Why The Low Bar Back Squat?

From Starting Strength, Rippetoe & Kilogre, 2007

Have you ever wondered why you can back squat more than you can front squat?

As pictured above, barbell position determines back angle. In a successful, weighted squat, the barbell will remain over the middle of the foot. If we place the barbell lower on our shoulders (as in the low bar back squat) we allow our torso to cantalever forward, increasing hip flexion (closing), which lengthens and creates tension in the hamstrings. This allows us to drive our hips out of the bottom of the squat, sending the knees back and maintaining the length and tension in the hamstrings as we rise. Because the hamstrings are used to extend (open) the hips as we come out of the squat, more tension in those muscles allows for more power in the lift. If you lead with your chest coming out of the bottom of the squat, you create a more vertical back angle which keeps the knees slightly forward, shortening and reducing the tension in the hamstrings and taking a significant amount of power out of the lift.

Workout:
3 rounds for time
10 body weight back squats
30 box jumps
Run 400 meters

Friends

Kai, Annabelle and Amrik

Some workouts seem to give you that post workout euphoria more than others. They are usually metabolic in nature and demand a lot from our cardio-respiratory system. They are merely one piece of the CrossFit programming. We often joke about workouts like these as "cardio with weights". They are often the favorite workout for some athletes and become something they look for frequently. Don't be that guy.  Don't forget to lift heavy.

Workout:Heavy Fran
21-15-9
135 pound Thruster
45 pound Pull-up

Side Effects

Before and After

CrossFit and the Zone... Do they work? The proof is in the data... It is also in the pictures. These are my drivers license photos, one taken before I started CrossFit and the Zone and the other taken after. We often talk about increased work capacity.  We say we don't care what you look like... we care what you can do. Looking better just happens to be one of the side effects. Looking better, however, is often the initial motivator.  I did not start CrossFit looking for performance, I was just tired of being overweight and out of shape.  My coaches didn't care about that.  They focused on faster times and heavier weights.  We both got the results we wanted. 

In an interview on CrossFit Radio Greg A commented on how hunting performance changed his physique. Not all of us have the determination and work ethic of a Greg A and may never be quite as fit, but then again maybe you do have his work ethic and maybe you will achieve his fitness level. His interview is worth listening to.  His experience and perspective is priceless.

___________
Athelete Achievements
Cindy gets a PR on her Snatch
____________________
Workout: (Courtesy of Maximilian Mormont)
Power Snatch 3-2-1-1-1
Clean 2- 2-1-1- 1
5min Rest
3 Rounds
10 Swings (W=28kg & M=40kg)
15 Ring Dips
20 Rev. Hyper Ex.

Modifications

Dave working the deadlift

Not all of us start CrossFit with long and strong muscles. What this may result in, is the inability to find a good set up position for the deadlift. What can we do to work towards better position in the meanwhile? We use parallettes. In the photo above you can see that by raising the bar a few inches off the ground Dave is able to get into an good set up position. This is a temporary fix. The beauty of this modification is that we can work 90% of the range we need, while working toward getting the bar on the floor.

Workout:
3 rounds for time of
50 Dbl Unders
20 Deadlift, 225 pound
20 Pull Ups
10 Hanstand Push ups

Rangeaholics

Courtnay with range.

One of the simplest and most important things we can do to increase our range of motion (and therefor work capacity) is to lengthen our hamstrings. Several athletes around the gym have just finished the accountability challenge and are well versed in the way of maintenance. If you have been wondering why we don't stretch, now is the time find out what we have been up to.  With Kelly's return eminent, the question is how much range do you have?  How much range do you want?  And how hard are you willing to work to get it?

Workout:
21-15-9
Body weight back squat
Pull-up

First Timers

Patrick praying for a muscle up

The muscle up is a CrossFit rite of passage. The first time is always memorable. There are two different strategies to get to your first. The kipping strategy and the non kipping. Which ever way you get your first bravo. Developing the capacities for both is an essential part of your development in CrossFit. __________________
Athlete Achievement video
Matty B's First
 __________________

Workout: 3-5 rounds for time of:

36" Box Jump, 15 reps
Run 200 meters
250 pound Dead lift, 15 Reps
Rest 2 minutes

The New

Our new shirts are in!

We have both the "Patrick" and the new "Hannah" shirts in stock. Get yours before they are gone.

_______________________
New WOD video: "Nancy"
 Watch it in HD HERE
 _______________________
Workout:
50 GHD situps
Tabata Squats
50 Abmat Situps
(Taken from the CrossFit.com archives)
 ______________________
The Accountability Challenge is over! The top ten results are HERE. The goal of this challenge was to break the cycle of poor nutrition brought on by the Holiday season and to start a new cycle of body maintenance. The rules were simple. Pick a plan at stay consistent. Some of our bravest aimed high. Paleo/Zone with daily maintenance. While others stayed more pragmatic and simply eliminated sugar and aimed for 3-4 times a week of maintenance.

Here are the Gym's result:

Did you follow your Nutrition Plan

Yes 80%
No 21%

Did you follow your Maintenance plan
Yes 81%
No 19%

Did you follow your Fitness plan
Yes 93%
No 7%

Post your experiences with the challenge to comments.

Final Week

Just for Fun

Dutch making work look fun.

Dutch put on a one day event at Catalyst Athletics.  His understanding and implementation of CrossFit is well thought out.  There are a lot of qualities that make someone a good coach. Knowledge of the subject matter is one, and Dutch knows his stuff. One of the not so obvious qualities that makes a good coach is humor. Training is serious business, and needs to be treated as such. However, a little humor can go along way. It can break down the ego, you know that pesky little rascal that gets in the way sometimes, and take the pressure off.  The workout below, under the guidance of Dutch,was created by the participants.

Workout: 5 rounds for time of: 
5 Handstand Push Ups
185 pound power clean, 5 reps

The goal is 5-7 minutes. Can you make it under 5 minutes?

He will return

Joyce and Sara getting more range.

Back in November we had Kelly Starrett come down for day. He gave us a hands on approach to better CrossFit movement. He stressed the importance of mobilizing our joints and creating length in our muscles. In short he gave us great strategies for increasing our range of motion. The single most important thing we can do to improve performance is to get more range. If you missed Kelly last time, don't fret. His return in in the making. If you were lucky enough to spend the day with Kelly, did you head his advice, have you made mobilizers out of your friends, have increased your output potential.