Allie B. with a great position at the top of her pull-up. Here are the two biggest errors we see in the pull-up and ways to fix them:
- Lack of tension in the lower body: Often people let their feet passively flail around or cross them in an attempt to create tension and stability. When doing pull-ups, keep your knees locked out and imagine holding a towel between your toes (you’re welcome to literally put a towel between your feet if you want!). Note that at the top of the pull-up, your feet will be forward of the rest of your body in order for the system to be balanced.
- Craning of the neck at the top: Often people attempt to reach their chin over the bar instead of pulling themselves high enough. When you’re doing pull-ups, imagine holding a softball under your chin and attempting to not drop it. You can also pick a spot across the room to stair at and keep your eyes on it. If you CAN’T get over the bar in a good position, increase your assistance with a thicker band and spend :03 at the top of each rep fighting for a better position. Even if the band makes the other 90% of the pull-up feel too easy, you’re still getting plenty of value working your weakest position.
Get Fit or Be Hacking Fundraising and Workout Update
“Get Fit or Be Hacking” on May 2nd is less than a month away! Here are the top fundraising teams so far
- Betaworks: $600
- ScriptEd: $265
- StrongTypes: $100
It’s not too late to create a team, join a team, or register to participate and fundraise individually! Remember we have both an “Rx” option for those who will compete in both the coding and WOD challenges, and a “fitness” option for those who just want to do the two WODs. We’re raising money for a great cause—CSNYC—which funds programs that bring computer science to NYC public school kids. Help kids learn to code!
We’re also excited to announce the two WODs. They are:
Workout 1: “Python and Pull-ups”
AMRAP 15 Minutes
Run 270m
10 Burpees
10 Ring Rows or 5 Pull-Ups (** Scale Up: 10 kipping pull-ups)
20 Sit-Ups (**Scale Up: 10 Power Cleans 135/95)
Workout 2: “Jumping Java”
AMRAP 15 Minutes
Buy in: 270m Farmer’s Carry
Then in the remaining time:
12 Dumbbell Push Presses (** Scale up: 12 Thrusters 95/65)
12 Box Jumps or Step-Ups
24 Double Unders or 100 Single-Unders
** Scale-up options for experienced CrossFitters looking for a more of a challenge. Scale-up options must be done at prescribed load.
Note: “Fitness” participants (I.e., those not participating in the coding portion) should plan on 35-45 minutes between workouts 1 and 2 during which they can do mobility work, cheer on other participants, and/or observe the coding challenge.
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The Movement Fix
Before You Squat: Physical and Mental Preparation Catalyst Athletics
An Artist Paints With Sand and Light The Atlantic
Saturday's Programming
Fitness: Back 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 5RM (Intensity Day) + Front Squat 5RM
Heavier than Wednesday but light enough to not be a true 5RM until at least a few weeks into the cycle. Then, drop weight and perform a heavy set of 5 front squats. Start at about 75% and plan to add 5-10 pounds each week.
Post loads to comments.
e1/8
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5 Rounds or 20 Minutes:
20/15 Calorie Row
12 Dumbbell Bench Press, as heavy as possible
8 Strict Chest to Bar Chin-Ups (add weight or use bands as necessary)
Post rounds and Rx to comments.
6am. Worked on some wall kick-ups and strict muscle-ups during warmup. Getting good balance on the kick-ups. Should move away from the wall soon. Strict muscle-ups were hard. I know I've done triples in the past, but struggled with singles today. Perf back squat: 255×5. Felt heavy and slow when it really shouldn't have. Perf front squat: 215×5. These felt solid (elbows up nicely), but also a bit slow out of the bottom. Conditioning: 3+ rounds with 20# weighted vest. DB weight for bench: 65-75-75.
Came in this morning to do Comp programming. I was supposed to do "Helen" at the end but I ran out of time!. Still, got some good Oly lifting in.
7×1 Hang Snatch
1×73
1×78
1×83
1×88
1×93
1×98 (PR for a hang snatch)
f@ 103 (got under it, but couldn't lock out my arms)
I still start having issues with jumping my feet way out once it gets to be around 90lbs, but the weight at which this happens is very slowly getting heavier.
5×1 Hang Clean
1×113
1×123
1×133
1×138
1×143 (this might be a PR for a hang clean?)
didn't release my hook grip on this last one and caught the bar with my elbows really low. My right wrist was not happy.
Jerks with a pre-jerk dip drive, thinking about keeping my weight over the middle of my foot
83×2
93×2
103×1
2 or 3 at 113.
Kept this very light, trying to stay vertical in my dip. When I do the pre-jerk dip drive, I can feel the different in the dip I do for my actual jerk. Still, these felt a lot better than yesterday.
All this was supposed to be "bar bell gymnastics" but it took me 45 minutes! I am glad I took my time on it though
Then, a weird modified mash up of some stuff from yesterday and some stuff from today:
4 rounds: 1 BTN Push Press +2 snatch balances (63, 68, 73, 78); 10 Butterfly C2Bs. Took a couple of attempts at 63 to really feel like the bar was well balanced overhead (I tend to leave it too far back). I found doing the push press before these helped me find that position. Rhythm on the C2Bs felt a little rusty!
Took another ride on the Comp Class 2.0 Pain Train last night.
EMOM – 14 minutes
Even minutes – floor clean, hang clean, high hang clean, jerk
Odd minutes – 15 jumping air squats
Worked to 225 on the clean complex. This felt fine for the first few rounds, but my legs started to die toward the end. It's funny how light you have to go with these to prevent total exhaustion.
4 Rounds:
1 min max toe to bar – rest 90 seconds
3 Behind-the-neck push press + 2 snatch balance – rest 90 seconds
Averaged around 20 on the toes to bar, except for the last round, when I got 16
On the complex: 155-185-205-225F
I've never actually done behind the neck push presses before, these are tough. Failed forward on the first snatch balance at 225 – really have to work on these.
Finally, for conditioning we ran a 5K. Yes, I know the thought of me running a 5K is laughable, but I did it!
The run started off bad with lots of cramps in my feet/calves, but luckily I loosened up and sped up about halfway through and managed to catch up to Zach. Finished in 31:11. Lots of room for improvement here, obviously.
More pain coming tonight. Yay!
Thanks CFSBK for the update on "Get Fit or Be Hacking". This is going to be such a fun event and it is for such a good important cause.
Learning to code and getting access to computer science is important for every child, not just rich children at well-to-do schools, and not just children who will grow up to be software engineers. A big focus of CSNYC is funding programs that bring coding to girls, children of color, and schools in disadvantaged communities.
I love this quote from Steve Jobs (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaA1PbyS8BA) — “Everyone in this country should learn…a computer language because it teaches you how to think.” As many of you know, coding permeates so many industries nowadays and it's a critical form of literacy.
NOTE: We've created a "Fitness" (no coding – WODs only) option so the event is open to EVERYONE. Let's sweat and code and raise a bunch of money to help kids learn computer science in schools!
And if you can't join us May 2, please donate! https://www.crowdrise.com/getfitorbehacking/
6am w/ McDowell and David
BSQ: 205x5x3
A conservative start to the cycle.
NFT work:
3 rounds,
Bench: 45,55,65
Chin ups: BW, 10#, 20#
Squat 165x5x2. I subbed a second set of back squats for the front squats since I can't do front rack.
NFT work: 4 rounds. Bench 25, 30, 30, 35. In retrospect I wish I'd done something else, as my wrist was angry with me afterward. It felt a little uncomfortable while I was doing it but it didn't seem so bad. I subbed horizontal ring rows (feet on a bench) for the chinups since chinups do hurt.
Skipped the hollow rock cash out in favor of wrist exercises again. I must have looked quite amusing waving a juggling club around.
Noon class
Back Squat
195x5x3
All good, no issues.
Then did
5 Rounds
5 Deadlifts 205
12 DB Bench Press 50-60-75-75=75
75 Hollow Rock cash out wasn't too bad
MGMT – I think the CFSBK on-line store is broken because it still shows 7 open spaces for Frank's PM Olympic Lifting Class. That can't be true? Right, the entire membership of our gym? Am I to believe that there are only 3 of us that are attractive, talented, brilliant, clever, soo-ah-vey and brave enough to pop it and drop it for 8 weeks? This I cannot, NO I WILL NOT, accept!!
@Jay-Star … I am thinking the same thing re CrowdRise. Where are all the Olympic Lifters AND where are all the coder-fitters?
WTG Allie! I am in awe of your pull ups! You simply own them! Such ability, so fantastic. Do your students know you can do pull ups?!
":03 at the top of each rep fighting for a better position" Ahh this is good advice.
Great OG.
Pause Snatch pull+Snatch, Max, then -5%x2
275(1+1)
286F(1+F)
253x(1+1)x2
Pause Clean pull+Clean+2Jerks, Max then -5%x2
308(1+1+2)
319(1+1+1+F)
319(1+1+2)
308(1+1+2)x2
HBBS, 3RM, -5%, -10%x3
445×3 (been trying to hit this for quite some time, finally got it)
427×3
400×3
Clean pulls, Heavy 3×3
429x3x3
Got my Muscle ups back! Did a couple.