Our Smolov plan is a 13-week, squat-only adaptation, labeled Expert. The catalog's four-day figure is its maximum weekly frequency. It does not mean every week contains four workouts.
This is a demanding specialization to inspect deliberately, not a default general-strength recommendation. It supplies back squats only and does not plan upper-body work, pulling or conditioning.
Frequency changes across the cycle
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| Supplied phase | Weeks | Sessions per week |
|---|---|---|
| Intro | 1–2 | 3 |
| Base volume | 3–5 | 4 |
| Base lighter week | 6 | 2 |
| Switching | 7–8 | 2 |
| Intense | 9–12 | 3 |
| Testing | 13 | 1 |
The first week uses 3×8 at 65%, 4×5 at 70% and 5×3 at 75%, one prescription per session. The first base-volume week uses 4×9 at 70%, 5×7 at 75%, 7×5 at 80% and 10×3 at 85%. Later percentages are already built into the schedule.
You need a barbell, plates and a squat rack with safeties. Read the intense phase as well as the opening week when judging whether the block fits your current training.
Starting loads and progression
Guided setup lets you choose a manageable working weight without a max test. Known-weight setup is optional. Both establish the reference used for the displayed percentages; neither makes the full cycle appropriate simply because the first session is achievable.
The app follows the fixed cycle and does not add a generic increase after each workout. Guided weights remain user-controlled. Missed reps do not automatically recalculate the remaining phases. Record what happened and review an unsuitable reference before proceeding.
The supplied final week is 3×1 at 95% of the stored reference. Despite its testing label, it is not an automatic attempt above your previous maximum and cannot guarantee a new personal record. Review the block before repeating it.
How to read this adaptation
This implementation uses simplified phase prescriptions, including preset switching sessions. Full fidelity to an original creator-published schedule has not been verified. No numerical strength-gain claim is implied by its name or duration.
For a less frequent squat specialization, compare the actual Hatch Squat schedule. For broad training, return to all programs. Inspect every Smolov phase before choosing it.