Soreness that makes me smile!

On Monday I had my best lifting workout of the new year.  It wasn't all that different from my other lifting days with one exception:  I did front squats.

That's it!  Nothing fancy, really, but it's been several months since I've attempted any sort of squatting due to the pain and stiffness in my knees.  Thankfully, I've gotten some relief after visiting a specialist and getting properly medicated to help relieve my gout symptoms.

I started with a simple lift of 135 pounds - the standard bar and two forty five pound weights on each side.  I did seven reps just past ninety degrees.  That's much deeper than I've been able to go for a very long time.  The resulting depth and muscle stretch really worked my whole body, but especially my butt and hamstrings.  I've been walking a bit gingerly but the satisfaction of knowing that I've worked muscles I haven't been able to work for a while gives me the confidence and motivation to hit the squat rack the next time I get to the weight room.

Don't have access to a squat rack?  Do your own variation.  Lean back against a wall and then slide down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.  Hold for ten seconds and stand up.  Do seven to ten reps for three sets.  When you get good at this, pick up a small bag of dog or catfood and hold it tight to your chest while you do the exercise.  Soon you'll start to feel the burning in your thighs and you'll see results in no time!

Good luck with your fitness work and have a great weekend!