High Rep Squats
I switched from lower rep powerlifting type squats to a high rep variety in October '97. I tried three foot placements -- 8 reps with an exaggerated wide stance, 8 reps with a more conventional just past shoulder width, 8 reps close stance with feet virtually side by side. All to parallel, but not below.
Result Number One: Much lighter weights. I had been using 335 for sets of 8. I had been leg pressing over 800 for sets of 10 - 12, also. My first day with this scheme I was dying with 135!
Result Number Two: Increased flexibility after a couple of weeks. The wide and narrow stances gave me some difficulties at first. I couldn't get low enough.
Result Number Three: Better 'tear drop' development over the knees.
With my knee going south on me (not related to squatting), I couldn't stick with the program consistently to reap the benefits noted by my gym-mates of better endurance, swifter fat loss, less need for adjunct cardio work.
Bill2
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Personally, I have recently started what would be called a HIT routine focused mostly around twenty rep squats and I'm making gains far faster than I ever have in the past.
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It's a fantastic program for bulking up! I dieted down to 169 lb last spring (I'm 6'0" and had 6.5% body fat at the time). Being inexperienced at cutting up, I lost a ton of fat and, unfortunately muscle too :-( After that I went up to about 175 and hovered there for months.
Wanting to lose the gaunt look I had, I started a program recommended by Dr. Ellington Darden in his book "Bigger Muscles in 42 Days". Made some nice gains from the diet program but the lifting part wasn't doing it for me. Probably my fault for not fully applying the lifting principles correctly.
So now I have started this new squat program. This 20 rep "thing" takes some getting use to mentally. I had to overcome the desire to do lots of specialization exercise for itty bitty muscle groups :-) But WOW, does it work!!!
I'm now up to 190 lb and my bodyfat is holding at about 9%. I can live with that. I would like to eventually get up around 215 lb. I have never been above 185 lb. before. I think this program may afford me the opportunity if I stick with it. If anyone out there is trying to make gains in strength and size quickly, you should take a look at this program. It really works!!
Damian
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I have been on a 20 rep cycle since January 1, and have come to absolutely love them. They are the hardest, most brutal exercise I have ever done, but for some reason, they have become a favorite of mine. Make sure not to short change yourself on the rest and nutrition front, or you won't get the same effect. I have found that a large increase in protein intake during this cycle has really helped me make quicker gains. Also, 20 rep work is as much of a head game as a physical test. You will become mentally tough as well as physically tough.
Jeff
Here's an excerpt from Randy Strossen's Super Squats
Look here if you have shoulder problems that hinder your squatting
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