Smolov Jr Explained | Russian Powerlifting Routine | Bigger Bench Press in 3 Weeks
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Smolov Jr is a 3 week powerlifting routine designed to significantly increase your strength. Despite being a powerlifting routine, there are great benefits for bodybuilders and other physique-centered athletes. I recommend completing Smolov Jr on either Bench Press, Squat or Deadlift (during independent 3 week cycles).
Week 1
Day 1 (Monday) 6x6 @ 70% 1RM
Day 2 (Wednesday) 7x5 @ 75% 1RM
Day 3 (Friday) 8x4 @ 80% 1RM
Day 4 (Sunday) 10x3 @ 85% 1RM
Week 2
Day 1 (Tuesday) 6x6 @ 70% 1RM + 5lbs
Day 2 (Thursday) 7x5 @ 75% 1RM + 5lbs
Day 3 (Saturday) 8x4 @ 80% 1RM + 5lbs
Day 4 (Monday) 10x3 @ 85% 1RM + 5lbs
Week 3
Day 1 (Wednesday) 6x6 @ 70% 1RM + 10lbs
Day 2 (Friday) 7x5 @ 75% 1RM + 10lbs
Day 3 (Sunday) 8x4 @ 80% 1RM + 10lbs
Day 4 (Tuesday) 10x3 @ 85% 1RM + 10lbs
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i ran this program 2 times in a row. In the beginning, I could barely do 185x1. After the second run, I was able to do 225X3
Wow, that's insane
@@biesman5 forreal. I was eating like there was no tomorrow at the same time. I did smolov squat and went from 270x1 to 315x1 in about 8 weeks. I am running smolov bench again back to back ad hopefully I can bench 250x1. WOnderful program.
@@djnick2496 that's awesome man! I'll finish my first week later today. Could you pls tell me if you were able to maintain your new strength?? Also how much weight did you gain since you were eating loads??
Alright im boutta try this, ive been stuck at 175x5 for a month now.. 2 months ago i was benching 155 then had strength gains and added 20lbs in 4 weeks. Now im stuck fml
@@djnick2496 did u gained a lot of fat from eating that much?
You're missing something very important. The reason the program runs the Friday and Saturday lift sessions consecutively is to tax the CNS beyond normal capacity. It's what the Russians labeled "controlled over training" and the extra rest day will allow recovery yes, but at the expense of a possible failure in PR'S. This program is not for beginners.
I noticed this, why does he skip the intended load after Friday lift? Then you should lift the day after, being Saturday
I’m doing the program right now. First week is complete following this guy’s Sunday lift. 2nd week I will do lifts that same Saturday.
@@GhettoPCbuilds I hit another pr today, 265. Trust me, run the program like it's designed-it's worth it.
Deep Poetic Society I did the Saturday lift today after the Friday lift from yesterday. The guy is missing the point by changing the program, you’re right. I expect to hit 290 after 3 weeks
@@DeepPoeticSociety I am also planning on running the program for my bench. Do you have any tips on a program to run next to it for 2x squats / 1x deadlifts a week?
cannot recommend this cycle enough went up 10 kg in 3 weeks , 130kg to 140 kg . will definitely do this again .
on the days you benched did you only bench or did you add some light work on other muscles on the same day that you benched? Or is it only bench and leave the gym?
@@mariolopez2156 on the 70% and 80% percent days i did legs as well , but not many sets . on the 75% and 85% I alternated with chin ups and rows , I also did banded work on smaller muscle groups.( banded side, raises, curls and face pulls) I guess its how you feel more than anything.
Are you meant to work your other muscles or is it meant to be strictly bench press and that’s it?
@@4evermetal92 i did assistance work for upper body only first week, and second week i did legs but in third week i didn't do anything because third week is very hard and i needed more energy for it
@@4evermetal92 I worked other muscles as well , but kept the weight lighter.
Starting this tomorrow, made an excel sheet and everything for my all my training for the next three weeks im so excited, my bench is quite weak in comparison to my other lifts
How did it go ?
Did u gain size ?
@@simonneal1757 im more of a powerlifter than a body builder so I just took pictures but i definitely think i gained size. Bench went up ~20lbs too and i think it wouldve gone up more but i am not used to higher percentages at the moment. Also not sure if i used my real 1rm (i had just come off a cut around 2 weeks prior and one week was a deload). So I definitely couldve done the program more justice
Excellent review of the program! Much thanks!
This is my first time running it, I did 10 pound increments as an intermediate lifter, all of my friends also did this with me but they found it difficult with the increment, I think this was because they had not done high volume before, I would recommend not doing 10 pounds unless you have done high volume. Hoping to hit 275 or 285 at 170 once I max out
Can't wait to try Smolov jr when my toen gyms reopen
This is the best video on the topic. Thank you so much for explaining how to combine it with your workout routine, nobody else did.
Hey thanks for explaining Smolov Jr
I like how he explained and broke program down I just subscribed!
Thanks for the info. I learned a lot from this video.
I went from barely benching 270 to easily doing 277 in 3 weeks. Didn’t attempt heavier but decided to add another week. I just finished today and will try a new max soon. Hoping for 285. I was adding 3 kg each week.
Did it work?
@@primal4219 2 Years later I can confirm still dead .
Do you do accessories or other hypertrophy work after the bench?. Can you train other body parts in the rest day in between?
While running the bench press version of this program should I still squat and dead lift? If so, what percentages would I do them at and on what days? Thanks
I did squat and bench at the same time, it worked for me but you are going to have a really long session at 8 and 10 sets.
Didnt try it for deadlift and I don’t think it would be a good idea, deadlifts tax me tremendously.
im currently running a slightly modified smolov jr. for bench, basically trying to recover my lost gains from quarantine. done 2 weeks so far and im already way stronger. when i first got back in the gym i was struggling to do working sets with 195 (although my top end strength didnt actually drop off that much, strangely). 10x3 today was rough with 225 (dropped to 215 half way through). i have 195 for 4x9 in a couple days and very confident it'll be smooth. hoping i can get back to repping 225 easily, and i want to bench 315 in 2021. previous best is 275 at a much heavier bw, so i got some work to do lol.
Hi, how did it go? And what is your 1 RM now after a year?
@@diib3505 honestly cant remember how i progressed on smolov in particular, probably because we locked down again soon after, but this past summer/fall i ran brendan tietz's DUP program and went from untrained to a 295 bench in probably about 4 months. benching at least 3x a week and finding variations that work is the key, for me at least
@@liveslowlivesimple well, that is really impressive!! Im gonna check that out after im done with my smolov run!
Thanks for the info! And good luck with the lifting
imo if you're running this program seriously enough, any accessory for chest, front delts and triceps do more harm than good...personally I'd just squat and deadlift 1x/week to maintain those lifts and some pretty light back work (rows/lat-pulldowns). I mean the whole point of the program is to increase bench press (or some other lift you choose) to the maximum so just do minimal accessory work for maintenance so it won't sabotage your bench gains. If you want to make gains to all of your main lifts or all of your muscles at the same time, do not try to run this program.
im running smolov jr bench and still hitting some chest (2-4 sets) and TONS of tricep (5+ sets) every single workout. and tbh im pretty sure its helping. my recovery is really good though so YMMV
Chris what do you do for legs and back days same volume or any changes there? I’m trying to understand how to incorporate this into my schedule possibly
Hey man very well explained
very helpful video thanks dude
I am starting this program today at the end of the program I will update this comment for anyone who need
Aight
Lmk how it went
I got sick in the after starting the program like in one week sory brother maybe next time but In 1
.5 week I see definetly progress u can try this program
@@burakakn9978 did u try it again
thanks man
problem is those numbers don't make any sense
doing 6x6 at 70% is much easier than doing 10x3 at 85%
like it's not physically possible to do 10x3 at 85%.That can only happen if your actual 1rm is bigger than you thought.
Very informative video, I would like to run this program my 1 rep is at 240 rn, been stuck for awhile! Should i try a new 1 rep after a deload week of finishing program or try it on like a Thursday or Friday since program ends on a Tuesday thanks!
Rest 2-4 days
If you run a tru smolov you will not have the recovery ability to perform and additional lifts any time during the 3 week period. The program was developed for a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday schedule. I ran a squat cycle once and only once. Added massive gains (475 to 515)but could not mentally do it ever again.
When you look at it it looks like nothing but I’m sure it’s tough when you actually do it I’m gonna try it
I did it on a cut and still was going to the gym everyday to do back and legs between my bench days
I believe you missed the true gains be performing the program on a calorie deficiency. Accessory exercises would also reduce the ability to recover for the next workout, further decreasing the benefits of Smolov.
@@aarontownsend9147 I don’t think it’s too bad though since Im not a low body fat % because I gained too much fat. I couldn’t even see my bicep vein and after losing about 20lbs now I can again. I only finished smolov jr yesterday so I’ll see the difference in my max probably within a week
Good luck, I'd like to know how you did. Not a lot of results posted on the internet.
Well, I had great results by just doing this routine on 4 excercises, 4 times a week: Pullups, Bench Press, Squats and Military Press. For me it was not that intense that people would have it be, want to add that I have been lifting for over ten years and been using Mike Tuchscherers training principals for years (Bench, Deadlift, Squats and Military Press variations, 4 times a week with 1-10 reps, X sets @7-9), which I found to be WAY more intense then Smolov, because some workouts could take 3-4 hours. For me this felt like a step down on my overall fatigueness but I still increase my strength and size. So I want to recommend people to not be intimidated by "over training". Because this is a very good program, but the volume is not THAT intense that some people say. I even have Muay Thai sessions in between Smolov days. I recommend people to definitely put this routine into more excercises then what Smolov advocates usually promotes.
Yeah, but you have to realize that spending 3-4 hours in the gym is not something that most people can, want to, or should do.
Informative. Just a question, can you spread this program over 4 weeks instead of 3. So youll be benching 3x/wk but still getting enough rest to perform optimally during bench days?
name how is the progress with candito bench program?
5:00 are those pounds?
Are you allowed to workout other muscles on the same day, just to obtain the strength and not loose strength in these muscles
Do you do any other body parts while doing this?
Im going to try this. I hit 225 for the first time about a month ago and ive only been able to best it by 5 pounds on a good day and I feel stuck
feel this one. I hit 225 early November and have failed 240 three weeks in a row.
How'd it go ?
im planning on using smolov jr for bench as i injured my back so my deads and squats are very weak at the moment. I have only been lifting for a year but my bench feels 100% at the moment even with the injury, would it be a good idea to run it?
my bench press is also 80kg and im 16 weighing 74kg
As a follow up, I completed the program without injury and without failing a single rep although it was very hard at some moments, my bench press went from 80kg to 87.5kg in three weeks so I'm extremely happy with that
rel8 m8 did you lost streingh after the program ?
Did you run it ? how's the bench press a year later ?
@@TheGhostnearyou very late update :) bench is 140kg now up from 87.5, slow and steady
So do you have stop doing other exersizes like squats and dead lifts ?
Big Trips Keepin it real I didn’t and it worked fine for me
Hi hopefully someone can give me some advice. So I’ve finished smolovs jr this week and increased by bench from 225 1RM to 225 for 5 reps. The program went very well for me and it fits perfectly with my push pull legs routine that I do twice a week. My question is if I wanted to keep incorporating this program should I restart and figure out the percentage from my 1RM or just add 5 pounds as the weeks go by
i wonder if this could work for chin ups , back recoveres much faster and its alot more safer as far as injury goes
doin this tomorrow just test 1rm got 295 hoping to break 315 with this.
Can you do smolov jr more than 3 weeks or do i need to stop doing it right after?
I thought you added 5 kg each week not 5lbs
10lbs if you feel good, 5lbs if you don't.
hi if i will do this program when can i do my shoulder workouts? for example my shoulder presses?
So can I do all my other chest exercises while doing this? Or should I wait with training the other chest exercises till after the program is over?
Just keep it to a minimum and don’t over exert yourself if you decide to do accessories. I just started smolov bench this week. The bench volume is pretty fatiguing in itself.
im a little late to this vid but how much should i increase my 1rm when I am ready to pr?
So you are only training chest in these 6 weeks? No back, legs, shoulder or biceps??? Then these will loose strength??
How long should I rest after that last bench sesh at the end of the third week before I max?
@@MenAmongTheRuins77 I rested 3 and hit a 20lb PR, but it’s been about a week since and a half since that PR and I feel I have lost a bit of those gains after ending the program
I was told to add 10kg after the first week and on 8x4 I failed 2 reps cus my friend/spotter made me laugh should I redo the program/ day
whats the point of having it sunday because the next day you're benching anyway... same shit lol
How much time interval should I use in between sets?
Do you still squat and deadlift on this program As normal?
Can u do other chest exercises after u bench or just bench? And if u just bench can u do triceps or shoulders with it?
If you just keep it to a minimum. I’m in week 1 of smolov bench and I’m still getting in dumbbell military press and dumbbell bench with very low reps and nothing too insanely heavy just so that I don’t lose the feel of these lifts
Yo this shit is insane
Ya'll can lift 85% of your 1rm for 10x3??
Hugo Galatz yeah and if you can’t, you probably need to test a new 1rm
What do people do after the program?
when do I re-max after doing smolov jr
do you lose strength tho
If the program end at Tuesday and I wanna go for a 1rm. Should I do it on Thursday ?
yes
How long will this strength last?
The spreadsheet i have is 4 sets of 9 reps on Monday. Wassup with that?
Sounds like the full smolov program. How many weeks is it, 12?
@@mattsalvatore3193 it was 3 but it seems likes theres different versions
How long do you rest between sets on Smolov???
3-5 minutes each set is good rest for a strength program
is it normal not to feel sore
No you should not feel soar at all, you’re not resting long enough, pick a comfy max and re-start the program.
I’ve been hearing that after you finish the program then your 1rm drops because you are not hitting it enough is this true?
false. your training at a higher volume and that makes you stronger and increase your 1rm
Are we aloud to do accessories.. for shoulders and arms?
Yes
No shoulders
And no triceps
Has anyone ran this for deadlift? That doesn’t seem feasible.
My opinion, this is too high volume and too light (in terms of ORM %) to be applied directly to deadlift. I'd go heavier but fewer sets per session and also allow for more rest time in-between sessions.
how long to rest between sets?
2 minutes is a good rule of thumb. Just make sure you rest long enough to complete the required number of sets and reps.
I would say 3 minutes. With the high intensity it might be hard to complete 10 sets of 3 with 2 minutes in between
Good point! It might even be longer than that towards the end. The important thing is to rest enough to complete each set with good form and hit the rep goal.
Agreed. I just finished the protocol. Mangaged an increase of 7,5 kg. which im very happy with.
I just decided to do a smolov jr. with pull ups. DO you have any experience with this?
Congratulations!! Solid increase. I've never tried with pullups. I would do weighted pullups if you want to give it a try.
Dont do smolov with dl
Do I only do bench press ? No other exercises ?
On the days you have benchpress no other exercises. On the other days you can add back days or leg days and go light
I want to run this program but my current split is PPL, anyone have any suggestions?
Same
I'm not sure if I can do other wokrouts on the rest days am I supposed to completely ditch back and legs and other muscles and for 3 weeks just focus on this
Did you watch the whole video? he talks about that
What if I did it straight for 6 or 9 weeks
You would plateau, simple as that
Plateau or injury
I feel bad for people who dont know about this. It feels like a hack.
Am I crazy? This seems really easy.... I could do my 70% like 12 reps
hotty slutty not for 6 sets you cant
@@stephenchou7398 I can
@@stephenchou7398 check it out on a 1 rep max calculator. It isn't completely accurate but it's close. 12 reps at 70% is more accurate than 6 reps.
@@stephenchou7398 nvm read it wrong. Thought you meant reps. But I'm pretty sure I could for 6 sets. Will atleast hit 10
hotty slutty U add 10 pounds the next week, then20 the week after
How long do you rest between sets?
Till your body feels ready