Making Big Squats BIGGER

Adding poundage to squats can sometimes be a difficult thing to do. Everyone has had the feeling of going for a new 1 RM and gotten underneath a bar to feel the crush of that new weight bearing down on you. Sometimes that crush is enough to defeat us and we have lost the lift before we have ever even attempted it. The nice thing is this is totally unnecessary. A long 2 forgotten exercises are the weight walk and rack lockouts.

Weight Walk: The weight walk is exactly as it sounds; you are going to walk with a crap load of weight. After a good solid warm up, load the bar up to your squat 1RM for the first walk. Take the bar out of the rack and take 3 big steps back, stop and walk the weight back into the rack. Keep adding weight, walking, adding weight and walking. Work up well beyond your 1 RM. Ensure that while doing this exercise that you keep your body tight. When working well beyond your max squat weight and moving it in and out of the rack, any weaknesses in your body or breaks in the chain can result in the weight coming down in a big hurry.

Rack Lockout: After doing your max 1 RM squat test do not be satisfied to just fail (This exercise can also be one by itself). Continue to load the bar and stand up under the weight. The difference between the lockout and the Weight Walk exists mainly in that the lockouts there is no movement of the weight beyond up and down. The distance of the motion is short allowing for only 2-3" of movement. Again, a word of caution on this technique, keep your entire body tight and under control. You are going to want to shake and shiver and crumble, but fight this feeling. We are building full body strength that will translate into bigger lifts.

Today's cartoon. Only one right answer for the week per person Kyle.

Tuesday

AMRAP in 15 minutes

25 Double Unders

15 Wal Ball Shots

10 Kettlebell Swings Guys @55 Gals @ 35