Rest exactly 3 minutes between rounds.
As always, we’ll offer volume and movement scaling options at the gym. Make every rep perfect!
Post total time and Rx to comments.
compare to 2.17.13
CrossFit interrogation tactics
Post time and Rx to comments.5 Rounds for time:20 Pull-Ups30 Push-Ups40 Sit-Ups50 Air Squats
- Good luck to Coach DO, Todd C and Jake L who will be competing at an Olympic Weightligting meet today in CT!
- Reminder that we added a 1pm Group class on Sundays effective today! Also remember there’s now an 11AM Sunday Active Recovery!
Photos with Bekka P
Now that the LFPB Challenge is coming nearing the finish line, consider getting a new headshot or cool photo for your CrossFit Games profile with Bekka P. As a longtime Crossfitter and our photographer, Bekka knows the good (and the really bad) angles for getting great athletic photos. She’ll be bringing lights and a backdrop to set up a professional studio at CFSBK for the day so you’ll get studio quality shots right at the gym. She’s offering discount packages for CFSBK members and will photograph anything from headshots to overhead squats to family portraits (hey, get ahead on that Mother’s day gift). Portrait sessions typically cost several hundred dollars for a minimum hour session so take advantage of this unique opportunity!
Thoughts on Scaling Pull-Ups in “Barbara”
by David Osorio
This benchmark girl is a high-volume interval workout comprised of body weight movements. Completed as prescribed, it calls for 100 Pull-Ups, 150 Push-Ups, 200 Sit-Ups and 250 Squats. To preserve the intended stimulus of “Barbara”, scale the movements such that you can complete each round in about 3-5 minutes. For many people this will mean drastically scaling the pull-ups.
Scaling Pull-Ups, Strict versions versus Kipping Pull-Ups
If you don’t have well developed kipping pull-ups then you’ll need to drop upwards of 1/2 to 3/4’s of the volume on this movement. Kipping pull-ups and strict pull-ups are very different exercises with different training outcomes. The kipping pull-up is a dynamic movement used for conditioning purposes while the strict pull-up is a slower movement used to develop pulling strength & stamina. If you’re doing a strict variant (For example: Strict pull-ups, Banded Strict Pull-Ups, Leg Assisted Pull-Ups or even Ring Rows) choose either 5 or 10 reps per round. If you choose 10 reps then you should be able to accomplish every set in 2-3 micro sets. For example, if your reps look something like this: 3-2-1-1-1-1-1 then the scale is too difficult!
What you don’t want to happen is for the these to slow you down so much that you spend most of your time at the pull-up station staring at the bar and shaking your arms out. The small danger is that it could ruin the intention and balance of the workout while the larger danger is that this kind of training will leave you unreasonably sore and could ruin the rest of your training week. Because strict variants have a controlled lowering phase (unlike kipping pull-ups) they have the potential to do a lot of structural damage on your muscles. While we want enough of this “damage” to make your body a little sore for a few days we certainly don’t want so much damage the putting your shirt on two days later because a workout in itself. Trust me on this, sometimes less is more. Scale to make these challenging but doable.
If you’ve got kipping pull-ups then it becomes more a matter of how many reps you can do unbroken. If 20 reps is something you can bite off in 1-3 sets then go for it Rx’d. If you work mostly in 2’s and 3’s then scale to 10 reps per round.
Here is a programming summary with scaling options for you to choose from:
Strict Variant: A: 10 reps, B: 5 reps
Kipping Pull-Ups: A 20 reps, B: 15 reps, C:10 reps
As always, you can scale on the fly whenever you feel like you’ve bit off too much or perhaps not a big enough chunk. If you start with 10 reps but by round three have “lost your pull-up”, swallow your ego and drop the reps. Remember you want to keep the workout moving and not hit a wall on any particular movement.
Closing Thoughts
Even if you drop to 5 pull-ups per round, the rest of the workout (even scaled) can pack a pretty serious punch. If it’s your first time with “Barbara” we highly recommend doing a 3 round version of the WOD. Interval workouts like this, especially THIS one, have been known to make people “not right” afterwards.
As Rx’d, Barbara gives you 700 opportunities to choose to do a movement correctly or rush through something with questionable form. Our goal is to increase your work capacity while strengthening your muscles, connective tissue and discomfort tolerance. Scale wisely, move well and enjoy your date with Barbara today!
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The best jump ropes video we’ve ever seen!
Those little evil cookie leprechauns aka Girl Scouts are joining the gluten free game
gothamist.com/2014/01/23/girl_scouts_get_in_on_gluten-free_m.php?utm_content=buffer1de66&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Good Luck Todd and DO. I unfortunately wound up at NYU hospital last night till 3am after my cousin got clipped by a cab, which destroyed his left leg…Tib-Fib fracture, torn MCL
Oh no Jake! All the best to your cousin. Hope he has a quick recovery. Good luck Todd and DO!
oh, Jake, that is grim. I know that DO and Todd will represent, but sad news.
The WOD today was really tough, but two things. First, log books are powerful creatures. I must have missed the last Barbara on 2.17.13, as I have entries on 2.16 (Diane) and I rowed a 2K on 2.18. But no 2.17. So, renewing my vow to keep good notes on this stuff.
Also, coming in, though I had never done Barbara, I knew from other big wods like Angie, that pushups were going to be tough. At round 3, Arturo turned me onto banding my upper arms and it saved me. I did two rounds of 30, but I had to drop to 20 for Round V (I was down to sets of 1…). Not only did it keep me moving, but I flare out my L elbow when I get gassed, so this kept me a lot more organized. The main takeaway is that I need better pushups (and pullups…), but I had never tried this sub, and I liked it plenty, so thank you, 'Ro.
10/15/40/50 @ 184#
Banded the pullups–all sets unbroken
Pushups, just plain broken
anchored the last 2 rounds of situps
Squats unbroken
41:13 Love Barbara–Less fond of the 8:00 soundtrack… WTF? (That "F" stands for "Fox!")
My book is full, so I figure it's about time I posted here.
This felt alternately awful and better than I thought it would. 35:11 RX
I should've done the first set of pull-ups unbroken, as they were the easiest part. Instead I did 12 and 8 each round.
Pushups were harder than expected, so were the situps. Gotta get better at those.
Thanks to Chris for being a good person to chase after!
Oh no Jake! Best wishes to your cousin for a speedy recovery.
Last year I did this scaled to ring rows and knee pushups. This year I scaled volume instead (5 strict chins, 20 strict pushups) and finished in 36:03. I kinda wish I had gone full volume on pushups.
AR with Fox afterward. Ahhhh.
Barbara in 31:27. Big PR. Wasn't expecting that but am pleasantly surprised.
@jake sorry to hear that, hope your cousin recovers well.
Nice 11am class, first time doing this workout I think.
I scaled to 10-30-40-50 and finished in 39:34 I think (definitely 39:something). I don't have the muscular endurance for pushups and situps to go fast on this, so less of a killer and more of a steady grind through a lot of reps.
The kipping pullups were actually not bad at all as 5+5, I'm not sure I needed to scale them. Pushups started at 3×10, finished as 10×3, elbows flaring out at the end, 5 breaths between sets, annoying. Situps, slow. Air squats are easy for me for some reason, broke them into 2×25 but didn't really need to, did the last set unbroken.
First time doing Barbara, but there was no way I wasn't going to do all five rounds, so I scaled to 20 RR, 20 banded push-ups (15 strict, 5 knees), 30 SU, and 50 squats. Finished somewhere around 40:20. Loved the advice on here and from Arturo and Fox to do every rep perfectly, so I focused on that, nose into the mat on push-ups, instead of focusing on my time and wishing I could Rx it. Loved this class and the lovin' vibe.
I was smoked afterwards, but I got that extra energy thing again, so I rowed a 6K? And really enjoyed it? With about 15 100-200m hard sprints + some rests + trying to work on my form. Danae suggested the energy might have something to do with the LFPB challenge, which I've been following in my own way. I think my body and mind are missing running… Either way, I'll take it.
Happy Sunday to everyone, and Jake, I'm so sorry to hear about your cousin. Keep us updated.
Time: 35:50 Rx.
The worst parts of Barbara (1=ok, 5=the worst of the worst):
1. Pull ups: Kipping pull ups are fun and I can count to 20 with ease.
2. Push ups: Dreading the idea of losing push ups and doing sets of 1s and 2s.
3. Air squats: I hate counting to 50.
4. Sit ups: Just so slow and caused "weird" feelings in my stomach.
5. 3 minute rest… just enough time to realize how much you hurt but then you feel rested to go hard again but my times refute that rest.
first day back in the gym in a long time and BAM it's BARBARA!!!
Got lucky and ended up in the tiny (comparably) 11am class.
I scaled this like whoah:
5 x – 10 rr/20 pu's with a blue band/ 30 su's/40 squat.s = 37:15 – broke the pu's into sets of 5 by the end and it was harrrrrrrrd.
It's nice to be back! It can be hard getting back into it when you're away for awhile off being a couch potato.
Also – Ro suggested using a band with the pushups instead of knees and that was GREAT. Never done that before but I highly recommend if you are working on your pushup load.
First time doing Barbara…. I was going to scale and do 3 rounds instead of 5 but felt like I still had some gas after 3 so kept going…
Finished 5 Rounds with ring rows in 49 and change
By round 4 everything was a challenge.
Still sore from Grace! These ladies are ganging up on me 😉
Did the noon class – 32:57 rx. Man those pushups got dicey. Situps also were surprisingly tough in the last couple rounds.
11am with RoMeLo.
First time doing Barbara – 38.27.
I was a little scared going in because my shoulders were still sore from the burpees on Friday.
I scaled to 10 x thin green banded pull-ups for the first two rounds and then 5 strict chin-ups for the following three. These were tough.
I used the orange band for push-ups and I had a few no reps but overall they felt pretty good but 30 is A LOT!!!
I felt like I scaled appropriately during the workout however I was not that destroyed after it so maybe I should have gone faster or something?
Perhaps I shall be eating my words tomorrow….
Did this with 10 strict chin-ups.
Took forevah: 44:39. This felt very hard at the end of crush week.
Came in to squat.
340x4x6
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. Hes going to be ok. Nothing a couple of great Orthopaedic surgeons cant fix!
ALSO, for anyone interested, there is another Olympic Lifting meet MARCH 16th very close in Garden City, Long Island. I know Todd and I are going to be going. There are no qualifying totals, and everyone is welcome to compete. If anyone is interested let me know and I will get the requisite forms to sign up.
@ matt k. I'm a goog person to chase cuz i'm catchable.:-p 35:18 as rx'd.
Barbara after a 24 hour shift seemed like a dreadful idea but I dragged my butt in and I was glad I did (sort of). I couldn't remember if I had done this workout before and I didn't have my notebook with me (came straight from work). Feeling a little beat up from crush week and a busy night chasing smells and bells I decided to scale just the pull ups because I don have much of a kip. Managed to finish in 44:28. Which it turns out is about :45 slower than I did it last time but last time I scaled the workout to 10/20/30/40 so I will consider today a pr and a nice step toward doing this rx'd. I'm getting there. Had I known I was so close to the time is done before I might have tried to blast through that last round or pushed a little harder on my squats which I took kind of easy but what can you do. I was super tired, mild sleep deprivation will do it. Got to love everyone who was cheering us stragglers at the end. Thanks to all.
11am with Arturo and Melo
I was a Barbara virgin, but not anymore. 36:58
Surprisingly I thought the push up and pull ups were going to be the limitations. Well it turned out to be the sit ups!! I felt bad after the 2nd round and it was murder every round with the sit ups. Something I need to work on.
broke it down and stick to the plan for 5 rounds
Pull ups 10 – 5 – 5
Push ups 10 – 5 -5 – 4 -3 – 3
Sit ups all kind of broken up
Squats first 3rnd unbroken then 20 – 20 – 10
I repeat, i'm goog!
I must be out of my Crossfittin' mind because when I realized that I couldn't make it today, I decided to do as much of Barbara (everything minus pull ups) at home. My 7-year-old son asked to join me – he scaled:) Before I knew it, my daughter and her friend had joined us, so there were four people – total age = 63 – doing Barbara in my apartment. It was hilarious…until my son decided 3 minutes of rest was "boring" and finished in 21:15.
Decided to come in for the brand new Sunday 1pm-er. Thankful for the new class time, but I was hurrrrting this morning.
Barbara was an……experience. Scaled to strict chin-ups with sets of 10. Ended up doing all 5 rounds so I did 50 total! Sooo I was pretty pumped about that. Pushups were on the knees. Everything was smooth in the beginning. Got my first round in like 4:23 or so …then i just hit a big fat wall by round 3. Can't quite remember the final time but I believe it was around 46:55… I'm gonna want a rematch with Barb in the near future for sure.
@jake I am interested in trying a low key oly event but not until after this marathon thing in June… Have fun!
@kater is my new hero for rowing a 6k cashout.
Second crack at Barbara – it is a doozy.
7 minute PR to finish in 36:17 – glad to finish RX.
Am I the only person that finds the sit-ups the hardest part of this WoD? Or maybe I just have no core strength…
11am Active Recovery class. Good stuff with some fun voodoo floss on the knees.
12pm group class and my 3rd date with Barbara:
40:40 rx'd
-the last time I did this was 02/2012 and I shaved 2+ minutes off of that time today.
-all pullups in 10-5-5. Pushups in 5's the first round then in 4's, 3's then doubles and singles to finish each set. These actually felt better than they have felt in Wods but were still the time suck.
-situps were much more challenging them I remember them though I never stopped to rest. Squats were fast to make up time.
2pm Rings Strength Class with Ken
-Ken decided to take it easy on us since we were wrapping up crush week. Think parallette support holds, ring support holds, inversions, band assisted back levers (hard as hell!), and a little ring routine. Wrapped up with some shoulder and hamstring stretching which felt great/hurt. 😉 Great first class!
I'm so tired now and dreading the soreness that will start to surface within a few hours.
Great job today Todd and DO!
First time doing Barbara. Not comfortable kipping, so modified to 10 hanging pull ups.
42:20, with the following comments:
Push-Ups easily the hardest, but breaking them into 5x5x5x5… after round 3 made them manageable.
Probably could have done the squats with less breaks, 20x15x10x5 were comfortable throughout.
In general, any WOD that is solely based on body weight is A-OK for me! Looking forward to seeing Barbara again with more discipline and strength.
Barbara in 43:13, scaled to 10 kipping pull ups and 20 banded strict push ups. Sit ups and squats RXed.
This is exactly 3:30 slower than the only other time I've done Barbara, which was a pretty long time ago (at least a year and a half, maybe more). Last time I did ring rows and kneeling push ups so this was probably a harder scaling. However, I was incredibly tired, hungover, and dehydrated today, and seriously considered stopping after three rounds. Even the sit ups and squats felt sluggish and slow. Wanted to rolf. Not my best performance but all in all just happy I made it to the gym in the first place. And also, especially in the first round, my kipping pull ups were JAMMING today! I was actually cycling 3 and 4 in a row! Happy with that.
Also, @ David Elwell: come to Pilates on Tuesday night! I guarantee we'll improve your Barbara time… 😉
Went back for a double does today.
Snatch
220
242
253
264x1x2
275
275M
*Snatches were ONNN tonite. SO not happy about missing that meet today
CJ
220
264
286
308
313
Noah somehow Inceptioned me into doing Grace…2:42(PR). I spent 20 minutes trying not to vomit after. Im pretty sure I was swaying my way around the gym moaning how much I hated crossfit for a good 15 minutes as well. But i feel good now!!
Great Job DO and Todd. They both killed it.
Meet was super fun today. Definitely glad to have done it and can't wait to do another.
Snatch went 72, 76, 80(F)
Clean and Jerk 90, 94, 98(F)
Makes at 76 and 94 here.
At least 4 for 6 was my goal so I'm psyched for that. 80 and 98 would have matched 1-time PRs on each (and 98 actually went up but I got called for an arm rebend). Definitely doing the March meet, even in the middle of the Open.
@RyanJ this one has your name all over it. Anyone who is a tiny bit interested should do it. Lets bring a big team out!
42:00. Disappointing because this is usually the kind I do well with. Too much work and not enough play have cost me a lot of fitness and strength in the last year. The good news and the bad news is my show is ending soon and I will be in the gym a lot in the coming weeks.
@lborducci – 110!
88. Well done
first time in all my years crossfitting to do Barbara in its entirety. she's a bitch.
43:47 w/ all push ups on my knees
– was pumped to get 100 pull ups without tearing – although it came close at the end
– push ups, even all on my knees, got extremely tough and went down to doubles and singlets towards the end
– used sit ups and squats as my way to make up time
will do this again, RXed, someday..