Darkdiablo's 20 rep squat routine journal

[darkdiablo]

any1 done this and wanna share the experience? It also says to drink 1 gallon of milk per day, let me hear the success stories so i can be motivated too

EDIT:

-----

So I decided to make this thread my journal for this workout. Suggestions are more than welcome.

 

[NGC_604]

What are you actually trying to accomplish?

 

[surfsatwerk]

Originally posted by: energydan
What are you actually trying to accomplish?

I think he's trying to sabotage having a normal bowel movement by drinking all that milk.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: surfsatwerk

Originally posted by: energydan
What are you actually trying to accomplish?

I think he's trying to sabotage having a normal bowel movement by drinking all that milk.

With your diet in pretty good shape otherwise, the GOMAD plan is actually pretty good for bulking. I've done a half gallon a day without even trying for a while now and haven't had any troubles with my bowels.

 

[KoolDrew]

I've always wanted to try it since I'm used to low reps, but I need to put more emphasis on upper body at the moment, mainly chest and lats. Eventually I'll be giving it a try though.

 

[brikis98]

The 20 rep squat program has some pretty specific uses: mass gain (with proper diet), breaking through plateaus (for intermediate/advanced lifters), improving muscular endurance (although there are probably better tools for this) and building mental toughness. You wouldn't want to do it just for "fun" and if you're relatively new to squatting (<2 years or so), you probably shouldn't do it at all. It's also worth mentioning that there is a difference between doing an actual 20 rep squat program (such as the ones listed here) and just doing a set of 20 squats now and then. The former means your entire workout revolves around doing 20 rep squats 2-3 times per week and due to the enormous mental and physical strain, you'd probably only be on it for a fairly short time (~8 weeks). The latter is what I've been doing the last several months.

I typically do one set of 20 rep squats once per week before my normal Crossfit workouts, and I find that it gives some of the benefits of the full routine without having to abandon everything else. Even though this approach is "easier" than the full program, it's still one of the most excruciatingly difficult things I've ever done. I literally dread that set of squats the entire week and will come up with almost any excuse to not do it. I've done some crazy workouts, but that 1-2 minutes of squatting is one of the absolute worst. Still, it does produce results: I've definitely become tougher mentally, boosted my squat numbers and handle high rep workouts slightly better.

 

[Koing]

I've done 100kg x 20reps x 2sets legs were BEASTED, my 1RM is 187kg.

First 10reps took ~ 26seconds, the last 10reps took a minute so 90seconds to do 20reps, absolutely savage mate. The 2nd set I paced myself better, counted in reps of 5's instead. SAVAGE.

I never did the 'routine' I just reppped it out with 100kg for sh!ts and giggles and because my bro was calling me out. I didn't do the milk thing.

gallon 4l, 100ml of milk ~ 3g of protein ~ 120g of protein in 4gallons of milk! But you may be using 1gallon ~ 2.5litres instead as yoru a yank?

Do it and report back!

Koing

 

[darkdiablo]

Originally posted by: Koing
I've done 100kg x 20reps x 2sets legs were BEASTED, my 1RM is 187kg.

First 10reps took ~ 26seconds, the last 10reps took a minute so 90seconds to do 20reps, absolutely savage mate. The 2nd set I paced myself better, counted in reps of 5's instead. SAVAGE.

I never did the 'routine' I just reppped it out with 100kg for sh!ts and giggles and because my bro was calling me out. I didn't do the milk thing.

gallon 4l, 100ml of milk ~ 3g of protein ~ 120g of protein in 4gallons of milk! But you may be using 1gallon ~ 2.5litres instead as yoru a yank?

Do it and report back!

Koing

20 reps with 100 kg for 2 sets, that is crazy, thanks for the motivation. I tried to do 20 reps with 61 KG or 135 pounds yesterday and it was really tiring, but it was alright because my squat max is around 250 pounds (113 KG). I'm going to try 145 pound for 20 reps tomorrow, doing this workout:

"Big 3" 20 Rep Squat Program


Squat: 1x20
Pull-Overs: 1x20 (constant 25 pound plate)
Bench Press: 2-3x10
Pull-overs: 1x20 (constant 25 pound plate)
Bent-over Rows: 2-3x15
Standing Press: 2-3x12
Conventional Deadlift: 1x15
-----
Practice power cleans (with 20 KG or 45 pound bar)
Chin ups 3 set to failure

I found it on the Starting Strength wiki. Should be intense as hell. I will give this a go and along with the GOMAD diet (bought 60 pills of lactaid, should be a major help with the gas from the ass and diahrrea). I will post my 3x week results here, and see if I really gain 20 pounds of muscular weight in 6 weeks. I'm probably gonna do 3 reps of 10 for bench, and 2 reps of 15 and 12 for the rows and press. Oh and the thing below the dotted lines is what I want to add to my routine.

 

[Lamont Burns]

I'm doing my second workout today.

1x20 squats
2x10 dips
2x10 OH press
2x10 Bent Rows

I started my squat weight at 150. 155 tonight.

It's actually a 6 week program designed around 18 workouts. I took my 5RM, subtracted 90 pounds from it and plan to do my 5 RM for 20 reps on the last workout. It's not recommended to go beyond that really at a time. I have been on SS for several months now and am just shaking things up. I drink almost a gallon of whole milk a day and have been for some time.

 

[Lamont Burns]

Maybe I handle the milk better than most, but I have not had any digestive issues with this. I get more aggravation from adding in more fruits and green veggies.

 

[Lamont Burns]

Let me know how that works for you. I finished my 2nd workout on this earlier, and I'm dead right now. Also, I think my anterior delts are getting hit too hard with OH press and Dips back to back. Thinking about switching up Dips and OH into A/B and adding in a set of regular or straight leg deads in addition to the bent rows.

 

[darkdiablo]

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
I'm doing my second workout today.

1x20 squats
2x10 dips
2x10 OH press
2x10 Bent Rows

I started my squat weight at 150. 155 tonight.

It's actually a 6 week program designed around 18 workouts. I took my 5RM, subtracted 90 pounds from it and plan to do my 5 RM for 20 reps on the last workout. It's not recommended to go beyond that really at a time. I have been on SS for several months now and am just shaking things up. I drink almost a gallon of whole milk a day and have been for some time.

I probably will change this thread to my 20 rep squat workout journal tomorrow (Friday), the official start date of my routine. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow, its good to find someone else doing the same thing

 

[KingGheedora]

If you do this, it's really important that you drink the entire gallon right before the workout.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: darkdiablo

Originally posted by: Koing
I've done 100kg x 20reps x 2sets legs were BEASTED, my 1RM is 187kg.

First 10reps took ~ 26seconds, the last 10reps took a minute so 90seconds to do 20reps, absolutely savage mate. The 2nd set I paced myself better, counted in reps of 5's instead. SAVAGE.

I never did the 'routine' I just reppped it out with 100kg for sh!ts and giggles and because my bro was calling me out. I didn't do the milk thing.

gallon 4l, 100ml of milk ~ 3g of protein ~ 120g of protein in 4gallons of milk! But you may be using 1gallon ~ 2.5litres instead as yoru a yank?

Do it and report back!

Koing

20 reps with 100 kg for 2 sets, that is crazy, thanks for the motivation. I tried to do 20 reps with 61 KG or 135 pounds yesterday and it was really tiring, but it was alright because my squat max is around 250 pounds (113 KG). I'm going to try 145 pound for 20 reps tomorrow, doing this workout:

"Big 3" 20 Rep Squat Program


Squat: 1x20
Pull-Overs: 1x20 (constant 25 pound plate)
Bench Press: 2-3x10
Pull-overs: 1x20 (constant 25 pound plate)
Bent-over Rows: 2-3x15
Standing Press: 2-3x12
Conventional Deadlift: 1x15
-----
Practice power cleans (with 20 KG or 45 pound bar)
Chin ups 3 set to failure

I found it on the Starting Strength wiki. Should be intense as hell. I will give this a go and along with the GOMAD diet (bought 60 pills of lactaid, should be a major help with the gas from the ass and diahrrea). I will post my 3x week results here, and see if I really gain 20 pounds of muscular weight in 6 weeks. I'm probably gonna do 3 reps of 10 for bench, and 2 reps of 15 and 12 for the rows and press. Oh and the thing below the dotted lines is what I want to add to my routine.

20reps is never going to be easy man!

See what you can get. I've done 146kg x 11reps but thats a FAR cry from 20reps.

Koing

 

[Lamont Burns]

I don't want to eff this thread up too much if you are going to make it a journal(I can edit out all my shit for you when you do)... just wanted to add for fun that I don't even remember reps 18-20 each time I have done this. It's one large blur, and then I lean against the power rack for like 30 seconds trying to catch my breath. Ownage!

 

[darkdiablo]

Originally posted by: Lamont Burns
I don't want to eff this thread up too much if you are going to make it a journal(I can edit out all my shit for you when you do)... just wanted to add for fun that I don't even remember reps 18-20 each time I have done this. It's one large blur, and then I lean against the power rack for like 30 seconds trying to catch my breath. Ownage!

You post your results here too, our weights sound similar.

Anyways, today's workout owned my ass.

September 4

Squat: 1x20 145 LB
Pull-Overs: 1x20 (constant 25 pound plate)
Bench Press: 2x10 105 LB
Pull-overs: 1x20 (constant 25 pound plate)
Bent-over Rows: 2x10 85 LB
Standing Press: 2x10 65 LB
Conventional Deadlift: 2x10 175 LB

The squats were so grueling, my lower back felt like tofu by the 17th rep, the last 3 reps were killers. That plus the last 2 sets of 10 for deadlift really makes me feel dead.

Drank almost 1 gallon of milk today, took my lactase pills didn't have a problem with bloating or diahrrea. YAY, first day.

 

[brikis98]

Did you read my post at all? Your weightlifting numbers indicate that you are a beginner, which means 20 rep squats are probably not optimal. It's not that you won't see any gains from them, but at your level of training, a simple 3x5 or 5x5 linear progression is likely to let you gain more strength and mass much faster than a 20 rep program. Only when you can no longer make linear gains and are plateauing does a routine of this sort really make sense.

 

[darkdiablo]

Hmm, whats the reason that a 3x5 would be faster though. With the 20 rep squat routine, I'm making 5 pound jumps every time anyways.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: darkdiablo
Hmm, whats the reason that a 3x5 would be faster though. With the 20 rep squat routine, I'm making 5 pound jumps every time anyways.

You most likely won't be able to keep that pace up with the 20 rep routine for nearly as long as it taxes your recovery abilities far more. With 3x5 style linear routines, most people can add 5-10lbs per workout for months on end. With 20 rep squats, you'll most likely start to stall out in a few weeks. To put it another way: if you think 145lbs was torture today, imagine what 200lbs for 20 reps will feel like. If you could maintain the 5lb per workout pace, you'd be at 200lbs in just 4 weeks. For 5 rep sets, that kind of increase may be doable for beginners, but for 20 rep sets, the mental and physical strain will probably be way too much.

Moreover, 5 rep sets tend to be more effective for strength gains (see this chart), although 20 rep sets can make up for some of that through the hormonal effects it produces.

 

[darkdiablo]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: darkdiablo
Hmm, whats the reason that a 3x5 would be faster though. With the 20 rep squat routine, I'm making 5 pound jumps every time anyways.

You most likely won't be able to keep that pace up with the 20 rep routine for nearly as long as it taxes your recovery abilities far more. With 3x5 style linear routines, most people can add 5-10lbs per workout for months on end. With 20 rep squats, you'll most likely start to stall out in a few weeks. To put it another way: if you think 145lbs was torture today, imagine what 200lbs for 20 reps will feel like. If you could maintain the 5lb per workout pace, you'd be at 200lbs in just 4 weeks. For 5 rep sets, that kind of increase may be doable for beginners, but for 20 rep sets, the mental and physical strain will probably be way too much.

Moreover, 5 rep sets tend to be more effective for strength gains (see this chart), although 20 rep sets can make up for some of that through the hormonal effects it produces.

Hmm, what about just doing a 20 rep squat once a week? Say every Friday for my last set of squats I go up to 20.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: darkdiablo
Hmm, what about just doing a 20 rep squat once a week? Say every Friday for my last set of squats I go up to 20.

Again, I want to emphasize that 20 rep squats WILL produce strength/size gains, but for beginners, simple 3x5 linear routines tend to do it faster. So, to answer the above, it depends what your goals are.

* If your primary aim is to build strength and add mass as quick as possible, stick with a 3x5 style routine (Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5) for as long as you can and drink your milk. You simply can't improve any faster than 5-10lb increases every single workout and any significant changes you make to these routines will probably slow you down. For example, adding a set of 20 rep squats per week will hurt recovery. If that doesn't concern you and you have a good reason to do these sets of 20 (see below), go for it, just be aware of the possible consequences (overtraining, slower progress, etc).

* If your primary goal is to break through some kind of squatting plateau, build up mental toughness, or increase your tolerance for high reps, then do 20 rep squats. You'll still gain strength and mass from them, but if all your training revolves around sets of 20, don't expect your 1 rep max to increase nearly as much as if you trained with sets of 5.

 

[darkdiablo]

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: darkdiablo
Hmm, what about just doing a 20 rep squat once a week? Say every Friday for my last set of squats I go up to 20.

Again, I want to emphasize that 20 rep squats WILL produce strength/size gains, but for beginners, simple 3x5 linear routines tend to do it faster. So, to answer the above, it depends what your goals are.

* If your primary aim is to build strength and add mass as quick as possible, stick with a 3x5 style routine (Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5) for as long as you can and drink your milk. You simply can't improve any faster than 5-10lb increases every single workout and any significant changes you make to these routines will probably slow you down. For example, adding a set of 20 rep squats per week will hurt recovery. If that doesn't concern you and you have a good reason to do these sets of 20 (see below), go for it, just be aware of the possible consequences (overtraining, slower progress, etc).

* If your primary goal is to break through some kind of squatting plateau, build up mental toughness, or increase your tolerance for high reps, then do 20 rep squats. You'll still gain strength and mass from them, but if all your training revolves around sets of 20, don't expect your 1 rep max to increase nearly as much as if you trained with sets of 5.

I guess I'll go on the 3x5 till I plateau then... I see you around the health and fitness forum quite a bit. Most of the stuff you post sounds pretty intelligent. Are you a kinesiologist? or trainer? coach?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: darkdiablo

Originally posted by: brikis98

Originally posted by: darkdiablo
Hmm, what about just doing a 20 rep squat once a week? Say every Friday for my last set of squats I go up to 20.

Again, I want to emphasize that 20 rep squats WILL produce strength/size gains, but for beginners, simple 3x5 linear routines tend to do it faster. So, to answer the above, it depends what your goals are.

* If your primary aim is to build strength and add mass as quick as possible, stick with a 3x5 style routine (Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5) for as long as you can and drink your milk. You simply can't improve any faster than 5-10lb increases every single workout and any significant changes you make to these routines will probably slow you down. For example, adding a set of 20 rep squats per week will hurt recovery. If that doesn't concern you and you have a good reason to do these sets of 20 (see below), go for it, just be aware of the possible consequences (overtraining, slower progress, etc).

* If your primary goal is to break through some kind of squatting plateau, build up mental toughness, or increase your tolerance for high reps, then do 20 rep squats. You'll still gain strength and mass from them, but if all your training revolves around sets of 20, don't expect your 1 rep max to increase nearly as much as if you trained with sets of 5.

I guess I'll go on the 3x5 till I plateau then... I see you around the health and fitness forum quite a bit. Most of the stuff you post sounds pretty intelligent. Are you a kinesiologist? or trainer? coach?

I think brikis is and has been an active athlete for quite a bit now. He tends to knows what he's talking about.

But really - what he's saying is exactly right. The 3x5 programs are built specifically for beginners and give great gains. I've seen people go from squatting 3x5x135 to 2x5x265 in a very short period of time. I myself got up to 3x5x300 on a 3x5 program before I had to switch. It's an exceptionally quick way to gain strength and it isn't complicated at all. If you have any questions though, feel free to ask.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: darkdiablo
I guess I'll go on the 3x5 till I plateau then... I see you around the health and fitness forum quite a bit. Most of the stuff you post sounds pretty intelligent. Are you a kinesiologist? or trainer? coach?

None of the above - I'm a software engineer by profession

However, health & exercise are a passion of mine, and I spend lots of time reading about them. Over the years I have tried a whole lot of different things, including countless sports (hockey, football, basketball, soccer, tennis, racketball, etc), jogging, swimming, biking, HIIT, body building split routines, Starting Strength, Bill Starr 5x5, Crossfit, yoga, power lifting, olympic lifting, gymnastics, boxing and so on. I don't claim to be an expert and I'm constantly learning new things, but I try to share whatever experience I can and point people at more expert sources when I can.