Front Squat – Page 20 – Nick Momrik's Fitness Logs

Short Week

In to Survival at 10am. A few folks were there for a bit working on things, but had about 90 minutes to myself. Will be heading north on Wednesday for a few days, so short week of training.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne
45# Snatch Positions

Snatch Work

95# Position work & some snatches
115# Position work & some snatches
5 x 2 @ 135#

Strength

RDLs

5 @ 135#
5 @ 185#
3 x 5 @ 205#
5 @ 225#

Used a rack and straps.

Barbell Curls

5 @ 75#
4 x 5 @ 85#

So weak!

Front Squats

20 @ 45#
5 @ 95#
5 @ 115#

1 1/2 Front Squats

Did a wave type of format…

135-155-185
155-185-205
185-205-225
205-225-235
225-245-255

First time doing those. Different.

Front Squats

3 x 5 @ 185#

Conditioning

Tabata Row

Went out to the garage around noon to blow off some steam. The windows actually got steamy in there too after having the gas heater on for about a half hour. I had to turn it off it was getting so warm. Not bad considering it’s 36 degrees (feels like 27) outside.

Warm-up

Did about 200 DU in various sets.

OLY

3 Position Halting Snatch Deadlifts

2 @ 115#
2 @ 135#
2 @ 155#
2 @ 175#

Snatches

3 @ 95#
3 @ 115#
3 @ 135#
2 @ 155#
1 @ 165#
1 @ 175#
F @ 185#
1 @ 185#
F @ 195#
F @ 195#
F @ 195#
F @ 195#
F @ 195#
F @ 195#

I’ll get it eventually!

Pause Front Squats

* 2 second pause in the hole

3 @ 135#
3 @ 165#
2 @ 185#
2 @ 205#
2 @ 215# (might have done this set twice)
2 @ 225#
1 @ 235#
1 @ 245#
1 @ 255#
1 @ 265#
1 @ 275#
F @ 285#

Haven’t done a squat pause since this past winter in Phoenix. Felt pretty good, even after front squatting yesterday.

OH Mobility

I’ve wanted to start playing with some things to improve my OH position. As evidenced by my snatch attempts I’m having a hard time receiving the bar in a stable position.

5 @ 45# Bar w/ hand completely on knurling of the Operator bar
2 x 5 @ 45# Bar w/ 2 fingers on smooth part of the Operator bar
5 @ 45# Bar w/ 3 fingers on smooth part of the Operator bar
5 @ 45# Bar w/ hand completely on smooth part of the Operator bar

Haha, I fell over at my first attempt with 2 fingers on the smooth part of the bar.

Could feel the bar coming forward in pretty much every rep when I descended into the squats, but fought to keep it back. These are going to be a big help I think.

Decided to go in to open gym at 5:15pm since I told a few people I’d be there.

Did a few clean position drills with Alex as a warm-up since I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I’ve been talking about doing deadlifts for the last couple of weeks since I haven’t done any heavy ones since my 515# pull.

Deadlifts

5 @ 135#
5 @ 225#
5 @ 315#
5 @ 385#
5 @ 435#
EMOM 5:00 – 3 @ 365#

Back was already a little fried from the garage session, but felt pretty good about the work.

Conditioning

2,000m Row

I did a 7:23 in May, so was aiming to keep a sub 1:50/500m pace. Set a new PR by 10 seconds with a 7:13! I was doing a shit ton more conditioning back in the summer too. I think the extra leg strength and power was a big help because I highly doubt my lungs are better now.

The date on the rower is obviously wrong. 🙂 Felt good coming out of the gate, but started falling off the pace. I actually think I was having more of a power problem them I was breathing in that 3rd 500m. Should have tried to push harder in the last 200m instead of just the last 100m.

I grabbed a couple of KB just to try double-arm OHS. Did 10#, 15#, and 20#. Wasn’t too bad, but could still feel the arms floating forward. I wouldn’t be able to hold a heavier weight in place at the bottom of the squat. Work in progress…

Curls for Girls

Got a massage yesterday and rested. Wasn’t feeling that great early in the week so figured I’d take a step back.

Went in around 11am today and did some stuff with Matt.

Warm-up

2:00 Air Dyne

OLY

3 Position Halting Clean Deadlifts

3 @ 105#
3 @ 115#
3 @ 125#

Barbell Complex

2 Hang Power Cleans
2 Front Squats
2 Push Jerks

Originally was going to do 5 sets, but added two more: 135-145-155-165-175-185-195 Worked up a good sweat.

Strength

Did a quick set of 5 front squats with 225# since the legs got pretty warmed up with the complex.

A) Front squat: 4 x 4 @ 255-255-245-245, 1 x 15 @ 155, immediately to
B) 4 x 6 jumping back squat with bar (45#) from ATG, rest as needed

How this works is you do a set of front squats and then immediately do the jumping back squats. Since there are 5 different sets of front squats, you start and end with them. I rested about 2:30 before starting the next set of front squats.

EMOM 14:00

Odds: 12 DB Bench Press (45# DBs)
Evens: 10 Barbell Curls (45#)

My biceps are weak!

After a few hours I headed out to the garage.

Conditioning

5 Rounds NFT, but keep moving

1:00 Air Dyne (AD2)
10 GHD Sit-ups

Racked up 234 calories on the AD.

3 Position Clean Work

In at 10am with Kevin for some light work.

Warm-up

Shoulder Stretches
PVC Pass-thrus
2:00 Air Dyne

OLY

3 Position Halting Clean Deadlifts

45# to warm-up
3 x 3 @ 75#
2 x 3 @ 105#
2 x 3 @ 135#
3 @ 155#

Working hard to try and fix my positioning. Feels a little awkward at first and I could really feel the tightness in my back throughout the series. Kevin gave me a good cue for getting shoulders, back, and knees in a good power position. From the knee, I focus on bringing the shoulders back to neutral and the knees and hips naturally move into the correct position to offset my center of gravity. It’s not glamorous or exciting work, but it should pay off big time. Here are some videos…

Strength

Tricep Band Press-downs

5 x 10 (Green band)

Front Squats

Focused on speed, explode up!

5 @ 45#
5 @ 95#
5 @ 135#
5 @ 165#
5 @ 185#
5 @ 215#

Langford Squat Couplets

In at 10am. Feeling spicy in the back and shoulders.

Warm-up

Jump Rope and DU for about 3 minutes.

Squats

Warmed up with 5 front squats @ 45# and 5 back squats at 45#, then into doing Langford Squat Couplets, which are 2 front squats, rack it, immediately into 5 back squats with the same weight.

2/5 @ 95#
2/5 @ 135#
2/5 @ 185#
2/5 @ 225#
2/5 @ 255#
2/5 @ 275#
2/5 @ 285#

Was hoping to hit 275# when I started, so really happy with 285#.

EMOM 10:00

10 DB Bench Presses (45# DBs)

Felt pretty good and right arm wasn’t lagging behind. Didn’t think I’d be able to stick with the 45s all the way, but wasn’t too bad.

3 Rounds NFT

5 Box Jumps (32″)
10 T2B

I haven’t done box jumps since before the knee issue, so was good to test it out.

Got on the rower and did an easy 15 minutes for 3,365m, holding about a 2:10 pace.

The squats were a challenge, but overall a pretty light session. No need to kill myself after just training 13 hours ago though.

Michigan Rivalry Saturday

Feeling ok after training 5 days in a row, so made it a 6th out in the garage.

Warm-up

5:00 Air Dyne
15# Snatch Warm-up

OLY

2 @ 95# Power Snatches
2 @ 125# Power Snatches
2 @ 145# Power Snatches
EMOM 10:00
- 155# Power Snatch
- 155# OHS w/ 5s bottom hold

Didn’t have the explosion today, probably from late squats yesterday. Had to keep dropping lower and lower in the EMOM to receive the bar and all of that time OH was killer on the wrists.

Strength

Front Squats

3 @ 135#
3 @ 185#
3 @ 225#
3 @ 255#
3 @ 275#
3×3 @ 245#

Was feeling great in the early rounds, but barely pulled out the 3rd rep at 275#. The last 3 sets weren’t that bad though.

5 Sets

3 Weighted Ring Dips (53#)
10 GHD Sit-ups

WOD

10:00 Air Dyne for calories

Started out way too fast, doing about 95 rpm. Quickly brought that down after the first 30 seconds and kept it just under 80 most of the way. Picked up the pace for the final minute. Ended with 342 calories and 6.47km. Smokes my previous best of 319 calories.

Not the greatest training day, but some good work and I’m feeling good after it. Now off to watch the Michigan vs Michigan State game. GO BLUE!

Row for Recovery

Another 10am session. My hands are feeling the most from all of those KBS yesterday. Legs are still sore too.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne
45# Power Clean Positions

OLY

2 Power Cleans + 5 Front Squats (95#)
2 Power Cleans + 5 Front Squats (125#)
2 Power Cleans + 5 Front Squats (155#)
2 Power Cleans + 5 Front Squats (175#)
2 Power Cleans + 3 Front Squats (195#)

Cleans were not feeling the best and the bar slipped out of my hands twice because it was humid in the gym and the bar was a little slick.

Strength

Shoulder Presses

5 @ 95#
5 @ 100#
5 @ 105#
5 @ 110#
5 @ 115#
5 @ 120#
5 @ 125#
5 @ 130#
1 @ 135#

I worked on short rest for the first 5 sets or so. Caught up to me at the end there with 135# when I could only manage 1 rep and was shooting for 3.

Pendlay Rows

5 @ 135#
5 @ 150#
5 @ 165#
5 @ 180#
5 @ 195#

Heaviest I’ve done with these.

Conditioning

Easy 20 minute Row

I tried to keep my pace in the 2:08-2:10 range and 15-17 spm seemed to be a good stroke rate. The final numbers on the rower were 20:05 for 4,686m with an average pace of 2:08.6.

5 Days of Squats

Woke up feeling pretty good. Trained at 10am.

Warm-up

Easy 500m Row

OLY – Snatches

45# Position Work
2 x 2 @ 95#
2 @ 135#
E30S 2:00 – 1 @ 155#
1 @ 155# (forgot to load more weight)
6 x 1 @ 165#

All power snatches again, working on receiving in higher positions. Took some videos and by correcting my setup, the first pull pretty much automatically fixed as a result. No more looping around the knees. Did have some big lopping from the hips to the top though, which will need to be fixed.

Now it’s time to start working on the bar moving more vertical and then back at the top. Here’s my bar path from the best lift of the day.

Power Snatch - 165# Bar Path

With the first pull bar path corrected, if I can improve the rest of the bar path, I think I’ll be headed for some more PRs.

Front Squats

5 @ 135#
3 @ 185#
3 @ 205#
3 @ 225#
3 @ 235#
3 @ 245#
3 @ 255#
3 @ 265#
3 @ 275# (matches 3RM PR)
2 @ 285# (tried for 3, but got stuck part way up)
1 @ 295#

The goal was to do triples as long as possible, then doubles, and then singles. Mostly for volume. Not much room for the doubles and triples so close to 1RM though. Knees are sore from doing heavy squats 5 days in a row. Probably no squatting until Monday to give it a rest.

Out of Gas

In at 10am this morning, but no gas in the tank. Need to start getting more sleep again and eating more. Kevin was out of it too, so we took it easy.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne

OLY

Snatch Work

45# Position Work
65# Position Work
75# Position Work
2 x 2 x Power Snatch + OHS
1 Power Snatch E30S 4:00 (135#)

During the position work Kevin noticed I was behind the bar in my setup and helped fix me. Really different feel in my hamstrings, but it was almost automatic to bring the bar in instead of looping around the knees like I’ve been doing. The 135# power snatches felt ok, but not a whole lot of pop today. Getting used to the corrected start position felt weird too.

Strength

Pendlay Rows

15 x 105#
15 x 125#
15 x 135#

Front Squats

5 x 135#
5 x 185#
3 x 5 x 205#

WOD

10:00 Row

Averaged a 2:09/500m pace and kept strokes at 18-20/minute.

Tweaked Back

Pulled something in my back on Tuesday, but it as weird because it just felt like a knot or tight during the session. Then as I cooled off at home it got progressively worse. Sleeping that night was horrible; I wanted to scream each time I rolled over in bed. Got a hot stone massage yesterday which really helped. Felt good enough to go in this morning for a training session.

Warm-up

1,000m Row (really slow, focused on warming up my back)

Strength

Front Squats

5 x 45#
5 x 135#
3 x 185#
3 x 225#
1 x 255#
1 x 275#
1 x 295#
1 x 310# (PR)
F x 320#
10 x 135#

Had no plans to go for a PR today but after 295# felt good I figured there was no sense in matching a PR at 305#. The PR lift felt good so I went for more and couldn’t get it up. What tweaked back? 😉

Since there were 3 of us with Matt and Davy, we came up with a 3 station rotation between bench press, pendlay rows, and rest.

Warm-up

5 x 135# Bench Press
5 x 135# Pendlay Rows
5 x 185# Bench Press
5 x 185# Pendlay Rows

5 Rounds

5 x 185# Bench Press
5 x 185# Pendlay Rows

The benching got easier as the rounds went on, but the rows definitely got harder.

10:00 EMOM

Strict Ring Dips (10-10-8-6-6)
Strict Chin-ups (8-8-8-6-6)

Fuck these were hard after the benching and rows.

WOD

“Annie”
50-40-30-20-10

DU
Sit-ups (anchored)

First time trying “Annie” with the anchored sit-ups and it definitely helped. Set a 13 second PR with a 6:55 with a bunch of DU misses; 4 in the round of 50 and 2 stupid ones in the round of 10.