For a second consecutive week, I have managed to make my goal of hitting the gym a minimum of 5x/week. Feels good to do right by your body, and what a week it was! We recently finished some big weight lifting
progressions at Solcana, which means last week had a lot of 1 Rep Max (1RM) PR’s like:
- Back Squat: 255# (up 5# from 3 weeks prior when we tested at powerlifting)
- Front Squat: 185# (up from 130# at the start of the progression)
- Push Press: 120# (up from 100# at start of the progression)
It was so awesome to have these personal gains after 12 weeks of work in the gym. Even better was seeing my gym pals kill it, too. It’s hard to put into words how awesome it is to genuinely celebrate the successes of my friends. It’s not every day we can truly root for someone else without pangs of jealousy and selfishness, you know? Here’s the thing: we have all worked hard for these gains. And we did it together. There is a special type of bond that is created in this work we do as a community, and it fosters such a healthy environment of support and vulnerability.
So much so, that even after the crappy work day I had last week Wednesday – the 1RM Front Squat day – I went to the gym. I walked in with a bad attitude and a defeated mentality. Not super great for 1RM day. Hannah P greeted me with a smile and a hug and asked me how I was a doing. A standard greeting, right? Here’s the thing…Solcana is my real place, 
where I really get to exist. So this question posed to me deserved more than the sub-par response of “oh, fine, how are you?” Because I wasn’t. I was honest, and just as I wanted and needed, I got a “Well, you’re here now so things are looking up.” PREACH HAND EMJOJI! Ain’t that the truth. I nearly busted into tears of frustration from the day I had as we warmed up with our supermans and wall stands and I didn’t even feel weird about it, mostly because Solcana is a safe space for me. My pals see me at my best and see me at my breaking point. And they rally for me in both. Needless to say, I was pushed to exceed my original 1RM front squat by 15# because of these people. And I ended the workout with a smile on my face – WHICH MEANS SOMETHING. I could have easily gone home and slammed a beer(s) or smoked a pack of cigarettes or ate an entire box of girl scout cookies…all ways I’ve dealt with stress and anxiety in the past. But I didn’t. I went and pumped some iron and sweated it out and my mind was clear by the end of the workout. Yet again. This system works. It always does. So, thank you again to my Wednesday 6:30 class for always having my back. You know I’m here for you, too.
In other news, I’m working through my first little injury. Well, it’s hardly an injury, more like a little tweak from front squats. My left wrist became a little sore after last week’s 1RM and I’ve been very aware of it since. It hasn’t caused me any real issues, it just feels like it maybe got a little hyperextended due to my less than stellar wrist mobility (we’re workin’ on it, kids). Last night, we did some front squatting again (5 days after 1 RM) and it was still bothering me quite a bit, so Coach Jake helped me modify as seen to the right. We were doing 6×5 at 70% (130# for me) and after trying one set with my tweaked wrist, I knew it wasn’t smart for me to continue. Instead, I opted for back squats and rowing instead of the suggested metcon of 5 minute burpees. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t mind missing the burpees even though I probably hate rowing just as much! I just don’t want this wrist tweak to keep me out of much else, so rest is better.
In the meantime, I did some research on the internet and lack of wrist mobility can be the limiting factor for a lot of us in movements like cleans and front squats, so here are some sure fire ways to improve your wrist mobility that I’ve been following:
1) Wrist Rotations. This is very basic. Wrap your fingers together and move your wrists around in every possible direction. Hold any position that feels a little tender/limited for a few seconds. Repeat often throughout the day.
2) Planche Push Up Position. Get into a plank position (elbows fully extended at the top of the push up). Turn your hands inward so your fingertips are pointing toward your toes. Keeping a rigid torso, shift your body forward so you have an angle from your shoulders to wrists. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds (or as long as you can bear) and repeat. If this is too intense, drop down to your knees and complete.
3) Front Squat Rack Position. If this position is bothering you as you front squat, chances are you need to get your wrists working through the range of motion required for a front squat. It is not your wrists holding the bar in place, it is your shoulders but . . . you need good wrist mobility to get that heavy bar sitting correctly on top of your shoulders. Load a bar on a desired rack setting. Set up in a rack position, with your elbows pointing as far forward as possible and weight sitting on your shoulders. Pick up the bar and rotate your elbows forward, then re rack the bar. Repeat this process until you see a change in your rack position.
4) Static Holds. Pull your wrist back into extension and/or flexion and hold for at least 20-30 seconds.
5) Wrist Walks. I just discovered this drill and love it. Place your palms on a wall, with your arms straight and fingers pointing to the ceiling. Keeping contact with the wall, walk your hands down the wall. Go as far down as possible without letting your palms come off the wall. Once you reach the point where you can’t walk your hands down any farther, turn your hands around so your fingers are now pointing to the floor. Walk your wrists back up the wall as far upward as possible. Repeat as desired.
6) Check Your Keyboard. Get your wrists in a neutral position when typing!
And, I’d be remiss to not mention that Solcana offers mobility classes twice a week (Tu-Thu) at 6:30 pm. These classes, led by Coach Hannah, work on the kind of mobility that allows your body to move well even when you’re not in the gym.This might sound like an easy type of class – let me assure you this: it doesn’t always feel good to make mobility gains. In fact, it takes some pretty intense work to fix the sticky, lingering immobile fascia we all have hanging out in our bodies. In Coach Hannah’s words: in the end it’s worth it, because you will move better, make gains faster and avoid injury over the long term. You can bet your rear end I’ll be there from now on. Wrists included.