20 rep squats

[needsize]

first, let me start by saying that those of you who do these, are a bunch of insane bastards!!
Now that I have that off my chest, I thought I would try them today. Those who have seen my vids, know I can easily squat up to 465lbs for sets of 5-8 reps no problem. Today I went with 315lbs, and on the 18th rep I basically face planted, and was actually seeing stars and little birdies flying around my head

 

[Allon]

I think with 20 reps and more you should choose a weight that is really easy.
You probably felt great after that set (once you had recovered) but still, for high reps on something like squats pushing a weight that makes you dizzy is not a good idea...

 

[jcp2]

haha, i have done these for a few weeks at a time at 315 and never seeemed to get 20. i think my best is two sets of 19, or 19 and 18. They gave me a few extra reps at 455 if i remember correctly when i went back to squatting heavier.

 

[psychedout]

20 rep squats are insane. Pure insanity, but super good.

 

[Deathbydefault]

i think 20 rep squats are great, i always try and fit one in once in awile
btw needsize your arm is amazing in that pic

 

[Tweakle]

315 is where they start getting hard lol. Imagine what platz must have felt like doing 5 plates

imo they're good for a change of pace but I couldn't use them on the long haul the way some training system reccomend, last time I tried them I got a rep away from 365 but got no improvement in leg size or strength after that until I went back to low reps.

I've noticed when people do them with heavy weight their lifting technique breaks down as fatigue sets in so the last 5-10 reps are usually not good

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

I think with 20 reps and more you should choose a weight that is really easy.
You probably felt great after that set (once you had recovered) but still, for high reps on something like squats pushing a weight that makes you dizzy is not a good idea...

good advice. My work sets max out @ 185 or so... but on 20 reps squats I go real light- like 95

 

[Longhorn85]

Never tried it. I get a good workout as it is from doing 12/10/8/6 and 12 reps. Maybe I'll give it a try.

Do you guys do any other leg work afterwards, or is that it for the day?

 

[Allon]

definitely do leg extensions afterwards.
I also do calves and hams afterwards... all leg muscles, after squats.

 

[Longhorn85]

definitely do leg extensions afterwards.
I also do calves and hams afterwards... all leg muscles, after squats.

So it's no different when you do the 20 rep thang?

 

[guldukat]

definitely do leg extensions afterwards.
I also do calves and hams afterwards... all leg muscles, after squats.

I'd move on to hams and calves, too, but I wouldn't do any other quad work after the 20 reppers. Done properly, breathing squats probably stimulate more growth in one workout than leg extensions could in a month.

Anything beyond that would be redundant--a drain on your body's reserves IMO.

 

[Allon]

I just feel the leg extensions consolidate the work I have done with the squats. Usually after squats I cannot continue squatting as I am so slaughtered, but leg extensions still come easy so to me it is a way of doing even more for the same muscle group and I feel it helps...

Regarding the 20 reps and continuing afterwards, as I said in my opinion 20 reps should be with easy weight so after soing 20 reps with easy weight you should be able to do other exercises easily. If you went heavy and barely squeezed out the 20 reps it may be a different story. IMHO if you are going heavy on squats, 6-12 reps is enough. maybe 15 if you are feeling really healthy that day. High reps should be real light weight and easy on squats die to the puke factor etc... I am not saying I am against it, just not so much for it.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

first, let me start by saying that those of you who do these, are a bunch of insane bastards!!
Now that I have that off my chest, I thought I would try them today. Those who have seen my vids, know I can easily squat up to 465lbs for sets of 5-8 reps no problem. Today I went with 315lbs, and on the 18th rep I basically face planted, and was actually seeing stars and little birdies flying around my head

nice bro..i kinda like those little stars and little light flashes that you see!!!!

 

[drbones2]

I can't even stand doing 10 reps... I could never do 20 reps... lactic acid would overwhelm me

 

[needsize]

I just feel the leg extensions consolidate the work I have done with the squats. Usually after squats I cannot continue squatting as I am so slaughtered, but leg extensions still come easy so to me it is a way of doing even more for the same muscle group and I feel it helps...

Regarding the 20 reps and continuing afterwards, as I said in my opinion 20 reps should be with easy weight so after soing 20 reps with easy weight you should be able to do other exercises easily. If you went heavy and barely squeezed out the 20 reps it may be a different story. IMHO if you are going heavy on squats, 6-12 reps is enough. maybe 15 if you are feeling really healthy that day. High reps should be real light weight and easy on squats die to the puke factor etc... I am not saying I am against it, just not so much for it.

leg extensions put the most shearing force on the knee out of any exercise, but add absolutely nothing in the way of size gains, I would never do them again.
The point of the 20 rep squat is to pick a weight that you can only do 10-12 reps on, and keep going till you hit 20, that way your workout only consists of 1 working set. I did do a 20 rep set of leg press, but it was the same thing, to absolute failure.
I do like this approach, its a nice break from squatting over 450lbs for reps, my joints felt way better
Allon, this is what never do leg extensions, and only sticky to heavy compound movements has done for my quads

 

[Allon]

Nice post.
I definitely cannot argue with your physique...
I do however feel that squats put more pressure on my knees than extensions do. Extensions actually feel good for my knees. I guess we are all built differently. Then again, you are lifting a lot more weight than I can so when I get near your weight ranges I may also find extensions are no good...

 

[Tweakle]

leg extensions put the most shearing force on the knee out of any exercise, but add absolutely nothing in the way of size gains, I would never do them again.

Amen. If you're not rehabbing then squat heavy & all out and leave the gym knowing you've done all you can do for your legs. Leave the leg extensions for the guys with 19" drumsticks.. all I do is squat, box squat and sometimes leg press and my quads are way ahead of the rest of my body.

 

[needsize]

Nice post.
I definitely cannot argue with your physique...
I do however feel that squats put more pressure on my knees than extensions do. Extensions actually feel good for my knees. I guess we are all built differently. Then again, you are lifting a lot more weight than I can so when I get near your weight ranges I may also find extensions are no good...

you might wanna try squatting rock bottom, when you squat past parallel the stress shifts from the knees to the hips, which are much stronger. With all the weight I do, my knees never hurt, but when I try extensions, with nothing close to the same weight, my knees are wrecked within a week or so

 

[he-man]

its all about the intensity!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nice work needsize - 20 rep squats are one of those things you gotta love to hate.

 

[supersizeme]

do a search for a thread on here a while ago that showed tom platz doing i think 20 with 500.

also i forgot the name of the guy, but he wasn't all that big and hit 402 for 22 or 23. pretty intense. that video was on here at some point, too.

 

[WalkingBeast]

Awesome shit brother!! A truely intense session! Im no squatter, by any means, Im more of a deadlifter. Ive thought about hitting a 20 rep set of deadlifts. I know the form would start breaking down however, but it might be fun to try with 365. Ive gotten 405 for 12, and should be good for 14+, but 20 Im not so sure about. I take most of my sets to complete failure as is, so taking a true 12 rep set, to 20 would be unlikely. Keep KILLING that shit!!

 

[MR Pink]

20 reps = puking for me ...but I love the feeling afterwards. I always take half of the weight I can do 5-7 times

 

[Dieharder]

ive been training quads twice a week, and since my gym only has a half rack and not a power rack, i dont do the 20 reppers on squats, i do sets of 5, and on my other quad day i do one work set of 20 on hack squats...puke, and then walk shaking to my car...i love it

 

[callthedoctor]

FYI....leg extensions have actually helped me also...

I have some tendonitis in my left knee....If I layoff for a while the the knee feels very weak and I almost have to assist with the right for full ROM (I do single leg LE's)...

But after a few sessions, the tendonitis seems to vanish and the left leg becomes as strong as the right....

Go figure????

BTW - nice lift with 365. I'm a 405 lifter and I stopped at 10 with 225...what a pussy. lol

 

[BigBadBootyDaddy29]

I always found 20 rep squats fun to do when you need a break from your usual rep ranges. Personally, for me, the weight I can handle is a similar process to when repping 225 on the flat bench. I am good at it if I practie for a few weeks and build up my muscular endurance. I suck at it when I try it after working in the 3-5 range on compound movements for weeks. It does nothing for my maximal strength, but I do think endurance is an important type of strength to have.

I agree, leg extensions blow. They do nothing in terms of size and strength gains, and next to smith machine squats, I think they are the worst thing for the knees.

 

[halfaclue]

you might wanna try squatting rock bottom, when you squat past parallel the stress shifts from the knees to the hips, which are much stronger. With all the weight I do, my knees never hurt, but when I try extensions, with nothing close to the same weight, my knees are wrecked within a week or so

Needsize, what does your normal leg routine look like including warm up sets.

this is to anyone...what would your leg routine look like if you were to do the 20 rep squats including warm-ups.

 

[needsize]

Needsize, what does your normal leg routine look like including warm up sets.

this is to anyone...what would your leg routine look like if you were to do the 20 rep squats including warm-ups.

here is my squat warmup
45 x 10 reps
135 x 8 reps
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 2-5
465 x 5
for the 20 rep set, I pretty much did the same thing, but only up to 315

 

[Longhorn85]

here is my squat warmup
45 x 10 reps
135 x 8 reps
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 2-5
465 x 5
for the 20 rep set, I pretty much did the same thing, but only up to 315

So where does the 20 reps go? At which weight? Is everything else the same?

 

[Tom Treutlein]

I love breathing squats. I'd normally do them with a weight I can hit for, at most, 12 reps. They're called breathing squats because you breathe for a good period of time between the later reps to force as much out of your body as you can. I want to hit 315x20 one day. The most I've hit now is 220. It's funny, but for some reason when I tried with 225, I couldn't get it. Maybe just an off day. Either that, or such a small weight does make a difference.

 

[halfaclue]

here is my squat warmup
45 x 10 reps
135 x 8 reps
225 x 5
315 x 5
405 x 2-5
465 x 5
for the 20 rep set, I pretty much did the same thing, but only up to 315

What else do you do on leg day?

 

[Longhorn85]

Tried it today. Felt great:

12 x 135 (way deep)
8 x 225 (below parallel)
6 x 315 (just parallel)
8 x 225 (way deep)
20 x 135 (way deep)

Next time I'll just a little more weight for the 20 rep set, probably 155.

 

[Dial_tone]

A nice leg day for me is 100's. Slap 225lbs on the squat bar and do as many reps as you can, say 17 reps. Rest long enough to get SOME of your wind back (30 seconds) then do another set as many as you can get. Keep going unti you total 100 reps. Do the same for hacks squats and leg curls then call it a day.

 

[Nico Cujo]

Nice job NS. Tom Platz did 225kg for 23 reps and Ken Leistner did 182.5kg for 23 reps. I've done the 3 plates for 20 but couldn't do anything else after that set. I've also got to 17 with 155kg (341) but wussed out and couldn't complete the set. They sure are different form the regular 3's and 5's i do.

 

[halfaclue]

A nice leg day for me is 100's. Slap 225lbs on the squat bar and do as many reps as you can, say 17 reps. Rest long enough to get SOME of your wind back (30 seconds) then do another set as many as you can get. Keep going unti you total 100 reps. Do the same for hacks squats and leg curls then call it a day.

I use to do 100's with seated calf raises...its hard to walk 2 days later...love it!

 

[the enforcer]

Ive read the book about 20 rep squats and drinking a gallon of milk a day. That put some serious size on me.