CrossFit South Brooklyn

Established 2007

WOD 12.4.12

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5 Rounds For Time of:
5 Front Squats 155/105
10 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
20 Double Unders

Post time and Rx to comments.

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Even Coach Melo can’t believe today is her birthday!

Sandy Relief with JB and NB

The power team of Noah Barth and Julie Barnard are heading to Far Rockaways on Thursday morning, December 6th, to volunteer with AmeriCorps and New York Cares, the two groups Team Rubicon has passed the volunteer baton to. Want to come along? Email Julie at julie.barnard(AT)gmail.com for the details. Get dirty, feel good.

Muck and gut jobs are fun! Look at the good time JB is having doing Hurricane Sandy relief with Team Rubicon.

Preparing to 1 Rep Max
By Coach Fox

        “What are you hoping to hit for the CrossFit Total?”. When your mate asks you this question you may exaggerate a bit but when it comes time to get under a bar you’d better have a plan. Here’s how.

1- Take it easy in the gym or rest completely for a day or two prior to doing a CFT. If you were going to total on a Saturday it would be a good idea to work at 70% or so effort on Thursday, rest completely on Friday (maybe some light mobility work or active recovery type stuff) and go for it on Saturday. Make sure your nutrition is in line with your goals. Do you want to perform well on the total? Do you think that boozing it up the night before and eating offensive (for you) foods will help, or hinder, that performance? If you take your training seriously and want to better yourself then act like it.

2- Have goals. Know what numbers you’d like to hit. You can take numbers that you’ve been working at recently and extrapolate 1RMs using a nifty 1 Rep Max Calculator. Preferably you will have some rep maxes in the 2-5 rep range since the further away you get from that the less reliable the predictions become. If you haven’t been training long and don’t yet have any 2-5 rep max then use the CF Total to establish those and wait until next time around to do 1RMs. There is still so much learning to do on the lifts and hence no sense hitting 1RMs with such little experience, ego be damned.

3- Have a plan. Map out your warm ups. Today is not the day to be doing a metric ton of warm up reps. Let’s take a hypothetical lifter with a previous 1RM of 355 hoping to establish a new 1RM on the squat of 365lbs, his or her time under the bar should look something like this.

45×5, 135×5, 185×5, 225×3, 275×3, 315×1, then

1st attempt – 335
2nd attempt – 355
3rd attempt – Set a new 1RM at 365

Establishing a new 1RM of 185 with a previous best of 177.5 might look like this.

45×5, 75×5, 105×5, 125×3, 145×1

1st attempt – 165
2nd attempt – 177.5
3rd attempt – 185

This is obviously subject to change depending on how the warm ups feel and how the 1st two attempts go. Maybe you have more in you than you and the 1RM calculator thought you did, but maybe you don’t. As Rip says “Don’t be pig-headed. If your first attempt tells you that you need to lower your second, do so, without a misplaced sense of diminished self-worth. It’s a test, and it’s designed to measure what’s there, not create something that’s not. That’s what training is for.” There is a world of difference between training and testing, but that is an entirely different topic. Just remember that today is a test day.

4- Realize that the press is a finicky lift. Gains made are often small and hard won. To go from a 1RM of 85 to 87 represents a 2.5% increase. If you have been training long enough you may (read should) be thankful for this type of increase. My point is to say that you should not be greedy with the press. Instead be frugal and take small rewards. Also, don’t overdo the warm ups as this lift fatigues quickly. Usings the example above of hoping to set a new 1RM of 87, here’s a possible warm up scheme.

33×5, 53×3, 63×2, 73×1, 77×1

1st attempt – 81
2nd attempt – 85
3rd attempt – 87

5- The deadlift will be largely warmed up by the squat and will not need a lot of warm up reps on it’s own. Here’s an example of the above 365 squatter hoping to establish a new 1RM of 405 with a previous best of 395

 135×5, 225×3, 315×1, 365×1

1st attempt – 385
2nd attempt – 405
3rd attempt – Go for it, it’s the last rep of the day!

6- You need to rest between attempts (possibly 3-5 minutes) and if you are doing the CrossFit Total in a group class, you also have time constraints. During the warm ups is not the time to dilly-dally and wonder what you should load on the bar next. Having a plan allows you and your rack mates to move smoothly through the warm ups and into the reps and allows time to rest between attempts. If you don’t have a plan you will also cost your rack mates valuable time…don’t be that guy or gal.

The CrossFit Total should be a fun day where you get to move some heavy weight around but that doesn’t mean don’t take it serious, too. Approach each lift with intent, unrack each squat from the uprights with authority and readiness, set up with a BIG BREATH for all your att

empts today. And if you don’t 1RM but gave your all, then celebrate that as well and live to lift another day. You’re a TFBA for showing up regardless.

What are are your opening numbers for the CF Total? Even if you aren’t participating in this weekend’s total what is your perceived 1RM and how would you approach finding 1RMs in the three lifts?

____________________
How to Recover From a CrossFit Total

Comments

  1. *Disclaimer – this article was originally written with the CF Group class in mind. The Strength cycle is obviously a bit if a different beast, which all of you in it know already.

    I hope to catch a glimpse of some of my favorite SBKers in action this Sunday.

    Did someone say Crossfit Total?

  2. In my post-WOD delirium, I left my tall blender bottle (w/ a blue lid) somewhere at the gym. Sorry about that, management…I'll be by tomorrow to pick it up.

  3. Did anyone grab the wrong sweat pants yesterday (Tuesday) after the 8 am class? I found a pair of adidas medium pants that appear to have been swapped out for my large pants. Let me know if you did. thanks. Bob

  4. Last morning strength cycle with coach Jeremy today.

    Squat: 225lb x 5 x 3
    Walk-out: 405lb x 1 x 3
    Press: 115lb x 5 x 3
    Deadlift: 275lb x 5 x 1

    Easy peasy, as it was designed to be. The walk-outs weren't difficult, but holy hell there's a big difference between the feel of 350 on your back and the feel of 405. Next stop: Sunday's total!

  7. nice writeup. for me personally, I probably took a conservative approach to testing 1rms. That is to say that if I was in a broader trend of improving numbers, and I felt that I could hit my old 1rm or even a bit more, confidently, I'd shoot for that on my first attempt. If it felt very easy, I'd go for a larger jump than if it didn't, but in general, I probably would prefer to secure a new 1rm at a better level, and then go from there. so if I think there's another 25 pounds in there, I might chase another 10-15, and if I left some on the table, I still have a new 1rm, I still have a new victory.

    for me it's a matter of measuring downside risk. in one scenario, I go too heavy and miss and that puts me in a worse spot for the next one, so I probably have no pr. In the other, my downside is a new pr, and maybe I could have done more, but I still booked a win.

    This happened to me at the hybrid athletics meet. My squats felt very good. I can't remember the number but I think around 390 and it went up pretty well on my last lilft. I was dialed in that day, and I think I could have gotten a bit more, but I was thrilled with the result.

    Best of luck to the lifters, I really don't think about much at all, I do visualize success, I think of a very simple thing that motivates me, and I bet my brainwave activity is pretty low when I actually perform.

    Good luck folks!

  12. 6am with Josh and McDowell. Rx in 11:11. CTB pull-ups completely defend against my butterfly kip attack. And the combination of double-unders and anything else causes me to suck serious wind. I did manage to string together 10 CTB pull-ups in the first round. Subsequent rounds were not as pretty.

    Happy b-day Melissa.

  13. happy birthday, melissa (and Lisa F as well!)

    DT yesterday 55# 9:21; should have probably done it at 65#. Next time!

    Also, that little shoulder lax ball cool down thing we did after, holy crap. I clearly have zero mobility with the lax ball there. OY. I'll be recreating that at home later to work on it.

  16. DIY dips: 3×5 @ 7.5#. Lots of room here.

    WOD scaled to 135# and regular (not C2B) pull-ups: 10:16.

    Feel pretty good about this. Went unbroken on the first set of pull-ups, then broken into chunks of 2 to 5. DUs in chunks of 10-15. Pretty happy that pull-ups and DUs are (slowly) becoming things I don't suck at.

  17. In the September CF Total I hit:
    Squat: 380
    Press: 155
    Dead Lift: 420

    On Sunday, I will start with:
    Squat: 365
    Press: 150
    Dead Lift: 420

    I'd like to end up with:
    Squat: 390
    Press: 165
    Dead Lift: 430

  18. Today's WOD done in 9:31. Scaled to 85# on the barbell and used a green band for pull ups. Felt good, like I was moving pretty well the whole time. But of course, I was partners with Jayme Lu, who shows me what it's REALLY like to be moving the whole time. She smoked it (with no band of course) in 7 minutes and change. That girl is cray.

    Happy birthday MeLo! You are the cutest snowball who ever lived! And happy birthday to Lisa F!

  19. To add more fuel to the triple-I axis fire (Ibuprofen/Ice/Inflammation), Mark Sisson had a lengthy post about icing yesterday that also references K-Starr and some actual studies:

  23. Oooh, I missed the QOTD until I saw Turnbull's answer.

    My plan is to open with 355 squat, 165 press, and 445 dead. I would like to hit 385 squat, 180 press, and 485 dead, which would be PRs across the board. Of course, this is all subject to Jeremy's approval. I have a tendency to over-think everything and will gladly just shut up and lift whatever he tells me to.

  24. Todd,
    html for the comments section needs to have no caps. I don't know know why, but it does

    QOD:
    Here are my most recent numbers for the CFT lifts:

    Back Squat 250×5
    Press: 120×3
    Deadlift: 365×1

    I have the least confidence Squatting for a heavy single. I'd probably work up to 250×1 for my last warm-up and see how I felt. If it was good I'd jump to 260, then if that went well 270 on to 275. My 1Rms don't tend to be too far off from my 3's and 5s so
    I tend to prefer more volume on the squat to feel good about my positioning etc. I'd take a lot of low rep warm-ups. Maybe:
    (135×5, 185×3, 205×1, 225×1, 240×1, 250×1)

    Press
    120×1, then if it felt good try to beat my old 1RM of 125 with a 130 press. If I miss I'd try to tie my 1RM, if I got it I'd attempt 135.

    Deadlift
    I work better with low volume on the DL as I feel great with this lift. 365 came off the floor with a bit of a grind but I felt really good about it. Might try to Open at 370 since I've PRd twice recently and I would want to try to squeeze out that next 5lbs instead of playing it safe with the opener. If I go it I'd probably attempt 375 and then not take a third attempt unless 375 felt "easy" which it wouldn't.

  26. Todays WOD: 7:14Rx.

    It cant be over stated how much better you get out of yourself when competing side by side with someone who pushes you. Marcos and I were right next to each other resulting in great intensity. Good stuff.

  27. Row: 1×20' @ 16SPM @ 2:14.1 @ 4474m @ 172 HR
    1×20' @ 16SPM @ 2:20.3 @ 4271 @ 156 HR

    First time in this week, again with no good reason either. Since the 6k is this weekend and these rows are so long I'm pretty much just rowing this week to get ready. Hope to make a size able dent on my time from last month. First interval was fine, I was able to hold a pretty consistent split. The second was pretty much just about holding on for dear life. To say my glutes were not happy is an understatement. Although I must say it goes away quickly and doesn't affect me the next day.

    Happy Birthday Melissa

  28. 5pm with Fox

    Partnered with Samir, I went for this one at 135# which was just about right for me. Flew through round 1, almost as fast through round 2, then hit a wall and went to 2's and 3's on the pull ups to try to keep as honest as possible to the C2B Rx.

    Front squats were fine, if a bit of a grind once gassed. Forgot my rope but did OK with one of the shorter speed ropes, got through most rounds with only 1 or 2 trip ups.

    9:54

    Had a really hard time catching my breath after this one!

    Happy Birthday MeLo, fellow Sagittarius!

    (Speaking of, I'll be having some birthday drinks post Open Gym on Friday at The Owl Farm on 9th St. btwn 4th and 5th. Open invitation to come on by if you don't already have big Pearl Harbor Day plans!)

  32. 6pm with Fox and Noah. 85# on the front squats and used the thin green band for the pull-ups. Scaled to 10 double-under "attempts" which mostly involved me clumsily whipping myself with the rope, tripping over my feet, and then stopping every few seconds to disentangle myself. I guess I'll take the rope-burns as punishment for not practicing double-unders enough to get any better at them. Finished in 9:01.

  34. Samir posting from Noor's account (yeah, yeah, I know, I do this all the time)

    Partnered with the awesome Todd. Did this at 125lbs. I tried to do 5 strict CTBs every round but after the first two rounds, I couldn't manage those any more and just did 5 strict, trying to get as high as I could but didn't get far. Lots of trouble on DUs. First round was a utter disaster.

    Finished in 9:14.

  35. 5pm with Fox.

    Partnered with Marcos for the workout. If you've never worked with him, make that happen now. He brought great energy both to me and my heat, but even to the other athletes in his own heat after blazing through in less than 7 minutes himself.

    Also have to shout out Fox and Noah who kept me under the bar, especially towards the end.

    This was one of those workouts that goes way better than expectations and serves as a morale boost when things get tough. After DT, which was a five round slog, I hit this one hard today, but unsure if 15 minutes would be enough.

    9:50 at 135, CTB and regular kips mixed in. Most were well clear of the chin but not CTB. First two rounds of doubles were unbroken, then the first 17 of round 3. Broke down some after that. Considering these are not my strongest movements, I'm pleased with the result.

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