The Goblet Squat

The Goblet Squat

12 dudes came out to the Foxhole, well aware of the horrors that awaited them. As YHC rolled up to the lot at 5:15, 2 cars were already parked and empty. Flint showed up for the pre-run, but then thought it better to enjoy 15 minutes of asphalt stretching due to a sore foot (probably a good call). Tolkien’s truck was there as well; he was nowhere to be found. Here’s what YHC remembers from the 45 minutes between 5:29 and 6:15.

The Thang

Warmup

Looked around at 5:29 and a half, allowed the last few stragglers to make their way to the circle. Still no Tolkien, we all knew he was off MAFing somewhere in the darkness by himself. We had to start without him.

• Disclaimer given
• Mosey around the school parking lot, some high knees and butt kickers.
• 10 Good Morning
• 10 Merkins
• 20 SealJacks

Post-warmup, we were joined by Marlin, starting cold, and Tolkien, who didn’t need a warm-up after a 7.5 mile warm-up.

• Bring the bells down to the turf fields. Circle up.
• 10 Very Low, Very Slow KB Goblet Squats, in Cadence, pausing at the bottom to discuss form. Hold it while Q gives instructions.
• Brief discussion and demonstration on squat technique:
  • “Keep weight on the heels, and static tension between” (imagine standing on a towel and attempting to spread it apart, keeping it taut)
  • “Send knees directionally out over the pinky toes, but not beyond”
  • “Hips go back and down, chest and eyes pointed towards the horizon”

(“the lap” = a lap around the soccer field, stopping at each corner for 10 hand-release merkins.)

Progression 1

• 25 KB Swings
• 15 KB Squats
• Run the lap
• 15 KB Squats
• 25 KB Swings
• plank as we wait.

Progression 2

• 25 KB Squats
• 15 KB Snatch
• Run the lap
• 15 KB Snatch
• 25 KB Squats
• plank as we wait.

Progression 3

• 25 KB Sumo Straight Leg Deadlift
• 15 Jump squat
• Run the lap
• 15 Jump squat
• 25 KB Sumo Straight Leg Deadlift
• plank as we wait.

Progression 4

• 4 Very Low, Very Slow KB Squats (in cadence)
  • down, 10 count from Flint, up
  • down, 10 count from Voodoo, up
  • down, 10 count from Frehleys, up,
  • down, 10 count from Soft Pretzel, up
• 10 Jump Squats, OYO
• Run the lap
• (1st Person back leads Mary) Flint: with 10 LBCs.

Mary

• Plank
• 10 6-inch Plankjack, In cadence.
• 30 Flutter, In Cadence
• 30 LBC, In Cadence

Mosey back to launch with KBs.

ENDEX & Announcements

• Thanks JRR Tolkien for the closing words.
• Pool Party for a51 this Saturday, see Twitter for details.
• Flint VQ scheduled at Foxhole for 8/29. Be there !

A Full Moleskine

If you posted at Foxhole today, you now know that YHC thinks the squat is one of the most important, yet neglected (in common fitness), exercises. Great work out there from everyone, and much respect to the handful of Clydesdales out there that pushed their limits on a Foxhole that was certainly not 0.0. A couple observations:

• Flint has become quite fast. Looks like all those posts at running AOs (Swift and Devil’s Turn), coupled with consistent Foxhole posts is a winning combo. I think the weight loss since mid-May when MT brought him out for the 1st time has helped as well. Come see Flint deliver an epic lead at his VQ at Foxhole in 2 weeks. You won’t want to miss it.

• Soft Pretzel was pushing the pace today and beat YHC back to the circle on the 3rd progression. He was uncatchable. As Pretzel knows well, mixing major muscle groups with running is a painful combination; his Q’s at Foxhole have been somewhat of an inspiration. (SP, you should Q another one soon Pretzel. Halloween is open. Take it click here)

• Voodoo is a beast swinging that monster blue bell. Hopefully the > 0.0 at the ‘hole today was good for the BRR training. Thanks for coming out despite admissions of acute leg soreness, sorry it was all legs today #notsorry.

• Loogie continues to post strong efforts despite shoulder trouble. Looked like all the “modify as needed” squatting you’ve done at other AO’s to avoid shoulder impairment helped with today’s squat workload. Well done. And thanks for bringing spare bells for our guests.

• Frehleys Comet’s return to Foxhole did not go un-noticed; respectable respectness from this guy and at least 2 gallons of sweat on the turf field. Good to have you back sir.

• Short Pole (recent FNG) did a solid job for his first post at a Gear workout, also had a solid gallon of sweat to ring out at the end.

• Honeymoon had an interesting morning; ate some Astroturf pellets during the 6-inch plank (which wasn’t very long, so solid job there) and told Tolkien that he’s engaged to my brother… um, no. Must have been the high-heart rate disorientation ! Glad you backtracked on that one; both my bros are married, stick with the sister.

• Marlin is all business out there. Glad you made it before we headed down to the fields; nice job on those squats.. deep. Too bad school is starting and we will see less of Nemo. First day of school ? #dadjoke

• Mighty Mite seems to be all healed up from the bummed ankle from the F3 scandle, “Futbolgate” where Nard dog’s entire weight crushed one square centimeter of MM’s ankle. Good effort out there, always good to have one of the original KB bros at the ‘hole.

• Fire Marshall Bill is becoming a regular at the Foxhole and crushes it every time. Perhaps you could lead a few good man click here.

• JRR Tolkien did post at Foxhole. He was there. Present. Accounted for. I think the all those miles (including the extra 1.5 from the wrong turn) may have left very little fuel in the tank. Kudos for staying the course and putting in some work with us. As you can see, it’s not all grunting and 80’s hair band at Foxhole (except when Frehley’s leads). We get your HR up, and keep it there for 45 min. For real, thanks for showing, good luck with the marathon training.

More Mole

TL;DR -> squats are good for us, but they are often neglected for fear they are dangerous. The fear is rooted in ubiquitous poor form among amateurs and old, sloppy research. Using goblet squats or front squats can help develop better form.

Quick rabbit trail, Matt Fraser, the winner of this year’s Crossfit games, has listed these two words, instead of a paragraph, in the “How I train” section of his athlete profile on the games website: “I squat”. Whether your attitude towards Crossfit as an organization and culture is one of (or a mix of) love, hate, or apathy, it is undeniable that the athletes that compete in their games are indeed athletes of the first order. The squat, in all its variations, is a foundational movement for folks who succeed in that environment. The squat, in its basic and simplest form, is a foundational movement for fitness success in any environment. Much of the fear about knee/back injury and squatting is based in poorly executed squats and poorly executed “studies” from the 1960s that linked knee injuries with heavy back squats. Shallow squats (I.e not below parallel), when done consistently, can overdevelop the quads relative to glutes and hamstrings. That asymmetry can cause stress on the knee and continue to influence the lower extremities toward bad squat form.

Squatting below parallel, even with no weight, can be a challenge for some (like YHC) due to lack of ankle and hip flexibility; the lack of flexibility causes folks to fall backward or squat shallow. Squatting with a KB racked in front can allow for a deeper squat because the weight is in front, and can build that flexibility.

Argonaut Out.