Back Squats are Fun

When I was younger, even when I rowed in high school, I didn't squat. I did bodyweight squats as well as exercises like leg press, and the rowing itself worked the same muscles, but I never did a squat with a barbell. Now that I'm older and wiser, I realize how important squats are - particularly from the perspective of longevity of activity. The hips and lower back are a very common area where people get injuries as they age, so the more of a foundation of strength and stability we can build, the better.

Workout

Time of workout: 7 AM

Warm-up: 5 minutes shadowboxing with calisthenics mixed in. I just kept it active and loose.

1. Back Squat: Bar x 5 reps

2 Pull-ups

I did the pull-ups straight after racking the bar, although I had about a minute rest between the pull-ups and the next set of squats. In case you are wondering, I can't do that many pull-ups in a row (maybe 5), so 2 is a solid amount to do between each squat set.

2. Back Squat: 65 x 5

2 Pull-ups

3. Back squat: 75 x 5

2 Pull-ups

4. Back squat: 75 x 5

2 Pull-ups

5. Back Squat: 85 x 5

2 Pull-ups

I recorded my last set of squats. The quality isn't great, but I want to use the videos occasionally to check my form and share them with you.

Heavy Bag: 5 minutes

I tried to keep the pace going for the 5 minutes. I also focused on body and head evasion. I originally wanted to use the double-end bag, which focuses on evasion and head movement, but my bungee cords need to be replaced, so I tried to keep in the spirit of the intended medium.

Stretching: 5 minutes

Duration of workout: ~25 minutes (it got broken up as I was getting my son ready for school between the main workout and the stretching, but probably 25 minutes of actual exercise.

Post-Workout Thoughts

I was pleased by the workout. I can squat more, but as I want to progress slowly as I haven't squatted heavy since before my knee surgery in 2013. However, I feel progress and a good workout overall. I could feel some good soreness from my shoulders from the Turkish Get-ups and Heavy Bag yesterday. Not too bad, but I wouldn't want to have bench pressed today.

Thank you for checking out my blog. Let me know what you think and I always appreciate any feedback. I'm not an expert on working out or blogging, but I try my best. God bless you.