Squats

[Pioneer]

@star61

I agree with what you write here. A point I was trying to make is that I think it is important to include some percentage of reps, even as low as 15%, in the >85% intensity range, and at least some (5-10%?) in the 90% range. If you choose not to go that high, I believe you need to push closer to failure (within 1-2 reps) on a large portion of your sets. Again, we’re talking about a max strength phase. What many do is take a look at someone like Stone, say to themselves, “Most of what he does is at 85% or below, so I’ll just do that part and skip the high intensity stuff.” That is a huge mistake, in my opinion. I think that’s the same thing as looking at a 400m training plan and saying to yourself, “Most of the volume in this elite 400m training plan is at race pace or slower, so I’ll skip the Speed Endurance and Max V stuff and just do Intensive and Extensive Tempo.” It just doesn’t work that way.

I know James pushes the submaximal load thing, but even he has admitted that many of his players exceed the program design and ‘self-regulate’ in a few high intensity (even maximal) sets. In my opinion, if an athlete doesn’t include at least a small percentage of >85% reps OR push closer than 4-5 reps away from failure, he’s not optimally training for strength. Keep in mind that 5 reps at 75% is about 5 reps away from failure, and 5 reps at 70% is about 7 reps from failure. That’s too light for max strength. If you feel the need to go lighter due to a training conflict, that’s one thing, but stating that using loads in the 70-75% range while leaving 5-7 reps in the tank on most sets is optimal for max strength is just something I can’t buy into.

If I had to guess on the percentage of total reps done in the range you are describing we might be close to 15% but my guess it’s below that particularly since you are talking about >85% of a 1rm, I believe. I do agree that some work, at some point, needs to be very near or at maximal levels for that set-rep range however I pick my battles and am sure to only do this when I’ve accounted for that with a drop (ala vertical integration) in intensity and volume of the sprints and mb throws/jumps

If I were to do so more frequently it would come at a cost to the other training elements from my experience. I will, by week 11 of the fall have the athletes work up to 95-100% of their 3 x 3 best and many can go beyond this and we let them do it. However, the weeks leading up to this are sub-maximal efforts with increasing int. over those weeks. There are peaks in intensities for sets/reps in weeks 3, 7and 11-classic three week intensification schemes with unload weeks in 4 and 8. Week 7 goes up to about 90-95% of the best for 3 x 5.

My belief in the submaximal loading principles comes from discussions with Stone, viewing their programs and workouts but over time and most importantly through my athlete’s training and my own.

Regarding the leaving of multiple reps left, for sure I subscribe to this but more reps should be left earlier in the block and fewer as the weeks go by within the block. Typically the intro. micro, for example, done around 80% of the set-rep best has about 4-5 (for 3 x 5) reps left in set one and 4 reps left in set 3 in the way I’ve done it previously. So during the block as percentages rise, as expected, the number of reps left drops.