Strength

1 1/4 Front squat + front squat

Build to a moderate-heavy set of 3 reps on the 1 1/4 front squat.

Then take the same weight and perform 1-2 sets of 4-6 regular front squats with a 20×1 tempo

10 reps of active hang & shoulder flexion drills between sets.

Notes

Be sure to use control on the 1 1/4 front squat. Descend into the very bottom of your front squat, smoothly reverse direction without bouncing and ascend to a couple inches above parallel before descending to the bottom again. Then smoothly transition out of the bottom and stand all the way up to extension of the knees and hips.

Do not bounce out of the bottom at any point. Instead, lower with control and smoothly transition out of the bottom on each rep (and each 1/4 rep).

Once you have found your top weight on the 1 1/4 front squat you will use the same weight to perform 1-2 sets of 4-6 reps at a 20×1 tempo. You may use a little stretch reflex as you rebound out of the bottom on these.

In between sets of squats do the active hang drill and the shoulder flexion drill. If you have time you can perform both, or you can alternate which drill you do after each set of squats.

For the active hang drill perform 10 reps of :03 active hang and :02 passive hang.

For the shoulder flexion drill keep some posterior pelvic tilt engagement to prevent arching of the low back. Lower your chest towards the floor for 3 seconds, then relax up for 1 second. Perform 10 reps. You should feel a stretch in the thoracic spine and maybe the lats. If you feel pinching in the shoulders, try elevating or depressing the scaps or rotating the elbows down. If this does not fix anything you may sub a downward dog stretch instead.

Conditioning

3 sets

In 2:00
10 front squats
200 m row/400 m bike
max effort front squats

Rest 3:00

Notes

Today’s workout is three separate two minute windows. You will start each window with 10 front squats and a 200 m row (or 400 m bike), and then complete as many front squats as possible in the remaining time. You will rest for 3:00 between windows. Your score is the total number of front squats you get across the three sets.

Your front squat weight should be light enough to do the opening set of 10 unbroken, and to push to start of the max effort set of front squats to 8-10 unbroken.

If you think your row or bike split per 500 (or 1000) will be slower than 2:05, consider lowering the distance to 150 m on the rower or 300 m on the bike.