Deth

As of the summer of 2023 I finally did it! I finally squatted the three plates!

Really, since I started doing Crossfit I have wanted to reach the goal of back squatting 315. I realize it’s not that heavy, but like anything fitness related, I do this to improve myself, not injure myself.

I probably don’t take risks that I should sometimes. I bail too easily. If the rep doesn’t feel perfect at a heavy weight instinct kicks in, and I dump the weight before I even realize I’m doing it. I guess that’s great for safety at least.

In the past when we did Smolov Jr at the gym I added 10 pounds and rushed 265 and collapsed. I stood it up, but not in a good way. Worst thing about it is that it felt like there was more in the tank, but I never got past that mental block of the one sloppy rep until a few years later I was doing daily heavy singles, or at least daily if I felt recovered enough.

That took me from the 255 I was stuck at to 310 in a couple of months. I’ve kept most of that, too. On a bad day, I can get around 275 - 280 and on a good day when it feels good I can rep 295.

Currently, I’ve been really focusing on cardio, but in the summer when the heat comes I’m going to do something with heavy squats again. Probably once I hit the wall with the 20 rep squat program and after the heat hurts me with cardio and high rep stuff.

I have felt I have had 315+ in me for quite a while now. It’s just a mental block now. The 310 wasn’t even slow. Even the 315 I missed back last summer was moving and not slow. I just shifted my weight too far back at the sticking point. I think the other big factor is like with deadlifts, it freaks me out when the bar begins bending.

I feel it would be better not to cheapen my goal by cutting the squat short, either. I’ve always had the ability to squat ass to grass, so I want to use the full range of motion available to me.