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It's Not Big & It’s Not Clever - “Why You Shouldn’t Smolov (or the Russian Squat Program)”
- JHEPCxTJH
- Oct 1
- 22 min read
It's Not Big & It’s Not Clever - “Why You Shouldn’t Smolov (or the Russian Squat Program)”
The Legend and the Rite of Passage
The names Smolov and Smolov Jr. carry weight far beyond the spreadsheets they were first shared on. Before social media coaches and YouTube gurus packaged programming into digital storefronts, lifters found their templates on forums like T-Nation, EliteFTS' Q&A logs, PowerliftingToWin and scattered PDFs circulating in underground corners of the internet. Among those templates, Smolov stood out as the most extreme. It wasn’t presented as a steady, year-long development model, but as a brutal, short-term cycle designed to smash through a plateau and leave the lifter with a squat far heavier than they had any right to possess.
In the 2000s, when information was scarce and training culture leaned heavily into extremes, this was irresistible. A plan promising forty kilos on your squat in a single cycle became a form of folklore. On message boards, people would speak about “surviving Smolov” as if it was an ordeal comparable to a trial of strength or endurance. The narrative wasn’t just about the weight added to the bar - it was about the identity you gained by putting yourself through something most wouldn’t dare attempt.
Smolov Jr. followed as the scaled-down, “accessible” cousin. While the full Smolov mesocycles demanded months of high-frequency squatting at intensities that would break down most recreational lifters, Smolov Jr. compressed the same philosophy into shorter bursts. This opened the door to running it not only for the squat, but also for the bench press. Many lifters encountered their first bout of tendonitis precisely because they applied a program originally designed for squats to their upper body pressing.
Alongside Smolov, the Russian Squat Program also circulated as a badge of seriousness. This one was pitched as a “shock cycle” from Soviet-era training systems, complete with escalating percentages and punishing frequency. Its reputation was much the same: it was seen as something only the committed or the unhinged would attempt, a gauntlet to prove that you were more than a casual lifter. Surviving meant you belonged.
These routines weren’t just programs; they became cultural artefacts of a time when lifting communities equated suffering with progress. Everyone “knew a guy” who supposedly added 20, 30, 40 or even 60kg to their squat after twelve weeks of Smolov. The stories spread like campfire tales - difficult to verify, often exaggerated, but compelling enough to inspire waves of lifters to try. Even when results didn’t match the legends, the identity of being “the kind of person who runs Smolov” was seen as reward enough.
What was missing in those early conversations was context. These programs were designed for very specific populations and circumstances, yet they were exported wholesale to lifters without the same recovery resources, without PED support, and often without the technical foundation needed to handle repeated heavy squatting at high frequency. Still, the myth of Smolov and its Russian cousin persisted, largely because the community wanted something extreme to rally around.
What Smolov Actually Is (and Isn’t)
Smolov is often spoken about as though it were one continuous brutal plan, but it was structured as a series of phases. Each had a distinct role in the overall progression, and understanding them reveals why the program works in the short term but collapses in the long term.
Introductory Microcycle: This first phase is two weeks of squatting with gradually increasing intensity. It was meant to prepare the lifter for the shock that was about to come. The reality for most lifters is that it already feels overwhelming, because even the “introductory” phase assumes a base level of recovery and tolerance that casual or intermediate lifters rarely possess.
Base Mesocycle: This is the part that people actually mean when they say “I ran Smolov.” It lasts four weeks and has you squatting three or four times per week at brutal volume: sets of nine, seven, and five at percentages that creep into the 80s. Across these sessions, you accumulate dozens of heavy, high-bar reps per week with little room for error. This is where the stories of rapid progress originate, because the sheer tonnage forces adaptation quickly.
Switching Phase: After that comes two weeks of “switching” which swaps in explosive and partial squat variations. It was intended as a recovery block, but in practice most lifters simply used it as a chance to catch their breath.
Intense Mesocycle: If the base phase was high-volume brutality, this one is high-intensity punishment. It piles on triples, doubles, and singles at near-maximal loads three to four days a week. Combined with the fatigue already built up, this is where tendons, hips, and lower backs often start to give out.
Taper: A final two-week peaking block leads into a test day, the payoff of the entire ordeal. This is where you hear the stories of lifters adding 20, 30, or even 40 kilos to their squat. But the cycle’s design almost guarantees that you will never replicate those gains again in the same way.
The program’s defining feature is not its periodisation, but its sheer volume and frequency. Three to four heavy squat days every week for months is not just a challenge, it is a demand on joints, connective tissue, and recovery systems that outstrips what most people can manage. Smolov is built on brute force adaptation through repeated exposure. The idea is simple: throw so much workload at the body that it has no choice but to adapt.
This model reflects the assumptions of the time in which Smolov was conceived. As noted in both PowerliftingToWin and Empire Barbell, the original lifters who benefited from it often had access to recovery tools, pharmaceutical assistance, and training lifestyles that allowed them to eat, sleep, and recover at levels unavailable to most modern lifters. When you take the same framework and drop it onto an intermediate lifter with a day job and average genetics, the result is overuse injuries and burnout.
For that reason, Smolov is not the advanced plan that its reputation suggests. It is at best an intermediate shock routine: a way of hammering the squat so relentlessly that it forces a short-term breakthrough. The real gains are immediate and unsustainable. It is the same principle you see when a lifter starts benching four or five times per week and experiences a short burst of progress. Where do you go after that? The central nervous system adapts, but also depletes. You have raised your tolerance so high that no further progression is possible without breaking yourself down.
This is why, in modern lifting circles, almost no one actually runs the full Smolov anymore. What circulates now is Smolov Jr. - the truncated, three-week “bench or squat boost” version. It takes the punishing base mesocycle, trims it down, and markets it as a convenient shock block. The downsides remain: tendonitis, fried recovery, and a wall of diminishing returns once the novelty wears off.
Smolov, in its complete form, was never designed to be sustainable. It is not a long-term plan, it is a stress test. Treating it as a developmental program is where lifters get into trouble.
The Problems in Practice
When you strip away the folklore and look at Smolov or the Russian Squat Program in real-world application, the problems are obvious. The same themes repeat across every serious review, forum log, or retrospective: overuse injuries, poor balance, unrealistic recovery demands, and a complete absence of sustainable progression.
Overuse injuries The most common outcome of running Smolov is not a new personal record but tendonitis. The program forces three to four weekly exposures to the straight bar squat. For lifters with poor shoulder mobility, this position places constant strain on the elbows and wrists. Even with good mobility, the volume builds irritation rapidly. Many lifters who attempt to bench on top of Smolov find the condition worsened almost immediately. The bar position creates chronic inflammation in the connective tissues that benching also stresses, so pain compounds with every session. Smolov Jr. makes this worse when applied to the bench press itself. High-frequency heavy pressing without intelligent variation almost guarantees elbow or pec issues.
Imbalance Another cost is the way Smolov sidelines other lifts. The volume and frequency it demands from the squat leave no room for meaningful deadlift training, upper body work, or accessories. Over a 12-week cycle, a lifter’s squat may climb, but their bench and pull often stagnate or regress. Weak points remain untouched because there is no targeted accessory work. In effect, Smolov teaches you how to survive squats, not how to become a stronger lifter overall. The Russian Squat Program shares the same flaw: tunnel vision on a single lift with no systemic development.
Recovery mismatch Smolov was built on assumptions that do not apply to most lifters. It assumes access to recovery modalities, medical oversight, and often chemical support. For a lifter with a normal job and no PEDs, the program quickly becomes unsustainable. Sleep debt, joint stress, and nervous system fatigue pile up faster than the body can adapt. Even for those who complete the cycle, the end often looks like crawling across the finish line rather than arriving stronger and healthier.
Short-term versus long-term The appeal of Smolov is the promise of immediate progress. Some lifters do see a squat personal record at the end of the taper. The problem is that those gains rarely last. The lifter has raised their tolerance so high that any following program feels light or ineffective. There is nowhere to progress without increasing frequency or intensity beyond what the body can handle. It is the same phenomenon as a lifter benching five times a week: the initial shock produces results, but the ceiling is reached quickly, and regression follows. Smolov burns the candle at both ends, leaving the lifter with little fuel for future cycles.
The Russian Squat Program The Russian Squat Program suffers from the same problems, only in a slightly different structure. Its escalating percentages and punishing rep schemes were designed as shock training blocks, not as long-term development plans. Like Smolov, it demands a level of recovery and resilience that most lifters do not have. It also provides no room for individualisation, making it a poor fit for anyone with unique weak points, leverage disadvantages, or injury history. In practice, it leaves lifters just as worn down and unbalanced, with the same plateau waiting at the other end.
Both programs were born from a culture of shock loading, where volume and intensity alone were seen as the solution to plateaus. Modern strength training recognises that intelligent variation, accessory work, and recovery management are what build lasting progress. Smolov and its Russian cousin deliver pain and short-term numbers, but they rarely deliver long-term strength.
Who Should Absolutely Not Run These
Not every lifter is a candidate for shock loading, and most who try it are exactly the ones who shouldn’t. If you fall into any of these categories, Smolov and the Russian Squat Program are a straight line to burnout or injury:
Pain history: anyone with recurring elbow, knee, hip, or back irritation. These cycles don’t forgive chronic weak links - they magnify them.
Day-job recovery constraints: lifters who spend eight hours sitting at a desk, or on their feet without control of diet/sleep, simply cannot meet the recovery demand.
Poor shoulder mobility: three to four weekly exposures to a straight bar squat with pinned shoulders is a recipe for tendonitis.
Under-80% technical inconsistency: if your squat form breaks down when the bar creeps over 80% of your max, then stacking dozens of reps at 80–90% per week will only ingrain bad movement patterns.
Why It Became Popular Anyway
To understand why Smolov and the Russian Squat Program spread so widely, you have to look at the culture of lifting at the time. In the early 2000s, strength training communities were shaped by forums, message boards, and tight-knit subcultures rather than the algorithm-driven feeds of today. Legitimacy in those spaces was often earned by enduring the most punishing routines. Hardcore suffering was worn as a badge of honour. If a program was brutally hard, that alone was taken as proof that it must work.
Smolov fit that mentality perfectly. It was demanding, punishing, and extreme. Surviving it became a rite of passage in the same way as running Sheiko marathons or grinding through endless cycles of 5x5. The appeal was not just in the possibility of a bigger squat but in proving to yourself and others that you could withstand something most people would not attempt. It was less about long-term development and more about crossing a trial of fire.
This was also a different time in lifting more generally. The culture rewarded doing more, not doing better. Training to failure, stacking as much volume as possible, and choosing programs that promised suffering were all viewed as more authentic than carefully managing fatigue or tailoring programming to the individual. By contrast, modern lifters are far more inclined to seek out efficiency. Many now look for ways to train the least they can while still progressing. The pendulum has swung from glorifying extremes to glorifying minimalism.
What remained constant, however, is the mistake of equating difficulty with effectiveness. Smolov and the Russian Squat Program are both miserable to complete, but misery does not equal optimal training. Their appeal was always cultural rather than scientific. They gave lifters a story to tell, a shared experience to bond over, and a chance to demonstrate toughness. But that does not make them good programming.
Who Actually Benefited?
The reality is that the pool of lifters who truly benefited from programs like Smolov has always been small.
The classic profile looks something like this:
Young, resilient intermediates who could absorb an absurd amount of volume without breaking down, and who already had solid squat mechanics.
PED-assisted lifters with enhanced recovery capacity and fewer real-world competing priorities (work, sport practice, family, etc.). Historically, these are the lifters most often cited as having “survived” and thrived on it.
Even in those cases, the results weren’t always lasting. Many lifters saw a sharp spike in squat numbers only to plateau hard afterwards, or found that the progress came with a steep price tag in the form of chronic pain and overuse injuries. Others got the fabled “Smolov bump,” only to watch it vanish within a training cycle or two because the adaptation couldn’t be sustained.
In short: it worked for a very narrow slice of the lifting population, and even then, it was more of a flash in the pan than a long-term solution.
When Could a Shock Block Make Sense?
There is a narrow slice of lifters who can make use of shock loading without wrecking themselves. Think: young, technically solid intermediates with exceptional recovery, no injury history, and the ability to eat, sleep, and train like a full-time athlete. For them, a short burst of overreach can sometimes kick-start adaptation.
Even then, the smart approach is not a 12-week Smolov marathon but a 2–3 week controlled shock block built around variation: one heavy barbell squat, one specialty-bar squat, and one front or pause squat each week. Volume spikes, yes, but the rotated stresses spread the load and allow recovery. Follow it immediately with a deload and a structured Conjugate base cycle. The “shock” is delivered, but the damage isn’t permanent.
What To Do Instead (Intermediate Plateau Solutions)
If Smolov was the “shortcut” that never really worked, the alternative isn’t to throw yourself at another random spreadsheet or just add more weight to the bar until your knees beg for mercy. The solution is to build a squat that actually lasts-one that isn’t just a 12-week fling but a foundation you can keep progressing for years. That’s where a Conjugate approach destroys Smolov.
Instead of smashing the same pattern over and over until you break, Conjugate breaks plateaus by rotating stress, targeting weaknesses, and developing multiple traits at once. It’s not just about the squat going up in the short term-it’s about keeping the whole system of strength moving forward. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
1. Rotate Max Effort Squat Variations to Target Weak Points
Most intermediates plateau because they’ve already squeezed all the juice out of straight bar back squats. Running them into the ground with endless volume doesn’t solve anything. Instead, rotate heavy max effort squats every 1–3 weeks. Box squats to build starting strength. Safety bar squats to strengthen the upper back and midline. Front squats for quads and posture. Paused squats for confidence in the hole. Each max effort session gives you a chance to strain, to build limit strength in a slightly different position, and to expose a weak link.
2. Use Dynamic Effort Work to Build Speed and Force
Where Smolov had you buried under slow, grinding reps, Conjugate has you moving fast. Dynamic Effort squats-waves of 8–12 sets of 2 reps with bands or chains-train you to explode out of the hole, not just survive in it. Add in box squats and you get measurable force production, the kind that carries over directly to strongman events, powerlifting platforms, or even the field. Bar speed matters, and DE training ensures you’re not just strong-you’re fast under the bar.
3. Layer in Repetition and Special Effort Work for Hypertrophy
Conjugate doesn’t ignore volume-it just puts it where it belongs. Instead of drowning in endless sets of back squats, you use targeted hypertrophy work to bring up weak muscle groups. Good mornings, lunges, belt squats, step-ups, hamstring curls, sled drags-the list is endless. This builds the muscle mass and work capacity that keep your squat climbing, without frying your CNS. The result is more horsepower behind your squat without wrecking recovery for everything else.
4. Keep Bench and Deadlift Progressing Too
One of the worst things about Smolov is that it treats your squat like the only lift that matters. You squat four days a week, everything else stagnates, and you hope the squat PR is worth it. Conjugate doesn’t sacrifice the rest of your total. By design, it keeps your bench, deadlift, and overhead strength moving forward at the same time. The squat gets stronger without dragging the rest of your training into a ditch.
Plateau-Breaker: 4-Week Conjugate Squat Block
Why This Block Exists
Most lifters who hit a squat plateau don’t need another three-month grind - they need a sharp, targeted cycle that forces adaptation without wrecking recovery. This 4-week Conjugate block delivers that. It rotates stress, exposes weak points, and builds both speed and limit strength while keeping recovery intact.
Weekly Lower Structure
Max Effort (ME) Lower
Goal: Strain against a new variation weekly, build limit strength in weak positions.
Prescription: Rotate squat variations weekly. Work to a top single or triple (RPE 9–9.5). Then perform 2–3 back-off sets at 85–90% of that top effort.
Dynamic Effort (DE) Lower
Goal: Develop explosive power and reinforce crisp technique.
Prescription: 8–12 sets of 2 reps on a box squat, using 55–65% bar load plus light bands/chains (20–25% if available). Alternate 3-week waves of 55/60/65%.
Rule: The primary lifts on DE Lower are always Squat and Deadlift - both must be trained here.
Repetition Effort (RE) / Accessories
Goal: Add muscle mass, build durability, and target weak chains.
Prescription: 3–5 accessory movements, 60–120 total reps per chain. Prioritise the posterior chain first.
Variation Rotation (Example)
Week 1: Safety-bar box squat to parallel
Week 2: High-bar pause squat (3 count)
Week 3: Cambered-bar low box squat
Week 4: Front squat heavy triple
Accessory Priorities
Good mornings or RDLs (hamstrings/low back)
Belt squat or walking lunges (quads/glutes)
Hamstring curls (posterior isolation)
Reverse hyper / back extensions (posterior chain health)
Ab work: weighted sit-ups, hanging leg raises, or ab wheel
Integration
Bench and deadlift are not sidelined. Micro-doses (detailed below) keep both moving while the squat block dominates.
Bench and Deadlift Maintenance While Chasing Squat Progress
Here’s exactly what “maintenance” looks like so your total doesn’t slide while you chase squat progress:
Bench Press: two micro-sessions per week.
Day A: 5×3 at 70–80% comp grip, followed by 2 triceps movements for 60–80 total reps.
Day B: 6–8×2 speed bench at 55–65%, plus rear delts/lats for 80–120 reps.
Deadlift: one micro-dose per week, usually after DE Lower.
6–8×1 at 60–70% competition stance, moved fast. No grinders, no max attempts, just crisp bar speed.
These touches are enough to keep the groove sharp and the muscle groups growing, while still leaving recovery resources for the squat to climb.
Alternative Bench & Deadlift Micro-Doses
Why You Need This
One of the biggest fears about hammering a squat block is losing bench and deadlift strength. These micro-sessions keep the lifts fresh, build muscle, and stop regression without pulling recovery away from squat progress.
Bench (2×/week, 25–35 min each)
Day A (Heavy Technique):
5×3 at 70–80% comp grip bench
Follow with 2 triceps isolation moves (60–80 reps total)
Day B (Speed + Volume):
6–8×2 speed bench at 55–65% (comp grip or slightly wider)
Add rear delts and lats (80–120 reps)
Deadlift (1×/week after DE Lower)
6–8×1 at 60–70% comp stance/height
Every rep fast and clean, no grinders
Straps optional if grip fatigue slows bar speed
This workload maintains the bench press, keeps the deadlift motor pattern sharp, and even adds hypertrophy where it counts - without costing the squat any recovery currency.
Recovery Standards & Red Flags
Brutal training only works if recovery is on point. These are the non-negotiables:
Sleep: minimum seven hours nightly, with at least two nights per week over eight. Anything less and fatigue compounds too fast.
GPP/steps: 6–10k steps or light conditioning on off-days to keep joints and recovery systems moving.
Stop rules: if elbows or hips are flaring beyond normal DOMS, or bar speed drops more than 15% on dynamic sets, the session is done.
Next-day adjustments: if you wake up wrecked, cut accessories by half or skip them. No “make-up” work later in the week.
The body adapts to stress, not to being buried alive. Knowing when to pull back is what keeps the long-term progress intact.
If you’re an intermediate lifter who has hit the wall, you don’t need Smolov. You need a system that attacks weak points, rotates stress, and develops strength in every quality at once. That’s what Conjugate does. It doesn’t leave you wrecked, plateaued, or injured-it leaves you stronger across the board.
And if you’re the type who still craves something that feels difficult and hardcore, there are smarter ways to scratch that itch without burning your career to the ground. This is where programs like C.J. Murphy’s 12/15/20 Squat Wave or Mark Estrebillo’s (@coachmarkestrebillo) 20-Rep Squat Program come in. They give you that old-school brutality, the kind of sets where your lungs and legs are on fire and you question your life choices-but they’re structured, progressive, and they actually carry over to long-term strength.
Run Conjugate as your foundation. Rotate max effort squats, hammer speed, and build your accessories. Then, once or twice a year, throw in a cycle like the 12/15/20 wave or Coach Mark’s 20-rep squat progression. You’ll get the suffering and the glory, but without the wasted months and broken joints that Smolov left in its wake.
But if you want something that actually feels as hardcore as Smolov without being a useless grind, check out Mark Estrebillo’s (@coachmarkestrebillo) take on the 20-rep squat wave. It’s whacky, yes. It’s brutal, definitely. And it has a clear endgame: hit a true 20-rep max with real weight on the bar.
Mark laid out a 16-week progression that blends heavy singles, rep PRs, and back-off volume all centred around the 20-rep target. Instead of just piling on junk volume, every week pushes you closer to that one moment where you put the bar on your back, breathe, and fight for twenty straight.
Coach Mark Estrebillo’s 20-Rep Squat Program
On Instagram, Mark Estrebillo (@coachmarkestrebillo) recently shared a squat program built around chasing a new 20-rep max. Unlike typical squat cycles that revolve around singles, fives, or tens, this one takes direct aim at that classic, brutal test of willpower: a true set of 20 breathing squats with a heavy load.
Mark’s target was a 20RM at 365 lbs, and he put together a 16-week progression to get there. The program is percentage-based, so anyone can scale it by using 70–80% of their 1RM as the projected 20-rep target.
He notes a few things up front:
In his own run, he experimented with progressing the top singles instead of the “touches” at the planned 20RM-but warns that this is a bad idea and not recommended.
The percentages in the main program are based off your goal 20RM (not your competition squat max).
The endgame: build enough strength and tolerance at moderate-to-high reps that by Week 16, you can hit your new 20-rep goal.
Program Structure (16 Weeks)
Each week has a top set (heavy singles, rep work, or AMRAPs) followed by main sets based on your projected 20RM.
Week-by-Week Progression (percentage-based version):
Week 1: 100% ×1–3, then 2×8–10 @ 80%
Week 2: 100% ×1–3, then 1×12–15 @ 78%
Week 3: 100% ×1–3, then 1×AMRAP @ 86%
Week 4: 100% ×5–8, then 2×5 @ 92%
Week 5: 100% ×1–3, then 2×8–10 @ 84%
Week 6: 100% ×1–3, then 1×12–15 @ 80%
Week 7: 100% ×1–3, then 1×AMRAP @ 89%
Week 8: 100% ×8–12, then 2×5 @ 93%
Week 9: 100% ×1–3, then 2×8–10 @ 86%
Week 10: 100% ×1–3, then 1×12–15 @ 84%
Week 11: 100% ×1–3, then 1×AMRAP @ 92%
Week 12: 100% ×10–15, then 2×5 @ 95%
Week 13: 100% ×1–3, then 2×8–10 @ 89%
Week 14: 100% ×1–3, then 1×12–15 @ 86%
Week 15: 100% ×1–3, then 1×12–15 @ 96% (or attempt goal)
Week 16: 100% ×20 (goal attempt)
Mark’s “Idiot Version” (His Actual Numbers)
Mark also shared the version he personally ran, using real numbers instead of percentages. His target was 365×20.
Week 1: 365×1–2, then 2×8–10 @ 295
Week 2: 385×1–2, then 1×12–15 @ 285
Week 3: 405×1–2, then 1×AMRAP @ 315 (target 15–18)
Week 4: 365×5–8, then 2×5 @ 335
Week 5: 405×1–2, then 2×8–10 @ 305
Week 6: 420×1–2, then 1×12–15 @ 295
Week 7: 435×1–2, then 1×AMRAP @ 325 (target 15–18)
Week 8: 365×8–12, then 2×5 @ 340
Week 9: 445×1–2, then 2×8–10 @ 315
Week 10: 455×1–2, then 1×12–15 @ 305
Week 11: 465×1–2, then 1×AMRAP @ 335 (target 15–18)
Week 12: 365×10–15, then 2×5 @ 345
Week 13: 475×1–2, then 2×8–10 @ 325
Week 14: 495×1–2, then 1×12–15 @ 315
Week 15: 365×1–2, then 1×12–15 @ 350 (or go for goal)
Week 16: 365×20 attempt
When to Use It
This isn’t meet prep. Mark suggests it works best in the off-season, especially if you’re trying to fill out a weight class or just want to push volume and conditioning. For powerbuilders, he notes that Dante Trudel once suggested 500×20 as a long-term goal for a bodybuilder-about 1.8× bodyweight for 20 reps.
It’s a brutal cycle, but if you want something old-school and masochistic that builds both strength and lungs, this is worth a run.
What about the 12/15/20 squat wave
Now, don’t get me wrong - I’m not against hard training. In fact, I love brutal cycles that push lifters right up to their limit. But the key is that the suffering has to pay off. That’s where the 12/15/20 squat wave comes in.
This is not for beginners. It’s not for cowards. It’s not for meet prep unless you’ve got a max-rep squat event on the horizon. But if you want to build slabs of muscle, crush your conditioning, and push weights for reps you never thought possible, this is it. It’s an old-school breathing squat program-one of those ugly, nasty little waves that looks stupid on paper until you try it. Then you find out it’s exactly the kind of whacky hardcore template that forges real strength.
Smolov will chew you up and leave you limping. The 12/15/20 squat program will chew you up too-but it spits you out stronger, bigger, and able to handle barbell weights you didn’t think belonged in the same room as high reps.
The Concept:
One squat session per week – this is your primary squat day.
Use breathing squats (grind reps with deep breaths between them, do not rack the bar until the set is complete).
Pick a starting weight you can do for 10 reps, then push it to 12 reps.
Progress each week by either adding weight or increasing reps.
Original 12/15/20 Program (Insane Version)
Example starting weight: 200 lbs (adjust to your level).
Week 1: 3×12 (weight you can only do for 10) – 200 lbs
Week 2: 3×15 (+5–10%) – 220 lbs
Week 3: 2×20 (+5%) – 230 lbs
Week 4: 3×12 (+10%) – 255 lbs
Week 5: 3×15 (+5%) – 265 lbs
Week 6: 2×20 (+5%) – 280 lbs
Week 7: 3×12 (+5%) – 295 lbs
Week 8: 3×15 (+5%) – 310 lbs
Week 9: 1×20 (+5%) – 325 lbs
By Week 9 you’re squatting 125 lbs more for 20 reps than when you started.
Notes:
On 15 and 20 rep weeks, cut accessory work and eat more.
On 20 rep weeks, you may skip accessory work entirely if fried.
Updated 12/15/20 Program (Built-in Deloads)
Example starting weight: 200 lbs. This version repeats weights on weeks 4 and 7 to provide recovery.
Week 1: 3×12 (weight you can only do for 10) – 200 lbs
Week 2: 3×15 (+10 lbs) – 210 lbs
Week 3: 2×20 (+10 lbs) – 220 lbs
Week 4: 3×12 (same weight as Wk 3) – 220 lbs
Week 5: 3×15 (+10 lbs) – 230 lbs
Week 6: 2×20 (+10 lbs) – 240 lbs
Week 7: 3×12 (same weight as Wk 6) – 240 lbs
Week 8: 3×15 (+10 lbs) – 250 lbs
Week 9: 1×20 (+10 lbs) – 260 lbs
This version climbs slower but has built-in recovery.
Assistance Work
Keep it minimal. Suggestions:
Pull-throughs
Glute-ham raises (GHR)
Reverse hypers
Do 2–3 extra exercises only. On high-rep weeks, keep them light or skip.
Key Rules
Do not rack the weight until the set is finished.
Do not cut depth.
Do not quit early – the mind will give up before the body.
Run only once per year, max twice.
Integration Notes for the 20-Rep Wave / 12-15-20 Cycle
How to Integrate Without Wrecking Recovery
These cycles are brutally effective, but only if you know how to slot them into a broader system. Here’s how to make them work with Conjugate:
Dynamic Effort Lower (DE)
Keep it, but reduce squat work to 5-6×2 @ 50–60% during high-rep week.
Pulls stay in: speed deadlifts 6–8×1 @ 50–70%.
Accessories on 15/20-Rep Weeks
Cap posterior chain work at 2 movements (60–80 reps total).
On true 20-rep weeks, you may skip accessories entirely. Prioritise food and recovery.
Deload Protocol After Milestone
The week after hitting your 20-rep goal = full deload.
Squat: 2–3×5 @ 50%
Bench & deadlift: 60% technique work only
Accessories: 50% volume cap
Transition Back Into Conjugate
Resume ME Lower with a rotated barbell variation at 70–80% doubles/triples.
Return to normal DE Lower wave (55/60/65%) over three weeks.
This keeps the 20-rep brutality as a growth stimulus but ensures the gains are banked instead of lost.
On-Ramp and Off-Ramp
On-Ramp: If you’re coming off a plateau or a failed squat cycle, start with three to four weeks of lighter Conjugate work before chasing heavier maxes. Rotate bars (safety, cambered, front), hit 70–85% doubles and triples, and rebuild your accessory volume. Think of this as priming the joints and nervous system for proper strain.
Off-Ramp: If you’ve just finished something brutal like Mark’s 20-rep wave or the 12/15/20 cycle, don’t dive straight into another peaking run. Take a one-week deload (50–60% loads, half volume) and then transition into a Conjugate base: weekly ME rotations, DE box work, and targeted accessories. This consolidates the gains, instead of letting them vanish the moment the novelty wears off.
The on-ramp prevents breakdown before you push. The off-ramp ensures the hard work actually sticks.
Smolov is no longer the badge of honour it once was. In the early days of internet lifting, finishing the cycle meant something, even if the results were inconsistent and the injuries were common.
Today, with the amount of knowledge and programming options available, Smolov is a relic. It represents an outdated view of training where suffering was treated as proof of effectiveness.
There is no achievement in grinding through weeks of joint pain only to finish with elbow tendonitis, irritated hips, or a squat pattern that has broken down under fatigue. There is no value in building a short-lived personal record that comes at the expense of balanced strength and long-term progress. The “rite of passage” mindset is not what builds elite lifters. Intelligent programming, recovery management, and targeted weak point training do.
If you have hit a squat plateau, there are smarter ways forward. Conjugate training gives you the ability to rotate variations, attack your weak points, and develop bar speed while still keeping the bench and deadlift moving. Hybrid strongman squat templates provide variation through loading styles, implements, and stance changes that challenge the body without breaking it down. Variation-driven cycles allow you to stress the squat pattern from multiple angles rather than burning yourself out with the same straight-bar movement four times a week.
Hard training will always be necessary, but hard does not have to mean reckless. Hardcore does not mean stupid. Do not waste months running through Russian shock routines that leave you broken down when you could be investing the same time into building strength that lasts.
If you want an approach that actually moves your squat forward without tearing everything else down, start with structured Conjugate base-building or a focused peaking plan. These are the methods that build lifters who are still progressing year after year, not just for one cycle.
Okay, if You’re Still Dumb Enough to Run Smolov, Here’s What You Need to Know
Look - I’ve just spent thousands of words explaining why Smolov is outdated, reckless, and largely a waste of your training time. But some of you will still run it, because lifters are stubborn. If that’s you, here are the survival notes pulled from people who’ve actually lived through it:
1. Don’t use your true 1RM in the calculator Knock ~10% off your best squat and use that instead. If you plug in your real max, you’re basically writing your own injury report.
2. Eat like it’s your job Running Smolov in a calorie deficit is suicide. Even the guys who survived it were eating 1,000+ calories over maintenance. If you don’t fuel it, you won’t finish it.
3. Don’t drown yourself in mobility work Sounds counterintuitive, but too much foam rolling and loosening up can destabilise your squat pattern under fatigue. Keep it tight, keep it specific.
4. Plan around the back pump Your erectors will be on fire after every session. Sitting, driving, even walking to the car becomes an ordeal. Don’t book a road trip on Smolov week.
5. Anti-inflammatories are a double-edged sword They’re not a licence to mask pain and charge on, but short-term use might stop you compensating your way into a tear. Know the line.
6. Delay the belt Save your lifting belt until the final week. The added support will feel like a weapon when fatigue is at its peak.
7. Don’t run it often Even the advocates will tell you: twice a year, max. Any more and you’re gambling with your joints.
If you’re going to run Smolov anyway, at least respect how violent it is. Treat it like a stress test, not a lifestyle. Use the tips above, hit your numbers, and then move on to something that actually builds strength long-term because Smolov never was, and never will be, a blueprint.
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