Thread: 20 rep program quesions

im not familiar with the routine

but i would assume the reasoning would be the natural test. spike after doing these leg exercises which recruit nearly every muscle in the lower body

i have been put under the impression that this spike of hormones is quite profound, and beneficial

What is the program?

Would help if we knew what we were giving advice about.

I think he's referring to this one: Bodybuilding.com - David Whitley - 20-Rep Squats: The Brutal Path To Massive Gains!

IMO: old school.

Ill have a read later, but the fact that it says "the brutal path to massive gains" isn't a good sign :P

20 rep deaflits = great way to hurt your back

my DL form dies after about 3 reps.
i have been doing 20-rep squats for 7 weeks, up to 165lbs as of last week (one set on Fridays). plan 2 more weeks. you just add 5lbs a week and go for it. kicks my butt, but is satisfying.
did it work? hard to say. i was on AX/Stoked the whole time but have gained 10lbs and upped my squat 1RM from 150 to 200.

its called super squats. My brother just started doing it. I've done it before.

Definately not with deadlifts. I worked my squats up to one set of 20 with 315 ANd looking back, I probably wouldnt do it again. Although I was the biggest I've ever been, Went from 213 to 230 in about 4 weeks.

They say to do pullovers to stretch your ribcage out. I didnt buy that, I hung from my pullup bar before and after my squat set to accomplish the stretch and went right into chins and dips

One thing I will say, is that you cannot maintain the volume for long, especially if your playing a sport or working a physical job.

Bad idea to do that on a regular basis.

I would be worried about my spine. Especially if these are back squats.

Maybe it should read "the brutal path to massive pains"

Super Squats is a great book. it really preaches mental toughness to grind out a 20 rep set of squats (especially if you do breathing squats and use your 10RM as the book suggests). The problem is that what you gain in mental toughness, you lose to proper (read safe) form. i just can't get into that anymore (although i did when i wore a younger - more reckless man's clothes.

So for overall gains would it be best to stick with heavy deads and squats on the normal range of 3 sets and around 6-8 reps?

exactly. If I go above 10 reps, which I seldom do, its with 135 or so. Super light weights. Too easy to lose form on squats and all it takes is one bad rep and you're not squatting for months! Be careful with the tough guy routines. I don't see a need for such a workout but to each his/her own.

If your max was 150, I'd say you have plenty of growing room anyways! Any decent program should get you up above 200 as just about any adult should be able to get up in the 2's in my glancing opinion.