Started with speed squats. As I stated before, I think I am really going to try and make thursdays' squat days all about speed. The plan is to basically get nice and warm, and start of squatting the bar as fast as I can. Then, just work up from there, trying to keep each successive set moving as fast as the bar moved. It's going to vary from day to day how heavy that is - maybe some days it's sub-225, maybe some days it's 365. But I'm going to try not to worry much about weight, or even sets/reps. Just goign to focus on bar speed and trying to get in a good number of really fast reps.
Anyways, yesterday I was feeling pretty good. hit the bar for 2 sets of 5, 95 x 5 135 x 5, 185 x 3, 2, 225 x 3, 2, then went up to 275 and hit it for 3, 1. At 275, my form just started to break down, I wasn't staying as tight as I needed to and I wasn't as fast as I needed to be, so then I dropped back to 225 and hit it for 3, 2, 1 reps, all pretty fast and clean. Overall, the speed work is interesting. Obviously I have been consistently doing light squats for speed and form, but never emphasized speed this much. It's definitely tough to get used to. It's hard to stay as tight as I need to - at times I just came down a little too hard and soft, and my joints and lower back are feeling that today. At other times, I simply slipped out of position a bit, which meant by butt drifting back and my chest dropping. I really just need to 1) get my joints and connective tissues used to the forces, and 2) be able to maintain my tightness and my very upright, forward squat position. If I can do those two things, then I really think faster will equal better on my squat. But, despite not feeling GREAT today, I think simply working on speed might make a big difference for mondays workout. We will have to see how I feel then.
Next, front squats. Had the idea today that I wanted to try and rep out 225 for 10. Hit 135 x 5, 185 x 5, then just sacked up and went for it. It was honestly not too hard. I definitely had more reps in me. I rished some of the earlier reps, so form wasn't perfect, but the weight moved easy, I did it without a belt, and paused the last rep. Pretty cool little PR.
Finally, did 3 x 10 deads from a deficit with 205.
So, good workout. Nothing crazy, but some fun front squats and some quality learning/practice with speed squats. Lets keep at it.
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