Sunday 16.8: Back squat

Sunday. Back squat 10x3 (138kg).

Yesterday was pretty much a rest day. We spent the weekend in Klaukkala with the in-laws. Great quality time with the family. There was some yard work to be done, real life crossfit, and some games that we played, but other than that it was all eating and chilling. Recovery at its best. Sunday evening I went to the gym for the final day of Smolov squat program.

Smolov.

• Back squat 10x3 (138kg)

I did mental prep for days leading up to this day. This is very close to my one rep max of back squat. How happy am I for this stuff to be over! Really, it was brutal, and every session was heavy in its own way. Sunday triples were the heaviest of each day but they were also the shortest sets.

It's been 4-time squatting for weeks now. It has also forced me to think a bit more of the metcons in a sense that I needed to step back on the volume of metcons during this Smolov thing. I've been missing some bad ass metcons, and I think I have good ones in reserve for the upcoming weeks.

There are some takeaways from Smolov. I was mentally strong. Big thing. These sets were not easy. Another thing is that strength crawled in to this body somehow because my legs took this burden well. My legs felt fresh throughout the game and had no issues whatsoever with lower body. Lower back felt the burden in the long run but legs were fine.

Squats 10x3

I was somewhat surprised of not hitting ass to grass in every rep as that was the key gain last year when I did Smolov. That is something that needs to be thought thoroughly. Still, it feels like mobility took a big leap forward this time too. Didn't feel tight or pain in the hips at any time. Very loose actually, felt very good about that. Maybe it was my back that wasn't mobile enough. In front squats it feels way easier to go all the way down because it's easier to keep the back straight all the time.