WoDaholic

Today:

Thruster, 3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1

95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, 155, 165, 155

Maxed out at 165, I did the squat for 175 and couldn't get the bar above my head. Considering this is the first time I've lifted anything more than about 45lbs (or body weight) I was mostly pleased. Certainly not the best I've done, but much better than what I expected to be able to do.

After that I decided to 1RM on back squats. Got up to 265 and literally could not get back out of the squat position...hahaha...I'm lucky nothing broke. I fell forward inside the squat cage and the safety rack caught the bar. I'm pretty sure that I've never been so thankful for being short in my life!! Being a little taller would have snapped my spine and rolled it up like a window shade.

After that was form practice for cleans, overhead squat and standing military press (45lb bar).

I noticed the all-knowing hooligans at the gym replaced the perfectly functional squat-rack with this HUGE monstrosity made by Hammer Strength. How stupid!! Sheesh. This thing is literally NINE FEET tall and looks like it could withstand being hit by a Mack truck. It's not adjustable either...you need tools to lower or raise the bar rack that you lift from. The friggin pull-up station (can't call it a bar) has more handles than Isaac Asimov's imagination and is completely useless because it is nine feet off the ground. Even the super-sized steps that are supposed to assist leave at least two-three feet for me to jump before I can use the bars.
I mean seriously, who is going to need a device like this? I've seen ONE, as in UNO, guy that literally squatted 700lb+ for REPS...but who in this area is going to need something that looks like it can withstand 2,000lbs or more? We don't even have barbells that are rated for that kind of weight!
Personally, I think it's the "little man" syndrome on a convoluted scale. No matter how big you are, when you step inside this cage, you automatically see that everything is over sized and huge. Way to play your customer's psyche, Hammer Strength. Sheesh.