Take 15 Minutes to work up to a a heavy single. You’ll be using this number to base some % work off of for the upcoming cycle.
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8 Minute, NFRs of:
2 Wall Walks
Accumulate a :20 L-Sit on the Parallettes
8 Minutes NFRs of:
1:00 weighted Plank
25 H2H Kettlebell Swings
While these are NFRs, don’t drag your feet on the transitions.
From the Vault: Herschel gets ready for “Fran”
Training Template
Here is the general training template for the upcoming Cycle. Monday and Thursdays lifts will vary between direct barbell training and being incorporated into mixed modal workouts. Enjoy!
- Monday: Push Press
- Tuesday: Rest Day
- Wednesday: Low Bar Back Squats
- Thursday: Clean and Jerks
- Friday: Rest Day
- Saturday: Open Style WOD
- Sunday: Deadlifts
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Drawing Lines Between Risks Dan Gardner
The Abmat is Awesome, Here’s Why Breaking Muscle
1. Video of a 5-minute AMRAP bodyweight squat-off among an oly lifter, powerlifter, bodybuilder, and strongman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0R68g184ag&noredirect=1
2. Herschel is f-ing adorable.
First day back in the box since Tuesday, getting over a cold.
235 on DL, failed 245 twice. My PR is 255 — I'm going to chalk this up to not having deadlifted heavy in a while, and hopefully I can beat that this cycle.
What I did PR on: today's NY Times Sunday crossword puzzle. 4:33. I've never gotten under 5 minutes on the NYT before. I'm geeking out, you guys.
(I should say, I've never gotten under 5 minutes on the NYT *on Sunday* before. Other days of the week, yes.)
Big 10am class – haven't done DL in a while so I really didn't know what to expect. Worked up to 285x1x2 which was certainly heavy but not a maximum effort. This is the same as my heavy-but-not-max-effort squat weight so I'm hoping this can go up as we do DLs this cycle.
I enjoyed the NFR at the end. Planks with 35# and 45# definitely had me sweating after a minute, and I was surprised to find I can do an L-sit now! A gnarly, not fully extended L-sit, but I'll take it.
For anyone who did AR yesterday and found the gut smashing a little sledgehammer-y, I found this video on 70s big a while ago that's more specific on how to find your psoas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxl0YouZ-ZY
8am with the Mr and Mrs Fox
Deadlift 365# higher than I was planning to. This is a lift I struggle with. It always feels awkward, so happy it is in this cycle so I can practice.
L-sit and wall walks were very challenging today.
10am with Josh and Fox, 195 on the DL today! 20 pounds heavier than I was planning but really wanted to hit 200… oh well, NFT work, holy shoulders on the wall walks!
Hey CFSBK Hive Mind:
Anyone know of a good local tailor? Need some simple stuff done (hemming, etc.) and some more involved/creative stuff as well. I'm sure one of you dandies has an idea.
Let the jokes commence.
8am. Worked up to 365#. Probably could have gone heavier, though my middle back is quite sore from wall balls.
DL – worked up to 415, which got a little grindier than I thought it would be, so I called it there. Probably had 20# more if I really needed it though, which is encouraging.
Noah, this might not be helpful, but I've worked with a seamstress on the Upper East Side at 58th street who is a magician when it comes to tailoring and creating new pieces via fabrics of all kinds + one's imagination. If you want to make the trek, her name is Maria Ambrosini and her number is 212.758.4802. She's amaaaaazing.
Noah: Noble on Court Street is great for the simpler stuff (hemming, letting pants in or out, making your shirts fit a bit better by darting or bringing in the sides).
For more complicated jobs, like anything with a jacket, try Stanton on the LES. They are the best of all possible worlds: competent, fast, and cheap. Cheaper than Noble, actually. But unless you live on the LES, they're not really worth the trip for a simple hem job. Or the wait in line (they are extremely popular). Or figuring out their weird hours (call ahead to make sure they are open and not just doing pickups).
Got up to 195# on the DL today. I picked up 205# but lost my spinal position a bit so I'm not going to count it, as the focus was staying tight throughout the movement. Then, headed over to Mala Yoga on Court Street for a Beg/Int yoga class with Whit. It was great! I used to practice yoga regularly, but haven't taken class in a few years. I've forgotten how much my body loves this kind of movement, especially the fun of taking a group class where there's not much talking and you can really focus on your own practice. Whit focused on hip strengthening/opening today in class and it was just what I needed. She has a great way of describing the poses in a way that relates to what we do in the gym on a daily basis, and is very specific with her language and poetic in her descriptions. If you haven't taken yoga with her, get on it ASAP! Looking forward to the start of the cycle tomorrow.
@noah I highly recommend Chris French. East village, on 4th Ave and 9th St. They did an amazing job changing the seam on a leather garment of mine. I also go there for a simple pant hem.
The hungry blog ate my post again yesterday so here's an abbreviated version.
CRASH-Bs-Friday
3RNFT
5 x pull-ups red band for one round then orange for two (yay!)
10 x RDLs 32kg
15 x goblet squats 16kg
Row 4 x 5 minutes with 3 mins rest. I managed to stay 100% consistent here with 2.05/500M 1200M each. Pretty cool.
Rings was so much fun yesterday and I held a freestanding handstand for the first time.
Today- 10am class.
Deadlift- 135 x 5, 165 x 4, 205 x 3, 225 x 1PR, 240 x 1, 250 x 1. Really happy with this! I may even have added more if we had had more time! So excited to work on deadlifts this cycle!
CRASH-Bs
Tabata, Tabata, Tabata
1. 1.50.0/500M 727M 40SPM
2. 1.49.5/500M 730M 41SPM
3. 1.50.9/500M 721M 43SPM
This was way harder and 2 secs/500M faster than it was two weeks ago.
I attribute all of the above successes to the LFPB challenge. This Zone thing works!!!
Noah, if you don't mind trekking to Midtown, I've had good luck with Mid City Tailoring at 25 w. 43rd (or 28 w. 44th-you can enter the building from either side). They're legit and reliable. (212) 719-2215
Noon class
Deadlift
315-365-395-415
Happy to pull over 400 again feeling good. Needed a switch grip for the 415 but no belt. Melo said it looked solid, so I'm happy with it.
Only did the KB/Plank couplet since I knew there would be L-sits galore, and there was.
Challenging and fun rings class today. Lots of stuff to work on!
OG Clubhouse Session
Front squat
45×5 95×5 135×5 185×4 225x3x5
Resetting my LP and doing some more volume this cycle.
Rack Jerk
135×2,2 155×2 175×2 185×2 190×2 205×1 220×1 (PR) 225xF
220 was solid, psyched to finally get 100kg overhead.
RDL
135×5 185×5 225x5x3
I have decided work through last years Open WODs to try to get myself at least a little bit ready for this year. Since I thought it would be a good idea to do them in order of time domain from shortest to longest, I had to start it off today with 13.5, which was the Fran ladder. Thank god I only had to do 4 minutes of work, because I would have died if I had to finish Fran. I made it through 2 full rounds (60 reps) and was surprised to find out that last year I only made it through 49 reps. Its possible that some of my pull-ups weren't all the way C2B this time since I didn't have anyone no-repping me.
Hello again. I posted a picture of some pretty and delicious paleo blueberry muffins I made today, and a bunch of people asked for the recipe. Thought I'd share it here, too.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 tablespoon coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt (I used kosher salt and it helped create a nice texture)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut milk*
2 eggs
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 12 count muffin tin and lightly oil with coconut oil.
In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, salt, and baking soda and stir to combine.
Pour in coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, coconut milk, and vanilla; mix well.
Fold in blueberries.
Distribute into muffin tin.
Bake for 22-25 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy!
Notes
*Coconut milk can come in different textures depending on the brand you use. If you use a thicker brand like THAI, then use 1/8 cup of coconut milk and 4 Tablespoons of water. If your coconut milk is thinner, stick to the 1/4 cup of coconut milk.
Also, I came in to OG last minute to deadlift, and it was ugly and I wasn't into it and kept getting dizzy. Good to start with low standards at the beginning of the cycle, right? Can only go up from here.
OG
Copying Todd, my hero!
Front squat 83×5, 103×5, 113x2x3
Then he told me to go deeper and bounce out of it. 83×3, 103x2x3
Split jerk 83x3x2, 93×1, 93×1, 103×1 had to press out. Went for it again and gave up as soon as it left my shoulders.
Rings stuff.
OG
Jerk Doubles
275x2x4
Back Squat (I usually assume High Bar is implied)
350x5x6
**This was by far the hardest squatting session ive ever done. I am trying to really focus on leg strength for a while in order to get my C+J up. This was hard, and it felt great to have gotten through it
RDLs
245x10x3
Planks w/45# for 1minute x4
OG at the clubhouse
Pause FSQ 113x3x3
Deadlift 185×1
Accessory work fun.
Took an impromptu afternoon drive upstate yesterday for some family time, DIY AR, yoga and general playing outside. I'm over the cold and being cooped up.
OG tonight. Swapped out today's deadlift for clean work — High and mid hang power cleans at 93# and a few C&Js at 108#. Pulling too early.
Warmed up with muscle-up work and finished with today's gymnastics 8 min not-for-timers, handstands and backbends. Perfect end to the weekend.
Nice one Stella….congrats!!!!
8am with the Foxes..Got up to 135# on my deadlift…more than I have ever done ever. Excited about this cycle!!
The couplets were tough. Wall walks always take a lot out of me!!
Since the blog ate my posts on both Friday and Sat evening, doing a recap here for tracking purposes.
THU:
C&J emotm for 15 min
-started with 83#, which was light and good, but left shoulder was wonky. hurt everytime going STO… impinged in the front. tried to mobilize it between attempts, with no change. at about halfway, switched to just cleans with no OH. did one at 93# and the rest at 98#
-did performance, full squat cleans on this, which are starting to feel so much better. fast drop and staying on tension at the bottom.
FRI OG:
LBBS make up sesh from wednesday
45×5, 75×5, 95×5, 125×3, 145×1, 165×1, 185×1 PR!!! This is 5# up from the PR I hit at TTD in mid-January. it had speed, so i'm excited to know there's more within reach.
-focused only on staying on tension at the bottom. bracing and staying tight in the abs, ribs down throughout. i tend to lose it in overextension and/or bottoming out, so this counteracted that tendency.
-thanks to McD, Josh for spotting and Bailey for being a badass bar partner.
-worked in on KMo's GHD stuff to cash out — three sets of :30 holds in supine and prone positions
SAT 11am class:
WB and burpees, baby. ended up with 169 total reps (61 burpees, 108 WB). felt good to just focus on technique instead of plowing through as fast as possible. not going too low in my squat, losing tension, bottoming out. driving the hips up, rather than trying to muscle it with the arms. my adductors are really sore today, and i think that's a good thing.
woke up pretty sore and tired, so took a rest day. big week of teaching ahead.
Thanks to all who came to our nice big yoga class on Saturday, and to KH for making it over to Mala today! having fun teaching y'all!