For the first time since March 6, 2020,I got under the bar and completed sets of High Bar Squats. As I mentioned in my last post about strength loss, I was most concerned about Squats and Front Squats because training those movements with body weight and resistance bands is just not the same. True enough, it is not.
Warm-up sets to 135 lbs felt just fine. Technique felt solid, with no balance issues or form breakdown. Pleased, I added another 40 lbs and did my first set with 175 lbs. My training log showed that I did 217.5 lbs for sets of 6, 5 and 5 at the end of February, so I figured 175 should let me get 8 reps on the first set without reaching failure or getting myself in trouble. It was, but man did my quads and low back let me know I was doing something strenuous! I should point out that these are hypertrophy oriented Squats; i.e. a slow and controlled eccentric, full range of motion, with no bounce out of the bottom, and a fast but controlled concentric. These are not the quick descent, take maximum advantage of the stretch reflex at the bottom type of Squats I do when training for strength or Powerlifting. The goal is to maximize the amount of mechanical tension being applied to the quads.
I probably should not have done the full 5 sets I had planned, but I did. I ended the sets when the bar speed slowed to avoid going anywhere near technical failure, but based on how I feel, I’m confident I caused not only a hypertrophic stimulus, but probably some muscle damage. I suppose that may be unavoidable, unless I kept the weight much lighter, which in hindsight may be what I should have done.
My progression plan for now will be to select a weight I think I can do for 8 reps on my first set, and then complete the total planned sets getting as many reps as I can to the same proximity to failure, which for me is when the next rep is in doubt. If I’m not 100% sure I can do another rep without form breakdown or technique degradation, I end the set. Once I can get 8 reps on all sets, I will increase the weight the next time around. Based on how today went, with my sets going 8, 7, 5, 5, 4 I will probably stay at 175 lbs for some time.
I imagine based on how I feel right now, with my Squat session having ended less than 15 minutes ago, the next 24-48 hours will not be pleasant. I haven’t felt this kind of muscle disruption since the last time I tried Strategic De-conditioning; a hypothesis that after training for a certain time period, one should not train at all for 9-14 days to allow a degree of de-conditioning to take place, so that commencing to train again will spur newbie type gains in the de-trained muscles. It’s a cool idea, but it doesn’t actually work. What it does do though, is make you so sore you curse in languages you weren’t aware you knew.
There’s always the possibility that my efforts to keep doing squatting type movements like Lunges, Split Squats and Squats and Front Squats with bands over the last 6 months will prevent the muscle damage I fear, and that it’s just strength that has tanked. Perhaps I won’t be as sore as I think I will be. I wish I could believe in the power of positive thinking.
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