Already thinking about squatting heavy Monday. I have a question

[BigTallOx]

So last time I squatted heavy I got a PR at 585. It came up easy, I wanted to break 600, but it was clear my body was done after the 585. My squatting went something like this.


bar x 8
135 x 5
225 x 5
315 x 3
405 x 1
495 x 1
555 x 1 ( this was a 10 pound PR )
585 x 1 ( this was another PR )

After the 495 my training buddy said that going right to 585 would be too much of a jump, probably since I've never tried it before ( except with reverse bands ). So it kind of got me wondering what does a 900 pound squatter's warmup look like. Do they make jumps bigger than one plate, or do they just have more endurance to be able to go up that high? Should I be jumping more than 1 plate at a time? The 585 felt pretty easy, but I didn't feel like I could have done another one, but maybe I'm just not resting enough in between.

I guess what I'm asking is for anybody who squats 700+ ( I honestly think I could be there in 6 months or so ), what exactly what does your training look like when you squat heavy?

[Chris Rodgers]

Do you keep adding gear through your warmups?

The last year or so that I was training in gear(when I squatted between 650-700 at all my meets), I would typically warmup the same way.

(55 lb bar)

bar x bunch x few sets
145x3
235x1-2
325x1(w/briefs)
415x1(w/belt+briefs)
555x1(w/suit+belt+briefs)

650x1(Full gear w/wraps)


If that was a meet, 650 would be my opener, the rest would be warmups. If it was training, something around 650 would be my first "workset" and then I would go from there. If you are training and going for a PR, I prob wouldn't jump 90-100 lbs from last warmup to a PR. For you, next session I would hit one single with mid 500's again and then jump right to 605 or so.

Some people use reps to warmup. We have always pretty much just used singles in the gear for our squat warmups. I learned that when I started training with Chris Taylor back in the day and have stuck with that on heavy gear squatting days.

Hope that gave you an idea.

[Lones Green]

The guys that squat around 900 at my gym usually jump a plate in training. Say we were going to a max single with the cambered bar in briefs, this is what it'd look like:

bar x 3
135 x 3
225 x 2
315 x 2
405 x 2
495 x 1
585 x 1
675 x 1
765 x 1
785 x 1 (PR)

Usually they just have more warmups. In a meet they may jump bigger by using 100 plates. It wouldn't surprise me if at somewhere like Westside, super strong guys jump using 100 plates. (245, 445, etc) That still leaves a lot of volume when you're working up to around 1000 pounds

[BigTallOx]

Do you keep adding gear through your warmups?


Raw up to 315
I put my suit on for 405 but straps were loose
I tightened the straps for 495 but no knee wraps ( if I'm remember right )
555 tightened the straps even more and knee wraps
585 same as 555.



Hope that gave you an idea.

Yes that helps.

[Brian Hopper]

When we squat raw we always go up by plates.
Example:
BAR,150,240,330,420,510,etc...

When we are training for a meet, we always put our briefs on first thing (I get warmed up by doing wall squats). We start off with 100lb plates, then add a plate for 2nd set. On the third we will take the plate off and then add another 100.
Example
260,350,460,550,660,750,840,etc...

On meet day our warm-ups are little different. We still put our briefs on first. We try to go up 100's to mid 6's and then add plates.
Example
260,460,660,750,840,etc...

This is pretty much how we do it all the time when we squat, I hope this helps!!!