In the last article, I presented a simple high frequency squat program. I want to be very clear that it is not a program that is designed to produce rapid strength gains. Instead the idea is to apply a fairly comfortable training stress on a frequent basis. As you keep repeating the workouts on a consistent basis, the poundages will begin to feel easier over time. You will gradually increase the weight, but only at a rate that allows the workouts to remain fairly comfortable.
If you get in a hurry and start to push harder for rapid gains, you will gain faster, but rapid gains only last a short time before a sticking point sets in. Most lifters will stop gaining from high intensity training when it is applied on a long term basis. In contrast, if you want to keep gaining over a long period of time, train at an intensity that your body is comfortable with on a frequent basis and gradually increase the weights as they become easier to lift. Training in this manner is the basis of the simple high frequency squat program that I will be discussing in this article.
The Simple Squat Program
The squat program I will be discussing was originally posted in the last article and an explanation of the basics are reprinted in the following two paragraphs:
To use this program, simply calculate 60% of your single rep max squat and do it for 5 sets of 5 reps four to five days per week. In addition to this, you will squat with 75% of your max for 5 sets of 5 reps one to two days per week. That’s it. Simple.
Keep following this weekly schedule until the weights start to feel easier to lift. That’s the key, just keep repeating it until it gets easier. The increase of ease that will occur over time should be most noticeable when using 75% of your max for 5 sets of 5 reps. When your workouts with 5 sets of 5 reps with 75% begin to feel pretty easy, you can increase the poundages of all of your workouts by 5 pounds, however, don’t get in a rush; give yourself at least a month before increasing the weight (an increase of 5 pounds per month will add up to 60 pounds in a year and 300 pounds in five years). You can also take a longer time and increase every six to eight weeks if you wish. This will add up to 30 to 40 pounds of added strength in a year and 150 to 200 pounds in five years. Advanced lifters who have been training a long time should feel content with increasing weights every ten to twelve weeks as gains come slower if you have been lifting for a long time.
Variations of The Squat Program
In this article I want to present a couple variations of the squat program that is highlighted in the previous two paragraphs. The first variation is called frontloading and deals with how you organize a high frequency training schedule over a week. The second variation is called set by set loading and deals with a strategy for how to add weight to your lifts.
Frontloading Combined With High Frequency
In my own personal experience, I have found that frontloading works very well when combined with high frequency training in which five to six training sessions are performed for an exercise each week. Frontloading simply refers to doing more workouts at the start of the week than the end of the week. You load up on workouts during the first two days of the week by doing four workouts over the course of two consecutive days. For example, you would do a morning workout and an evening workout on both Monday and Tuesday. These four workouts would then be followed by rest days on Wednesday and Thursday. You would then do one or two workouts on Friday, followed by rest days on Saturday and Sunday. The end result is five to six workouts during the same week, but you will still have the benefit of two recovery windows which both consist of two rest days. This provides plenty of training with plenty of recovery time. The weekly work is divided up into five to six workouts per week so that you never overwork yourself in any one of the workouts.
When planning your weekly workouts, I suggest that you do the four workouts that are done on Monday and Tuesday with 60% for 5 sets of 5 reps. The heavier workout with 75% for 5 sets of 5 reps should be done on Friday; or if you want to do the heavier workout twice per week, do one of the heavier workouts on Monday morning and the other on Friday morning. The rest of the workouts within that same week would all be done using 60% for 5 sets of 5 reps. If you find that your body responds better when placing the heavier workouts during a different part of your weekly schedule, then do what works best.
Frontloading may work extremely well for some lifters while others may find it cumbersome to work out twice per day; especially if you must travel very far to a gym. If you have the opportunity and the desire to utilize the high frequency frontloading method, give it a try. If not, simply workout five to six days per week.
Set by Set Loading
When planning a form of progression with this simple squat program, you can also experiment with set by set loading. Set by set loading means that you will add 5 pounds per week, but only to one set per week. In other words, 5 pounds will be added to only the first set during the first week. Five pounds will then be added to the second set when you reach the second week. The third set will be increased by 5 pounds during the third week, the fourth set will be increased by 5 pounds during the fourth week, and the fifth set will be increased by 5 pounds during the fifth week. We can look at an example of this by imagining that you currently use 225 pounds for 5 sets of 5 reps. If you were to use a set by set loading scheme, the next five weeks would be done as follows:
Week 1:
Set 1: Lift 230 pounds x 5 reps
Sets 2, 3, 4, & 5: Lift 225 pounds x 5 reps
Week 2:
Sets 1 & 2: Lift 230 pounds x 5 reps
Sets 3, 4, & 5: Lift 225 pounds x 5 reps
Week 3:
Sets 1, 2 & 3: Lift 230 pounds x 5 reps
Sets 4, & 5: Lift 225 pounds x 5 reps
Week 4:
Sets 1, 2, 3 & 4: Lift 230 pounds x 5 reps
Set 5: Lift 225 pounds x 5 reps
Week 5:
Sets 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5: Lift 230 pounds x 5 reps
If you wanted to load over a longer time period such as 8 weeks, you could add 5 pounds to one set at a time during weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8. You can use whatever time span you want to use for a set by set loading cycle. Whatever time span you select, simply add weight at a rate that will help you add weight to all five sets within the time span you select for the cycle.
You will find it easy to make steady long term progress if you start with a weight that is comfortable and gradually add to it little by little while working out frequently throughout each week.
If you enjoy frequent training sessions, and your goal is to make long term progress, consider using the simple squat program discussed in the last two articles. If you train on a consistent basis and are patient enough to follow this program, I believe you will be happy with the results. Best of training to you.
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