Back Squat

Thursday, July 25, 2013

This is the day you’ve all been waiting for! Today we will put the Smolov program to the final test. The majority of the hour will be devoted to finding your new 1 RM so warm up well, use spotters and be aggressive!

Mobility/Pre hab

Olympic Squat on Wall, 2 minutes
Monster walks, 10 front/back/lateral
Fire Hydrants, 10 inside and out, both legs

Strength/Warm-up:

 Every Minute on the Minute for 5 minutes:

2 Hang Squat Cleans @ 70%

     Notes: This is meant to provide a warm up for both the legs and the CNS. DO NOT go above the prescribed weight. Each set should be easy and fast.

30 minutes to establish a 1RM HBBS.

     Notes: The Cleans should provide a good warmup, but you will still need some Squat sets of 2-3 reps. Once you reach the 80-90% range, take 2 minutes rest then perform a “Walkout” (simply set up like you’re going to squat, walk out of the rack, and hold the weight on your back for 5 seconds – DO NOT attempt to squat – belts are recommended for this movement) with 5-10% more than your projected maximal Squat. If you are projecting 400#, walk out with approximately 425#. After your “Walkout”, rest 2 minutes then begin your near maximal and maximal attempts. If you have not missed an attempt you may go slightly over the time limitation.

Conditioning:

1 mile run or 2k Row for time

Cool down:

Couch stretch, 30 seconds per leg
Samson Stretch, 30 seconds per
Pigeon Stretch, 30 seconds per

Yeah Topper!  Take a look at Topper’s positioning.  Torso is tall, chest up, elbows down, bar placement is high on the back, hips well below parallel, knees out, and weight on the heels.  This bottom position sets the lifter up for success in the High Bar Back Squat by properly utilizing the quads and glutes to drive up with an upright torso.

I’ve tried four times today from morning to night, and there is nothing I can write tonight that is more pertinent than McCoy’s post yesterday, or that can draw anyone’s attention away from the craziness that will occur this weekend.  I’ve been to every single CrossFit Games since 2008 and am blown away every year by how fast it’s growing, how big it’s getting, how many awesome people are coming into the community, and how crazy the future is going to be.

I remember the 2008 Games at the Aromas ranch and wishing I could compete, and I grudgingly accepted that there were qualifying rounds the next year.  But not in my wildest dreams would they be as big or as inclusive or as crazy as they are now.  I remember thinking, ‘They’ll never have GHD sit ups in the Games,’ and there they were the next year.  The next year I thought, ‘They’ll never have rope climbs at The Games,’ and then rope climbs showed up.  The next year I thought, ‘There’s no way in hell they can fit swimming into The Games,’ and then they went to Santa Monica and made it happen.  So I’m done making predictions on what won’t be in it.  As you can see from the First Team Event Announcement, being prepared for the unknown and the unknowable really gets to manifest itself only at the Games.  I’ll see all of you PCF’ers there…

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The Island Where People Forget to Die, NY Times

Why Being Scared Means You’re Fully Alive, Tiny Buddha