Ask the Coach” is the column in which Wolfgang Unsöld answers your questions about training and nutrition. The book of the same name was published by Riva Verlag and Available right here on Amazon.
Question: Hello Mr. Unsöld, I've been reading your blog for quite some time. Now I bought your squat book hoping to find more details there. I'm particularly interested in the squat vacation. In the book it says:
W1: LH KB 10×3
W2: LH KB 6×4-6
W3: LH KB 4×8-12
“In all workouts, gradually increase the weight to a heavy set. The spread within a workout should be around 30%. These three workouts are performed for 6 days.”
Now I don't know what weight to take. Furthermore, it is not clear to me whether the weight should be increased from day 1 to day 2.
Maybe you could give me a sample calculation.
My 1RM is 150 kg. I would put my top rate in W1 at 130 kg. So I do:
3 reps at 105kg in the first set. Then step up so that the last set is 3 reps with 130kg on the 10th set. Do I now also take 130 kg as the top rate for W2 and W3? And on the second day I would still use 130 kg for W1? What % of my 1RM should be the heaviest set in the workout? If my 1RM is 150kg. Should I actually take that as the hardest set? In each of the three workouts each day? I don't think that can be right. So how should I choose the first set in the first workout of day one? Is it then increased on the second day or is the same used? Unfortunately, these things didn't become clear to me after reading the book. I hope you can help me here. Thank you, Gunter D.
WU: Those are very good questions. I can give you a sample calculation based on your numbers and also work out the weights for a full training day of the squat vacation.
First, let's go through each of their questions individually:
My 1RM is 150 kg. I would put my top rate in W1 at 130 kg. So I do: 3 reps at 105kg on the first set. Then step up so that the last set is 3 reps with 130kg on the 10th set.
The specified spread is approx. 30%, if the assumed heaviest set of the training is 130kg, we subtract 30% from this, which is then 91kg. As a first set of training I would use 90kg rounded. The aim is then to increase the weight from set to set, up to a "heavy set". A heavy set of 3 reps is a 3RM. RM stands for Repetition Maximum or repetition maximum, so a 3RM is a weight with which a maximum of 3 repetitions and no 4th repetition can be performed.
Do I now also take 130 kg as the top rate for W2 and W3?
The top set is always determined by the given number of repetitions. In the second workout, the heaviest set is about 4 reps, meaning the weight will be about 2% lighter than the heaviest set in the first workout. And in the third workout, the heaviest set is about 8 reps, meaning the weight will be about 8% lighter than the heaviest set in the first workout.
In the end, however, the number of repetitions dictates the weight. Simply increase this set by set, as soon as a RM with the reps in the low range of the given rep range is reached, the hardest set is reached. If you have sets left, simply lower the weight by about 2-4% on each set and complete all remaining sets.
And on the second day I would still use 130 kg for W1?
The goal is to increase the hardest set of each session day by day. If the heaviest set of the first workout on the first day was 130kg, the goal is to use at least 132.5kg in the first workout on the second day.
What % of my 1RM should be the heaviest set in the workout?
Based on the statistical correlation between reps and percentage of 1RM, the following reps equate to the following percentages:
3RM - 90% of 1RM
4RM - 87% of 1RM
8RM - 79% of 1RM
However, these are only the statistical correlations. In reality, there are small to large deviations in individual cases. I personally know of one case that does just one rep at 85% of 1RM and another case that does 12 reps at 85% of 1RM.
For this reason, I do not use any percentages as part of the squat vacation.
The given number of repetitions dictates the weight. Simply increase this set by set, as soon as a RM with the reps in the low range of the given rep range is reached, the hardest set is reached. If you have sets left, simply lower the weight by about 2-4% on each set and complete all remaining sets.
If my 1RM is 150kg. Should I actually take that as the hardest set?
In the first workout, the heaviest set is a 3RM. Using the 1RM for 3 reps will not be possible. Otherwise it wouldn't be the 1RM.
In each of the three workouts each day? I don't think that can be right.
Yes, you are absolutely right. The goal is to do one heaviest set with a RM of the specified number of repetitions in each workout. 3 reps in the first workout, 4 reps in the second workout, and 8 reps in the third workout.
So how should I choose the first set in the first workout of day one?
If your 1RM is currently around 150kg, an estimated 3RM of 130kg is realistic. Mathematically, 90% of a 1RM of 150kg is exactly 135kg. In practice, I prefer a defensive choice like 130kg, since the jumps in the weight used can be individually increased or decreased during training. With a spread of about 30%, the first set is 90kg. So the 10 sets of the first workout in the weight selection can look like this:
Day 1, Workout 1, Warm-up Set 1 - 40kg for 6 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Warm-up Set 2 - 70kg for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 1 - 90kg for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 2 - 100kg for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 3 - 105kg for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 4 - 250lbs for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 5 - 250lbs for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 6 - 250 lbs for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 7 - 250lbs for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set 8 - 130kg for 3 reps as 3RM*
Day 1, Workout 1, Set of 9 - 250lbs for 3 reps
Day 1, Workout 1, Set of 10 - 120kg for 3 reps
*No 4th repetition would have been possible, ie this set corresponds to the 3RM
Since there are 10 sets in the first training session to find this 3RM, you can gradually increase from set to set within the spread of approx. 30% and thus identify the 3RM very reliably and easily in which you may already have the 3RM reach 130kg before or even use more than 130kg in the last sets.
Is it then increased on the second day or is the same used?
The goal is to increase the hardest set of each session day by day. If the heaviest set of the first workout on the first day was 130kg, the goal is to use at least 132.5kg in the first workout on the second day. From a statistical point of view, this is very reliably possible. If you might even reach 2RM in one workout, just use that weight in the next workout and do 3 reps with it
So the evolution of the weight of the heaviest set of the first workout in the first week can look like this:
Day 1, Workout 1 – 130kg 3RM
Day 2, Workout 1 – 300lbs 3RM
Day 3, Workout 1 – 135kg 3RM
Day 4, Workout 1 – 137.5kg 2RM
Day 5, Workout 1 – 137.5kg 3RM
Day 6, Workout 1 – 140kg 3RM
Experience has shown that a one-week squat vacation makes the same progress as 4 to 6 weeks of regular training.
More information about the squat vacation here
More info on microperiodization here
Good luck on your squat vacation!
Image: Roan Heming doing squats.