600 LB SQUAT! HOW DOUG HEPBURN TRAINED FOR THE SQUAT 

Been doing 6 working sets of squats since I was 13, am 63 now. I’ve never forgotten my first weightlifting coach (RIP) telling me that “squats are power;” so very true!

Hepburn had many programs, I am following his workout for 4 months so far in which one workout I do squat and shoulder press. And the other day Bench, Deadlift and Bent over rows. All of 8 sets of 2 till I reach 3 reps. And there is a 3 to 4 day rest between the same workout. For example after doing squat and shoulder press, 3/4 days later I do that same workout, in between I do the other one, and then the same 3/4 days later. It has been effective as I have added 20kg to my squat, from 150kg to 170kg which I have recently started. When I cannot progress anymore, I will switch 3x6 program.

Mark Rippetoe just cried when he heard " you should never look down"

Excellent piece.

I use to visit doug regularly while he had his last shops I used his program and specialized the deadlift Doing 835 lbs at a by wt 212. Off a 2 inch block. No suit . Old belt.

Excellent piece!

A gentle giant who could lift a small car! I've always really liked old school progressive overload philosophies like Hepburn's here. Gonna have to give it a try myself.

In my humble opinion, off all his achievements, his strict overhead pressing power stands out the most. Hepburn, past 70, shortly before his death was still pressing well above 200 pounds for reps...He's the strongest drug free lifter in human history. By far.

Progressive overload! It's that simple.

Will be doing this myself!

Most people if they just stuck with these old training methods and diet. I'm sure would get a hell of a lot better results. Messing around with the next best training program or diet for most is not needed.

Powerful men in the squat had to have a wide waist, to be able to get down "into the hole" with huge loads.

good workout for power and size

I decided to try Hepburn method for one year. I started last week. I plan on using his a program for 8 weeks a b program for 4 weeks then repeat. He states you could had 120 pounds for big lifts and 60 pounds for isolated.

squatting makes everything feel easier!!!

Back in 1985 I squatted 272.5kg. or 600 pounds in competition at a bodyweight of exactly 110kg. At home in my gym I squatted 650 pounds, or 295kg. I was lifetime clean. Never did any steroids nor did I use anything stronger than a cup of coffee as a stimulant. I trained nothing like Doug. I did as many warm up sets as needed to prepare myself for the ONE work set. On the heavy work set I ALWAYS went to muscular failure and beyond. I'd get my spotter, usually my long-suffering wife, to assist me all the way up from the full squat position, not just to "finger-touch" the bar at the sticking point. When I knew I wouldn't make another rep on my own, I'd grunt out: Help Me! That was the signal for my spotter to go to work. She'd let me go all the way down by myself, then grab the bar right at the bottom of the lift and help me all the way up. It is very important to do the negative part of the lift in perfect form, as if you fully expect to succeed with the upcoming positive part of the rep. And you ARE gonna succeed because your spotter will help you all the way up. Using my method I'd make sometimes three reps beyond the point of failure while not actually failing any reps. Doing it this way, the spotter doesn't need much strength to keep the lifter going. But it's important to let the lifter lower the weight completely on his own. It's the negative portion of a rep that produces the gains, you know. Do this method once a week. Use a typical training cycle where you start off with lighter weights and build up in weight each week. Suppose you finished your previous cycle with a single max lift of 250kg. Set yourself a goal of 260kg, and begin the next cycle on 200kg. Between 12 and 15 reps should be possible on 200. Do one all-out set after a sufficient warm up. The following week, use 205kg, then the week after that, use 210kg, and so on, doing one all out work set of as many reps as you can do. Now, since most trainees need their hands held every step of the way, I'll outline my warm-up routine for squatting big weights over 530 pounds. Here goes . . . The weight of my squat bar was actually 18kg, but I called it 10 to give myself a buffer in case I was having a disastrous day at a comp. If I could do it at home on my overweight training weights, I could do it anywhere else. So, to begin . . 20 x 10, 8 x 55, 6 x 100, 4 x 145, 3 x 180, 2 x 200, 1 x 215, 1 x 230, 1 x 245, then on to whatever weight I was using for that particular day. If i was attempting over 260, I'd do an extra set of 1 x 260 in preparation. Only use the spotter assist method I outlined above when the working set will allow less than seven positive reps. It's sufficient intensity to just train to failure on weights that will allow more than seven positive reps. Even then, get your spotter to help you all the way up if you know you're gonna fail with the last rep. Spotters, don't let the lifter die under the weight before you jump in and help. Do the multiple reps past what you can do on your own, in the final few weeks. Aim to make this a 12-week cycle. If you begin on 200, you should finish your training cycle on 260kg. I've seen guys squat with half the population of the gym "helping" them on every rep, going down and up. Then at the end of the set they all yell . . It was all you, buddy . . when it wasn't. Also, It is my belief that the much-popularly used "finger-touch" through the sticking point method burns out the nervous system I'm a real cranky old man these days, so guys, please don't bug me with stupid questions. I tried to be as thorough as possible in writing what i wrote, so re-read all this before asking me which way around the collars go on the bar, OK? If you're only a little guy, this program will still work for you. But you may need to use 2.5kg increments instead of the 5kg I recommend for heavyweights. In such a case, start your cycle with a weight 30kg under your goal lift. Get your calculator to work out the warm-up poundages based on my recommendations for big guys, OK?

Another good one. Why is your link not active?

Time of rest between sets?

Been running hepburns law from the 1980 book for last couple months. 43 years old. Currently this is my training week: Monday/ thurs Power Bench 1x3 7x2 215 Curl 1x3 7x2 120 Standing press1x3 7x2 145 Mass Cgbp 1/6 5 3/4 1/3 175 Curl 1/6 5 3/4 1/3 95 Press 1/6 1/5 3/4 1/3 115 Tues/ fri Power Atg Squat 1x3 7x2 215 1/6 5 3/4 1/3 175. 1×10 145 High pull 1x3 7x2 175 Deadlift 1x3 7x2 325 Mass Overhand sldl Deadlift 1/6 1/5 3/4 1/3 265 Pendlay row 1/6 1/5 3/4 1/3 215 Sessions take anywhere from 90 min to 2 hours. I think i get away with the volume because my weights are light. Make sure i sleep and eat well. Only modifications i made was drop the 1x10 pump set on everything except for squats and replace pump Deadlift with sldl since deadlifting twice a week was beating me up. When i cycle through i add only 2.5 to 5lb stotal to upper body lifts and 5lbs to lower body. I like the slow grind approach.

Im 52 and squat close to 600lbs for 10 reps, I can go up to almost 700lbs for reps

While it's impressive watching a human lift a ton I'd recommend never to do these knee...back...ankle...neck destroying exercise