# How many Sets of Squats do you do?



## SFW (Oct 3, 2011)

poll time


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## Hench (Oct 3, 2011)

I ramp up to one all out set. Probably 5-6 in total.


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## IronAddict (Oct 3, 2011)

On a day that I feel real good,

Squats, nothing but, for atleast an hour.


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## Killermonkey (Oct 3, 2011)

Two warmups and 3 working sets 6-8 reps


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## usafchris (Oct 3, 2011)

I have about a 15 min warmup with extremely light weight and just working form and range of motion.  Then 5 working sets of 5-reps


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## big60235 (Oct 3, 2011)

Because of back injuries I have to do squats mid workout. 1 warmup set and 3 working sets.


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## SFW (Oct 3, 2011)

IronAddict said:


> On a day that I feel real good,
> 
> Squats, nothing but, for atleast an hour.


 

That sounds brutal. you do iso shit as well?

Nowadays, I can only do 4-5 then im done. Not sure if its because my gear dosages are just a fraction of what they use to be, or im just aging.


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## ANIMALHAUS (Oct 4, 2011)

SFW said:


> That sounds brutal. you do iso shit as well?
> 
> Nowadays, I can only do 4-5 then im done. Not sure if its because my gear dosages are just a fraction of what they use to be, or im just aging.


 
Let's go with the gear dosages


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## theCaptn' (Oct 4, 2011)

a light set then 5 x 5 

will finish with 3 x 20 walking lunges (brutal)

then leg extensions


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## GMO (Oct 4, 2011)

I hit them after leg press, so my quads are usually jello after 4-5 sets.  I also do a drop set on my last working set.

On gear, I train legs 2x/wk, so I'll usually have another day where I'll knock out 6-7 sets of heavy squats.


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## CowPimp (Oct 4, 2011)

Highly variable depending on my program, the intensity, whether or not you count warm-up sets, and depending on whether you are looking at the entire week or within a given workout.


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## Usealittle (Oct 4, 2011)

^^^^ this.

BB style.... 2-3high reps sets.
PL style.... 5-6 low reps sets of 1-3


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## MDR (Oct 4, 2011)

I keep the sets pretty high, and I'm currently doing three different kinds of squats-Regular, fronts and high-bar.  I don't do nearly as much weight compared to before lower back disc surgery a few years ago.  I usually do around 12 sets of the three exercises and then some calf work on leg days.  I like to train fast, with less than a minute between sets.  Very different compared to how I trained a few years ago, but I'm starting to enjoy the different style.


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## Gissurjon (Oct 4, 2011)

5 bulging disks with the usual neural/ spinal stenosis (diagnosed 8 months ago) so im currently only doing split squats. Just started rack pulls 2 months ago working my way back to the deadlift and eventually regular squats.


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## ThreeGigs (Oct 4, 2011)

2 sets warmup
3 or 4 sets ramping up the weight, usually depends on how busy the gym is, mood, etc.
Then 3 sets of goblet squats. <--this is new for me
Then 3 sets of either walking or regular lunges.
Then 3 sets of 20 reps on the leg extension to get a lactic acid burn and pump.

Starting this week I'm switching things up and will be trying out the goblet squats as a warmup for the regular squats.


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## SloppyJ (Oct 4, 2011)

4 sets. This has been my squat routine this cycle:

135 x 12
225 x 12
315 x 10 
365 x 8-10

I've been sticking with the same weight cause I feel my form suffers too much if I go too heavy. But instead of going heavier I just try to get more reps on the last set. I got straight to quad extension machine afterward and max that bitch out and get a GREAT PUMP.


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## MDR (Oct 4, 2011)

Gissurjon said:


> 5 bulging disks with the usual neural/ spinal stenosis (diagnosed 8 months ago) so im currently only doing split squats. Just started rack pulls 2 months ago working my way back to the deadlift and eventually regular squats.


 
I blew two lower discs completely, and had to have them repaired, along with considerable nerve damage that the surgeon said was likely due to years of abuse.  I competed in powerlifting for over a decade, lifted heavy since High School and played football in H.S. and College.  I'm sure all of the above contributed to the issues over time.  I'm also 44, so that doesn't help much, either.  Sorry to hear about the problems you are having, and I hope your disc problems improve, and you don't need surgery.  If you do, they are doing some remarkable things these days.  I had a Discectomy and a Laminectomy.  The rehab took many months, but the relief has been remarkable.  Never really realized how much pain I was in until I had it fixed.  I'm just very grateful the nerve damage wasn't worse, and I was able to avoid fusion.  Two years later and things are going very well, all things considered.  I've had to cut back a lot of mass and work more for overall fitness as opposed to mass and power.  I tried to come back and lift heavy after surgery, but I had a lot of pain, and the doc said I was just heading for more surgery.  Best of luck to you, and I feel for your situation, believe me.


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## wisco (Oct 4, 2011)

I do 3 warm-ups then 3 progressively heavier work sets and my last set is the weight of my first work set. Usually 7 sets.
 Sometimes after wards I will do a bunch of sets of 50% for ~3-5 reps.


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## Gissurjon (Oct 5, 2011)

MDR said:


> I blew two lower discs completely, and had to have them repaired, along with considerable nerve damage that the surgeon said was likely due to years of abuse.  I competed in powerlifting for over a decade, lifted heavy since High School and played football in H.S. and College.  I'm sure all of the above contributed to the issues over time.  I'm also 44, so that doesn't help much, either.  Sorry to hear about the problems you are having, and I hope your disc problems improve, and you don't need surgery.  If you do, they are doing some remarkable things these days.  I had a Discectomy and a Laminectomy.  The rehab took many months, but the relief has been remarkable.  Never really realized how much pain I was in until I had it fixed.  I'm just very grateful the nerve damage wasn't worse, and I was able to avoid fusion.  Two years later and things are going very well, all things considered.  I've had to cut back a lot of mass and work more for overall fitness as opposed to mass and power.  I tried to come back and lift heavy after surgery, but I had a lot of pain, and the doc said I was just heading for more surgery.  Best of luck to you, and I feel for your situation, believe me.



thanks man
I most likely will not need any surgery unless I do something to mess it up more. I am getting to the point now where I actually forget sometimes i ever had a back injury, some days are better than others though. 
When it first happened it was scary, I was playing basketball and was changing direction and this dude ran into me. Lost pretty much all strength in my legs for a good 15 min, they had to slide me of the court lol


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## Rodja (Oct 5, 2011)

Per session, it can vary from 5-10.  For the week is well above 15.


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## IronAddict (Oct 5, 2011)

SFW said:


> That sounds brutal. you do iso shit as well?
> 
> Nowadays, I can only do 4-5 then im done. Not sure if its because my gear dosages are just a fraction of what they use to be, or im just aging.



And effective, but that was when I was training ballsout. Nowadays strictly a circuit, still train with the intensity just not so long and hard.

This frees up a lot of freetime for me.


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## ANIMALHAUS (Oct 5, 2011)

MDR said:


> I blew two lower discs completely, and had to have them repaired, along with considerable nerve damage that the surgeon said was likely due to years of abuse. I competed in powerlifting for over a decade, lifted heavy since High School and played football in H.S. and College. I'm sure all of the above contributed to the issues over time. I'm also 44, so that doesn't help much, either. Sorry to hear about the problems you are having, and I hope your disc problems improve, and you don't need surgery. If you do, they are doing some remarkable things these days. I had a Discectomy and a Laminectomy. The rehab took many months, but the relief has been remarkable. Never really realized how much pain I was in until I had it fixed. I'm just very grateful the nerve damage wasn't worse, and I was able to avoid fusion. Two years later and things are going very well, all things considered. I've had to cut back a lot of mass and work more for overall fitness as opposed to mass and power. I tried to come back and lift heavy after surgery, but I had a lot of pain, and the doc said I was just heading for more surgery. Best of luck to you, and I feel for your situation, believe me.


 
I'm glad you're OK.  I couldn't imagine walking around all day in pain like that!


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## SouthernMuscle (Oct 5, 2011)

3 Sets Heavy weight till failure.
450+ lbs... Then add 25's as needed.
To where I can only get 5 to 6.


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## MDR (Oct 5, 2011)

Gissurjon said:


> thanks man
> I most likely will not need any surgery unless I do something to mess it up more. I am getting to the point now where I actually forget sometimes i ever had a back injury, some days are better than others though.
> When it first happened it was scary, I was playing basketball and was changing direction and this dude ran into me. Lost pretty much all strength in my legs for a good 15 min, they had to slide me of the court lol


 
Back injuries are a bitch, and I'm glad you don't see surgery in your future just yet. It should be a last resort. Very scary stuff. When I finally blew the discs, i could not stand up straight, and my legs were numb and my ability to walk was severely compromised. I was scared to death. I thought the doctor was going to tell me that I was going to be in a wheelchair. I put it off for a few days, and my wife made me go to my GP, who said I needed an immediate MRI. Once the surgeon saw the MRI, he said I needed surgery the following Monday. My wife drove me to the hospital over the weekend, and he did the procedure. Again, I was worried that i might lose function of my legs. I've had a lot of injuries, and more than a few surgeries, but this was very emotionally traumatic, and the possibility of paralysis just scared me to death. Fortunately, all came out well, and all I faced after surgery was a lengthy recovery process. The shift in training style and training goals has been an adjustment, but I need to take care of my body and be around for my family. I love being large and powerful as much as anyone on this site, and I lived that lifestyle for decades, but at this point it is about overall fitness and conditioning, and avoiding further invasive medical procedures. I had do seek treatment for some muscle dysmorphia issues and such, but so far the transition is going well, and I have far less pain and my training is going well and I am making progress in an entirely different direction than before. What a difference a couple years makes. I tried to come back and train with intensity and gain all the mass and power baack, but the pain and risk of injury is simply too high at this point. The last thing I want is to with confinment to a wheelchair permanently in my 40's. Sport can be very addictive, and I was very hooked on being the biggest and strongest guy around. Turns out that is very hard to let go of, even when faced with trmendous physical dibilitation as a very real possibility. What a long, strange trip it's been!


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## SFW (Oct 5, 2011)

theCaptn' said:


> will finish with 3 x 20 walking lunges (brutal)


 
With a spotter or without?


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## zoco (Oct 6, 2011)

Just this week i started the advanced German Volume (just to change things up)

Yesterday I did 10 sets on squats.Started with 8 reps and finished with 5.


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## bobbyboy (Oct 12, 2011)

*This is off a 5 day split I started doing years ago. All the warm ups have worked well for me. Very few injuries.*
*Squats:*
2 X 20 @
1 X 15 @
1 X 12 @
1 X 10 @
1 X 8 @
1 X 7 @
1 X 6 @
1 X 5 @
1 X 4 @
1 X 3 @
2 X 8 @
*Leg Extensions:*
4 X 6-8 @
*Leg Curls:*
4 X 6-8 @


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## jocksox (Oct 15, 2011)

20rep set anyone?


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## testosteronebaby (Oct 17, 2011)

sometimes very few sometimes more than 30 
it depends on the program!


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## pwloiacano (Oct 19, 2011)

I have used a routine that I have tweaked a bit recommended by BUILT.  I do two leg workouts per week.  One quad dominant workout and one hamstring dominant workout.  On the quad day, I start with 3 - 4 sets of seated leg presses, then 3 sets of leg extensions.  Now, my knees are properly warmed up and I do 3-5 sets of smith machine squats.  I utilize a narrow stance to help enhance quad sweep and go as deep as my 45 year old body allows me to go.  I really concentrate on good slow form.  Yesterday, I was able to get 365 for 8 nice slow reps.  Then, I throw in 3 sets of leg curls light high rep...

My squat is improving because of the fact that I devote one of my two leg days to hamstrings.  I start with RDL's, then do lying and seated leg curls.  About 12-15 sets total.  Then end with some light high rep leg extensions.  My hamstrings have gotten much bigger and I am a firm believer that is my my squat is improving so much.

I would recommend to try this routine to anyone looking for good, concentrated overall leg development.


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## johnnyringo74 (Oct 19, 2011)

2 to 1 hamstring to quad movements. always worked for me


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## blasphemyweb (Oct 19, 2011)

Currently 2x warmup and 3x working.


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## ldyzluvdis06 (Oct 20, 2011)

2 warm-ups, 3 working sets, 1 blowout set


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## SurfsideRyan (Oct 27, 2011)

1 warmup
5 work


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## oufinny (Oct 27, 2011)

bobbyboy said:


> *This is off a 5 day split I started doing years ago. All the warm ups have worked well for me. Very few injuries.*
> *Squats:*
> 2 X 20 @
> 1 X 15 @
> ...



Considering how bad my back is, I really need to give this a try.  I am convinced 90% of the problem is poor warm up and with something like this I could see plenty of time for the muscles to warm up and it would build the core strength I need.  I really, really am getting sick of only being able to do hack squats and leg press.


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## ErokR (Oct 28, 2011)

3 warm-up sets and 2 or 3 working sets.  I squat every quad workout, but I only start with Squats every other workout (and start with leg press on every other workout) otherwise my quads don't get enough stimulation (and my ass gets huge, haha).


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## diabloman (Oct 29, 2011)

4 sets as the majority


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## Robalo (Oct 29, 2011)

2 warmup sets and 3 working sets with 6/8 reps


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## banker23 (Oct 29, 2011)

7 sets total

2 light warmups at 230 and 320
2 heavy warmups at 410 and 460, 5 reps
3 working sets at 500, 2 at 5 reps and burnout on last set 7-10 reps lately


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## malfeasance (Oct 29, 2011)

diabloman said:


> 4 sets as the majority


 I am usually shot after three, and my fourth set is a killer - I am done at that point.  My form really drops off, so I go to heavy leg sled after three or four sets of squats.


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## banker23 (Oct 29, 2011)

SFW said:


> poll time


 
I had to pick six because there is a gap between 6 and 9. I typically do 7 but the poll goes from 6 to more than 8 which makes it impossible to be truthful if you do 7 or 8 sets (post says more than 8 instead of 8 _or_ more).
Maybe revise the poll so it says 7 or more so all the potential answers are covered.


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## malfeasance (Oct 29, 2011)

Ouch!  Hurt back today squatting!  Grrr!


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## Ezskanken (Oct 29, 2011)

3 warm up sets and then 3 working sets.


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## vancouver (Nov 3, 2011)

3 warm up sets, 5 working sets. I alternate overhead press, so my workout is more efficient.


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## cottonmouth (Nov 5, 2011)

not counting warmups i would say 5-6 the last 2 being balls out, everything. 

Starting out i usually do 12, but finishing out i may drop to 8 reps but with far more weight. 

Every so often i'l drop to 225 and see how many i can get after my whole workout. My record is 29. lol no where near platz's 100. but im trying


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## Gazhole (Nov 5, 2011)

The other day did 3 warmup sets, a max set of 22 reps at 242lbs, then dropped to 4x20 at 132lbs with 30 seconds rest. Anywhere from 4 to 8 sets is normal, but the most i've done in a workout is between 30 and 40 sets of squats. On a HIT program i did only 1 set.

The important thing, which you should never ever forget, is that squats can cure cancer. So do them.


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## mugshot (Nov 6, 2011)

4 sets


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## fufu (Nov 7, 2011)

Usually between 3-6 in working sets.


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## Mr.Guvernment (Jan 6, 2013)

what kind of weight are people using in their rep's if any?


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## Kenny Croxdale (Jan 6, 2013)

bobbyboy said:


> *This is off a 5 day split I started doing years ago. All the warm ups have worked well for me. Very few injuries.*
> *Squats:*
> 2 X 20 @
> 1 X 15 @
> ...



*Warm Up Or Workout?*

This Squat Warm Up is overkill.  No one need to do 107 Repetitions before they hit their top set. (107 Repetition is what you do before you hit you set of 3 Repetitions). 

*Track Warm Up Example*

You warm up would similar to a 100 yard sprinter's warm being: 

1) Mile Run
2) 880 Yard Run
3) 440 Yard Run
4) 220 Yard Run

By the time you get to the 100 Yard Sprint you toast.  

*Minimal Warm Up*

The point of a warm up is to prepare you for your all out top set.  What you want to do the minimal amount of work to prepare you.  

You want to reserver you strength and energy for that top set.  That the one that really counts.

Kenny Croxdale


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## Mr.Guvernment (Jan 6, 2013)

i do recall hearing some time back, some people debating if warm up's were any good, one study had apparently shown that most people's warm ups actually degrade their work out strength by up to %30 because they 'warm up' too much...


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## theCaptn' (Jan 6, 2013)

5 min cardio 
2 warm up sets
3-4 working sets


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