As my previous post indicated 1 Rep Max indicators seem to produce fishy results as far as I’m concerned. This week I managed 265 for 20 reps in one set. According to a 1-RM calculator, I should be able to squat 441 for a single rep. By next week, if I can do 275 for 20 reps, I’ll be able, purportedly, to do 458. The evidence against this level of strength is clear. I can only squat 315 for a few sets of 3. Now, I don’t use a belt or squat shoes. I also have a genetic bone disorder that puts me at certain disadvantages in the weight room.
As a theorized, my body seems to be geared towards a form of endurance at high levels of effort and very quick recovery up to a point. For instance, I can do a set of fifty squat jumps, rest a couple of minutes and do a second set. Similarly, running a mile is an awful chore. But I can run several 40 yard dashes with a few seconds in between without feeling particularly tired. On a similar note,bike ride to work always has my legs burning when I’m only half-way there (it isn’t far). I suppose the explanation for this is in the fiber type distribution in my body. I’d attribute it to my training, but for months I’ve been training in low rep ranges (though I was injured) and making snail pace progress. By contrast, I decreased the weight, increased the reps to 20 reps per set and have made progress up to a weight that was challenging for me in low rep ranges in recent history. Perhaps as I end this brief foray into 20 rep squats to give myself a break from going heavy every work out, I’ll discover how much progress I can make at low rep ranges without an injury.
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