In 1971 I broke Tony Fratto's
Junior National squat record
with a 565. The next year,
in Dan Dewelt’s Powerlifting
News, I made the Top 10 by
squatting 540 and totaling
1540. I never dreamed of squatting
800, let alone 900, because
a dream is just a dream.
Through constant experimentation
at Westside Barbell, we have
had 24 800 squatters, six
over 900 and one 1010, by
the incomparable Matt Dimel.
Speaking of Matt, this is
where the journey began. I
will discuss how technology
has changed an 800 squat from
a shot in the dark to almost
a joke. Enjoy the journey,
but use only the method described
later (with bands). Our methods
have evolved since Matt’s
time.
Matt was the first to squat
800 at Westside. He accomplished
this by using a method of
box squatting at four levels
per workout. After warming
upon a box 4 inches above
parallel, we did a single
that was about 100 pounds
more than a contest best.
Then we would drop 50 pounds
and squat 2 inches lower,
by taking out boards, and
do a single. Then we would
again drop 2 Inches more.
Now we would be at parallel.
We could do 50 pounds more
at a meet than we could box
squat at parallel. (For example,
I did a 600 parallel box,
630 at a meet with no equipment
in 1973 at 181; 630 parallel
box, 680 at a meet with junk
equipment in 1978 at 198;
705 parallel box, 765 at a
meet in 1980 at 220.) Then
we would go 2 inches below
parallel for 1-3 sets of 1
rep. This type of squat training
stopped in 1983 after I suffered
a second fracture of my fifth
lumbar vertebra.
We realized that a better
method must be used or others
would suffer severe injuries.
In addition, we noticed that
we were very slow but had
no idea why.
We found the answer from
men we had never heard of
before: Verkhoshansky, Siff,
Zatsiorski, Ozolin, Baroga,
Komi, Vorobyev, Medvedev,
Bompa. But the first name
without a face was A. S. Prilepin.
He had done extensive research
on loading, both intensity
and volume. I had never considered
such things, nor had anyone
else at the Club, but I found
very quickly that this was
the key to everything.
We learned the value of the
relationship between force
and velocity, how to build
speed strength and strength
speed, and how to control
proper volume at any level.
After my back injury healed,
I resumed training, but no
more progressive gradual overload.
Now we would use one weight
per workout because the data
showed that there is a correct
weight percent to train with
on the dynamic day. We started
the cycle with 70% of our
1 rep max on week 1 and went
up to 80% by the end of the
cycle. We did multiple sets
of 2 reps, aiming for maximal
force production (think speed).
Progress in the group started
once again. The more lifters
I introduced to the system,
the lower the percent of a
1 rep max used became. Billy
Masters and Angelo Berardinelli
were using 60% of a 1-rep
max and were making progress.
So we tried it. A few years
ago, Todd Brock, Kenny Patterson,
and Eskil Thomasson made 804
quite easily by using 405-480
for 12-10 sets of 2 reps.
An 800 squat was becoming
routine among our lifters,
but we didn’t stop there.
Vladimir Zatsiorsky and others
frequently talked about accommodating
resistance (which is using
special means to account for
increased leverage as you
stand up). By attaching chains
to the bar, the load could
be regulated to accommodate
resistance. As the bar is
lowered, the ends of the chain
pile on the floor and the
weight is reduced, enabling
one to start the bar up quickly.
As the concentric (raising)
phase is completed, all the
chain weight returns to the
bar. The body can handle much
more weight at the top of
the movement because of improved
joint angles. The use of chains
moved our average squat to
the mid 800’s. But what
was more astounding was that
we were taking mid 500 squatters
into the 800’s in 2 years.
Dave Williams of Liberty
University asked me to do
some work with large, strong
rubber bands made by Jump
Stretch Inc. The bands had
some added advantages we never
dreamed of. First, they accommodate
resistance more effectively
than chains. The resistance
is evenly added to the bar
as you stand up (i.e. progressive
concentrics). Also they provide
accelerated eccentrics (quick
lowering). This is great for
reversal strength, but can
cause tremendous soreness
(sometimes called delayed
onset of muscle soreness,
DOMS). With accelerated eccentrics
and progressive concentrics,
this method is phenomenal
for speed strength and strength
speed, depending on how much
resistance is added by the
bands. A higher percent of
weight and a lower percent
of band tension results in
speed strength. A high percent
of band tension and a lighter
weight results in strength
speed. We have found a combination
that has five men at Westside
squatting in the 900’s.
Science must play a large
role in the development of
special strength if you are
to be successful. It is the
central nervous system that
must be addressed. The bands
not only accommodate resistance
but also increase muscle tension
and almost completely eliminate
the deceleration phase.
All squat workouts are performed
with bands at Westside. The
900 squatters maintain an
810 squat, or 90% of 900,
by using 405-455 with added
band tension of 200 at the
bottom (on the box) and 260
at the top. A 900 squat requires
260 pounds of band tension
at the bottom and 375 at the
top for 6 sets of 2 reps.
The speed day must be accompanied
by a maximal effort day 3
days later. Both days require
core lifts and special exercises.
The Chinese say that you
can give the keys to the universe
to a million men and only
one will open the door. Be
the one!
-Louie Simmons
