The 405 Squat

[Jeff Binek]

Originally Posted by Matthew Swartz

My heaviest conventional deadlift is 425 and my heaviest sumo is 445. I hate deadlift and consequently suck at it. With a 405 squat you would think it would be higher, but. My posterior chain is pretty weak in comparison to my legs.

Don't wanna re-tool you, however if you switched to low-bar you could help even yourself out a bit. Or hit something like 1x7, 1x5, 1x3 High Bar, then 1x7, 1x5, 1x3, 1x5, 1x7 Low Bar. When I switched to low-bar I stopped deadlifting outside of metcons entirely. My Deadlift went up over 85lbs in like 5 months, never deadlifting more than 75% or so of my max in metcons. My Front Squat also went up (but I was training it at least 1x/week) - but saw my OHS go down a little bit (firing your hips isn't the best when OHS heavy lol) Just a thought. I am going to start doing 2x/week high bar, 2x/week low bar, 1x/week front squat. See if I can level things out a bit now that my STR is where I want it. (Yes I squat 5x/week, and yes it is ****ing awesome.)

[Jay Rhodes]

That was a beauty squat!!

[David Meverden]

Nice lift!

I was also curious why you did high bar, though I don't think there's necessarily a problem with it.

My only criticism is of the guy behind you getting ready to spoon you. You're in a power rack! You don't need a spotter!

[Frances Ballesteros]

Originally Posted by Matthew Swartz

Crossfit football off season + colliegate strength. That and horrible nutrition.

Nice job on the squat!

I'm following Crossfit Football too, but Amateur SWOD. We just did a total, what were your numbers? Cuz a 405 at your current weight is damm strong!

[Benjamin Nichols]

Originally Posted by David Meverden

Nice lift!

I was also curious why you did high bar, though I don't think there's necessarily a problem with it.

My only criticism is of the guy behind you getting ready to spoon you. You're in a power rack! You don't need a spotter!

I always heard that high-bar translated into better olympic lifting numbers than low-bar. Is this wrong? I am such noob

[Robert Fabsik]

Matt-kick butt squat. Keep it going up and up.

In regards to transfer of HBBS vs. LBBS here's a summary of thoughts:

HBBS is best for oly lifts, so if you want to be an oly master do HBBS. This makes a lot of sense since cleans and snatches are done pretty upright like an HBBS.

To the best of my knowledge Rip of SS agrees with the above but feels the LBBS is a better all around lift since you can work more musculature with the LBBS. Many argue the HBBS focuses too much on the anterior chain whereas the LBBS hits the anterior chain (quads) as well as posterior chain (hamstrings/low back/glutes).

Louie Simmons wants everyone to do wide powerlifting stylle LBBS to really work the hips and he feels it has the most athletic transfer.

From my perspective, I'd try to mix it up, unless you have a very specific training goal. Want to be an oly master do HBBS unless you front squat a lot. If you want a world record squat in powerlifting try out the wide LBBS. If you are training for general strength/fitness, consider a cycle or two of each of them and see how they benefit you. I would also add that the HBBS requires more fleixiblity--which is tough at first but in the long run a good thing.

I usually LBBS, mix in some front squats and safety bar squats (which is somewhere between them all).

[Matthew Swartz]

I HBBS cause I hate the feel of LBBS. That, plus I want my Oly lifts higher and like Rob said, HBBS translates best for that.

As for my spooner, I always squat better with the treat of forcible sex looming behind me.

Originally Posted by Frances Ballesteros

Nice job on the squat!

I'm following Crossfit Football too, but Amateur SWOD. We just did a total, what were your numbers? Cuz a 405 at your current weight is damm strong!

I did a 245 power clean. I think my PR is 255 or 260, but I didn't really focus on the PC for the CFFBT. Next, a 405 BS (you saw here), a 275 bench, and a 415 deadlift. Attempted 430 but I couldn't get it more than an inch off the ground. 4th max of the day in a 2 hour time frame wiped me out. So 1340 total.

[Jeff Binek]

Originally Posted by Matthew Swartz

As for my spooner, I always squat better with the treat of forcible sex looming behind me.

Yea, Know what that's about...all my PRs are from my prison days.

[Frances Ballesteros]

Originally Posted by Matthew Swartz

I HBBS cause I hate the feel of LBBS. That, plus I want my Oly lifts higher and like Rob said, HBBS translates best for that.

As for my spooner, I always squat better with the treat of forcible sex looming behind me.



I did a 245 power clean. I think my PR is 255 or 260, but I didn't really focus on the PC for the CFFBT. Next, a 405 BS (you saw here), a 275 bench, and a 415 deadlift. Attempted 430 but I couldn't get it more than an inch off the ground. 4th max of the day in a 2 hour time frame wiped me out. So 1340 total.

Beast!!

[Frances Ballesteros]

Originally Posted by Robert Fabsik

Matt-kick butt squat. Keep it going up and up.

In regards to transfer of HBBS vs. LBBS here's a summary of thoughts:

HBBS is best for oly lifts, so if you want to be an oly master do HBBS. This makes a lot of sense since cleans and snatches are done pretty upright like an HBBS.

To the best of my knowledge Rip of SS agrees with the above but feels the LBBS is a better all around lift since you can work more musculature with the LBBS. Many argue the HBBS focuses too much on the anterior chain whereas the LBBS hits the anterior chain (quads) as well as posterior chain (hamstrings/low back/glutes).

Louie Simmons wants everyone to do wide powerlifting stylle LBBS to really work the hips and he feels it has the most athletic transfer.

From my perspective, I'd try to mix it up, unless you have a very specific training goal. Want to be an oly master do HBBS unless you front squat a lot. If you want a world record squat in powerlifting try out the wide LBBS. If you are training for general strength/fitness, consider a cycle or two of each of them and see how they benefit you. I would also add that the HBBS requires more fleixiblity--which is tough at first but in the long run a good thing.

I usually LBBS, mix in some front squats and safety bar squats (which is somewhere between them all).

Is the difference in muscle recruitment that big between low bar and high bar squats? Olympic lifters use high bar and have huge legs, plus I think ,you'd get a strong posterior chain from Deadlifting.

I don't know I suppose it's a matter of preferences, High bar squats feel more natural to me