Here is a spreadsheet for the original Smolov Squat Routine that works for kg and lbs.
Update: I just added a sheet that calculates the Smolov Jr Program (choose the “Smolov Jr” bottom tab).
Since I am currently torturing my weak legs with this thing I thought that maybe some of you want to join the fun.
Also if you ran Smolov before, I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.
The spreadsheet was created by Juri (who also shared his first meet experience here) and covers the entire 13 week program, not just the base cycle.
It’s based on the this post here (which is a copy of the original article by Smolov).
Download:
- Link to Google Docs
- choose File – ‘Make a Copy’ or ‘Download as’ (xlsx for excel for example)
How To Use
- Enter your 1RM in the green cell in the top left corner. Be conservative here (after starting with my actual max, I reduced it by 5kg in Base week 3)
- Notation is Weight x Reps x Sets
- You can edit the Increase 1 & 2. For kg the original program calls for a 10kg increase on Base Week 2 and a 5kg increase for the week after (Base 3). If you think in pounds then you obviously need to change these values to 20 and 10 respectively
- In Base Week 4 you test your 1RM and then then plug in your new number in the other green cell labeled “New 1RM”
- Caution: since the increases in Base 1&2 are not based on your 1RM, i.e. constants, you might want to adjust those to account for your strength levels. Or else the program will call for ten sets of triples very close to your 1RM 🙂
Would this basically work the same if I were to use it for front squat instead of back squat? My front squat is lagging behind.
I hope others who actually tried this can chime in here. Until then I’d say go for it. Maybe google “smolov front squat” and see what others had to say about it.
It would probably be even more miserable but Smolov does follow the principles of the soviets’ concentrated loading periods taking advantage of the long term delayed training effect so certainly should work. Bare in mind that concentrated loading is supposed to impose a temporary negative effect on your functional indicators and will really expose any weak links in the kinetic chain, so make sure your front squat technique is up to scratch, otherwise I imagine your back will start to give in well before your legs get the most of the routine. Good luck!
Try it and see how it works for you. I’m starting smolov for front squats next week. I’ve taken 10 pounds off of the max to help and if I don’t die or get injured I will write down my progress. More squats is never a bad thing. Just make sure you have good form. Take 10-20 pounds off your max to ensure good form and train core heavy and religiously so your back doesn’t collapse.
I used the smolov jr for the front squat. works fine for 4 weeks. more weight every week. followed by two weeks of heavy Singles almost every day. and then go right back to the jr. smolov
You get used to the volume very fast. the first week was hard (especially monday and wednesday ) because of the many sets and reps you did. but already week two and three were a lot easier. week 4 was a killer. I missed some reps on friday and could only do 2sets of 3 reps on saturaday. but saturday is the most fun of the whole week.
I beat my best triple by 5 kg.
have fun.!!
Travis Cooper and James Tatum brought up the issue on their podcast. Both don’t like the idea and think there are better ways to train Front Squats.
http://www.spreaker.com/user/theweightliftingscoop/gold_edition_episode_50
Awesome, thanks for the link.I haven’t heard that episode, I’ll check it out.
Many years ago I did the first week of the Base (the one that starts 70%x9x4) and strained my back on the 85%x3x10 day. After laying off a week to let my back recover I tested my squat and I had added about 10 lbs. Just after the first week. This was when I was doing PL squats and my depth was crappy, but still. This thing works if you can survive it.
There have been some experiments done with Smolov for front squats. The weak link will be your ability to hold the bar in the rack for the 9 rep sets. People have tried this with bench press and deadlift and it’s worked, so it will work for most of the big strength lifts. The main concern is the ability to maintain good form on the 9 rep sets. If you can deadlift/front squat/press safely for 9 reps then go for it.
There’s also a “Smolov Jr.” which was Pavel T’s reformulation of the first 3-week cycle. He stretched it out to 4 weeks with only 3 workouts per week, the percentages stayed the same, but the set/rep scheme was 6×6, 7×5, 8×4, 10×3 (this is setsxreps). Anyway, my first time posting and I write three posts. Pretty rude of me! I enjoy your site, Gregor – long-time visitor first time posting.
Welcome to the comments and thanks for the input Mike.
I successfully did smolov once, and I’ll never do it again…I remember having to lay down flat on the floor for two min in between every set just to relax my back…my legs were like car jacks for a few years afterwards, miss that feeling! Good work!
Hey I tried Smolov a lot. I didn’t use the intro and switching phases and i found the smolov intense not that effective for a natural athlete.
For front squats i did Smolov Alpha, it’s an alteration of the original that’s less intense (Made by kraftsportNO on youtube).
I also just finished Smolov Jr. for bench, and so far every time i made sick gains from smolov.
Examples> Smolov Base 140kg (easy) 1RM >170kg > Intense > 180kg
Smolov Alpha Frontsquat 130kg 1RM > 145kg (no intense)
Smolov Jr. Bench 125kg 1RM > I’ll try tomorrow, but probably around 140kg.
Whats Smolov Alpha lay out? (google dont help much)
did smolov 1-2 years back, altering it to fit on a M/W/F schedule. Similar to Nate I would put a chair a foot or so from the rack and after most sets would pretty much fall into the chair being thankful I survived. Than when I was able I would crank out the next set and repeat until the lift was over and I had no idea what I was doing anymore and could only think of eating as much as possible.. Very taxing sessions but my squat improved dramatically (imagine that). I did crush a PR after cutting it off early in last week or 2 – it was a bad idea to start it while my wife was pregnant with our first, I had to cut it off early 10 days before her due date to make sure I could function to welcome my first child to the world. I am hopeful to repeat the program again in the future, I found both Smolov and Sheiko to be very demanding yet rewarding
Hey Gregor,
Smolov will definitely help your squat as has been said before. One thing to consider, however, (if you’re like me at least) is what to do after you’ve completed the program. I have completed it previously and am still trying to figure what to do to get over the post-Smolov blues (i.e. the inevitable drop off when you are no longer putting that same volume/intensity in).
Good luck, man.
After Smolov I plan to squat 3x per week. Not sure which program.
the same here, I squat three times a week anyway, be it a program or not (then its just various modifications like paused, to parallel/from parallel up…). While maybe not exactly the same volume or intensity, it is a demanding training that should keep the progress I made)
Gained 15 on the back squat from the base cycle
I am completely confused on how to follow the program can someone explain it
What part confuses you?
Hi everyone. Hope u can help me out , I don’t know about Cody, but what confuses me are the lunges, jumps, could anybody tell me what weights to use? Is it walking lunges? Sets, reps? Vertical jumps? How high? Would like to do it properly…
Also speed work and dynamic efforts, …
can you start the program over after youve completed it and expect the same kind of results if you put the same kind of work into it?
i couldnt say from experience of lifting but i know for vertical jump programmes (air alert etc) which are similarly intense in a different way, you can get more gains by repeating them, but the gain will be less each time. also the effort that you have to put out makes repeating these kind of things too often a big injury risk.
currently doing a periodization style right now. monday 3×10, wednesday 5×5 saturday 8×3. Works really well. Did three week ratcheting up the percentages each week. Deloaded for a week maxed out went up around 30 pound on squats doing a another cycle then stopping.
What kind of weight are we using for the pause squats? I am assuming heavy? For the intense and taper weeks, can anyone with experience using this routine provide any insight as to how these weeks feel? I entered in my 1RM to 340 and the intense weeks barely touch 135 so how are these weeks intense?
You must have entered something wrong then. I just entered 340 as a max and the highest work sets are with 323 in the intense weeks.
No prescriptions on the pause Squats. I did something 80-85% range.
Yeah i see, i didn’t enter in the new RM, thanks! Yeah this seems more like it.
Okay, sounds reasonable, thank you!
I am currently on my second cycle of russian squats. I had a 50 pd pr gain on the first cycle. We will see with the second. I am going to try this next…is the 44 plus gain a true reflection of the program?
trying to find a printable version so i can put my own 1rpm
Only thing I would change is to have the numbers round in 5lb increments. I changed the formulas to look like this:
=CONCATENATE(MROUND(($B$4*0.65),5),”x8 x3″)
Just completed Smolov. I did 10 weeks (skipped switching cycle and finished 2 weeks early due to holiday). I went from 150 – 190kg.
First 3 weeks are hard, and I had one workout in the intense cycle that had me on the floor head in my hands. Otherwise I coped pretty well. Truly amazed at the gains.