A new month brings a new focus and squats are on the list for April.  We will be adding extra work on squats including more reps, practice on good form and moving you up to excellent form, heavy barbell work for stronger squats, tests for your one rep maximum and squat therapy to improve your technique plus adding longer squat hold challenges through this month and into May.  Let’s find out how good you are with holding a long squat.  Here is a nice article to support our work with squats from WebMD.com.  I hope you enjoyed the April Fool’s WOD today.

April will also  bring both sprints and some heavy barbell workouts.  There are always scaled levels to accommodate everyone so don’t panic.  This month should give you some challenges and I hope you jump right into them.  Pushing yourself every day is how you will see progress and meet your goals.  Try to come into the gym ready to take on your next level and see how you do.  Get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water and eat lots of meat and vegetables to stay fine tuned to hit the WOD every day.  The intensity you bring to each workout is where you will see the most benefit.  Constantly varied, functional movements done at high intensity is the CrossFit prescription and it will help you increase your work capacity over broad times and movement domains.  3,2,1 GO!

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Health Benefits of Squats

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on June 22, 2021
Squat exercises aren’t just for athletes. You can do them as part of your regular exercise routine.

They strengthen your lower body, targeting your glutes and quadriceps.

They also make you use your core muscles.

Other muscles that benefit from squats are:

Squats burn calories and might help you lose weight.

They also lower your chances of injuring your knees and ankles. As you exercise, the movement strengthens your tendons, bones, and ligaments around the leg muscles. It takes some of the weight off your knees and ankles.

They help make your knees more stable, too.

What’s more, squats may also help boost your bone mineral density for stronger bones. It adds strength to your skeleton, mainly in the spine and lower body.

Squats improve your flexibility, too. As you become older, your tendons, muscles, and ligaments become less elastic. Regularly doing squats can help slow down this process and limber you up.

Squats help you feel and look good. Squatting helps shape up your legs and butt since it targets the glute and inner thigh muscles. As your buttocks become firm, your posture and balance might improve.

How to Do Squats

Do squats the right way to protect yourself from getting injured. Poor form can take a toll on your spine and knees over time.

The right way to do a squat is to:

  • Stand with your feet apart and parallel to each other.   Slightly pointed outward is acceptable.
  • Place your hands on your thighs.
  • Look up and lift your chest.
  • Bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, putting all your weight on your heels and sitting back slowly.
  • Your knees shouldn’t go beyond your toes, and your head and chest should stay upright.
  • Hold the position for 5 seconds.
  • Rise back up, pressing through your heels, and straighten your hips back to the starting position.
  • Repeat five times. Now do 50 more. DC

‌Squats are one of the most effective strength-training exercises around. If you’re not working out already, talk to your doctor before you get started. They can let you know if squats are safe for you to do. You might also want to think about working with a professional strength trainer, who can make sure you’re using the right form.

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SCHEDULE FOR APRIL 3-8TH    Monday-Friday 5am, 6 am, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm  Saturday 8 am.  The CrossFit Total will be on Tuesday, max lifts on back squat, deadlift and shoulder press.

WORKOUTS THIS WEEK- POKER, EVA, SPRINTS, ROW/WALLBALL DUO, CROSSFIT TOTAL, Pushup/kb swing/wallball/situp partner workout.

THIS WEEK’S PALEO RECIPE

Lemon Garlic Salmon with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

    • 4 (6 oz each) salmon fillets
    • 1 ½ pound asparagus, trimmed
    • 1 tsp salt (or sea salt flakes)
    • ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
    • 1 ½ tbsp chopped fresh dill
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • ½ lemon, juiced and zested
    • 1 lemon, sliced
Directions
  1. Preheat oven broiler to high heat.
  2. Place the salmon fillets on a baking sheet.
  3. Arrange the asparagus around the salmon fillets in a single layer.
  4. Season the salmon and asparagus with salt and black pepper.
  5. Sprinkle the dill over the salmon fillets.
  6. In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and zest, olive oil and garlic and pour the mixture over the salmon and asparagus.
  7. Arrange the lemon slices over the salmon and asparagus.
  8. Broil for 8-10 minutes.
  9. Serve immediately.

SEE YOU AT THE GYM

3,2,1 GO!!!

DEAN