Jan 2nd, my friend

12/19/2011 2:54:56 PM

In that case, you will have 3 days to get me addicted.

12/19/2011 4:02:49 PM

GAME.ON.

12/19/2011 5:30:09 PM

Did some heavy dead lift work tonight:

315x3
365x3
385x3
405x3
425x3

425 felt real good, think I can at least max out at 450 now. First time using my new OLY shoes too, feels so much better than my chucks.

12/19/2011 7:46:36 PM

I never use oly shoes for deads

Flat is better

What kind of oly shoes did you get?

12/20/2011 6:32:02 AM

^ and ^^

do you guys rep out or max out like that using your "competition" form, or do you use a form that you are not as strong but that trains the same muscle groups?

for example, i cannot sumo dead lift as much as i can "competition" form lift, but i don't ever use my strongest form until i am on the platform to set a PR.

12/20/2011 7:48:40 AM

Im doing a westside/CrossFit hybrid program, so most of my pulling is in the form of cleans and snatches. Even when I deadlift frequently I change it up by week between deficit deads, rack pulls, snatch grip...very rarely sumo.

12/20/2011 8:18:47 AM

^^^ I got the Rogue Do-Wins, didn't want drop like $190 on the Nike's and these seem pretty solid. I can understand wanting to lift in flat shoes for deads, didn't really think of it I guess but it felt real solid lifting in them either way.

^^ I rarely sumo dead lift (and rarely dead lift for that matter, maybe 1 or 2 times a month max) so I would say I use my "competition" form whenever I do dead lift.

12/20/2011 9:42:43 AM

So after finally getting over a cold, I was able to get back to the gym today:

4 rounds for time:
Run or row, 400 meters
Pull-up, 15 reps
Landmine Swing, 15 reps (right + left = 1), 35/25#

24:59

Feels good to be back.

12/22/2011 9:24:25 PM

ME Press

then

5 rounds:
4 muscle-ups
5 Squat Thrusters, 135#

8min 5 sec


then acquire total of 2 min in L-Sit (took about 7:56 ha)

12/23/2011 11:06:02 AM

Did Fran today, first time doing it completely rx'ed, had to modify the pull ups before. Finished in 9:54, I was happy with sub 10 minute, the last time I did it (with assistance on pull ups) I finished in 12:05 so there is obvious improvement. That sucked though after a weekend of eating and drinking way too much.

12/27/2011 7:34:58 PM

Hit a 405 back squat today (previous best was 390) and made sure to get a video of it. I failed on my first attempt, I think just feeling the weight on my back psyched me out and I didn't focus on proper breathing or keeping my knees out. I think the hardest part was walking it out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KujHW3Q3WXo

12/31/2011 12:35:35 PM

Was that full depth?

12/31/2011 1:41:56 PM

It looks like parallel but I would have liked to have gone a bit deeper (went up when I heard up). I think I could definitely get it though, it went up pretty easy.

12/31/2011 1:47:49 PM

Who is doing/wants to do the Whole 30 on Jan. 1?

12/31/2011 1:58:33 PM

yea you definitely are strong enough to handle 405. Knees pushed forward a bit at the bottom killing your hip drive. Knees out harder may help

12/31/2011 2:03:32 PM

Definitely agree, I was trying to think of my knees on the way down, when I started going up it was obviously a different story. I am really glad I took the video because that makes it pretty obvious. I probably won't max out again for a while so that will give me some time to really work on my form at lower weights.

[Edited on December 31, 2011 at 6:16 PM. Reason : .]

12/31/2011 6:15:09 PM

I am a fan of working circa maximal if your technique is good.

If you are wanting to nail it and possibly blow through it...I'd try alternating box squats and heavier triples/doubles/singles with each work out. Very similar to the westside dynamic/max effort principles.

So maybe program something up like...

Monday: deep box squats focusing on speed and technique ~60-70% of 1rm 8setsx2reps. 45sec-1min rest between sets.

Friday: Normal squat, work up to circa maximal effort of ~95% of RMs for triples, doubles, or single reps. Then do a drop set of 5-8reps of 80% of whatever you got. As much rest time needed to perform maximally.

[Edited on December 31, 2011 at 6:49 PM. Reason : ;]

12/31/2011 6:48:08 PM

Acraw

My gym and some others in the area are starting a 9week "look better naked challenge" ( whole 30) Jan 14th.

12/31/2011 11:21:29 PM

I guess it's not really the Whole 30 if I am not willing to cut out dairy.

The main thing for me would be sugar and grains.

I like FAGE non-fat greek yogurt. A cup of that has 23g protein. I add 1 or 2 tsp of PB and tsp of honey and its quick protein for me when I want a break from eggs.

For those of you who don't know what the Whole 30 is, it's very strict Paleo for 30 days. That's including alcohol.

1/2/2012 1:57:26 AM

Wow that is a beautiful back.




[Edited on January 2, 2012 at 3:08 PM. Reason : .]

1/2/2012 3:08:06 PM

skywalkr

all seriousness here (no crossfit hate)

- in your video, at 8 seconds, with your legs that close together, your ass should be that far back without any knee bend (save for natural bend). it makes your hamstrings tight and primes the glutes for activation.

- you would have red lighted at depth. if you pause at your lowest point, you can clearly see that your hips are above your knees. try working on a box that is below parallell so that you hit the mark EVERY time, with no questions.

- use your hips man! you totally used your back to hump the weight up. you should be pushing your hips forward and squeezing your ass to produce the movement. when you watch, you'll notice you are not doing this. you left an easy 25 lbs on the platform by not using your hips and ass. their the strongest muscles you have, use them! i like to do supported leg raises from a pull up bar to warm up and get the stimulation going.

otherwise, good job on a PR. but those bottom 3 inches make the difference between and green and red light.

1/2/2012 6:50:21 PM

Thanks for the feedback I really appreciate it and will definitely work on those things, I agree with everything you said. This is the first time I have video taped my squat and I am glad I did.

1/2/2012 7:19:50 PM

From yesterday:
Run – 1000 meters
Push-up – 100 reps
Snatch – 10 reps @ 135/95#

16:22

New gym is open and looking good. There is some new equipment I am pretty excited to use. If anyone is considering joining a box, I think memberships are free this month. The gym is located on the corner of Millbrook and 70.

6808-100 Davis Circle
Raleigh, NC 27613

[Edited on January 3, 2012 at 10:27 AM. Reason : time]

1/3/2012 10:27:08 AM

I was wondering where CF Six Forks was going to move...didn't realize they changed names.

It looks like they basically follow CF mainsite instead of doing their own programming.

1/3/2012 3:13:17 PM

Bad, bad, bad idea.

According to Robb Wolf anyway.

1/3/2012 5:00:44 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnPA3znZjGs


@ 11:26 if you dont want to listen to the whole thing.

But you should, pretty good discussion.

[Edited on January 3, 2012 at 5:18 PM. Reason : .]

1/3/2012 5:05:46 PM

I pretty much agree with them to an extent. I hate it when CrossFit gets bashed as a whole, if you want to bash HQ go for it. If you want to bash a certain box because the people running it don't know their ass from their elbow go for it. There are definitely issues with HQ and there are definitely issues with certain boxes but there are also a lot out there that have good coaching and programming. If you are looking to join a box then I completely agree with what they said about talking to the owners/coaches first because the last thing you would want to do is get coached by someone who just took the level 1 cert and doesn't know jack.

To be 100% honest, I don't do CrossFit because I think it is the best way to get in shape or get strong, I do it because I have fun doing it. I look at it as more of a sport where I get to go "play" a few times a week rather than a workout methodology. I also think that if you don't have a solid lifting background it isn't the best idea to jump in the middle of CrossFit wods. If the coaches can alter the workouts accordingly then that is fine but they hit the nail on the head with that one.

1/3/2012 5:40:38 PM

I signed up for a one week membership at the Outer Banks Crossfit today so I would have a gym to go to while on vacation. I liked having a gym with rings for doing pullups, and I like that they had platforms and chains for doing squats and pulls.

I might even get squirrely and go in for one of the classes tomorrow. I doubt it though; I'd rather work legs tomorrow like normal. Their WODs seem geared towards novice trainers more than anything.

1/3/2012 7:47:51 PM

dont scare anybody doing squats with chains. they may run out of the gym in terror if you do less than 500 reps with more than 135 lbs.

i REALLY dig the safety bar squat loaded unevenly with plates (*say 100 lb plate and a nickel on one side and a 45, 35, and 25 on the other) but evenly with chains with your hands on the "sissy" bars in front. that's how i learned to sit back. nothing makes you work like uneven loading.

*weight not indicitive of strength, only used as an example.

1/3/2012 9:17:15 PM

You really are a broken record.

1/4/2012 5:04:11 AM

6 rounds for max weight:
Front Squat, 2 reps
145-155x5-165 lbs

Last set of squats at 155 felt really good, so I did an extra at 165. My form and flexibility is greatly improving, and I can tell it is benefiting my strength. Good thing I got those dumbass x-fit trainers around to help me out. Also, my 2 rep max from October was 145. So an increase of 20 lbs in a little over 2 months. Something is working.

After the squats we rowed 2012 meters. I finished in 11:09. This was the first time I actually rowed for time, normally I just use the rower during my warm up. I was a little too enthusiastic at the beginning and didn't pace to well. I am going to try again later this week. I think I can get closer to 10 minutes.

[Edited on January 4, 2012 at 11:52 PM. Reason : 1]

1/4/2012 11:48:00 PM

Good job with the front squat!

Touch and go power clean PRs...190x3, 195x3

1/5/2012 4:53:30 AM

FRAN PR for me yesterday 5:07

1/5/2012 9:35:34 AM

Tuesday: Rowed 1000m for time, 3:18.

Then 135 Bear complex (squat clean into push press, straight into back squat and a press off the back squat = 1 rep) x 30
11:57



Then yesterday a nice little fran/helen hybrid

50 DU buy-in

21-15-9
Thrusters #95
KBS 1.5p
Pull ups

50 DU cash out

22:30

Terrible time, but managed to get all 100 DU.

1/5/2012 3:32:37 PM

^^ Nice PR, that is pretty quick

1/6/2012 9:47:05 AM

Muscle-up, 10 reps
Push Press, 100 reps, 65#
Run, 800 meters

20:45

1/6/2012 11:02:25 AM

Who is going to the Arnold Classics in March this year?

I've always wanted to go, how much are tickets usually?

1/8/2012 3:16:58 PM

WOD Sunday:

Made this one for my friend. WODing vicariously through him while I'm still in recovery from injury.

May take a good amount of time off from CrossFit after I'm healed. It's going to be hard...

Rowing/ KB clean ladder
(initially I gave him snatches, but that would have been way too much on the shoulders)


1 round for time:

1000 m row
5 KB clean
4 clap pushups
800 m row
10 KB clean
4 clap pushups
600 m row
15 KB clean
4 clap pushups
400 m row
20 KB clean
4 clap pushups
200 m row
25 KB clean
4 clap pushups

1/8/2012 3:39:02 PM

I've contemplated going to the Arnold Classic this year, but I'm undecided. I'd mainly want to check out the expo and the strongman competitions.

1/8/2012 5:34:40 PM

AMRAP 20 minutes:
18 box jumps 18"
15 Toes to bar
12 Pull ups

3 rounds + 18 box jumps.

1/8/2012 10:27:24 PM

My sister is really into this shit.

I tried it early last year with her and I ended up throwing up like a little bitch. The gym gave me a free t-shirt though.

1/11/2012 1:14:05 AM

we did "super helen" yesterday

5rds

run 400m
21 KB swings (53#)
12 pull ups

14:58

1/11/2012 8:50:19 AM

AMRAP x 20 minutes:
Power Clean, 5 reps, 95#
Burpee, 10 reps
Wall Ball, 15 reps, 20#

4 rounds.

[Edited on January 11, 2012 at 7:27 PM. Reason : cant read]

1/11/2012 7:26:41 PM

Strength:
Hang Clean, 135# 5 sets x 3 reps with 60-second recoveries
Deadlift, 185# 5 sets x 3 reps with 60-second recoveries

WOD:
3 rounds for time:
Back Squat, 15 reps, 135#
Overhead Walking Lunge, 20 steps, 35# (plate)

10:59

1/12/2012 8:33:48 PM

Power Clean: 5 x 3 (except I did snatches because the coach wanted to make up for me for a day last week when I didn't get to do them because he showed up late and we had to cut something)

On a 90 second interval, 10,9,8 … 1 squat, increasing load on every set

1 minute on 1 minute rest for total rep count:
pullups
overhead walking lunges
deload burpees
calorie row
goblet squats

Think I had an even 100.

1/12/2012 9:25:48 PM

^I think, just once even, that you should make a trip to holly springs

1/13/2012 7:48:55 AM

I plan to! Last weekend my box had a yoga for athletes thing I wanted to check out so I hoped if I skipped the grand opening and came by some other time you wouldn't be too mad.

1/13/2012 7:52:20 AM

Here is a good example of a controlled "kip". Don't know how to embed. Whatevs...
http://youtu.be/dXJfv2J-u6E

1/13/2012 10:31:53 AM

I'd hate to see an uncontrolled kip.

Also, her squat and clean form need a lot of work. Her elbows drop too much and shes losing thoracic extension.

1/13/2012 11:06:37 AM