Juggernaut 5s Wave Week 2 Squat 13th September 2013

Lower body rolling + stretching

Mobility drills for hip and ankle

Squat
Bar * 5, 5
60kg * 5
100 * 5
123 * 2
137 * 2
150 * 5 * 3
150 * 15 (PR)
Squats were feeling good today, after about 40 mins of mobility and flexibility work. I think I will have to do more of this on the off days instead of just flexibility. last 3 reps of the top set my hips rose much faster. I can safely say I roughly one more ugly ass rep left in me. Today's work set was a departure from my usual habit of stopping at technical failure, where I probably would have stopped at 12 according to today's performance. I guess I was too motivated by yesterday's shit bench sesh and wanted to make up for it with today's squats. No doubt pushing once in a while is good, but I think emotions should never drive the training per se. My lower back is feeling tight now but I think some mob and flexibility work will help ease it out. Still, with all that said, am pretty happy with the new PR.

Paused Squats
130 * 3 * 3
I didn't count the pauses. Also happy with the execution, because despite the lower back feeling it a little, I managed to keep my torso in position and not let the squat turn into a good morning. Am also not so concious of the knees, allowing them to drift a little in, but not collapse. Felt these in my quads.

Reverse Band Squats (small band)
160 * 3
170 * 3
180 * 3
These felt heavier than I thought they would, cos I usually use a medium band. I imagine the deload was about 20kg at most, cos i later tested the bands after and the bar was touching the safeties even after I loaded it on the bands.

Front Squats
100 * 5
120 * 2
130 * 2 * 5
60 * 8 * 2
Talk about a grind. These were hard, not just on the quads, but also on my T-spine. So glad I did the mob work for it with the dowel before the sesh. My front squats are still poor as shit, and I can't really seem to sit down straight the way Abel does. I will probably work them hard on their own seperate day in future programmin, maybe on deadlift days. Also, I think I will go up to a couple of heavy singles next week for this movement and follow it up with multiple sets of 10s just to work my quads more. I still have teardrops of sadness :(

A1: GHR
5 * 10 * 3

A2: GHR abs
5 * 20 * 3

A3: Wide grip Pull ups
BW * 10 * 3
A1 - A3 were done as a circuit. Not much rest time between each, just went from exercise to exercise.

Today was definitely a good sesh. Never underestimate what mobility and flexibility work can do for you. Also, as a departure from my regular habits, I rested forever in between sets. I guess that's why the top set still managed to surpass 10. But I know any of the top elites could easily smash my workout in half an hour or even less. So there's my motivation to work harder. Grind on!