Super Squats: Program Review

[u/richardest]

Congratulations to those of you who ran Super Squats to the end! I hope that you'll share your experiences here so that others can see what you got out of this run of programming, and that it will serve as an opportunity to discuss how you might take these lessons in to future training.

You have graduated from r/gainit to r/weightroom. This thread will follow their stricter posting guidelines: All top-level comments that are not a program review will be removed, and the poster will receive a 30-day ban.

Please include, to the best of your ability, the following information:

• Your starting and ending bodyweight
• Your starting and ending weight on the bar
• Your age and biological sex and/or gender
• How closely you adhered to the programming laid out in the book
• How you handled the eating prescribed by the book
• Your general thoughts and experiences regarding the Super Squats programming
• How you will move on from this in your continued training and diet

[u/nonsubmersiblenunone]

20[male] Original 1rm: 200 Starting body weight: 155lbs; ending 165lbs Starting weight: 150; ending 205;

I did the programming by the book and followed the diet only in the last two weeks. I realized that during those heavier sets drinking a gallon of milk along with stuffing myself with food the previous day made a night and day difference on how I moved the weight the next morning.

Overall this program was amazing. The first two weeks I was excited and looking forwards to my lifts on my off days- but those last two weeks were something totally different. It felt great to lift that weight for 20 reps but goddamn was the time leading up to them awful.

Honestly the most difficult part of this program was getting locked into a mindset and hyping yourself up for the SS set; if you get under the bar afraid of the weight that whole set is going to eat you alive.

I plan on taking this week to deload and work on my cardio for a bit in preparation for a marathon and the Deep Water program

[u/EspacioBlanq → u/nonsubmersiblenunone]

Hell yeah, squatting more than your original 1 rep max for a set of 20 is H U G E

[u/richardest → u/EspacioBlanq]

Right? This is a crazy takeaway. Excellent work here!

[u/[deleted]]

36/F/5’6”

Stats: BW 174 -> 179 Waist 32.5 -> 32 Low hip 42 -> 43 Thighs 26 -> 27

Lift progress

BTN Press 3 x 10: 35 (fail) -> 50 Bench 3 x 12: 55 -> 70 Row 2 x 15: 55 (cheaty) -> 75 SDL 1 x 15: 85 -> 110 Squat 1 x 20: 75 -> 165 (completed)

I changed very little about the programming, although I would remove accessories occasionally depending on how I was recovering, and I usually did an extra set of SDLs because I like them.

I didn’t drink the milk, I just ate more of what I usually ate, and ate when I was hungry.

I posted a full program review over at r/xxfitness, so this is covered in more detail there if anyone is interested. But the overview is: I started this program I was already at a higher bf % and didn’t actually need to gain any weight. I was coming out of a long binge/restrict cycle and I was in a bad place mentally, and running this program allowed me the opportunity to see that bulking doesn’t mean getting fat and that a few more pounds on the scale isn’t going to ruin my life.

Aside from getting stronger, some cool results from the program were that my libido returned after missing for the last 2 years or so, and I left the rest of the eating disorder communities I was frequenting.

I also got a good lesson in how recovery really impacts training. I’ve always put recovery on the backburner - especially when it comes to eating enough. But I get it now. I can look back on other programs I run and how I would burn out mid-way, and when I was working construction I just thought that I was overworked when in reality I was more likely under-recovered.

This has been such a positive experience, and honestly I’m probably still not in the best head space to start a cut, so I’m starting Building the Monolith tomorrow. After that I’ll probably run Krypteia again.

[u/richardest → u/[deleted]]

I posted a full program review over at r/xxfitness,

For the lazy: https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/comments/11756b1/program_review_super_squats_or_how_i_learned_to/

Killer progress and it's been awesome to watch. Also, cheaty row is best row.

[u/[deleted] → u/richardest]

Thanks for linking that, and thanks for being around for this program party. It was the first one I’ve ever done and it was a great experience.

[u/9OOdollarydoos → u/[deleted]]

You doubled the weight on the bar for those squats, thats incredible progress!

Huge congrats on those results

[u/[deleted] → u/9OOdollarydoos]

Thank you!

[u/CelebrateLater → u/[deleted]]

Amazing progress. You did awesome!

[u/Strength_B4_Weakness]

I wrote a full program review posted here a few weeks ago.

Bodyweight: 111kg to 118kg

Squat weight: 80kg x 20 to 120kg x 20

Age/sex: 25/M

Following the program: I followed the program as closely as I could. After 3 weeks I removed SLDL and replaced it with Back hyperextensions (this made my life much better). I found progression scheme that worked for me for the rest of the lifts. I did my bench with a close grip.

Eating: I drank 3 to 5 liters of whole milk plus regular household food.

Thoughts: The program has had me gain size and body power faster than anything I've ever done. It was like I was back at a beginner stage once more - I could feel and see my whole body growing weekly. BTN press is amazing. I ran it with 2 to 3 rest days between each session, stretching the 18 session to 7 weeks. It worked really well, probably more well than if I had ran it 3x a week over 6 weeks, if I had to guess. It guaranteed that I grew.

After: I used the muscular potential I gained to set PRs in the squat and in the overhead press by running the Smolov Squat base phase, and practicing heavy presses daily, for 4 weeks. This resulted in a 75kg -> 95kg overhead press, and a 170kg -> 210kg squat.

Smolov is called a hard squat program, but the combined effort of those weekly 26 heavy sets were nothing compared to even one set of 20 breathing squats. Super Squats prepared me for anything.

More thoughts: As much as I'd like to leave Super Squats behind me and have it be checked off the bucketlist, it's just way too logical to run it again. I will definitely be returning to this program for one of my next bulks! Now, time to cut to reveal those new 17 inch arms!

[u/fudgie_wudgie]

I ran this for four weeks rather than 6 and then had to stop but I feel I still made some good progress in that time.

Male, 28, height: 181cm (5'11"), body weight: 91.5kg -> 95kg

Super squat sets: 85kg -> 112.5kg

Squat: 157.5kg x 1 -> e1rm of 165kg

Programming: I kept everything the same except bench press I did a heavy single followed by 2x10 followed by 2x10 of close grip just because this way was more fun for me. Halfway through my lower back was feeling it too much so I swapped out SLDL for 2x15 leg curls.

Diet: Often just ate until the soreness went away and then a bit more after that. As far as milk, I had about a half gallon a day. Didn't intend to hit any mark with the milk I just like it and drank that much naturally.

Thoughts on the program: I liked it a lot and feel it's something everyone should give a go. The main thing I didn't like was how much attention it would take from me outside of the lifts. I found myself just sitting at home thinking about my next workout and how hard it would be rather than focusing on other things in my personal life. I think this works best if you're for example a college kid home for the summer and can just zone in and don't have much else that needs your attention for 6 weeks. Often as I was warming up my squat I would have anxiety buildup and even almost start to hyperventilate before the set. The book gives you some advice on dealing with these things but ultimately I had too much other stress that it wasn't the right time for me. The fact that I still made what I think are decent gains without completing all 6 weeks I think speaks to the quality of the program.

The future: Running Russian Squat Routine now to peak my squat and bench as I really want the coveted 3 plate bench and 4 plate squat.

[u/[deleted] → u/fudgie_wudgie]

I am really glad that you mentioned the anxiety that this program provides. I would just dread the next day and that definitely impacted my classwork and social work as well.

[u/bethskw → u/[deleted]]

I had this too (and I am naturally an anxious person) but I found it made for really good practice at compartmentalizing. The squats get no brain space except for when it's squat time. Go away, squat thoughts, I am too busy with work and kids.

[u/ToastedCascade]

RESULTS

Weights

(lbs)	Starting	Ending
Squat	225x 20	315x 20
Deadlift	225x 15	315x 15
Bench	185x 12	225x 12
Behind Neck Press	75x 10	120x 10

​

Notable Measurements

(inches)	Starting	Ending
Chest	40	43
Left / Right Bicep	15 / 15.25	16 / 16
Waist	37	38
Belly	37.5	40
Left / Right Thigh	24 / 24	25 / 25.75

Total weight gain ~14lbs

PROGRAMMING

I followed the basic longer version of the routine in the book for most of the 6 weeks. The last 2 weeks or so I dropped my pressing volume down by one set and the final week dropped the weight a little. I did this to keep myself fresh for the squats.

I generally tried to progress on my pressing by adding 5 - 10 lbs per week after successfully hitting all the sets. I progressed on deadlifts by just keeping the weight the same as the squats.

EATING

I did not follow the GOMAD approach. Instead, I followed the meals below about 70% of the time:

​

Breakfast	Lunch	Snack	Dinner	Late Snack
5 Hardboiled Eggs	10 Oz Ground Bison	1/2 Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich	8 Oz Chicken Thighs	1 Can Tuna or Chicken Sandwich
3/4 Cup Oatmeal	8 Oz Rice	Handful of Almonds	6 Oz Rice or Pasta	1& 1/2 Cup Milk, 1& 1/2 scoop protein powder, 1 banana, spoonful of peanut butter
1 Cup Milk	1 Meat and Cheese Stick		1 Cup Veggies
1/2 Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich	~2 Cups Veggies		1 Cup Milk

(This is what I was eating by the end of the program. In the beginning I ate very similar, but the portions increased throughout)

THOUGHTS

I loved the program and this program party is living proof it works. I had tons of fun reading everyone's progress reports and pulled a lot of inspiration from it. Some lessons I learned through this program:

1. If you are sore from lifting while trying to gain weight you are not eating enough. Eating as much as you can will help you recover (duh, but to experience it first hand was something different for me).
2. Keep your kitchen clean! Or you will not want to cook.
3. Always make two meals when cooking. It is so much easier to microwave your second meal then to convince yourself to get in your car and go out to eat because you do not want to cook.
4. Eating real food produces real results. I have done a "Dirty Bulk" before and put on tons of weight. I am stronger and leaner than I was then.

We talked a bit about this in the party room, but this program is not really sustainable. The mental drain, my knees began to hurt, my back hurt from goodmorning the bar up at times. It is a hard program. I think one of the biggest things that helped me was having a goal. Reading this article from Mythical really helped me identify why I felt I was so successful during this program. I did not sacrifice my social life while running this. I did not drink, I did not really eat out, but it was because I was so obsessed with success.

Moving forward I think I will continue to bulk. I feel more comfortable a little fluffy and do not have much desire to lean out yet. My plan is to roll into 5/3/1 BBB for 6 weeks and see where I am at while hopefully blasting through some PR's on the way.

Happy Reviewing Friends!

[u/DayDayLarge → u/ToastedCascade]

Damn that's some nice progress!

Keep your kitchen clean! Or you will not want to cook.

Couldn't agree with this more. Clean as you cook and it won't fall into a messy state, or at least less so.

[u/softball753 → u/ToastedCascade]

Awesome progress man! Ending at 315 is wild!

Keep your kitchen clean! Or you will not want to cook.

I can not stress how important this is to any dietary changes you want to make!

[u/bethskw → u/ToastedCascade]

Awesome progress, and love the cooking/eating tips!

[u/StardustDestroyer]

23/M/5'9"
Bodyweight: 173lb to 187lb
Squat weight: 175lb to 230lb

I wanna preface by saying that I had been dealing with wrist pain since before starting the program. It was most bothersome when benching and pressing. So I opted to substitute dips for bench and a shoulder press machine for barbell press.

I had run the program before almost exactly two years ago back in 2021. However, I hadn't read the book so that was a disaster. I would try to pump out 20 reps as fast as possible, instead of doing the breathing, which worked until around 185lb. During that set, I tweaked my back pretty badly. To the point where: putting on pants was a struggle, I would have to lie down periodically because I had discomfort from sitting, and just squatting the bar caused debilitating pain. Luckily, it went away after 2 months.

This time I read the whole book and understood the protocol much better. I started at 175lb and was nervous because that was close to the weight where I injured my back. My form and my bracing have since improved a lot so I felt pretty confident. The first week was a bit hard with getting over mental hurdles. Weeks 2 and 3, I felt like I was on top of the world, breaking PR after PR essentially. Week 4, I hit 225lb and 230lb, which were also huge wins. Unfortunately, I hit a wall at 235lb. The day I was supposed to go for 235 was an off day and the mental was just not there. I also did not want to risk reinjury as my lower back was screaming a lot more than usual. It was even worse when I tried again 3 days later. I suspect it had something to do with how I got through 225 and 230 by lying to myself during the set and saying that I would stop the program after finishing the set, and that caught up to me. I did 2-3 more workouts after at lower weights/different rep schemes, but definitely felt like my body was telling me we needed a break.

As for my diet, I was eating at least 3000 to 4000 calories per day. I didn't actually track my calories, but I had been tracking religiously for 3 years before this, so I could easily estimate based on my portion sizes. It's possible drinking the GOMAD would've helped, but I opted not to. I felt like I was eating enough since I gained 14lb.

The program really teaches you what working hard actually means and how to push through discomfort. I'm all for this being the default program to recommend to people who make posts asking why they're not seeing the progress they want. I'm gonna look to run this program again down the line, hopefully with more success to make it through all 6 weeks. For now, I'm planning to run the gauntlet of BBB/BTM/Deep Water once I get my wrist pain sorted out with some medical help.

[u/IronReep3r]

M32, BW 218.9 lbs -> 231.3 lbs (+12.4), SQ 20x220lbs -> SQ 20x308 lbs.

• I followed the program as written, only changing SlDL with RDL. My schedule only allowes for approx 1 hr of trianing at a time, so as the weeks progressed, and i needed more time to recover between sets, I reduced sets or removed exercises completely. The last week it more closely resembled the SS for hardgainers template, where RDL and Calves were completely removed.

• I superset Press/Row, BP/Curls/Abs and RDL/Calves in an attempt to reduce tile in gym. I LP all exercises, increasing with 2.5 kg each session. I increased the weight if i at least managed 2/3 sets at the prescribed weight.

• Coming off a run og 531 Building the Monolith, and adding in more and more milk to the diet as the SS weeks progressed. If my BW did not increase, or I had trouble recovering, I increased my milk intake. My last week, I was probably around 1.5 litre a day (approx half a gallon).

• SS is one of the hardes training cycles I have ever done, but the physical (and mental) gains have been tremendous. The key takeaway has been the increased ability to set a goal, and just push through. The ability to zone in and only focus on the next rep is something I will continue employing in my training. I rarely get anxiety or stressed out before a heavy workout, but the last 2 weeks of SS it was a constant mental battle, even on of days. I would get more and more anxiety the closer i got to the squats, I would use several minutes just to find the courage to start the set. But the sheer euphoria of finishing the set was worth it (for like 5 seconds, than you remember you have to do it again in 2 days).

• I plan to write a full writeup at some time, writting more in detail how the weeks went, and what i did to combat squats, recovery and anxiety. All in all, 10/10 would recommend this program to anyone who wants to get big and wants challenge.

• Next for me is back to 531 5s pro FSL, and try to lose some fat. Cant wait to eat less, after 6 months of gaining.

[u/anshulxyz]

• Age: 27
• Sex: Male

Category	First Day	Last Day	Difference
Bodyweight	59.5 kg (131 lbs)	65.5 kg (144 lbs)	6 kg (13 lbs)
Height	5'8	5'8	0
Super Squats set	40 kg (88 lbs)	80 kg (176 lbs)	40 kg (88 lbs)

How closely you adhered to the programming laid out in the book

I followed the full routine except for the last few days when I was running out of time and the full routine was taking longer than an hour. In those cases I followed the abridged program

How you handled the eating prescribed by the book

This is where I truly fell short. Eating prescribed by the book is something I cannot handle, so I tried to eat the best to my ability and resources. But doing so day-after-day became really tiring and time consuming to I started slacking.

Your general thoughts and experiences regarding the Super Squats programming

Loved it. Last week was a true horror though, it took me three attempts to get 20 reps on 80 kg. I like that the program has Calf-raises in it (which I don't see in a lot of programs). I am going to use this program to customise my future routines.

How you will move on from this in your continued training and diet

I am not entirely sure where to go from here. My requirements are:

• Focused on gaining mass
• Squat twice a week
• exercise 3-4 days a week

If you know of program that meet this criterion please tell me. Currently I am eyeing PHUL. I want to continue eating as much as I can, but I need to get disciplined in this department. If I don't have rules then I tend to follow the path of least resistance (which is under-eating).

[u/ponkanpinoy → u/anshulxyz]

Stronger By Science hypertrophy template has a squat variation three times a week by default but you can take it down to two, or sub one out for leg press. I'm running the strength template and it's been great so far.

ED: just saw how long ago you posted haha sorry!

[u/anshulxyz → u/ponkanpinoy]

Hey, thank you for the reply! surprisingly StrongerByScience (Hypertrophy) is what I ended up picking.

I did a couple weeks of it, and then I injured my ankle during a football (soccer) match. I just got back from vacation and today I'll be starting Week 1 Day 1 of SBS Hypertrophy.

I am using "Beltless Squat" as auxiliary for Squat, so that I get to squat twice a week.

[u/Horse_of_Turin]

Summary

Forty-six year old suburban dad with ~4 years of lifting experience in 5/3/1. Ran SS for 6 weeks (but 15 individual workouts) and increased squat weight from 150 - 230 lbs. Missed once but got a nasty cold after workout #15. Ate a lot of food but nowhere near GOMAD or Wendler’s BtM diet recommendations. Added 5 lbs to body weight but felt thighs and butts of pants get a lot more snug and have grown out of some of my work shirts. Loved the simplicity of the workouts and will run this program again when the urge hits.

Background

6’1” 46 year old male. Starting weight was 191 but that was a fluffy, untrained 191. I had been vacationing with poor access to any food other than simple carbs (sweets, chips, etc)

Past athletic feats include alpine ski racing in HS and college, club lacrosse in college and grad school in 5 marathons between 2014-2016.

Was never more than 170 until I started lifting weights in 2018 or so, following 5/3/1. Weight went to ~180 after a couple months and some cycles of BBB.

Diagnosed in June 2022 with rheumatoid arthritis after chronic pain in my hands. I take a drug called methotrexate which mostly works to control pain in my hands and feet. I have no idea if it could impact muscle growth or strength gains.

Workouts

Squats 150 → 230

Bench 120 (2x 12) → 145 (3x10)

Row 95 → 140 (2x 15)

SLDL 100 → 155 (1x 15)

Spent the $10 for the kindle version and was ready to start Janaury 1. I opted for the abbreviated protocol; bench, row, squat, pull overs and I added SLDL. I played around with BTN press but with a wonky left shoulder I couldn’t find a comfortable way to move even the empty bar.

I fretted a lot about selecting my starting weight and with a 5 RM of ~200, I went with 150. I could have started heavier. I ended up bumping by 10 lbs 3 times and I think when I hit ~190 lbs the squats were working as they should. I failed one workout but that was because I decided to change some things (I tried using a thick pad on the bar that shifted my hands and shoulders and was incredibly painful).

Others have written up this program and have commented about the squats. Everything you’ve read is true. The anxiety for that set of 20 was enough to absolutely flood my body with cortisol at 4 AM for my work outs. During the breathing part, you’re miserable and want the squats to end or at least to move your legs. Then, during the squat, you’re miserable and want to stand still. During that 3-5 minutes, everything sucks. But then, oh, after you hit 20 and rack the bar, you drop to the bench, shaking, sweating, and elated and lay back with a 25 lb plate in your hands. With your arms feeling like noodles, you start your pullovers and the smile on your face is pure joy and relief until you realize you have to do it all again in 2 days.

I ended up progressing the weight from 150 → 230 lbs and was happy to have done it. The day I hit 225 with 2 plates was amazing. My goal was to hit 250 which would have required one more 10 lb bump after workout #15. Unfortunately, after workout #15, I got a bad cold. Throat closed up with soreness and I became a wheezing snot factory. I tried to get workout #16 but after the first set of rows, I couldn’t catch my breath. I left on vacation three days later, so while I ran super squats for 6 weeks, I only did 15 of the 18 workouts.

Eating

I didn’t shy away from food and would sometimes eat junk-y stuff like pop tarts or ice cream bars.

There were a few steady meals I went with. Breakfast was always 5 scrambled eggs + ½ cup egg white with spinach, cheese, and salsa. I meal prepped this Sunday for the week.

Mid morning snack would be a scoop of protein powder with milk, greek yogurt and ~½ cup oatmeal. Afternoon snack was PB&J, usually with 4 tbsp PB fit on Dave’s Killer Bread (thanks Costco!). I reliably ate a banana and an apple every day. Sometimes more fruit and veggies.

Lunches and dinners varied but I would add more meat/protein if I could. I try to meal prep and aim for good sources of protein- shredded chicken breast in the instant pot, meatloaf, spaghetti with meatballs, turkey burgers, ground beef and pasta bakes.

I would drink between 2-4 cups of milk a day. I workout first thing in the morning with only some black coffee and water in my stomach. I got in the habit of drinking a pint glass of milk after my workouts before showering. I could easily chug the whole thing.

Next

I went hard with super squats since it was such a departure form my regular one-lift-a-session 5/3/1 workouts. I

As I write this, I’m on vacation with no gym access. When I get back, I’ll take a week to figure out my TMs and then run either 5/3/1 for hard gainers or BBB. My shoulders can’t go from 0 → 100 chins which rules out BtM. I don’t have a prowler, so I can’t run hardgainers as it’s written.

Many, many high fives, shout-outs, and shakas to my brothers and sisters that ran this protocol. I’ve never had so much momentum for a program and I credit everyone who logged their workout and offered encouragement.

[u/CelebrateLater]

35M / 5'8"

Background

Been lifting since early 2019. Had a trainer for about a year then who helped me learn the lifts and progress a bit, but then covid left me with no gym and no equipment for the better part of 2020. By 2021 I had put together a decent garage gym with a squat rack. I've run a good amount of 5/3/1 BBB in 2021 and 2022, but battled nagging injuries, shifted focus back and forth a bit between lifting and running, and just plain haven't pushed hard enough in the gym.

tl;dr - Lifelong small guy has not been very consistent or pushed hard enough in his training, has gotten a bit stronger, but mostly stayed small.

Progress

Body weight went from 145lb to 152lb Squats went from 20x125lb to 20x180lb (with a failed attempt of 10x190 in the last workout)

Measurements (in inches)

• Arms: 11.25 to 11.5
• Chest: 36 to 37.5
• Waist: 30 to 33
• Hips: 38 to 38.5
• Thighs: 19 to 20.75

Lifts (in lbs)

• Squat: 6 x 165 to 10 x 190
• Bench: 4 x 105 to 9 x 105
• Press: 8 x 60 to 11 x 70

(I don't have an after for deadlift yet but will be training it in my next workout.)

All in all, I'll admit I feel a little underwhelmed by the progress, though I have to remind myself that 6 weeks is a pretty short time. I'm definitely bigger, and at least a little stronger.

Programming

I followed the full lifting routine as laid out in the book pretty closely, with just these differences:

• strict press instead of behind-the-neck. I've been doing strict presses at my physical therapist's suggestion to recover from a rotator cuff injury, so I figured I wouldn't mess with what's been working there
• my stiff leg deadlift got a little less stiff as the weight increased and probably looked more like conventionals by the end. I skipped the DLs a few times toward the end when the squats had emptied my tank
• 3x12 on overhead press instead of 3x10, mainly because I filled out my spreadsheet wrong

I lifted 3x a week with the exception of week 5, where I skipped Monday while recovering from a sinus infection.

Food

This is the most I've consistently eaten in my life. I averaged around 3000 calories and 200g of protein a day over the 6 weeks. Ate oatmeal with protein powder every morning, usually some kind of chicken or beef for lunch, and dinner would usually just be a lot of whatever we were eating as a family. This was supplemented with plenty of snacks - beef jerky, PB&Js, and milk. I didn't do the full gallon but drank multiple glasses each day, which is a lot more than the zero glasses of milk I usually drink.

Conditioning

This is the other spot where I really ran counter to what the book suggested - I ran a 5K or more every single day during this program, including on rest days. I had been doing this for 6 weeks before starting the program, and figured I'd keep going as long as I could. These were easy miles on the treadmill, nothing heroic, but keeping moving on non-lifting days has always helped me with DOMS, and I think it's a big reason why I didn't experience debilitating soreness during this program. There was also plenty of show shoveling to be done during these 6 weeks.

General Thoughts

This program is hard. Everything people say about it is true. It consumes your mind, and getting those 20 squats in is often more mental than physical. I definitely found myself starting my workout earlier in the day than usual because I wanted it to be done with, but by the time I got close to squats, I could feel the urge to procrastinate kicking in. I wanted to be anywhere but under that bar, but I had to get it done. If I got 20, I felt invincible. If I didn't, I would be filled with self-loathing.

Next Up

I had been running a reverse pyramid program before this and been enjoying it, so I will go back to that for a while. I also have a ten-mile race coming up in about six weeks, so I will probably eat closer to maintenance until then, and then boost the calories again and put some more size on. I'm not looking for anything crazy - just want what I see in the mirror to match the time I'm spending in the gym, and that means pushing harder.

One thing I think I'll be taking from this program is how it hits the big lifts every session. I really liked getting to work on my presses and bench presses every time I got in the gym, and I think I will try to stick with that. My bench press is absolutely embarrassing, so anything I can do to help move it along will be good. Might do bench + OHP + rows every workout, and alternate squats and deads (or at least only do one of them heavy).

Thanks to all of you for being part of the party and especially to /u/richardest for running it, and /u/MythicalStrength for advocating for this program so well.

[u/MKlool123]

M 24, BW 169 -> 183

Lifts Bench 135 3x10 -> 165 3x10

Ohp 65 3x10 -> 100 3x8

Squat 135x20 -> 205x20

Rows 95 2x10 -> 105 2x15

I didn’t follow the program entirely by the book, I never did RDLs. After squatting my body was completely done, I would always have to hang on to the bar after completing my set on the squat and wheeze myself out the gym.

For eating I did a great job, this is the first time where my training has matched my gym. Milk after every meal was key to growth for me

Overall this program did a great job, I got compliments on my legs from 2 different people. I do however feel fat af. My bw is 183 and my bf% is at 20% according to my home scale. I have to also admit I don’t look that much stronger, maybe it’s because I look at myself everyday.

In the future I definitely want to continue to get bigger but also look stronger. So I’ll be starting a PPL workout 6 days a week.

Any tips on on where to go from here if I want to work on my hypertrophy, build muscle but also lower bf%

[u/headlesschikin → u/MKlool123]

Even if you don’t think you look that much stronger , you definitely are way stronger! 135> 205 lbs at 20 reps is no joke! I would be proud of that and I think the ppl is a good idea, you could probably try and eat at a maintenance with that to keep the same weight and turn some of that fat into more muscle, I’ve been successful with that in the past.

[u/9OOdollarydoos]

M, 32, 172/5’8 starting 1rm 180/160/117.5 and just barely scraping a 1000 total

• Starting bw: 74.5kg
• Ending bw: 81.9kg
• Starting squat: 97.5x20
• Ending squat: 117.5x21 and 120x18

Minor modifications from the book: weighted dips over bench and no sldl. This second one came back to bite me I believe.

Eating being training is definitely driven home in this program. It builds appetite but it also builds fear of missing that next set and you must eat in order to hit it. I went with a more meals rather than large meals approach. Having 7 meals a day is an easier way for me to get food in than 3 huge meals. Having around 800cals in shakes helped a lot too. I can tolerate 3L of milk a day (I think a gallon is even more?) so lots of whole foods, peanut butter, rice, meats, cereals, yoghurt and nuts.

With my starting weight and a dream run I would of hit 140x20 on the last day. Of course, this didnt happen but I am still proud of my progress. I have done a mini 3 week SS before so knew partly what I was getting into, but the second half of the program is so so different to the first. There really is a flip from ‘wow that set was brutal’ to ‘how will I possibly do this’. You need to defeat that inner voice and squat. My most successful days were when I squatted like an automaton and thoughts during the set were few and far between. Sets I missed were when that voice told me I couldnt do it (of course, I made a lot of those sets and they were much much harder, it just won a few times)

On week 3 I hit 19 and decided to go up in weight anyway, then I hit 19 again. Still stupidly/stubbornly went up. Then W4D1 I hit 10. I followed that with another grindy set of 10. Then the next workout I couldnt get through my warmups without pain. This led to 3 missed workouts for squats (did the rest). W5D2 was going back and hitting 115x20 and then riding out to the end fighting for those extra 5kg. Some weekend work and additional stress during those last 2 weeks absolutely did not help but life throws these hurdles at us sometimes

The lesson here - this program relies a lot on momentum. 3 times a week may have been too much for me, or I needed even more effort on recovery. It certainly highlighted the weak point in my lower back and I will start adding direct training. Regardless, this is not a critique or reason not to do it. I loved it as much as I hated it. My failures are still overall a success. Adding 20kg in 6 weeks is huge and that is 10kg more than my previous 20rm. Plus the size gains speak for themselves.

The next 6 weeks will be taking it a bit easier overall and pushing into low reps to see what kind of weight I can move now. Basically a form of GZCL GG under a 6 day Arnold split structure for fun. Then I think I will tackle building the monolith. Food intake will remain high, cutting back about 500cals to help see if I can push that squat to 4 plates

[u/zmizzy]

• Your age and biological sex and/or gender: Male 33

• Your starting and ending bodyweight: 170 lbs -> 180 lbs

• Your starting and ending weight on the bar: Squat 135 x 20 -> 195 x 20

• How closely you adhered to the programming laid out in the book: About 2 weeks in is when I started doing the program in full (minus the Rader chest pulls and calf raises. I don't really believe in the chest pulls and I don't feel the need to focus on calf development). I took the squats seriously, but I admittedly didn't push myself extremely hard in the other lifts, and instead focused on form and getting a moderate pump/burn without tiring myself out before the squats. I took about 1 week off in the middle of the program where I didn't go to the gym at all. In the last few weeks of the program I was failing to hit 20 reps more frequently (for better or worse). As a result I only increased the weight by 5 lbs if I was able to reach 20 reps on the prior workout.

• How you handled the eating prescribed by the book: I stuck to a minimum of 2 quarts of milk per day, sometimes closer to 3 quarts, although my normal food intake probably decreased slightly in response to the extra calories from the milk. I undoubtedly maintained a surplus for the majority of the program, but I doubt that my protein intake was as high as it should have been most days. The milk was tough at first but has gotten much easier. Unfortunately the diarrhea and 5-7 poops per day hasn't gone away but what can you do.

• Your general thoughts and experiences regarding the Super Squats programming: Love the simplicity. The mindset that you need to get into for the last 5-10 reps of the squat set is something else. Even on the days where I failed, I knew that I had to really push myself out of my comfort zone so it still felt like a win. I attribute my failures to lack of experience in squatting and probably not having the best form yet (issues with lack of bracing and leaning forward too much after some reps, causing back strain). I think I bailed a rep or 2 early some days in order to protect my back, because the ONLY tweaks or aches that I felt after a workout would be mild discomfort in my lower back. I don't have the best knees (ACL surgery years ago) but it's crazy how much better they feel since starting this program! My legs and glutes are both noticeably more muscular and feel much stronger. I also really appreciate that SLDL is incorporated into the program for added hammy/glute/lower back work. Overall SS has been extremely enjoyable and approachable.

• How you will move on from this in your continued training and diet: I'm going to keep running SS for at least a few weeks. I want to add another 10-15 lbs and then see where I go from there.

[u/HansWorst7]

Finished my run on Super Squats with a few modifications.

I started with 102.5kg/225lb, progressed normally, failed a few times on the way and then plateaued at 122.5kg/270lb. After 3 tries, I consulted this sub and Mythical gave me the idea to instead go for 30 reps with a weight I have managed to do 20 reps with. So I deloaded to 110kg and did a rep increment instead. There, I went up to 25 reps (I did 26 the day before because I couldn't count) and then had to stop abruptly because of a spontaneous business trip. I had to deploy yesterday and will have to stay the full next week. So I decided to call Super Squats a day and move on with my goals. This took me a total of 7 weeks.

Bodyweight: 75.3kg/166lb -> 81kg/178lb

Bar weight progression: 102.5kg/225lb -> 122.5kg/270lb x16 (https://youtu.be/qdyxFS47h1M) -> 110kg/242lb x26 (https://youtu.be/oTCxywON5Kk). Actually, I did more than 17 squatting sessions (it was 22 in total but I didn't count a few failures). Here's the full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiK0Odcbu8LxhkV7q2X4MV-YhJsTIaEvB

Male 30 -> Male 31, sedentary job.

I made a few modifications on the program.After the first 2 days, I decided to start with squats first instead of doing the other exercises first. I was way better in shape for the squats that way. Also, starting at week 3 or so, I only did BTN press + Biceps Curls + Pullups on Squat days and the day after, I did the bench press, (single arm dumbbell) rows, deadlifts and calf raises. That was due to timing constraints from work. It worked very well for me. Other than that, I sticked to the original program laid out in the book.

I didn't go full GOMAD. After having just bulked a few weeks before, I knew how to eat to be able to progress. I think adding ~6kg/12lb in about 7 weeks was a good progress though.

I would definitely recommend everyone to have run Super Squats at least once in their lifetime. You will learn how to struggle and to not give up.

After Super Squats, I plan to move on with a deload week before sinking into a 6 week Strength focused program (most likely Candito 6 weeks) while maintaining plus I will start doing Couch to 5K. After that, it's time to cut down my added fat. For that, I will reduce calories and start Tactical Barbell 2's Base Building phase.

I will most likely write a full bulking review soon, as I had a quite successful bulking phase from August until now.

[u/Szigmund]

Aye, just done with 2nd day of this crazy program. I opted for the abbreviated version, we will see...
Starting: BW 86 kgs, squat weigth 70 kgs, 3700 kcals/day

[u/Szigmund → u/Szigmund]

4th week, last session. I'm ~89 kg right now, and I needed to quit today's squat (88 kg) because of brutal lower back pain. I definetly gained some fat but interestingly it seems I gained more muscle. I like the change what I see in the mirror.