***Weightlifting Thread***

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Tex117
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10:32a, 5/13/26
AG
Man, my Squat is falling apart. Ive been running a H,L.M, with pause squats on my light day. And medium..being well...medium. I deadlift on the Light Squat day.

Im looking to save some time (and joints) in the gym, so I tried dropping the Medium day, and moved my pause squats to the Medium Day. (And, after I deadlift on Thursday, Im not recovered by Saturday morning).

Tried my heavy squat day yesterday. I hit 315 for a decent triple last week. This week, got one. three inches high, and racked it.

I know this is CNS related. And I specifically went lighter on my pause squats to build up. I know the medium day was "priming" and keeping the groove....But...yeah.

Guess we will see where it all settles back down.

OR, switch to something more hypertrophy driven and not pushing high end squat (still need to squat, of course).

Anyone have any experience with doing something like that?

Today's winner for the General Board Burrito Lottery is:

Tex117
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to Tex117 • 10:40a, 5/13/26
AG
You're working out in home garage, right? I don't want to recommend something if that is the case...

I think you're right on the CNS. I don't barbell squat more than once a week. Second leg day is either pendulum squat, belt squats, or something similar that is not quite as systemically fatiguing.
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to Tex117 • 10:55a, 5/13/26
Am I reading this right that you're squatting 3 days a week?
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bigtruckguy3500
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11:05a, 5/13/26
Thanks for everyone's advice. I have been afraid of injury for some time, and kind of in this no-man's land of just the same weight and higher reps (for the most part) for some time. Not really progressing. But been working on core strength, stabilizer muscles, and what not for a bit, and started pushing myself. Have noticed surprisingly quick strength gains. Gotta be careful to not injure myself again, but will keep going.
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bigtruckguy3500
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 11:09a, 5/13/26
I squatted every day (except 1 rest day) for 10 days. My strength shot up quite a bit, but my knees started aching too much.

I know some people that did it for over a couple months, and they also had significant strenght gains. I just don't know how sustainable it is.

Of course, you have to cut volume of legs each day.
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to bigtruckguy3500 • 11:16a, 5/13/26
Yeah, when I started I was squatting 3x a week and it worked when I was able to go up in weight weekly.

Now I have one dedicated squat day, and then depending on my goals and how much volume I want to do, I'll add in a barbell hack squat or front squat or something less fatiguing on my CNS after my deadlifts another day.
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Tex117
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 11:41a, 5/13/26
AG
ttha_aggie_09 said:
You're working out in home garage, right? I don't want to recommend something if that is the case...

I think you're right on the CNS. I don't barbell squat more than once a week. Second leg day is either pendulum squat, belt squats, or something similar that is not quite as systemically fatiguing.

I work out in a fully equipped gym. But yeah. On one hand, I'm not recovering from my Thursday heavy deadlift, to my medium squat day, but on the other hand, Im losing a bit of that "groove" and not able to work out as heavy on the next heavy squat day.

In the end, maybe thats just the way of it. If I have to go down in weight to account for joints, recovery (even if Im not pushng the upper limits), and my own time and life, thats just something I'm prepared to accept at this point.
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Tex117
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 11:45a, 5/13/26
AG
Yeah. a heavy squat tuesday. light thursday, medium saturday. I tried moving the light pause squat thursday to saturday, and dropped the medium day.

I felt the effect immediately and couldn't complete my top set yesterday. Hit the back offs though.
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10andBOUNCE
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11:53a, 5/13/26
AG
I generally only barbell squat every other week. The alternating week I will deadlift.

I understand this will not help me rocket up the leaderboards, but I just don't recover like I used to.
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to Tex117 • 12:51p, 5/13/26
Are you running a specific program?

I could see myself squatting 3 days a week but it would have to be very structured and in a very short block. No way I could do that for months at a time.

I would consider cutting back, or at least doing belt squats or something less fatiguing on your light day.

Maybe have a machine/belt squat light day, a different movement pattern like a Zercher or front squat on medium day, then save the low bar (or high bar, whichever you do) squat for heavy day.

Just throwing out some ideas. If I tried to grind low bar squats 3 days a week, I think my wrists would explode, not to mention all my lower body and back issues.
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Tex117
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 3:20p, 5/13/26
AG
CC09LawAg said:
Are you running a specific program?

I could see myself squatting 3 days a week but it would have to be very structured and in a very short block. No way I could do that for months at a time.

I would consider cutting back, or at least doing belt squats or something less fatiguing on your light day.

Maybe have a machine/belt squat light day, a different movement pattern like a Zercher or front squat on medium day, then save the low bar (or high bar, whichever you do) squat for heavy day.

Just throwing out some ideas. If I tried to grind low bar squats 3 days a week, I think my wrists would explode, not to mention all my lower body and back issues.

I was running a wave progression of H,L,M for squat. Deadlift. Just pulling on Thursday. Top set, back off. RDLs on Saturday. Then, filling in with some accessories. My OHP and Bench are still rocking and rolling running an 8/5/3 progession (a 3x8 one week, a 3x5, heavier, week, and a 5x3, heaviest).

On my Heavy squat day, I was putting in some belt squats as well. Ive been squatting 3 days a week in some verison of H/L/M or NLP for 3 years. I think...im just effing done with squats.

Im squatted out. Its my most hated lift anyway. Im 6'5". I just. I just can't anymore. If I take the hit on top end strength, then so be it. My knees hurt, my elbows hurt. It takes damn near 40 minutes for me to Squat.
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to Tex117 • 3:37p, 5/13/26
AG
My heavy squat days, which ironically is today for me, I'm squatting for 45 mins to an hour - so I absolutely feel your pain on that. It's brutal but I have a very love hate relationship with squats… I hate doing them, but I love how strong I am across the board when I am doing them heavy and consistently.
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to Tex117 • 3:47p, 5/13/26
Tex117 said:
Im squatted out. Its my most hated lift anyway. Im 6'5". I just. I just can't anymore. If I take the hit on top end strength, then so be it. My knees hurt, my elbows hurt. It takes damn near 40 minutes for me to Squat.

This right here is where I would start - I have seen you posting about your squat for a few months now. Sometimes you need a mental break just as much as a physical one.

I think you need a month or two where you just put your squat on the backburner and put it in maintenance mode and focus on hypertrophy or something. But you need a mental break from trying to grind it out.

Then come back with a slight deload and a new approach and work it back up. Work on crushing your deadlift in the meantime and put your focus there and see if you get some carryover strength.
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10andBOUNCE
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In reply to Tex117 • 4:19p, 5/13/26
AG
Tex117 said:
CC09LawAg said:
Are you running a specific program?

I could see myself squatting 3 days a week but it would have to be very structured and in a very short block. No way I could do that for months at a time.

I would consider cutting back, or at least doing belt squats or something less fatiguing on your light day.

Maybe have a machine/belt squat light day, a different movement pattern like a Zercher or front squat on medium day, then save the low bar (or high bar, whichever you do) squat for heavy day.

Just throwing out some ideas. If I tried to grind low bar squats 3 days a week, I think my wrists would explode, not to mention all my lower body and back issues.

I was running a wave progression of H,L,M for squat. Deadlift. Just pulling on Thursday. Top set, back off. RDLs on Saturday. Then, filling in with some accessories. My OHP and Bench are still rocking and rolling running an 8/5/3 progession (a 3x8 one week, a 3x5, heavier, week, and a 5x3, heaviest).

On my Heavy squat day, I was putting in some belt squats as well. Ive been squatting 3 days a week in some verison of H/L/M or NLP for 3 years. I think...im just effing done with squats.

Im squatted out. Its my most hated lift anyway. Im 6'5". I just. I just can't anymore. If I take the hit on top end strength, then so be it. My knees hurt, my elbows hurt. It takes damn near 40 minutes for me to Squat.

Not worth it IMO. Do something else. I started de-emphasizing squats because I hated them and didn't feel like I was really built for them anatomically. I have gone to more lunges, Bulgarians, etc. and just feel better in general. Body doesn't feel (as) wrecked after leg day.
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Tex117
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 6:01p, 5/13/26
AG
ttha_aggie_09 said:
My heavy squat days, which ironically is today for me, I'm squatting for 45 mins to an hour - so I absolutely feel your pain on that. It's brutal but I have a very love hate relationship with squats… I hate doing them, but I love how strong I am across the board when I am doing them heavy and consistently.

LOL. You have had wild success with a Squat! Its easier to say this when you can squat a house. (but I hear you).


Quote:
Quote:
Im squatted out. Its my most hated lift anyway. Im 6'5". I just. I just can't anymore. If I take the hit on top end strength, then so be it. My knees hurt, my elbows hurt. It takes damn near 40 minutes for me to Squat.

This right here is where I would start - I have seen you posting about your squat for a few months now. Sometimes you need a mental break just as much as a physical one.

I think you need a month or two where you just put your squat on the backburner and put it in maintenance mode and focus on hypertrophy or something. But you need a mental break from trying to grind it out.

Then come back with a slight deload and a new approach and work it back up. Work on crushing your deadlift in the meantime and put your focus there and see if you get some carryover strength.

Yeah, this is where Im at. Im just going to let things recalibrate with only squatting twice a week. Probably set a wave where I end up at 315, and bring up the pause squat on my saturday. See if that works. If it doesnt, then do something else. I wont stop squatting all together (if I can maintain around 275 for 3x5, then Im not too far off the pace to work back up to 315 with a few months of work. (I know those are light numbers for you guys, but man...squatting is a very not natural movement for me).

Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Are you running a specific program?

I could see myself squatting 3 days a week but it would have to be very structured and in a very short block. No way I could do that for months at a time.

I would consider cutting back, or at least doing belt squats or something less fatiguing on your light day.

Maybe have a machine/belt squat light day, a different movement pattern like a Zercher or front squat on medium day, then save the low bar (or high bar, whichever you do) squat for heavy day.

Just throwing out some ideas. If I tried to grind low bar squats 3 days a week, I think my wrists would explode, not to mention all my lower body and back issues.

I was running a wave progression of H,L,M for squat. Deadlift. Just pulling on Thursday. Top set, back off. RDLs on Saturday. Then, filling in with some accessories. My OHP and Bench are still rocking and rolling running an 8/5/3 progession (a 3x8 one week, a 3x5, heavier, week, and a 5x3, heaviest).

On my Heavy squat day, I was putting in some belt squats as well. Ive been squatting 3 days a week in some verison of H/L/M or NLP for 3 years. I think...im just effing done with squats.

Im squatted out. Its my most hated lift anyway. Im 6'5". I just. I just can't anymore. If I take the hit on top end strength, then so be it. My knees hurt, my elbows hurt. It takes damn near 40 minutes for me to Squat.

Not worth it IMO. Do something else. I started de-emphasizing squats because I hated them and didn't feel like I was really built for them anatomically. I have gone to more lunges, Bulgarians, etc. and just feel better in general. Body doesn't feel (as) wrecked after leg day.

I may do something where I hit a Squat at something I can get for like 8 reps, then do some bulgarians/lunges.

You squat at all anymore? Lets growing with the Bulgarians/Lunges?

I don't even care too much about my legs getting that much bigger. (Though it would be nice to put on some more muscle as I get older).

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10andBOUNCE
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In reply to Tex117 • 5:44a, 5/14/26
AG
I took off like 6 months to focus on mobility and some imbalances I felt I had. A lot of the single leg work like Bulgarians were good for that.

I have brought it back in my programming every other week, but I reset my training max (5/3/1) and just do the bare minimum sets, unless I just feel particularly good that day and things are moving smoothly. That helps it take up 20 minutes instead of 40. If it happens to progress over time that is fine.

I came to the realization at 40 yo that trying to squat big isn't really helpful for me in any way. I am much more interested in eliminating nagging knee pain and longevity than squatting once a week and waddling around for 3 days from being so sore.
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Tex117
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In reply to 10andBOUNCE • 10:41a, 5/14/26
AG
10andBOUNCE said:


I came to the realization at 40 yo that trying to squat big isn't really helpful for me in any way. I am much more interested in eliminating nagging knee pain and longevity than squatting once a week and waddling around for 3 days from being so sore.

Yeah, this is the reasonable and wise course of action.

Im going to work on simply letting go of pushing squats so hard. (I suppose its an old holdover of Starting Strength/Ripptoe where the squat is the be all end all of exercises).
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to 10andBOUNCE • 12:43p, 5/14/26
It's interesting because I feel like I have not reached close to my limit on my deadlift, but every time I throw 400+ on my back for a squat I feel like my entire body is going to explode.

I think it's partially a form/bracing issue and partially psychological. I feel like breaking 500 off the ground and pulling it up is way easier mentally than throwing it on your back and knowing you have to sink it and come back up.
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jtraggie99
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 12:50p, 5/14/26
AG
When I was young, I had a much easier time squating than deadlifting. I think it's partly because there was so much about deadlifting I was never taught and just seemed to brute force my way though it. I topped out on squats at 580 but the most I ever deadlifted was 565, and it usually lagged much more behind my squats.

Now at almost 50, I find squats much more taxing and challenging (comparatively to how they use to be). I feel like I have less room for error and sometimes feel like a slow moving train as I near the bottom, being careful that I don't screw anything up. I still enjoy doing them, but they are definitely more demanding than they use to be
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to jtraggie99 • 1:51p, 5/14/26
Yeah, I think mentally I know if I screw up a deadlift I can just drop it. My usual sticking point is right off the floor so I get almost immediate feedback on if the lift is going to happen or not.

For a squat, I feel like there's so many different failure points and I've jacked up my back before so I'm always hyper aware of any little nuance or misgroove so I get way more in my own head.
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10andBOUNCE
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 3:42p, 5/14/26
AG
CC09LawAg said:
It's interesting because I feel like I have not reached close to my limit on my deadlift, but every time I throw 400+ on my back for a squat I feel like my entire body is going to explode.

I think it's partially a form/bracing issue and partially psychological. I feel like breaking 500 off the ground and pulling it up is way easier mentally than throwing it on your back and knowing you have to sink it and come back up.

Yeah, 100% agree. Squats are mentally taxing on me whereas I look forward to deadlift. At the end of the day, we should all be able to enjoy exercising with some good mental and physical challenges as well.

I do not mean to discourage anyone from squatting, as I may find myself in 3 months ready to push a bit more. But for this season, I am happy with the change and I think it has been beneficial overall. Bulgarians are checking the box for me on the mental challenge stimulus.

Of course today, 2 days from my last leg day, I am pretty dang sore after adding some walking lunges down my driveway into my repertoire.
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to 10andBOUNCE • 8:26a, 5/15/26
I've been stuck at 425 on my squat for 2 years. Of course, that is with two pretty significant breaks in training where I've had to work my way back up, so I can't say it's necessarily a plateau.

I am just going to keep plugging away at it. If my deadlift keeps going up, I feel like my squat will have to come along to some extent.

If I keep hitting the wall on my squat, I will probably switch to zercher squats or something to work on my carrying capacity for my eventual transfer over into strongman style training.
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fav13andac1)c
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8:42a, 5/15/26
AG
All this talk from you advanced lifters about squats and plateauing, maybe I can encourage yall with a reminder of what it was like in the good ole days as an intermediate lifter. I hit a PB of 330 on squat yesterday morning. Literally the most I've squatted in my life (PB in HS was 325). And it felt good!!

Also benched 225 for 3 reps Tuesday. Got a ways to go until 260 (my previous PB), but I'm on my way.
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to fav13andac1)c • 8:58a, 5/15/26
AG
Hell yeah! Good job
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 8:59a, 5/15/26
AG
What has your body weight done during the stall? Lost weight, stayed the same?

Also, are you doing any targeted glute training like bridges, hip thrusts, and/or glute focused bulgarians?
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to 10andBOUNCE • 9:01a, 5/15/26
AG
Bulgarians just flat out suck... great exercise, just really challenging if done right and extremely humbling as you first try them out. I've been doing them on the belt squat machine and they're now tolerable
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10andBOUNCE
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9:07a, 5/15/26
AG
I am tempted to try the Revolt Fitness Belt Squat attachment for my rack at home.
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jtraggie99
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 9:12a, 5/15/26
AG
For our current squat day, we do from 6-8 sets of squats (3-4 progressive warm-up's then 3-4 work sets, percentages vary from week to week and reps are generally in the 3-6 range). Then we do 3-4 sets of front squats. After that, DB split squats for 3-4 sets of 12. To say I hate split squats would be an understatement, lol. By the time we get to them, my legs are already worn out. They just kill me. After that, it's just reverse hyperextensions and some obliques. The reverse hypers almost feel like a relief at that point
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to 10andBOUNCE • 9:15a, 5/15/26
AG
Belt squat is an excellent exercise and alternative to squat - especially if you have had issues with lower back or shoulder mobility in getting into barbell squats.

It is NOT a replacement for them, in my opinion... if you never want to barbell squat again, go for it. Just don't be like me and think you can alternate them in with barbell and still maintain or gain any strength. I watched my numbers dip on barbell and now just use it on leg day 2 or when I am not feeling it on barbell
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to jtraggie99 • 9:18a, 5/15/26
AG
That sounds similar to my squat days, less the front squats.

4 warmup sets (tempo + pause)
3-4 working sets
1-2 drop sets (slow slow tempo/pause + AMRAP)
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 9:25a, 5/15/26
My weight mostly fluctuates between 220 and 250. I am 6'2".

The first time I hit it I was around 245, the second time I hit it I was around 235.

I don't do much targeted glute training. I think my quads have been what are holding me back on my squat because my hips shoot up first when I go heavy.

However, doing my 5x10 deadlifts, it is definitely my glutes and lats that are hurting the most by the end.
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 9:35a, 5/15/26
AG
Your hips shooting up early can be a few different things, including weak quads relative to back/glutes. Your ankle mobility could be another...

Are you doing any presses or hack squats with feet narrow and low to target your quads more? You can also do things like sissy squats if you can tolerate your patellar tendon feeling like it is about to tear
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 10:00a, 5/15/26
ttha_aggie_09 said:
Your hips shooting up early can be a few different things, including weak quads relative to back/glutes. Your ankle mobility could be another...

Are you doing any presses or hack squats with feet narrow and low to target your quads more? You can also do things like sissy squats if you can tolerate your patellar tendon feeling like it is about to tear

The last 3 months, I've been doing my 5/3/1 working squat sets low bar and then my 5x10 high bar with a much narrower stance. I just bought some squat shoes to see if that makes a difference.

I do my 5/3/1 deadlifts sumo then my 5x10 conventional.

I was doing some barbell hack squats before switching over to my high bar squat. But since switching to the 5x10 high bar my quads have been getting destroyed so I don't program much more volume for the week, maybe some bulgarian split squats on deadlift day if I have any energy leftover.
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ttha_aggie_09
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In reply to CC09LawAg • 10:14a, 5/15/26
AG
I just got squat shoes and wish I would have done so 10 years ago - the difference has been amazing!

I'd really try and do some sort of quad isolation exercise like you mentioned. You can also go really light weight + tempo on Bulgarians at first - it is also really nice on a heavy squat day because you're not killing yourself again.
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CC09LawAg
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In reply to ttha_aggie_09 • 10:19a, 5/15/26
I am going to max out in a week or so and see how it goes then plan my next block.

I'm in a garage gym, so my exercises are limited. Really been tempted to pull the trigger on a combo leg extension/curl machine because all of the setups I've tried with my current equipment just haven't worked.
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