2014-02-21 - Craig - Front box squat and press, Step-ups

21-15-9
Front squat to box and press
Box step-ups 15-18"

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http://youtu.be/9FqgzU9f7Zg


21-15-920kg Front squat to 17(ish)" box and press
Box step-ups 17(ish)" box

12" box plus + 20kg bumper + 20kg rubber coated steel plate

1. FS & Press
   • I'm more than a little bit excited about this one.
   • The front squat portion felt good. Different and better than front squats ever have before even at this or lesser weights.
   • I was waiting until I had time to watch the video and hoping that they looked as good as they felt. It was going to be severely demoralising if they didn't.
     But they do. Very pleased.
   • There are still problems.
     I think I need my hands wider to help me keep my elbows up and some flexibility issues that drive that, plus some inconsistencies in maintaining the improved form.
     And I sat on the box a few times instead of touch-and-go.
   • The difference in what I focussed on was the bracing.
     I've been trying to get the hang of diaphragmatic breathing instead of chest breathing as that is contributing to the thoracic hinging that has been getting very bad lately. I don't know if it was the EMOM push-ups the evening before or a general accumulation of everything that you've had me doing in the workouts and what I've been doing outside them, but for some reason laying in bed I was able to get it, keep it up as I warmed up and hold onto it when I descended into the squat.
     I thought about breathing into my back bottom ribs and that pulled that whole area tight, which braced the front too. Halle-frigging-luja!
     And it held on through all of the rounds, with a few lapses.
   • The bar sat on my shoulders instead of feeling like it was in constant danger of falling off, the back of my legs and glutes lit up (In front squats! That never happens for me) as well as my quads and everything is sore in all the right places now, the next day.
   • I confess I ignored the press portion to some degree to try and hang onto what I was feeling.
     I thrusters a lot of them and in hindsight I'd prefer to do a distinct press to get my shoulders set correctly for now.
   • Used the lower box to save changing back and forth.
2. Step-ups
   • OK.
   • Tried to keep the same bracing there and did a lot of the time. I found myself inhaling on the step-up, which is odd.

Overall

• Obviously rather pleased.
• Hoping like crazy that I can reproduce and build on this.