Use the training chart here (found on left side of CFEB page under links):

http://www.criticalbench.com/weight-training-chart.htm

to calculate your lifts for this cycle from here on out.

For example for today's 7x7, my most recent true 1RM back squat effort was 285, so I will be trying to do all 7 sets across at 235# (82.5% of 1RM), which seems about right. Yes this should seem brutally difficult. That is the point.

To be crystal clear:

My target is 235-235-235-235-235-235-235 or 49 reps at 235.

At the risk of offending the Oly gods by not assuming "back squat" to mean high bar, do you (Max) have a preference for low vs high bar in this case?

:)

Same back squat you used for CF Total.

Wow, there's a really good looking guy in the background of CFO's website picture today, check him out. The girl in front looks like she's having way more fun with the workout...

Thanks everyone! I'm out of town until after thanksgiving, see you all in December!

That guys IS soooo hot! Thanks B. for pointing out the eye candy....

175-175-175f-175-175f-175

I'm really disgusted with my leg strength at this point. I'm going to cry myself to sleep

100-100-100-100-100-100-100

Joe - No negative self talk (NaST) allowed here!!

235-235-235-235-235-235-235 (82.5% of most recent 1RM of 285).

I could have sworn this was one of the percentages from the Smolov Squat Cycle, but I see it is not.

In any case this was unbelievably hard. I have been lifting for a long time, and I am fairly certain this was the most unpleasant weight workout I have ever done.

I seriously wondered if I was going to drop dead on the sixth set, but I persevered and finished all 49 reps to full rock-bottom depth, and with acceptable uprightness.

Stunningly taxing.

120-120-120(fail after 4th rep)-110-110-110-110
Should have done 115# on the last four sets. It would have sucked even more but I'm pretty sure that's the point...

Yes Princess, that is the point. This workout is one of the two major components of limit strength building in this cycle, the other being heavy deadlifts. It will be repeated three more times in this cycle. Putting 5 pounds on every time (115, 120,125) should result in a significant increase in 1RM squat along with the other things we are doing: Everyone who really puts in the effort on this cycle should expect a significant increase in CFT.

Hey Max,

Still having the same problem. What email address is on your system? Is it gmail or berkeley? I always have to reset my password and sign in. When I come back after going through the sign up, it disallows me access even after i've changed the password. Also, while i'm signed in and I try to post, it does not allow me access. Take a look. Maybe i'm being a goober or something.

Anyway...

215#-215#-215#F x 5 -215#-215#-215#-215#

(214.5# = 82.5% of measured 1 RM where 1 RM = 260#) - The weights went up decently but it was still a heavy load. Sore today a little. Increase by 5# next time.

205-205-205-205-215-215-215

Prob went a bit light as wasn't as brutal as Max described. Hoping that strength/conditioning lost in a very broken couple of months training comes back quick. Depth was ok i think, kept getting pulled fwd as I pushed off the bottom and bar was too high (shoulder flex)

80-80-80-80-80-80-80
Should have tried more weight, but this still made me dizzy by set 6. Focused on tracking and made some improvement, but had a lot of trouble w/ keeping straight wrists. Tried a wider grip, but still couldn't sustain straight wrists all 7 reps. Usually by the third they seemed to collapse.