Weight lifting is fun. It is fun trying to figure out how to get stronger and even bigger. There is so much out there in regard to both facets of size and strength, but of course to each their own when it comes to what works and what doesn’t.
A general rule of thumb when it comes to getting stronger is to lift heavier. Many have tried to dispute this rule over the years with more methodical approaches, which have shown promise, but it still goes to show that when you challenge yourself to lift heavy, muscle receptors and fibers are activated which leads to strength and growth.
In the legs, squatting uses a lot of everything, especially when you squat heavy. Many people shy away from heavy squats because of fear that they will get squashed or not be able to complete a rep, which of course is embarrassing it seems. But, squatting heavy will help make your squats stronger. Squatting REALLY heavy will make your squats even more stronger.
Sound crazy?
There is a method from the Golden Age of bodybuilding called heavy supports. Heavy supports takes into account that when the muscles are strained and utilized to the max, something pretty awesome happens. There is a receptor called the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO) that helps out with weight and workload potential in the legs. When this tendon is maxed out and the brain basically tells the muscles to shut down and give up, this is believed to heighten the shutdown threshold of the Golgi Tendon Organ (GTO), which is a tension/stretch receptor located in the tendon.
So basically, you need to kick the crap out of this receptor to build up the threshold potential which leads to a bigger squat.
Why the method is called heavy support is because you do well over 100 percent of your 1 rep max!
(Now that is heavy)
A good heavy support routine is:
Set 1: Full squats 5 RM at 85% of max (rest for three minutes after each set).
Set 2: A heavy support of 8 seconds at 200 % of max. Basically, it's 1/16th of a squat. You just unrack the weight and hold an upright position with your knees just short of lock-out. The weight should be heavy enough that your knees start to quiver like a certain seasonal fat man's belly when he laughs.
Set 3: Full squats 5 RM at 85% of max.
Set 4: Heavy support 8 seconds at 210 % of max.
Set 5: Full squats 5 RM at 85% of max.
Set 6: Heavy support 8 seconds at 220 % of max.
