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| Good a2g form. |
Front squats:
80 x 10
105 x 5
120 x 3
130 x 3
145 x 3
155 x 3
165 x 3
170 x 2 (new PR)
My previous best was 165lb for 1 rep, so this is a good improvement. On that day I attempted a second rep, but lost my balance and dropped the weights. This time I used bumper plates, just in case! The video shows my last 3 sets.
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This is the first time I've used the Manta Ray rest that my daughter and her fiance gave me for Christmas.
Back squats:
105 x 10
125 x 6
140 x 5
160 x 3
175 x 3
185 x 3
200 x 3 (new PR)
205 x 1 (newer PR!)
Well, that's another decent improvement. About a month ago I squatted 195lb for 2 reps. I stopped at 1 rep for 205lb because of the blood rushing to my head, which made me feel like I was going to fall over!
I videoed the last 3 sets and checked them during my rest breaks. I didn't notice at the time, but watching them now on a bigger screen, it looks like sometimes I was a bit chintzy with the depth. It certainly looks like I could have gone a few inches lower on the third rep at 200lb. Some of the reps were to parallel, rather than hamstring to calf. Oh well; not perfect, but a decent attempt nonetheless. This is what I'm measuring my form against.
The point of the Manta Ray is to distribute the weight of the bar across your shoulders, rather than just resting in one small spot. I barely noticed it during the lighter weights, but I felt it starting to dig into my clavicle when the bar was getting heavy (the device is made out of hard plastic). However, when my chest and shoulders were up, it felt fine. In other words, the better my form, the less I felt the Manta Ray.
4 comments:
Nice pr on the front squats, looks like you had that third rep there, but I know watching it and being under the bar give different feelings.
I wouldn't worry about matching my form, when I squat I am technically doing ATG High Bar Olympic Back Squats, I just don't care to type that out each time. I do it that way because no matter what my range of motion is identical, just hitting below parallel means I could change it a bit. I'd hate to think I hit a pr, only to look at the video and see that my rom was different.
Having said that, your reps weren't hamstring to calf, but were below parallel.
I haven't checked, but I think 205lb is a back squat PR, regardless of depth. I agree with your comment on your blog post (I think it was your goals for 2012) where you talk about switching to a2g squats because it's much easier to be consistent. That's why I switched a few weeks back, too. Of course, I should be able to feel if my hamstring is touching my calf, but while I was doing the reps today all I was concerned about was keeping my balance and not toppling forward! I had the consistency just right with the front squats, but not the back ones. I'm aware of it now, so at least I can work on it.
heh your just above parallel back squat is 235 or something, you did the crossfit total a little bit ago but back then was only squatting to sometimes parallel and other times above it.
It was my goals where I mentioned that, do you still close your eyes when you squat? I am staring right at myself so in the moments I can't feel my depth (which I usually can) I can still see it.
The Crossfit Total squats were aiming for a 1RM, whereas today I was trying to complete sets of 3, so it took a little more out of me. I'm pretty sure the Total squats weren't as low as today's; I was aiming for parallel back then but probably came up short. Today I was aiming for a2g and ended up parallel!
Ha! I think I managed to keep my eyes open because I recall staring into my own eyes!
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