Your bar path is the fingerprint of your lift. Whether it be front, back, or overhead squats, the goal is to keep the bar balanced over the middle of your foot. A straight bar path indicates the lifter/barbell system is in balance and no extraneous effort was needed to complete the lift. Note the difference in bar path, body positions, and speed between these two reps. Follow @crossfitsouthbrooklyn on Instagram to get more of these pointers and tips!
The Catalyst Athletics Olympic Lifting Seminar is Coming to CFSBK From May 9 to 10!
Instructed by Kara Doherty and Catalyst Athletics coaching staff, the Level 1 Olympic Weightlifting Seminar is two full days of practicing and training the snatch, clean and jerk, learning progression and correction drills for the snatch, clean and jerk, and foundational exercises for Olympic weightlifting.
This is our Level 1 weightlifting seminar AND the seminar required for the Level 1 Catalyst Athletics Certified Weightlifting Coach certification. You can attend this seminar without the certification process.
Attending the seminar only (no certification). Please select this option when registering. There are no pre-requisites for attendance of the seminar.
Kara Doherty is a 4-time Canadian National Champion and nearly 20-year veteran of Olympic weightlifting. She will be assisted by Catalyst Athletics coaches who are also members of the Catalyst Athletics national weightlifting team.
For more information and to register, click here!
There’s Still Time to Sign Up For the Next Cycle of CFSBK’s Olympic Lifting Program with Coach Frankie Murray
We pushed the next cycle of the Olympic Lifting Program back a week to give people more time to sign up. Don’t miss you chance! Revised dates below.
What: An 8-week Olympic lifting cycle meeting twice a week with Coach Frank Murray and/or Heather Farmer in addition to two open gym or group classes per week.
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays 12-1:30pm from 4/14/15 – 6/4/15 or Mondays and Wednesdays 8-9:30pm from 4/14/15 – 6/4/15. (see full details below)
Price: $300 per 4 weeks, first bill due at sign-up and second bill charged automatically to the card on-file 4 weeks later.
Noon Cycle
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12-1:30pm from 4/14/15 – 6/4/15
REGISTER HERE
PM Cycle
Mondays and Wednesdays 8-9:30pm from 4/14/15 – 6/4/15
REGISTER HERE
Each cycle needs a minimum of eight participants and is capped at 10 athletes. Both cycles will end with a mock Olympic meet on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at 2:30pm.
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A Day in the Life Of Julie Foucher PurePharma
Wednesday's Programming
Fitness: Front Squat 3 x 5 Linear Progression
Aim to be able to add 5 pounds each exposure. If you maintain 5-pound jumps, the bar will be 35 pounds heavier by the end of the cycle!
Performance: Back Squat 3 x 5, Volume Day
Start light enough to make consistent jumps of 5-10 pounds for 8 weeks.
Post loads to comments.
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Partner WOD
One partner working at a time, alternate complete rounds
AMRAP 15 Minutes:
15 Wall Ball 20/10, 14/9
7 Burpee-Box Jumps 20"
Post rounds and Rx to comments.
Monday
Took the Performance class at CrossFit Invictus
(Other option was Fitness involving deadlifts, KB swings, etc). I liked the workout and the coach (Brice)
Warm up
300m of skipping…
Line drills
20 min every 2 mins of:
High hang clean + hang clean
Worked up to 115# for the last two rounds which felt good
For time:
– 1000m row – something like 4:30? Power 10 at 500m and sprinted last 100m but still feel like I'm always the last off the erg
– 20 hang power cleans (95# — Rx was 125#) – (5,5,3,4,3)
– 100 DUs – disaster, had lifting shoes and a really short rope. Did the last 10 barefoot
10:15
My right hip's been feeling weird since my beach run, and I had a strange clean in this workout that sent a burning sensation from my left collar bone to my shoulder .. Otherwise I feel like a spring chicken :/
Some dummy cutting onions was following me around whenever I watched that video yesterday. Beautiful job Kate!
Coaches, I'm traveling the next week, but definitely want to get my back squats in…what % of our recent 1 RM would you recommend us starting our volume 3×5 Back Squat day at?
Good lord.
Yesterday was the first day of the new and improved Comp Class, AKA HOLY SHIT, AKA the Melissa Loranger Pain Train of Death.
We did all the exercises.
14 Minute EMOM
Even Minutes: Snatch complex – from ground, hang, high hang.
Odd Minutes: 10 6" burpees (aka the high jump from hell)
Partnered with Alex on this and we both figured we'd get into the low 200s – but holy crap, it added up fast. We started at 135 and moved up to 165, then 185 – couldn't go any heavier than that. The burpees winded me and made it really hard to focus on the snatches. This was a good reality check.
Strength Work – 5 rounds.
3 Rep Front Squat with 3 second hold at the bottom – rest 90 seconds
5x Tempo Ring Dip with 3 second hold at top, 3 seconds down, 3 seconds at the bottom, 3 seconds up.
Went 275-305-325-335-345 on the Front Squats. These were my jam, but they still were tough
Ring dips got hard towards the end. They were rx'ed as 10 ring dips, but I think we all did 5.
Amanda
9-7-5
Muscle-ups
Full Snatch at 135lbs
Did this in 12:25. Everything felt super slow and I felt like I had no gas from all the other stuff. Definitely slower than I've done it before. Did the muscle ups as singles and managed not to fair any of them.
Fun first run at the new comp class. This kind of training is going to take some getting used to (especially the sheer volume of it), but I'm glad we're ramping up our game. Thanks to the coaches for doing this!
6am with Jess and McD
Squats: I sadly haven't been back squatting consistently for a while, so decided to do LBBS 3×5 for Wed and Sat's programming so I can build my strength back up. 45×5, 135×5, 165×3, 175x5x3. It did not move as easily as I had hoped, but should allow me room to add weight each week.
WOD: Partnered with Alex and Jill. The wall balls were unbroken and burpee-box jumps moved consistently. I think I got through 5 rounds. Hats off to the wonder twins who did it with weighted vests!
Also, if anyone has a spare 13 minutes, this video is incredible: the story of a guy who went from an overweight, inactive 270lbs to qualifying for regionals this year.
Watch it here.
Thanks, Lindstar!
@Brad, I'll feel silly if there is some simple percentage to use for figuring out where to start the Perf. back squat programming today, but the way I did it was working backwards with where I want to end up in Week 8, and decreasing the previous load for each week by 10 pounds. I'll be starting Saturday's set of five at 15 pounds higher than Wednesday's. Given where I ended the last cycle, how much room I felt I still had to go up, and my recent 1RM, I want to end at 200x5x3, so I set up today to start at 130. Saturday, I'll start at 145.
And for the front squats, I figured how much of a difference there was between my back squat and front squat, and worked those numbers accordingly.
If any of the three exposures turns out to be too aggressive by Week 5, when I should really start noticing, I can adjust and make smaller jumps.
Coaches, please correct me if I'm wrong!
Melissa Loranger Pain Train of Death. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Monday's Work:
Started the press very conservatively at 95# (Old 1RM is 172.5, so I took 60% of 160) – moved well and can definitely do 100 next week, if not 105
WOD Rx'd in 3:42 – slowed down a bunch at the end. I'm excited for the next time we do Fran now that I have a better butterfly kip.
6am. Worked on inversions during the warm-up. Liked this. Did several kick-ups to the wall that had either a feather light touch or no touch at all. Feeling like my balance has improved quite a bit. Looking forward to doing this work regularly throughout the cycle.
Back squats: 225x5x3. Left hip is still feeling tight from this weekend. Weight was moderate to light and it moved well. I'll jump 10# next week. Partnered with Michael A for the metcon. We both wore our 20# weighted vests which didn't affect me for the wall-balls but made the burpee box jumps interesting. On the down portion of the burpee the vest pile drives you into the ground. Michael got through 6 rounds and I got through 5 rounds + wall-balls + 3 burpees.
6am.
Gymnastic warm ups are a great addition to this cycle. It is going to be fun to actually spend time to learn how to walk on my hands.
FSQ: 185x5x3
I was planning to go heaver but about 12 bad life choices and skipping dinner last night made this morning a little grindy.
Metcon: 6 rounds Normal Rx
I was happy I wasn't part of the weight vest club because that looked awful. Everything unbroken and tried to move as fast as I could with the burped box jumps.
6am with the usual crew, doing Wednesday's workout
I like the new Gymnastics Warmups; the variety is fun and I could use repetitive practice on inversions and strict MU's.
Back squats: 245 x 5 x 3, hamstrings were still tight from this weekend but the weight moved well. This was about 70% of my 1RM as I want to have room to go up, I'll likely increase about 10# next week.
Metcon: Partnered with Peter M and we decided it would be a great idea to rock our 20lb bullet-proof-looking weight vests. Wall balls didn't get affected but the burpees felt like someone was throwing me at the ground each time I dropped. I got through 6 rounds, Peter hit 5 rounds + 3 burpees.
6am with Jess Fox – Monday's work
Performance Press: Failed rep #9 at 100lbs. I think my 1rm of 165 from October is no good anymore. Will adjust it to back to 155 and try 100lbs again next week as ~65% of 155.
Metcon: 5:11 Rx. Felt a glimmer of hope that my conditioning was coming back going into it this morning, but took way too long convincing myself to get back on the pullup bar. Butterfly kip felt pretty good though – pullups were 15, 8-4, 9*, 6, 3. The round of 9 was actually 6-3 or 7-2 if you count losing rythym on the kip for a second, but was able to finish it off without dropping from the bar.
800m run to cash out in just a little bit of a sprinkle, which is my favorite kind of running weather, and then it cleared right up for my bike ride home.
Last night at 7:30pm
I'm really happy to see some pressing programmed in for the next 8 weeks – given my desire to get HSPUs sooner rather than later, I was going to do this work on my own anyway, so it's nice to be able to get it done in class. Ended up doing 45×10, 75×8, and then 90x12x3. The volume here seemed intimidating, but I was able to hit all reps, so I feel like I am off to a good start.
Did the metcon rx'd in 5:32. PRO: all squats unbroken (I paused at the top on some reps, but never put the bar down), first round of pull-ups unbroken (which is the most I've ever done in one set). CON: rounds 2-4 of pullups were a bit of a shitshow, spent a lot of time staring at the bar instead of just going for it, etc.
Cashed out with an 800m run.
Forgot to give Kate props for the video yesterday! It was pretty awesome!
Leisurely lifting session
Back Squat
185x5x5
Practiced being perfect on these.
Bench
225x3x3
205×5
185×8
135×12
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Great plan, Kate Rizzle Sizzle!
Press: 55x12x3 (doing lots of reps at lighter weights works for me as a kind of rehab)
WOD with 9-7-5-3-1 strict pull-ups and 115lb front squats: finished in 5:55.
Loved the video, Kate!! Very beautiful, like everything you do.
Yesterday was my first day back after doing something to my rhomboid doing burps two weeks ago and I am happy to say that everything went well and felt great!!
I'll be sticking to the regular warm-ups as I still have lots of work to do on pull-ups, T2B, push-ups etc. but it's great to see another option. Also making a point of coming in a little earlier to mobilize and do Crossover Symmetry and work on DU's/ pull-ups.
4:30pm yesterday with Noah ad Arturo.
Press (perf)
33 x 5
48 x 3
50 x 12 x 3
This was a little lower than 60% but felt like a good starting point.
WOD with ring rows.
3:50
Loved this. The only way I could have gone any faster would have been if I did not break up the set of 9 ring rows. Everything else was unbroken. Of course, I wish I could Rx the pull-ups. Some day. Super fun to partner with Cage for the whole class. Dead jealous of her kipping skillz.:)
12pm today with Jeremy and McDowell.
LBBS (perf)
45 x 5
95 x 4
135 x 3
165 x 1
185 x 5 x 3
Really focused on keeping my chest up throughout.
WOD with Allan (sp.?) and Paul.
141 reps total.
I did women's Rx; they did mens'. I did 5 rounds, they did more.
OMG this was hard but I am so happy that I managed to get three rounds of unbroken wall balls; they got better as I went along. I probably did the slowest BBJ's ever seen but since I injured myself doing burpees, I really wanted to be careful. The boys were nice enough to be OK with me not going very fast.
Very excited to do a whole cycle of group classes. So happy to be back and feeling good. YAY!
1. Brooklyn Half and other folks training for long-@ss runs: if you would like to start meeting Sunday mornings to run in the park, e-mail me at asha[dot]banker[at]gmail. We can go at different paces as needed. This is mainly to motivate us (me?) to get in a weekly long run.
2. Shout out to Kate for that beautiful video – creative, thoughtful, and sentimental.
3. And, a belated thank you to Mrav and KLove (and Kate R) for the post-15.5 encouragement!
Thanks, guys! And Fox, I've never gotten that one before. I like it. 🙂
5:30 class with Jeremy and MeLo
LBBS: 45×5, 95×5, 130x5x3. Ellie helped me correct my tilting bar problem more. I think it might be that my right shoulder and lat are stronger. All gets better when I keep my elbows up and shoulders tight. Weight moved easy, as it should.
WOD Rx with Ellie. We got through 6 rounds each and she almost finished a 7th. I up-scaled the wall balls to a 10' target, only got tough at the end of the last two rounds. Love partner workouts.
Cashout: side planks, plus some abs and bis and tris! GHD sit-ups 3×12, dumbbell rows 3×12 each with 25#. I quit on the tricep extensions, my arms are smoked.
Another great night at the gym. Exercise is so fun.
Kate 😀