Ten months ago, I did not even know what the squat was, let alone wonder how to increase squat max.
And far be it from me to be the one to teach how to increase squat max, but I do have my experience to share.
When I began over 10 months ago, you can see in the following table how much weaker I was.
I could not do any squats.
In fact, I was so weak that I could not even squat the bar alone.
A lot can change in ten months, not just weight and confidence, they seem to go where the squat goes.
The higher the squat weight, the slimmer in waist and the higher in confidence.
So learning how to increase squat max is welcome, from whomever it might be, even a guy over 55.
The main secret how to increase squat max is to increase your squat weight gradually.
Gradually!
I have gone up gradually in the amount of weight I could squat, press, lift, over the last 10 months as well as repetitions in pushups.
Today I am up to 41 full pushups. I had been doing partial because of my shoulder, and my high then was 85, but my shoulder has been feeling better, good, so , I started to do full, to go all the way down to the floor, at least to touch my nose to the floor.
I was really pleased tonight with the squats.
As you can see, I started with just the 45lb olympic bar, doing 5 sets of 5 repetitions.
I should mention that the first time I used the bar for squats, I could barely walk the next 3 or 4 days, I was so sore!
And now I am doing squats every other day, three times a week, and so far so good.
Today I hit my new high of 115lbs, 5sets of 5 repetitions.
This coming Monday, I will shoot for using 120lbs.
What is my goal?
To see how high I can go, I am not sure what is possible, but I know that 10 months ago, just the bar seemed like an impossible feat considering that I have a torn medial meniscus and was so much heavier.
I have been able to increase squat max weight from zero to a grand total of 135 pounds.
Sure, guys are lifting a lot more in the gym, but I am feeling pretty good and grateful that I can even do any squats at the age of 60 and just keep getting stronger!
Gradual, give yourself time to recover, increase weight slowly, use great form, that is how to increase squat max.
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Ben Isaac is the author of 