Fitness
Work up to your last heavy set of 8 rep high bar back squats for this cycle. Use spotters if you’re not confident on any of your sets.
Performance
Work up to a Heavy Triple on the High Bar Back Squat. Go heavy, use spotters.
___________________
3 Rounds for time of:
Run 400m
30/20 Push-Ups
Scale the Push-ups by elevating the surface you’re pressing from or using a band at the hip. Run hard and fast on the 400’s. If you can’t run for whatever reason, Row 400m.
Post results to comments.
Shaye Locks Out a Jerk Overhead
- There is one slot left for the CFSBK Wine Wasting event happening on 8/25
Developing Your Pull-Up
By Chris Fox
There are a bunch of reasons to get better at doing pull ups. For one, we do a
bunch of them in CrossFit. They’re also a great way to increase the
strength of your upper back, arms, lats, grip, and help to have a
balanced and healthy shoulder girdle. You should be able to do strict
pull ups with a variety of grips, and once you can consistently do few
pull ups at a time it may be time to start working on the kipping pull
up. Here’s how you’re going to get better, no matter where in the scheme
of it you are.
Beginner
(No pull ups, or “I did one, once…”)
“A” Day
3 sets of 12 reps of either: Ring Rows or Band Assisted Pull Ups. Use an
angle or band that makes completing all the repetitions challenging. Rest as needed between sets.
Followed by, 3 Supersets of 12 reps of either: Dumbbell Curls (I know you’ve secretly wanted to do these anyway) or Dumbbell Rows with either: Dumbbell Bench Press or Dumbbell Floor Press
Choose a weight that feels like you could have done another rep or two at the
end of the set. Take minimal rest between exercises in the superset.
———
“B” Day
10 ‘mini sets’ of 1 rep each of 5-10 second negatives using either a pull
up or a chin up grip on the minute for 10 minutes. You can jump to the
top or set a box up that allows you to start at the top (collar bone
above the bar). Yes, that seems like a lot of rest in between reps, and
no, it’s not a lot of total reps. That’s a good thing, trust me.
Alternate between the A day and the B day with a day of rest between workouts. An example would be:
Monday A – Wednesday B – Saturday A – Monday B – Wednesday A – Saturday B
Intermediate
(Can do 3-5 pull ups at a time)
Week 1) 6 sets of 2 reps. Rest 1 minute between sets. Perform twice a week.
Week 2) 5 sets of 3 reps. Rest 1 minute between sets. Perform twice a week.
Week 3) 4 sets of 4 reps. Rest 90-120 seconds between sets. Perform twice a week.
Week 4) 3 sets to failure. Rest 3 minutes between sets. Perform twice a week.
This program can be used until you have 3 sets of 10 reps in the 4th week.
In other words, if you don’t get the 3×10 in week 4 restart at week 1 by
adding a rep to the sets. Week one would be 6×3, week 2 would be 5×4,
and week 3 would be 4×5, then retest in week 4.
End each session by practicing kipping pulls ups for a few small sets, no
more than 5 sets and no more than 8 reps. Terminate the set if you fall
out of rhythm. It’s all about developing a rhythm that you can control
and maintain. Remember that a solid kip uses your whole body and don’t
forget that your abs need to be engaged throughout. If you fly open in
the front of the kip you are leaking tons of energy away from the bar.
Check out this video for a peak at what an efficient pull up should look like/
Advanced
(Can regularly do sets of 10 or more strict and/or kipping)
Congrats, you stud or stud-ette. You are now on your way to becoming elite! Don’t expect though that your pull ups will magically become better if you don’t practice them. You should still be working on both strict and
kipping pull ups. Mix up the grip that you use when you practice. Try
these.
1) Once a week do a set or two to near failure. Start with a pull up grip
(hands outside shoulder width and palms away) and when you are 2 reps
shy of failure switch to a chin up grip (hands inside shoulder width and
palms toward you). When you are 2 reps shy of failure switch to a mixed
grip (1 palm in, 1 palm out) and do the same before switching again.
2) You can practice similarly by doing a set or two of max strict pull
ups, immediately switching to kipping and again going till failure (or a
rep shy of it).
3) Start doing weighted pull ups/chin ups, 3 sets of 5 reps, and seeing if you can add weight each week.
4) 30 seconds on/30 seconds off for 5 minutes of max reps kipping pull
ups. The set ends if you come off the bar. Remember to stay engaged in
the trunk. Don’t leak energy out in front. Remember this video.
5) Each time you’re in the gym do a 3-5 sub-max sets of kipping pull ups,
trying to add a rep each time you do the drill. You want to feel fresh
and stay shy of failure here. Terminate the set if grip becomes thelimiting factor. Again, remember to stay engaged and not leak energy out of the front of the kip. Once again…
6) If you have a solid kip that just seems to go away on you when you get
gassed then try practicing your pull ups under duress. Do 50 double
unders or sprint down the block and back followed immediately by a set
of 10-15 pull ups.
If one of the days that you’re in the gym involves a lot of pull ups then
consider that a replacement day for one of the days on the above
programs. Also consider this…it’s no mistake that smaller, lighter
people have an easier time with pull ups. While the barbell exercises
can be scaled easily to ability, calisthenics can not. If you have some
weight to lose then a solid nutritional program can work in tandem with
the above programs to help you achieve the pull up. Check out the folks
over at Whole 9 or our buddy Robb Wolf for lots of info from simple tips to detailed programs to get you started. Three cheers getting yer pull ups up!!!
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”
– Thomas Jefferson
_________________
Weight Trainers Have Lower Risk Of Diabetes Fox News
Weightlifter Dropps 432 Pounds On The Back Of His Head, Somehow Gets Back Up Deadspin
Mesmerizing Video Of Women’s Shot Put Deadspin
Usain Bolt Outruns Human Nature Deadspin
Is Air Conditioning Bad For You? / The Case Against The Case Against Air Conditioning Slate
Shaye says
oh my god I'm so embarassed
happy wednedsay
stellavision@gmail.com says
Question about the pullup progression:
Back before I got my first pullup, I did the beginner program for a while. I didn't get to a pullup, but I definitely got stronger. (What got me over the hump was strength cycle.)
These days I have one strict pullup at a time, or two or three chins. I would like to have more. I think I'm somewhere between the beginner and the intermediate level.
So: Does it make more sense to do the beginner level, using fairly heavy weights on the DB exercises, or should I try the intermediate level with chinup grip instead of pullup grip?
And for today's workout…
Gah, I am mad at myself for not checking my logbook before I squatted. I was all proud of myself for hitting 150, thinking I had hit 145 last week. Nope. I hit 155 last week. No wonder I didn't grunt or scream today.
WOD: erg instead of running (it's the time of the year when I have MORE than enough running outside of class), 20 pushups/round, 11:27. I switched to knee pushups in the last round because I was stuck doing singles about halfway through round 2. I'm amazed how quickly my pushups disintegrate!
Keith W says
Hit a PR today with 205# with the High Bar Back Squat.
I got home and all I wanted to do was sleep again. 🙁 not good as I sit here in the office wanting to stretch and nap.
I did nto make this today but I think maybe this weekend I will.
w ww.savvyhousekeeping.com/baked-eggs-in-avocado/ Space at the WWW so it goes through.
Jules says
Swampy good times at 8am with buddy KH! Finally starting to get my legs back and worked to 100 on the HB, really happy that things are turning back up on my strength and crossing fingers it all continues. Took 10:06 on Le Gross running/PU WOD. Low fives from DO whilst slogging through the 400m runs were most welcome.
Monday was BRILL! I made a surprise appearance at noon and have finally managed to get all the movements down where my shirt is being brushed up by the bar during Hang Clean, and Split Jerks were aces each time. I guess 1000 reps was all it took. Oh crap.. I may have just jinxed myself. Anyway, thanks Arturo for making the magic happen!
Re: Tuesdays RWOD, this is something that I started doing last month. There are 30k things that I'm up to and have taken to just going prone on the floor, focusing on the ceiling and just letting it all just go blank – limbs loose. Definitely refreshes and allows me to re-focus. Really fantastic.
Oh and if ya'll haven't heard Mark Wahlberg has a protein powder and his own line of Marked Nutrition. Yes and it's not via The Onion: http://markednutrition.com/mobile/index.php?page=products
Double Features:
Empire Strikes Back / Spaceballs
Alien / Best in Show
Battle Royale / Wet Hot American Summer
Reservoir Dogs / The Big Lebowski
@Ryan: Hooray! The LX traps movements are amazing, right? So happy you liked – Jeremy rules for showing me those.
@Keith: Re: the baked avocados with eggs, I was doing those down in Mexico and highly recommend – super tasty. Something that I like to do is when you take the pit out score the avocado before slowing dropping the egg in. The whites will ribbon through. Also rubbing a nice fat on top and finishing with Maldon or any other large flakey salt is awesome with that rich 'cado. I also take a thin slice off the bottom so the avo is flat and easier to take in and out. Have fun!
Fox says
Stella – sounds like you're firmly in the beginner stage, although I'd say ready to break through. Follow the beginner program and use weights that challenge you in the given rep scheme. You might also do some sets of 8 with heavier loads.
Also – I'd change that 5-10 seconds negative to more like 3-6 seconds if I were writing that today. I'd also add in to be sure to be working on the "active lat" during the whole process.
crossfitsbk@gmail.com says
Client No-Showed so I snuck into the 8am Class
Warm-Ups
Some DROMS and Air Squats
Back Squat
(45×8, 135×5, 185×3, 205×3)
225×3
245×3
255F
I got 245 for a triple last week and both times it was a grind but didn't feel THAT bad. Both times I thought a 10lb jump was safe and both times I was wrong.
Run Push WOD # 30 Reps
10:07
Felt good about my run speed today, especially on the 3rd round. Lots of rabbits to chase in the 8am class.
I really like some of the double feature suggestions that have come up…
Stella,
IMO Intermediate program. Ideally you get a partner to Just Baarrreellyyyy assist you so that you get the reps in or in a pinch you could try one of the really light bands like the red one. Fox might think otherwise
stellavision@gmail.com says
LOL, Fox being conservative and DO being aggressive. Who'd've thought? 😀
At home (which is where I'd have time to practice), I have access to rings and DBs but not bands, so I think I'm going to go beginner, but put the rings pretty low and choose challenging weights for the DB exercises. The only way I could do intermediate at home, as it stands right now, is to do chin up grip. But I might buy some bands so as to change that.
crossfitsbk@gmail.com says
Good Cop/Bad Cop
crossfitsbk@gmail.com says
Also- 2 people at the 8am class saw me doing the RWOD yesterday. Funny
asta says
Great article on cities.. (nick peterson!)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443477104577551133804551396.html
rachaeltbrown@gmail.com says
Psyched myself out of coming to class today because we all know how much I hate running & constantly being the slowest one. I have to stop doing that. As punishment (and because a friend is trying to convince me to run a 10k in September), I ran the inside loop of Prospect Park. Followed by the 60 pushups I would've had to do in the WOD, but in sets of 10.
Shaye says
Oh whoops – movie suggestions….
Labryinth/Never ending Story
Faster Kill Pussy Cat/Creature from the Black Lagoon
Warriors/ Cry Baby
What About Bob/ Spaceballs
Planning on taking the 7 pm tonight, but I'm sure my later post will go something like "i hate running alot"
martha.southgate@gmail.com says
Totally wrung out after this morning's WOD–happy with my time and performance though. 12:09 80 # HBBS
I really loved yesterday's WOD. Did it in Prospect Park for 15 miinutes. Gotta do that more often.
Todd says
6PM full house
Had to do hollow rocks for the warmup on the soft mat since i'm still nursing that, uhh, "problem."
HBBS
45×8 135×5 185×3 205×3 225×1,F
Failed with knees in on the second rep of that 225 attempt, too big a jump, felt great at 205 though.
WOD in 9:14
Reduced to doubles by the end of the last pushup set. I MAY have done 40 in the first round since I was talking back to Noah when he was trying to straighten me out.
Double feature suggestions:
What About Bob / Can't Hardly Wait
Suspiria / Society
Sleeper / Brazil
ryanmjoyce@gmail.com says
6am with Josh. Great QOD during the DROMs.
pre-WU
500m row
Lax ball work, hip openers
WU
3 rounds: [20 alternating one-arm KB swings, 20 hollow rocks, 10 HBBS]
HBBS, final exposure, partnered with Chris
[45×5, 95×5, 135×5, 165×3] 185x3x8
I started this cycle at 140, so really happy with the progress, especially considering my low-bar box squat got to 195 last cycle. There were certainly challenging moments during these sets, but I feel that, were there an eighth exposure, 190 would be within my capability.
WOD
13:35, two good sets of 30 and an ugly one
Legs felt really heavy on the runs, so I left more than a couple seconds on Degraw Street. The push-ups were, predictably, a nightmare. Something (else) to work on!
I don't know why I didn't consider doing 25 across. 20 seemed too few, 30 too many, and I didn't know what the exchange rate between knee push-ups and standard ones was. In hindsight, 25 would've let me cruise through the first set, made two challenging, and made three a struggle without bringing me to a complete stop.
As is stood this morning, the last set of thirty was the only miserable one. I started to get shallow, was wasting time and energy in the plank position, was down to singles and doubles at the end. Wouldn't have made it through without the encouragement of the other guys in class.
dougjones771@gmail.com says
DIY pull-up progression: 6×3 strict; 5×2-3 kipping. That kipping business just makes my hands hurt: this is the limiting factor at this point. One more at this rep scheme then on to 5×4 strict.
Warm-up: 2 rnds, 20 KB swings @ 20 kg, 20 hollow rocks, 10 HBBS. Noah pointed out my hollow rocks were not too controlled. Valid point.
HBBS: 45×5, 95×5, 135×5, 170x3x8. Felt light.
WOD: @ 30 push-up reps, 14:02. Broke down to sets of 2-3 at the end. Need to focus on keeping torso tight.
Dr. Philip Chandler says
Squat: 290x3x5
Bench: 155x3x5
Deadlift: 305×5
Dips: 10,10,10
Came to the 6pm sweatbox, lost about 5# of water weight I think. Squats were heavy but fine on the first 2 sets, the last one was shaky. I was really tired by then. Bench felt exactly the same as last week. Guess it's a good thing that I have a little room to grow. My physical being was exhausted by the time I got to the deadlift. I got through them even though I almost lost my grip. Should have chalked up more, also think its about time I got some damn straps. I sooo didn't want to do any dips but I knocked em out anyway. Time to add some weight.
shawn$ says
squats up to 230×3
WOD 10:10
run..ugh
ruthpardee@gmail.com says
I'm excited to do the pull-up program when I get back (been gone for a few weeks)! It's been my goal to do a pull-up since I started CFing a year and a half ago, I'm so eager to tackle it!
I assume I'm supposed to do the A and B day workouts post-workouts?