Just moving this into the performance training section.
Pay no attention to the pure-dedication.com logos, it's adarq.org now.
Instant RFD Part III : High Frequency Squat
By: Andrew Darqui
adarqui@adarq.org
The information in this article is for educational purposes only. I do not advise or encourage anyone to attempt to apply the information in this article. Do so at your own risk.
In this small article I will demonstrate an EXPERIMENTAL method of stimulating performance results that last for days to weeks. The short term stimulation will result in an oscillation of peaks and valleys in performance. The peaks (or rebounds) will result in very high levels of performance. Just as effective as the peaks, the valleys will have you feeling like total crap. Depending on how long the high frequency squat routine is performed (2-4 weeks), further gains can then be realized for several weeks due to the effect of the highly concentrated loading block (high frequency squat block).
Video of a major PR i hit during high frequency squat routine below
WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY
Before actually going into my high frequency squatting experiment (HFSE), I would like to tell you what I would do differently. This is important, because even though HFSE was a complete success, it definitely had it’s drawbacks:
- Mostly up’s, hard to predict down’s. Due to the use of triples instead of singles, it was hard to predict exactly when I would rebound.
- Squatting DEEP and heavy nearly every day took it’s toll on my hips and back.
- My squat most often felt weak, yet my performance was soaring; again this is due to the triples. At times, even though my squat felt weak, it was still actually strong. This "weak" feeling seemed to be highly psychological at times.
I’ve been experimenting with a new high frequency routine with much better success. Not only has my performance increased, but my squat has gone up with extremely low volume & no direct focus on it. I will go over this routine in a future article, but briefly this is what I am doing:
- DAY-1: Above parallel squat singles using close stance COMPLEXED with explosive/ballistic exercises - full recovery.
- DAY-2: Barbell lunge OR barbell stepup singles COMPLEXED with explosive/ballistic exercises - fully recovery.
- REPEAT UNTIL NEED FOR REST DAY
The above parallel squat singles with close stance/neutral-feet hits my hamstrings/quads very hard. The barbell lunges/stepups are used to target the glutes & hamstrings with emphasis on unilateral hip extension. Back, knees, and hip feel much better on this routine. I may only perform 1-3 max or near max singles in a session, so the volume is very low.
HIGH FREQUENCY SQUAT EXPERIMENT
This was an experiment to see how my body would react to high frequency squatting (approx 5 days per week). The idea behind this experiment was simply; if i could become adapted to squatting relatively high loads nearly every day, then just like Pavlov’s dog begins to salivate at the sound of a bell, my body would begin to salivate (ew) at the thought of training. Instead, my body’s salivation (ew) is analogous to increased neural arousal & increased force production.
Halfway through this month long experiment I became very irritable. Just the thought of squatting & the upcoming training session would send surges of adrenaline throughout my body. Squatting heavy 21 times in 30 days will do this to you. To my surprised, i recorded 10 personal bests in a 30 day period. These PB’s ranged from running verticals, depth jumps, broad jumps, drop step verticals, and squat. I knew something was happening to me when I felt my warmups change. Performing my normal active-dynamic warmup seemed very springy, with effortless power. This power was expressing itself reflexively, without conscious effort. My warmup jumps also increased; normal warmup jumps were 2-3 inches higher. My squat had its ups and downs. Some days it would feel horrible, yet I would PR on a jump. Some days I would put up loads that were once difficult - very easily. By the end of the high frequency squat routine my jumping, sprinting, and squat was at it’s best levels ever.
The aches and soreness I expected to get from this routine were also a surprise. The initial first week had me feeling sore, achy, and tendonitis-like symptoms in my knees. After that first week was over, I felt very good for the rest of the month. One symptom that did arise was an ache in my right hip. Deep squatting with my build tends to hit my hips and low back pretty hard. Usually it’s very minor, but the high frequency squat really exacerbated this issue.
THE ROUTINE
There were only a few guidelines to my high frequency squat routine:
- Push my squat to the limit when i felt very good
- Go heavy but not max at all other times, but not heavy enough to cause further drain
- Jump for PR’s off different approaches or depth jumps prior to a rest day
- Jump for PR’s in running vertical jump after a rest day
- take additional rest days if I absolutely had too
So that’s it, very simple. No percentages. No true structure. This is how the routine evolved:
Sunday: warmup, try and PR on running jump, squat for submax triple, RFI/HOPS
Monday: warmup, hops, squat for submax triple, RFI/HOPS/REVERSE HYPER
Tuesday: warmup, try and PR on 1-or-2 step approach jump or depth jump from 18”-24”, squat for submax triple, RFI/HOPS
Wednesday: REST
Thursday: warmup, try and PR on 1-or-2 step approach jump or depth jump from 18”-24”, squat for max triple or single, RFI/HOPS
Friday: warmup, hops, squat for submax triple, RFI/HOPS/REVERSE HYPER
Saturday: REST
Anything in that routine could have changed based on how I felt that day, but generally that’s the structure my routine fell in to.
DATA FROM HFSE
Squatting During HFSE:
02/25/2009: 245 x 1
02/26/2009: 225 x 4
02/27/2009: 225 x 5
03/01/2009: 185 x 10 (dont do this)
03/02/2009: 185 x 10 (dont do this)
03/03/2009: 245 x 3
03/05/2009: 255 x 2
03/06/2009: 225 x 3
03/08/2009: 235 x 3
03/09/2009: 235 x 3
03/10/2009: 235 x 3
03/12/2009: 245x3 , 265x1
03/13/2009: 235 x 3
03/15/2009: 245 x 3
03/16/2009: 225 x 3
03/17/2009: 205 + 80 chain x 3, 225 + 80 chain x 1
03/19/2009: 225 + 80 chain x 3
03/20/2009: *PR* 280 x 1 *PR*
03-22/2009: 205 + 80 chain x 3
03/23/2009: 205 + 80 chain x 3
03/24/2009: CLOSE STANCE 245 x 3
03/27/2009: *PR* 285 x 1 *PR*
Various Jumping PR’s during HFSE:
02/27/2009 : 2 step lead in RVJ PR: 129" touch : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8UsNy6cNY0
03/01/2009 : 2 step lead in RVJ PR: 130" touch : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvOaIcCCpP8&feature=email
03/02/2009 : broad jump PR 99"
03/08/2009 : 132” vertec RVJ touch : PR : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=933pde0SvTM
03/10/2009 : 18" dj's, TIED PR, but tied it 3x. 3x10 hitting 124" each set.
03/13/2009 : 1 step lead in RVJ PR : 129.5" + 18" dj PR: 125" then 125.5" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgdfklVEUHk
03/15/2009 : full run up RVJ PR: 132.5" : http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/adarqui/3-15-2009-adarq-132p5-prRVJ.jpg
03/24/2009 : PR 18" DJ. 126" touch : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0efalqyxhRM
CLOSING
This experiment was a complete success in my opinion. In the strength & conditioning industry you often hear things such as:
“Only squat 1-2x/week.”
“You need more rest.”
“That’s overtraining!”
Being able to achieve significant PR’s while squatting 21 times in 30 days is just proof that traditional & conservatives views of performance enhancement are not the end-all-be-all. By most people’s accounts, such a routine should have left me completely drained, overtrained, injured, and less powerful. These same people might say that in order to receive the benefits of such a routine, I would have to deload for a month or so for the concentrated strength work to yield a positive effect on my performance. This obviously IS NOT the case. By significantly increasing your work capacity, performance training can be taken to new levels; High frequency routines & the use of shock can then be applied rather safely, but with any very intense training system they do carry their risks regardless of your preparedness.
High frequency routines are very rare in the industry. This is understandable since many strength & conditioning coaches must apply a level of caution with their athlete’s. With that said, I refuse to believe that the human body is so weak that It can somehow practice sport at high intensity day in and day out, yet only strength train a certain movement 1-2x/week.
When mental limitations are created, they become a reality.
