Bench Press
Fitness: 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add 2.5 – 5 pounds to last week.
Performance: Work up to a Heavy Single (80-90% of 1RM), then Max Reps at 70% of 1RM (capped at 20)
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Deadlift
Fitness and Performance: 1 x 5
Add 5 – 15 lbs to last week ONLY IF ALL YOUR REPS WENT WELL. No loss of spinal position. No touch and go.
Post loads to comments.
e4/6
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For Time
21-15-9:
Kettlebell Swings
Burpee-Box Jumps
Post time and Rx to comments.
CrossFit Cribs: Beau Burgener shows us Coach Mike Burgener’s gym. Mike is a super CrossFit OG and a well-known weightlifting coach.
- Happy birthday, Moira P.!
Announcing: The 2015 Look Feel Perform Better Challenge
Challenge Overview
It’s that time of year again… New Year’s Resolution time. While we think that it’s best to act in accordance with your goals and values all (or at least most) of the time, we also recognize that many of us use markers like the beginning of the year to kick start positive changes. Some of you have done this in years past, some of you are new to it so here’s the overview.
Who? The entire CrossFit South Brooklyn community
What? A six-week challenge meant as a collective kick start into healthier nutrition and recovery habits.
Where? Right where you are. You’re encouraged to organize “rest day dinners” either in your homes or out at restaurants with fellow participants and there’ll be LFPB Challenge forums that you can look to for daily support. The key is consistent practice every day.
When? We’ll have a kick off meeting and Q&A on Sunday, December 28, at 4pm that outlines the challenge which will run from Saturday, January 3, 2015 through Friday, February 13, 2015. We’ll wrap up with a potluck and awards ceremony on Saturday, February 21nd.
Why? To look, feel, and perform better! And, for some sweet prizes!
Wait, did you say prizes? Yes. The grand prize for both the men’s and a women’s category is two months of FREE unlimited training at CFSBK, a $450+ value! There are also 2nd and 3rd place prizes for the men’s and women’s categories. Last year there was more than $1000 total value in cash prizes and gifts including a free month of dinners from Kettlebell Kitchen, gift cards to Lululemon, Beircraft, grass-fed steaks from Herondale, and other cool stuff too. This year looks to have more of the same awesomeness. Additionally, Kettlebell Kitchen is extending a 15% discount throughout the challenge to all CFSBK members who are participating!
Alright, I’m in! Great!
Challenge Guidelines and How To Participate:
Once you complete the following steps we’ll check them off as such. Please complete all steps by January 5th in order to be eligible for prizes:
- Sign your name on the list in the community area of the gym.
- Buy-in of $30. This must be cash and can be given to Front Desk staff.
- Answer a few brief questions and submit your “before” photo according to the guidelines on our new Look, Feel, Perform Better website (link coming soon!). These are private will not be published or seen by anyone but the judges without your consent.
- Track points earned daily on the spreadsheet (link coming soon!).
- Perform the Test WOD and record results.
This year’s challenge will follow last year’s model and may be a bit different for each of you depending on where you’re currently at with food and recovery. The idea behind this is that while extreme actions can bring extreme and rapid results, we’ve also seen them often result in a “crash” where an individual rebels against the limiting behaviors of a challenge. We’d rather you change a few manageable things for the long term than many things for six weeks and then get lost in a haze of bagels, beer, and chocolate cake. Choose which statement below best describes you and then follow those guidelines for the entire challenge.
For more information, click on the black widget box in the right column (or click here). Once you’re there, the LFPB forums will appear in the left column. You can puruse last year’s conversations and get more information.
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Episode 590: The Planet Money Workout NPR
What Your Email Signature Says About You Freelancers Union
Watch Stephen Colbert Give Great, And Completely Unironic, Advice to Teen Girls Mother Jones
6am with McDowell, Nick
Small class today, but it feels great to be back after losing a week to the flu (hint = not fun).
Hit 250# on bench today for 1 rep, 5# more than two weeks. Felt solid and I'll try another 5# next week. Did 18 reps at 175# for my rep out. Reps 17 and 18 were slooow, so I knew I wasn't getting to 20.
I hit 325# on deadlift today; it was 10# less than two weeks ago but I wasn't feel tip top today so I focused on staying solid.
The conditioning piece was pretty tough given that I couldn't catch my breadth due to 5 days of continuous coughing. I had aspirations of racing Alex that were quickly dashed, turning it into a slower, steady pace. Ended with 7:39 using a 32kg bell.
What an awesome day at the total yesterday! It was great to see so many strong people move so much weight!
Here's my recap:
Squat: 240lbs (PR), 255lbs (PR), 275lbs F
I was a little nervous and excited to start and the first squat moved slowly. The second attempt at 255 felt great. The third at 275 was a stretch, although I felt like I could've had it, but came forward onto my toes and it was too heavy for me to try to fight back up – fail. I'm still thrilled to have it a 40lb PR!
Press: 80lbs (PR), 85lbs (PR), 90lbs (PR)
The press was the lift that I felt like I struggled the most with coming into the cycle and the one that I had to work the hardest at. I surprised myself that 90lbs went up as smoothly as it did and it was a 20lb PR!
Deadlift: 280lbs (PR), 295lbs F, 300lbs (PR)
My biggest concern after our last class on Mon was my grip and how it got much harder to hold onto the bar as the weights got heavier. The first attempt moved well and then on the second attempt, I cleared my knee, but the bar started to slip from my left hand before I could lock out – fail. I covered my hands in chalk before the third attempt and still did the switch grip, plus did a hook grip so there was no chance I'd let go. Charlie and Serene encouraged me to go for 300 instead of repeating and I'm so happy I did! This is a 60lb PR and put me in the 300 club!
Total: 645lbs!
I knew I would get stronger through strength cycle, but I had no idea how incredible and rewarding the experience would be. The combination of Jeremy's coaching and having just done the starting strength seminar set me up for a fantastic cycle and culminated in a day of PR's. I can't wait to sign up for another!
Thanks to Jeremy for all of his support and for making us stronger! And thanks to everyone who came out to watch yesterday!
Make-up post from Saturday:
HBBS
325×4
350×4
5×4 at 400
Comp class workouts:
5 RFT
3 Muscle-ups
10 Wall Balls
6e kettlebell snatch at 24kg
First two rounds felt good, but had a big string of failures on the muscle-ups during the third round. Once I get back into regular conditioning, I'm going to work on these.
Kettlebell snatches and wall balls felt great. It's nice to squat with such light weight after the heavy squatting.
For Time
550M Row
25 Double-unders
350M Row
50 Double-unders
200M Row
100 Double-unders
Not sure if it's from my lack of conditioning lately or my new shoes, but I kept hitting my feet during the doubles and that messed me up. Fun set of workouts though.
I'm both excited and terrified for the heavy squats this week. Eep.
And great job to all the totalers!
6am
Bench, @155x5x3, a repeat of last week because i failed the last rep of the 3rd round, everything was much easier today
DL @260×5; this also felt much easier than last week, maybe because i switch gripped.
Crash-B row 1×20' @2:09 16spm, slower than I intended, but I know better than to much hard on a deadlift day.
Delicious donuts from Nicks house!
6am with NickDowell
Bench – Hot 215# for the single and all 20 reps at 150#. The last three reps were a struggle.
Deadlift – Finally changed to swtich grip for the first time this cycle hitting at 5 reps at 285#. This is still light but I decided at the beginning of this cycle to be uber focused on form. I'm good for 300# next week.
WOD – Finshed at 7:40. A few missteps and near falls on the box jumps resulting in some do-overs. I liked this one.
LINDA! Holy Total Numbers! Congrats!
6am
@Linda you are unbelievable. Huge Congrats! Hope I get to share a rack with you someday before you get too strong to make it work.
BP: 180x5x3
This was heavy but good. My elbows didn't drift up for once, and I concentrated on locking out my arms without bringing my shoulders forward, which doesn't make any sense anyway. This was a 5# drop from last week but I feel like 185 is doable.
DL: 285×5
Again, heavy but good. Hips came up first a little bit but Nick tells me I kept my back together. Looking for 295 next week. This is all new territory for me for a 5 rep lift.
Metcon: 5:40 with a 32 kg kettlebell.
@Michael I was looking forward to racing you too! When I finished I thought I must have miscounted or something. Now I know why. Anyway, looking forward to getting crushed by you as usual when you get your wind back.
Skipped the cash out and ran all the way home (2 miles uphill). Planning to do 3×5 strict HSPU at the office today for some accessory work.
Bench press: 135×5, 185×3, 225×2, 275×1, 210×13. Deadlift: 135×5, 225×5, 305×5, 355×5. Still holding on to the hook grip. First 4 reps at 355 were great. Last one was a bit slow, but video showed good back position. Metcon at 32kg: 7:15. Kettlebell swings unbroken. Burpee box jumps kill me. Took a steady pace in them with the goal of never stopping.
Congrats to all my fellow totalers! Great job done by all.
500lbs squat
200 lbs press
450 lbs deadlift
Special shout out to Charles for his 405 deadlift!
Linda, you are AWESOME. I'm so jealous of your membership in the 300 club!
Meathead Monday 😀
Bench: 135 for the single, then 105×14. Unlike last week, I know full well I didn't have even more more left in me, because the last one was a GRIND.
Deadlift: 235×5. I think I will go up only 5# next week based on how hard this was. This matches up pretty well with where I started to fail at 5s in strength cycle (it was either 240 or 245).
WOD in 7:31 with 20kg bell/20" box.
Congrats to all the totalers!
@Linda – amazing! 300 DL, WOW. There goes my WOD partner *cries*.
Congrats to all of the totalers!!
7am with McDowell and Nick
Bench:
5×45
5×65
3×95
1×105
1×115
1×120
Did all of these with a pause—which adds a little special something. So, 120 is the same weight I worked up to last week, but this definitely felt a little harder. Also–I've never hit 120 a pause at the bottom before so I guess this is a PR of sorts?
DL:
5×45
5×135
5×185
5×205
5×225
Staying at the same weight for this again this week, trying to keep my back flatter each time (which I think I did this week, though it wasn't perfect). Nick pointed out that I'm not totally getting the slack out of my arms and the bar before lifting. It's funny–this is something I cue people to do but I was not going through the steps for myself. Definitely helped me feel tighter off the floor.
Conditioning: 5:27 with a 24kg KB and 24 in box. Definitely had to take a second out of the burpee before jumping on the box. Fun little workout.
Congratulations to everybody who participated in the CF Total yesterday! It was the culmination of a great two months of Strength Cycle. I’m so glad I signed up for the class, and I can’t thank Jeremy enough for helping me improve over all eight weeks. I also have to thank my classmates for the encouragement along the way, particularly my platform-mates Robyn and Ariel.
As for the Total itself, I was nervous about lifting in front of an audience, but it was a great environment, and I was so appreciative of the support. My goal for yesterday was to total 400# (squat 150, press 70, deadlift 180), but I ended up exceeding all of my goals and totaling 422.5, so I couldn’t be happier.
Squat: 142.5 (PR), 150 (PR), 160 (PR)
Press: 67.5 (PR), 72.5 (PR), 77.5 F
Deadlift: 170 (PR), 180 (PR), 190 (PR)
With the exception of the fail on my 3rd press attempt, all of the lifts felt great, and it was gratifying to see how far I’ve come. I’m looking forward to the next cycle to see how much further I can go.
snuck out of working form home for noon class. Bench press:
180x5x3, first paused. Encouraged that these moved so smoothly. Feel ready for 185 next week.
DL: 305×5 . Also moved relatively smoothly. Kept hook grip in for two then went switch grip. lost my thoracic spine on the last couple according to fox. enage lats.
10am lifts
Bench
165×5
185×5
205×5
Press
110x10x5
+
Chins
5×7
Arms felt like balloons.
21-15-9
KBS 24kg
BBJ 24"
5:11
Had a hard time pushing the pace and just tried to stay consistent. Glad I got some work in. Afterwards I had a roast beef and cheddar on rye with mayo from the local deli. I haven't had a simple roast beef sandwich in so long. It was so good! Kai was even lucky enough to get the second half of Jess' and I'm sure he'd agree.
Thanks for all of the kind words everyone!!
Sorry I missed the CFT but I was at the CrossFit Kids certification this weekend which was AWESOME. I really enjoyed the weekend and learned a LOT. Too much to summarize in a comment but it was really a great weekend and I can't wait to start working with the next generation.
The Burgener house is incredible! I want an outdoor shower and room.
Had a lot of work to do this afternoon so I did a speed version of class today before the 4:30
3 Rounds NFT
15 Air Squats
10 Push-Ups
5 Strict Pull-Ups
Deadlift
135×5
225×3
295×2
320×5
Felt Great
Bench Press
45×5
115×5
135×5
150×2
160x5x3
Felt good
Yesterday I did a 10-1 Ladder of KB Swings and burpees with the CFK staff at lunch so I opted for 2 Strict Muscle-Ups EMOM for 5 Minutes. Just a little assistance work.
Congrats, totalers! You guys crushed it.
4:30 class.
Bench: 45×5, 85×4, 105×3, 125×1, then 95×12. I wanted 17, which I've gotten on all the other rep outs but my arms were smoked.
Deadlift: 95×5, 135×5, 155×4, 185×3 (I quit at 3, I almost blacked out), then 155×5.
WOD with 20kg KB in a little less than 6 min. A couple of my swings could have been a bit higher and I rested for a few breaths before the swings, but I pushed it as hard as I could. I still sort of feel like throwing up and have the CrossFit kennel cough.
5:30 with Noah and Arturo
Bench: 5×180, 5×180, 4×180 (failed last rep). Arturo mentioned my grip was a bit narrow so I'll try wider next time.
DL all warmup reps with overhand or hook grip. Work set with switch grip @ 315, which felt pretty smooth.
WOD in 7:25 with 24 kg.
Worked out at Crossfit Tustin today. It's filled with beast athletes. Here's what happened:
HBBSQs 3x5x135 (up 5# from last week)
DEADLIFT 1x5x165 – this moved super fast, so I attempted 170# x3, and also moved well. I could have done my 5, but I approached it conservatively. 170# is a PR for me here! I am also working on keeping my hook grip in.
BENCH 3x5x80 Matched my old PR last cycle we benched Mondays. Moved like organic butter.
Serious Gainzzz today. So many Z's.
Power Clean, 70%x3x5
264
Push Press, 73%x3x5
220
530pm class
Bench:
325×1
225×16
LOVE DA BENCH!
WOD: I did it so fast no one even saw. Sub-0.
Crazy PRs all over the place yesterday. Congratulations!
I on the other hand celebrated the solstice with some heady yoga. The mantra was: the light is coming back
It was pretty fantastic
Today — only had time for the meathead part of the workout
Foam rolled hamstrings, butt, hips
Warm up x 3
10 t2b
10 push ups
15 oh squats 33#
Bench Press w Jay
110x1x2 – second time the bar path was squirrelly but much faster
75×20 – felt awesome for about 15 minutes after this
Deadlift w Barbara
95×5, 145×3, 175×2 190×2-done
Felt my back curve on the 2nd one and quit
Ran home
Double update.
The total yesterday was fun. Results:
Squat: 305, 320, 335. Was thinking 330 but Margie pushed me to 335 — this would presage things to come. The 320 and 335 were PRs
Press: 150, 160, 162.5. The 160 and 162.5 were super-slow but made, and both PRs.
Dead lift: 360, 385, 405 (F). 385 tied my PR. On the last attempt I called 400, which is a tough number to load on the bar. Margie urged me to stick with 405, and do 4 plates. I declined and stuck with 400. When I sat down to wait for my lift, Fox too suggested I do 405 and when I went up I made a game time decision to go with 405. I got the bar above my knees but something in my head told me the risk-reward of going the next bit might not be worth it and I put the bar down. Next time.
Total total: 882.5
I went in tonight to start recovering. Did the bench at 165 and dead lift at 295. Did the WOD in 8:17, with a 20kg bell and a 20" box doing step backs. Come WOD time I was feeling a bit tired, so didn't push it with a higher box or bell.
Pumped for another strength cycle and the new 2×2!