In this post, I’m going to share a workout program I’ve done lately with huge success. It’s a variant of the 20 rep squat programs that you can find online if you just google them. Here is a decent article which lays out some of the principles. This is not a program for someone brand new to weights. Don’t do this until you’ve been lifting at least a year or so. Also, for the love of all that’s holy, learn how to squat properly before doing this program. Good tutorial here.

 

Before I get into the details though, I want to talk about why I think this is important. First, men need struggle and squats are struggle. Second, if you are going to lift, don’t waste your time in the gym (machines, biceps only, no programming, etc.). Third, this program just fucking works in terms of strength, strength endurance, hypertrophy, hormonal changes, and mental resilience.

 

Program Overview
So here is what I did. I do 5/3/1 3x per week with a workout that looks something like this:

 

Workout A
Squats 5/3/1
Bench 5/3/1
2-3 assistance exercises
1 set of 20 squats

 

Workout B
Deadlifts 5/3/1
2-3 assistance exercises
Core work
1 set of 20 squats

 

Workout C
Overhead Press 5/3/1
2-3 assistance exercises
Core work
1 set of 20 squats

 

On this program, I started with a weight that was ~55% of my then 1RM so 205lbs. I then planned to do this program for 6 weeks and do the extra set of squats (I thought of them as Finishers) after every workout. The key is that you add 5lb EVERY workout. So 205 the first day, 210 the second, etc. If you do 18 workouts over 6 weeks, you will have added 90lbs. I jumped weights a couple of times until I finished with 315lbs on my last set of 20.

 

Good assistance exercises to include are stuff like pullups, dips, Kroc rows, DB press (bench or overhead), leg curls, hypers if you have the machine, lat & bicep stuff, etc. Don’t be johnny douchebag and just focus on iso arm stuff.

 

The Actual Set of 20
Let’s talk now about the actual set of 20. It sucks. It sucks a lot. If you have a training partner, have them stand close to you and hold up fingers to help count off because as that weight gets heavier, you will lose count in the teens. As you go, focus on breathing and bracing. Don’t rush. I found a good set of headphones with a rage song works wonders. Just keep grinding and breathing and you’ll be done soon-ish.

 

Recovery
As far as recovery, this program sucks at first but isn’t bad after that. You get so much blood flow through your body and legs during and after this that as long as you have good nutrients in you, you shouldn’t get very sore. I had some DOMS the first week but none after that. I do recommend incorporating daily stretching / foam rolling though just as a matter of course.

 

Other Tips
You have got to eat a lot on this program. This is not a workout to do while cutting. Do this on a clean bulk with a focus on getting as much protein as possible. Old school guys used GOMAD with this (gallon of milk a day) and that’s not a bad idea if you aren’t lactose intolerant. So eat and then eat more.

 

You also need a lot of sleep. Aim for at least 8+ hours of QUALITY sleep each night and turn your fucking phone off (screen dark) at least 90 minutes before bed.

 

Repeating the Program
As discussed above, you should only do this for 6 weeks. After the 6 weeks, drop the 20s and go back to normal volumes, etc. for at least 6 weeks before you do this again. This gives your legs time to recover and not adapt too much to the higher volume (which enables you to shock your system when you do it again).

 

My Results
On this program, you can expect to get much, much stronger in all your lifts. I saw my squat jump from 410 to 475. My deadlift went up a similar %. My bench and OHP didn’t jump as high but definitely saw a good 10% jump or so over the 6 weeks.

 

I felt better in general. I got to where I started to really look forward to the Finisher set especially when it was a benchmark of some kind like 275lbs. Sure there were days I didn’t want to do it but I did and I strongly believe that type of commitment carries over to everything in your life. That's what creates mental resilience.

 

My quads ballooned in size. I had some jeans that became useless to me because the quad area is uncomfortably tight.

 

My BF% tests showed I added weight but dropped my BF% by roughly 2.5%. Considering I was bulking and not counting calories, I’ll take it.

 

If you have any questions, let me know. Just trying to share what worked for me.