The Power Of The Squat

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By John Davies

For Power, Speed, And Mass – The Answer Is Found In The Racks

The simple concept of the body’s ability to adapt to stimuli has been forgotten and true growth is dwarfed.

It is no secret, my contempt for what has happened to the exercise and health industry is very well-known. It has involved into a peculiar parasitic mix of “expert advice” informing on how “hard-core” results are garnered by training less and less. Incredibly with all the “advancements” of today’s science few remember the tremendous leaders of the iron-game, greats such as John Grimek and Dave Draper who would train with a grueling vengeance for hours with extraordinary results. The simple concept of the body’s ability to adapt to stimuli has been forgotten and true growth is dwarfed. And so our culture continues to soften and grow weak in body, mind and spirit and some find “challenge” a mountain they dare not climb. “Hard work” is not a dirty word – it is, in fact, your reward. While you hear of fast and easy quick fix solutions, I will tell you that the tough hard path is one you want. Nothing comes easy in this world and that’s the way I want it. Simply if it’s that easy – I don’t want it. Now that might not be the fast and easy solution that people want to hear but it is the right one and the one that will change your life. From a physical development standpoint this malaise has caused further issues – athletes with poor work thresholds, motor patterning, control and even weaker minds that seek out the pathetic “overtraining” complex as the safe-haven of doing nothing.

“Hard work” is not a dirty word – it is, in fact, your reward. While you hear of fast and easy quick fix solutions, I will tell you that the tough hard path is one you want. Nothing comes easy in this world and that’s the way I want it. Simply if it’s that easy – I don’t want it.

Recently a young athlete posed to me the ever-so standard question of “the one” exercise she needed to perform. She had a tough-as-nails approach on the field of competition in Lacrosse but her training environment lacked similar intensity. And while my tirade of the “one thing is the whole thing” began – I did mention as it pertains to resistance work the perfect example of the problem of exercise today is the use of Squats. The cornerstone of any program, some consider it effective to say Squat once every 7-10 days yet in-fact that is far too infrequent. You want power, speed, mass – the answer is found in the racks! Typically my athletes Squat 3 days a week and that may increase to as many an astonishing 14 sessions (of various intensities) per week.

The Power Of The Squat

For Power, Speed, And Mass – The Answer Is Found In The Racks (continued…)

The most basic, simplest pattern of Squatting for many generalized purposes that I employ in earlier training periods is noted below. Please note this is only a 3 week sample period and for proper development it must be carefully manicured within future micro-cyles that we will discuss later.

Week 1	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Focus Lift	Squat		Squat		Squat
Intensity Rep ranges	1) 35 x 4 2) 70 x 2 3) 35 x 4 4) 75 x 2 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 2 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 2	X vest walk, soft uphill surface with 10% bodyweight over 20 minutes	1) 35 x 4 2) 70 x 2 3) 35 x 4 4) 75 x 2 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 3 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 3	X vest walk, soft uphill surface with 10% bodyweight over 30 minutes	1) 35 x 4 2) 70 x 2 3) 35 x 4 4) 75 x 2 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 2 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 2
Supplemental lift’s @ 80-85% 45-60 seconds rest	Glute-Ham, (natural), hold position at top for 30 seconds, drop and explode up   Snatch Grip Deadlift     perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps		High Box Step Ups (R-style, per “Read and React”       Glute Ham (machine)     perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps		Glute-Ham, (machine, HEAVILY loaded eccentric)       Good Morning (WGM, GMS, SGM styles)   perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps

Week 2	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Focus Lift	Squat		Squat		Squat
Intensity Rep ranges	1) 35 x 4 2) 80 x 3 3) 35 x 4 4) 80 x 3 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 3 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 3	X vest walk, soft uphill surface with 10% bodyweight over 20 minutes	1) 35 x 4 2) 80 x 2 3) 35 x 4 4) 80 x 2 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 2 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 2	X vest walk, soft uphill surface with 10% bodyweight over 40 minutes	1) 35 x 4 2) 80 x 4 3) 35 x 4 4) 80 x 4 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 4 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 4
Supplemental lift’s @ 80-85% 45-60 seconds rest	Glute-Ham, (natural), hold position at top for 30 seconds, drop and explode up   Snatch Grip Deadlift     perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps		High Box Step Ups (R-style, per “Read and React”         Glute Ham (machine)     perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps		Glute-Ham, (machine, HEAVILY loaded eccentric)       Good Morning (WGM, GMS, SGM styles)   perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps

Week 3	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Focus Lift	Squat		Squat		Squat
Intensity Rep ranges	1) 35 x 4 2) 80 x 2 3) 35 x 4 4) 80 x 2 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 2 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 2	X vest walk, soft uphill surface with 10% bodyweight over 30 minutes	1) 35 x 4 2) 80 x 5 3) 35 x 4 4) 80 x 5 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 5 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 5	X vest walk, soft uphill surface with 15% bodyweight over 40 minutes	1) 35 x 4 2) 80 x 2 3) 35 x 4 4) 80 x 2 5) 35 x 4 6) 80 x 2 7) 35 x 4 8) 80 x 2
Supplemental lift’s @ 80-85% 45-60 seconds rest	Glute-Ham, (natural), hold position at top for 30 seconds, drop and explode up     Snatch Grip Deadlift     perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps		High Box Step Ups (R-style, per “Read and React”         Glute Ham (machine)     perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps		Glute-Ham, (machine, HEAVILY loaded eccentric)       Good Morning (WGM, GMS, SGM styles)   perform each lift 3 sets x 5 reps

About the author

John Davies, Kettlebell.com Senior Staff Writer, is the founder of the “Renegade world” of companies, including the well known websites renegadestyle.com and renegadetraining.com. A prolific writer, he has published five books and has another two slated for release in the next twelve months. In addition to this, John has written over 850 articles on a wide variety of topics, as well as appeared in a wide selection of DVDs. He serves as the spokesperson for a variety of top-flight companies and has established the "Renegade" brand and team members as a leader in the profession and synonymous with lasting quality and ethics.

When John isn’t writing or training, he’s paddling out into the surf or thrashing down a mountain of fresh powder.