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Weighted squat challenge.


Connor Davies
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Connor Davies

I've started training weighted cossack squats.  I've never really heard of anyone pushing the envelope with these, and I want to see how heavy I can get.

 

Anyone want to join me?

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Connor Davies

I'll be posting my progress in this thread.

 

Today I started off with 3x10 (both sides) of 5kg.  Easy enough.  Just wanted to start light to see if it was viable.  Warmed up with 1 set of 15 cossacks, and I had 90 seconds rest between sets.

 

If all goes according to plan, I should be adding 2.5kg a week.

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Connor Davies

How do you weight them? Bar, plate, KB?

At the moment I'm holding a dumbbell goblet style.  If I get to the point where I can't load it up with enough weight, I have a sandbag that I can use zercher style.

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Martin de Jesus Ponce Robaldino

yeah let's load single leg squats 5x10 each leg with 50 pounds=D

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Tristan Curtis

At the moment I'm holding a dumbbell goblet style.  If I get to the point where I can't load it up with enough weight, I have a sandbag that I can use zercher style.

 

I've seen a few hardcore crossfitters hang chains over the back of their necks to cossack. Can't be great for form, but it keeps all your limbs free.

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Connor Davies

Why Cossack squats, just out of interest?

Why not for eg) SLS?

Partially because I'm getting interested in loaded stretching and I want to see if weighted cossack squats impact my flexibility, and partially because I like the way cossacks load up my inner hamstrings, adductors and glutes.  I can feel all the same muscles working when I cossack as I can feel activate when I walk with correct pelvic tilt (bar hip flexors.)

 

And also just because I don't think it has been done enough.  I remember hearing about some weightlifters who decided to see what happens when they load up their dips or inverted rows, and I like the spirit of adventure to the whole thing.  (For reference, they discovered that a weighted dip has an almost 1:1 crossover to a bench press.)

 

Not to mention it's a multiplanar (or at least lateral) movement pattern that has the holistic benefits of building strength in a disadvantaged leverage position.  I can think of loads of reasons to do it, but mostly, I think it will be fun.  Isn't that why we train?

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Connor Davies

Couple updates:

 

Today I again performed 3x10 with 5 kg, but I reduced the rest time down to 60 seconds on the advice of a bodybuilder friend of mine.  I will revisit longer rest periods when I can't make progress, or my rep range shortens.

 

I'm also going to add rear foot elevated split squats on the advice of this post.  I'm just wondering whether to put them before or after the cossacks.  There's a shorter range of motion on the squatting leg, and I've never worked with this ROM and I'm not sure how to program it alongside deeper movements.

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Connor Davies

Are you doing this for mass? The range of reps looks like it.

At this early stage I'm simply sticking to higher rep ranges in order to get a feel for the movement.  As I get more confident with the demands it places on my body, I will be moving to a lower rep range.  This will be a fairly organic process.

 

 

Are you doing them in your warmup, or after the F session? Or on another day entirely?

I've temporarily suspended my F1 workouts in an attempt to move past certain sticking points.  For example, I'm included an increased volume of pulling work, some vertical pressing work, and I'm experimenting with longer duration hold and rest times for SL/PE1.

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Klemen Bobnar

I tried them with 20 kg(all the weight I have at home, two 5 dumbbells and 2 5 plates) for a couple of reps and they didn't feel that hard - on par with an SLS. Didn't feel much stretching going on either, but I already have good flexibility in the bottom position. I think I'll give them another go at the gym when I master SLS progressions :D

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Connor Davies

I tried them with 20 kg.... they didn't feel that hard...

20kg is up there with the heaviest I've ever seen anyone do them at.

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20kg is up there with the heaviest I've ever seen anyone do them at.

Are you serious...? 20kg is nothing. I've seen SLS with 50kg, so I'm sure people can do way more than that.

Anyways, I tried them with 20kg today for a couple sets and honestly, I didn't really like them. Maybe it was because of the way I was holding the dumbbells or something. Maybe it would be more comfortable with a barbell?

I would rather just do back squats to be honest.

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Martin de Jesus Ponce Robaldino

Couple updates:

 

Today I again performed 3x10 with 5 kg, but I reduced the rest time down to 60 seconds on the advice of a bodybuilder friend of mine.  I will revisit longer rest periods when I can't make progress, or my rep range shortens.

 

I'm also going to add rear foot elevated split squats on the advice of this post.  I'm just wondering whether to put them before or after the cossacks.  There's a shorter range of motion on the squatting leg, and I've never worked with this ROM and I'm not sure how to program it alongside deeper movements.

 

 

In my experience, RFESS is a great variation for developing great lowerbody strength and control. It develops a lot the glutes, quads and hamstrings. Also gives you a lot of balance. I've worked with 3-4x8 each leg with 200lb, and 3x6 each with 205lb. They will give you TONS of lowerbody strength.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyIXyJN3sY4

 

Heavy Walking lunges are a great variation too and need lesser length in flexors.

 

 

 

 

Be sure to keep in a convenient lenght your hip flexors, or you will only hurt your low back due to lumbar hyperextension.

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Coach Sommer

Gentlemen,

What I am seeing is both good and bad. Good in that people are challenging themselves. Bad in that they are doing so as a primary focus prematurely before their Foundation work is completed.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

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Connor Davies

Be sure to keep in a convenient length your hip flexors, or you will only hurt your low back due to lumbar hyperextension.

Well according to this the rear foot should really only be elevated 6 inches or so.  However, my plan is not to approach them as a strength exercise, but more as a form of loaded stretching.  So in this case my focus will be on keeping the load relatively light, and increasing the ROM over time.  In an effort to protect my lower back, I will focus on maintaining PPT and glute contraction on the rear leg.

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Martin de Jesus Ponce Robaldino

Well according to this the rear foot should really only be elevated 6 inches or so.  However, my plan is not to approach them as a strength exercise, but more as a form of loaded stretching.  So in this case my focus will be on keeping the load relatively light, and increasing the ROM over time.  In an effort to protect my lower back, I will focus on maintaining PPT and glute contraction on the rear leg.

 

Well, bulgarian lunge is different from RFESS

 

I really wouldn't thrust much in that poliquin article. As you can see, even in the picture the girl demonstrating the bulgarian lunge has terrible form, as her spine is overextended.

 

If you're looking for a nive flexor stretch don't use weighted lunges, or even the unweighted version for that. Use a good masage for realeasing your psoas, quads, sartorius and stretch them without compromising your lumbar spine health.

Also releasing you hamstrings and using a nice stretch for it will reduce the reciprocal inhibition for flexors.

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Travis Widmann

 In an effort to protect my lower back, I will focus on maintaining PPT and glute contraction on the rear leg.

 

Is PPT really advisable when you're loading a squat variation?

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Connor Davies

Is PPT really advisable when you're loading a squat variation?

In this case I think it will be okay.  Remember I'm doing it specifically to avoid lumbar hyperextension.  The RFESS doesn't load the spine up very much either.

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Martin de Jesus Ponce Robaldino

Is PPT really advisable when you're loading a squat variation?

You don't wanna excessive lumbar extension by having an excessive APT. But you also don't want to use a marked PPT as won't be good |for your back.

 

Keep your entire back in a neutral alignment and brace it.

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