U WOT M8? SMOLOV ME MUM I'LL GET REKT.

spoffle · 17 Mar 2015 at 00:50

Ugggggggghhhh

I've been bullied in to running Smolov, so I thought I may as well start with a log.

I did a bench session today that looked like:

95x8 paused
120x5 paused
140x3 paused
150x3 paused
160x1 paused

Then I got bulled by Serge in to trying Smolov. I've been a bit dormant with regards to lifing recently, I was last lifting properly and frequently back in December. I've just been too busy and too lazy.

For the past week I've been making a proper effort to get back in to it after barely doing anything for a few months. I did a few sessions and maxed out with a 170KG paused bench press. I tried 175 and got it off my chest but my triceps were gone.

So I used 170KG as a basis for starting Smolov, which in hind sight wasn't the smartest idea after I'd done the above.

My first Smolov session was 120x6x6

120x6 paused
120x6 paused
120x6 paused
120x6 paused
120x5 paused
120x6 paused

Set 5 killed me off a bit, I did a few pauses for a bit too long and I could feel fatigue setting in.

Tomorrow is apparently leg day (and dumb bell shoulder press), so I'm going to have to gorge on some gainz food through the day in preparation of doing a proper squats session to see where my squat is at to MAYBE run Smolov squat too...

MAYBE.

mrthingyx · 17 Mar 2015 at 06:21

Smolov followed by leg day.

In for pain.

In for gains.

Cookeh · 17 Mar 2015 at 09:06

170kgs paused bench, beastmode :cool:

spoffle · 17 Mar 2015 at 23:49

Smolov Squats Day One

mrthingyx said:
Smolov followed by leg day.

In for pain.

In for gains.

You weren't wrong.

URGHHH PAIN

I attempted a start on Smolov squats today after I got bullied in to it. I was just expecting a general squats session to ease me back in to it.

NOPE.

I got bullied in to trying 4 sets of 9 reps with 140KG.

140x9

140x9

140x1

140x9

I didn't take enough of a break after the second set, and we had very little time left in the gym. I had another break and attempted another set, which I managed. I could have done a fourth set of 9 if I had some more time to rest, but I finished my third set of 9 with a few minutes left until the gym closed and Serge had a set to do after me.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, I was feeling traumatised at the mention of 140x9 for a single set. However I almost had to crawl up the stairs.

I don't know if it's a good idea to be running two smolov routines as well as jumping straight in to it with squats.

So I've got my first 2 Smolov days over. It's Smolov bench day 2 tomorrow.

Cookeh said:
170kgs paused bench, beastmode

thanks

spoffle · 18 Mar 2015 at 23:40

Smolov Bench Day Two

So DOMS, very pain, WOW.

I've been RINSED with DOMS from the squats session, I can barely walk.

It's Smolov Bench day two.

100x5 paused

Working sets

130x5 paused

130x5 paused

130x5 paused

130x5 paused

130x5 paused

130x5 paused

130x5 paused

130x5 paused

I was supposed to be doing 7 sets, but I lost track and ended up doing an 8th set.

It wasn't too bad, just tiring, and my left arm was aching a bit around my triceps at my elbow. Benching seems to be what I find the least taxing out of the big lifts.

I'm supposed to be doing day three on Friday, but I *might* push it to Saturday.

Smolov squats day 2 is supposed to be tomorrow, 5 sets of 150KGx7, I might have to push that to Friday though if my legs haven't recovered enough.

mrthingyx · 19 Mar 2015 at 06:08

Awesome! Good work!

Cookeh · 19 Mar 2015 at 08:38

Lost track and did 8 sets... mad.

spoffle · 19 Mar 2015 at 19:31

mrthingyx said:
Awesome! Good work!

Thanks. My DOMS from Tuesday's squatting session have got much worse over night. It's difficult getting up and down the stairs.

Cookeh said:
Lost track and did 8 sets... mad.

It was only 1 extra to be fair

Cookeh · 19 Mar 2015 at 20:11

130 for reps, yeah, see what you mean - just a warmup innit?

Nah man, solid effort

GSVBagpuss · 19 Mar 2015 at 21:28

Ridonculous stuff!!

spoffle · 20 Mar 2015 at 00:53

Cookeh said:
130 for reps, yeah, see what you mean - just a warmup innit? Nah man, solid effort

It might just be Smolov Bench Day 3 tomorrow.

GSVBagpuss said:
Ridonculous stuff!!

The most ridconulous part is that my glues and hamstrings are so rinsed by DOMS that it hurts sitting down. I've had glute and hamstring DOMS before, but I've never had it this bad. It's almost every muscle between my lower back and my knees, even my lats are a bit trashed.

spoffle · 24 Mar 2015 at 23:59

I had a bit of a break as I wasn't really able to get to the gym, but I had another bench session last night.

100x3 paused

120x3 paused

140x4 paused

140x4 paused

140x4 paused

140x4 paused

140x4 paused

140x4 paused

140x4 paused

140x4 paused

140x3 paused

I felt it went quite well, especially considering I hadn't eaten enough that day. I've got a little bit of DOMS and fatigue, but it's not too noticeable.

My DOMS from squats last week has only just gone, so I will attempt another squat session tomorrow.

I'm not following smolov too strictly, as I'm just trying to get in to a fixed routine with structure.

spoffle · 29 Mar 2015 at 23:15

Another bit of a break. I attempted another Smolov session on Thursday, but I was way too smashed and done in to complete it.

I did however manage:

100x5 paused

120x5 paused

140x3 paused

150x3 paused - 5 sets

and by that point, I was RINSED, so I called it a day.

On Saturday, I attempted it again, and it looked like:

100x5 paused

120x5 paused

140x3 paused

150x3x10 paused.

I don't have any DOMS, though I wasn't expecting any due to the lower overall volume. After I finished it though, I could feel that my nervous system was smashed, and I kept getting cramps in my right triceps.

Tomorrow it's 6 sets of 6 for bench press, and 5 sets of 7 squats - if I'm not done in...

I'm already noticing the effects from doing this sort of programme, I seem to be able to grind more reps out due to a lesser fall off of strength.

spoffle · 31 Mar 2015 at 23:07

After a long as hell day out doing work related stuff on 2 hours sleep, I attempted another Smolov bench session. The smolov squats have been lacking severely, I will attempt them tomorrow, but I've been way too busy running on way too little sleep lately to be able to reliably attempt squat sessions.

100x6 paused

120x6 paused

130x6 paused - 6 sets

I soon as I started warming up, I felt that it wasn't the best idea to be doing a smolov session today, but I didn't want it to slip again so I tried finishing it.

With each set of 130, I could feel fatigue after the first 3 reps, everything slowed down and the last reps were a grind. It didn't feel heavy, just rough each time.

I feel like I'm going to be smashed by DOMS from this session due to the lack of sleep and energy I had, but I'm happy I at least managed it in the state I'm in.

2 hours sleep and a Smolov session, never again.

Ughhhhh

Gamefreak501 · 1 Apr 2015 at 09:21

I once did read about Smolov and it's definitely intense.

You've got some incredible numbers here on all lifts and I'm considering giving Smolov a go after my strong lifts routine - once I get to around 140kg on squats which I believe will be in around 35 odd weeks :cool:

GSVBagpuss · 1 Apr 2015 at 09:36

spoffle said:
2 hours sleep and a Smolov session, never again.

Huge man points for even attempting it! :confused:

spoffle · 3 Apr 2015 at 12:23

Gamefreak501 said:
I once did read about Smolov and it's definitely intense.

You've got some incredible numbers here on all lifts and I'm considering giving Smolov a go after my strong lifts routine - once I get to around 140kg on squats which I believe will be in around 35 odd weeks

Thanks

. I'm actually finding it quite fun. I like the way it gradually goes from volume to intensity over the week. I can feel the effect it has and I think it's great. I'd recommend it for a challenge.

GSVBagpuss said:
Huge man points for even attempting it!

It was just as well that it was one of the volume sessions.

I paid for it though, as I was still feeling a bit rough, I attempted the next day and burnt out.

I had 7 sets of 5 with 140KG, but I ended up burning out on the 5th set so I called it a day.

I will attempt the next day later on, which is 8 sets of 4.

spoffle · 12 Apr 2015 at 23:38

I've done a few sessions since my last log update, but I've been too busy to log them.

I will however log today's session.

I did mainly bench press and I started out with:

100x5 paused

120x5 paused

140x3 paused

150x1 paused

155x1 paused

As a warm up to working sets, I then did:

160x3 paused

160x3 paused

160x3 paused

160x3 paused

160x3 paused

160x3 paused

160x2 paused

160x2 paused

160x1 paused

160x1 paused

It was supposed to be 10x3 but I felt like my nervous system was suffering, as I was just stopping with the weight, it wasn't necessarily feeling any heavier however.

I also had a play with some deadlifts, trying to dial my form in with it as I barely do deadlifts and have struggled with form with it in terms of the most efficient way to start the pull.

I finally settled on starting the pull from a full squat position, with my back as straight up as I can get it, the bar pulled tight against my shins, and my knees quite far forward. Which means the movement is a smooth as I can get it. I had a problem of essentially doing 2 pulls. I'd pull to knee height, then struggle to lock out with my back. This seems to have removed that issue. So I did a few reps with 100, 140, and 180 and the process felt smooth.

I will be trying a proper deadlift session maybe tomorrow, and I will attempt to max out to see where my 1 rep max is as I am thinking of doing a loose smolov deadlift programme once I've finished doing bench. I'm probably going to push my squats to the side for a bit, as it's deadlifts I have an actual issue with and I can't work on it if I don't do them.