug]

I don't actually have a coach (and have never had one). I train with programs & information I get from a great local coach, but I've never trained with him in person cos that gym is way too far for me to get to regularly. His lifters are very inspiring to me. I wouldn't even dream of those lift figures if it weren't for them making me think that it's entirely possible.

I may join a local Olympic lifting gym soon.

Regarding pilates - I know but that's why I do partner dancing.

My dietary approach:

No starchy carbs, all carbs from fruits & veggies.
No alcohol.
Plan and prepare at least 95% of my meals (done 90% up to this point).
Eat every 2.5~3h.
All natural foods, no processed foods.
Protein & essential fat intakes nice & high.

I have not counted calories yet. Just going by simple visual cues like a fistful of veggies & *this much* meat. I'll adjust as I go along.

 

[ProDJ26]

I have not counted calories yet. Just going by simple visual cues like a fistful of veggies & *this much* meat. I'll adjust as I go along.

Glad to see I'm not the only one who doesn't measure food



Good work on the squats very inspirational vids

 

[JDiddy]

doing 125kg (275lb) x20 tomorrow

i want to be doing 3 plate with collars (142.5kg/320lb) super squats by October 1st

i recommend max volume heavy metal of your choice on your ipod whilst doing these, I find it stimulates the nervous system

 

[Fuglydude]

Just did 230 (105 kg) x 20 today at 172 lbs bodywt! It was... tough, to say the least, but "fun" in its own sick twisted sort of way.

I'm beginning to realize more and more that 20 rep squats are EXTREMELY mental in nature. You just gotta tell that little voice in your head that tells you to stop, to shut the phuck up... 235 x 20 will be attempted next time.. :nervous:

 

[RMM]

Just did 230 (105 kg) x 20 today at 172 lbs bodywt! It was... tough, to say the least, but "fun" in its own sick twisted sort of way.

Far out! Having two plates on each side and then deciding to start adding even more crap feels awesome, doesn't it?

 

[MetalFortress]

I am BACK on the wagon! After a bit of a lifting layoff and extra focus on running, I'm on the 20 rep wagon. After six workouts in 2 and a half weeks, and starting easy at 155, I am back at 205, still deciding whether to do 210 or 215 for my next workout. Feels good to get back into it, and with a squat rack at work now, I have no excuse not to take 10-15 minutes after work to bust out a quick session.

 

[synergy1]

I am BACK on the wagon! After a bit of a lifting layoff and extra focus on running, I'm on the 20 rep wagon. After six workouts in 2 and a half weeks, and starting easy at 155, I am back at 205, still deciding whether to do 210 or 215 for my next workout. Feels good to get back into it, and with a squat rack at work now, I have no excuse not to take 10-15 minutes after work to bust out a quick session.

How about that! After a tumultuous few months culminating in me leaving my start up, i am ready to get back into this too. I look at myself and am not happy where I was mentally and decided to get all my **** and leave my previous job. So what is the first thing I do? Update my resume. second thing? get a real diet, and do a 20 rep squat cycle for 6 weeks.

I am copying Fugly's dietary intake; 200 g of protien daily, and 3500 calories. my challenge is being lactose intolerant (whey seems okay, the low lactose stuff), but I feel I can overcome this with other sources.

Decided to check my 5 rep, and with perfect form ( something I feel I lacked in go round 1), I managed to do 245 lbs after a significant layoff from the gym. This means I too am starting at 155 lbs and working up 5 lbs each day for 18 total days to 245 for 20 reps.

The goal Put on 10+ lbs and go from 170 lbs to 180-185 lbs. I lost some weight from not eating due to stress, so now its time for redemption. I am not in bad shape at all, but looking at myself, I lost a lot of weight and want it back! The long term goal is to be a stalky 185 which at 5'10" is a perfect size for the sports I am into!

Wish me luck!

 

[MetalFortress]

215 x 21

Decided to add ten one last time today. Did pretty well at it - every workout has been surprisingly predictable to this point. No real scares, per se. I might add ten again on Sunday, or I might not - we'll see!

Now that my wife is pregnant with our first kid, my goal is 315 (3 plates) before our baby is born. That means I have to the first week or two of January to do it.

 

[MetalFortress]

Sunday: 225 x 20. Not bad.

Tuesday: 230 x 21. This one had me crying for mercy.

That's it for now. More from the squat rack later this week!

 

[RMM]

20 reppers, 20 reppers! Looking good MetalFortress, 2 plates per side and UP is the way to go. And there's those magic moments when you find yourself finally standing after grinding the last rep you thought would nail you down, and think "how the **** did I get up here?"

I'm doing them on the hack squat machine these days, not as brutal as the plain barbell though, and I'm changing workout for a 40-day cycle of Lactic Acid training.

 

[synergy1]

quick update: been upping the diet and doing the program to a tee with perfect form. banged out 175 lbs today doing work but nothing too difficult. I am happy with the progress and am even noticing my sex drive is increasing. As a laymen in the subject ,i can only assume this means my testosterone levels are higher than before. I have also been mentally under the weather since recent life changes so this sort of change seems really positive to me.

Onto 180 lbs! LIGHT WEIGHT BABY!

 

[j0n24]

I barely started 5x5 again and working my way up to fix my form and just got to 190 tomorrow but now I want to try 20 reps holy **** hahah.

Just to be safe 140x20 is my goal tomorrow if I do that I'll go crazy in the gym no joke.