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View Full Version : 20 rep squat routine... i give up



Junkie2
12-08-08, 12:52 pm
I just finished my 10th workout of the 20rep squat routine. Ive been doing it the past 3 weeks and today was the first workout of week 4 of 6.

After 20 squats, my head feels like it is about to explode... f$%#ing explode. It hurts so badly that I cant even move. I have to go into the gym and lay down for 20 minutes. It's f#%$ing ridiculous.

I've dealt with this for a long time now, but today was the worst experience. I did 245 20x and i could not even deadlift afterwards. I ended up doing some light rowing, benching, and military pressing instead... much lower than i should be doing.

I am just so pissed off right now because I cannot risk popping any more blood vessels in my brain, which is causing the extreme headaches. Yes, I have done my research about "breathing", and I do take a solid 3-4 breaths in between squats and breathe while squatting.

I figure I will max out my lifts on thursday/friday and start either bill starrs of madcows 5x5 next a week from today.

I feel like I have failed being an Animal.

RK
12-08-08, 1:37 pm
holy shit dude if u did 10 days of that in 3 weeks thats basiclly squatting every other day! in my opinion that just sounds like suicide i dont know anyone that would even think of doing it that often. i mean i dont know what ur goals are but i did a 20 rep squat program once a week for 4 weeks and it added a good 50-60 pounds to my low rep squats. you havent failed being an animal at all, i think u just need to give ur body some time to recover.

TylerC
12-08-08, 1:54 pm
holy shit dude if u did 10 days of that in 3 weeks thats basiclly squatting every other day! in my opinion that just sounds like suicide i dont know anyone that would even think of doing it that often. i mean i dont know what ur goals are but i did a 20 rep squat program once a week for 4 weeks and it added a good 50-60 pounds to my low rep squats. you havent failed being an animal at all, i think u just need to give ur body some time to recover.

The point of true squats-and-milk program is to do a 20 rep squat routine, 3 times a week. To the original poster, was you doing only one set of 20 rep squats a workout, after your warmup set? 245 for 20 is nothing to sneeze at, and I've never seen a squats-and-milk program that said to deadlift after the squats. Which routine was you doing?

Junkie2
12-08-08, 2:31 pm
The point of true squats-and-milk program is to do a 20 rep squat routine, 3 times a week. To the original poster, was you doing only one set of 20 rep squats a workout, after your warmup set? 245 for 20 is nothing to sneeze at, and I've never seen a squats-and-milk program that said to deadlift after the squats. Which routine was you doing?

I did quick warmup of 135x6 and then it was straight into the 20x squats.

This is the program I used:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/printlog2.php?Exercise[]=Squat+-+20+reps&Sets[]=1&Exercise[]=Pullovers+-+20+reps&Sets[]=1&Exercise[]=Stiff-legged+deadlift+-+15+reps&Sets[]=1&Exercise[]=Pullovers+-+20+reps&Sets[]=1&Exercise[]=Bench+press+-+10+reps&Sets[]=3&Exercise[]=Bent+row+-+15+reps&Sets[]=3&Exercise[]=Military+press+-+12+reps&Sets[]=3&TotalExercises=7&mood=yes&weight=yes&cardio=yes&location=yes&length=yes&comments=yes&instruct=yes&firstname=&name=Sample+Recovery+Program.+For+Those+With+Good+ Recovery+Ability.

Not for nothing, but i gained 40lb on my squat, and my bench went up a good 10lb in 3 weeks. I just cannot take these migraine-like headaches anymore. I figure that I will take the winter break off (from college) and do some light lifting and cardio, and then when I come back start a 5v5 routine.

eclipsegsx102
12-08-08, 8:16 pm
"For Those With Good Recovery Ability."

Try backing off the squats a little and give your body some time to heal. Maybe do 3x6 or go lighter and do 3x12 and let your legs heal a bit. I know where your coming from with dead lifting after squatting since I've been doing the rippetoe workout. Make sure your getting your calories and drink lots of water out of the gym and more importantly in the gym.

Elite
12-08-08, 9:00 pm
Could be a number of factors. Keep an eye on hydration, your breathing and are you getting enough sleep, what are you eating during the day before you w/o, what time of day you working out, is your blood pressure high/low???
Could be any of these factors...

shizz702
12-08-08, 9:04 pm
I think you should finish it up bro, mine as well finish what you started. If need be drop a few of the other exercises and just focus on the squats.

sanga
12-09-08, 3:28 am
IMO you should back it off to squating every 6-7th day, more food, sleep and rest.

simpleguy
12-09-08, 11:09 am
imo that's a pretty solid old-school program for adding mass, but you just gotta find what is giving you the headaches... it can be everything, from your pre w/o supp to a state of hypoglycemia, and of course breathing, hydration and rest also take into account...

sanga
12-09-08, 11:11 am
I`d bet its either holding breath too long and not breathing correctly or breathing too much and causing a feeling like hyperventerlating.

Dingo
12-09-08, 11:17 am
is this your first attempt at this workout? if so your body probably wasnt ready for this amount of work and your central nervous system may be getting over taxed as well as the rest of your bodies processes, id lay off for a week and rest up. if you get stir crazy resting a week then atleast rest 3 or 4 days and reassess your situation. 20 reps at 245 HOLY SHIT is all i can say! thats alotta reps/weight.

Junkie2
12-09-08, 5:19 pm
is this your first attempt at this workout? if so your body probably wasnt ready for this amount of work and your central nervous system may be getting over taxed as well as the rest of your bodies processes, id lay off for a week and rest up. if you get stir crazy resting a week then atleast rest 3 or 4 days and reassess your situation. 20 reps at 245 HOLY SHIT is all i can say! thats alotta reps/weight.

Yes it is my first time doing this program. I have decided to modify it for a week before trying to go back for 20x250

Instead of 20x250 tomorrow, I will do 3 sets of 5 with 250, and do the same with the deadlift, and then continue the routine as planned. These 3 sets will be done very slowly and with precision. Hope this works...

Aside from the headaches, it is a great program. Added a lot of mass (i went home for thanksgiving break from college and my mom told me "your getting too big!!").

Just those damn headaches...

Dingo
12-09-08, 5:30 pm
hopefully a workout away from 20 reps will let you recoup a little better and get you back in there at full steam next time.

mritter3
12-09-08, 5:48 pm
sounds like your doing great, but your body needs time to heal and grow, i would finish what you set out to do then take a break. nice work

TheDarkHalf
12-10-08, 11:04 am
Why in the world would you want to deadlift and squat on the same day? Do those exercises on different days

Junkie2
12-10-08, 11:44 am
Why in the world would you want to deadlift and squat on the same day? Do those exercises on different days

It was what the routine called for.

It was working great for 3 weeks. If it weren't for the headaches I would have kept doing them with success.

On a side note, I went to the gym this morning and did 3x5 squats/deadlifts with 250, and then proceeded with the rest of the workout. Trying to give my body a litte time to recoup doing less reps.

I used to really underestimated how crucial it is to get enough sleep at night and have proper nutrition. These past few weeks It's been 3000-3500 calories a day, no sugar, 200g of protein or more a day, and most importantly, at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night. The combination of a good workout/proper nutrition/enough sleep works wonders for muscle growth.

TheDarkHalf
12-10-08, 11:48 am
It was what the routine called for.

It was working great for 3 weeks. If it weren't for the headaches I would have kept doing them with success.

On a side note, I went to the gym this morning and did 3x5 squats/deadlifts with 250, and then proceeded with the rest of the workout. Trying to give my body a litte time to recoup doing less reps.

I used to really underestimated how crucial it is to get enough sleep at night and have proper nutrition. These past few weeks It's been 3000-3500 calories a day, no sugar, 200g of protein or more a day, and most importantly, at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night. The combination of a good workout/proper nutrition/enough sleep works wonders for muscle growth.

That's exactly why I do not follow "routines" or "programs" - you really need to find what works best for you. Either way it seems like you have a good grasp on the basics, keep hammering the food, iron, and sleep and you'll get where you want to be.