20 rep squat routine

So your saying that high volume sets help with tendon and everything to catch up with your quickly growing muscles in the legs?

I'm not saying you should train for power 365 days a year either.

If this is for a change a pace...go ahead... but if you want the best gains in power 20 reps is not appropriate.

Whats the difference between doing sets of 12 or 15 as a high volume set instead of 20?
 
i totally agree low reps for power and size. but i ran into the problem where i went up in strength too fast and my joints were not ready for it. your muscle always responds faster than any bones, ligaments, tendons etc.

so if you have freaky genetics and you can take it i suppose you could push yourself. but if anything happens its too late. i think 12-15 is the same as 20. there is no magic number. even training a bit smarter .for example waiting until you do 315 eight times before going to 320...

ofcourse i cant do this. if for example i hit 405 x 5, i am like sweeet time to go up. so i set aside a month or something to go 405 x 6, 405 x 7, 405 x 8, 405 x 10, 405 x 12, 405 x 13, 405 x 14 for example then start going up again
 
20 rep squats and milk program works PERIOD!!

I did a modified version:

M/F: 20 reps (or failure) + one non-stop set to absolute failure usually 8-9 reps

W: upperbody workout

I ate 1.5-2lbs a steak after every workout and 3 gallons of milk a week and I gained 25 lbs in 5 weeks.

I increased the weight every workout no matter what and went to failure. Towards the end I was getting 16-18 reps becuz the back pain was too overwhelming.

I've never grown so fast in my life. Had to cut some weight afterwards though obviously as thats too much weight in 5 weeks but I think I ended the workout doing 235x16-18 at 188lbs.

Be true to yourself (make sure your going full depth and true failure) and have your diet and sleep in check and you'll grow like a weed guarenteed.


sounds solid bro espcially the steak!!!! dam u must be rich, but 8 to 10 oz is much cheaper and a smaller meal so u could split the intake up... just mop
 
sounds solid bro espcially the steak!!!! dam u must be rich, but 8 to 10 oz is much cheaper and a smaller meal so u could split the intake up... just mop

I justify my excessive spending on food and supplements by my lack of alcohol and drug consumption. I figured if I'm going to be addicted to something it should be something that isn't totally detrimental to my health.

I've just started DC training which also advocates 20 rep squats called widowmakers which you do 5 minutes after a heavy set, 6-10 reps to failure. It's kind of scary and it's totally kicking my ass but I'm hoping it starts to show after about 5-6 weeks.
 
Well I can honestly say that for size high reps works WAY better for my legs at least. After doing 5x5's and lots of 8x3 all winter and spring I am hitting a higher gym max right now doing sets of 20 than my meet pr when I was training low reps all winter....my thighs are also fckuing enormous and I can't fit into a lot of jeans comfortably right now.
 
i finish squat days with 20 rep widowmakers many times

makes a perfect challenge to both the mind and the body

cant say much for how well it works or anything but then again i cannot pin point any exercise that works wonders.. my advice do widowmakers 20rep final set for a month on leg days then take a month off, and see the comparison etc



what are widowmakers and how do you do them?
 
what are widowmakers and how do you do them?

It's a set of 20 reps of deep squats. You either do 20 or go to failure (that means stopping at the bottom).

It's a form of breathing squats meaning you can stop at the top and breath in-between reps.

For DC training you do a heavy set of 6-10 reps to failure wait 5 minutes and then do a set of widowmakers with about 65% of the heavy set weight.
 
anyone try the 20 rep routine with other lifts? such as bench?

Yup,.. i did til about a month ago doing DC. Same principle as squats and did rest pauses on other exercises, along with forced stretches. Only exercise I didn't do it with was deads, as I react very good to low-moderate reps, so no need to change. Overall the strength gains AND mass gains were good ; i will be switching back end of this month.
 
i like to do squats 4-6 reps
at the end of an 8 week training split i will do two weeks of 4/3/2/2 powerlifting style and push the barrier big time
Squats for me are always below parallel ATG the only way

when i started out after a year i got stuck on 315, i could do it 8 times but could not do 335 for 2 haha. so i decided to stick to 315 until i hit it for 20, and i did i got up to 21. Then when i got stuck on 365 i did this again. then when i got stuck on 405 i did this again, unfortunately at 405 the most i ever got was 14 one week then i said screw it and went on going up until 600x2. but i am going to go back and get that 405 x 20 now that i see this video and all you guys talking twenties!!!


Maybe i will log it

So i definitely think the high reps has its place for me it is to smash mental and physical barriers more than it is for size. But if you can do any weight 20 times good form i think that is damn good practice before increasing the weight, and safer than jumping up in weight with lower reps


Log it with vids and Im there.
 
Do any of you guys complete your squat reps with a calf raises? I've been told not to, but it comes so natural to me, I can't stop doing it.

Talk about feeling jello-legged. My legs are all over the place trying to get those last few reps in. I have to concentrate hard to use only my legs and not my lower back.

Anybody ever passed out from doing these? Barfing doesn't count. If you lose consciousness, does that count as failure? I need to know if when the dizziness comes on, is it ok to go on or am I risking a heart attack?
 
so all this good talk about 20 rep squats have any of you made nice lean gains with this old routine ..good quad gains?
 
Whats up AM, long time no see. If you cant get gains off 20 rep squats.......drink more milk!
 
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