Self-Titled First Post

"Squat, you are my nemesis."

Several months ago, I read Nick Horton's "The Squat Nemesis Program: An Introduction To Volume, Load, And Intensity Zone Training," (herein referred to as the "Nemesis Program") and I must admit his concept intrigued me.  The Nemesis Program calls for squatting five consecutive days, Monday through Friday, always to a daily maximum, then moving down for back-off triples and fives.  Nick recommends most people perform these triples by "ramping up" the intensity, starting somewhere around 70 percent of that day's best, and adding a small amount of weight to each subsequent set (he suggests 3-5 percent jumps).  The final set of three is broadly defined as "heavy," i.e. the upper end of Zone 2, but NOT a 3rm.  The program concludes with two sets of five at 50 percent (once again of that day's best single).  Nick writes of these final sets, "You do these for speed . . . [t]he goal here isn't weight on the bar (per se) it is the perfection of the lift.  Go down under perfect control, and then explode out of the hole like your life depends on it."  If you are interested in learning more about the Nemesis Program, i.e. the loading vs. deloading weeks, please check out the following website:

http://www.theironsamurai.com/2012/08/23/the-squat-nemesis-program-an-introduction-to-volume-load-and-intensity-zone-training/

Now, in my own training, I experimented with a similar approach, and although my self-programmed variation was far less structured and included far less volume with respect to the back-off sets, it still produced surprisingly good results (over one four-week period I added 15 kilos to my back squat, not bad for no formal coaching).  Despite the many positive results I was seeing -- strength gains, reduced soreness, etc. -- I broke from the program because older, more experienced lifters told me I was "crazy," "nuts," or "begging for an injury" by squatting to maximum daily.  For this reason, Nick's Nemesis Program reasonated with me, and it confirmed my own informal observations.

With my self-confidence renewed courtesy of Nick Horton, I am once again ready to venture into the strange "Bulgarian" land of "daily maximums."  I cannot be sure where this journey will lead me, but rest assured I am prepared to eat more, sleep more and drink more whole milk.  Stay tuned for future progress reports.

Thanks, Nick.

PS - Max Aita is a beast.  I watch this clip when I'm riding the 5:16 a.m. bus to the gym -- very motivating, especially the set of five.