11-10-12:Overhead squats, front squats and running

Elm City CrossFit WoD for Wednesday October 12th, 2011

Hey, it's Robb Wolf! Helping to demonstrate awesome overhead squat technique. (crossfit.com)

Eva T. rocks the front squat. (crossfit.com)

Running. Not jogging. Running. (crossfit.com)

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Strength:

• 10 min to Max Overhead Squat
• 10 min to Max Front Squat

Sellout: 2x

• 400m Run

Rolled into ECC just as sore and tight as could be 24 hours after lifting heavy and often (deadlifts and kettlebell swings). It was bad enough that I couldn't actually roll out the soreness, since touching my back with the roller was agony.

Brownie points if you know WHY this is here.

I tried to stretch it out, too, but well, sometimes there are aches and stiffnesses you just CAN'T work out by yourself. This was one of those times.

I'm not the biggest fan of my own overhead squat form, but this was the first time trying them with my wrists taped, which definitely helped. My previous PR was 95#, but I don't know when I did that, and knowing about my form issues, I almost find myself doubting I did it. Probably NOT to full depth, but I'm not sure now. Doesn't really matter, I destroyed that PR on my way to a 1/2 bodyweight overhead squat, which is pretty cool to me! I was teamed up with Doug, one of our newer athletes, since we're about the same height. We ended up shuffling 10# plates, since I'm a little stronger than him. During the front squats, it got a little funny when we had a 25# plate on each side, and six 10# plates on each side too! After failing out on a few of the lighter lifts, I managed to go heavy all the way up to 125#, a new PR by thirty pounds! ;)

At the end of 10 minutes, we transitioned over to front squats. I jumped right in at 125#, and started going up in 20# jumps, then 10# jumps in the last few attempts. I finally nailed a 215# front squat, again increasing my PR by 30#. After the overhead squats, the front squats were SO easy! Anything's easy after stupid overhead squats.

Overhead squat max: 125# (PR)
Front squat max: 215# (PR)

For the sell-out, we were again running in the parking lot. Oddly, doing two 400s was downright easy compared to several 100m runs. For the second, I tried to keep up with Larry (the collegiate rower...bastage), and even though he smoked me, I came in at 1:23. I have no idea how that measures up to anything, but its interesting to note.