Fitness and Performance: 3 x 5 Linear Progression 
Add 5-10 lbs to last week.

Post loads to comments.
e4/8
_____________________ 

AMRAP 15 Minutes:
30 Double-Unders
20 Alternating Overhead Reverse Lunges 45/25
10 Pull-Ups
*Sub 3x Single-Unders or 1/2 attempts for Double-Unders, Goblet (dumbbell or kettlebell) Lunges for Overhead, and Bands or Ring Rows for Pull-Ups as necessary.

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Another Note From Our Friends in Kabul, Afghanistan

ICYMI, back in April, David began emailing with John Nawoichyk, a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army, currently deployed in Kabul, Afghanistan as an advisor to the Afghan National Army. He wrote David to say that he and his team love CFSBK’s website and workouts, and they also wished us good luck with “Murph.” Below is John’s latest letter!

How are you? I hope that you are doing well. I wanted to send you an update on today’s workout. Of note, this will be my last Friday Hero WOD in Afghanistan for this tour. I start heading home next week. 

Today’s Hero WOD Friday was for our friends MAJ Thomas “TK” Kennedy (Killed 8 August 2012 in Afghanistan) and the Kennedy Family—a small way to reflect, remember and honor the Kennedy’s sacrifice. In keeping with the NKAIA Crossfit Tradition, I picked the “TK” as my farewell Hero WOD and made it the “TK PLUS” adding 15 minutes (35 total) and a progressive run sequence because I wanted to push it that much harder in honor of our friend. The team consisted of Army, Navy and Air Force Service Members from the U.S., Austria and Denmark—a fitting tribute for a great man and wonderful family. 

In addition to the workout, I wanted to point out the 3 Danish Soldiers proudly sporting the Cross South Brooklyn shirts—they love them!

Always Remember and Never Forget!

Have a great weekend!

v/r 

John

CFSBK Doggie Play Date

Ever wished your dog could make friends the same way you do at CFSBK? Now he/she/they have the chance! 

What: CFSBK Doggie Play Date
When: Saturday, July 18, from 2-3:30 pm
Where: CFSBK, in 608

Member Lyssa Howells will also be there to share her dog training business, It Howls, with others. But please note: this is definitely not a dog training class, just an opportunity for SBK to support our dog-owner community.

• Happy birthday, Eric E. and Rachel S.!

_____________________
Same Sex Marriage Is Legal; Prepare For Doom, America Samir Chopra  

Cass lounging at 608 | If you need a refresher re: CFSBK’s dogs/kids policies, refresh yourself here.

The 32nd USAPL New Jersey State Powerlifting Championships Are August 1 and 2, 2015

The Championships will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey on August 1 & 2, 2015. The post-mark deadline for ALL entry forms is Friday, July 10, 2015. 
On July 20, 2015, the competition nominations / start list shall be posted on the USA Powerlifting New Jersey Facebook Account and on the USAPL New Jersey State website. 

Coaches Fox and Jeremy are competing. If you are also competing, let us know in the comments below!

Showers, We Haz Them

Included in your membership at CrossFit South Brooklyn is access to our 4 showers, two in each of our locker rooms which are complete with towel service, mirrors, hair driers, body lotion, organic shampoo, conditioner, and soap dispensers in each shower stall. If the gym is open, showers are probably available, just ask the Front Desk if you’re not sure whats going on at 608. We ask that members please keep their clothing tidy while they’re showering (we’re putting in some hooks below the shelves soon) and please keep your showers to around 5 minutes or less, especially if there are other folks waiting to use them. Tell us: Have you used the new showers yet?

Some Relevant ITA Articles

Most of you are familiar with Coach DO and Kate Reece’s blog, Inside the Affiliate, through which David open sources as much as he can regarding the how and why behind running CFSBK. Regardless of whether you’re a long-term member or newbie, this is a great resource for you to get a behind-the-scenes perspective on why we do what we do.

Below are some articles from the archives which pertain to athletes as well as coaches. Check them out!

The Organic Affiliate Growth Model
Failing, Bailing, and Training Culture at CrossFit Affiliates
5 Things I Know to Be True About Running a CrossFit Gym

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The Moon Terminator Illusion VSauce
New dietary guidelines for Americans from U.S. government remove upper limit for fat intake and change cholesterol to being “no longer a nutrient of concern” Forbes

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression 
Add 1-5 pounds to last week’s exposure.

Performance: 5/3/1, 5 Week, 65%x5/75%x5/85%x5+
INCREASE TRAINING MAX BY 5 POUNDS. 

Post loads to comments.
e4/8
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Fitness
3 Rounds For Time:
400m Run
15 Push Press 

Performance
For Time:
550m Run
21 Shoulder to Overhead 115/75
400m Run
15 Shoulder to Overhead
270m Run
9 Shoulder to Overhead

Post time and Rx to comments.

Henry and Hunter sharing a tender moment at OG on Friday

Want to Go Horseback Riding?

Cruise Director Mare L. wants to know if you’re interested in a horseback riding day trip on Sunday, July 12 in the Hudson Valley.

What: Beginner-friendly one hour trail ride in the Hudson Valley preceded by a half-hour riding tutorial, guided by Netherwood Acres
When: Sunday, July 12
Cost: $95

Email Mare [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com by TOMORROW if you are interested and please let her know if you have a car/can drive.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2015 SUBWAY SERIES!

Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throwdown: the fifth annual Subway Series! All NYC affiliates are invited to participate—the affiliate with the best overall score at the end of four events wins the Subway Series Trophy and bragging rights for a whole year!

Event Schedule
Sunday, August 2nd, 9am: CrossFit Queens
Sunday, August 9th, 12pm: CrossFit Virtuosity
Sunday, August 16th, 12pm: CrossFit Long Island City
Sunday, August 23th, 12pm: CrossFit South Brooklyn 

Scoring
Scoring will work “Open-style”: top 3 male and top 3 female athletes from each affiliate will score based on their place finish in each event. Athletes may score in any event regardless of attendance at other events. 

The ultimate series winner will be the affiliate with the least points after all 4 events have been completed. In the event of a tie, a 5th tie-breaking event will be held. 

As last year, an Rx division and Scaled division trophy will be awarded. 

Registration
All athletes MUST register for each individual event in advance via EventBrite in order to participate. Each event will be capped at 100 total participants, so we strongly advise you to register ASAP. These events sell out quickly. 

REGISTER HERE

If you have questions about the Subway Series, email Coach MeLo at Melissa [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com.

_____________________ 
Allied Force Rookie
Reddit is an Incubator of Hate Buzzfeed News

Fitness: Halting Clean Deadlift + Clean + Jerk
Work up to a medium heavy load, try and add a few pounds to last week. 

Performance: 2 Clean Pulls + Mid Hang Clean + Jerk
Work up to a medium heavy load, try and add a few pounds to last week. 

Post loads to comments.
e3/8
_____________________  

Team Chipper

In teams of 3 with one partner working at a time, complete the following for time:
100 Box Jumps 24/20″
150 Kettlebell Swings 24/35#
200 Sit Ups
250 Double-Unders 

Partition the work however desired.

Post time and Rx to comments.

Because we didn’t mention it on the blog yesterday, we’ll take today to celebrate what a momentous day June 26, 2015 was! We are so proud of the Supreme Court ruling and want to congratulate all the couples who can now fully express their love in our great country! 

News and Notes

• Want to work out at 9am and bring your kids? Now you can, with CFSBK Kids Club, every Sunday at 9am.
• Active Recovery is on at 11am with Coach Fox.
• The Fifth Annual Subway Series is coming for us this August. If you’re interested, register ASAP, because spots will sell out very soon.

_____________________
Supreme Court Ruling Makes Same-Sex Marriage a Right Nationwide The New York Times
Change the Tune, a remake of the 1971 “Hilltop” Coca-Cola ad 

Fitness: 3 x 3 Linear Progression 
Add 5-10 pounds to last week’s exposure.

Performance: 3 x 3 Linear Progression
Add 5-10 pounds to last week’s exposure.

Post loads to comments.
e3/8
_____________________

“Cindy”

AMRAP, 20 Minutes:
5 Pull-Ups
10 Push-Ups
15 Squats

Compare to 10.5.2014, 6.26.2014, and  10.31.2013

Post rounds and Rx to comments.

Evan getting it in outside

News and Notes 

• Lots of new LOST AND FOUND items. Guys, there’s some cute stuff in there. Get it before we give it away! 
• Happy birthday to our favorite special snowflake, Stella Z.!

Bend, Stretch, and Mobilize This Morning, and Get Your Open Gym On This Afternoon

• Yoga for Athletes with Coach Whitney is at 10am.
• Active Recovery is at 11am and noon today with Coach David.
• Can’t make one of our morning classes today? We’re now offering open gym hours on Saturdays from 2-4pm. 

_____________________ 
Never Rip Your Hands at CrossFit Men’s Journal 

Coach David visited Crossfit Medis on his last day of vacation in Stockholm, Sweden. He had a great class at this small gym with good coaching and a great crew. He recommends them for a drop-in if you’re in the area, and he will write a full review soon. 

This Week at CFSBK in Review

1. The showers and plumbing are back up and working at 608. David made a bad joke and posted a photo of the carnage it took to get things back in shape on Instagram. Thanks for your patience, and enjoy some cold showers!

2. The Fifth Annual Subway Series is coming for us this August. If you’re interested, register ASAP, because spots will sell out very soon. Check out Asta F.’s insane photos from the event at CFSBK last year to get hyped.

3. Mary M. is starting a Whole30 in July, and is also organizing a potluck on July 18th in Prospect Park. Even if you’re not uber Paleo, you should still come. And if you’re that person, you should bring alcohol. And probably a beach ball.

4. Dude, horseback riding. Interested in a riding day trip involving horses on Sunday, July 12 in the Hudson Valley? It’s beginner-friendly if you’re not already friendly with odd-toed ungulate mammals and costs $95. Email Mare [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com by next Tuesday if you want in.

5. Sean “Diddy” Combs recently tried to assault someone with a kettlebell. What’s even funnier than that was previous Athlete of the Month Matt C.’s response to our blog QOD on Wednesday about how else one might repurpose CrossFit equipment. He wrote: “I think the weight vests double pretty efficiently as bullet proof vests. Sometimes I wear my weight vest around town to run errands and I find myself thinking, “Go ahead roof top sniper. Take your best shot. You will be sadly disappointed when I get back up and dust myself off.”

6. Thomas H. snapped some sweet action shots of past Athlete of the Month Michael C. Also, Thomas used to work as a professional sports photographer. Point, CFSBK.

7. So many of you were born this week! HBD to all we missed, and here’s a friendly PSA: If you don’t get a birthday shout-out on the blog, it’s because you haven’t shared your birthday with the Front Desk. We do not have mysterious psychic powers that tell us when you were born. We want to know this information, and if in return, you would like us to know this information, please tell our friendly folks at the Front Desk the day on which you entered the world.

8. There are many upcoming competitions! Check out Tuesday’s post to learn more, and our event page for the Starting Strength Fall Classic, which is close to selling out.

9. JJ is in Hawaii (so we should feel bad for all the ugly things she’s been forced to look at) and she wrote some recommendations for gyms in our Travel Gym Recommendations forum. If you’ve been traveling recently, you should write one, too! 

10. Alona K. got her first chin-up! Congrats, Alona! 

_____________________
Supreme Court of the United States Slip Opinion, Obergefell v. Hodges 
BODY FUZION  

Fitness: Halting Snatch Deadlift + Mid Hang Snatch + Overhead Squat
Work up to a medium heavy load on the complex, aim for a few pounds heavier than last week.

Performance: 2 Snatch Pulls + 1 Snatch
Work up to a medium heavy load on the complex, aim for a few pounds heavier than last week.

Post loads to comments.
e3/8
_____________________ 

Overhead Squat: 3 x 3
Jerks okay to get the bar overhead. Aim to do these at 100% of your best snatch. Use your snatch width grip. 

Post loads to comments.

Coach David demo-ing a lava-rock-jumping move for our CrossFit Kids. DO, we miss you!

• Happy birthday, Michael B. and Scott K.! 

Register Today For the Starting Strength Fall Classic

This is the second annual Strength Meet put together by Starting Strength. On the weekend of October 24, 2015, nine Starting Strength gyms across the US and Canada will host meets contesting the Squat, Press, and Deadlift. CrossFit Gantry will be hosting in NYC. Not only will you compete against lifters in your own area, but results will be compared to lifters across all 9 sites.

Top female and male lifters will win a spot at a Starting Strength seminar, a $900 value. 

Where: CrossFit Gantry, LIC
When: October 25, 2015 8:30am-5pm

REGISTER HERE

Everyone is welcome and spots will fill up fast, so sign up soon! If you are also interested in competing as a CFSBK team member, contact Margie [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com.

_____________________
CrossFit and the Chinese Buffet: How Whole30 Changed My Life SunHerald 
Mary Oliver’s Cancer Poem, “The Fourth Sign of the Zodiac” On Being 

Fitness and Performance: 3 x 5 Linear Progression 
Add 5-10 lbs to last week. Take five minutes to warm up to work weight. Should be 3-4 jumps to get there.

Post loads to comments.
e3/8
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Fitness
4 Rounds for Reps, AMRAP in 3 Minutes:
3 Deadlifts 225/155
6 Push-Ups
9 each Alternating Reverse Lunges

Rest 1 minute. Start over on the barbell each round. 

Performance
4 Rounds for Reps, AMRAP in 3 Minutes:
3 Power Cleans 205/135
6 Ring Dips
9 Pistols

Rest 1 minute. 

Post reps per round and Rx to comments.

The Tallest Man on Earth, Michael C., getting low | Photo by Thomas H.

• THANK YOU to all those that registered to become bone marrow donors on Sunday and otherwise supported the cause. We had 20 people sign up! 
• THE PLUMBING AT 608 IS FIXED, YAHOO! Thanks for your patience!

Want to Go Horseback Riding?

Cruise Director Mare L. wants to know if you’re interested in a horseback riding day trip on Sunday, July 12 in the Hudson Valley.

What: Beginner-friendly one hour trail ride in the Hudson Valley preceded by a half-hour riding tutorial, guided by Netherwood Acres
When: Sunday, July 12
Cost: $95

Email Mare [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com by Tuesday, June 30 if you are interested and please let her know if you have a car/can drive.

Join Us For a Paleo Potluck in Prospect Park on Saturday, July 18 From 12pm to 4pm

Mary M. is organizing a Paleo/Whole30 Potluck and Play Date in Prospect Park on Saturday, July 18th, from 12pm to 4pm. If her application goes through, we will also have access to the grills and be bale to barbeque!

When: Saturday, July 18, 12pm to 4pm (or later…)
Where: The space near 15th Street North, off the 15th Street/Prospect Park train station (F/G)
Bring: Foods/drinks/blankets/ice/coolers/etc. + gear for playing or sunbathing in the park! 

RSVP and post on the event page what you’re bringing!

If you have any questions, email marymazilo [at] gmail.com.

A Note and Challenge From Mary
When it comes to health and fitness my dear friend Torey A. has been my inspiration and guru (she’s actually the person who told me about CrossFit and inspired me to join a box). 

Recently I asked Torey what her thoughts were on juicing as a mechanism for resetting poor eating habits. I’ve had a long struggle controlling my sugar demons and was looking for a solution. She responded by asking if I’d heard of Whole30. I hadn’t. After a quick scroll through their website it became abundantly clear that this was Paleo on crack:

– no dairy
– no legumes
– no grains
– no added sugar (not even agave or honey)
– no alcohol

On a brighter note there is a huge focus on:

– whole foods
– cooking
– reevaluation of my relationship with food

Challenge accepted.

Given summer travel schedules, Torey and I decided it would be best to wait until July before we jump down the Whole30 rabbit hole. 

So in the meantime, I’m mentally preparing. I’ve read It Starts with Food and have been experimenting with various recipes from the Whole30 cookbook.

The other important aspect of doing something like Whole30 is to build a support group—and who better to reach out to than the fine people of CrossFit South Brooklyn?

If you are looking for a midsummer fitness challenge, join me for the month of July! Or if you’ve done Whole30, I’d love to hear about your experience or any advice you might have.

And if a fitness challenge isn’t your thing, it’d still be awesome to see you at the BBQ/picnic/park outing!

RSVP and post on the event page what you’re bringing!

_____________________ 
Sean “Diddy” Combs Charge With Assault (With a Kettlebell) at UCLA Deadspin 

Besides using a kettlebell as a weapon, how else might you repurpose some of the equipment found in a CrossFit gym? Use your imagination!

Coach MeLo’s clean catch position | Photo by Thomas H.

• PILATES LOVERS: Coach KH has come down with something and can’t teach her class tonight. We’re sorry for the late notice! Check out Active Recovery with Coach Fox at 6:30pm instead.
• Lots of CFSBKers were born on this day! HBD to Erik B., Isaac G., Jack L., Mary S., and Mel L.! 

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2015 SUBWAY SERIES!

Another year has gone by, and it’s time once again for an NYC affiliate throwdown: the fifth annual Subway Series! All NYC affiliates are invited to participate—the affiliate with the best overall score at the end of four events wins the Subway Series Trophy and bragging rights for a whole year!

Event Schedule
Sunday, August 2nd, 9am: CrossFit Queens
Sunday, August 9th, 12pm: CrossFit Virtuosity
Sunday, August 16th, 12pm: CrossFit Long Island City
Sunday, August 23th, 12pm: CrossFit South Brooklyn 

Scoring
Scoring will work “Open-style”: top 3 male and top 3 female athletes from each affiliate will score based on their place finish in each event. Athletes may score in any event regardless of attendance at other events. 

The ultimate series winner will be the affiliate with the least points after all 4 events have been completed. In the event of a tie, a 5th tie-breaking event will be held. 

As last year, an Rx division and Scaled division trophy will be awarded. 

Registration
All athletes MUST register for each individual event in advance via EventBrite in order to participate. Each event will be capped at 100 total participants, so we strongly advise you to register ASAP. These events sell out quickly. 

REGISTER HERE

Other Upcoming Competitions

Crow Hill USAW-Sanctioned Olympic Lifting Meet on July 12, 2015
When: Sunday, July 12 from 9 AM to 4 PM
Cost: Registration fee is $49. There are only a few spots left, so register here.
Requirements: You need to be a USAW athlete to compete, which you can figure out here. 

The Potown Throwdown at Poughkeepsie CrossFit on July 18, 2015
Steph M., Andrew, Alex N., and Brendan N. are all registered to compete in The Potown Throwdown. 

When: Saturday, July 18, 2015 from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Where: Poughkeepsie CrossFit, in Arlington, NY
Cost: $75
WODs and Registration Info: Here! 

CrossFit 718’s Summer Games on July 25, 2015
Coaches Fox and Jess, and Coach K HarpZ and Jay M. are registered for this 1 male, 1 female team competition being held at CrossFit 718. 

When: Saturday, July 25th
Cost: Only $40 per team!
Registration Info: Here! 

If you have questions about competitions, email Coach MeLo at Melissa [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn.com.

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The Hidden Benefits of Sweat FIX
Reebok Announces Release of Special CrossFit Nano 5.0 Trainers Sport360
Corey Jenkins on Photographing CrossFit Athletes The Phoblographer 

Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression 
Add 1-5 pounds to last week’s exposure.

Performance: 5/3/1, 1 Week, 75%x5 85%x3 95%x1+
Use training max. Need a Wendler refresher? Check out these resources:

5/3/1: How to Build Pure Strength T Nation
Better Than Before: A Review of 5/3/1 Jim Wendler 

Post loads to comments.
e3/8
_____________________

Fitness
5 Rounds For Time:
20 Russian Kettlebell Swings
15 Wall Balls 

Performance
50-35-15 Reps, For Time:
Kettlebell Swings 53/35
Wall Balls 20/10, 14/9

Post time and Rx to comments.

Wall balls: everyone’s favorite exercise!

News and Notes

• An article Coach David originally published on Breaking Muscle is up today on his blog Inside the Affiliate. ICYMI, check out “How to Prevent CrossFit Injuries: A Guide for Coaches and Athletes.”
• The bathrooms and showers at 608 are still out of commission, but should be fixed in a couple days. Thank you again for your patience, and we’ll keep you updated!

Warming Up Wisely

By Noah Abbott
Originally posted on 12.16.2011

Each time we walk into the gym, we are confronted with a certain amount of work for the day. For many, this is one of the greatest pluses of working out at a “non-traditional” gym—you don’t have to think about programming or planning. Upon walking in the door and looking at the white board, we are given a prescription: exercises, rep-and-set schemes, even target weights, be they relative (70% of 1RM) or absolute (225#/185#).

Despite the seeming absolutism, each day there is as much unsaid information and room for improvisation and interpretation as there are set parameters and instructions undoubtedly scrawled illegibly and supplemented with original art from the Osorio Stick Figure collection. The way we warm up for each lift and WOD is our own time to acquaint ourselves with the given exercise, practice form and execution, and familiarize our body with the (often heavy as all get out) weight we are about to move.

In the “real world,” when given a task, most people will start by hashing out a plan of attack before jumping into the deep end. If we were to fix a broken table leg, we would plan out what tools we needed, sketch a few ideas, acquire materials, set out a work space, and make sure we had enough beer to get us through our clumsy Bob Villa imitation. If given a project at work, we would brew a pot of coffee, do some internet research, sketch a few outlines, vent to coworkers about how unfair it was that we had to do this shit, call home and say we’d be home late, and then maybe get to work. I propose that before any endeavor in the gym, we should practice a similar amount of introspection, practice, and slow familiarization with our task at hand. The beer and the bitching are up to you.

Position, Balance, Tension, Focus    
Our first consideration when beginning our warm-up sets is to use lighter weight repetitions of a movement as practice for the relatively high skill movement to follow. A good rubric to follow is to begin with an emphasis on position and balance in our first few sets and transition to emphasizing tension and focus as the weight begins to increase and we near our work weight. To illustrate this concept, let’s use the squat (our most familiar and important lift) as an example.

During your first two or three warm-up sets (always starting with an EMPTY BAR), while the weight is light and manageable, try to dial in your position. Where are your feet and hands set up? Are they too close or far? Is your rack tight and centered? Are you reaching proper depth as you squat, are your knees shoved out, is your back in a good, safe position at the bottom? Think about these concepts, and begin to fix the feeling of proper positions in your mind. Your lifting partner is an invaluable resource at this time, as they can cue you on some things you can’t see. Ask them questions, and use their feedback to inform your lifting.

Once your positioning feels okay, quickly check in on your balance. What part of your foot is bearing your weight at the start of your squat, does it shift at the bottom or remain constant? Is your bar path straight and balanced, or is it wavering or shifting? Your partner is helpful here as well, although some elements of balance, especially in your feet, can be so subtle that they are tough to perceive. If you can’t sense your balance due to your shoes, consider removing them—going barefoot is Tre Paleo.

Now that we are Properly Positioned and Badassedly Balanced, let’s work on tension and focus. As the weight begins to increase, shift your inner gaze to getting TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT. Are you making sure to get a full, deep breath before you lift? Are you staying tight at the bottom of the lift? Are you holding that breath at the top and staying tight and controlled at the top of the lift before your next rep? Check in with your partner, and don’t get offended if they say you’ve gone soft, this isn’t Menace II Society, G.

Finally, its time to get focused. Are you often suprised when your warm-up sets feel really heavy and slow, and then your heavier work sets feel faster and relatively light? If so, you are probably not truly focusing until your work sets, which can be both dangerous and prevent you from reaching full potential. Treat your last few warm-up sets exactly like a work set. If you have a ritual during your work sets—stamping feet, Monica Seles grunts, weeping uncontrollably—perform it during your last few warm-up sets. Prime your central nervous system for the task at hand, and your work sets will feel even easier and more controlled when you get there. Also, as you near your work sets, cut the chatter and jokes (what my grandpa called “grab-assin”) and go to your Squatty Place. Find your Power Animal, Chi, or Inner Ronnie Coleman, get centered, and then attack the bar.

Weight Go Up, Reps Go Down, or “The Two Trains Passing In The Night Theory of Warm-ups”
Numerous times I have had an athlete come to me and complain that their first work set of, say, 100 pounds for 5 reps, felt incredibly heavy and slow. I walk over to their rack to watch their next set, and before they even begin, I spot a whiteboard where this dutiful soul has recorded their warm-up sets. It reads: 45×5, 55×5, 65×5, 75×5, 85×5, 95×5. As this point I begin sounding like Foghorn Leghorn as I stammer and sputter (I say, I, I, I say, boy!) and explain that a warm-up scheme like this means that before their very first “live” squat they have already moved over ¾ of a ton of weight!

Our first few warm-up sets, while the weight is light, should mimic the repetitions we plan to use when we work, or can even be slightly more. We can use these sets to get more mobile and comfortable in the positions we will need to hit when we work. As we begin to increase weight, we should drop the repetitions. We have already achieved Supple Leopard/Panther/Aardvark status due to our dedicated mobility work, standardized warm-up, and our first few light warm-up sets. Now we just need to accustom our body to the feeling of moving heavy weight. As we get close to work sets we should drop the repetitions to singles or doubles in an effort to not fatigue ourselves before we really get started. A warm-up set for the same reps at 95% of our work weight is just a neglected work set, sitting alone and unloved in our log book and condemned to a lifetime of second class Squatizen status.

Other Considerations
If we warm up with intention (Position, Balance, Tension, Focus) and with a plan (dropping the repetitions as we increase weight), we are most of the way there, but there are still a few ideas to consider. First, as Fox likes to say, “You are your own Peyton Manning.” I assume he means 2010 Peyton Manning (a cool and introspective leader who is confident changing playcalls on the fly and makes funny commercials) and not 2011 Peyton Manning (a spinally-fused ghost who haunts the sidelines of the NFL’s worst team looking like he wants to stab his teammates, yet still makes funny commercials). Listen to your body, and be prepared to add in some extra warm-up sets if you feel cold, wonky, or want to practice something. If something feels sticky or sore, do some mobility work or foam roll a bit between warm-up or work sets. You are Peyton Manning! (Minus the peanut shaped head.)

Also, keep in mind that lifts using smaller muscle groups (think: Beach Muscles) will fatigue faster than those using your larger muscle groups (think: Yo’ Butt) Don’t go overboard warming up the Little Guys, they are generally simpler lifts anyway, and you’ll find yourself fatigued when you work. You can linger a little bit on the Big Mommas, which have higher muscular endurance and can be trickier to nail down.

Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance
Hopefully, now that you’ve suffered through some decent information wrapped in a bunch of bad jokes, you’ve got a better understanding of the general concepts that drive a good warm-up. If nothing else, when warming up, make sure you have a plan. Think about what you want to accomplish with your warm-up, and use that time to get yourself ready to succeed. A lackadaisical warm-up inevitably leads to spotty and uneven results. Make your warm-up a dress rehearsal for your lifts and then break a leg. On second thought, don’t. 

_____________________
Jason Statham’s Training Secrets Men’s Health
On Chicken Tenders Guernica 

Tell us about YOUR warm-up ritual.