20 Rep Squat Routine
Muscle Building Workout
One of the fastest ways to gain size and strength in the entire body is by following the squats and milk program. This is an old time routine that has been around for over 50 years, but it works awesome for fast gains. Even if you are a hard gainer.
The way it works is you train 3 days per week (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).
Each workout you will start with full squats. Do 2-3 easy warm up sets to get the blood flowing and to warm up your joints. Then take a moderate weight and do 1 set of 20 reps. For each rep take a couple big mouthfuls of air, hold your breath, squat down and up, and repeat. As you progress through the reps you will need to take more breaths in between reps. During reps 15-20 you may need to take 5 or more big mouthfuls of air in between reps. It takes me 3 minutes to complete 1 set all out set of 20 rep squats.
Right after the squats while you are still out of breath, grab a light barbell (i.e. 25 lbs.) and do pull overs while lying on a flat bench. Take a deep breath in between each rep and really feel the stretch in the rib cage as you do the exercise. Do 1 set of 20 rep pull overs with 25 lbs. Keep using 25 lbs. for the pull overs as this exercise is just for stretching the rib cage.
Barbell Pull Overs
Each workout add 5 lbs. to the squats and get all 20 reps. This is the key to making serious gains with the program. You have to make 5 lb. jumps in weight each workout. I just finished a squat routine like this and within 2 months I worked up from doing 20 rep squats with 225 lbs. to 20 reps with 315 lbs.
When doing this program you should do full squats. I personally squat down until the back of my legs touch my calfs. This will make the squats far more effective for muscle growth.
Full Squat
Another thing, do NOT wear a weight lifting belt while doing the 20 rep squats. By squatting with out a belt you will strengthen your lower back and it will be easier to take deep breaths while doing high rep squats.
Make no mistake about it this routine is brutally tough, those 20 rep squats will take every bit of energy that you have, but the gains are awesome. This routine will stimulate your entire body to grow from the stress of the squats. And the pull overs will help to stretch your rib cage and make your chest bigger.
After you finish the squats and pull overs do a circuit of:
Chin Ups
Dips
Decline Bench Sit Ups
Do a set of chin ups for as many reps as you can
Rest a minute
Do a set of dips for as many reps as you can
Rest a minute
Do a set of decline bench sit ups for as many reps as you can
Do this circuit 3 times and your workout is done.
Do this exact routine 3 days per week. Each time make sure to add 5 lbs. to the squats and try to pump out more reps with the chins, dips, and sit ups. This will work every major muscle group in your body and force you to grow like nothing else.
Tom Platz did high rep squatting as a regular part of his workout routine.
Not only did he have huge legs, but he was huge and thick all over.
As for your diet you need to eat as much food as you can and as often as you can. The program is called "squats and milk" because the old timers used to drink at least 1 gallon of milk every single day to help them gain weight with the program. Milk is high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and calories.
A typical days eating for this program would look like this:
Breakfast
4 eggs
2 slices of toast
1 glass of milk
Snack
Bran Muffin
1 glass of milk
Lunch
Sandwich (i.e. meat, cheese, tuna fish, etc.)
piece of fruit
1 glass of milk
Snack
Granola bar
Slice of cheese
1 glass of milk
Supper
Meat (i.e. chicken, beef, pork, etc.)
Pasta, Rice, or Potatoes
Cup of veggies
1 glass of milk
Snack
2 slices of toast
1 glass of milk
*drink plenty of water throughout the day
If you like you can mix a scoop of protein powder in your milk for even more protein and calories.
This is just a sample eating plan, you can change it around to suit your own taste. But you get the idea of how much you should eat and how often in order to gain size and strength.
If you strictly follow the squats and milk program you will gain approx. 20 lbs. of muscular bodyweight in just 2 months.
