x7 and x10 squats dreadful

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Personal info: M 6’1” 190# 45 years old pitiful SQ BE PR DL numbers

Brief training hist: stuck in 3?/clarification mindset for too many years, finally onboard with bbm/rts/rpe, week 8 of beginner template, numbers took a dive early with max 3 min rests, bench and deadlift responding well, squat so-so. Can only train twice a week so a 10-day training week. After beginner template (purchased so all 3 phases) planning to rotate strength 1 and powerbuilding 1. Home gym so limited equipment.

Long term goals: maximize big 3 1rm for powerlifting meet participation

So…

The x7 and x10 squat sessions have become dreadful to the point of inducing anxiety aggravated knees and just plain old no fun. I’m not going to do them anymore. I have come up with a couple alternatives and was wondering if you could provide feedback and/or alternative solutions.

  1. nut up and do the x7 and x10 (how machismo!)
  2. continue beginner phase 1 for a few more weeks using x4 for all three weekly squat sessions
  3. move on to phase 2
  4. move on to strength 1
  5. other? Thanks in advance!
2

Wilgelec,

Thanks for the post. A few thoughts ehre:

  1. I would not do a 10-day training week, but rather do 2x/wk RT and otherwise meet the aerobic guidelines within a 7-day period.
  2. I would do the sets of 7 and 10 as described, but lower the weight/change the variation(s) to make them more tolerable. Doing 4’s (or 5’s) ad nauseam is not the way to get strong, jacked, and condition so…you’re going to have to expose yourself to other rep ranges.
  3. If you have not doing phases 2 or 3 yet, I would not do Strength 1 or PB 1 prior do doing them. If your numbers are going down, I’d move onto the next phase.

-Jordan

3

Are there any issues with having a wide separation between e1rms for the different rep ranges?

Since I’ve been doing lower reps for so long now I’m much better at them and the e1rms are much higher than the x7 and x10. Perhaps I’ve been overshooting RPEs on the higher reps in an attempt to “catch up” with the lower reps.