How sore are you after a typical heavy squat workout?

[vtec96]

Ok, now I know this has a lot to do with many things: years of training, # of sets/reps/intensity, frequecy, diet, gear, sleep, etc....

But in general for someone who has been working out 2-3 yrs and trying to lift heavy (sets of no more than 5), no gear, good sleep and diet....

I usually do about 5 sets of squats and 1-2 pause sets at the end, with some front squats 3 sets of 8-10 to finish off. I get a little sore the next day, then a little more sore the 2nd day. The third day its almost completely gone... feeling fresh.. I feel this way almost EVERY workout... Does this sound right?

I have been sore for almost a week before by doing many sets, but since I do legs once per week now, instead of every 10 days, I think being sore for more than these 2 days would be overtraining..... Suggestions?

 

[vtec96]

Anyone...

 

[ZZuluZ]

I rarely feel sore from heaving squatting.

Deadlifting is a different story however.

-Zulu

 

[powerlifterjay]

My body feels exhuasted and i can tell i squatted heavy but i am not reallly sore. I get sore with higher reps.

 

[Screwball]

Soreness...

I second PLJay's post. I feel exhausted after my ME days but I don't get really sore. When I "up" the reps on my assistance exercises, I do get sore from time to time. I do get sore sometimes after my DE days and I think it has to do with the band work I do on these days. I think my central nervous system gets run down more than my musculature after ME days. That's it!

- Screwball

 

[brianmincher]

I second screwball, and third jay's post. I occasionally have a little bit of lower back soreness after Max Effort day, and I am physically whupped, but I am not usually sore from heavy squats.

 

[vtec96]

Thanks guys,

I guess my soreness is comming from the extra 2-3 sets of 8-10 front squats and maybe some lunges! I also do 2 sets of 2 sec pause squats after my 5 sets of 5....

 

[powerlifterjay]

Uh..ya! Those are the ones making you sore. I can promise that. But they do work so dont let soreness keep you from them.

 

[BigArnie]

I've got an interesting twist on this topic. Like most experienced powerlifters who posted, I also don't feel particularly sore after a good ME workout, although there is definitely SOME pain.

Yesterday, however, I competed in a local strongman show. The last event (which was only announced on Saturday morning, meaning that none of the athletes could prepare for this) was a conventional deadlift at 352lb (160Kg) for as many reps as you can with no rest allowed between reps.

This was the last event for the day and my partner and me were going into it in lead position, meaning we were the last team up. My partner went first and cranked out 27 reps which left me with 30 to do for us as a team to win outright. Now, being a Westside man, this was definitely not the kind of thing that I'm used to!

I proceeded to do my 30 reps. It started getting really sore at 20 reps and the last four or so were hell!

This morning, I woke up with my gluetes and entire back right to the top of my traps feeling like they are on fire! I've been training hard, heavy and intensely for many years so I'm not new to pushing iron around. This, however, was an absolutely incredible shock to my muscles, unlike anything I've ever felt before.

I thought a lot about this today and realised that this type of training might just be the thing to shock my body to new powerlifting PRs this year. I decided to try doing a single set to total failure perhaps once in six weeks or so and see if it works. My deadlift PR is 700lb so this was at roughly 50%. I'll try to aim for a similar percentage on the squat and bench and also aim for 30 reps and see what happens.

Has anybody else here tried this kind of thing?

Arnie

 

[brianmincher]

I haven't tried it yet, I am too big of a pussy, but I have considered doing 225 for a reps record on the bench every once in a while on Max Effort day, like the NFL players do in the combine. So far I have just done a rep record with 100 lb dumbells, but after my next contest, I will try for a 225 lb rep record.

Sounds like you had a pretty harsh experience with the deadlift for reps. How long did it take to recover from that?

B.

 

[powerlifterjay]

If its done periodically like your talking about it will shock new growth. But depending on how heavy you are in your training your reps will vary when you do this. For instance Before i go into the off season bench work, i hit in Comp High 500's. But when the heavy training is over i can barely rep 405 for 8 or so. But after training with just 3 set sof 405 to failure for my first 4 to 5 weeks in the off season by the end of my 4 th week i am hitting it for 12 reps or so. BUt if i were to try repping 405 say 4 weeks before i go off season i may get it for 10. Last year i trained really heavy through the summer, and when i was done for awhile i hit 585 in comp but could barely rep 405 for 6, 4 weeks later i was at 9. Reps are my gauge to know when i am ready to go on a heavy training cycle. As sson as the meet is done i take a 400 something pick reps and what ever i do them for after comp, i need 5 more reps before my body is ready to compete again. Reps are not bad! Just not all the time.

 

[BigArnie]

Jay, makes sense what you're saying. Coming from someone with your level of strength, I'd be stupid not to take your advice.

Brianmincher, the contest took place yesterday 17/2 so I'm still in a state of pain as I'm sitting here typing this. It feels like my body will probably be sore for most of next week. This is why I'm saying that this type of thing, done once in a while, HAS to be beneficial.

Arnie

 

[Cubanito17]

For some reason on friday I didn't do a heavy squat workout I was doing low box squats 6X2 60% and I don't know why, but up to today my glutes and hams are hurting so bad. This was the first time I really did low box squats on a 7 inch box and damn are my glutes hurting. It hurts worse when I'm sitting down and have to stand up.