Q: I always hurt my back when I squat heavy. And now I even hurt it doing moderate-weight 4X, probably because of the damage I’ve incurred over the years. You may call it brainwashing, but I really feel that I need to squat to build more mass. Any suggestions? I don’t want to give up squatting.
A: We’re right there with you on that. After years of heavy squatting—and numerous back injuries–we’re now very cautious when doing that exercise. But the good news is that we’ve figured out how to do it while significantly minimizing the injury potential and still gaining more mass…
Our solution is a version of Pre-Ex 3X for quads—but with a twist (not literally, that will really hurt your back). Here’s one version of the quad routine…
Tri-set
Contracted: Leg extensions, 3 x 10
Midrange: Front squat, 3 x 5
Midrange: Back squat, 3 x 7
Stretch: Sissy squats, 4 x 12
So here’s the drill: You pick a weight for the extensions which you can get 15 reps and for the front squats with which you can get 10 (this weight will be lighter than what you can back squat for 10). Now do the lower designated reps listed above all the way through…
You do 10 reps on leg extensions, then immediately move to front squats, with the bar across your front delts.
Do five reps of front squats, rack it, put the bar across your traps with the SAME WEIGHT and do 7 reps of regular back squats…
After that tri-set, rest for 45 seconds, then hit it again. Repeat for 3 rounds. You complete the Positions-of-Flexion full-range chain with sissy squats using the 4X mass method, 35 seconds between sets. That will finish off your quads with stretch overload, a big pump and plenty of pain to gain.
We got the front-to-back squat attack from our friend the late Olympic coach Charles Poliquin. He called it an “improved-leverage set” because it pairs an exercise in which leverage forces you to use lighter weights (front squat) with an exercise that enables you to use heavier weights (back squat), so the first exercise prefatigues for the second…
In fact, by doing extensions and front squats first, you get a double pre-exhaustion effect before you get to back squats. That means the weight you use will be very moderate and your lower back will be less taxed—but your quads will feel it big time.
If your gym is crowded and you can’t’ do Pre-Ex 3X supersets, use the modified version—simply do a complete 3X or 4X sequence on leg extensions, then go to your front-to-back squat attack.
You don’t have to squat heavy to build size—it’s more about cumulative fatigue. So you’ll feel your quads and butt seizing up with this routine, which simply means that it’s helping you GROW from head to toe. And that’s a good thing for many reasons…
Till next time, train hard—and smart—for BIG results.
—Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
www.X-Rep.com
Build MASS with Bodyweight Training
One way you’re guaranteed to pack on stacks of muscle is through a process called muscle protein synthesis (MPS), which more than doubles 24 hours after an intense workout…
Until recently, MPS was only elevated when trainees would lift 70-90% of their one-rep max…
That’s not only dangerous for your joints, but it also sets you up for high injury risk every time you exercise…
It used to be believed that training with your own bodyweight couldn’t get you the same results as training with your 70-90% one rep max… Until NOW.