Those Brits are at it again...

http://www.bnbf.co.uk/Squat%20experiment.htm

Note that what they call "full" squats are 90 degrees of knee flexion, which for most people is slightly less deep than parallel.

I don't really think EMG studies are known to be probative for hypertrophy, or actually anything else, except for muscle activation.

Has anyone every correlated some more conventional progress measure like strength or hypertrophy, etc., with activation?

I don't really think EMG studies are known to be probative for hypertrophy, or actually anything else, except for muscle activation.

Has anyone every correlated some more conventional progress measure like strength or hypertrophy, etc., with activation?

I believe activation to be extremely important, but recovery to be more so. Proper recovery is misunderstood and basically uncharted territory. Only theories and opinions persist. Then there is "over" recovery which parallels overtraining. I just reread an interview with Ray Mentzer (Mike's brother) who was an amazing bodybuilder in his own right with just as rugged a physique as his Mr. Universe brother. Ray was very paranoid about giving interviews but this was a very interesting interview and he spoke of recovery not being understood, especially amongst natural trainers. He espoused a hybrid HIT routine and would use only 3-5 sets per bodypart and think nothing of taking 3-4 days off between workouts. Now this guy's intensity levels are beyond what we think intensity is. Additionally, he had unreal strength, squatting 905 for a double and using weights on the Nautilus machine which were unheard of. Now this is one man's opinion (low volume, high intensity, extended recovery) but it has merit and can't be pushed aside. I've done both - high volume and low volume, and I can only withstand very short bouts of volume training.

An interesting story....I had a trainer once, maybe 15 years ago, who had me on total body training 3x per week (except for legs which were given their own day) He had me stop training completely 12 days out from my shows. :eek: The 12 days saw my body change even more radically as the diet and the exagerated recovery dialed me in almost perfectly. After one of these shows, I embraced a German Volume program for 6 weeks, was sore every day even though I was using around 60% of max, and overtrained horribly. Lost muscle actually.

Once you get into a more advanced stage as a trainer, you should periodize and incorporate different training protocols. You'll discover which ones you thrive on and enjoy, and which ones to avoid. This is why I always try and tell people to keep meticulous training journals.

BTW Ray Mentzer's exercise of choice for quads were one legged leg extensions on the Nautilus machine :confused: (I'm sure you are thrilled to hear that, zen ;) )

BTW Ray Mentzer's exercise of choice for quads were one legged leg extensions on the Nautilus machine :confused: (I'm sure you are thrilled to hear that, zen ;) )

I'm OK with that. Remember I am completely not about hypertrophy. I'm all about strength endurance and functional strength. Odd set of goals for some I suppose, but I'm convinced it's making my daily life a lot more comfortable so I'm sticking with 'em. And for strength endurance, the volume thing sort of comes along with the territory. Plus, leg extensions are definitely secondary for my goals.

I am thinking that I might move my working set weights up for squats though.

I am thinking that I might move my working set weights up for squats though.

Nothing wrong with that :tucool:

I am currently constructing a routine where I do not take any set to failure, use multiple sets of low reps, and work with 85%-95% of max. I am hoping for all the toys - increased strength, recovery, and hypertrophy. Training will be 1 day on, 2 days off.

Good luck with your squatting :tu:

For some reason I respond really well to volume training, based off this Smolov experience, 50lbs and 1 inch on my legs in 3 weeks. My teardrops are also suitably more massive.

For some reason I respond really well to volume training, based off this Smolov experience, 50lbs and 1 inch on my legs in 3 weeks. My teardrops are also suitably more massive.

That's very cool :tucool:
As long as you are seeing gains and progress, keep going with it. :nod:
I also see you are 18. I started training at 25 and saw great progress while sometimes training 9-10 days in a row. As soon as I hit 40, I no longer had the hormonal support and radically had to change my training to continue seeing gains.

Man, I wish I were 18 again :rolleyes:

uh, on second thought, I'm glad I'm not 18 :whistle:

:cool:

I am currently constructing a routine where I do not take any set to failure, use multiple sets of low reps, and work with 85%-95% of max. I am hoping for all the toys - increased strength, recovery, and hypertrophy. Training will be 1 day on, 2 days off.

Good luck with your squatting :tu:

Yeah sounds like you are sort of in the Smolov range of idea like Big_D's squat program. He added quite a few pounds to his squat in just a few weeks.

I think the real limit on adding pounds to my working set is how nervous it's going to make my trainers. If we had a proper sqaut rack, I think we'd have gone up quite a bit.

That's very cool :tucool:
As long as you are seeing gains and progress, keep going with it. :nod:
I also see you are 18. I started training at 25 and saw great progress while sometimes training 9-10 days in a row. As soon as I hit 40, I no longer had the hormonal support and radically had to change my training to continue seeing gains.

Man, I wish I were 18 again :rolleyes:

uh, on second thought, I'm glad I'm not 18 :whistle:

:cool:

Hey being 18 is cool, maybe... And by the way that's 50 lbs on my squat, not 50 lbs on my body :eek::lol:.

The only problem is somehow this spring I have to cut while eating dorm food :confused:.

Zens, how do you guys not have a squat rack if a guy that can squat 800 lbs works out there?

Hey being 18 is cool, maybe...

Yeah, but when you're in county lockup half the time, it's not so cool :doh:

Hey zen, I don't have a rack with any pins, so with every set of squats there is a sense of urgency involved. Either you come back up, or risk death :lol:

It kinda inspires you to complete the lift. :)

Zens, how do you guys not have a squat rack if a guy that can squat 800 lbs works out there?

He did the 800 pounds squats at another branch a few blocks away (right next to Grand Central actually). But they just closed that branch. I dunno where he squats now. But he still comes in for uppers at times.

Hey zen, I don't have a rack with any pins, so with every set of squats there is a sense of urgency involved. Either you come back up, or risk death :lol:

It kinda inspires you to complete the lift. :)

True, but the real issue is they don't really want to be giving me a lift off much over 400 pounds. Because the incline station is not really high enough mount the bar without a lift off for anything much over 300 pounds.

So on days when Kenny or Andre just did back and legs, they aren't that excited about me doing super heavy squats.