Monday, May 15, 2017

Back Squat
6 x 5
with unbalanced load
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AMRAP 7
3 ManMakers
30 Double Unders (75 Singles)
 
Life rarely gives us perfectly balanced loads…we only get those in the gym. So the idea of squatting with an unbalanced load is to force your core stabilizers to adapt.
The amount of unbalance depends a lot on the total load. The more you back squat, the more off balance you can be, but I probably would keep it between a 2.5-10 pound difference on either side. When I did it, I did these numbers:
5 reps at:
2.5 + 95
115 + 5
7.5 + 135
155 + 7.5
10 + 175
175 + 10
Notice the larger number is the main weight and then something else on one side. Notice also that I kept switching on which side I had the extra weight.
Make sure you set yourself squarely under the bar like you normally would. If you move off center of the bar in order to balance the load, that negates the whole point. This will feel weird mostly as soon as you pick it up, but once you start squatting, it’s not as bad. Squat more slowly than you normally would.
Stay focused and remember that the legs don’t know the difference…they just feel the total weight. But everything in the midline has to work a little differently.