Skill
Ring dips
Today we'll spend some time working on progressions, bands, and decreased range of motion. If you have ring dips, get in 3 sets of max reps with ample rest in between.
WOD
Back Squat
1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1
PR today!
Ali working handstand walks from the box!
Today we'll be working on heavy singles of the back squat. This is the day that makes the coaches nervous! Pre-WOD we talk about the technique of spotting the back squat when the heavy sets come up, and we'll do so today. But we'll also take this opportunity to give you some food for thought.
Many of us are comfortable bailing from the back squat. Simply step away from the bar. However, especially with the bar in the low bar back squat position, we tend to see failure not only of the legs, but also of the torso staying upright, causing the torso to lean forward as the hips continue to rise. Not a good bail-out position.
So what to do? Get a spotter. There are 2 choices. The first is to have a single spotter stand directly behind you. The spotter will squat down with lifter, and if the lifter gets in a jam, the spotter forcefully moves their arms under the lifters, pulls the back to their chest, and stands. For this to work, the spotter has to stand close…very close. As the spotter, you need to be engaged, paying attention, and ready to go to work. If you're standing upright and 4 feet behind, you are not even close to being ready to provide assistance. Get in there. If you're not comfortable with this, just say so and let someone else do it.
The other option is to utilize 2 spotters, one on each side of the bar. This is acceptable as well. For this to be a good spotting technique, both spotters and the lifter need to be on the same page. Talk before hand and get things squared away. Like the single spotter, if you're standing off to the side and not squating with the load, you're in no position to help. Get next to the weight, hands ready, and squat with it. Keep your eyes on the lifter and if they start to fail, engage.
We can't stress enough how important it is to provide a good spot on the back squat. The person with the PR load on their back is counting on you to be there if they need it. Take it seriously and pay attention!
